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Hellraiser97

Certifiably Surly
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Posts posted by Hellraiser97

  1. On 1/4/2025 at 4:52 PM, TonyTexas said:

    The aggy roller coaster would look great over the mantle. It’s timeless. 

    ThuJone should offer that with direct shipping to aggy households.  So many friends I could send that to!

  2. Finished Service Model week before last.  It was good.  Enjoyed it more than Cage of Souls for sure.  That said, I'm not reading another one of his books for a while.

    Didn't realize I'd missed an Expeditionary Force novel last year, Aftermath, so fire that up and finished it yesterday.  Lots of good laughs but overall the story was meh.  Really I'm surprised they continued the series.  It was pretty wrapped up I felt at the book before that.  Not sure what I'm going to listen to next.  Don't want to just plow through the next Expeditionary Force novel.

    On 12/12/2024 at 2:29 PM, High Plains Drifter said:

     

    As usual, the last couple of books aren't as good, but the grand finale is very satisfying, a perfect ending to the series, imo. 

    I also liked the epilogue. 

    Agreed.  Finale was very satisfying and the epilogue was fantastic.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  3. So finished Cage of Souls and yeah, it was something.  Again, excellent writing and world building, but a bit depressing.  

    Not sure why I'm doing this to myself (probably because I had it in my Audible accout) but I'm reading another one of his books, Service Model.  It's interesting for sure.  Like Cage of Souls, not sure exactly where he's going with it and I'm 2/3 through.  

    Next up, I'm hitting the latest Expeditionary Force book.  

    I also got this recommendation from Audible - Ilium by Dan Simmons.  It's about the Trojan War more or less it seems.  Any of you recommend it?  I liked the Hyperion series as I said above.
     

  4. I'm a little pissed at aggy.  Several of my friends that went there have already simply resigned themselves to the fact that we're going to win and that their school will always be second tier.  They're non-stop lamenting the blown opportunity of the past 11 years.  How the fuck am I supposed to enjoy taunting them with an attitude like that?!?

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
  5. On 10/27/2024 at 10:17 PM, Austinvines said:


    I really like Sanderson’s universe and his audio books set the bar for when I want to spend an audible credit. The price per minute is nuts and I love the narrators. Book 5 comes out in December. He really excels at pulling all his strings together at the climax - I’ve heard it described as the Sanderlanche.

    I went partially through Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt and it’s really well done, but like others, I find it sad/depressing. Any recs on a series of his that is a little more redemptive?

    I tried Malazan but there is too much going on for me to follow with an audiobook.

    The First Law may be the best audiobook series ever. Steven Pacey is the best in the business.

    The two series I've read of Tchaikovsky's are Shards of Earth which I really liked and it's not sad/depressing and Children of Time which some may not find sad/depressing, but it's certainly not upbeat either.  Both are high quality writing for sure.

    On 10/27/2024 at 12:03 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

    Rendezvous with Rama is well worth your time. Short enough you knock it put in a day. 
     

    Hard to describe it, but you will enjoy it. 
     

    It’s allegedly Villeneuve’s next project. He will have his work cut out for him. 

    I read that about a decade ago when I went on a spree reading classic Sci-Fi.  Could be really interesting as a movie for sure.  I never read the sequels, but I heard they were not that great.

    • Hook 'Em 2
  6. I finished the latest Undying Mercenaries book, Throne World.  It was nothing original and seemed kind of short compared to the others, but still a fun read.  I also finished Books 3 & 4 of the Bobiverse series.  REally enjoyed those and where he's going with the series.  Looks like there's a Book 5 that just came out.

    Right now, I'm listening to Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky, I'm on chapter 9 and so far, I'm not sold on it.  The writing is excellent, but outside of it taking place in the distant future, doesn't really feel like Sci-Fi so far.

  7. 23 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

    I'm still able to be kind of shocked at things like that t-shirt. Maybe if you go to a party or something, but I can't help but think of older people or people averse to crudeness in general not being disgusted by that shirt in a very public place.

    While I'm shaking my cane at youth, I'll add that the Hot or Not thread is a pathology. Why photograph random women who are unaware that you are doing it then sharing your creepnity on Surly? I think it's wrong, to be honest.

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    • Hook 'Em 1
  8. 2 minutes ago, horn009 said:

    NIL is turning college into a game of the highest bidder. It's basically a watered down NFL right now. The sport will eventually lose its charm as these trends continue. 

    It already has in many ways.  I'm enjoying our seasons to be sure, but I was shocked at the start of the season to find out our top FOUR receivers are all transfers that came in after last season.  

  9. On 2/8/2024 at 10:50 AM, hornian said:

    Did you ever read the Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons? It's 4 books. It's very good. Kinda prescient because it deals with AI (he calls it the Techno-Core). It gets a little weird in the last book, but all in all I enjoyed it. I just re-read it again. The Shrike is one of the best "monsters" ever. 

     

    Just finished the last book.  Yeah, it got a little wierd!  I think what really annoyed me was there was SO much detail that frankly felt unnecessary.  Overall enjoyed the series though.

  10. On 7/30/2024 at 9:41 PM, MadTrapper said:

    Why do you do this? Just as I was starting to make a dent in my book list...

    Finished "The Man who Fell to Earth".  What a read.  He writes juuust enough about any given scene to make it seem vivid in your head without being at all too wordy.  Loved every page. 

    I saw the movie with David Bowie a few years ago.  Didn't realize it was a novel.  Adding it to the list!

  11. 15 hours ago, Shaddie said:

    Nope. CC will get you free bag check and slightly higher boarding spot. No status until you spend lots of money on CC (and on stuff they want you to) or buying tickets. Loyalty points are the currency for AA. Best bet is to make an appointment at a PreCheck kiosk and sign up for that. 

    I have PreCheck.  I realized after I posted that about the loyalty points.  Good news though, I have one property still going on (and may do them as one off, side work in the future) and I can easily charge $70k as we finish that build.  That would get me Platinum status and then with the amount I'll fly, maybe I can maintain it.

     

    18 hours ago, Vegas64 said:

    So many questions. I must have missed a whole part of your life from shaggy to today, but it sounds like an extreme change and series of life events happened.

    Anyways, Vonlane is awesome and I hear they are UT guys too? 15% off discount w/ Texas Exes: https://www.texasexes.org/membership/member-benefits/vonlane

    Yeah, here's a short run down - 2015 moved from NYC to Austin, started business, 2016-2017 hit problems with banks, 2017-2019 worked through them, 2019 told wife things were good now, 2 days later she files for divorce, 12 months of divorce (including finding out all sorts of bad stuffI was oblivious to), business hits trouble due to divorce, as divorce wrapping up, try to scale business back up, but literraly come to agreement on divorce first week of COVID, made it through a couple years more, but the speed we could move, largely due to COVID crap, started killing us and tying up capital, 2022 rates spike, and business starts declining, through if we got through 2023 we could turn it around, decided at the beginning of the year that no, it was time to wind it down, been job searching since, can't find job in Austin for what I am best qualified to do (and can't get jobs that I'm reasonably qualified to do either), so now I'm looking at travelling, but at least I won't be broke.

    Started dating girlfriend about 2.5 years ago after doing the requisit dating crazy after crazy. 

    Thanks for the link!  Didn't know about that.

    • Like 1
  12. 1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

    Do you have any status on American?  Because if so, then the security situation at AUS is just fine.  I was there at the butt-crack of dawn Saturday morning, when the regular security line wound around the ticket counter area and was probably at least 45 minutes.  But the premium line was deserted, and I was through in less than five minutes.

    Flying those kind of miles is going to get you status in a hurry, not to mention miles.  Vonlane and RedCoach don't have a frequent-flyer program that is worth much of a shit.  So for that reason, if you don't want to drive then I'd say fly American.

     

    I will say that while I was commuting between Austin and Dallas for nine months, I just drove.  But I also wanted to have my car wherever I was, so the situation is slightly different.

    Thanks.  I don't have status on AA right now.  I think one of the credit cards you can get with a high fee gives you some type of status, so I'll check into that before I start flying.

  13. 1 minute ago, Firemans4Horn said:


    it’s 4 hours and 15 minutes from 5th street in Austin (with 2 stops) and it drops you off at: “Crossunder #2 (Between Terminals A and B), DFW Airport Dallas , TX 75063”

     

    not sure what you can do from there. 
     

    AUS-DFW is 50 minute by air. Your south Austin house to your dad’s house is probably 3:15 by car. Buses are not a legitimate option for the route you are taking. 

    My plan is possibly to leave my truck at long term parking (not sure how much that is these days) or even at the office and take an uber there.  I won't be traveling with anything more than a backpack, so I'm not lugging anything around.  I don't think the bus is an option on Wednesdays, but for Sundays going up, that's 4 hours and 15 minutes I can be doing something.  I've only flown between AUS and DFW a handful of times, but my experience flying has been that it's not much faster overall when you factor in security, getting to the flight before take off, getting on the flight, flight time, taxing, getting off the plane, exiting the terminal, and the only real time do do anything is most, but not all, of that 50 minutes in the air.  I appreciate the input, but I think at least for Sunday, it's somewhat feasible (and a lot cheaper than flying)

  14.  

    21 minutes ago, Firemans4Horn said:

    Your commute is really more Aus-DFW. I’d probably just try and get as high of status with American Airlines and fly with them. 
     

    love field/vonlane/other bus lines don’t really make sense based on where your job is and where your housing situation is. 

    RedCoach drops off at DFW airport.

    4 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    Grapevine or coppell?

    Coppell

  15. 51 minutes ago, Firemans4Horn said:


    it sucks. DART leaves DFW every 30 minutes at best (the station is poorly marked at the ass end of terminal A with not much internal connections) and it crawls through Irving for about 50 minutes until you get to the Love Field station which is a). Not connected to the airport b). Nowhere near the Doubletree where the Vonlane leaves. Which means you’ll have to Uber between stations. 
     

    Trust me, this is not even a thing you want to try unless you don’t value your time at all. 

    I used to ride the light rail every day to work about 20 years ago.  I see the quality and speed has not improved!  Really, anything to do with LUV would be in a situation where I just can't make anything else work for that specific trip.  So it would suck for sure, but it would be a last resort.

  16. 52 minutes ago, Firemans4Horn said:

    Are you working in both places or just in Grapevine/Coppell?

     

    Anything keeping you in South Austin every weekend? No idea about the relationship with your dad but if it were me I’d get an apartment in Grapevine and drive back to Austin on as needed basis. 

    In Austin, I'm working from home.  My kids are in Austin and short of a massively expensive court fight, which I may not win, my proposed schedule of Weds/Thurs and every other Fri-Sun time with them requires me to be in Austin (my ex is amicable to reorganizing from our current week on week off).  I'm not willing to reduce my custody to less than 50% nor make them travel.  My dad and I are fine.  He's an ornery old bastard, but frankly I'll barely see him.  I'll get in late Sundays, work all day Mon-Tues, go to the gym after work, get home, go to sleep, and wednesday work all day then head back to Austin.  Also, my girlfriend lives in San Marcos, so as long as that continues, even my off weekends with the kids I'd be coming back.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  17. 2 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

    I had a job in Dallas for three years while living in Austin. I found that mixing up all three modes of transportation was best. Sometimes I drove, sometimes I used Vonlane, and sometimes I flew. The mix should be based on where you live in Austin and where you work in Dallas. I live in North Austin and worked in North Dallas, so the bus and driving were used more often than flying. 

    The office is literally 5 minutes north of DFW airport.  I live in South Austin.

  18. 3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

    Concur, although I don't do the pre-check, because I never fly.  It was a nightmare when I finally hopped on a nonstop to SFO a couple of weeks back.  

    That said, even if you buzz thru TSA aren't you still spending as much time driving to ABIA, getting thru TSA, waiting to board, flying, reverse?  I just can't justify flying much less than maybe 400 miles or so.  I'd just rather be driving.

    If the OP drove, would there be mileage reimbursement?  Those usually pay all gas + wear and tear near as I can tell.

    No mileage reimbursement, this is going to be solely on me.  I'm not a fan of all that goes into getting to the flight, but like I said, I'd rather not drive.  I'll probably end up driving it at least once a month for various reason, but I'd like to keep it to a minimum.

    Appreciate all the responses!

    • Hook 'Em 1
  19. 32 minutes ago, Mittens said:

    I have friends that regularly use Vonlane and love it.

    The times you would be driving will have minimal traffic and it's an incredibly easy drive.  Straight shot w/ minimal cops - I typically avg 85+mph on that run.

    I have driven that drive more times than I can count!  I generally don't mind it, but doing it 8 times a month I think would start to suck real quick.  Especially if I can sit on a bus and watch video, play games, read or sleep.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  20. yeah the go Dallas downtown, Richardson, then DFW.  Doesn't make a difference.  The place I'd be working is 5 min north of DFW and I'm going to be staying with my Dad that is another 20 minutes NW of that.  I looked at getting off downtown and taking the light rail over to to DFW, but it would actually take longer.

    49 minutes ago, idigTexas said:

    I have zero experience with this, but could you take RedCoach on the AUS-DFW leg, and AA on the DFW-AUS leg?    

    That is looking the most likely scenario.  There are some Sundays I wouldn't be able to make the RedCoach bus and I'd either need to to Vonlane or fly.

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