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Reagan1k

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by Reagan1k

  1. Fast forward 24 months and my buddy is now almost non-communicative and his physical health is failing- at 50 years old. His next move will be to a memory care unit with round the clock attention. His wife is no longer able to manage him and care for their kids even though he goes to a daily care facility 3-4 days a week. Just awful...
  2. The progressiveness for me was more along the lines of how I "managed" the disease. I have come to believe that I was born this way as opposed to drinking my way into some dependence. I also think that can happen but once it does, the progression then is probably the same with regard to the physical cravings and mental obsession. My evidence for this is that after some period of sobriety and reflection, I can identify that I always had the craving. From drink one at an early age, I was never satisfied with one drink even when I could use better judgement and stop. I was always unsatisfied. That's what I have come to understand as the allergy manifesting a physical craving. Even in high school and college, I can recall often wondering things like "How can bars operate if they know that everyone who drives there will leave and be guilty of drunken driving." It never occurred to me that one could drink and not get drunk. Later when of age, I didn't understand the concept of a Bloody Mary for brunch and not drinking the rest of the day. When I was forced to do that, it started as an uncomfortable feeling and in later years progressed into a monumental feat of willpower that eventually was too much. When I did practice moderate, social or "normie" drinking, it was a chore and not enjoyable at some core, primal level. I was functional, and could drink socially, but always had to finish the job at some point in the day or night. That's when the lying and sneaking part comes in. As the disease progressed, I had less and less ability to control the amount I consumed and when I occasionally did control the amount, the dissatisfaction with it and the restlessness increased. Finally, I gave up any notion of controlling AND enjoying my drinking. Those two could not coexist. When I read the book and it talks about a hard drinker who given sufficient reason to stop or moderate can do so successfully and without wanting to blow their brains out, I picture someone who abuses alcohol, but is not prey to the allergy and mental obsession. They dry out, clean up, and move on without the bottle resting on their shoulder whispering - "we should be drinking" 24/7/365. Another way I try and explain it to normies (like my wife). They for whatever reason think I need a drink. What they really mean is that they want a drink - the choice is implied and real for them. They choose to take the action of drinking in moderation or to excess. When I was to think I need a drink, I really needed to drink (not by choice) in order satisfy the mental obsession preceding and then the physical craving that started following the 1st drink. That's rambling, but so be it. Just my experience.
  3. The first and easiest thing you can do is get a copy of the “playbook” Coach Frank Broyles wrote for caregivers Most of your real struggle will be dealing with the denial and other issues presented by the spouse. It’s incredibly frustrating to seem them put their head in the sand but it’s a natural reaction for many. It may well take a 3rd party or expert to break through the barriers. Parents don’t want advice on finances, marriage, and sex from their own kid who’s butt they wiped as an infant. It’s hard but have some compassion for the spouse because their dreams of what the rest of their life would / should be are being smashed in front of their eyes daily and they feel overwhelmed even as they may act like nothing is wrong. See if you can get him to go with your wife to an Alzheimer’s support group- even under the guise of supporting your wife and not because he “needs” it. If they have a church family reach out to them and get them in the loop. Look for a local association and investigate their caregiver respite programs - basically like a Mother’s Day Out for a couple hours 1-2 days a week where the patient gets dropped off and the caregiver gets some free time. From there you’ll also get resources for in home sitters and other programs. You’ll get frustrated and overwhelmed but keep your focus on supporting the non-Alzheimer’s spouse as that’s who you can really help and need to help as their health- both physical and mental is paramount. If they crater under the stress, the whole things goes to shit as you now have two for whom you must provide care.
  4. I don’t ask what about her shoes and she doesn’t ask about my guns. Blissful ignorance can be a good thing for all parties.
  5. No experience with the .458 SOCOM or the newer HAM’R but I do have a little Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster topped with a 1x6 and it’s a cool little gun. Round performs well and is easy to shoot. Ammo becoming more available. Loud AF but good on the recoil side. Handy little truck gun, deer gun in thick east Texas type cover, or hog buster.
  6. Man - a left handed prepper selling a right handed rifle. What happens if he hurts his left hand in the apocalypse? Good news for you - Poor planning on his part. Maybe just pay him in toilet paper if you have a few extra rolls. Sounds about even to me.
  7. So.....have we come to the conclusion / concensus that @Pato del Muerto really has only one choice? If he doesn't get a Genwerks Verdict in 300RPC with a Kahles K525i MOAK and lazer etched turret he'll probably never kill anything. Pretty simple choice. Then, all he has to do is periodically loan it out to all the "helpers" he's had on Surly as a thank you. Seems not only reasonable but the prudent/responsible thing to do.....putting food on the table for his family in these uncertain times.
  8. To the point above, in this instance, the most effective / lethal round is the one you can shoot accurately. Put either one in the right spot and it'll work. We aren't comparing rimfire .22's to a .30 caliber magnum round here. Neither is a bad choice. Choose what you can and will become proficient with.
  9. 2nd vote for Ruger In this case. Lot of gun for the money. One idea would be to look at the Blackhawk Convertibles. You can run both 45LC and 45 auto or .357 and 9mm for instance with a simple cylinder swap. Even 10mm / 40S&W. Guns come with both cylinders. Give you an option to shoot lower cost pills when you want to run it a lot or a more traditional longer cased handgun round when you want it. Several options and you can get them in various configurations including a birds head grip if that floats your boat.
  10. Spot on. I’ve seen the effects of a 20 yard shot from a 5.56 SBR vs. the same placement in shots 10x longer out of 5.56 carbine or rifle length barrels on TX sized whitetail and there is no comparison.
  11. For range shooting, self defense, walking around on a ranch?? What’s your pleasure?
  12. That GamePro Gen2 is pretty intriguing....with a threaded barrel that gives you a reason to get a can for it. Anytime you can create a reason to justify a new suppressor or especially your first one that’s a slam dunk. edit- and there is nothing wrong with N.S. Optics on a rifle like that. It’ll serve you well for the intended purpose.
  13. @elguapo I concur on the Tikkas. I'd also submit in that same arena one should also fondle a Howa. They have several models but the Game King package comes to mind as fitting the bill here. We've got a couple with the Houge pillar-bedded Overmolded stock & recoil pad and they're nice. Reliable action known for consistency in an off-the-shelf rifle. They used to and probably still build actions for some of the Weatherby lines.
  14. With all the brace options available.... for a recreational shooter the pistol route is much more user friendly IMO. I’ve done the SBR deal too and while I like it, for the most part it is an unnecessary expense and hassle.....assuming we are speaking to AR platforms. Now, tell me you’re doing something like an MP5 clone and I might lean toward SBR for the sake of staying authentic and the overall sex appeal.
  15. This can't be stressed enough. Barring the oddball true lemon coming off the factory line, modern rifles (even budget ones) are limited by the average hunter and not the other way around, and that's not a knock on the shooters. The reality is that for the guy that goes to the range a couple of times per year or only checks his rifle in camp the day before season opens, any of these rifles will put a hole where it needs to be if the shooter can hold the shot there. Couple a lack of practice time with elevated anxiety when shooting an animal and the weak link is always the indian and never the arrow. You aren't shooting groups in a hunting situation and any of the above mentioned rifles in those above posts will result in game on the ground if the hunter does his/her part. And let's be honest.....in hunting camps everywhere, "My scope must have gotten bumped" is code for "I got excited and jerked the trigger." nine times out of ten. I'm certainly in that group right now.....I haven't been shooting much and I know that all of my rifles will out shoot me were I to step on the range right now.
  16. @SwanderedTalent the old speaker Tom Brady Jr. talks about hitting “menopause” in recovery. It’s a real thing. The only thing I know that alleviates it is getting out of self, working with others, prayer and meditation. Anything to get out of self....even volunteering time and talent outside of the program can help. This too shall pass and we can’t control the thoughts that pop in to our heads but we are responsible for what action we take with those thoughts. It’s cliche but those ring more true the longer I stay sober.
  17. Was not aware of crepuscular but I've already decided I MUST work that into a conversation this week while talking to my wife. In fact, that alone may justify a new Swarovski scope purchase. Thanks for the heads up! Her: Why in the fuck did you buy ANOTHER scope? Me: I didn't have one specifically for crepuscular hunting and that's really important. Her: Wanders off wondering WTF I just said and trying to determine how a crepuscular is going to taste off the grill or in a gumbo.
  18. I've spent plenty of $$ on higher end AR's and upgraded other basic models but in reality, if someone is dipping their toe into the water and is just looking to have something that will go bang the basic or budget AR's produced today are fine for the money. $400 is cheap in today's market. Why not? He can play with it and if it happens to go click every once in a while or isn't shooting tight groups who cares? If he enjoys the platform, he can (and will) upgrade anyway so why not ease into it with the Del-Ton and see if he likes it. He's not an operator risking his life based on the reliability or accuracy, so if he has to pop the forward assist every once in a while or deals with a jam, who cares. He can also use it to practice his modifications and AR-smithing if he decides to go that direction in the future and won't have to worry about marring up a nicer rifle until he gets the hang of it. He can always sell it if he hates it. For $400 he should do it.
  19. The thing about ringtails is that they are damn near 100% nocturnal and I mean dead of night...not dusk and dawn - evolutionary reason they have such big eyes for operating at night. Unless you happen to disturb one, the chances of seeing one in the daytime are extremely slim. They also spend a lot of time up in trees so headlights while driving or flashlights while walking often don't pick them up and when you do pick up shining eyes, they're mistaken for a plain old coon in many people's guestimation. They're more common in the hill country than most people would think. We see them fairly often, but mostly when doing nighttime deer counts when we have q-beams spreading a wide light. Cool critter!! What's going to be fun is when your neighbor catches a porcupine.
  20. Forgive me if this has been covered above. I lost track of this thread for a bit and haven't caught up. Once a PPP loan has been issued, has there been a final determination with regard to whether subsequent payments to 1099 or subcontractor workers can be used in the evidence for loan forgiveness (do these payments count toward the "payroll costs")? I know they were not considered for the calculation of the loan amount, but there was some debate as to whether they would be considered on the forgiveness part. TIA!
  21. lots of people are gathering in groups of 3-6 and having impromptu meetings on back porches at someone’s house.
  22. If she’s going anti-Purdey, she made damn sure they were out of his reach permanently. This was the hill where she planted her flag.
  23. Alongside - literally. Not working with them, just alongside of them taking selfies while other people do real work in the background.
  24. Women are a dime a dozen for a guy like Harry....shit..... for any guy with pulse and a wallet. You never get "YOUR" Purdeys back. That should have been exhibit #1 when she asked him why her shit was in garbage bags on the manicured lawn in front of the manor. He should go vegan or whatever they call themselves these days and forbid her from wearing leather or animal skin of any kind....animal cruelty and such. He doesn't hunt game.....she doesn't hunt fashion. No Miu Miu shoes, no Birkin bags, no Fendi luggage. "Polyester, cotton, and plastic for you my dearest! For the sake of the poor animals, right?"
  25. Harry sold his matched set of Purdey rifles b/c she doesn't like hunting. Damn...........
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