Messages posted by: HenryThomas88 (IV07959301)

So, I've started on a diet. Yeah, yeah, I know. Everyone's telling me I'm nuts for doing it around the holidays, but I gotta' do it. I'm the heaviest I've ever been, and I don;t like it. I don't like how I feel, and I definitely don't like how I look. Heck, I've got about 125 Harley shirts I'd like to wear again one day.

I'm a photographer, and the pandemic put me into what became a pretty sedentary lifestyle. I wasn't working much, and I don't believe that riding a Harley is technically considered "exercise".

So, my doctor started me on peptide therapy. I've read that they don't work for everyone, but they're certainly working for me. I'm also doing my best to stick to a 2,200 calorie day, and I've started (slowly) walking around the neighborhood for exercise.

With counting calories, I'm using a website called My Fitness Pal. It allows you to log in your food, amounts, etc. It tells you what you're ingesting as far as calories, carbs, fat, proteins, sodium and sugar.

At the bottom of the daily log is a pie chart. It shows you where you're getting your calories from, displaying protein, carbs and fat. Invariably, the majority of my calories are coming from carbs, and then fat. Protein comes in last.

All this to get to a relatively simple question: Is it best to try to balance the percentage of all calories, or is it better to have more coming from, say, protein and less from carbs?

Hope that makes sense...

Warning, LONG post because background information.

I had a private session with a royal commission officer today about the instance where I was sexually harassed by a paid disability support worker due to being trans.

The worker indicated that he didn't know how I identified, which is bizarre considering I look biologically male. We later found out that his confusion was due to not believing that I could possibly be assigned female at birth, as there was just no way I could have transitioned to male, and look at good as I do. Stunningly, he had an LGBT friendly badge on his profile, and I didn't hire people without them.

I sort of sighed and said 'im a trans man. He/him' even though my support profile and ad both specify that information, which I do to try to filter out bad people, and filter in good people. It can work, I did get a gay worker that way.

Then that's when things started getting whack. He asked me why I was assigned female and whether I was a hermaphrodite. I saw no, and he said 'oh you're assigned female because of you're anatomy' and I thought he was getting it.

Then, he asks whether I have a penis or a vagina. May I reiterate that this man was a *paid* disability support worker who apparently has clearance to work with vulnerable people, of which I am one, extremely so.

Oddly, I actually started answering these questions I normally would not. From what I've kind of thought, I think the shock at who was asking me the questions, the power imbalance, the fact that I've passed as cis for like 7 years now and while before hormones I introduced myself as a trans man using he/him pronouns which would then result in the inevitable genital questions, that seemed a fair trade off for not getting misgendered. So it had been just so long I was sort of caught off guard. Also, my autism makes me very naive and want to help, and be honest, so there's that, and a trauma response from when I *have* told people their questions are inappropriate I get things like 'wow I thought you people wanted us to learn about you' or such variations. So here I was fucking nodding my dumb ass head along.

He then asked if I still had periods.

Then, he asked if I stopped testosterone would my boobs grow back (impressive this one, invasive and dumb).

Then, the crowing jewel. He asked if he could see a picture of me as a teenage girl before I transitioned. It was at *this* stage the autistic delay wore off and I was like 'ah yikes, somehow in 10 years you have managed to ask me a question that has creeped me out in a brand new way.

He also said while he did it that he was 'asking to be a better mentor for me' which upon reflection, really felt like he was leading me into answering.

Pretty suspicious that his invasive questions ended at the stage at which I said no, I have no photos (of course I fucking do, they're just all at my mum's house).

Went to bed, woke up the next morning feeling suuuuuuper gross and violated. Spoke to a friend. She said he sexually harassed me. Called my recovery coach (woman who admins my funding) and she blew her lid.

She contacted him, I told her that he would state he was 'just trying to learn' because that is true for some people, however others use it maliciously and unless you're trans it's almost impossible to tell the difference. I knew which one it was because of the questions. She called, he didn't deny it. She called me back and said he apologised and seemed like he was trying to learn.

I pointed out, if he was then why did the questions continue after I answered how to indentify me?

So I reported him in this Royal Commission and had my private session today. The commissioner officer was appalled by what the guy did to me, and even more so to find out all that happened is they company took the LGBT badge off his provide and had a 'stern word.' If *I* did that to my clients at my agency I'd be rightfully fired.

It's so frustrating to know that even though I've had a chance to share my story with the Royal Commission, and not everyone does (they pick serious issues), this guy still basically faces zero repercussions. The company won't even put my negative review on his support profile? How is that fair? People should know he sexually harassed me.

I have finally realised after reaching a new low point I'm my lack of ability to function, that my disabilities do make me a vulnerable person. I never thought I was, because 'law degree' or 'smart(ish)' or 'is a support worker' but when I need 24/7 care because of needing to see my dad, and I legitimately vomited before I saw him, and I allow people to constantly take advantage of (in ways I won't detail) well yeah, I am vulnerable. Like I have to completely reconceptualise myself from where I thought I'd be, to where I am now.

A guy who can't even tell a support worker to not ask him about his genitals, and to request that he be given the appropriate funding he needs since they forgot to include a couple twenty thousand for what could be life-changing therapy.

I just get into such terrible situations with this, like naively believing another forum member was not about to go on an explicit hatred filled rage fest about me in my thread. I never liked that member but I thought he could be civil, and then I get slammed by that and think 'wow a whole new low, thanks brain for not ignoring him from the start.'

It's interesting that I don't actually have much of any gender dysphoria anymore. I have euphoria. From being perceived as male. But I don't pay any attention to the bits I don't like, the surgery is unaffordable anyway so why let myself dream. So yeah, transitioning has done wonders for my gender dysphoria, and my anxiety and depressed, and I am not trans due to abuse I was actually abused due to being trans (55% report this). It's the fucking minority stress that comes from living in this society where my existence as a person is constantly questioned, invalidated, judged, insulted. Yeah, my higher rate of mental illness is cause of that, guys.

It's not like, 'oh Eli is still depressed after he transitioned it didn't help him' yes it did I could not be happier. What I loathe and despite is when I run into someone who needs to proclaim expertise on the issue from a cis standpoint. I can't understand being cis no more than they can understand being trans. They can have an education opinion, but they can't be an expert.

The concept that people like me are doing anything except trying to live our lives is damaging. Sure, maybe some people take it too far idk. But if I'd been told about trans men as a child I would have known as a child. I just didn't.

I'm so tired and I hate how this guy has ruined my ability to hire any support workers not from an LGBT agency. Like I can't trust anymore.

Why can't I actually have my needs taken into account with this shit? It isn't hard. The worker doesn't even need to be trans. Just actively not shit. Even some of my current ones have said crappy things and I just go 'hey man, kinda uncool' and they fix it.

Basically the Commission Officer said he would like to redact all my personal information from the submission and punish it as one of the key submission points to show were care is lacking for some participants who have complex needs. He said it is ridiculous that a paid professional support worker can put his own curiosity over the comfort of his vulnerable client and treat them so badly.

I was just glad the people listening to me didn't tell me that I was overreacting.

Looking for boots which are light, keep dry in slush conditions, economical, comfortable, etc...

An increase to your credit limit could help your credit score, but before you make the request, here are some facts you should know.

Do you know what your total revolving credit limit is? What about the limit for each of your credit cards? Whether you’re approaching your credit limit now, you barely ever come close, or you’re looking to secure a new line of credit, it’s important to know where you stand. The percentage of revolving credit you have available can impact your credit score, for better or worse, especially when stacked up against the balance you carry. That ratio is known as your credit utilization.

Let’s define some of those terms before we dig into the finer details.
What is a credit limit?

When you’re approved for a credit card, you’ll be given a credit limit. That limit represents how much money you can borrow. When you’re not carrying a balance on your credit card, your credit limit and available credit will be the same. When you're carrying a balance, your available credit will be your credit limit minus your balance.

Your credit card issuer may request your score from the various credit bureaus, including Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion®, when determining your creditworthiness.
What is credit utilization?

It’s easy to pull out your credit card and swipe it when you want something. And, if you make the monthly payments and pay your credit card debt off each cycle, your credit likely won’t be negatively affected. However, if you keep a balance on one or more cards, this can reduce your credit score due to having a high credit utilization ratio.

Credit utilization is the sum of the debt you have on all your revolving credit—your credit cards and lines of credit—divided by your limit. Experts recommend keeping your credit utilization below 30%, but lower is better since it’s an influential part of calculating your credit score. (You can monitor your line of credit and credit card usage, including minimum payment and balance, with your Navy Federal online account.)
When should I investigate increasing my credit limit?

There are several reasons you may want to consider asking for a new card or line of credit with a higher credit limit. Try timing your request for when:

your credit has improved. If you see your credit has improved after reviewing your latest credit report, contact your creditor for an increase.
you want your credit to improve. Increasing your credit limit may reduce your credit utilization ratio and can increase your credit score. For example, a balance of $300 with a $1,000 credit limit means you’re utilizing 30% of your credit. If you’re approved for a credit limit increase to $2,000, your credit utilization is instantly halved to 15%, provided you don’t increase your balance.
you need to buy a big-ticket item. Should you need to cover a larger expense, a credit limit increase can be helpful. If you have good credit and make payments on time, your creditor may approve an increase in the amount of credit available to you.

How is a credit limit increase approved?

When you ask for a credit limit increase, the credit card company may make a credit inquiry and look at factors like the following:

Credit account age and standing
Time since last additional credit request
Annual income
Employment status
Payment history

Be realistic when looking at your financial situation and understand your creditworthiness in order to increase your chance of approval.
Things to Consider When Requesting a Credit Limit Increase

New credit could cause a temporary drop in your credit score. Although an increase in your credit limit may help your credit score, a lender’s “hard inquiry” will be added to your credit history and could lower your score in the short term. This is especially true if you’ve applied for credit increases multiple times or with multiple lenders in a relatively short period of time.
Make sure your new credit balance won’t lead you to temptation. When you make a credit limit increase request, be careful to not overspend. Late payments and not keeping your utilization rate low could cause long-term problems.

Understand Your Credit

Navy Federal can help you take control of your credit and even suggest the best credit card for you. Read up on everything you need to know about credit scores, as well as myths that can drag down your credit. Monitor your credit score through the Mission: Credit Confidence® Dashboard and get alerts whenever there is a change.

So Hertz is in trouble, stock down 20% today, and they show a ton of inventory coming up for sale May 4th. It seems to be very aggressively priced. If anyone was wanting to buy something Hertz rents out, this could be your golden chance.

I will soon be in the market for a used camper for a permanent vacation site. It will likely be 5-10 yrs. old and 30ish ft. long with slides. Are there any makes/models which have seemed to stand above the rest for not leaking? What should I look out for? Is it reasonable to find a trailer of this age that won't need roof repair fairly soon? Thanks.

Hi all, I'm a soon-to-be PA student and am seeking health insurance. I am currently uninsured and am living in the state of NY (also where the PA program I will be attending is located). How are you all insured (through private insurances/ state insurance/ etc) and how much do you pay per month for it? My school provides a health insurance but it is about $250/ month and I'm hoping to find a cheaper option. I don't know what my options are and any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I will not be able to have a job or be covered that way. Thank you!

I put together a short video to demonstrate my automated setup for some interested people from my other hobby (ancient coins) and thought it might be worth sharing here too.
https://streamable.com/tfdzvu

I kept the details on the functionality a bit brief as the video was more aimed at those less experienced in photography but let me know if you have any questions.

I've also posted some info about this setup before here.

Hi all,
Recently, we swapped out carpet for hardwood flooring and there is now a gap of close to 2" between the bottom of the door and the floor, so the door hangs. I looked into closet floor guides (see pictures), but they"re typically 3/4"-1 3/8" high, so they wont be high enough to actually guide the doors. Is anyone familiar with a taller version or a different solution? I do not want to buy new closet doors to address this. Thanks.

We are going to install new corrugated metal over CDX 5/8 decking with synthetic underlayment in a north GA location.

I have not done this before though we are carpenters by background.
Georgia Metals tells me the ZXL Woodbinder is a high quality screw to use.

Do I want to use 1 1/2 length or 2 inch?

Thanks for any input.

I have a wife and two children, and for the first time we are planning to go on a trip with the whole family. I wonder if the Galapagos are suitable for this trip? I worry that my children will be bored.

We are moving and will have some cash once we sell our current primary house. I'm looking for some advice for the best use of the cash... whether applying it to our new mortgage is best or existing mortgages on 2 rentals.

Here's a quick breakdown of our properties:

Current primary: 165k worth. We will come away with 80-90k after selling (it is under contract)
New primary: 275k worth. Under contract. We put 5% down and financed rest on 30 year at 4.875%. Monthly payment of $1542.

Rental #1: 265k worth. 24k left on mortgage, 5.375% interest rate. Monthly payment of $1200. Monthly rental income of $1800.

Rental #2: 105k worth. 62k left on mortgage, 4.675% interest rate. Monthly payment of $400. Monthly rental income of $800

I would obviously like to apply as much as possible to our new primary mortgage to save a bunch of $$$ on interest long term. But I've considered paying off at least rental #1 to free up more cash flow. I know there's a lot of other details that factor in. Just curious how some of y'all would approach this.

Thanks,

Mortgage rates are skyrocketing thanks to the Fed, but buyers who can tough out this difficult, changing market will be rewarded.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.27% for the week ending May 5, according to data released by Freddie Mac FMCC, +9.23% on Thursday. That’s up 17 basis points from the previous week — one basis point is equal to one hundredth of a percentage point, or 1% of 1%.

This represents the highest point for the benchmark 30-year mortgage product since August 2009. To put that in context: The last time mortgage rates were this high Barack Obama was just months into his first term as president, the nation was in the depths of the Great Recession and Instagram had yet to be launched.

The last time mortgage rates were this high Barack Obama was just months into his first term as president, the nation was in the depths of the Great Recession and Instagram had yet to be launched.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 12 basis points over the past week to 4.52%. The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.96%, up 18 basis points from the prior week.

Mortgage rates are roughly benchmarked to the yield on the 10-year Treasury note TMUBMUSD10Y, 2.932%. But the difference between the average rate on the 30-year mortgage and the 10-year Treasury has widened recently.

Since the end of the Great Recession, the spread between the two has averaged 1.7 percentage points, but currently it hovers above 2%. If the spread were closer to historical levels, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage would still be below 5%.

The Federal Reserve is largely to blame for the fact that mortgage rates increased at a faster pace than might otherwise be expected, according to analysis from Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at title insurer First American FAF, +1.61%. Investors who buy mortgage-backed securities have already factored in expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to raise rates throughout this year into their view on the mortgage market.

Lenders, consequently, must hike the rates they offer consumers so that they can continue to sell their loans to investors — those sales are what generates the funds used to produce more mortgages.

“While some additional Fed tightening is already baked into today’s average mortgage rates, ongoing inflationary pressure remains likely to push mortgage rates even higher in the months to come,” Kushi said.

Hiking short-term interest rates isn’t the only way the Fed influences the mortgage market. The central bank itself has been a buyer of mortgage-backed securities since the start of the pandemic. So now that the Fed will be shrinking its balance sheet of bonds, including these securities, there could be an impact on liquidity in the mortgage market. Lenders would need to make up the difference by raising rates.

Already recent housing-market data has shown the massive effect the surge in rates has had on home buyers. “The pandemic boom in home sales is over, and activity is back at pre-pandemic levels,” Mizuho Securities U.S. economist Alex Pelle and chief U.S. economist Steven Ricchiuto wrote in a research note.

It’s clear that the affordability challenges posed by rising rates and higher prices has cooled demand among home buyers. Nevertheless, home listings remain few and far between. That means that home prices likely will continue to grow — albeit at a slower pace — since even with a reduced pool of buyers there aren’t enough properties to grow around, analysts say.

And there’s the potential that rising interest rates could also put a damper on the supply of homes for sale. “Existing homeowners are rate locked-in when their existing mortgage rate is below the prevailing market mortgage rate, because there is a financial disincentive to sell their homes and buy a new home at a higher mortgage rate,” Kushi said.

Most economists anticipate that the housing market is balancing out, meaning that bidding wars and contingencies could soon become a thing of the past.

I swear there was a thread about a front door sticking in the hot/humid months, but I can't seem to find it. Ours usually does this a few weeks every summer, from late July to early August, then it doesn't rain as much in August and it shrinks back down to where we can open and close it normally. This year it seemed to go on much longer than that. We were first thinking about just putting a metal door in, or taking the door off and I was going to run it through my table saw to shave down about 1/4 inch, but now we're thinking about tearing out the whole thing and replacing with double doors. Ours has sidelights, so while the existing door is 36 inches wide, the whole area is slightly larger than 5 feet. Thinking double 30 inch doors with windows and no sidelights to go into the space. Probably going to tackle this one on my own in a few weeks.

Ours is similar to this design, but with a solid door and the sidelights are just one window each about 1/3 of the way up going to the top.

Image: https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-4mdmn43za8/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/436/1813/grand-entry-doors-santa-fe-6-lite-knotty-alder-entry-door-with-sidelites__12839.1616987352.jpg?c=2

I'm thinking, remove the existing door from the hinges, remove all the trim, tear out the frame, and replace. Any tips or tricks to know before I start? The only doors I've replaced in the past was just putting a new door in an old frame, and that was pretty easy, but putting a whole new frame in seems a little more complex, especially with the double doors.

Was just attempting to make chicken kabobs on my rt700 and temp is definitely not accurate and it is having massive swings atleast Thats what it is reading.
something that should be talking about 20min to cook just took an hour and came out crappy.
Anyone have this issue before?
have to call recteq but too late right now