Fort worth nissan dealership

Hi! Does anyone have any good recommendations for tailors that do lehenga alteration for bridal outfit based in Dallas or Fort Worth area? I’ve looked up a few but don’t know if I can trust them as I have never been there personally. Would love to get recommendations from y’all! I’m just looking to alter my lehenga skirt as the original place just gave it to me the way it came 😞 and I can’t go back there since I got it from abroad.

Hi all,
I wanted to throw this out there and see if anyone might have a connection in the Fort Worth/ Weatherford area for land appraisal and Residential properties who might be looking to take on a trainee. I have one connection but they have a max on their trainees. I have all of my QE classes done and waiting on trainee license number.
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Few things about me: Veteran, TCU Ranch Managment grad, Realtor specializing in residential and large land sales in Texas/ Oklahoma. One step away from earning my ALC Designation or Accredited Land Consultant from RLI.
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Thank you in advance.

So it’s been about two or three weeks since my nurse practitioner was unable to continue prescribing me HRT because of SB 254.
Since I go to a clinic with different other doctors here in Fort Lauderdale, I was switched over to another doctor who could prescribe HRT under the new regulations and had to sign another consent form (albeit it was the clinic’s own consent form and not the state’s, which isn’t out yet). She then was able to prescribe me a dosage change in my Estradiol (now it’s 6mg a day) but my Spironolactone (100mg a day) stays the same because my T levels are good.
She sent the prescriptions to my pharmacy and I’m going to pick them up later this afternoon. She was also very nice to order me a year’s worth of supply, which is ironic as I’m moving out next year for graduate school.
I’ve seen a lot of folks talking about the Orlando area having great resources for people to continue on HRT, but I’m here to shine some light for those in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area too.

Any one here think its worth switching to dealership from a body shop?
Have been looking for new job lately the management for my store isn't great these days. I am currently at a large insurance based collision center. I receive the parts, check them in for damage and correction. fairly straight forward and easy. my biggest issue is the techs losing parts and writers doing large returns at the end of month because they have been asleep all month. management puts it all on the "parts guy" with no correction to anyone else.
I get paid a flat rate for 10 hour days with an impossible incentive of "maybe $100 bonus" to have $0 in return credits. I have spoken to a few parts guys at dealerships.

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Hello, spacers!
On this episode, the group takes a stab at historical reenactments, the author takes some… “subtle” comedic jabs at certain contemporary events, and we find out where they’ve been hoarding the post-apocalyptic Twinkies.™
As always, I hope you enjoy. :)
——
As the group exited the Air Force base and began heading towards their destination, Kate looked at the surroundings as they walked. The area looked relatively untouched by the chaos of the past few weeks. The only evidence of it was an enormous pillar of smoke in the distance.
As Jack noticed Kate and a few others in the group staring at it, he nodded in understanding.
“That’s downtown Saint Paul, or at least the remains of it. From what we’ve been able to gather, the nuke we couldn’t stop in time exploded almost directly above the Capitol building. We only managed to put out the last of the fires in what little remains of downtown earlier today.”
“…How many people-“
Anticipating the question, Jack cut her off.
“We don’t know. …We may never know. We can only speculate.”
Kate’s face fell.
“Yeah, I figured that’d be the answer…”
Kate remained morosely silent as they approached the fort. Jack turned to address the crowd.
“Welcome to historic Fort Snelling. …Well, historic to us humans, anyway. Having a fort two centuries old is probably chump change to all of you from a time perspective, eh?”
Kate’s brow furrowed in confusion as she looked up at the stone walls of the fort, its stone tower chock-full of early-1800’s firearm loopholes meant for muskets.
“Wait, what?! …When they said we were going to “Fort Snelling,” I figured it’d be an active military base. Why’re we using a historic site…?”
Jack chuckled.
“It wasn’t actually the military’s decision to do that. A couple days after the bombs fell, a group of survivors moved into the fort. When questioned, I believe the leader of the initial group was quoted as saying “EMPs can’t knock out a big damn wall.” She was right; the stone walls of the fort are a great deterrent to looters and other kinds of people looking for trouble, and it’s easily defensible. Given that we obviously had way bigger things to worry about at the time, we just let them be.
Then, as more and more people showed up to our Air Force base looking for help, we decided the fort would make a good site for a refugee camp. The original group didn’t object; they actually welcomed the security having others around brought, especially once we started the organized armed patrols a few days ago.”
Y’ggdrasog piped up from beside Kate, a bit of indignation in his tone.
<“That’s all well and good, but what about respecting its historic significance? …Preserving the past, and all that?”>
“Relax. The only truly historic things here are a few of the buildings. The vast majority of what was on display inside said buildings- antique-looking tin cups, butter churns, muskets, that sort of thing- were just modern-made replicas, to give visitors an idea of what the fort used to look like back when it was still in use.
…We’ve actually thrown the vast majority of that junk into those “assimilator” thingies you Collective types brought along with you. It was either that, or burn them to keep warm. …Way I figure it, we can always just make more fake “historic” tchotchkes when we’re not fighting for the survival of our species, eh?”
Y’ggdrasog crossed his arms, and while he was clearly still unhappy about it, relented.
<“…Alright, fair enough...”>
As the group finally passed through the fort’s front gate, Kate could see a veritable sea of tents in the center of the area. They had passed plenty of tents on the way there in parking lots, boulevards and so on, but not nearly to this level of density.
Kate marveled at the sight, leaning toward Y’ggdrasog to murmur.
“People must have fought to get placed in here until there was literally no room left, and the tents were packed in like sardines.”
Y’ggdrasog gave her a quizzical look.
<“…What’s a “sardine?””>
“It's just a- …nevermind, it’s not important…”
Migtryl began to speak as the rest of the group filed through the gate.
<“Here and a few spots outside the fort are where you’ll be working for the most part. We reserved several tents for you to use both in and outside the fort, customized with your biologies in mind. I’ll start by giving you all a tour of the premises, so you can familiarize yourself with the different areas you might be needed.
…Starting off, over there you’ll see the impromptu medical center we’ve constructed. If you have any prior medical experience in your work history, you will be placed there. Next, we’ll be moving to…”>
Migtryl began walking off, talking and occasionally pointing with a wing or leg as they went and the group trailed behind them. As Kate tried her best to keep pace with Y’ggdrasog’s long strides, she could see that the crowds of humans inside the fort were parting like a sea around them, just like they behaved at the runway. Many looked at them with fear in their eyes, others with disgusted sneers.
Kate’s shoulders slumped as she finally realized:
Almost no one trusts them yet.
She was so lost in thought over the implications of this that she bumped into Y’ggdrasog, who had abruptly stopped walking. She glanced up at him to see him staring toward a group of humans near the edge of the medical center. His glow was crimson, his eyes haunted. She followed his gaze to see-
Her eyes widened.
Oh no…
The man he was staring at lay on a cot under an improvised tarp-tent. They were being tended to by several medical personnel (both human and alien) that were changing the bandages covering their body, and little wonder; they were absolutely covered in burns.
Before Kate could think of what to do to help her friend, she saw J’Ffrane almost literally materialize between Y’ggdrasog and the bandaged burn victim. Their voice was warm and soothing as they spoke.
<“Feel this moment, accept it, then let it pass. Remember? …Don’t let yourself drown in it.”>
It was like Y’ggdrasog was awakened from a dream as he blinked a few times and glanced at J’Ffrane.
<“Y-yes, I- …I remember...”>
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly letting it out in a shaky exhale as he turned to Kate, opening his eyes once more to meet her concerned gaze.
<“Come on, let’s not fall too far behind.”>
“…Are you alright?”
Y’ggdrasog gave her a weak smile, though the crimson of his stressful glow remained.
<“Of course I’m not. …But that’s not going to stop me from helping your people.”>
He took one last glance at the burn victim before turning and setting off once more towards the tour group.
J’Ffrane gave an approving nod as he walked away, leaning towards Kate and whispering.
<“He’s come so far... Half a cycle ago, he likely would have been nearly catatonic for the rest of the day.”>
Despite the encouraging words, Kate’s shoulders fell as she started walking after Y’ggdrasog.
“I should have thought of this... There have to be thousands- no, tens of thousands, maybe even six figures worth of burn victims from the bombs, in these two cities alone!”
<“And we will be with him to hold out a limb to grasp when he needs it. Just as he and I will be there for you, and you two for I, should the need arise.”>
Kate looked up at J’Ffrane, surprised.
“How would we help you?”
J’Ffrane smiled down at her.
<“You already have. Every person who asks for my assistance helps me immensely just by doing so. It helps me remember that I have a place in the world, and that place is giving the help they so desperately need. …Now then, let’s catch back up to the crowd and find out how we can best do that here, hm?”>
And with that, J’Ffrane’s dissipated as they flew forward towards Y’ggdrasog and the rest of the group trailing along behind Migtryl.
“Hey, wait up!”
——
Despite the brief interruption, Kate hadn’t missed much by the time she caught back up, and she was soon learning more and more of the facilities and service centers the Collective had constructed around the fort.
While the local military stationed in the fort were (rather fittingly) occupying the fort’s centuries-old barracks, they were actually the main supplier of the vast majority of the tents around the compound.
“More tents are being constructed every day for use in the surrounding area,” said Jack. “We ran our own supply of military-grade tents dry a few days ago, but we’ve been able to scavenge more from places like camping supply stores, alongside manufacturing our own from tarps and the like. Not exactly comfortable to live in, but we have to take what we can get.”
Kate put her good hand up to ask a question, shivering a bit as she did so in the crisp, late-autumn air.
“How well do they retain heat in all this cold?”
“A very good question. Normally it would be quite the problem, doubly so given just how damned cold Minnesota can get in fall weather alone. Luckily, however, the Collective came up with a solution. …Migtryl?”
<“We used a few of the fabricators we have at our disposal to create personal solar-powered heating units to heat each tent. …It’s a bit inefficient given the cloud cover, but on even the cloudiest of days they’re able to achieve over 150% of the solar exposure needed to get a full, week-long charge in a matter of hours.”>
Jack chimed in with a smile.
“It certainly beats the bonfires we filled with whatever we could lay our hands on to burn before you all got here, that’s for sure!”
From there, they moved on to the camp’s utilities.
As the water purification plants of the area had been rendered mostly inoperable by the EMPs and cyberwarfare attacks, the Collective had repurposed a few industrial sump pumps to direct water from the Mississippi River into an assimilator system. The assimilator broke it down and removed all the pollutants in the river water until all that remained was potable water, and distributed to locals to drink-
<“…or at least, to those who don’t refuse to drink it, that is.”> Migtryl said.
An alien of a species Kate didn’t recognize (one that almost resembled a snake if not for their arms and upright stature, who was strapped to a mechanical walker to get around the terrain) piped up, beating her to the punch.
<“Why wouldn’t they drink it?”>
Migtryl paused, glancing at Jack and weighing their words carefully before speaking.
<“…A small, but nonetheless very vocal portion of the local population seem to be under the mistaken impression we’re putting chemicals, nanites and so on in the water to do things such as influence their actions, up to and including controlling their sexuality, for some reason. …Anyway, such people often choose to simply boil and drink water taken directly from the river itself, instead of taking the purified water rations we offer.”>
In contrast to the shocked and horrified reactions of the aliens around her, Kate merely sighed and rolled her eyes.
Yeah, that sounds about right…
Another alien, this time a kentzaré, timidly raised one of their manipulation tendrils.
<“...Have many people gotten sick from doing that?”>
<“Unfortunately, yes. Even boiling the water sometimes wasn’t enough to prevent many such individuals from developing symptoms of several waterborne-based diseases, and that’s not even going into the possible long-term effects of the various pollutants in the water.
We also have individuals here and there who even refuse the fallout-proof masks we offer. …Something about “not using them before, not using them now” and “not living in fear”…?”>
As Kate facepalmed hard enough to leave a handprint mark on her forehead for a minute or two, Migtryl shook his head in frustration.
<“…We must make an effort to always remember that the majority of these people are hurt, scared, and in all likelihood grieving the death of at least one loved one, friend, or what have you. Most do not trust us. We must simply be patient with them, help those willing to receive it, and not give those who are unwilling any further cause for suspicion or hostility. …Now, come along; we have much more to look at.”>
With that, they both turned and began walking towards a long but narrow stone building. As they reached it, Jack turned to the group.
“This is the commissary. It’s where we keep the supplies we distribute to the civilians. It may look small, but looks can be deceiving. …C’mon, let’s step inside. Just remember to dust yourself off first!”
Y’ggdrasog glanced at the door clearly made for human proportions and shook his head, sighing as he turned to Kate.
<“You two go on ahead. I have no desire to work out the kink in my back later from having to be hunched over inside.”>
Kate smiled in amusement as several other taller species of aliens nodded, muttered their agreement and so on.
“Well, sorry on behalf of humanity for us being so short. …Anyway, see you in a bit, Yiggy!”
He winced.
<“…Kate, please, not in front of others…”>
Kate’s smile only widened as she turned and followed J’Ffrane with the rest of the group as they entered the building.
As they descended a set of stairs, Kate was surprised to see that despite its outer appearances, the building went several stories underground. As she descended down the first flight of stairs, a feeling of unease began to eat away at her. Her hairs began to stand on end, goosebumps rising despite the heaters inside the building.
Jack continued his explanation as they continued descending.
“The ground where this building stands was where they initially quarried out a lot of the stone necessary for building the majority of the fort’s walls and buildings back in the 1800’s. When they finished, the line of thinking was “well, we’ve made a really big hole, may as well use it for something.” So they built this commissary to act as a mega-cellar of sorts; it could store enough food to last the initial inhabitants of the fort an entire year.”
As they descended to the final level, Kate looked out across a sizable collection of boxes of various shapes and sizes stacked upon pallets. As she gazed at them, an eerie feeling of familiarity and something being inexplicably, terribly wrong settled onto her, and she only barely heard Jack continuing to speak.
“Most of the supplies that don’t belong to anyone in particular are either stored here, or wherever we can stuff them in what little free space there is left in the other buildings of the fort. Groups go out every day to scavenge for more food, general supplies, raw materials to put into your “assimilators” to make things like our filtered masks-“
150 spare air filters-
<“-as the assimilators and fabricators can only do so much at one time, we scavenge as much food as possible due to most of their time being taken up purifying the polluted water-“>
75 spare half-year water filters-
“It’s important to keep track of everything else we store here, so a lot of the work is just tallying everything up. It’s tedious, but very important; we need to know what we have to give those with very specific dietary needs-“
500 cans of spinach, 300 cans of olives, 700 cans of baked beans-
“Members of our species still have occasional issues with allergies, diabetes, that sort of thing. I’m told we likely will continue to have those for at least a decade or so before you Collective folks can develop those “immunity implants” necessary to sort them out. …Assuming the average Joe is willing to work with them, when the most advanced tech they had before was-“
3 spare radios, 50 packs of AAA batteries-
Kate only just barely managed to drag herself back to the present as she felt J’Ffrane metallic hand gently tugging at her sleeve. She turned to see them wordlessly gazing at her, a concerned expression on their face. Only after their intervention did she notice she had begun to start breathing erratically as Migtryl kept talking.
<“…Beyond moving the supplies where they need to go, the job’s not very physical. For the most part, it’s just counting how much of any one item we have and writing down the results. We usually give the job to people who are injured or otherwise not at their best, but still want to contribute.”>
Migtryl glanced over at Kate, who unbeknownst to him was having a desperate internal struggle to try and keep herself calm.
<“You’d be a perfect fit here, heh!”>
Kate sunk into herself a bit at his words, and found herself wishing she could turn invisible as the group turned to stare at her. Her voice was barely audible as she felt obligated to murmur out a response.
“…I, uh- pant …d-don’t think that- pant …would be a good idea…”
Not again, not again… Just stay cool, don’t keep hyperventilating, just move on, just- stop it. Stop stop STOP oh god why can’t I just breathe normally?! Just k-keep cool, just-
OH DON’T YOU START CRYING YOU WORTHLESS BI-
She felt the touch of J’Ffrane’s metallic hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to herself.
<“Come on, Stardust; let’s take a walk.”>
Kate hesitantly nodded and let herself be led away from the group and up the stairs by J’Ffrane’s gentle leading hand, wiping her tears away as she went. Migtryl glanced at Jack, who was staring after the pair, his expression worried.
<“…Was it something I said?”>

The title basically says it all. Anyway, I was shopping around for a new Accord for my wife and I was surprised that one of the dealerships literally quoted me 43k out the door for the model listed above…. No trade in and this was before even running my credit. Is this in any way the new normal? Keep in mind, I currently have a 2020 2.0 Sport Accord and I literally payed 27k out the door.
Why in the world is this car 10k over MSRP still? Is the market ever going to level out? I am still in shock. Should I keep shopping around or try again in some years? Personally, I do not believe 43k is in anyway worth it especially for a Honda that is not even the top trim.

Hi everyone,
Firstly thank you for taking the time to read and respond to this post. Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated. TLDR at the end.
I recently purchased a ute from a car dealership in Melbourne back in late March this year. Prior to purchasing, I had the vehicle inspected by the RACV to ensure that any major issues would be found. One component needed replacing, but other than that and some general wear and tear (to be expected on a diesel ute with ~150,000 kms) the condition report came back positive. The dealer agreed to replace the component so I went ahead with the purchase.
The dealer also needed to get the vehicle roadworthy certified in order to comply with Victorian law. They obviously used their local mechanic for this and had the vehicle certified.
After purchasing I booked the vehicle in for a check up with my local mechanic just to be on the safe side (I live an hour or so away so I couldn't get them to inspect it prior to purchasing). What they discovered was shocking to say the least. There are a few minor items that you might expect like a hand break adjustment, dirty air filter etc. But the major things they found were items that my mechanic said both the RACV inspector AND the roadworthy certificate issuer SHOULD have DEFINITELY flagged. My mechanic said that they can't believe the vehicle was even given a roadworthy certificate in its current condition as a number of these major issues should have prevented it from getting certified.
All up the quote for THE PARTS ALONE (so excluding labor costs) to fix this vehicle up properly is about $5,000 so the total cost would likely be closer to $7,000 or $8,000! Again, a number of these major issues are items which my mechanic has said SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLAGGED during the roadworthy certificate process and the dealer should have been required to fix them.
So, now I am wondering what exactly my options are. My current plan is to:

1. Give the RACV a call to ask about the issues my mechanic has identified and inquire about whether they should have been picked up by the RACV inspector
2. Depending on what the RACV say, my next call will be to either the dealership or CBS to seek some legal advice. As from the information and evidence I have it appears they SHOULD NOT HAVE LEGALLY BEEN ABLE TO SELL THIS CAR IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION
3. Hopefully resolve this ASAP. Whether that's returning the vehicle or having the dealer pay for the repairs, I don't care. I just want this crap sorted so I can get on with my life.

If you have any information or advice for my options, especially regarding Victorian roadworthy laws I would really REALLY appreciate it. Thank you so much for taking the time to read some random's post and I sincerely hope this never happens to anyone else :(
Oh and before someone mentions warranty, it was like an extra $3,000 and the car is an ex-fleet vehicle (so the dealer was not required to provide a warranty). Having examined what the warranty options covered I doubt it would have helped much anyway and that ship has already sailed.
Since purchasing the vehicle has just been sitting in the driveway aside from the occasional trip to the shops as I was waiting to have it looked at before I started using it as my daily driver. Glad I waited...
TLDR: I bought a car from a dealership in Melbourne that I had inspected by the RACV AND that the dealer had to get a roadworthy certificate for. After getting it home and having my mechanic do a safety checkup they have identified a number of issues which they say the dealer should have needed to get fixed before the roadworthy certificate was granted (roughly $8,000 worth of repairs). Basically, from the information and evidence I have, the sale of this vehicle in its current condition should have been illegal and I am seeking advice for what to do about it as it is very costly to repair.

$13,000 list price. Being sold by the second owner who purchased from Acura dealership at 25K miles. Is this worth buying or trying to negotiate?

This gonna be a long one but I figured id share my story after lurking here for a while to let everyone know that making good money, creating independence, and enjoying your business can all happen in a short amount of time!
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I was a young lad back at the age of 17 trying to figure out what i was going to do with my life. I was barely getting through school, was more interested in working and making money. I was on a program where my senior year i only attended school 3 days a week and only went until 12:00pm. This gave me the opportunity to go work my awful part time jobs at car washes and car dealerships detailing cars. It was at this time i thought i could start a little side gig selling mobile detail service in my neighborhood. It took off and i started really getting client and making some money but nothing that would justify full time work when i graduated. I also did not really enjoy the work. I was always good with my hands, i worked on my own cars, built my own ramps and what not when i rode BMX bikes growing up and walls always able to create and see drawings in my head for assembly and put them to paper. I was set to graduate halfway through my senior year so i could start working.
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My Father has been in the commercial glazing industry for his entire life, at the time of my graduation he had been at a very large midwest privately owned commercial glazing company as a project manager. He hesitantly despite knowing about my pot smoking and partying habits got my foot in the door and got me an interview and a job in the fabrication shop fabricating the glazing systems to go out into the field for install. I started out as the low guy on the pole just freshly turning 18, getting put with the grumpy ass old men to assemble frames and caulk all of the system dams for water control. I hated it. After about 2 months i got the opportunity to run the fabrication and assembly for a small commercial storefront project with 2 helpers in the shop. This meant i got all of the cut specifications, field an assembly drawings, and details. I essentially had to start with raw full length stock materials and cut, layout and install the clips and brackets, build the frames, caulk and weap, pack and ship the project. This is when i realized that i could actually do something with this because by this time i had essentially learned the ins and outs of every commercial glazing system on my own in my freetime from product manuals so i could at least set myself apart from the other guys in the shop. I finished the fab job 2 weeks ahead of schedule without any mistakes that had to be corrected in the field. I worked in the shop for another 2 weeks and the operations manager decided i should go to the field to learn the installation process since i had progressed quickly.
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I started in the field the same way i did in the shop, they where testing me to see if i could handle the vulgar, raw, and miserable world of commercial construction field work. I spent 3 months on a large curtainwall and storefront installation project. I started by caulking dams on curtain wall that had to be stick built in the field. I then go promoted to setting glass and running oil covered vinyl all day to hold the glass into the system. They then bumped me up i got to sit in a boom lift all day and caulk ssg glazing systems. I at this point met a girl in a the state i was from on vacation and because things weren't going well at home and i kind of hated what i was doing i decided to move there.
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I moved to this new state and secured a position at a company that built and installed their own residential and commercial glazing systems. Conservatories, folding glass walls, skylights, and more. The position i took was a field laborer traveling to install conservatoires throughout the northeast. I started with a crew of roughneck guys and quickly found my pace and was learning the system quickly, managing my tasks on my own, and the big thing was i became the go to guy for layout with the foreman. I really enjoyed layout and was damn good at it. After 7 months traveling i didn't like being on the road and by coincidence got a call when i was in Maine that next week from the management team that they wanted to bring me into their massive fabrication and manufacturing facility to better learn the system and the preparation process for everything before it got to the installers.
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I went home and started working in the assembly department, essentially all of the parts for the structures where cut, pre drilled and prepped and the assembly team built the structures in the facility to ensure everything was going to work in the field. this really gave me the full up and up on the entire process of the system they produced and used. After 2 months i was brought in and offered a position in estimating.
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I joined the estimating team and spent 6 weeks learning every in and out of their entire product lineup, pricing structure, how to assemble professional estimates and proposals and i learned intermediate level AutoCAD drafting. I essentially would get a project on my desk and draw the structure as it was to be built in cad then used the drawings to create my takeoff and bid the job. i did this for 6 months before i realized how awful the management, staff, turnover, and moral was within this organization. I made the dumbest move i could have ever made and left a job paying 70k a year to an uneducated almost 20 year old with no other employment lined up.
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i did end up securing a position as a senior pm at another small commercial glazing company that set me up for failure by allowing their estimator to underbid every large project but ridiculous amounts of money before i arrived without anyone noticing. so every job that cam across my desk was a disaster from the get go. I spent 9 months putting out fires, managing gc relationships that where toxic due to the position i was put in etc. But i did learn critical project management procedures and how to deal with emergencies on the fly and client management in tough scenarios.
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Fast forward a bit and i moved back to my old state with said girl and take a job at a failing commercial glass company as a field/shop laborer and stayed for 3 months. I Left and took an opportunity to try residential glazing by installing custom glass shower doors, i ran my own truck did 3 installs a day with a helper and did this for 9 months. I had an opportunity come up to work with one of those 1 day bath install companies that advertise religiously. I had just built my first home, my fiance was unemployed and i needed more cash badly.
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I met with their operations manager and it was all layed out that i would be an employee but only would be payed a percentage of the cost of the sold job for the bathroom upon completion of install. I essentially had all control in my hands to make as much or as little as i wanted but it was all up to me. Despite the lack of a safety net i took the risk and accepted the offer. i trained with another installer for 2 weeks and set out on my own. Typically these companies sell these jobs for 8-11k depending on the exact scope and accessories. 2 man teams where typically doing a job in 12 hours or basically a day in a half and the jobs where all over the state. I thought there had to be a more efficient way to do it because i got 10% of the job sold price as my pay. by the time i paid for a helper, my fuel, and what not 800-1100 in 2-3 days wasn't enough. I let my helped go and decided i was going to do it on my own. After spending weeks trying new methods to get faster and create a better product i was doing install on my own in 8-10 hours and clearing 3-4k a week gross before taxes and fuel expenses. I was hungry to be successful and finally make good money. This continued for about 5 months until they hit a sales dead period and there wasn't enough work to keep all 4 install crews busy but maybe 1 job a week and i approached my operations manager about another opportunity in the company. Patio conversions
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Essentially this was a window and door, bath, and conversion company. These conversions consisted of taking existing covered porches and patios and turning them into 3 season or 4 season rooms. so you got the whole package. layout, framing, insulation, windows and doors, electrical, hvac, and interior and exterior finishes. these job paid big. on average a job takes 5-10 days and pays out 8-16k dollars to the installer. of course i had a couple helpers but i was absolutely crushing it after only a couple of months. This is where i really started to learn the ins and outs of commercial construction.
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One day i was approached on a Facebook page about a gentleman with a residential remodeling company near me that was looking for an operations manager. they specialized in high end luxury remodels and also made their own cabinets. I met with him and decided even though the operation seemed small and mismanaged i could make it work. I took a pay decrease so i could work less hours and be home more as my fiancé had just had our daughter and the other company didn't even let me off to go to the appointments.
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What i didn't know was that the owner of this business was the slimiest most Narcisitic, ego fueled person i have ever met in my entire life. He was running a GC business with the expectation that every sub, employee, etc was going to be a LEGEND and create only the most perfect unmatched quality product when given low Quality materials, piss poor planning, awful schedules and communication, etc. I quickly learned that i was going to be burned if i didn't think of something quick because the castle was under siege and i saw what was coming. i am 21 at this time. Well inevitably the following week i as an operations manager trying to keep a sinking ship afloat and out in the field tearing up tile from an under slab plumbing leak from before i was at this place, trying to rebuild an entire kitchen in 3 days by myself and i just was over it. Told him that i was putting in my notice and was done. I get called into the office that Friday and was told i was being let go, i was given a personal check for my weekly salary of 1000 dollars and made to sign a non compete and hold harmless agreement if i wanted my pay. i was paid as a 1099 under the table so he wasn't responsible for costs associated with employees. Basically i set myself up to get screwed. i signed everything took my check and left. Check bounces, im broke, he wont pay and im jobless with a fiance and a 6 month old. This was the lowest i had ever felt in my life and i literally was about to loose everything.
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It was at this time my wheels started turning and i realized that all of these residential companies i worked for had multiple things in common. The client communication was terrible, their execution was terrible, and their image was awful. They looked all shiny and great during the sales process but as soon as they had a contract and a check the client experience didn't matter. So i thought to myself, i know construction now, i now a fair amount project management and business operations, and i see a hole in the market. so i started my company with the little money i had left. i registered with the state, bought a logo from someone on fivver, made a facebook page, a wix website, and started marketing.
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This was great but it takes time to pickup traction and get jobs, i wasn't going to make money being a handyman so i needed supplemental income with flexibility in my schedule. I connected with a local fence contractor who was small and needed and installer who got paid by the linear for building fences. The money was decent but the work was hard and labor intensive. But it gave me a chance to hire a couple guys and teach them how to do it so i could start jobs and leave the jobsites to run estimates for my company. After many free estimates and 1:00 am mornings in the office writing quotes i just wasnt getting the jobs i needed. I needed a way to make sure someone wasn't tire kicking before i spent time and money doing a free estimate. So i started charging $200.00 for an in home consultation and bid package which would be credited to the client in full if they used us for the project. This was not well received due to me not being able to present it correctly in the pitch over the phone but when i did holy shit it worked like a charm. my conversion rate on estimates went form 16% to over 65% in a matter on 3 months.
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I started getting good big jobs in good neighborhoods, i started finding really great subs and built my list. I started building brand image, internal documents, repeatable procedures for every job etc. this went on for a year and a half and i finally made 85k take home my first full year in business. Then the covid thing happened.
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I thought everyone is freaked out and doesn't want us in their homes for estimates etc. how do i difference myself and create a luxury experience for clients without being intrusive during the lockdowns. i had started modeling basic things in SketchUp and new there was a lot of opportunity in 3d rendering. so i shifted our model and we became a design build firm. So essentially we are selling a design and rendering package to clients with a bid so that they can see what their project would look like before we ever go under contract. The rendering sells the job no matter the cost as long as you have the correct client base and are pre qualifying well.
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I had a friend i grew up with that had gotten an architecture degree and was doing SketchUp 3D modeling, renderings, and 2D architectural drawing sets for a shed company as a freelancer and we can up with pricing and decided i was going to pursue this model. So i learned how to be a sales wizard and started selling $1,500-$5,000 design packages over the phone before i ever stepped foot in someones home. we designed and went through the process and send them a price. if they use us they get a full credit applied to the job for the amount of the design if not they own the drawings and information. I was making 50% GP on designs for jobs that never sold just to go out and measure and spend some time going through it with my designer. Our close rate on paid design bids sent went to 86%. This was the end of year 2 going into year 3
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Year 2 Gross Revenue was $364k
Year 3 Gross Revenue was $597K
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This is all on my own using subs, no in house staff, off the shelf management software, no paid marketing. Just Facebook groups, referrals, and subs.
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In June of Year 3 I streamlined my process. I farmed out all business management (bookkeeping, Payroll, Phones, Etc.) and created a concrete repeatable process and procedure system that would be used on every job to ensure consistent management and quality. I hired a project manager and got him trained to manage all of the subs and all aspects related to the field and installations.
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I am Proud to say that at June 1 of 2023 at 26 years old with only one Employee we have contracted and collected deposits on $848,000.00 worth of work, our schedule is booked until the middle of September and we are on track to hit just over 1.1 mil in total revenue at an average gross profit of 47%.
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I have no formal training in business management, project management or anything to get me to this point. i have spent countless hours researching, reading, failing, and fixing everything in my business. its a cut throat game but if your willing to work your ass off and never quit, do amazing work, and make sure you prioritize client experience start to finish you will have people waiting years for you to do their job.
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We are booked through April of 2024 for outdoor projects. Find a hole in the industry in your service area and take full advantage and change the remodeling or building game so us contractors can be looked at as professionals who have earned our ability to enjoy what we have worked for instead of drunk hacks in a shitty pickup.
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Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk, get to work!

These are not in any particular order - some may have come a few weeks ago, some today.
But I do have good news: I did NOT work on cards at all this weekend, because I spent Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday all doing amazing fun things with my wife as we kicked off our celebration of Pride month. For those who don't know, we currently have two houses, in two different states, one where she mostly lives (in the U.S. Pacific Northwest) and one where I mostly live (in the U.S. Southwest, known as the Cactus Cathouse). We are gearing up to sell our northern outpost house and live together in the Cactus Cathouse, and this was sort of our "last hurrah" weekend before showings and whatnot really get started.
But now, I'm trying to get cardthings caught up so that I'm not trying to deal with them during the eventual relocation, starting with these thanks and hopefully progressing on to a request and an offer tomorrow as time permits.
Also, someone in this (long) list sent me a lovely, large rainbow snail vinyl sticker, but I couldn't tell whose mail it came from. (Maybe u/amyt13?) Anyway, whoever you are, I appreciate you immensely and I'm sorry for not organizing myself better.
Thanks to:
(First of all, thanks to the flair team, because yikes this is the worst and I'm very sorry!)
u/amabisca - This handmade purple card (my favorite color!) is amazing and was such an uplifting surprise. Thank you so, so much!
u/amyt13 (x2) - Thank you for the beautiful handmade collage card, the Oscar Wilde card, and all the extras! I hope you are able to find a good place to call home too - the one you were describing sounds like my kind of town, and I hope it works out. I'll cross my fingers for you!
u/AppleCritter723 - This cute botanical card/letter I an opening from you is dated in April. APRIL, friend. I am sorry. It is full of good news and cute stickers and I swear I will write actual mail and not just send weird envelopes of things to you and your "bigger little" soon. I hope your Memorial Day weekend travels weren't too bad, and that Gandalf the adventurer is letting you occasionally stay inside. You created a meow-monster!
u/awachob - Goose!! I can't believe I got to be the goose! Thank you so much for a fun offer. (And for the neat stickers!)
u/blue-wanderer-quartz - I am very late saying thanks for the Five of Pentacles cat tarot sticker reading, but it was incredibly appropriate to read about pooling resources as my wife and I re-combine households in part due to love but in large part due to, well, wanting to actually have disposable income! I think it's interesting that we both chose pentacles for each other! (And the cat postcard your reading is on is very cute, I don't want to forget that!)
u/bluedecemberart (x2) - I love the vintage VA hospital postcard from Maine... and we already chatted about the "not noticing the chores" thing but rereading the card as I went to post this made me sure again that we are somehow the same person. WEIRD, but COOL. And your New York skyline postcard is lovely, and now I want to watch A Crown of Candy!
u/championvilla - I adore this MarioKart card! My wife and I used to play a lot (right now, we have the game systems packed for house-showing). I hope that your husband is continuing to feel better (and that the cat finally decided to get off of him, lol!)
u/chiquita61 - The sloth mermaid dolphin thank-you card with penguin stickers is absolutely wonderful... and I am so happy you liked my "reject" sticker card in all its glory!
u/comingtogetyoubabs (x6) - This crystal ball card with Petit's ABSOLUTE WISDOM is just amazing, friend. (Also, did I get a little teary at "writer of hugs in card form" MAYBE). And the amazing goodies you included - the cat-yang patch, your beautiful handmade notepaper... there is no way I deserve the awesomeness that is you "buzzing" into my life. And then the second cat card and all the goodies, including the adorable bookmark...! And THEN I realized you had hand-drawn me three tarot cards that you wrote about, AND then I found your origami letter... I am in awe, friend. You are wonderful!
u/cswl (x10) - This is what I get for not keeping up with my thanks, I feel silly with how behind I am for you, my dear friend! (Both in thanking AND in writing back.) Thank you for the cute plant notecard (I do not do Informed Delivery because it will just make me sad, I think); the red fox postcard (did you go to Fogo, which is one of my favorite places ever??); the "sources of acid" postcard (I always feel better when I have time for myself too, and also always delay it too long); the absolutely delicious LouPaper charcuterie board postcard (I have both too many cards and somehow never the ones I really feel like I wish I had to send people); the postcard from The Lion King (yay garage sale days!); the Strange Planet vibrating cat postcard (so outnumbered, I have given up, they are in charge now); the two different New Yorker cartoon cards (you are 100% right - hard times are harder on the one holding down the fort in SO many ways, been there/done that, and also guilt trips suck and I'm sorry the person tried to send you on one); the cute bird saying hi card (the one-house thing was her idea first, and it will definitely be for the best, though I need to make sure I keep focusing on me too!); and especially thanks for "Content Lives Everywhere" collage you made - that is just wonderful. You are so great. I am sorry I'm such a bad postal pal but I'm trying to do better!
u/dazeyferry (x2) - My dear friend, this penguin with flowers card is AMAZING and I am so, so grateful that you thought of me when you saw it. And the little floral thank-you card addition was perfect as well. I love you and I am so glad we are friends! As far as bingeworthy shows - have you seen Ted Lasso? Schmigadoon? (Both on AppleTV.) Those are amazing. We also started watching Hello, Tomorrow, which is a bit sad sometimes but really good! I'll try to think of some more, too.
u/draconic_healing - I love this little tiny Polaroid-style postcard - it's adorable! Please pet the kitty for me - I couldn't tell if you wrote "Bear" or "Bean" but both are great names!
u/dwrfstr - This gold penguin card is amazing and adorable and I cannot believe your luck to find it thrifted! I picked up a set of hundreds of vintage postcards from an art reuse store that's near where we met up, and I ended up with, like, 16 of the same weird chapel at a church camp in South Dakota, so you definitely win...
u/fancayschmanzayyy - Your cat thank-you card was wonderful (as were the cool stickers!) And most of all, I very much appreciate you telling me about your act of kindness and I especially appreciate your caregiving nature. I cared for my mom for many years before she passed away and stories like the one you told will always be especially important to me. You make a difference and I am so grateful you exist!
u/Fancykiddens (x2) - I feel terribly, terribly guilty for how late I am thanking you for this amazing CARD-CEPTION package!! First, from the pengin section: the pengin family you drew me, how awesome are they?! You are so talented! I almost never keep envelopes but this one got immediately saved with my "penguin stash." Then there was your beautiful handmade Frida Kahlo card - exactly my vibe, I love it! The penguin goodie bag with the penguins and their fish snackles inside was adorable too. And then, moving to the "monsteroo" or cute monster section, I adored your Monsters Inc. letter and goodies as well! I especially liked hearing that, at the time you wrote it, you were feeling particularly well and accomplished, and I adored hearing how much carding has helped your outlook. SAME, FRIEND. So much so!!
u/feellikebeingajerk (x2) - Holly Hobbie card (the first, maybe?) has arrived! And yes, it brought back awesome memories. I didn't get a lot of "trendy" things growing up, as my parents and I didn't have a lot of money, but there was a discount department store near us, sort of an early version of a T.J. Maxx or Ross that was called Hills, and it would sometimes get slight misprints or seconds of things like bedding, which is, I am -positive-, how I came to be able to have Holly Hobbie. And I don't remember anything "wrong" with it, so, way to go, Mom of PinkPengin, for that find! LOL. Also, thanks for the cool Papyrus thank-you card from your random offer, and for the stickers!
u/fieldofcabins - This adorable bee thank-you postcard is so great (and the penguin as the stamp image, ahhh!) I am glad your dad is healing and please let him know I'm still thinking of him. (And of course I'm always thinking of you, too!)
u/GizmoDOS - Thanks for the solar system postcard, friend! I loved hearing from you. Life really has been hectic lately. I hope yours is moving in the direction of settling down. Mine is going to be rough briefly but then hopefully a lot smoother!
u/hermitcreature - I love this Studio Ghibli-themed card and all the great stickers and dragon facts from your book (and the amazing Zimbabwean owl stamp)! I hope you will like your card from me in exchange when it arrives - I just sent it this week, I am very sorry!
u/HexagonalRainbow - I loved your anime postcard but even more, I loved hearing about your concert!
u/isar-love (x2) - These cartoon owls with their hats and shoes on your card from March are AMAZING! (And the accompanying postcard with more behatted owls also made my day!) I agree with you very much that owl facial expressions are the thing that especially warms my heart to them. They seem so intelligent and curious and often kind (especially in illustrations) with their big eyes looking right at me! I have several little stuffed-animal friend owls, including two very special ones named Swoops (who is tan) and Fwoops (who is pink, though his name reference is from fuschia - he is a "Fuschia Swoops" - way better than a Pink Swoops, who I fear would have to be "Poops," LOL!) Thank you so much for your wonderful kindness and friendship and fun mail!
u/jaimekj - Thank you for the floral card, great stickers and most importantly your note and your friendship! I do like New Mexico (more than my part of the Southwest, honestly, but we had family reasons we picked where we did)! I'm crossing my fingers about an interest-rate drop. If I had my choice, I'd either like to find someone bigger in Washington, or move back to Pennsylvania, I think. There are ups and downs to both. And I will VERY much hate going back to snow, that's one thing I do love about where I am in the desert!
u/jvanct88 - I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have a letter from you with an update (and updated address), dear friend! In one way, I am VERY sorry for all the things you have been finding out, but in another way I am happy that you finally know the truth and I believe that knowing it will be very helpful in having closure and a good feeling as you move to a new chapter in your life. And I am VERY hopeful that your tattoo came out amazing! I am a big, big fan of tattoos and piercings. A funny story is that I got 2 new tattoos and several piercings when my wife and I were separated, including a nosering, which she always said she hated. (She didn't mind other tattoos and piercings generally.) When we got back together, she apologized for ever saying that, and said how good it looks on me. That was nice, but I very plainly also told her, "I wouldn't care even if you hate it, because I love it and I'm keeping it forever." LOL! Anyway, I love this dinosaur princess cactus card and I am very happy to hear from you and will write to you again soon!
u/KatDuq (x3) - My dear friend!! This butterfly card you made to thank me for MY card in honor of your new letter opener is beautiful (as are the included penguin stickers, which are beautiful, of course!) I also loved your separate letter talking about the things you make. I do journal, sometimes, but I suffer from the problem of all notebook and journal-havers... I hate to USE the beautiful books I have lest I "mess them up!" What really helped me get out of that mindset somewhat was actually the Happy Planner notebooks, because I felt like I could always remove pages and rearrange! And now I am getting into bookbinding and I feel like that helps too because I can more easily make things "modular" and not have the fear of ruining a whole gigantic book right off the bat. I know that's perfectionism talking and I am working on getting rid of that mindset altogether, but for now, baby steps. And HUGE congrats on what you've sold, you definitely have a customer in me if you get an online store set up! Finally, thank you for the lovely oracle reading, which (unsurprisingly) was just what I needed to hear now, tonight, as I write this! I specifically didn't look closely at it until now because I figured I'd see it when the time was right and... yup. I did. You are amazing and I appreciate you sharing your beautiful new deck with me. (And that logo stamp you got! SO worth it, it looks amazing!)
u/littlemermaidxx - Your Pride Is Everyday postcard is beautiful - thank you so much! I have Pride happy mail coming your way too.
u/maiiiu (x3) - WOW, you are way too kind to me!! What an adorable thank-you postcard, first of all. And I adored your wonderful handmade penguin collage thank-you card too, and loved hearing the good news about your summer trip plans. I hope it is a truly special time for you and your dear best friend! And then this custom penguin stationery... WOW. You are just amazing and I am very grateful! (Also, the way you attached your sticker gifts in your collage card was great, I might steal that method.)
u/melhen16 - Where did you find this amazing desert-post-office-style card? Did you make it? It's amazing! (And thank you for the beautiful stickers, too!)
u/mumbagoespainting (x3) - Your handmade hometown card is so beautiful, my friend! I loved hearing how you learned to say it. (I admit - I get that one wrong on the first try and have to correct myself every time, despite being from not terribly far south, where we heard it more than occasionally!) And your watercolor dragon is absolutely fabulous!! I loved hearing that we have very similar color tastes - purples, grays, teal! Seeing the dragon pick up those colors was perfect. Finally, your black-and-white abstract card with the glitter made me smile, though I was sad to read about why you had to miss the trip... I hope you are feeling better! And, of course, thank you again for all your stickers and other extras and most importantly for your kindness and friendship. I am beyond grateful for you!!
u/ninajyang - I like the crafty postcard from Pipsticks! And yeah... Hairspray... love the music, definitely not sure about some other things... sigh.
u/nirelleth - I absolutely adore this great penguin and fox postcard for our "wish" exchange! I hope you like yours when it arrives, too. (I just sent it last week, I am so sorry for the wait!) I think my favorite fact about penguins is that they are not all polar; in fact, some of my favorites are temperate ones. (I say, in fact, that I myself am a "temperate pengin!")
u/non_avian (x3) - I am VERY sorry this has taken me so long to write (and even to open and fully enjoy). Your handmade Scoffby postcard with my past-present-future reading was absolutely amazing and is going on my "display shelf" of some of my most treasured cards! I need to know how you made his crystal ball, which is gorgeous! Also, please tell Scoffby that I am very much food-motivated (in fact, I just bribed myself tonight with hibachi). So, his signature chant is VERY well-placed when directed at me. I also adored your letter and the cute paper it was written on, and I am thrilled about the Furby washi card and all the goodies, too! I had no idea that Furby washi even existed, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised... and the capy noodles sticker and adorable penguins and everything else... I am so grateful. I have some mail coming your way very soon; all the "parts" are ready, I just need to put them together and actually get it sent!
u/Peonynote (x2) - Your cat thank-you card was adorable and most importantly, I am so excited for all your travels (and I LOVED seeing your penguin friends together!) And the lovely rainbow card with penguin stickers and super-cute penguin sticky note, in honor of Pride Month, made my day! I hope your walking is going well, still, now that it's getting warmer and stickier.
u/ResidentComposer1939 - I loved your sweet bird notecard and your penguin drawing (it's WAY better than my drawings, let me tell you!)
u/SherlockLady (x3) - Your beautiful butterfly card was lovely as it was, and then I saw the cute mini-card with the reminder about being the happiest/healthiest version of myself, AND the special penguin painting from your young carding apprentice... and wow, I just felt so special! What an awesome gift.
u/soft_distortion - This Gender Is Such a Drag postcard is perfecttttttttt. I loved hearing about the drag brunches too!
u/thecalendonianrose - This square penguin card is amazing and I am so grateful that you thought of sending it to me! (And all the stickers are lovely, thank you!) My wife and allllll the kitties say hello back.
u/TigerLady13 - This is definitely a late thanks, I apologize! But I appreciated the vintage Continental Divide postcard and the "Peng-Win" pun... made me giggle!
u/TyeDyeAmish - I love this pufferfish card, and I have really enjoyed getting to chat with you recently! Most importantly, how was the book sale?! I'm fairly certain it's one I've been to in the past, based on the date you said you were going, and I miss it and a few others in the area so much!
u/umeshufan - Why, yes, this Cat Island postcard DOES look like my house, and yes, there are really 19 inside, and even funnier, YES, I am allergic to cats. The thing is, you do build up a tolerance to ones you are around regularly, but when I travel and then come back, it is truly a nightmare. Thankfully I almost never let any in my bedroom and never to sleep, so I can at least breathe overnight!
u/wabisabi_sf (x2) - My friend, I am in awe of these amazing pink-and-penguin-themed pieces of happy mail!! I had never seen these before and I am DEFINITELY going to be getting more. You are so wonderful to me!
u/welshfancy (x5) - Thanks for the Laughlin postcard (very belatedly)! Your trip to Long Beach sounds almost as multi-stop as my recent cards' journeys to you, though thankfully you didn't need your passport, at least?! And thank you also for the amazing handmade "blooms" collage card (which, as far as I'm concerned, is appropriate for spring OR summer, so it seems perfectly timed to me); the great cat mini-card that you wrote while either eating breakfast or getting your tires changed on your travels; the penguin-with-J-based-life-preserver doodle (which I thought was GREAT, so don't even say it's worse than your others, which I also liked!); and your lovely letter on penguin paper, plus of course the bonus stationery! You spoil me!! I'm thinking of you as you try to decide "what's next" locationally, too.
u/yetanotherblankface - I think your beautiful handmade card for the "Hometown" meta challenge is giving exactly the right vibes! It certainly made me feel cozy and relaxed, which is the feeling I'd most like to associate with home.
u/yviantics - Your hand-drawn Pink Party Penguin postcard with its lovely hat, and the great penguin sticker, absolutely made my day!! I do not draw well at all and I am always amazed when people who can will share their talent with me. Thank you so, so much! (And, by the way, I tried the bananas-and-barbecue-chips combo and was really surprised at how good it was, so thanks for that, too!)
u/56thorns and u/UseYourRuler - Thank you for the wonderful postcard from the "Falls!" My wife and I were there to ring in the New Year for 2019 and I've been a couple other times too. Such a lovely place for a getaway, and it sounds like you had fun!
u/todayisfab, u/sebisrude and u/KeenEvergreen - In my stack of not-thanked-yet mail I found my very own postcard from our meetup, and it made me smile all over again. Thank you all so much, again, for a fun day. And to whichever of you put penguin stickers on this along with the cacti - I am super impressed that you pulled that off without me noticing, they are WAY too cute.

I went to my local Subaru dealership (Southern States Subaru in Raleigh, NC) and asked the sales people about BRZ inventory. They told me that they didn't have any in stock, and that it would take about 12 weeks to get one. I sent a message to a sales rep at that dealership asking if I could order a Base model BRZ in a specific trim. He told me that they couldn't and that he would contact me when they could. He then sent me some pics of a Subaru Crosstrek by accident when I asked if it would be worth waiting for the 2024 models. At that point, I never heard anything back.
I'm not really sure how the car business works, but why didn't he just direct me to the Subaru website where I could order one? Why did he just tell me that they couldn't get one? This seemed a little weird to me, and I got the sense that the dealer wasn't all that excited about selling a car. I've heard stories of Toyota dealers adding 10% markup and refusing to budge. Do the dealers just not really want to sell these cars? Why is this? Are they just a low-margin item?
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IDK, I've never bought a brand-new car before, but it just seems like a lot of people here are having difficulty buying new BRZs/86s.

Hi all!
I have a 2018 Outback with Limited Trim and there's two issues I need advice on...
Issue #1: my infotainment screen has developed the dreaded "ghost touch" and is basically unusable. I bought my car used from a dealership and I'm past the dealer warranty (12,000 miles) and about 1,000 miles past the extended warranty - though it doesn't seem like this part of the car is covered under either warranty anyway. I'm desperately trying to avoid spending $1300 on a replacement head unit and I'd read there was a recall on that part on my year Outback. Who would I contact to see about getting it replaced under the 100,000 mile recall warranty? Also, if I hit a deadend, are there any cheaper alternatives for replacement? I have the 8" screen.
Issue #2: I had a windshield replaced by the dealership with OEM glass (luckily paid for by insurance) and about a year later developed another crack. I assumed it was a rock or something that hit the windshield, but I see no impact mark. Just a clean crack from the left side of the windshield to middle - I'd read that some of the OEM glass had a penchant for cracking for no reason. Is this something worth pursuing with the dealership, or should I just go through my insurance again?
Any feedback/help would be very much appreciated - thank you!

Hi all!
I have a 2018 Outback with Limited Trim and there's two issues I need advice on...
Issue #1: my infotainment screen has developed the dreaded "ghost touch" and is basically unusable. I bought my car used from a dealership and I'm past the dealer warranty (12,000 miles) and about 1,000 miles past the extended warranty - though it doesn't seem like this part of the car is covered under either warranty anyway. I'm desperately trying to avoid spending $1300 on a replacement head unit and I'd read there was a recall on that part on my year Outback. Who would I contact to see about getting it replaced under the 100,000 mile recall warranty? Also, if I hit a deadend, are there any cheaper alternatives for replacement? I have the 8" screen.
Issue #2: I had a windshield replaced by the dealership with OEM glass (luckily paid for by insurance) and about a year later developed another crack. I assumed it was a rock or something that hit the windshield, but I see no impact mark. Just a clean crack from the left side of the windshield to middle - I'd read that some of the OEM glass had a penchant for cracking for no reason. Is this something worth pursuing with the dealership, or should I just go through my insurance again?
Any feedback/help would be very much appreciated - thank you!

Anyone know what venue this event will be at? Or has it not been announced yet? I’m thinking about getting a hotel early and will probably look to get one near the venue.
On the other hand, this will be my first time in Dallas so I’m thinking about getting a hotel in Arlington so I can be inbetween Fort Worth and Dallas and get to explore all 3 areas easier.

Is now a good time to dip into the used car market? Ive been looking at Mazda, Toyota, Kia on the dealership websites etc. almost all of them are charging 30k for a used model (2-5 years old).
I have the money saved up and would want to buy the car outright, but I am honestly debating on whether its worth waiting a bit longer just because the prices seem so inflated right now. It sucks not having a car :(. I can make do now with car rentals whenever I need to - corporate discount gives me rentals at 36 dollars per day so I usually take a rental on the weekends for a day or two
I keep waiting for the prices to go down, but its almost as if it never will. Should I wait, or should I just accept defeat and buy one?

With #8 Stanford's 7-1 victory over Texas A&M tonight, the 2023 Super Regional matchups are set:

• Winston-Salem: #1 Wake Forest (50-10, ACC) vs. #16 Alabama (43-19, SEC)
• Stanford: #8 Stanford (42-17, Pac-12) vs. Texas (41-20, Big XII)
• Baton Rouge: #5 LSU (46-15, SEC) vs. #12 Kentucky (40-19, SEC)
• Hattiesburg or Knoxville: Southern Miss (45-18, Sun Belt) vs. Tennessee (41-19, SEC)
• Gainesville: #2 Florida (48-15, SEC) vs. #15 South Carolina (42-19, SEC)
• Charlottesville: #7 Virginia (48-12, ACC) vs. Duke (38-22, ACC)
• Eugene: Oregon (40-20, Pac-12) vs. Oral Roberts (49-11, Summit)
• Fort Worth: #14 Indiana State (43-18, MVC) vs. TCU (40-22, Big XII)

Post your predictions for the 8 Omaha teams below!