Do you ever get it all figured out or mostly figured out?

[ultrarunner]

So funny story....

I change batteries in cell phones myself. The battery in the iPhone was starting to swell. So I bought a new battery, backed the phone up, powered it off, opened up the phone, and there's supposed to be some sticky tape like a command strip holding the battery in place. You pull the strip out from under the battery and it should just zip right out. Nope. It broke off immediately, probably due to the heat of the swelling battery.

So I take some small spudgers and carefully start to pry the battery out. I hear a small click! and the battery ever so slightly bent.

Then an orange spot appeared at the small crease and smoke!

Started getting bigger and smoking harder, so I figured to heck with care, and yanked that thing out of there.

Threw the battery in an ash bucket and ran it out of the house. Threw it in a frozen bird bath and it melted a hole through the ice and sat there for about 5 minutes smoking with an orange glow under the ice.

Yikes!

This is the first I paid to have done… the Nokia was super easy

 

[Yander]

We live adjacent to the farm my wife grew up on and one son is 5 minutes away and one is 15 minutes away. We see both grandsons every week.

We feel very blessed and wouldn't change the location.

Also within a half hour of my 3 sister's.

I do wish Ohio had more sun but I still enjoy the four seasons.

We have only one close neighbor (100 yards away) and that is my MIL who respects our privacy.

Both my wife and I have remote jobs which I struggle with a little. I like people and getting out of the house.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

So funny story....

I change batteries in cell phones myself. The battery in the iPhone was starting to swell. So I bought a new battery, backed the phone up, powered it off, opened up the phone, and there's supposed to be some sticky tape like a command strip holding the battery in place. You pull the strip out from under the battery and it should just zip right out. Nope. It broke off immediately, probably due to the heat of the swelling battery.

So I take some small spudgers and carefully start to pry the battery out. I hear a small click! and the battery ever so slightly bent.

Then an orange spot appeared at the small crease and smoke!

Started getting bigger and smoking harder, so I figured to heck with care, and yanked that thing out of there.

Threw the battery in an ash bucket and ran it out of the house. Threw it in a frozen bird bath and it melted a hole through the ice and sat there for about 5 minutes smoking with an orange glow under the ice.

Yikes!

My boss did that in his office once. It didn't bother him a bit. He just sat it to the side and kept working. I have no idea how it didn't burn the plant down. SMOKY in the office for a long time though.

 

[ultrarunner]

So funny story....

I change batteries in cell phones myself. The battery in the iPhone was starting to swell. So I bought a new battery, backed the phone up, powered it off, opened up the phone, and there's supposed to be some sticky tape like a command strip holding the battery in place. You pull the strip out from under the battery and it should just zip right out. Nope. It broke off immediately, probably due to the heat of the swelling battery.

So I take some small spudgers and carefully start to pry the battery out. I hear a small click! and the battery ever so slightly bent.

Then an orange spot appeared at the small crease and smoke!

Started getting bigger and smoking harder, so I figured to heck with care, and yanked that thing out of there.

Threw the battery in an ash bucket and ran it out of the house. Threw it in a frozen bird bath and it melted a hole through the ice and sat there for about 5 minutes smoking with an orange glow under the ice.

Yikes!

Glad it didn't turn into a house-a-fire.

 

[Williy]

My wife & I can to Texas form Wisconsin as the population in our home town have more people
laid off in the early 80's. I told my wife I will not
go on welfare as I can work so started making some
phone calls and Midland/Odessa Texas said come on
down plenty of work but when I got here the bottom
fell out of the oil field in Midland/Odessa so came to Big
Spring on Friday and was working on Monday Did a
lot of praying. Purchased some land and we started
building we had $150 to start to build a house because
we lost what we had. That was back in 82 since then
lost my wife in 2023 March and now trying to remodel
after all the water damage from the central air system
put in the attic the drain was so small that it plugged up
hence the damage. 8.1 acres that I have to maintain.
I keep myself busy so I don't have time to think about
my loss not easy when you spend 56+ years with.
Retired in December 2020 and enjoy not having to go
to work as I have plenty to do here.
My wife didn't like the cold her arthristis bothered her in
Wisconsin and she enjoyed the weather here. If we got
snow or ice we just waited a day or two and it was gone.

willy

 

[Locoweed]

I've only been to Big Springs a couple of times, but I kind of liked it. I moved to Texas in 1973 from Michigan. I haven't regreted it for a second. Ended up in Ft. Davis & I plan on being here until the end.

 

[2manyrocks]

Can I use this?

Okay with me. It seems appropriate to your question which I think many ask themselves at one point or another.

 

[LouNY]

My wife & I can to Texas form Wisconsin as the population in our home town have more people
laid off in the early 80's. I told my wife I will not
go on welfare as I can work so started making some
phone calls and Midland/Odessa Texas said come on
down plenty of work but when I got here the bottom
fell out of the oil field in Midland/Odessa so came to Big
Spring on Friday and was working on Monday Did a
lot of praying. Purchased some land and we started
building we had $150 to start to build a house because
we lost what we had. That was back in 82 since then
lost my wife in 2023 March and now trying to remodel
after all the water damage from the central air system
put in the attic the drain was so small that it plugged up
hence the damage. 8.1 acres that I have to maintain.
I keep myself busy so I don't have time to think about
my loss not easy when you spend 56+ years with.
Retired in December 2020 and enjoy not having to go
to work as I have plenty to do here.
My wife didn't like the cold her arthristis bothered her in
Wisconsin and she enjoyed the weather here. If we got
snow or ice we just waited a day or two and it was gone.

willy

Three of my daughters were born in Big Springs, used a midwife there when living in Seminole.

 

[BackRoad]

I've only been to Big Springs a couple of times, but I kind of liked it. I moved to Texas in 1973 from Michigan. I haven't regreted it for a second. Ended up in Ft. Davis & I plan on being here until the end.

The Ft. Davis area is nice. We've been to the mountain top. Pretty amazing place.

I did enjoy the dark skies and stars.

 

[2manyrocks]

Going to also say that it seems to me that both the rate of change and the amount of change is increasing, and not necessarily for the good.

 

[ericm979]

Going to also say that it seems to me that both the rate of change and the amount of change is increasing, and not necessarily for the good.

Time speeds up when you get old.

 

[garry1p]

I have never did get it figured it out I just go with the flow.
Born in MA, parents moved to FL then TN I left TN for the USAF went to TX from there to NC, Korea, Vietnam, MS, NE, discharged and with the same company lived in SC, NC, VA, MS, OK.
I retired and currently live in MS this is where my wife grew up and I know more people here than anywhere else so it feels like home.

 

[shooterdon]

I am there.

You need to decide two things…what can you compromise on and what you cannot compromise on. Unless you have a boat
load of money, then just spend it.

edited to add

in 1995 I decided Canada would become a ****hole. I decided to leave. I was correct.

The next election will determine if the US becomes a ****hole. But I can adapt.

Seems to me you live in a ****hole and want to stay. If it is an acceptable compromise, deal with it as best you can.

 

[Yander]

My wife went back to work at age 50 after most of the kids were grown. This allowed us at age 53 to find a house with land out in the country within a short drive to work (we both work at the same facility) and a good school system for the remaining two kids. Starting over buying a house was concerning but our goal is to have it paid off by age 64.
We didn't move far from our last place and are both born and raised in Texas. The kids that moved on have no interest in living in our part of the world and I'm happy for them.
This is our retirement home and I hope my final resting place.

This post makes me like you in that you can say this about your kids. They are complicated. Thankfully I have my kids near me but I also know that they don't want me in their business too much. I'm ok with that too.

 

[JasperFrank]

I've cancelled just about everyone in my world. I'm okay with it.

 

[ultrarunner]

I am there.

You need to decide two things…what can you compromise on and what you cannot compromise on. Unless you have a boat
load of money, then just spend it.

edited to add

in 1995 I decided Canada would become a ****hole. I decided to leave. I was correct.

The next election will determine if the US becomes a ****hole. But I can adapt.

Seems to me you live in a ****hole and want to stay. If it is an acceptable compromise, deal with it as best you can.

Its probably more that holding on for a better tomorrow has taken a serious hit.

2019 was an amazing time... not perfect by any measure but seeing long abandoned buildings and districts reborn with a new economic vitality and young people chosing to be here and again becoming a destination with corporate relocations and startups vying to be here was nothing short of amazing.

I made new friends from all over the country... Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Maine... etc. confident to be here.

The Michigan couple is now in Idaho... the pandemic fallout sent many scrambling to leave and shows just how quicky things can flip.

 

[riptides]

Its probably more that holding on for a better tomorrow has taken a serious hit.

2019 was an amazing time... not perfect by any measure but seeing long abandoned buildings and districts reborn with a new economic vitality and young people chosing to be here and again becoming a destination with corporate relocations and startups vying to be here was nothing short of amazing.

I made new friends from all over the country... Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Maine... etc. confident to be here.

The Michigan couple are now in Idaho... the pandemic fallout sent many scrambling to leave.

pandemic fallout - A reset on what is important to ones life and well being.

Many people took that as an opportunity to get to their "goals" faster, on the other hand many did not.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ Great succinct way to summarize.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I've cancelled just about everyone in my world. I'm okay with it.

Sounds like a lonely boring life.

 

[MossRoad]

Glad it didn't turn into a house-a-fire.

Yeah, my workbench is down in the basement. So's my wood burner. Ash bucket was convenient.

What tipped me off to the swollen battery in the first place was the screen started looking/acting funny. I picked up the phone and could feel the bulge in the back of it. So I shut it off and ordered a new battery.

I often wonder what would have happened had I not noticed it swelling.