enframed wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 9:38 am

Dave N. wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 10:16 pm I just spent a couple of days along the USA/Mexico border along Arizona and New Mexico, taking roads less travelled. I didn’t experience a single checkpoint. Most of the state highway checkpoints were unattended, and the one on I-10 just waved people through. I’ve never seen it so lax. Hardly any border patrol anywhere. I’m a little confused about it.

Were you in or near a sanctuary city or "blue" city?

I don’t think so.

I just thought it was odd. Even pre-9/11 there were checkpoints around. It’s just a fact of life down there. Given all of the border security hype, I figured the place would be swarming with Border Patrol.

A few months ago, I was at work and a guy from Michigan started talking to me about the border. He was a MAGA guy, and he wanted to see the hemorrhaging border for himself. He got down there and was confused. Where are the camps and detention centers? Where is all of the Border Patrol? It was nothing like he thought it would be. He thought he’d be seeing caravans of illegal immigrants pouring over the fences. He drove along the Texas/Mexico line for a couple of days, and none of it fit the Trump narrative.

Dave N. wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 10:06 am

enframed wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 9:38 am

Dave N. wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 10:16 pm I just spent a couple of days along the USA/Mexico border along Arizona and New Mexico, taking roads less travelled. I didn’t experience a single checkpoint. Most of the state highway checkpoints were unattended, and the one on I-10 just waved people through. I’ve never seen it so lax. Hardly any border patrol anywhere. I’m a little confused about it.

Were you in or near a sanctuary city or "blue" city?

I don’t think so.

I just thought it was odd. Even pre-9/11 there were checkpoints around. It’s just a fact of life down there. Given all of the border security hype, I figured the place would be swarming with Border Patrol.

A few months ago, I was at work and a guy from Michigan started talking to me about the border. He was a MAGA guy, and he wanted to see the hemorrhaging border for himself. He got down there and was confused. Where are the camps and detention centers? Where is all of the Border Patrol? It was nothing like he thought it would be. He thought he’d be seeing caravans of illegal immigrants pouring over the fences. He drove along the Texas/Mexico line for a couple of days, and none of it fit the Trump narrative.

It's my understanding that border crossings are basically zero, or at least immaterial, have been for many months. He may have missed all the action.

As for detention centers, they exist. Maybe he needs to research better?

I'm sure Michigan man had an awakening at the fact he'd been conned by a fat orange grifter, saw the light and has been mending fences since.

We're not big New Year's Eve people, so this year we bought tickets to see the Stranger Things finale in a theater. I'm not a massive fan, but I thought it would be cool to see it with 200 people who care about it. The show was fine, but two women and a man sitting behind us literally did not stop talking the entire time.

Also, and I don't know if it was a glitch or what, but I got the tickets through Regal's app. They were $11 each plus fees, but they also sent us two QR codes worth $11 each at concessions. So, we got the movie and $22 worth of food and drink for about $27.

I make the coffee each morning at my work; Lavazza beans into a cheap-ish burr grinder, then into the Ninja brewer I picked out. I've got my portions worked out: 12 on the grinder dial, then water to about the 10 mark on the brewer reservoir for fairly strong drip coffee. We also have a Breville espresso and my coffee each morning is a small Americano into my thermos and drip coffee poured on top, then I toss a few ice pebbles in so It's ready to drink. I don't know what the fuck I did today, but I hit the sweet spot. I'm always appreciative to have decent work coffee after years of Folgers or worse at old jobs, but today it was outstanding, which I could nail it every day.

I'm also on day five in a row of doing yoga, which is pretty good for me.

Day 7 of this NY thing. Cooked and eaten well each and every day this week. Didn't touch any of the alcohol but only for cooking purposes. Making minced meat turkey chill con carne as I type. Can+t wait for it to be done so I can try it. Vacation days until Monday. Snow all around. Feels almost like a different year.

Had to wait for about 30 minutes to have a death certificate signed yesterday, so I used that time in an independent music store down the street. $455 later, I am now the owner of a Squier Bass VI.

iembalm wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 10:58 am Had to wait for about 30 minutes to have a death certificate signed yesterday, so I used that time in an independent music store down the street. $455 later, I am now the owner of a Squier Bass VI.

I'd like to request Wichita Lineman at my funeral please (1:45 Glen's Bass VI solo).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bgsIvYcxY8

zorg wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 11:28 am

iembalm wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 10:58 am Had to wait for about 30 minutes to have a death certificate signed yesterday, so I used that time in an independent music store down the street. $455 later, I am now the owner of a Squier Bass VI.

I'd like to request Wichita Lineman at my funeral please (1:45 Glen's Bass VI solo).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bgsIvYcxY8

Dude is such a boss. Knowing how it all ended kills/horrifies me though. No free lunch, etc. Sad.

I bought a bag of Cosmic Crisp apples and they are all "corked." I wonder if I can return them.