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After seeing the 2023 Unbound and the suspected new Canyon Grail with Carolin Schiff and Tiffany Cromwell, winners of this weekend’s Unbound 200 and 100 races respectively and Peter Stetina (7th) and Jasper Ockeloen (10th) all on the mystery Canyon.
It is inevitable that the hover bar and will disappear...WOULD it be possible for Canyon to come up with some sort of aftermarket replacement for the hoverbar now that this bike looks to have an integrated bastem system?
Full disclosure: I own and love my 2021 CF SL 8.0 Di2 Grail... I'm just worried about resale value.
While Canyon probably won't do this... they will simply move on. Focus on the new bikes and new designs.
I know MOST people don't like the hoverbar. Simply for the odd look and lack of any adjustments. It was a radical design.
Why did I buy it? I bought mine during the pandemic bike boom. A carbon fiber Di2 bike that could support 42mm tires for a price that was well below anything with similar components. Everything else was priced $1000 or more over the grail.
I also watched a lot of GCN and Vegan Cyclist while working from home and they were really pushing the Grail and gravel riding. I suspect they sold soooo, many simply from those two advertising it.
It's been a great bike for me. It works... I've done a few gravel races/rides, a century, multiple 100k rides. I've had zero issues with it.
The bike is now pretty well known among cyclist and they seem to be more curious about it.
Thoughts?

I bought a $35 small folding plastic outdoor side table (20" high) that I need to return because it's too wobbly/unstable. Immediately, my return request was approved. Just went to print the return mailing label and was surprised to see "POSTAGE REQUIRED" and "CP".
Am I responsible for the return postage? Nowhere in this seller's profile or return policy does it explicitly state that the seller does not provide pre-paid return labels nor that the postage of the return is the buyer's responsibility.
Based on the package dimensions (27x18x7 in) and weight (4.5 lbs), I calculated an estimate on USPS.com, and the quote is over $20 for Retail Ground. I might as well keep the table if I'm going to spend over 50% of its value just to ship it back. UPS and Fedex shipping quotes exceed the original $35 value. Hilarious.

I haven't been diagnosed with BPD, but after this breakup I feel highly suspected that I have it after doing a lot of research and self reflection. Or at least cptsd, irdk.
(tw////// gore/animal injury warning)
Either way, as a vent, this has been one of the worst months ever for me. Within this month, my 2 y/o puppy was spayed, after 5 days, had a complication where a small portion of her intestine fell out (it would've all came out if we hadn't quickly bandaged it and took her to the emergency vet), and during her second recovery time, I had spent the entire night every day watching her breath so my mother wouldn't have to do it all on her own, as well as helping out during the day time. During this month, I also had the stress of having my own surgery which is coming up in a week to remove my gallbladder, and basically change my digestive life forever, so during the time before the surgery, I've been in chronic pain (which is why it needs out) During the time of watching my puppy, I neglected my relationship (for context, we've been together for 2.5 years and have lived together the entire time. We're both art college students age 20, but we were always very great at commicating and had a bond, except during long due to our own traumas, texting was harder and we'd struggle communicating more) (right now he's 5 hours away bc we're home during college break and live in differeng states) and basically, we hadn't been able to call or text this entire time bc of our conflicting schedules.
Well, we got into a fight through text last week. The next day, we still fought a little but he refused to call. In his friends gc I'm in, I said something not related at all which was heavily taken the wrong way. One of his friends sent a message accusing me of something awful. Immediately, I was panicking and made an impulsive decision. After freaking out to him through text and the lack of feeling like he cared, I told my boyfriend impulsively how I couldn't handle the relationship and its over etc etc (something I truly regret)
He responded, "okay 👍", and that was that. (Litterally 3-4 days after my dogs surgery too which i was super stressed by wondering if shed make it through the night) Que all my frantic texts and apologies once I realized what I did, he refused to want to call to talk about it. Mind you, this entire talk had been through text. I wanted to call to communicate. Im soneone who highly values talking things through amd hearing his feelings. He said he didn't want to talk and would let me know when he could, bc he said he was hurting too and needed space. I respected that, no no more texting, no attempts at calls. Que a whole 7 days go by of me just panicking, in emotional pain every day, waiting for him, reflecting, learning about myself, wauting to have this call where i tell him all that i learned, what i feel bad about, what his feelings are, how i want to turn a new leaf, etc. During the time, I was under the impression that before we were going to 100% end things, we'd call about it first. But nope, during that whole week, while I was waiting, checking my phone every 2 seconds, he was moving on. He was completely moved on by the time I contacted him again. He wpuld send messages like "stop worrying so much" why wouldnt i be worrying?? We never got to call and its ending so soon! Im missing my best friend and am just now hearing that ill be losing you, while this entire time youve been moving on and putting up an emotional wall!someone who had truly loved me and showed actual genuine care is suddenly texting in a tone of indifference, hatred, etc. And we still hadn't called about it. We're going to do the call today, actually, but, after i prodded and took a risk abd asked him what type of comvo was it/whether he was interested in seeinh where things went instead of already 100% deciding before we talked, he made it clear that there was no chance of a resolution in terms of getting back together, he wants to just continue a friendship. And all in that time he's texting "don't get too worked up over it :)" as if saying "I'm fine. I've moved on. Oh? You didn't know that's what I was doing? I assumed you were coping too, even tho I told you we could call first" If I had known that's what the conversation was going to be, I wouldn't have waited, been in emotional pain, dwelling in hope, checking your Twitter every second. If he had told me upfront what was happening, I could have moved on too. I just feel bitter and angry. It feels cruel that he let me dwell in my loneliness and hope while he avoided feeling anything at all by packing his schedule full every day from 9am-3am with friends. It feels like it was intentionally meant to hurt me.
I am really hurt, during this month alone, my puppy had a terrifying surgical complication, I didn't sleep or eat, I have a surgery scheduled in 5 days, my parents have been fighting, my boyfriend, who we both mutually loved each other, ended things on a dime without calling first or wanting to put in any effort to resolve things, I found out I probably have BPD (reflections based on past interactions and how I've been the entire relationship. Which at this point, now that I know what's wrong with me, I really wanted to make an effort to change/get therapy and have healthier relationships with ppl and to share this news with him to tell him i know how ive been acting and now will make efforts to be a new healthier person now that i can identify my feelings/actions/episodes), I lost my best friend (my boyfriend), litterally also lost all of his friends, which I was friends with too, who have ghosted me, he's ghosted me, my room is in shambles bc I was in the middle of reorganizing everything, I've just been so lonely feeling trapped in a house without a car (my sister has it right now) and no friends, the person I would talk to about everything being gone. I just feel awful, I wish I had known about bpd earlier so i could heal. I wish I hadn't put all my stakes on my ex boyfriend in terms of thinking it'd last forever and not making my own friend group apart from his. And now, all I have to look forward to is instead of rooming with him during college next semester, I have to room with a complete stranger, all alone and with no friends.
This is just a truly miserable experience. I'm booking therapy now and am going to see what I'm diagnosed with. But, either way this is a time I can work on myself now and try to live for myself and not others. Time to start my career, heal from my mental health issues, heal from physical health issues, create my own friend group, and get some independence.
Thanks for reading this far and sorry for the rant/vent, this time just f'n sucks man! I'm surprised I'm as coping as I am without falling into one of my weird severe depersonalization episodes.

[Chapter One]
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Rosifo Girtwoud woke up feeling sore and exhausted. He slept well, but never as long as he’d have liked. He could hear his roommates moving around and getting ready for their days. Sitting up in bed, he stretched and took stock. His new job was physically demanding, but it was the best job he’d ever had. By a lot. He loved having his own room in a nice place, all thanks to his generous new salary! He could even afford to eat as much as he wanted, a luxury he’d not even dreamed was possible. Last night he ate three helpings of honey glazed pork at the pub! Still clumsy from sleep, Ros shrugged on a tunic and clean slacks, pausing for a second to appreciate the lordly quality of the garments. He still couldn’t believe he owned such nice things, and the Chief just gave it to him! Well, everyone got a few, but that didn’t make it any less special. Ros put on his belt as he went downstairs to the kitchen, where a few of his roommates were eating breakfast and the landlady was pulling some fresh buns out of the wood fired oven.
“Hey there’s the champ now!” called out Rikad, his housemate and co-worker.
“Heh, there are some perks to being the lightest guy on the squad!” Ros replied, referring to the agility drill he had won at work yesterday. Three days a week of training was by far the hardest part of the job, being trained by the Chief was like weathering a storm. Terrifying and dangerous, but something you could be proud of surviving. The other three days a week they worked were a holiday in comparison. Sitting on carts and standing by warehouses was easy.
Ros devoured his huge bowl of sweetened oats and then three buttered fresh buns. Pushing back from the long table with a satisfied sigh, he got up to leave for work with Rikad. The spring morning air was brisk, and they made sure to stay out of the way of loaded carts and riders that zipped by on the narrow cobblestone streets.
“What do you reckon the Chief will have us do today?” Rikad asked.
Ros snorted, “Quit embarrassing ourselves and pick up the pace?”
“Hah! That’s hardly a guess! I liked the knife throwing we did a few weeks ago, that was fun. I hope it’s not all runs and drills, I’m still aching from yesterday,” Rikad said.
“Yeah, I like combat drills. Other than when I have to spar with the Chief. He’s like a mountain that’s fast. I think the day I get a point on him, I’ll buy the whole team a beer!” Ros motioned a lunging jab as they walked.
“We’ll be too old to drink by then!” Rikad teased.
They were in for a typical training routine, a morning lecture on tactics and formations, some solo weapon drills, a short run, then a hearty lunch delivered from the nearby deli. Other days they just called a food cart into the yard with them, but Ros liked the deli lunches better. Also the novelty of someone else buying his lunches was thrilling. Ros assumed that this must be how pretty girls felt all the time. Maybe less sore and less yelled at. But maybe not.
The real highlight of the day was Ros got to see the owner of the whole company when he came out to observe their exercises. Ros hadn’t seen a real lord up close before he started at Pandemonium, and he thought it was one of the biggest perks. Mostly he looked like a tired doctor or shopkeeper, but Ros wasn’t disappointed. He had a nobility of his bearing, clarity in his eyes and an aura of authority. Even the Chief changed when he was around him! Seeing the him defer to anyone spoke volumes to their importance. Not only was he the lord of a whole company, he was also a mage! They were super rare even before the Church started purging all those heresies in their College of Magic, but now he wasn’t even sure there were any in the city!
“Agility drills are done! Imma talk to Mage Thippily, so you lot do some king of the hill sparring; Sword ‘n board! Ros and Kedril start!” boomed Chief of Security Stanisk.
Ros staggered exhaustedly to the equipment racks to get an arming jacket, leather helm, training sword and shield.
“Mage Thippliy is watching,” he whispered reverentially to himself as he geared up.
“Mind your tone or he’ll turn you into a turnip!” called Rikad.
Kedril grinned, “Hah, He’ll turn you into a turnip, Rik. He’ll just look at Ros and see his work is already done!”
Ros used to despise Kedril. He embodied everything Ros had yearned to become: handsome, confident, affluent, and sharp-witted. The team's dynamic was confrontational, rife with competition; they raced, fought, and scored against one another all day, three days a week. It had taken Ros a while to grasp that they were, in fact, a team. Kedril, infuriatingly attractive, devoted time to helping Ros in a few drills last week and offered valuable advice. So, albeit begrudgingly, Ros began to admire him. Kedril was older by a few years, substantially larger, and appeared to be one of the few who already had some training in arms. The prospect of sparring with him didn’t excite Ros.
Fresh from drills and immediately thrown into sparring, sweat trickled into Ros's eyes. The sting impaired his vision. He repeated to himself, 'Elbows in, shield up, tip forward, hips back,’ partially to fix his stance, partially to focus. Kedril was typically in better shape than him, but now appeared even more worn out. His guard was lax and messy, creating a gaping opening. Ros seized the opportunity and struck with a swift, precise jab. In the fleeting instant the jab took, Kedril's shield snapped into position, and his tip dealt a solid blow to Ros's ribs just beneath his sword arm. It was a feint - a brilliantly executed display of weakness where he was most prepared, exactly the tactic Stanisk had explained yesterday.
“Mashed Turnip!” Kedril shouted to the cheers of the others.
“Ros! You lost because your stance is awful! Keep lower! Coiled spring, lad!” the Chief shouted from across the yard.
Ros raised his hands over his head to cede the point and sat at the end of the bench. He hated losing, but he had expected to lose. He gratefully grabbed a cup of water and watched Kedril make short work of a few more challengers. It seemed like they were picking on him, but Ros was coming to understand they were also bonding with him, and these might be the closest friends he’d ever had. Not that it was a high bar, and he didn’t like all of them, but they had his back, and that meant a lot. Finally Jourgun, the biggest lad on the team, tore into Kedril with so much energy and fury that no amount of clever tactics could stop him. Even though he knew these were his friends, seeing Kedril getting bashed in the face with a shield was almost as good as seeing a real mage!
One thing Ros appreciated about training days was that they were shorter. After the sparring, Stanisk pulled aside Kedril and Jourgun for additional work, and dismissed the rest of the men. Ros trailed behind some of his newfound friends to a peculiar place where one would sit, fully naked, in a steam-filled room, all for two glucks.
“This is a sex thing, right?” Ros asked Rikad cautiously.
“What?! Light, no! It’s to relax and heal," Rikad explained. "They place herbs on hot rocks, we sit there, sweat, and breathe in the steam. It’s excellent, you’ll love it!”
“Sounds like we’re all naked and sweaty, though?” Ros remained convinced this was some intimate activity he wasn’t fully grasping. Rikad rolled his eyes and even paid Ros’s entry fee.
Inside the dim, tiled room was surprisingly comfortable. The steam smelled slightly of herbs and medicine, and it was so thick he couldn’t even see the far wall. A quick survey of the others revealed they were just as covered in bruises as he was, which gave Ros a fresh sense of camaraderie. They towelled off, dressed, drank some cold water, and left the strange business without any hint of the carnal encounter Ros had suspected. Despite his lingering confusion about the whole place, Ros liked it and wanted to come back. He appreciated his squadmates not making a single steamed turnip joke. He was hoping that didn’t stick as a nickname, he felt it didn’t remotely suit him.
After the steam, their muscles relaxed and the day's tension eased away. Ros and Rikad were starving. It had been hours since lunch, so they headed to a nearby tavern for drinks and dinner. Being able to simply enjoy food and drink without concern for the price was an intoxicatingly fresh experience. In fact, Ros enjoyed this newfound freedom even more than the meal itself.
After a huge dinner and a few beers Ros paused, and opened up a little.
"Did you know this is the pub where I talked the Chief into hiring me?"
"Really? To be honest, I've always wondered about that. No offence, but you're a lot smaller than the rest of us." Rikad pushed away his empty plate, taking a long drink of his beer.
"Yeah, I saw the Chief in here, dressed like a shining champion, buying ladies drinks and rounds for the whole bar. He was so confident and kind and relaxed. But also obviously dangerous. I’d never seen anyone like him!" Ros gestured to the tavern maid for a refill. "I must have been a sight. My clothes were more patch than original cloth, I was so skinny you could've counted my ribs through a sweater. Not that I had sweater money!" Ros reflected on the lean muscle he'd gained in recent months with inward satisfaction.
"Did the Chief take you for a beggar?"
Ros bristled at the suggestion. "Hell no! I've never begged in my life, I've always earned my keep!" his brief flare of indignation faded immediately. "No, he thought I was a refugee, from some starving backwater. Of course, I corrected him—after he bought me dinner!"
"Hah! The proper sequence," Rikad agreed, laughing.
"Anyway, he asked about my plans. I told him I was waiting till I was eighteen to join the army and serve the Emperor."
"You've certainly filled out since I met you, but I'm not sure you'd pass the army physical even now," Rikad cautiously speculated.
"The Chief was blunter about it. 'Yer so scrawny, a necromancer would find ya offputting, the army ain't gonna waste rations on ya.'" Ros imitated Stanisk’s gruff rural northerner accent.
"Hah! That sounds about right. Which makes your wearing company purple less clear than ever!" Rikad replied.
"Well, he asked if I knew my way around the city. I said I've tread every cobblestone here, so he offered me a job running letters and picking up parcels. Better work than sweeping alleys for a half-gluck and stale bread. I figured a fancy man like him would pay alright."
The waitress finally brought the next round, and Ros paused to take a long drink. Setting his mug down, he continued. "I walked into the Chief's office, and there he was behind that tiny desk with his book and quill. He looked like a cave troll trying to be a librarian. But I wasn't gonna laugh—it was still the Chief. He said, 'We don’t got a lot for now but I’ll give you a list in the morning, and see that it gets done.' I said ain’t fancy, I don’t know how to read! He didn't lose his cool. He simply nodded and said, 'Alright, just report to me in the morning, and we’ll get you started.' Oh, and he warned me never to speak to the Mage unless spoken to, which suited me fine."
Ros took another drink of his beer, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and continued. "I was hoping for five gee a day. I’d probably have done it for a lone gluck, to be honest. So imagine my shock when he apologised that he could only offer me twenty glucks a day!"
"Where were you living, that five would've been enough?" Rikad asked, curious.
Ros, slightly flushed from the beer, leaned forward. "Under a bloody hedge!" He burst into laughter at his own expense.
"That's rough man," Rikad commented, shaking his head.
Ros nodded. "It was, but it's behind me now. After a month or so of running errands, the Chief finally let me join the crew he was training. That's how I ended up a part of the elite guard of a learned lord mage."
Rikad, his face ruddy, pointed his finger at Ros’s chest. "It’s your attitude! You always train the hardest. It’s changed the whole team's tone."
Ros nodded again, serious. "I gotta! The fifteen hundred gee I make every month now is probably more than I did in the last decade. Total! I bet we make as much as a knight commander does leading a thousand soldiers!"
Rikad looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, a decade? Aren't you still a teenager?"
Ros shrugged. "It's been a long, hard time. Anyway, I know I promised to go to see that folk band with you tonight, but I'm spent. I think I might call it an early night." He finished the beer in two long gulps and stood up.
"I get it. Besides, tomorrow's Sunday. We can finally sleep in!" Rikad pointed out.
******
Ros woke to a frantic pounding on his bedroom door. It was still dark out.
“Go away! Keep it down! You’ll wake the whole house!” Ros grumbled, mostly asleep.
“Come on man! Emergency meeting at the training yard. We gotta go now!” Rikad hoarsely whispered.
“Ah, that’s not good!” Ros threw on some clothes and headed out the door with his friend.
“Think it has something to do with what Kedril and Jourgun were doing after work?” Ros asked.
“Maybe? That was hours and hours ago, and those guys are great, and they were with the Chief,” Rikad countered.
They jogged through the mostly empty streets. The moons were behind clouds, and the dew made the cobblestones slick. The faint flickering of their leviathan oil lamp cast strange shadows in the foggy night. The city felt on edge, too many people on the streets in the middle of the night, whispering. A few times Ros thought he heard something about thunder and demons, which did nothing to calm his growing panic.
“What if something happened to Mage Thippily? Are we all unemployed now?” Ros asked, knowing Rikad knew as much as he did.
“What is the business we guard? Something to do with magically formed super secret goods that no one was allowed to talk about. I think? I should have asked,” Rikad lamented.
Finally they made it to the yard, and Kedril was standing at the gate, torch held aloft.
“Good lads! Go into the workshop and take a seat. The Chief has some tea on.” Kedril’s voice was as calm and steady as ever, but his face was pale and drawn, and his eyes never focused on them, just scanned the night intently.
“Inside? Are you sure?” Ros had never gone inside; that was the single biggest rule.
Kedril just nodded. Ros and Rikad looked at each other for courage and moved forward. The big yard door to the workshop opened a crack, and warm light was spilling out. Rikad motioned Ros to go first, and he poked his head in, fully expecting to lose it.
“Oy, is that Ros? Git your scrawny ass in here,” Chief Stanisk rumbled.
The two men felt like flies exploring a web, but inside was surprisingly normal. Five other guards were already there, and the room was a lot like any other workshop. It had planked floors, shelves and tables and one corner was even converted into a kitchen. There were a few simple stools set up, and two incredibly luxurious loungers. Like everyone else, Ros and Rikad took a stool. The Chief gestured to a kettle and mugs for the tea, but no one seemed interested.
“What’s happening, is everyone okay?” Ros finally asked.
“Short answer is yes, for now.” Stanisk said calmly. “We’ll give the other lads a few minutes to get here, then I’ll explain.”
“Holy light, sir! You aren’t wearing your armour!” This unsettled Ros more than anything he’d seen all night, it was like seeing a bear shaved. Chief was just sitting there in trousers and a shirt, sipping tea. He’d never seen the Chief without armour.
“Needs cleaned,” he answered cryptically.
Follow up questions were interrupted by the rest of the men arriving, followed by Kedril and then Jourgun, who must have been watching the far gate.
“Alright, gather round, at ease.” Stanisk started. He looked relaxed which was probably a good sign.
“You lot were hired to protect the interests of our operations. There was an attempt on Mage Thippliy’s life tonight, at his meeting. Security Specialists Kedril and Jourgun did excellent work, and I have full confidence in all of your growing abilities. Our concern is there will be additional attempts."
There was a murmur of apprehension. The mage was the company. Without him there was nothing to guard. No one here wanted to lose their jobs, but they had been suspicious from the start. The pay didn’t match the work.
Stanisk paused as Mage Thipply and the elv, that had only been speculated to exist, came down the ladder from the loft. The mage was dressed like normal, in his brown pants and a white shirt, frameless glasses and a short well maintained beard streaked with grey. The elv was wearing an oversized sweater and long stockings. It had the effect of making her upper body look human, but with the long spindly legs of a shore bird. Her huge nocturnal eyes stared at them all unblinkingly, and her long narrow fingers with too many segments wrapped around a mug of tea. Ros was both intimidated and repulsed. It was like a bird or an insect pretending to be a person, but with eyes that had intelligence and cruelty.
“Ah! Um, thank you all for coming!” The mage was directly addressing them, Ros grinned despite his fears and worries. “There have been events over the last week or so that have culminated tonight, and I no longer think that our operation in Jagged Cove is viable.” The mage saw the reaction of the crowd turn sharply negative. He hastily added, “Of course I’m not closing up shop, we’re just moving to another location. A location outside of the capital region, and I’d like you all to join us.”
Ros sighed and leaned back in relief. This wasn’t bad news at all. He’d gladly move to the bottom of the sea for the Mage. He could feel his pulse returning to normal, as other people started asking questions.
“What? I can’t leave the city, I got a wife and kids!” a guard named Theros said.
“Oh, I just started dating a baker's apprentice, is there an option to stay?” Jourgun asked.
The elv stood up, and addressed the room with an icy indifference. “This is not a negotiation. There is a ship that is leaving in about six hours. If you are on it, you will remain employed. We have also made considerations for your families. They are welcome on the ship, and you can find new homes in the town we relocate to.” She subtly nodded to the Chief before continuing. “Chief Stanisk values your skills so highly that he convinced the board of directors to offer each of you a five year contract. The contract will have some additional employment conditions, but there will be a 5000 glindi signing bonus. Follow Chief Stanisk’s instructions to get on the boat, and we’ll see you there. Or not.”
She returned to the ornate chair, and the room erupted into chaos.
“Holy light! That’s so much!”
“I’d be insane not to sign!”
“Where are we even going?”
Ros grinned from ear to ear, what’s to decide? This was the best possible outcome! Free money to see the world! Packing his bags would take no time, and he could carry everything that mattered in one trip.
Stanisk took command of the room, “You with young ‘uns, we got the company wagons for you waiting, get a move on. I’ll take the mage’s personal wagon and do a loop to Kedril’s, Eowin’s and Klive’s. The rest of you, leg it! Meet back here in three hours and tell anyone what asks, that you took a job out of the city. Be vague! Come on, pick up the pace you helpless kittens!"
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As a young adult, I observe many of my peers who are eager to purchase homes but constantly lament about the exorbitant prices in the GTA. Some rely on the Bank of Mom and Dad for their down payment, while others diligently save on their own. However, despite their efforts, they find themselves struggling to reach their goal due to the continuously rising prices.
There seems to be an underlying belief that if you don't own a house, you are somehow a failure in life. Fueled by this fear of being judged, I see my peers diving headfirst into the market and burdening themselves with mortgages where a significant portion (75%-90%) of their monthly income goes toward covering their housing expenses. They live in constant fear of the Bank of Canada's decisions to increase interest rates and are even liking the idea of banks one day extending mortgage amortization periods to 50+ years, just to alleviate some financial pressure and improve their cash flow. In the process, they neglect important aspects of financial literacy, such as saving in Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs), building retirement nest eggs (RRSPs), or establishing an emergency fund that covers at least six months' worth of expenses. All these principles are sacrificed in their pursuit of entering the GTA housing market.
Previous generations witnessed extraordinary appreciation in property values, with some areas experiencing a tenfold increase. They were able to enjoy a mortgage-free life. However, the question that arises for our generation is how long we will have to wait to witness such appreciation. If the trend of extending amortization periods continues to sustain the system, how will we ever manage to pay off our homes? If we fail to allocate any funds toward retirement, what is our game plan for the future?
We cannot simply replicate the strategies of the past generation. We find ourselves in a challenging position, almost akin to modern-day slavery. It feels like we are trapped in a cycle of working to live and living to work. It's as if we're stuck in the matrix, questioning the true meaning and purpose of this pursuit.

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Hi all
Having some trouble with canceling a print.
Macros involved:
[gcode_macro START_PRINT] gcode: {% set BED = params.BEDdefault(60)float %} {% set EXTRUDER = params.EXTRUDERdefault(205)float %} # ; gcode parameters for area bed mesh variable_parameter_AREA_START : 0,0 variable_parameter_AREA_END : 0,0 # {% set AREA_START = params.AREA_STARTdefault(0,0)float %} # {% set AREA_END = params.AREA_ENDdefault(0,0)float %} # M104 S{EXTRUDER} # M140 S{BED} M109 S{EXTRUDER} M190 S{BED} G28 # M109 S{EXTRUDER} # M190 S{BED} # BED_MESH_PROFILE LOAD=default BED_MESH_CLEAR BED_MESH_CALIBRATE AREA_START={params.AREA_STARTdefault("0,0")} AREA_END={params.AREA_ENDdefault("0,0")} G28 Z G90 M83 G1 X1 Y35 F5000 G1 Z0.3 F2000 G92 E0 G1 Y135 E10 F1000 G1 Y150 F15000 G1 Z5 F2000 M82 [gcode_macro END_PRINT] gcode: M140 S0 M104 S0 G92 E1 G1 E-1 F300 M106 S0 G28 X Y; Home X Y G90 SAVE_IF_SET
[gcode_macro SAVE_AT_END] variable_save: 0 gcode: SET_GCODE_VARIABLE MACRO=SAVE_AT_END VARIABLE=save VALUE=1 [gcode_macro SAVE_IF_SET] gcode: {% if printer["gcode_macro SAVE_AT_END"].save == 1 %} {printer.gcode.action_respond_info("saving and restarting now")} SAVE_CONFIG {% endif %}
[gcode_macro CANCEL_PRINT] rename_existing: BASE_CANCEL_PRINT gcode: END_PRINT
This - if I'm understanding correctly - should just be backing off the filament a bit, then moving my print head to the back-right corner (Ender 5 Pro).
However, after moving to that position, lately the printer has been going a bit crazy:
Yesterday, it lifted the Z, then moved the print head to the center and attempted to home. Unlike a normal homing, though, it waited around 15 second and then it *lifted* the bed, rather than dropping it by 15 like my normal homing process does, so it does not appear to have used the normal G28 process, because if it was it would have dropped the bed. It dragged across the print surface (PEI) and I now have a nice scrape there.
Just now I canceled another print, and again it went to the rear right corner as expected, but then after the same 15 seconds or so, it lifted the bed again and moved along the Y axis all the way to the front of the printer. Once again, it dragged the nozzle/heatblock along the bed, but it did not move at all on the X axis.
Anyone have any idea why the printer would start moving *after* it finishes the 'end_print' macro? There are no moves in any of the macros that deal with the 'save_if_set' macro, so I am at a loss - and now both sides of my PEI are scraped and I don't trust the printer, since I'm concerned if the printer finishes and does the G28 X Y, then starts moving again, it's going to slam into a finished print.

Considering how time-consuming and difficult real estate transactions can be, many people decide to enlist the aid of a real estate agent. Hiring a Cameron Groom specialist to help you buy or sell a property is advantageous for a number of reasons. In this post, we'll look at four of the best justifications for working with a real estate agent. First, when negotiating the intricate world of real estate transactions, real estate agents' specialised knowledge and expertise can be useful. They are knowledgeable about the local home market and may offer helpful information about price, property values, and other crucial elements that could affect your transaction. Agents' knowledge can assist you in making wise choices and avoiding costly errors.

This is probably a general EE question, but I'm particular I'm dealing with the F1 and F2 fuses on DSi consoles. I have a few DAi that are either not charging, or charging very slowly. At least two of them need new F1 fuses. I see some online shops selling them for X or Y value per set of 2, but as I want to get a number of them, it just seems more efficient to buy a bulk package from a major parts distributor. My problem is that I don't know what fuses I need, and I don't know how to identify them. What's the method for identifying fuses on a PCB? When I search online for this, I end up with almost exclusively results for fuses in a home, and all but nothing regarding small electronics. Any advice or info is appreciated. Thank you.

I (31F) have been talking to this guy (31M) on OkCupid for over 2 months now. The thing is: I'm always the one to iniciate the contacts, but when I do, we really have long deep talks about several subjects. Those subjects are both "impersonal" (such as politics or economy, although that can be used to see if we have matching values) and personal (such as what we like on out daily lives, plans for the future, jokes, etc...). I must add that he contributes a lot for the variety of said subjects, so, in that way, he seems to be interested in knowing me. However, the things is, if I don't reach out first each time, he won't say a simple "Hi!" to see if I'm there (even when I'm there and he should be able to see the green dot on my chat profile). And no, he doesn't have weird work schedules or lack of internet access (many times he works from home and his work schedule is even lighter than mine). How can I read this lack of iniciative?

If you take on too much land you’ll stretch yourself (and your wallet) too thin, but if you take on too little you could end up with a failing farm fast.
For aspiring self-reliant homesteaders or hobby farmers, figuring out just the right amount of acreage is crucial.
For answers to this foundational question, we turned to successful and well-known homesteader, small-scale farmer, educator and farming consultant Ben Godfrey of Sand Creek Farm in Cameron, TX.
Ben and his wife Alysha started out as small-scale hobby farmers and now run a successful, full-time 169-acre sustainable farm and homestead. Today, Ben shares his story, advice and insights on how you can get started on your hobby farming journey.
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A gradual shift from city slickers to suburban equestrians, then hobby farmers, then professionals

Like most families, the Godfreys didn’t begin their life together as homesteaders.
Ben (a country boy), his wife Alysha (a city girl) and their growing family gradually migrated from suburbia to full-time farming over the course of many years. Ben explains:
“My wife was a city girl, so I kept wanting to bring her out to the country. I started with our first house in a little subdivision, then I drew her out to a rural subdivision with about 3 acres so she could have her horses there, then I lured her out to a bigger house on around 20 acres.”
As the family fell in love with hobby farming and country life, they quickly expanded to 40 acres. All the while Ben was still running a successful construction company in town.
Ben says jokingly, “The 20 acres was really just to entice my wife in the beginning, but I had plans to purchase the 20 adjoining acres as well.”
On their 40 acres they had a small dairy and horses; grew their own produce and livestock; and had an orchard. It worked for them and allowed Ben to continue his career in construction, until…
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Trading in a lucrative construction business to live off the land

Like most hobby farmers, Ben’s “real job” as owner of a construction company supported the family and afforded them a comfortable living.
Though Ben and Alysha were more than capable of straddling both worlds, it didn’t come without a price.
“We’d been evolving over to farming and I just enjoyed it much more,” Ben explains. “Even though the income was a lot better in construction, it caused a lot of stress and the quality of life was a lot better in farming.
“Plus in construction I was gone from the farm and my family a lot and I really wanted to be closer to my family. Now every day, with the exception of deliveries, I’m at home with them.”
Ben and Alysha now have five girls, ages 3 to 16, who help them out on the homestead.
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How the Godfreys tackled the sustainable farming learning curve (with help from the Amish)

Though Ben has a degree in Agricultural Development from Texas A&M, plus some previous hobby farm experience, the Godfreys knew they still had a lot to learn about how to manage a sustainable farm and homestead.
“The type of agriculture they teach at Texas A&M is not at all like what we do here," Ben says. "We’re using agriculture that was probably taught at A&M 100 years ago, before chemicals were so prevalent. It is a lot more sustainable.”
So how did they figure out how to start their sustainable farm?
“When we bought the 40-acre hobby farm it was a blank canvas. It was basically a hay field with just a little bit of woods. We wanted to build a home, our barns, facilities and everything for a homestead. So I told my wife I thought we should visit the Amish to see how they do it.”
His wife agreed, and Ben quickly scheduled a business trip up to Ohio with the main goal of observing the Amish.
He connected with an Amish family there, and they invited Ben to bring his whole family to work and learn from them on their farms.
“I was just so impressed by the quality of their children. And from there, we went from really 'a city lifestyle while living in the country,' to a much simpler lifestyle doing a lot more as a family.”
It was through their work with the Amish that they discovered the magic of using draft horses for farming.
“After our first visit, we returned to Ohio in October and bought a team of horses and all the equipment,” Ben recalls. “We harnessed up the two horses right there at the sale barn and drove them 2 ½ miles down the road to our friends’ farm…and it was just as peaceful as can be. From then on I was hooked.”
Ben and Alysha have remained close with their Amish friends for the past 13 years, and still return to Ohio to visit and purchase horses and equipment.
To date, they’ve brought more than 200 horses from Ohio to Texas.
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How cashing in on their first hobby farm allowed them to “Go Big”

Though they loved their hobby farm, the Godfreys dreamed of having enough land to start up a larger dairy and sustainable farming business.
So, when the opportunity arose to sell their homestead (for a healthy profit) in 2007, they jumped on it and used that income to buy a bigger farm in a more rural area.
That bigger farm was 169 acres, and would soon be known by the entire sustainable farming industry as Sand Creek Farm.
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What a 169 acre sustainable farm and homestead looks like

The Godfreys have diversified their land beautifully. They offer raw milk and other dairy products (theirs was one of the first farms in Texas to get a raw for retail channel license), grass-fed beef, pork, broiler chickens and a limited number of eggs.
Their farm is almost entirely horse-powered using techniques and equipment acquired from their Amish friends, plus a few tricks Ben’s picked up online.
The pace, peacefulness, connection and environmental benefits of using horses falls right in line with their commitment to sustainability.
As for acreage and farm design, their four aquaponic greenhouses take up about 1 acre, 5-10 acres are dedicated to produce cultivation annually and all the rest is pasture for rotational grazing.
The farm is not “certified organic” though they raise all their products using organic principles. Ben explains:
“I’ve had the certification paperwork on my desk but I just haven’t seen the value in doing it. The relationship with your customer is the biggest deal. The only reason you’d need a certification is if you’re not selling direct to your customer. But if the customer is inspecting your farm themselves then you don’t really need it.”
They also offer sustainably grown food products from other farms, like pure Vermont Maple Syrup, raw honey, soaps and wholesome breads.
Historically, the majority of their business has come from dairy, which lead customers to the farm’s other offerings, such as their CSA program.
At present, Sand Creek Farm is transitioning.
“Dairy is still a major key, but I would say ideally we’d like to be 50% aquaponics, 25% dairy and 25% field vegetables, farm-stays and on-site training,” Ben explained.
Even with their success and reputation, the Godfreys aren’t afraid to embrace change and shift their business model as they continue to learn and grow.
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40-169 acres works for the Godfreys, but what about beginner homesteaders and hobby farmers?

Ben gave some serious thought to our original question, “How much acreage do you need to start a hobby farm or homestead?” and offered this advice:
“If you were going to have a homestead with 1-2 horses, a family cow, and your gardens, I’d want 10 acres of pasture, 2 acres for produce, maybe a one-acre orchard and the rest of it would be buildings. So 15 acres could hold most of what you want to do.”
The Godfreys opted for larger pieces of land for their homesteads because they have five children and usually keep 7-8 horses in addition to their dairy cows. All this requires more pasture.
Ben also offers this advice to aspiring homesteaders with “real jobs” on farm location:
“I wouldn’t recommend moving way outside the city limits. About 20-30 minutes outside civilization is good, but 45 minutes and up feels a little far. Unless you can telecommute, then being further out is great.”
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Learn to farm, hobby farm or homestead firsthand from the Godfreys

Educating on sustainable farming is a HUGE piece of the Godfrey success puzzle. Here’s how you can tap their knowledge basin and learn from the best:
They offer seasonal internship programs at the farm that usually last 3-6 months, and they also hold on-site classes for those who can’t leave their full-time job to intern.
The Godfreys also offer consulting services and advice on everything from choosing your niche and the best location for your farm, to budgeting, planning, design, marketing, aquaponics and using draft horses.
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The BEST first step you should take

Ben offered one last bit of advice on what all aspiring homesteaders or hobby farmers should do right now before investing in land:
“If I were them, I would invest all of your time and money now in education and information. A library of books, experience—go work on a farm, go do a farm stay somewhere and try to get as much experience as possible before you buy the land. You’ll have a much more successful enterprise if you know what you’re getting into beforehand.”
You can learn more about the Godfreys’ farm, upcoming classes and their farm consulting services at: www.sandcreekfarm.net or call 254-697-2927.
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We are considering buying a house in Milford, moving out of Allston/Brighton. We’ve already weighed some of the pros and cons of moving there (pros: absurd value for the house itself, walking distance to schools and other POIs, cons: commute, distance from friends/family), but neither of us know a lot about the town, so I’m looking for a sense of what it might be like to live there and raise a family there in the long-term.
A few facts about us to help orient any responses:

• I commute to downtown Boston, but I have a very flexible hybrid WFH arrangement where I basically come in to the office whenever I want. My partner works in a lot of different locales - Boston, Lowell, Newton, to name a few - and is actively applying for jobs as far away as northeastern RI.
  
• We’re both from the area, and our parents are both still in our hometowns. I’m from Bristol county, she’s from the North Shore. If/when we have kids, both sets of parents will want to be involved in the grandkids’ lives (w/ boundaries).
  
• Nobody else in our circle of Boston friends has moved out of the city yet, so weekend travel times/opportunities for local socializing to make new local friends is important to us.
  
• In a vacuum, the house we’re looking at almost seems tailor-made for us. It checks basically every box we have, including affordability, and has enough lot space that we can easily grow into it and turn what might begin as a starter home for us into a forever home later down the line. So we want to get a sense of whether this is the kind of town that we can raise our kids in through high school (i.e. how are the schools? Drug culture? Safety?), or if we’d be better off moving elsewhere for that.
  

Greetings. I have an issue with my X axis not homing (Mazak Quick Turn Nexus 300-II). It hits the soft limit immediatly when moving up (no where close to top of travel). Tech support over the phone said to “change #A9 parameter to 9999999” in order to get past the soft limit, then once it is homed to re enter the original #A9 value
Nobody can find this parameter here. I can find many others, but not this one
Any help would be appreciated

I've been with a seed startup for 2 yrs, and weathered a brutal storm that included half pay, no benefits for 3 months so far. Now we just secured a lead investor for a fundraising round, and their contribution alone gives us 2 yrs of runway at our regular salary (which is 30-40% less than my market rate, no discussion about benefits) starting in 1-2 months. I also anticipate we will easily find other investors - there were many lined up but nobody wanted to be the lead. I am 100% confident our idea is solid, novel, and that it will be the way of the future. The main question in my mind has always been are we too far ahead of our time, or too out-of-place because of the bad economic climate for startups.
That said, I've received a verbal offer to work for one of the Big 4 as something equivalent to "senior consultant." I don't have the written letter, but I expect the pay to be 70% higher and I expect they will offer health insurance and 401(k) benefits. It will be a ton more work, but should also open up many more doors for me. Also, I actually like working and I have been feeling frustrated in my current role because there isn't enough interesting work to keep me growing in my career. In addition, the new job offers a clear path to leadership, which is important to me. In the current job, the CEO has promised me leadership opportunities but he's been fairly deceitful/strung us along quite a lot on a few matters so his word doesn't mean much.
I know, I know...the choice seems easy. But here's the catch. This Big 4 has been silently issuing major layoffs this year...it's all over their subreddit...and along with me they are hiring about 20 more people with my job title over the next several months to a year. I would be working on gov't contracts. I'm really afraid they're over-hiring and I'll get laid off within a year. I know I need to jump in willing to give 300% and compete against all these other people with similar job titles. I think I can do it. But I'm worried that won't be enough.
I'm good at saving money. That said, I did plan to buy a home and I'm a little scared...but I want to move forward with my life. I'm worried I might make the wrong choice by "following the money" and should instead stay with my startup. That said, this team is fairly difficult to work with and it's unclear how long I'll have to wait until I have real leadership opportunities, and also maybe even if I get laid off from the Big 4 company it wouldn't be so hard to find a new role. I'm scared because it took me 8 months and 230 applications to land this one role. It's hard to be on the job market all the time. I'm also worried that I'll be stuck networking within the Big 4 company and the government agency...which won't help me when I do get laid off and need to find other work. But I'm also reluctant to walk out on this company because I know our idea has a ton of market value. It's almost like AirBnb in the sense that it's so obvious but at the same time everyone said nobody would feel safe staying in another person's home. It's that level of obvious...and I also know why no one else has done it.

Started working in August 2016
About me:

• Data analyst with 5 full-time remote jobs (2 of which are FAANG companies, 2 are in the Healthcare industry, 1 is the AI industry. There are no conflict of interest with any of these jobs)
  
• Been unemployed for a total 16mon since Aug 2016 when I first started working (~20% of my working life)
  
• Not married but engaged. Net worth will not change much after marriage
  
• Live in HCOL area (Seattle)
  

Income (Adjusted gross income on tax return after applying standard deduction):

• 2016: $47k (job: $70k/yr)
  
• 2017: $51k (job: $70k/yr)
  
• 2018: $27k (job: $37k/yr)
  
• 2019: $39k (2 different jobs (not simultaneous) paying $75k/yr, was unemployed decent part of the year)
  
• 2020: $80k (mostly unemployed, high income primarily from covid unemployment benefits)
  
• 2021: $180k (2 simultaneous jobs, one paying $90k/yr and other paying $110k/yr)
  
• 2022: $120k (worked 2 simultaneous jobs for part of the year but only had 1 job most of the year paying $95k/yr)
  
• 2023 YTD: ~$225k and on track to ending the year with ~$450k-$500k (5 simultaneous jobs for the past 6mon paying $95k/yr, $85k/yr, $127k/yr (FAANG), $125k/yr (FAANG), and $105k/yr respectively. All are still going strong. Also have rental income of $500/mon profit and $300/mon from a very very small side business)
  

Net Worth Milestones

• October 2020: $135k (includes $40k gift from parents, first time over $100k)
  
• July 2021: $200k
  

Stopped tracking all of 2022

• Jan 2023: $245k
  
• Mar 2023: $310k
  
• Apr 2023: $365k
  
• May 2023: $385k
  
• June 2023: $425k
  

Current Allocation:

• Cash: $15k (just bought new home and a lot of furniture so running low on cash for the time being. Shooting for $50k over the next 2mon)
  
• Roth IRA: $80k
  
• IRA/401k: $135k
  
• HSA: $6k
  
• Property 1 (primary residence): $170k equity in home valued at $850k-$900k
  
• Property 2 (old residence, current rental): $20k equity in home valued at $400k
  

Getting married later this year. Fiance's current net worth is $10k (no debt) and making $125k/yr. Assuming my current income holds, our household income with be $650k+.
Fire goal is $2.5M minimum (current projection is ~5y away), might consider going up to $5M-10M if I don't absolutely hate my job when I reach $2.5M. Definitely have no interest in continuing working after $10M

As the title says. For example if someone had 140k left on a house worth 400k, and they accepted 220k for it and I resold it for its market value, is that a common method of investing?

Does anyone have a good estimate of the expected value of the Universes Beyond: Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth Collector Boosters? I saw that there were probabilities for the serialized rings and I'm confident that collectors would buy them at a premium, but I have not seen anyone make any claims about what they think a collector booster pask's average expected value is. Based off of the $1M bounty for the serialized ring alone, it seems like that would put the EV somewhere around $30 EV per pack. Where are my nerdy statisticians at? Help a nerd out.

RAV4 XLE premium Hybrid 2023 0 miles. Also should I get the lunar rock with gray interior or with black interior? Thank you.