[UCGal]

[quote=spdrun]If you’re into that kind of thing, the Mutter Museum in Filthydelphia would be right up your alley and a 2-hr drive or train ride away.[/quote]
+1

medical oddities – some from former presidents… really a bizarre, but interesting museum on the UPenn campus.

[UCGal]

The two illegal immigrants I’ve known personally are both visa overstays.

One is Canadian. He’s been here for about 20 years. He can’t go home to see his family because he wouldn’t be able to return easily. He came as a tourist, met a pretty girl, and stayed. He works under the table jobs.

The other is a british girl. She was girlfriend of a friend of mine. She came on a visit, and stayed… she got nanny jobs (under the table) till she cobbled together enough fake documentation. She’d been in the country 5 years when I met her.

I’ve read that most of the “illegals” are not migrant workers from the southern border, but are actually visa overstays – many white, english speaking, etc. But there isn’t the racist reaction to Canadians and Brits.

[UCGal]

We’ve researched it, priced it, and decided to self insure.

And this is as we’ve dealt with FIL moving to a nursing home (lasted 5-6 months before passing) after a decade of in-home care – much of it in the granny flat we built to accomodate his mobility issues and dementia. MIL is nearing the point of needing to be in a facility due to dementia.

The biggest issue with LTC insurance is that there is no cap on how much the rates can go up. On the early retirement forum there are accounts of rates going up 20% in a single year… so after paying in for 10-15 years it suddenly busts the budget… do you keep it because of the sunk cost, or do you cancel it – and eat the sunk cost…. I have decided against going down that possible path.

For us – we have a paid for house that includes a granny flat that is wheelchair accessible and friendly. (We’re betting we won’t need it before the kids have flown the nest.) We can move to the casita, and hire in home help. When that becomes untenable, we sell the property, community spouse buys a paid for condo, and the extra equity funds many years of LTC. That’s our plan B and has been for a while.

[UCGal]

[quote=scaredyclassic][quote=FlyerInHi]you’re happy because you’re not fussy.

I would not accept chunks of concrete as gravel. I would want that whole section replaced.

Alternatively, you could cut out that rectangle area and pour new concrete. For a good workout, you can do the demo and hire a concrete guy. Finishing concrete is hard and not for an amateur.

Owning a sprawling house means ongoing maintenance.[/quote]

I can live with some cracks. Soon all the houses will be dust.[/quote]

Continuing this threadjack…. Careful of the cracks. It can be a liability issue. But you know that since you’re a lawyer.

Liability is the primary reason we spent the last week laying paving stones for our new driveway. We lived with cracks for a decade… but they’d settled/changed enough that it was a tripping hazard… didn’t want to get sued.

[UCGal]

[quote=paramount]California is now recommending a shower every other day and yet were taking on more people.

The dems/libs will stop at nothing to build their ranks.[/quote]
What’s your source for the shower every other day? Is it an official recommendation? Or just something some non-official advocacy groups recommend?

[UCGal]

[quote=scaredyclassic]Why are eucalyptus so bad? Sure branches break and they she’d mulch and leaves like crazy but if you have room and they’re out of the way what’s the problem?[/quote]

Eucalyptus are very pretty, but have issues. They explode, literally, in a fire. So if you’re on a canyon, there’s a chance that the fire marshall may request you remove them.

Our street used to be more tree lined. Unfortunately, many of the trees’ roots got into the sewer pipes – and folks have been having to replace the sewer line that hooks into the main sewer. The other issue is that some of the pine trees actually cracked driveways and home slabs. We are in the middle of replacing our driveway because it was cracked from a tree that used to be in our front yard. (Tree was removed by my dad, the previous owner, when the cracks spread from the driveway to the garage slab!) We’re putting in pavers so we’ll have less of an issue with tree root cracks, going forward. Our neighborhood is 50 years old – so the remaining trees are very large and majestic. But most folks have replaced the big trees (that caused problems with cracked driveways, sidewalks, and sewers) with palm trees.

[UCGal]

[quote=Supagyrl88]We got our house in 2010 for $450k, our max limit. At the time, there were a bunch of fixer uppers for $330k and under and we gave up on those. Ours was new construction, rebuild so everything was new. We got lucky. It was us or a $430k cash offer. It’s not like we got our house dirt cheap, but we did put $90k down and were able to refinance for 3.5%. I know a lot of people choose to live up in north county for schools and such (clairemont is not known for its schools, we choices into UTC). We looked at del sur and didn’t like the high HOAs and basically no yard and neighbors staring into our windows. I will never get used to that. If you do decide to live in clairemont, stay away from Clairemont Mesa Blvd at least by 2 blocks! 🙂 good luck with your search.[/quote]

Just a note on schools. If your kid tests into Seminar programs, please look at both the UC seminar program (Spreckels) and the Clairemont program (Hawthorne Elem.) They both have strengths and weaknesses. We sent our kids from our UC school (Curie) to Hawthorne because we so impressed with the two Seminar teachers. That said – Spreckels has a good program also… I have to say that – my sister was just assigned to teach the 5th grade seminar class at Spreckels. 🙂 (She’ll be AWESOME.)

[UCGal]

I feel your pain, flu. I sucked at sports, and hope to have my kids suck less. We’ve got them in basketball (two different seasons, summer and winter), and baseball. (fall ball and spring ball). They both hated soccer from the get-go.

Despite them not being naturals, they *are* learning team work and their skills are improving. In basketball it helps that they are on the tall-side for their age.

My younger son is much more into baseball than the older son. He’s chosen catcher as his position and worked hard to improve his skills. My older son plays baseball for social reasons, not because he’s enjoying the game, just the comradery. I don’t care -he’s outside, being physical, learning to work on a team. Over time, he’ll improve.

I’m not sure what sport your daughter is playing – but my younger son’s basketball league has a girls team playing against the other boys teams. It’s a group of girls that have played as a team in multiple leagues (basically, they’re ringers). They were phenomenal. Go girl-power.

[UCGal]

Here’s one that meets your requirements (although on the high end of budget) in RSF.

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Rancho-Santa-Fe/5450-El-Cielito-92067/home/4189794

[UCGal]

This one is a large (by San Diego standards) lot – but it’s canyonside – so less useable. (But good for privacy.) In Mission Hills, in your budget. Best – it’s walkable to Ft. Stockton/Goldfinch where the shops and restaurants are.

http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Diego/3980-Pringle-St-92103/home/5358987

Here’s one in Del Mar that’s a bit smaller (3k sf, rather than 4k) – but is close to an acre.

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Del-Mar/13434-Racetrack-View-Ct-92014/home/4433295

[UCGal]

I think the one thing that has to give is your lot size. It just doesn’t happen within the coastal areas. And if you add in village feel, it really doesn’t happen.

I rarely agree with bearishgrrl – but I think she may be on to something with Mission Hills. It’s very much a neighborhood with walkability and core businesses (vs strip malls) along Ft. Stockton and Goldfinch. Some of the lots on the canyons are larger – but they tend to go at a premium – perhaps higher than your budget.

Grant Elementary (K-8) is one of the better grade schools in San Diego Unified. For private school Frances Parker Elementary is in Mission Hills as well. As mentioned, the neighborhood can feed into Roosevelt or SDHS. Those schools are a bit more urban – but they offer the IB program. (Disclaimer – I’ve enrolled my boys in Roosevelt middle. It doesn’t look exceptional on paper – but they have a strong GATE/Seminar program and offer the IB program.)

RSF is probably out of your price range unless you go for a real fixer upper. Anything in Del Mar within your price range is likely to be a smaller lot. I like both areas a lot.

Newer areas (Carmel Valley, etc.) are definitely tract homes with less mature landscaping than the older parts of Del Mar, RSF, and Mission Hills.

[UCGal]

I have a friend who’s a social worker for Catholic Social Services. They know she is not Catholic and never will be.

That said – part of her job is assisting low income women/families… she is not allowed to bring up the topic of family planning at all. She does answer questions when asked specifically – but cannot volunteer information of any kind. That’s part of working for a social services agencies that is managed by the Catholic Church, but funded in part, by the US government. Obviously birth control is legal, and there are clinics that make it available at low cost for low income folks – but she can’t talk about it unless very directly asked. Even then, it’s discouraged. If the agency were privately funded, then they could even eliminate answering a direct question.

Now – to the question at hand. I don’t think any employer should be allowed to discriminate based on race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. Obviously there are exceptions to this for actual churches (not just church affiliated agencies) – but churches themselves, don’t get federal funds. The Catholic church is free to ban women from the priesthood, etc. They are free to disallow gay priests (yeah, good luck with that one.)

But employers who are not actual churches should not be allowed to discriminate – and that should include gender identity. They can establish dress codes etc to make sure that gender identity is not overt… as long as it is applied evenly to gay and straight alike.

[UCGal]

[quote=cvmom]Unfortunately, I think the FDA shut down the 23&me health info service. :([/quote]
Only sort of….

23andMe gives you the full genome in raw searchable form. HOWEVER they no longer tell you your odds on some common genetic risks. You have to look at the individual markers yourself.

You can still look at the raw data. I used that to look at my sons’ results.

You need to know the SNP marker, typically starts with an ‘rs’ then a bunch of numbers. You log into 23andMe (after they’ve completed your genome) then search for that rs#####

Or you can link to it directly (assuming you have logged in.)

For example – the MTHFR markers that I was looking at:
MTHFR A1298C: rs1801131
https://www.23andme.com/you/explorer/snp/?snp_name=rs1801131

MTHFR C677T: rs1801133
https://www.23andme.com/you/explorer/snp/?snp_name=rs1801133

You can look at the scientific info for these markers on snpedia – for example
http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1801131
and
http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1801133

So – yes, it’s true you 23andMe can no longer tell you explicity “you’re at increased risk for breast cancer because you have the BRCAA genetic mutation” – you can still use the 23andMe data to look at that specific marker. A little more work, but the data is still there.

The FDA thing is stupid. All they did is tell you the risks and benefits of certain mutations, based on scientific studies. They linked to the studies, they showed where the studies disagreed… it was very useful. But it didn’t cover everything – the MTHFR mutation was not included in their list of health information they gave. I had to look up mine from the raw data.

[UCGal]

[quote=bearishgurl]

UCGal you must admit that one hour for a 6.5-mile daily commute in rush hour (on a regular basis?) is absolutely ridiculous. I’m sure you didn’t have this problem when you first took your most recent job. [/quote]
It was only an hour about 1-2x/month. But it was regularly over 1 30 minutes. (Compared to 10 minutes to get to work in the morning.)

Much of this is due to the construction on 805 between Mira Mesa and 52 (which encompasses about half of my mileage home). When that construction is done- traffic will be improved… but it’s not due to be completed for several more years.

When I first transferred back to San Diego in 2001, my commute home was 15-20 minutes.

[quote=bearishgurl]
Your problem stems from residential overbuilding in adjacent zip codes to yours (not unlike the problem we have here in Chula Vista). Even though you were absent from CA for a number of years, the before and after images of UC and surrounds that you have in your mind tell the tale. I still think South UC is a very nice place to live. The lot sizes there are adequate (esp the corner lots) as are most of the setbacks. You are not mixed in with multifamily units. Be glad that Lightner has some sense and is doing what a bureaucrat who thoroughly understands “the system” does best … stalling until their hands are tied and they simply can’t do anything. Beautiful! I’m not sure you realize it but Lightner is your friend, UCGal!
[/quote]
South UC has had some multi-family since it was developed in the 60’s. The old “Leisure Life” senior living off of Governor between Gullstrand and Erlanger was low rise multifamily rentals, now it’s being torn down and replaced as mid-rise senior apartments. Pennant Village – which is the commuty on the south part of Erlanger was also built in the early 60’s – single story row houses, as well as town houses at the bottom of the hill (above 52). In the late 60’s they built the condos behind Vons, between Agee and Genessee. And soon after that built several apartment and condo building on the Genesee corridor in South UC. My point is that multifamily has ALWAYS existed since UC was developed in the early 60’s.

Neighboring zips. Clairemont has the same density as always. Mira Mesa was developed a bit after UC – but the housing density there doesn’t effect my commute. UTC or North UC (my zip code) also didn’t effect my commute because the folks in UTC would take Camino Santa Fe to Miramar rd. So adding homes in my zip and the immediately adjacent zips didn’t impact me. The overall growth if business and population impacted me… but that’s part of living in a growing/thriving economy.

We will have to agree to disagree on Sherri Lightner. I think that the Regents Rd bridge was a key part of the master plan that was paid for by the original developers. She thinks that escrowed money is her personal slush fund to buy votes to be re-elected. Not building the bridge literally puts lives at risk because the paramedics can’t get to south UC for 911 calls if it’s between about 4pm and 6:30pm – Genesee southbound is jammed, 805 is jammed, 5 and 52 are jammed. A friends wife almost died waiting for the ambulance after a heart attack. It’s a REAL problem. You can be her fan-girl. I’m decidedly not.

[UCGal]

[quote=FlyerInHi]

What was the cause of death? Had he lived clean, I think that he would have lived to a couple decades longer or more (old age is never a cause of death).

87yo is nothing. I insist on living to at least 100, I’m not money hungry, but living a long time is why I need a solid nest egg. I might not get my wish… but i think that, based on family history, I might make it.

I’m 47. I think that I would enjoy watching the world for another 53 years or more.[/quote]

You do understand that the bodies ability to reproduce new cells diminishes with age. And that’s predetermined genetically with something called telomeres. Google it. I hope you have long telomeres… but even long ones will eventually give out.

Additionally, brain function, cognition, memory decline with age – not necessarily full blown dementia, but just general decline. My 87 year old stepmom is starting to show signs of memory loss. Not full blown dementia – but has to write things down more than she used to. This is a woman who was teaching graduate students up till last year – very sharp… but you can’t stave off memory loss forever.

Financial planning for extended age is good. (I planned for age 100 in my retirement plans) But looking around me at parents, step parents, friends, in-laws, etc…. at some point the quality of life declines.

My grandmother effectively died of old age. She was 92 years old. Woke up, went to use the restroom, and died there. Apparently, this is very common. So unless you plan on giving up sh*tting, it could happen for you. Cause of death was listed as heart failure. (Not heart attack) – basically, her heart was no longer beating, so it failed.

My step granddad died at 96. He was lucid and very physically active till about 88. His health started declining as his cognition started declining and he moved in with his younger sister, and eventually into a nursing home. He had very little quality of life the last 3-4 years.

My FIL died at age 90 a year ago. He’d had dementia and loss of mobility for years. No quality of life.

My MIL is 87 and starting to decline physically. Arthritis, etc. She’s always been active, but doesn’t move as fast and has much poorer balance these days. Mentally dementia moved in about 2-3 years ago. She won’t admit it – but family needs to manage her affairs because she’s no longer capable.

You can hope to live to 100 or more with great quality of life. But sheer will, exercise, eating correctly aren’t enough. Sometimes the body and brain have other plans. Be realistic, hope for the best, plan for the worst.

[Author]

Posts