BNTR

I haven't been around much. I check in to make sure the site is up but haven't posted much. I've been busy in a good way. Many of you know we moved in April after 20 years in the same home. Since moving in I've done a bunch of projects to organize the house. You'd think a brand new custom home would be turn key but in reality... like all that hanging storage you put in your garage over 20 years... you have to do that all again. So I've been building out storage and shelving in the garage. I just mostly finished a Multiboard over my tool chest. I've been doing custom drawer storage for my camera gear and my bar.

Work has been good but busy. Kids are doing well. My oldest graduates from college next weekend, a semester early. I've been at the same company (sort of, we were acquired but I'm still here) for 17 years now.

Still doing the home theater thing but its all very settled. I got some new gear in the new house but I hooked it all up and calibrated it and that's it. No fiddling, no dreams of upgrades. I like what I have.

What's everyone else up to?

Hey CJ, it's good to find you back on bntr again! Thanks for your life update. It's amazing to read that your oldest is graduating college soon. Thinking back a forum or two I can recall your posts and pics of a very young girl hanging with her dad in the HT basement. The years are going by too fast!

As far as the state of my 71 YO life, things are going well for me and family. Not sure where I left off from whenever, but my wife & I moved from Mid-MA to Cape Cod 8 years ago. I retired from my EE job 5-1/2 years ago. We joined the small, bay-side waterfront Pamet Harbor Club and made more friends in our short time here than our 25 years in suburban MA. I foolishly volunteered to serve as Commodore (?!?!) and spent four years striving to bring the club financials and infrastructure into the 21st century. It was far more work (and drama) than I was expecting, but I've passed the torch and am now feeling fully retired at last!

I am deeply into learning how to play guitar. Focusing on acoustic (I don't shred) and liking where I am in fingerstyle play. I am, however, resigned to being a chronic intermediate player. Been to several retreats in Nashville and Bar Harbor, ME. You get to meet and learn from the best players in the world and meet good people from all parts of the country at guitar camps.

I built a perfect (for me) 7.4.2 HT in the basement. Besides ugrading to an 85" screen it's the same gear I installed eight years ago. We stream (mostly) TV series, movies and watch concerts and live YouTube videos. Don't think I've totally slacked...I still add select titles to my 4K library because they're better!

My wife still volunteers to help foster kids get through the god-awful state-run DSS system and has also helped several dozen of them find penpals. These kids need all the connections they can get.

My two kids are doing pretty well. My daughter earned her Masters from Brown last year (sad day today there) and married a great guy last summer (I've never worked so hard to spend so much money). My son never made a dime on his film journalism degree from Emerson, but is settling in very well in the health services industry. He's had his struggles over the years but we're proud of his progress and where he's heading.

Long post... Would love to see more activity on bntr. Keep it up CJ! Perhaps send a reminder around to those who joined but haven't posted? I miss having the old site to chat. Social media sites today are swamped with too many "content-strivers", unreliable news, AI trash and ridiculous life hacks that make no sense whatsoever.

Happy Holidays y'all!

Great to hear you're doing well! Congrats on retirement.

I'll post some photos of some of my projects.