Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Civil engineering, I'm following up on an idea I had while working. Potentially less disruptive/cheaper mineral extraction.

November 2022 update https://i.imgur.com/gmX8J8Y.png Okay, very late update, but it's been very busy and this journal unfortunately is low priority. Unlike the last updates, though, I have something to show for it! I fixed my rice cooker. I designed and built a Peltier-based freezer to run an exper...

@ertyu, the glass will heat up but not enough to melt, and unlike plastic insulators (that I had access to) it will not put out funky smells. I need it for electrical isolation, not thermal, as the power cord jacket is rated for the heat. @sclass it's kind of amazing to read about how rice cookers w...

My rice cooker broke. Don't run your rice cooker on top of a running oven. First challenge: security screws. https://i.imgur.com/DUMb6ea.jpg Solution: My always-handy end clippers. https://i.imgur.com/MIeMDCq.jpg If you have the same model, know that there are hidden screws as well (Philips - I gues...

Caulk has no role in the function of a toilet. If water is escaping the wax ring and going onto the floor, the seal has failed. Caulk is only to make cleaning easier by stopping debris from getting under the toilet. A "professional" toilet install here is $170, and no guarantees on it actu...

Condolences and good luck on moving to the 'Shwa. The rental situation you're describing has been the same over the whole GTA for the last decade (including the price, $800 for a room). Dorms are a good idea to minimize the risks/bullshit associated with dealing with your own housing, and Oshawa is ...

The most consistent outside opinion I see is that the most valuable part of the ERE forum is the journal section - unlike the MMM forums, the journals are accessible to any unregistered lurker. I agree with that, and believe the main value of this forum is as a low-barrier themed blog host/aggregato...

Ten year CAGRs:
Time-weighted: 6.4%
Dollar-weighted: 11.2%
S&P500 in CAD: 13.8% (excluding dividends)
Net worth: 44%
Expenses: 9.6%

October 2022 update https://i.imgur.com/PhOzYT1.png Third anniversary of this journal. Renovations are done! There were contractors that were supposed to come and install the toilet, but they were doing it wrong and then gave up because they didn't bring the right parts. I ended up installing it my...

Hah, glad people got a kick out of that. Definitely a story that needs the right audience.

My guideline for winter biking is: 0 to 10C = insulated gloves, insulated hiking boots, jacket shell -10C to 0C = ski mitts over insulated gloves, downhill helmet, insulated hiking boots, jacket shell -20C to -10C = ski mitts over insulated gloves, downhill helmet, ski goggles, insulated hiking boot...

You could build up a business as a local handyman. Especially as the great Boomer die-off arrives, increasingly unable people will fight for a reliable contractor or even someone to handle basic chores/maintenance. There is tons of work if you can just show up for it. Might fit with your goals as me...

September 2022 update Sorry for the boring month, I looked through my photos and it's all renovations, fat squirrels and textbook pages. https://i.imgur.com/8OzzCH7.png The renovation continues. The guy who built the bathroom originally used metal studs, but instead of putting pipe through the pre-...

Sounds like you saw a Starlink/smallsat satellite train.

Auroras can be quite strongly coloured, I've seen mostly green but occasional purples. You can check the NOAA aurora forecast for particularly good times to watch.

Pathological need to DIY everything + need to optimize the scope of, and resources available for, DIY projects. Kind of like this but with more interesting things than getting rich: "Throat was one of those people who could identify the thought at the other end of the process, in this case I am...

This is a banner year for ERErs pulling the plug, good luck with the final stretch!

August 2022 update No graphs this month because bathroom renovations have left me away from my normal computer system. Net worth ticked down a bit and I got my first funding payment from grad school, leaving this month with a net surplus. ETA: Now with graphs! https://i.imgur.com/Ls1E1AM.png I got ...

Zucchini noodle pad thai. Julienne zucchini into 1/8" strips, rotate as you go if using a mandoline to segregate out the squishy core. Cover and microwave zucchini for 8-10 minutes on high. Use this to partially replace rice noodles in pad thai, 1 lb of raw zucchini per serving.

July 2022 update https://i.imgur.com/m8WzLbQ.png Busy month! I went on a road trip to the northeastern USA right after my last day. Saw the White Mountains and some neat estuaries. I just wish we had traveled a bit more slowly. The highlight of the trip for me was seeing 50 million year old wood (n...

The trick is to leave a card in place between the hook tip and the receiving surface, allowing the clip to slide out without engaging the hook. Multiple cards will be needed, you could also use a blunt knife to start and insert the cards once you discover the hook location. Start in the middle of a ...