@pakopako Well I did get a very handsome severance from the company I worked at for 12 years. (unfortunately, I think they are going under). I cleaned up all my credit card debt and the remaining bit on a car loan. FICO score was in the upper 700’s but an Experion credit report told me that I had a ‘thin file’. Which meant I didn’t have as many accounts that lenders are looking for. Ironically, American Express had sent me an email that same day, so click, click, click and that week I had a Platinum Amex card in my mailbox. Metal credit cards are weird. Heh. I think I’m going to keep it in the gun safe to keep it out of my wife’s hands Safety first.
@PhysAssist The annual fee is stupid (or maybe it’s just me)… almost $700. But there are benefits that can offset that. $200 in hotel credits, $200 in airfare credits, $200 in Uber cash, $240 for streaming services, $100 in Saks 5th credits… and other assorted perks like access to premier lounges in airports and a reasonable amount of cash back. I just need to figure out the nuances.
@capnjb
It is stupid expensive, but if I was still traveling a lot like I used to], I’d like to think I’d be able to manage getting enough back to make up for it.
@capnjb@PhysAssist
The Delta platinum (AMEX) card is $350/yr and includes a free companion ticket to US/Central America/the Carib annually plus other benefits. It’s also a metal card.
BTW it can be hard to use AMEX in other countries. It’s expensive for the business in processing fees.
@chienfou@PhysAssist Heh, I think I’m good on credit cards for now. (I did look at that card however) I never thought that a perfect credit score would make me not want to spend any money because I’m a spendy person. Although I might go buy a yacht next week if the mood hits me. My daughter is looking at colleges right now so that’s probably not a great idea I should probably lose my wallet
@chienfou@narfcake@PhysAssist I also won’t likely be getting a cat. I’ve got a chocolate lab and my wife REALLY wants an Irish wolfhound. I like big dogs… not sure where my compass lands on BIG BIG dogs.
@capnjb@chienfou@narfcake
My favorite all-time dog was our Irish Wolfhound, unfortunately, he had atrial fibrillation and developed congestive heart failure, so we lost him when he was about 7 years old.
Sweetest dog ever- and smart too- he figured out how to help SWMBO get up out of her chair, and how to help her walk on uneven ground.
One of the saddest days of my life when he died.
@chienfou@narfcake@PhysAssist Sorry about the losses of your dog dogs. One of my trepidations about getting a big big dog is that the larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan (typically). I don’t know how I would handle losing one after seven years.
We got her almost a year after losing our 2 Newfies and boxer rescue to the poisoned food from China- ironically they never had the actual food, just dog biscuits from Wally World.
I was missing the canine presence in my life, especially after the big personalities of the 2 Newfies and the boxer departed so suddenly and tragically.
When we wanted to add another dog, [in addition to the mastiff] it was an arduous process, eventually though we rescued a boxer-greyhound mix, and kept them separated in the same house for 2 weeks, using gates and separating them in different rooms- in a few words a royal PITA!
Then a few days into the third week, Bailey, the mastiff, jumped over the gate, which we didn’t think she could physically manage- she was a big girl at almost 200#, and the two of them frolicked like puppies.
Unfortunately, Bailey died less than a year later a victim of her PICA and a neglectful kennel we left her at while we were out of town- they left things that she could and did eat/swallow in her kennel and never even noticed that they had been disappeared.
She later vomited them back up, but the damage had been done…
They say that average lifespans of IW’s are 6-7 years, but it’s a population average and they have a lot of puppy mortality, but I know of at least a couple that made it to 16 years.
BTW, our current big dog is a 3 y/o St. Bernard gurl at 113# and not quite as big as that IW, but on her hind legs, her front paws are on my shoulders- and I’m 6’2-ish.
@capnjb@PhysAssist Our next door neighbors had 2 Mastiffs (M&F). The boy is huge - over 200lbs and a 30-inch neck (they had to get a custom collar made for him). The girl died at 2-YO from some genetic defect and they replaced her with another female Mastiff. Then in the last year, they got a 3rd Mastiff (M). In addition, along the line they got a Labra-doodle (M).
I would hate to see their food and vet bills, not to mention the messes they must clean up in the house and yard. (IME Mastiffs are slobber machines.)
Holy shit! That’s amazing.
@Thumperchick Yeah, but do you know how much mail I’m going to get now?
Is that even possible while between jobs? I always thought a perfect score was a myth.
@pakopako Well I did get a very handsome severance from the company I worked at for 12 years. (unfortunately, I think they are going under). I cleaned up all my credit card debt and the remaining bit on a car loan. FICO score was in the upper 700’s but an Experion credit report told me that I had a ‘thin file’. Which meant I didn’t have as many accounts that lenders are looking for. Ironically, American Express had sent me an email that same day, so click, click, click and that week I had a Platinum Amex card in my mailbox. Metal credit cards are weird. Heh. I think I’m going to keep it in the gun safe to keep it out of my wife’s hands
Safety first.
@capnjb
I have ‘been a member’ since 1991, when I started PA school, but it has always been the basic green card.
May I be so bold as to ask what the annual fee is approximately on that metal card?
If you’d prefer to keep it on the down low, you could whisper it to me, or just not, if you don’t care to do so.
I’m not likely to upgrade ever, especially since I’m hoping to retire later this year- God willing and the creek don’t rise…
@PhysAssist The annual fee is stupid (or maybe it’s just me)… almost $700. But there are benefits that can offset that. $200 in hotel credits, $200 in airfare credits, $200 in Uber cash, $240 for streaming services, $100 in Saks 5th credits… and other assorted perks like access to premier lounges in airports and a reasonable amount of cash back. I just need to figure out the nuances.
@capnjb
It is stupid expensive, but if I was still traveling a lot like I used to], I’d like to think I’d be able to manage getting enough back to make up for it.
@capnjb @PhysAssist
The Delta platinum (AMEX) card is $350/yr and includes a free companion ticket to US/Central America/the Carib annually plus other benefits. It’s also a metal card.
BTW it can be hard to use AMEX in other countries. It’s expensive for the business in processing fees.
@chienfou @PhysAssist Heh, I think I’m good on credit cards for now. (I did look at that card however) I never thought that a perfect credit score would make me not want to spend any money because I’m a spendy person. Although I might go buy a yacht next week if the mood hits me. My daughter is looking at colleges right now so that’s probably not a great idea
I should probably lose my wallet 
@capnjb @chienfou @PhysAssist

@chienfou @narfcake @PhysAssist I also won’t likely be getting a cat.
I’ve got a chocolate lab and my wife REALLY wants an Irish wolfhound. I like big dogs… not sure where my compass lands on BIG BIG dogs.
@capnjb @chienfou @narfcake
My favorite all-time dog was our Irish Wolfhound, unfortunately, he had atrial fibrillation and developed congestive heart failure, so we lost him when he was about 7 years old.
Sweetest dog ever- and smart too- he figured out how to help SWMBO get up out of her chair, and how to help her walk on uneven ground.
One of the saddest days of my life when he died.
@capnjb @chienfou @PhysAssist My late doggie was an English Mastiff. She was light at 100#, and yet, also thought she was a lap dog.
@chienfou @narfcake @PhysAssist Sorry about the losses of your dog dogs. One of my trepidations about getting a big big dog is that the larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan (typically). I don’t know how I would handle losing one after seven years.
@capnjb @chienfou @narfcake @PhysAssist


I’d say that’s a BIG BIG dog!
@chienfou @Lynnerizer @narfcake @PhysAssist Wow!
@capnjb @PhysAssist
Make sure you pay for the yacht with your card. Think of all the points!
@capnjb @chienfou @narfcake
Our last big dog was an English Mastiff, who hated other dogs.
We got her almost a year after losing our 2 Newfies and boxer rescue to the poisoned food from China- ironically they never had the actual food, just dog biscuits from Wally World.
I was missing the canine presence in my life, especially after the big personalities of the 2 Newfies and the boxer departed so suddenly and tragically.
When we wanted to add another dog, [in addition to the mastiff] it was an arduous process, eventually though we rescued a boxer-greyhound mix, and kept them separated in the same house for 2 weeks, using gates and separating them in different rooms- in a few words a royal PITA!
Then a few days into the third week, Bailey, the mastiff, jumped over the gate, which we didn’t think she could physically manage- she was a big girl at almost 200#, and the two of them frolicked like puppies.
Unfortunately, Bailey died less than a year later a victim of her PICA and a neglectful kennel we left her at while we were out of town- they left things that she could and did eat/swallow in her kennel and never even noticed that they had been disappeared.
She later vomited them back up, but the damage had been done…
@capnjb
Thank you!
They say that average lifespans of IW’s are 6-7 years, but it’s a population average and they have a lot of puppy mortality, but I know of at least a couple that made it to 16 years.
BTW, our current big dog is a 3 y/o St. Bernard gurl at 113# and not quite as big as that IW, but on her hind legs, her front paws are on my shoulders- and I’m 6’2-ish.
@capnjb @chienfou @narfcake @PhysAssist bigger dogs mean bigger poops. (Mine is 110#.)
@capnjb @chienfou @haydesigner @narfcake
Yup- stinks tooo…
@capnjb @PhysAssist Our next door neighbors had 2 Mastiffs (M&F). The boy is huge - over 200lbs and a 30-inch neck (they had to get a custom collar made for him). The girl died at 2-YO from some genetic defect and they replaced her with another female Mastiff. Then in the last year, they got a 3rd Mastiff (M). In addition, along the line they got a Labra-doodle (M).
I would hate to see their food and vet bills, not to mention the messes they must clean up in the house and yard. (IME Mastiffs are slobber machines.)
@macromeh @PhysAssist Wow… that sounds like a stable.
/giphy showoff!

No seriously that’s awesome! I haven’t checked mine recently but I was stoked last time I looked because it was over 800. Definitely no 850 though!
DIPLOMAT! RAT-A-TAT! FAT CAT! AWESOME!
@mediocrebot yes I said it.
@mediocrebot @sillyheathen And that was awesome!
HIKING! VIKINGS! STRIKE KING [BRAND FISHING LURES]! AWESOME!
I think it’s awesome, but Dave Ramsey would not approve
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
@mediocrebot everything is cool when you’re part of a team!
@mediocrebot @sillyheathen I get jokes.
Mine is not quite perfect
I have only passive income and SSI
I have only a car loan with 0% interest, so I never saw a need to pay it early, LOL
Damn! I can only wish mine was that good.