u/Lightning-McDreamy

We record shows using a Midas M32R and iMac (newer, apple silicon) via USB using the klark teknik card. In the past, it had always worked great both for multi track Pro tools recording and for playback via USB signal returning to the board.

After a renovation, we brought the board back out and I can't for the life of me get it to either send audio to the iMac or return signal to the board via the USB connection.

A few details: It DOES see the board as a USB interface on the iMac. It can be selected.

The aux ins work fine using an analog plug. I just don't get signal on Aux 1-2 from USB.

I've checked the routing menu about 20 times and the Aux in section has "Card 1-2" selected.

I've tried carefully going through menus but everything seems correct from what I can tell. I also tried various saved scenes from when it has previously worked before to no avail.

Any setting that I might be overlooking? I'm at a loss. Thanks for any help.

TL;DR: work FT for 5-6 more years, CoastFIRE from 48-55, reach FI at 55.

I've mathed this out in various ways, but wanted to get an outside perspective/reality check as to whether this seems feasible. I have a 6ish year runway so things could easily be reassessed over that time.

Income: $65k after taxes between job and side work

Annual spending: Approx. $40k (relatively LCOL area, but some things are expensive regardless)

Investing: about $2,100/mo

Investments:

IRAs (self and wife): $600k

Brokerage acct: $220k

Home and cars: Paid off (no mortgage), home value is $260k

Anticipated portfolio (IRAs and brokerage) in 6 years (age 48): 1.3m

Edit: Forgot to add 60k HYSA (emergency fund)

(with moderate growth and continued monthly contributions)

State pension: can take at age 55

Current value: $500/mo

Anticipated value at 48: $850/mo

529 accounts: About 30k saved for college between 2 kids (oldest is 8)

Plan: continue working full-time + side gig for 6 years. Continue side gig after leaving FT job at approx. age 48. Planning to pick up more side work like substitute teaching, tech gigs.

Future considerations: HEALTH INSURANCE Inflation, cost of kids getting older, EV sometime down the road (not luxury), house "upgrade", travel, etc.

I'm factoring for continued 40k/yr spending but looking at it more like 55k due to any future expenses, especially health insurance unknowns.

We like our work but would love to do it more on our own time. We'd try to continue bringing in 20-30k year, but love the idea of added flexibility. We're generally quite frugal but would love to travel more as the kids get older.

Any blind spots? Overall impressions?

I was at a local co-op, which generally has higher prices than our local supermarket but isn't too crazy. Before checking out, I saw a big $2.50 sign on front of a bin of watermelon. Seemed like a great price for a splurge purchase, although in retrospect, seemed unrealistically low.

When I went to check out, you can probably guess - it was 2.50 per POUND. On its own, that doesn't sound terrible until I realized that a typical watermelon is over 14 pounds! I saw it ring up on the screen and thought it was an obvious mistake.

Took a bit of processing to realize that 2.50 x a little over 14 (or close to 15) is indeed $38. Never saw a watermelon for nearly that much in my life! The cashier didn't even seem to flinch, but needless to say, I passed on it. I'm glad I was paying attention!

Edit: looked it up and my local grocery store sells them for about $8

Erewhon is $30. They even beat erewhon!

We don't expect guests to bring presents but it seems that if you only say "no gifts", people sometimes bring them anyway. We also think kids sometimes like to bring a small gift or homemade craft, which is cute and totally fine. We just want to be sure nobody feels pressured to bring anything.

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Does this wording sound clear and friendly to that end? Any suggestions that have worked well in your experience?

Early 40s here. I often struggle with balancing time. Job, time with kids, time with wife, time to relax and unwind.

Then on top of it, wanting to find time to keep in shape, improve mental health, work more on side gigs, and spend time on hobbies.

Having two pretty young kids, I feel like sometimes we're just constantly cleaning and can never seem to get the house fully clean.

Sometimes I have a bad habit of looking at other people and wonder how they have a seemingly perfectly clean house, etc. (I know, comparison is the thief of joy).

As much as this sounds like complaining, I am overall very happy with life... It just sometimes feels hard to balance it all. Has anyone found a secret to making it a little easier? Daily habits, etc?