u/owlshoesjh

as news trickles in about the mcu's x-men casting i just wanted to say goodbye to some of the old cast members (i know we'll see a few in doomsday).

the youngins on tiktok are shitting on the old cast as they cheer on the new hires but i just wanted to say how elated we were for them in the 2000s. there was no cinematic universe to appease. yes, there were purists amongst us that wanted a true adaptation, but the generation as a whole was leaning hard towards a millennium aesthetic that favoured fresh and modern. expectations were high but we were open to new ideas.

i remember learning about the casting, a mix of new faces, rising stars and respected heavyweights (hell, two of them already had oscars - i think halle won hers while she was filming the first film). but it wasn't until the ellis island premiere (streamed live on realplayer through my dial up connection) that i fully realised them. they felt young (even stewart and mckellan), electric and more importantly, they had chemistry. they were an ensemble and gave the film gravitas.

the first film reminded me of the "enter magento" episode from TAS, which to me was the first real episode of the tv series (night of the sentinels was more like a intro tv movie). it contained the core members, established the structure and gave everyone time to shine. i was shocked to learn that rogue had "absorbed" jubilee (or kitty's) storyline but was pleasantly surprised by anna paquin's portrayal and was eager to see where it would go.

the second film was a meaty leap up. i felt respected as a devout fan. we saw character's mature (storm's new wig and accent lol), additional team members join the line up and they generously gave us 30 mins more running time.

the most excited i felt was just before the release of the third film.

in australia, the promo for the last stand was meh. it was marketed as x-men vs the brotherhood (which included dark phoenix). i moved to nyc shortly before it premiered and saw a different take. the whole city was covered in the "take a stand" posters, raphaelite artwork that gave the film a historically epic feel, esp rogue's. she looked joan-of-arc heroic. the closing chapter's tale promised to be of museum-worthy proportions. but alas, this post is not about how that film played out.

i thought they were all brilliantly cast and their performances exceeded my expectations. after the second film, the potential had everyone bursting.

i'm sorry they never got to the levels we are now accustomed to in the mcu. i loved we got to see them again in days of future past (rogue's "hello logan" line in the extended cut gave me chills!) i discreetly mourn and am openly grateful to them for always respecting the fans by returning to these characters and portraying them the best they could. ty!

you can't be MAGA and love x-men

if i'm downvoted, you know by whom

TL;DR: Underpinning, restumping, and insulating an old double-brick cottage in the dead of winter. Lifting all the Baltic pine for a high-performance membrane/insulation sandwich. Seeking best practice tips on surviving the winter dampness, saving the kitchen, and beating dry rot.

I’m about to tear up the floor of my 70sqm cottage to remedy the aftermath of a nasty sewer leak. Internal walls will be underpinned and restumping is planned, but I’ll be doing the insulation myself. I’m staring down a July start in Melbourne and starting to sweat the logistics. I’ll be lifting the boards (hoping to salvage as much as I can), clearing a century of rubble, and trying to seal this house up for a future HRV system.

Do I push through the winter mud, or is that a recipe for disaster?

The Plan:

• Timber Health: Contractor is cutting out/sistering any joists affected by dry rot (lingering "forest floor" smell since the leak).

• Ground: 200um ground moisture barrier over the clay.

• The Sandwich: Solitex Mento draped over joists → R2.5 batts → Pro Clima vapor-permeable airtight membrane taped to the perimeter.

• Finish: Relaying salvaged Baltic pine with Osmo hardwax oil.

Seeking best practice tips on:

1 Winter Dampness: The sewer was fixed 2 years ago and cracks have settled, but I imagine I’ll still be dealing with moisture. Any tips for drying soil effectively and keeping the area clean? Also, how do I get airtightness tapes to bond to cold, damp 100-year-old joists?

2 Treating Soil: Once the rot is out, what’s the best way to treat the ground before the 200um barrier goes down? I want to ensure no dormant spores migrate to new stumps or masonry.

3 The Baltic Pine Shuffle: I'm laying “salvaged” boards for the Living/Dining and using the old boards to patch the rest of the house. Any pro-tips for lifting old Baltic without snapping tongues? Also, how do I stop "new" stock from gapping like crazy in summer if I install it now?

4 Restumping Prep: What are the best site-prep suggestions to make the restumpers' job faster/cleaner? Beyond clearing rubble, any tips for protecting services or "pre-leveling" to ensure the best possible result?

5 Kitchen Surgery: I’m keeping the cabinets but have to restump. Is a plunge saw flush to the kickboards the neatest way to perform this surgery? And how do I insulate the "dead zones" under the fixed cabinets once the floor is sealed?

6 HVAC Layout: More sealing works are planned. Thinking a single high-quality split system + a pair of dMVHR units in a diagonal cross-flow (NE/SW). Does that layout work for a double front, 70sqm footprint?

Any "wish I knew before I started" tips from anyone who has done this before?

Photos:

1. Current gaps between skirting and boards
2. Kitchen board and cabinetry
3. Current air vents to the house
4. A preview of the the rubble and lack of crawl space.

EDIT: format issues