I'm new, so I apologize for my ignorance, lol I just learned in a college class of mine, about the role of drugs and chemicals in our society, how they came to be, and generally(with my pre-existing knowledge) how they are used today and may be used in the future. I am trying to find a qualitative answer to a question I asked myself and my professor once I learned this information... If drugs and external chemicals have consequences, both bad and good, and were invented(or used once discovered) for temporary enhancement of _ What are some substances, whether in chemical form or otherwise that I or most people can intake periodically, and fit the following criteria?: 1. They Create positive enhancement of life by enhancing some sense(e.g. More energy, less pain, sexual performance, better hearing, better taste, everything else in the book) 2. Does not overwhelm natural homeostasis, and does not have chronic or substantial long term side effects.(e.g. cancer, diseases, loss of senses, loss of brain matter, etc) i.e. What foods, and drugs can we intake that will not be detrimental in the the future, whether used in moderation or daily? Keep in mind, i'm not talking about short-term side effects, because in the end...they end; you don't have to deal with them weeks, months, years down the road, so they can be dealt with in a much better way than long-term effects. I know that alcohol is an effective poison but for example, the hangover you feel after consumption of alcohol the next day is something i'm not worried about. The cardiovascular disease, CNS damage, and liver complications years later are things I am worried about. An example answer to my question might be, the Glycoprotein called Miraculin or "the miracle fruit"(i.e. Synsepalum dulcificum) people today are raving about, that causes sour food to taste sweet. I'm assuming this harmless fruit and chemical, if taken weekly or monthly would probably not have any crazy long term effects, though I might even wrong about that. Perhaps, even if the taste fibres were damaged long term, everything would taste better forever! haha. Anyway, I really appreciate any helpful information any of you can give me!!! Effects i'm truly interested in learning about are enhanced energy, and perhaps sensory changes as alternatives to caffeine(energy drinks), and alcohol for "life enhancers". I often lack energy throughout the day even though I workout every so often and have a decent diet(oatmeal, sandwiches, meat with vegetable dinners). I also drink alcohol every couple months and to be honest, i'm in my early twenties and it's fun :/ The thought of stopping is somewhat painful, though doa

I think I'd be careful how I spent it, but if you will enjoy the process and this is your "bucket list", then I'd go ahead (again, carefully). The longer the wait to do it, the shorter the time you will enjoy it. I have done things many times and wondered why the heck I did not do that sooner. I am very cautious and it sounds like you are too. I bargain shopped and am pinching pennies til they scream, lol. However, I have waited a long time to get a home that is done and is where I feel is our family nest for the long term. I work hard and save everywhere else, so this is our splurge. I think it may also make your dh happy to see you getting what you have waited for for so long. It would be lovely if he could enjoy it for a while with you. If he is with you on this and likes planning and working on it with you, this could be a project that gives you time together and it may be therapeutic to see tangible results. We can't always control our health, so maybe controlling your surroundings is a way to feel a little power again. I do like that your focus is on looking forward. I would just caution that you do not mortgage more than you could get for the house, although since most banks won't let you do that anymore, that is less of a concern. You don't want to find that you can't afford to live there and yet can't afford to sell later on. I'd also hate to leave any heirs with a financial mess. You do not owe anyone to make them rich, but I'd hate to have my passing make someone I love poor. I do like your plan for taking on a roommate or renting out an apt. It is a great fallback position and a way to generate money regardless of your health. We rented out part of our first house and it helped us be able to move along and gain equity enough to now be in our second house and in the process of fixing it up. Some people were aghast at having to live with a tenant downstairs, but then again, most of them are not as well off now as we are ;) I wish you and your dh all the best and hope you have longer with him than expected.

Julian, If you want to build an app, one that I think most folks would find useful is to provide comparison framework(s) for common financial decisions, such as the break-even point for a particular choice, payoff interval, etc. The framework app should ask all the right questions to get the necessary data, and then provide a financial comparison of 2-3 options. For example, when someone is renting, but considering a home purchase, most want to know how the costs compare and how/if/when they might "get ahead" by choosing either alternative. All markets differ for the monthly cost of rent/buy, interest rates are a major factor, initial cash cost is different, expected length of time in the home is important, etc. It would be useful to have a framework where they could either work forward from the known values (current rent, down payment money in the bank, etc.), or even work backward from one value to find another (at what price would a home purchase be financially feasible, based on my current rent cost?). There are many interest rate calculators and other individual apps that calculate pieces of the financial comparison(s), but very few that provide a larger framework for making financial decisions. Most people don't know how to put all the factors together and make an informed decision, so they just make a "seat of the pants" financial decision. Bruce

Great info and thanks @frieda. There's SO many stones and names and styles, good God. You can do a lifetime study on granite or any countertop for that matter and still never buy anything. Having said that, is there a list of granite with lower absorption rates or ? Color wise, our cabinets are all white with the exception our prep island and dining island will be sage green. Based on y'alls experience can you recommend a good color palette for these colors and a stone with the lower absorption rates? I can sift through information on boats, computers, motorcycles and the like pretty quick. When it comes to counter tops, I am lost and can sure use all the help I can get. It's going to either be a good granite or quartz. I've got a line on a good fabricator from a friend who is a builder within a 2 hour drive. But I'd like to zero in on a few general ideas first or we'll end up camping out there. TIA and CP, we sure hope your home weathers the storm. I've got friends down that way and it's pretty nasty and friends in the keys and they got slammed very hard.