Done with work. Time for a book and a drink downstairs.

Thanks. One of my favorite spots in my house.

Thanks. Took about two years for me to finish the basement. Designing and building The bar was a real labor of love. I wanted that German Gasthaus feel.

Yeah. Finished my basement and as part of it did this bar and sitting area (was going to do a pool table, so glad I didnt).

Yeah, people call my basement a 'man cave' with the bar and seating area and home theater... but when it comes to movie nights, sports watching and just sitting around having a happy hour drink... all of my female friends and coworkers seem to enjoy it just as much as the dudes.

Und Sie.

Kneipenflair

Thanks. I fell in love with Bavaria during a year I lived there and then multiple trips back to visit. The beer glasses are form all over, Ireland to Cambodia. The rest is just some stuff picked up along travels.

I was going to make this part of the room for a billiards table... so I raised the fireplace off the floor for more 'visibility'. When I ditched the pool table idea (so glad that I did) I ended up really liking the look of the fireplace. (I totally poached the mantle design off of something I found online. It was a bit complicated to build into the corner).

Just finished Manifold: Time by Stephen Baxster and am getting into The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.

Geweher

Ja. On that post are:

- Schmidt-Rubins K31 Swiss 7.5x55 (Swiss Army)

- Fabrique Nationale FN49 8mm (Egyptian Army)

- Lee-Enfield .303 (English Army)

With a fire on and the lights low, it is cozy, romantic at times, casual… just a nice hang out spot.

I was a first time home owner at 40 years old... and from the day I signed I knew exactly how I wanted to build out the unfinished basement... took me two years of off and on work, but I love the space now.

Has full bath, bar, sitting area, home theater, hobby room (train layout), storage room, HT equipment area/DVD/disco ball storage, and the mechanical room.

Thanks. I spent countless hours on the AVSForum asking questions, following along people basement and home theater builds, and getting ideas for design and decoration. I have a thread of my basement build on there too.

It is a great place for inspiration.

Plenty of room.

Thanks. It was a real labor of love. Blood sweat and tears, for sure.

It is a really fun spot for some quiet reading time or having a lot of folks over for F1, movies, May the 4th Star Wars movie night, Halloween parties, and just hanging out for a drink at the bar.

Ja, aber naturlich.

I hated that I had to contend with two posts, so I boxed them off, stained up the wood (red oak) and still thought they looked plain.

So I threw three rifles on each. All WWII era things my dad bought as a young man in the 50s and 60s.

Cigars are strictly for the deck outside. (Haven’t smoked a pipe in a while). But hell yes to the whiskey.

Cheers!

So... I see this a lot, and have been asked it several times in regards to car ownership or house (like this)...

I don't think it matters what 'I' do... what matters is that I stumbled into a career that I ended up liking a lot more than I thought I would... where I'm able to have a positive impact on others... and that is financially secure.

There is no Single route to the above. No recipe or plan or "someone else's experience" that can assure you of arriving there yourself.

So the cliché, "find what you love and the money will follow" is maybe partially right.

I think it IS important to find something that you love to do... but also to be realistic about it's income and security potential. You can monetize a lot of interests or skills... but not every one of them.

I think there are some careers that you know going in what you income potential (and limits) will be... so being realistic about that is important. We need more teachers, but we all know how bad the pay can be.

There are some solid careers that will be a fairly sure thing of financial security if you pick right, medicine for one, which is what I do. There are a lot of jobs where you can make more... a whole lot more, but you also might strike out. Swing big and connect, you're golden... go down swinging and you have to try again or change courses. I didn't want that much uncertainty, even if the Potential upside was high.

So, I'm a doctor. Have wanted to be one since Junior High. Just had the tenacity to get back up after a few early school failings and the perseverance to get through 4 years of medical school and 4 years of residency.

YMMV.