That's a tough spot to be in, and I know from personal experience how much it stings to miss by just a few points both times. In my case, I had to admit my study method wasn't the problem, but how I was practicing the test questions was. I switched from just reading notes to doing hundreds of timed practice exams every week, really focusing on why I got each wrong answer. That change in how I practiced, not what I studied, made the difference on my third try.

Man, that is infuriating. 11 days on a certified check from another credit union? That's just them being lazy or trying to make some extra interest off your money. Same thing happened to me with Wells Fargo a few years back on a $4,000 insurance payout check. They held it for a full two weeks and when I finally got a manager on the line, she just mumbled something about "fraud prevention protocols." No letter, no call, nothing. It's a terrible feeling knowing your own money is just sitting there in their system and you can't touch it. Did you file a complaint with the CFPB?

So you're telling me Frank's has been gone for over a year and nobody even noticed until now? @ray189, did you actually walk past the boarded up windows or did you just drive by and assume it was open? I've seen people mistake the new ramen spot next door for the old diner because they both have red awnings. But Frank's was a landmark around here for thirty years, you'd think someone would have mentioned it if it really closed that long ago. Unless you're talking about a different Frank's entirely somewhere else in town.

That half guard move is a game changer once you see it work. What was the specific guard combo you were using before that he said was too flat?

100% done that, @the_max, on a rusted-out '66 F100 floor.