Many folks have a short term memory but every time I hear someone talk about it I think of the movie Fort Apache and Howard Cosell saying on live TV that the Bronx is burning.

Your non-real estate friends won't understand, so my best advice is to casually talk about it, but quickly change the conversation back to regular items, seen any movies lately, how are the kids, etc.   

LOL, ironically, it's about establishing boundaries.Are you going to go over there during a thunderstorm or when they watch a scary movie to hold their hand as their tender little beingness gets through such emotional trauma???

All the travel I do I use airline time for recreational reading.. although with Gogo internet and free streaming movies I find myself watching movies these days on the plane. for the motivational guys I like to listen to the tapes..

You have to check by serial number.At home I run a MacBook Pro, simply because I love it for the graphics, watching movies, reading forums.

Not only is that true your comment pointing it out is probably going to be in the actual movie as well lol.

People put money into investment accounts and expect it to be like the movies, wake up one day and have half a million.

Rather than going out to lunch or a movie the same satisfaction can be achieved by hanging out at home and cooking as a family.To answer your question on what expense have I reduced its 401k savings ($400 mth), eating out ($100-200 mth), and whole life ($300 mth) insurance.

All this talk about insurance bad faith and denying claims reminds me of the excellent movie "The Rainmaker" where the insurance company collected the premiums but almost never paid claims.https://www.youtube.com/watch?

That movie instantly cured me of EVER being a landlord.  ;-)