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They are really fun. I definitely recommend it as a hobby, though I will echo sentiments that you're likely to frequently encounter when researching: "It can be an addictive - and an increasingly expensive habit to feed".

Just a quick note on learning on a cheaper one... There's a huge gap between the lower end cheap ones and higher end ones in terms of how you fly them. It's kinda of counter intuitive, but learning to fly one of the <$100 won't really translate too much to flying a $500+ one (like a DJI Phantom or the sort). The cheaper ones are much more difficult to fly, in that they don't auto hoover, aren't really stabilized and are just generally more erratic. This all said, I still definitely recommend learning on a <$100 before moving on - if not for anything more than just learning the basic principals and to learn if you really like the hobby as much as you think you would (A lot of people invest big up front and then leave it in the closet after 2-3 flights).

I started with really small 'nano' ones... Something like this. I can't speak to latest and greatest in terms of this model, but people really like Hubsans and their parts can be found cheaply on eBay and the sort. These are fun because you can relatively safely fly them inside, where conditions are more easily controlled. Be careful: they still hurt/injure if you or an animal gets whacked and they can still may do some damage to something like a TV if crashed just right.

I later moved up to something a bit bigger like this UDI. These are fun in that you can fly them outside more easily than the nano ones.. This said, it still has to be 100% calm when you're flying these - they are extremely light and will get carried off (and often deposited 50ft into a tree) in the blink of an eye. These often do cool things like "flip" and also have some basic "Return to Home" functionality (though nothing like what you will see called 'RTH' on something like a Phantom).

Similar to the UDI one, this model is also very popular with people getting started. If you read around quad forums, you will frequently see Syma mentioned as a good getting started brand. As with the others, new motors, additional blades, additional batteries and the sort can be found cheaply on eBay and Amazon...

Much beyond this and you're looking at dropping ~$300-$500 to get a noticeable change in the kind of aircraft you're buying... There are some racers that you can get started with for <$300-500 (Eachine) that seem neat and are popular - but they're generally considered 'advanced' in terms of flying in that they don't often auto hoover or auto stabilize, so you are required to constantly control all aspects of flight at all times. If 'getting a stable picture or video' factors into your desire of ownership, then these aren't likely to fulfill the want as there's often a lot of movement and vibration at play... People really like using these racing ones with First Person Viewer (FPV) goggles - so that you're essentially riding a rollercoaster in the air and off the tracks :D Note of caution when moving into these sorts of quads: These aren't toys and they can do VERY serious injury of not handled properly (high RPM carbon blades smacking you in the face might just remove your 'ability to see' superpower... I won't go into the possibility accidental decapitation).

For me, as someone who's using mine as more of an extension to my photography hobby than I am anything, DJI makes some quality aircraft for the purpose of capturing pretty videos and pictures... Their aircraft are also the easiest to fly of any that I've personally had hands on experience with... Like the last 'category', these aren't really toys - though I'd also say that these aren't 'as dangerous' as the previous category in that they do somewhat fly themselves (and often actively avoid hitting things if they can see them) - though you can certain still do some damage/injurty. Currently, on the DJI front, I own a Phantom 3 Pro and a Mavic Pro. Since newer models have come out, you can get a Phantom 3 Standard for ~$400, which is an exceptional value imho. Phantom 3 Pros can be had for ~$600, which gets you about double the flight distance, 4K recording, 720 First Person View Live Feed to the controller, and more rapid charging compared to the standard (worth the extra $$$ in my opinion). The Phantom series are quite bulky and so somewhat difficult to carry with when traveling - enter the Mavic Pro, which is collapsable and so the whole carry package is about the same size as a DSLR bag. The Mavic Pro is going to set you back $1200-1500 (just like was the case for the Phantom 3 series before the Mavic and the 4 came out).

Anywhos... Hope this helps... It really is a fun hobby - at any of the mentioned price points... Way I figure it, there's very little risk in trying out an entry level one - you're in ~$30, which you're more than likely to get your money's worth out of even if you decide to not pursue the hobby further into more advanced ones. Heck, even with my fancy ones, I still break my pico out from time to time as a form of procrastination in my office :)

The first thing you should ask yourself is do you want to learn to code for personal reasons? Or are you looking to change careers? If you are looking to change careers then the bootcamps are useful as you can point to the experience on your resume in order to show employers your skills. However, I think you will find it difficult to identify a bootcamp that fits your schedule, as the "bootcamp" aspect of these programs means they are a few months of intense learning with the intent of turning a student into a developer in a short period of time.

If instead you just want to learn on your own time, I think the best option would be to either A) buy a textbook and learn from that, reading all of it and doing the exercises until you master your understanding. If you are looking for more structure and/or a mentor with whom you can ask questions, you could enroll in a non-degree program at UAB and take an introductory programming class. It will probably fall within your job schedule but it would only be 3 hours per week.

Lastly, I am assuming that you have little to no background in software development, so if I am mistaken in this assumption don't worry about this point too much. For your first language, you are going to want to learn a robust language that is going to be able to expose you to a great deal of computer science topics. Because of this, I would recommend either Python or Java as a first language. If you are feeling very brave then consider C++. These languages are abstracted enough that you won't be bogged down by syntax and more internal computer operations when trying to learn the basics. Your first language will be the hardest to learn, then they all become pretty easy. If you want a textbook recommendation I would say this one.

If you want to learn to be a programmer, I think this is one of the best ways to do it. I learned by taking a non-degree course at UAB while waiting to begin business school, and with a little extra work I was able to become a competent coder in about 5 months.

There's a bunch of keyboards that seem to be compatible, OP. Here's one under $14 that has 4.2 stars and seems to be pretty solid, albeit no-frills. There are a lot of "nicer" ones that have the keyboard act as a stand, which is probably more along the lines of what you're looking for. This model looks pretty great and is only $23, and would be perfect for your use case.

As far as printers go, you'll want to look for AirPrint compatible printers like /u/wjtech said. A lot of them will be marketed as "mobile printing" capable, so look through this list and see if there's anything that fits what you're looking for.

Holler at me if you find a printer in that list or see a different keyboard, and I'll check compatibility.

The last kit we bought worked pretty much like we do surfacing lenses for eyeglasses.. coarse grit, fine grit, polish. Pretty sure it's the same high-impact polycarbonate.

Just saying, if you follow the instructions and apply proper elbow grease, the 3M kit worked great for us. I recommend a kit you use with your cordless drill.

Congratulations!
We used St. Vincents. We are used to St. Vincents because I spent alot of time there when my grandmother was sick.

Absolutely loved it. We're not really religious and that is not an issue there but many folks seem to think it will be.
We had to stay an extra day or so because my baby had low sugar when he was born. I was induced 2 weeks early because my gestational hypertension was no longer controlled by medication. The nurses were wonderful, the room was great.

These are the recommendations I usually make to those expecting:

• I recommend reading the Happiest Baby on the Block. (seriously swaddle, for reals)
  
• High chairs are a waste of space and money, use one of these. We used it until probably 5 years old. It reclines for baby use, then it's just a booster seat for them to sit at the table once they transition to that.
  
• If you can, get a futon or single bed to go in the nursery (if you're not co-sleeping). My husband and I took turns being responsible for the baby at night. That way, we were only missing out on a good night's sleep every other night.
  
• If your infant (say less than 6 months) scream cries every time you lay them down, it might be acid reflux. It's very common and very treatable but very disconcerting and frustrating when it is happening.
  
  Best of luck to you!
  

I was just reading about Avondale Mills, among other mills and Alabama's workforce in the mid 1800's-1900's, this weekend!

If anyone want's to know more, I'd recommend Poor but Proud: Alabama's Poor Whites. It's not light reading, by any means, but gives a great deal of insight into why Alabama was like it was, and on why it is, in very many respects, similar to that to this day.

That's far to flippant. He was a very good mayor and has a lot of legacies, in which corruption was present, but played a minor role.

If you're at all interested, I found his memoir pretty compelling:
http://www.amazon.com/Theres-Hope-World-Birmingham-Alabamas/dp/081731623X

There's another biography out, which I've only skimmed, but if you're afraid of autobiographies, you can try it:
http://www.amazon.com/Back-Birmingham-Richard-Arrington-Times/dp/0817304355/

Both. He was an astronaut who had a heart problem so they took him off the roster and he became director of Flight Ops. He made the schedule of who and when they went to space during the Apollo missions. He later got his heart fixed and finally flew in space one time before moving on from NASA.

Fascinating book and a great read.

https://www.amazon.com/Deke-Manned-Space-Mercury-Shuttle/dp/031285918X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478015294&sr=8-1&keywords=deke+slayton

Not Birmingham related at all, but because you mentioned walking:

http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Walking-Poles-Twist-Locking-Collapsible/dp/B0016688JM/ref=lp_8982112011_1_1?srs=8982112011&ie=UTF8&qid=1462308702&sr=8-1

I think these are kind of weird, but my mother SWEARS by them and she is just a few years younger than your mom. She has been doing it as long as I can remember and it allows her to work her upper body as she walks. Also helps in case a dog comes after her...which happens pretty frequently for some reason. She walks 4+ miles a day, so this may not be the right gift for someone who walks casually, but was just a thought. I apologize if this is just way too weird. :)

You'll want to invest in one of these skip the brauns and conairs. I used those for a year apeice, the wahl is night and day.

Ive cut my hair for about 9 years and saved a ton of money. I cut it myself in the backyard. The haircut your describing is what I have and is incredibly easy. Skip using the guard, unless you like the crew cut look. Just by sliding your fingers through your hair at desired length and cutting across the top of your knuckles it is pretty easy to layer and judge length. You may need some help getting the back of the neck straight at first, but everything else is a breeze. Use scissors to do sideburns and ears.

IMO it is way easier to cut your own hair with a trimmer than walk someone else through it. I actually just cut my hair today, but you are welcome to watch and learn next time it needs a trim. I would reccomend trying to give yourself a small trim first to see how easy it is though. Go slow and never touch the trimmer directly to the scalp without your hand in between, until you do around the ear and back of neck. Start slow and take a little at a time. You'll get the hang of it.

Given that social security is constantly threatened, and given that most Americans have less than $500 in savings and are not saving nearly enough for retirement, creating passive income is a great way to both hedge against uncertainties and build actual wealth.

You've really got something to think about here. If you rent your house out, someone else is paying your mortgage for you. And if you're renting it out for twice to three times the note (hell of an investment), that one property can pay for your next property as well. Keep going and in a decade you could have several properties that have paid for themselves. When you are ready to retire, which could be a lot sooner than you currently believe is possible, you could be sitting on ten to twenty properties or more that you own, that you owe nothing for, that are making you thousands of dollars each month. And if you get tired of dealing with it all, you can always sell.

I recommend starting by looking into sources such as bigger pockets and start reading books like [The Millionaire Real Estate Investor] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071446370/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EPN-zbTQ6ZCNS) by Gary Keller. Those sources will lead to learning about your current options and your future as an investor. And you need to learn about it, because whether you realize it or not, you're already a real estate investor.

Would investing in a small slide to play with indoors be an option? http://www.amazon.com/Little-Tikes-First-Slide-Blue/dp/B008MH5H4M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450798873&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+indoor+slide

If you know anyone in town who has something to borrow, that would be great. My 20 month old is getting one from Santa Grandpa in Jacksonville. Other big hits that would be quiet could include an inflatable pool full of plastic balls-- that would travel pretty well also, once it's deflated.

I had a lovely roommate bring fleas in once, you just need to clean everything in a blitz and get some spray. Alternatively, [diatomaceous earth] (https://www.amazon.com/Safer-Brand-51703-Diatomaceous-Crawling/dp/B01D60GAW2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1U1OE1LYOLVCM&keywords=diatomaceous+earth&qid=1563479834&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=diacemaceous%2Clawngarden%2C156&sr=1-3) is supposed to do pretty well against anything with an exoskeleton. Just throw dirt all over, it's kinda like little insect barbed wire.

There's a book out called The Successful Divorce that details your rights in Alabama. https://www.amazon.com/More-Successful-Divorce-Alabama/dp/0965927385?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffab-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0965927385