My Guides to Jacksonville

I've met several people thinking of relocating to Jacksonville, and I often tell them to check out my website for my guide to the city. Except I did just that myself and realized it's not that easy to find, so here's a guide to my guides. 

Also, if you're thinking of moving here and want to hire an actual guide, that can be arranged. Use the contact form to work out the details. Or ask your realtor to take you everywhere...they love doing that.

Cheapest Propane Exchange in Jax

I haven't done the math on refilling my propane tanks, since that's more of a hassle than it's probably worth. I have to assume it's a little cheaper than a propane exchange, but I'll focus on good deals for the exchange in Jacksonville.


Walmart - $15
Yes, it's the cheapest around. During Covid Times (or on a Saturday afternoon), it's also a lot of work to get your propane this way. I told my family that Walmart probably has some kind of contract to undercut every other seller of propane, which is either good business or bad business, depending on how you look at business. Since my time is worth a couple of dollars and I don't tend to shop at Walmart much, I am willing to pay a little more elsewhere.


Family Dollar - $15-$20
I wrote an article about propane on Satisfamily about the good deal here when the $5 off $25 coupons exist, but then Family Dollar went and added an exception to the coupon because of my article. However, I have seen a $5 off just for propane, so keep an eye out for that one. At least it's fairly easy to get your propane here, more like the gas stations.

On the Fly BP on Monument - $17, no, wait, $20 (2021)

OK, so this WAS a good deal, but now it's not. Maybe it's the pandemic excuse. Anyhow, it used to be worth it to make a trek to this hood-rat station with one attendant who has to close the store to get your propane while you wait, but not now. Original experience here follows:
I ended up here because Wawa didn't seem to have propane, so I couldn't use my Wawa gift card, and since I couldn't make a u-turn on McCormick to get to Gate, I decided to take a gander at the BP station. I was surprised by the $17 price, since $20 seems to be standard at gas stations. The attendant told me he had the cheapest prices in town, which might be the case when you compare to other gas stations. Fast and easy, like it should be. The store even has two cases of propane, probably because so much of it is sold here. I told the guy I'd be back.


Most other gas stations - $20
I have seen propane as high as $22 at local gas stations, but I think the $19.99 is normally the standard price in Jacksonville for propane exchange. There's no shame in paying the standard price, especially if you don't want to deal with Walmart or don't live near Monument and McCormick.


Walgreens - $22
The Walgreens on Monument and McCormick advertises $20 propane exchange, but when I bought my one and only tank there, I ended up paying $22 plus tax, not $20. For $2, I didn't end up going back up there, and the sign has claimed a lower price for two years, so I'm not the only one who has not complained to management.


For the amount of cooking you'll get out of your propane, it's probably worth the $15-$22 you'll spend on fuel. It might not be a good deal to heat your house in the winter or to run your dual-fuel generator after a hurricane, but it's not bad for outdoor cooking. If you live in East Arlington, try the BP station on Monument. If you know of a low price in another area of town, let me know, and I'll add it to the list.

BJs

We got the discounted BJs membership for at least a year, and it's just about the cheapest propane. They fill it like at U-Haul. When I was getting mine filled, however, some old-ass man had his Corvette break down in the parking lot which led to all the BJs employees helping him like he was going to give them a tip because he drove a Corvette. He didn't, and I just waited extra long to get me propane.

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Satisfamily - Articles about being happy as a family
Passive Ninja - Web Design in Jacksonville
McNewsy - Creative Writing
Educabana - Educational Resources
Brave New Church - Church Website Design
Voucher School - Pros and Cons of School Vouchers
Luthernet - Web Design for Lutheran Churches
Sitcom Life Lessons - What we've learned from sitcoms
Mancrush Fanclub - Why not?
Epic Folktale - Stories of the unknown
Wild West Allis - Every story ever told about one place
Educabana on Teachers Pay Teachers (mostly ELA lessons)
Real Wisconsin News - Satire from Wisconsin
Zoo Interchange Milwaukee - Community website
Chromebook Covers - Reviews and opinions

Brian Jaeger - Resume (I'm always interested)

Contact Me

Wanna Get Flamed on NextDoor in Jacksonville? Suggest Masks

A neighbor went to a local ice cream shop where none of the employees were wearing masks, so she posted that she did not order anything and asked if anyone knew the manager. She wasn't really irate or mean-spirited in her post, just saying she was surprised that the business had no mask policy on Mothers' Day, 2020. We learn later in the post that she has a family member who has contracted the virus and another one who works at a hospital, which she mentions after some of the comments.

Let's take a look at some of the responses our neighbor received for asking about the sanitary conditions at a local eatery:

Speak with your wallet and just leave it at that....

This means, of course, don't eat there. Of course, the woman had already said she didn't eat there, but this post basically says don't eat there AND shut your mouth about it.

I don't have a problem with it.

I'm not sure adding this statement adds anything to the discussion. But it's also not mean.

This poor squirrel wasnt wearing a mask in public. Look at what happened to him 😢

One guy decided that a dead squirrel would be a humorous way to ridicule the mask-wearing people, I guess. A few more people commented on the dead squirrel. I assume that the idea here is that masks don't really protect anyone, since cars will still run you over. While it's true that masks can't protect pedestrians on Beach Boulevard, they actually do help to prevent the spread of viruses.

Stay away and keep your family safe so the rest of us can go there and enjoy their delicious ice cream - in peace

I guess this one is meant to say that people who complain make life difficult for the rest of us who want to enjoy our food prepared without masks during a pandemic. It's like when my wife makes me leave the room so that she can watch a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie - in peace. 

Living your life in fear will kill you quicker than experiencing life to its fullest. Just sayin.

The logic here is flawed. Yes, if you live every day in debilitating paranoia, that's probably not good for your health. However, the original post didn't seem to come from someone who was living in fear. In fact, she had ventured out on Mothers' Day. I am apprehensive of riding a motorcycle, and I can therefore guaranty you that I will not die while riding one, but it's not like I dwell on NOT riding daily. But I might shake my head when I see someone speeding past me at 100mph on McCormick. And my fear still won't kill me, unless I swerve to miss the crotch rocket and swerve again to miss a squirrel and then again to miss a pedestrian crossing outside of a crosswalk and crash into a tree.

Bottom lines is if anyone disagrees with how someone runs their business.... just don’t go That simple . America is about personal freedom and the right to choose. Consequences be what they are

Good, a bottom line for all of us to learn from. The problem with this reasoning is that during an outbreak, we are all kind of responsible to each other. It's not the same thing as whether or not a business owner comes out against homosexuality or in favor of gun control. I've seen all the virus outbreak, zombie apocalypse movies, and high school health class videos, so I am an authority on the spread of disease. 

Then don’t go there!!! Stay home and don’t go out. This whole thing is BS trying till kill our economy..

I am not sure who really wants to kill the economy. I guess the mindset would be that Demoncrats will win in elections if they can prove the president didn't take the virus seriously. However, that also would mean that any country with liberals in power (and also experiencing the pandemic) will also decide to vote against the party in power. I can see this kind of tactic working in North Korea, maybe, where there's no outside news. Even if you believe that this is nothing more than the flu, then it's the flu in every country on earth, and I don't think that every opposition party in every country really wants to ruin the global economy in order to win elections. 

You all make me sick. Keyboard warriors; with your nose so far in everyone's business and trying to cry to someone and get your way and have things changed to how you want them...then disguise it by saying you're trying to save the world and be the bigger person. Good lord-get a hobby

I wish that I had more hobbies right now. I'm stuck reading NextDoor posts for entertainment. The point here is that the folks who wear masks are trying to both getting in other people's business (to NOT wear masks) and crying to get their way. These people, apparently, simply love masks. I have worn a mask for several hours in a row, so I can attest that no one loves wearing them. I don't like the way they make me feel or the way they make other people look. I freaking hate masks, but I'm willing to wear mine in order to protect others and myself. I don't want there to be universal mask laws forever, and even if that was proven to be the best course of action, I still would not like it. 

You really think a mask makes ANY difference at all?

This comment led into a debate about science. If you are dumb enough to ask this question, then I just shake my head in your general direction. Even really stupid people can admit that masks do, in fact, make a difference when it comes to the transmission of a virus. Masks are not 100% effective, and there's some truth to the notion that people become overconfident, but even most flat-earthers and climate-change-deniers will agree that a face covering makes a difference. For those of you on the fence, consider the purpose of the masks I own--I bought them when I refinished my wood floors to keep dust particles out of my nose and mouth. Even though you can't see a virus, and it's smaller than wood dust, the principal is the same. Even if ALL masks do is keep us from touching our own mouths and noses, that's still something.

You don’t have to eat there. They can do what they want

This comment is probably fairly consistent with the general mindset in Jax. Consider this, however: government (even for the most conservative people) has public safety as one of its core responsibilities. Police, firefighters, paramedics, disaster relief, etc. We don't need government to dictate how we live generally, but a pandemic qualifies as one of those moments when we as individuals should probably pay attention. So during that time, if the government says that people serving food must wear masks, then that should be what those people do. However, since our government response has been a patchwork of rules and exceptions, I myself do not know if this ice cream shop was or was not following either rules or even guidance by the entity with our safety as its main tenant. If there were no restrictions, then it does become a simple case of eating where you feel comfortable.

Everything on here turns into a controversial post. this app is called next door and I'm glad I don't live next door to a lot of you. Most of you never have anything nice to say at all... You're just mean and cowardly

I just liked this post, even if it's not really targeting one side or the other. We've gotten so used to trolling on news sites and responding to famous people on Twitter or even distant relatives on Facebook that we forget that those are real people. NextDoor is an app that shows real names and probably even addresses, and a lot of people treat it as if they are flaming a Politico article. Forget about the neighbor dog crapping on your lawn when you can see what he thinks about wearing face masks on NextDoor. And also forget about discussing real ideas with one another over a beer. 

In case you were wondering, the ice cream place is Bruster's on Atlantic. I went there with my family about a week after these posts, and the 20-or-so teens inside were definitely not wearing masks. We still ordered ice cream and social distanced. I told my wife that all the kids working there are probably making out with each other after work, so it's not like face masks are going to stop the spread of Covid-19 (or herpes) among the crew. The situation did make us uncomfortable, and I commend the original NextDoor writer for taking a stand and leaving, but we had also not had any decent ice cream in two months, so we went for it. If you want to support or boycott Bruster's for political reasons, feel free. As for me, I'm just hoping my ice cream didn't come with a topping of Coronavirus. Or herpes.

Search New Jax Witty

Related Stories

Thanks for reading. See more of my content:

Satisfamily - Articles about being happy as a family
Passive Ninja - Web Design in Jacksonville
McNewsy - Creative Writing
Educabana - Educational Resources
Brave New Church - Church Website Design
Voucher School - Pros and Cons of School Vouchers
Luthernet - Web Design for Lutheran Churches
Sitcom Life Lessons - What we've learned from sitcoms
Mancrush Fanclub - Why not?
Epic Folktale - Stories of the unknown
Wild West Allis - Every story ever told about one place
Educabana on Teachers Pay Teachers (mostly ELA lessons)
Real Wisconsin News - Satire from Wisconsin
Zoo Interchange Milwaukee - Community website
Chromebook Covers - Reviews and opinions

Brian Jaeger - Resume (I'm always interested)

Contact Me

Top 4 Spots in Jacksonville's Arlington Neighborhood

I was on the News4Jax website when I saw an "article" about local restaurants. The article said it was about Arlington restaurants, and I figured it wasn't that big of a deal that my location was being used to show me stories relevant to where I was. However, after reading the short blurbs about the top 4 restaurants in my area, I saw the disclaimer on the bottom of the article:

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor.

Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice as a Play Will Have Flaws

Before my wife and I watched the Northeast Florida Conservatory's version of Pride and Prejudice, I knew it would have to be a bit of a disappointment. We'd just discussed how the Keira Knightly (Joe Wright-directed) version was a slight disappointment, even if it was the most beautifully-filmed version of the story ever. Even the 1995 BBC version had it's problems...think Mr. Darcy and aquatics. The point is that nothing will ever match the original novel, and we were prepared for that. However, it's still important to note in a review of a play why the disappointment happens.

Best Kitchen Purchase This Year is a Garbage Can

More than likely, the kitchen garbage is one of the last upgrades you're thinking about right now. I only had to go there because ours stopped working. We like the motion sensor automatic garbage cans, and they do tend to fail after some use. We'd also got into the habit of owning two full-sized garbage cans for our kitchen, one for garbage and the other for recycling. Since my wife thinks it's kind of gross (and a waste of valuable cabinet space) to mount the garbage inside our island, it was time to shop for another garbage can. This time, however, I wanted to eliminate the two-can system in favor of a two-in-one garbage/recycling can. After a few months, I feel I can safely say I made the right choice with this stainless steel, two sided garbage can from Amazon.

My Screenplay Play

Maybe someone out there is a struggling screenplay writer like me. Maybe you've mailed the scripts or tried the pitches. Maybe you watch the typical Hollywood rehash and wonder why no one will even look at your work. I totally understand. I've written two movie screenplays and a musical play, and I've gotten no real bites. Here's a letter I wrote to someone in Hollywood who was willing to look over my work. His comments were encouraging for one of the scripts--the one he actually finished--but he wasn't in a position to help more than that. Anyhow, besides publishing the screenplays as Kindle books and hoping for the best, the guy I knew through a friend will probably be my last attempt to get them noticed.

Is Nest The Best For JAX HVAC?

When I was told I needed a new thermostat, the recommendation was for a Honeywell 9000 series unit. And I was perfectly prepared to spend $155 per thermostat. However, my HVAC guy also mentioned the Nest, in the, "If you want to spend the extra cash" kind of way. I didn't. But since he never mentioned the Sensi by Emerson, which seems to be the budget version of the higher-end, smart, DIY thermostats, I had a decision to make, and since it was Black Friday week, that decision got clearer as I read more about the deals.

PO Problems - Heat Pump MIA

I've talked about the fact that the previous owners of my house never had their dishwasher hooked up to drain, meaning it never worked for their 13 years in this house. I also wrote about the neighbor's weird air conditioner that ran in the winter, eventually concluding it was a heat pump. But I would have never imagined that I also have a heat pump, one that I believed was possibly never connected by the original installer. After talking to McGowan's Heating & Air (original installer), I've got it figured out. Read the whole article to see how that worked.

Local Business Website: Becky's Alterations

As a local freelance web designer, I want to align myself with local businesses, so I figured I'd take a look at some of my neighbors on Google Maps.  First stop: Becky's Alterations. Sort of. Google Maps shows it being at the corner of Kernan and McCormick. I assume the business owner doesn't want people showing up at her house, so it kind of makes sense. Call the number to get the real directions, or else you'll end up at the power box with graffiti on it in the photo. Having another address on the website is not a terrible idea, even if I've never had some crazed businessman at my door at 3AM looking for a new website.

As far as Becky's Alterations website is concerned, it's just an older design. I like the fact that there are images of the work. Even some definitions about a foreign subject to me. I like the fact that the price estimates are on the website, too, even if that particular page demonstrates the difficulty in using the website platform used for the site. (I see it's an Open Resty site built on Web.com, which I assume is a DIY offering. You can see on the price page that there are overlapping frames that make it look like it doesn't quite fit properly, which is ironic.

After One Year, We Realize AquaLift Doesn't Work

After I tested out our self-cleaning oven feature on our Whirlpool, I searched for the question, "Why doesn't aqualift work?" One of the first links was to a class action lawsuit, filed in 2016 (and in Florida) by a woman who had purchased her AquaLift oven back in 2014. Basically, she had the same experience as I'd had, which doesn't make me feel good, but it does show that it wasn't my fault (when my wife blames me for not getting the job done). Class action aside, this is my first self-cleaning oven that simply does not work. The photos you see here are basically before and after photos, except for some extra scrubbing that got some of the grease to come off on a sponge.

Simon and Garfunkel in Concert! Oh, wait, no

For a few minutes, I was all in. Even though I just saw Paul Simon on a TV show and he looked as old as dirt. Even though he didn't sound much better. Even though the only songs that really matter from Simon and/or Garfunkel are from 1970 or before. Even though the kids have basketball tryouts. I was going to get me two tickets to see Simon and Garfunkel at the Times Union Center.

Reolink Argus 2 For Jacksonville

I had to bite the bullet and order a security camera. No one had broken into my vehicle, and I actually leave it unlocked (though alarmed). I don't leave a key, garage door opener, or gun in the car, so someone burglarizing it will get some Burger King coupons and empty soda cans. Mainly, I wanted to have peace of mind that if someone did molest my vehicle, I'd be able to post a photo of that person on this website (and send it to my neighbors). Since my neighborhood had two vehicle break-ins over the summer, it seemed like a good time to get the camera. I chose the Reolink Argus 2, and it's been about what I expected: good but not great.

And Then Blackfinn Ameripub Packer Bar Closes

It looks like the best Packer bar in Jacksonville is no longer with us, and it seems to be more about the company than the Packers. From what I can tell, Blackfinn Ameripub has closed its Brookfield, WI, location, as well as one in Clinton Township. Both of those closings were during the summer of 2018, so the company is probably closing down operations all across the board.

Super Tire Jacksonville Review: More Like Stupid Tire

Think of the top priorities when it comes to your family. I'd bet that safety is right up there, if not #1. When someone works against you keeping your family safe, you get angry. This is the account of how Super Tire in Jacksonville, Florida, made me angry and, frankly, feel stupid.

Xtreme Wings Sports Grill Is Not Quite A Packers Bar

No one ever told me Xtreme Wings was actually going to a bar for Packers fans. I was just kind of hoping it might be, since the bar is fairly close to home and not at all located in the St. Johns Frown Center. It worked for one game, actually, even if it’s not quite a Packer Bar.

Why I'm Not Visiting Pitstop Tires

Mostly, I don't like Pitstop Tires' use of Craiglist, making it difficult for me to find legitimate listings by sellers because of saturation of the same ad over and over. The ad that Pitstop uses (over and over) is also an excellent example of why you should pay attention when your English teacher says writing will matter, even if you're more excited about fixing cars or inheriting your parents' business. Some people won't visit your store if you publish an ad like the one below:

Local Chevy Dealerships React to Words and Thoughts

I suppose I was expecting more out of car dealerships. And these businesses mostly sell Chevys, not Cadillacs, so I have to give them some slack. However, I also remember working at a car dealership and seeing that it was a big deal for some guys to sell a mere ten cars in a month. That's why I was disappointed that my email sent to nine local Chevy dealerships largely went ignored. But it got me to thinking that the salesmen that need targeting (the ones who sell around 10 cars a month) probably aren't the ones who are allowed to answer the company email. Instead, those are dedicated internet marketers, who send out form letters and probably still sell twice as many cars (assuming they're in sales at all). The long and short of it is that I was terribly disappointed in the response I got from what I felt was a well-written email with a simple request. 

Free Review of Your Local Jacksonville Product

When you have a local blog, people want to get free advertising on your site. And the good kind, not an honest review from a paying customer. I remember when I worked on a student newspaper in Wisconsin, I'd get free items to to review. I think there was some kind of ethical such and such involved. But this isn't a student newspaper or a real newspaper. You give me something free, I'll use it and mention it. I won't lie, but I will carefully weigh any criticisms, unlike when I pay full price for something.

European Street Cafe Reviewed

The European Street Cafe in Jacksonville (Beach and University) is like if you took a street cafe from Europe, made the food bland for Americans, and stuck it on a busy street. I saw all these good reviews on Google, except for a couple of reviews that said it was nothing special, they use cheap potato chips, and the apples were brown. Bingo, that was our experience in a nutshell at this restaurant.