Rant: I was at the new library in Springfield and saw they had all their architectural plans printed on 11x17. I think that's a huge step back.

My first digital painting just got 500 views on ArtStation

I posted a fantasy landscape I made in Krita last week, just to see what would happen. Woke up this morning and saw the view counter hit 500, which is way more than I ever expected for my first try. Does that number actually mean anything, or is it just a fluke?

My cheap travel pillow exploded on a flight to Denver

Last Tuesday, I was on a red eye to Denver and my inflatable neck pillow, which I got for $8 online, just popped. It made a loud noise like a balloon and scared the lady next to me. I spent the rest of the flight trying to sleep with my head against the cold window. Has anyone found a budget pillow that doesn't self-destruct?

My compost bin turned into a disaster zone last summer

I was trying to compost in my backyard in Spokane and the whole thing got way too wet. It started smelling so bad my neighbor actually came over to ask about it. I had to dump it all out, mix in a bunch of dry leaves and cardboard, and start over. Has anyone else had to rescue a compost pile that went anaerobic?

PSA: a trick for getting a clean seam on those tricky polyester berbers

I was wrestling with a job in a Denver condo last week, trying to get a seam to lay flat on a dense, low-pile polyester berber. I remembered an old-timer telling me to use a standard iron on a low setting, about the 'wool' mark, to gently heat the backing before taping. I was skeptical, but it softened the adhesive just enough for a perfect bond without any fuzz melt. Anyone have a different method for these stubborn carpets?

Just fixed my 500th laptop with a bad DC jack

Hit that number today. It's crazy. All those times people say 'it just won't charge'. Same problem. Takes about 20 minutes if you have the right part. I keep a box of ten common jacks on hand now. Saves a ton of time. Anyone else track a specific repair like that?

PSA: Overheard a guy at the meat distributor say he hasn't seen a full beef hanging rail in 10 years

He was talking to the manager at my local supply house in Spokane about how everything comes in boxed now. It made me think about when I started, and we'd break down whole sides on the block every morning. Now it's all about opening cryovac bags. Anyone else miss working with the whole animal like that?

TIL a hardware store in Springfield has a whole wall of free paint sample decks you can take home

I grabbed a few for a bathroom refresh and it saved me three trips back to check colors. Do you guys have a favorite local spot for free project supplies?

Shoutout to the diver on the Gulf job who kept skipping his tool tether checks

Watched a guy on the barge last week go down three times without checking his tether carabiner gate. It was a simple snap hook on his wrench bag. He said 'it's fine, it clicked.' That's how you lose a $400 impact driver to 80 feet of mud. I've seen it happen off Port Arthur. How do you get guys to slow down for the five second check?

Update: A regular told me my blowouts were too tight on her scalp

She said it felt like a headache was starting every time, so I switched to using a larger round brush and less tension. My volume took a hit for a week while I figured out the new technique, but her comfort is way more important. Has anyone found a good middle ground for smoothness without the pull?