Changed my mind about setting posts in wet concrete

For years I thought letting the concrete set around the post was fine, but I saw three fences in my own town lean over after just one winter. The big thing was seeing a neighbor's 6-foot cedar fence tilt because the posts weren't braced right while the mix cured. Now I always use those metal post supports you drive into the ground first, then set the post after. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a real difference in how long the fence stays straight?

I finally said no to a lowball offer and got a better gig the next day

A potential client wanted a full website for $500, which is way under my rate, so I politely declined. The very next morning, a referral from a past job hit me up for a similar project at my full $2k price. Has anyone else found that turning down bad work actually attracts better clients?

I finally showed my bullet journal to my 7th grade art class

One kid pointed at my monthly habit tracker and said, 'Mister, that's just a fancy chore chart.' Has a simple layout ever made you question your whole system?

Hot take: My best budget week came after my fridge broke for 3 days

I had to cook everything in my freezer immediately, so I made a huge pot of chili with the ground beef and a veggie soup with the frozen mixed vegetables. Has anyone else ever turned a kitchen disaster into a week of cheap, planned meals?

Found a better way to set my forge temperature without a fancy gauge

For years I just eyeballed the color of the steel, but last month at the Kentucky clinic, an old timer showed me to use a magnet. When the metal stops sticking to a magnet, it's around 1400 degrees and ready to work. I started doing this on my last ten shoes and the consistency is way better. Anyone else use this trick for basic forging?

Just hit 500 sourdough loaves from my starter 'Frank' and the crumb structure is finally perfect.

After tracking every bake for two years, I realized my oven spring only got consistent after loaf 387, so don't give up if your first hundred are dense, right?

Appreciation post: The crew that helped me fix a 40-year-old hydraulic valve in a single shift

We found a local machinist who could make the replacement part for $150, and had the elevator running before the building manager even knew it was down. Anyone else have a go-to person for impossible-to-find parts?

Had a client bring in a 1920s oak sideboard last week, said 'just make it look new'. I spent 3 days stripping off 5 layers of paint to find perfect quarter-sawn grain underneath. Felt like winning the lottery.

Hot take: Tossing old control panels is just dumb

We should be pushing for recycling programs instead of adding to landfills. My shop now strips usable parts and it actually saves us cash on repairs.

TIL modern animation embraces serialized storytelling for binge sessions

Gone are the days of filler episodes. Every minute now drives the plot forward, making marathons so rewarding.