PSA: My boss in 2015 told me to never put my personal phone number on a resume, but now my hiring manager friend says it's expected.

Honestly, I used to have a separate email just for job stuff and kept my contact info super private. Tbh, over the last few years, I've seen recruiters straight up ask for a cell number to text updates, and my friend who hires for a warehouse in Toledo said they need to reach people fast. Ngl, what changed to make sharing a personal number the new normal for getting a job?

Rant: I spent $80 on a board game organizer insert that didn't even fit the box right.

The company's website said it was for the exact edition I own, but the pieces were a full centimeter too wide, so now I have this expensive plastic thing I can't use at all, has anyone else had this happen with third party inserts?

I just found out Firefly still has a huge fan base after all these years

I was looking up old sci-fi shows and saw a poll from last month where over 80,000 people voted for Firefly as the show they most want revived. That's crazy for a show that only had 14 episodes back in 2002. It made me realize the demand is still there, and with streaming now, it could finally find its audience. Has anyone else seen this kind of lasting support for another canceled show?

Why is everyone so scared of running a program from the middle?

I was at a trade meet in Cleveland last month and heard a guy tell a new operator, 'Never, ever start from a block in the middle, you'll crash it for sure.' That's just fear talking. I've been doing it for years on our Haas VF2 when we need to re-run a section after a tool change or a probe check. You just need to know your offsets, your work zero, and where the spindle actually is. I saved a whole batch of 4140 parts last week by picking up at N1450 after a bad insert, not by wasting an hour resetting the whole job. It's a skill, not a sin. What specific steps do you guys take to make a mid-program start safe on your machines?

Warning: I saw a huge drop in dust buildup after switching to positive pressure in my builds

My home office rig used to need a full clean every 4 months, but after setting the intake fans to run faster than the exhaust, it's been over 8 months and the filters are still mostly clean. Has anyone else seen this kind of long-term difference with their client machines?

Just switched to a flexible camera for inspections after a tricky job in a 1920s flue

I used to rely on just a mirror and a light, but the camera showed me a hairline crack I would have missed completely. Anyone else find a specific tool that changed how you spot problems?

Rant: I spent $300 on a 'lifetime' warranty from a tool company that went out of business after 2 years.

Question about the new bike lane design on 5th Avenue in Seattle

I noticed they used those raised plastic lane dividers that are only 4 inches tall, which seems like a great way to create a trip hazard for any cyclist who needs to swerve or a mechanic trying to do a quick road-side fix.

Shoutout to the old Fluke 87 I picked over a newer model

I had to choose between a used Fluke 87-V from a retiring tech and a brand new, cheaper multimeter from a different brand for a job on a Citation's autopilot system. I went with the Fluke, and its true RMS reading caught a weird voltage fluctuation the other meter missed completely. Has anyone else had a tool choice make or break a tricky diagnosis?

I finally laid a curved walkway with reclaimed bricks, and it turned out great.

It was tough getting the curve just right without breaking the old bricks. I had to adjust my mortar to account for their uneven edges. More clients in my area are asking for eco-friendly options, so this skill is becoming key. What mixes do you all use for reclaimed materials?