Paul Sanchez (u/paul251)

Posts

Picked generic shampoo over salon brand and saved $35

Last month I was at Target staring at a $45 bottle of salon shampoo and a $10 generic one next to it. I almost grabbed the fancy one out of habit, but I decided to try the cheap option instead. It's been three weeks and my hair feels exactly the same, honestly I can't tell a difference. That $35 went straight to my emergency fund, which felt way better than fancy suds. Now I'm wondering what other premium products are just overpriced versions of the same stuff. Anyone else had a win swapping out a brand name for something basic?

2 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

paul251•21d ago

Had a total turnaround on bushcraft-style routes after doing the AT in Georgia

I used to think lightweight ultralight gear was the only way to go, but hiking a 14 mile stretch with just a tarp and a ferro rod changed my mind completely. Saw how much more self reliant I felt when I didn't have a stove or tent, just a knife and some cordage. Anyone else ditch the fancy gear for a more primitive approach on their last trip?

3 comments

c/commercial-divers•

paul251•22d ago

Why does nobody talk about how much current affects your welding underwater

I was working a job on a platform off the coast of Galveston last week, and the current was ripping at maybe 2 knots. I'm trying to do a wet weld on a crossbrace and my helmet kept getting pushed sideways, arc was all over the place. The vis was already poor from the silt, and with the current it was almost impossible to keep the rod stable. I spent like 20 minutes just repositioning myself to get a clean bead going. My buddy on the boat said to tie off a secondary line to anchor my body better, but I didn't have the rigging for it. Does anyone have a trick for controlling your position when the current is strong? I've heard guys use weights on their harness, but that seems risky if you gotta surface quick.

2 comments

c/anime-discussions•

paul251•22d ago

Tried to watch a subbed anime with my non-anime friends at a party last Friday, total disaster

I was at a small gathering at my buddy's place in Austin and convinced three friends to watch the first episode of Attack on Titan with subs. About 10 minutes in, they were all talking over the dialogue because they couldn't read fast enough, and one guy kept yelling 'What does that say?' every time a subtitle popped up. I paused the show and tried to explain the plot, but then someone spilled salsa on the remote and we lost the episode entirely. We just put on a Marvel movie instead, and I felt like a complete goof. Has anyone else tried to introduce subs to a group that just didn't get it?

2 comments

c/food-label-lies•

paul251•25d ago

Compared two jars of spaghetti sauce side by side and the one labeled 'no sugar added' actually had more sugar than the regular one, what gives?

I grabbed both at the Kroger in Nashville last week and the 'healthy' one listed sugar as the second ingredient after tomatoes while the regular one had it further down, has anyone else caught labels pulling that trick with serving sizes?

2 comments

c/book-club-debates•

paul251•25d ago

My book club debate on 'The Great Gatsby' went sideways after my uncle called it a rich people problem story

I was at a family BBQ last Sunday and my uncle, who worked construction his whole life, said Gatsby is just about rich people acting dumb with their money. I argued it was about the American Dream and all that. But he pointed out that Gatsby's whole tragedy comes from trying to buy his way into a world that never wanted him. That hit different because ive been in book club debates where everyone talks themes but nobody mentions class. It made me rethink if we're all just intellectualizing the story instead of seeing it for what it is. Has anyone else had a family member cut through the BS on a classic in a way that stuck with you?

2 comments

c/content-strategy•

paul251•25d ago

Spent 3 hours reworking a blog post because I ignored internal linking from the start

I wrote a 2,500 word guide on local SEO for bakeries last month and completely forgot to build internal links as I went. When I finally went back to add them, I had to rewrite whole sections to make the anchor text flow naturally. It took me about 3 hours of editing that could have been 20 minutes if I just added links while drafting. Anyone else fall into this trap or is it just me being lazy?

3 comments

c/dredge-operators•

paul251•26d ago

Old timer taught me something on a job in Bay City last spring

This guy named Frank pointed at my suction gauge and said 'you're running too lean, that pump is gonna cavitate in about 20 minutes' and sure enough it did. He showed me a trick with feathering the throttle and checking the discharge color that cut my fuel use by almost a third. Anybody else pick up a random tip from a stranger on a remote job?

3 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

paul251•1mo ago

Just Visited the Set of 'Stranger Things' in Hawkins and It Blew My Mind

I took a weekend trip to Jackson, Georgia last month to see the actual filming locations for 'Stranger Things' and it was Wild. The town built up this whole Hawkins experience with the Starcourt Mall facade and everything. I stood right where the kids ride their bikes in the opening credits. They even have the actual neon sign from the Palace Arcade. The detail is crazy, like the phone booth where Joyce calls Hopper still has the fake cobwebs on it. I spent like 4 hours just walking around taking pictures. Has anyone else visited a show's filming location and got totally sucked in?

2 comments

c/botany-lovers•

paul251•1mo ago

Vent: Everyone calling every vine a 'philodendron' now

I swear I saw three posts in a row last week where people were calling pothos and syngoniums philodendrons. Its not that hard to tell them apart if you just look at the leaf shape and growth pattern. My aunt had a real heartleaf philodendron in her kitchen in Detroit for 20 years and I can spot the difference from across the room. Has anyone else noticed this getting worse or am I just yelling at clouds?

3 comments