David Palmer (u/david_palmer)

Posts

The $20 inspection camera that proved my landlord wrong

I was renting a place in Austin and kept complaining about a musty smell in the bathroom. Landlord said I was imaging things. Picked up a cheap endoscope camera on Amazon for like 20 bucks last month. Stuck it behind the toilet flange and found black mold growing all along the subfloor from a slow leak. Sent him the video and he had to fix it within 3 days. Has anyone else used one of these cameras to catch contractors or landlords slacking off?

3 comments

c/freelance-real-estate•

david_palmer•12d ago

Found a stat that 40% of real estate agents quit in their first year

I was browsing the NAR website last night (boring, I know) and stumbled on a study that said 40% of new agents don't make it past 12 months. That floored me, especially since I've been freelancing as a showing assistant for about 18 months now and it's been rough but doable. The report broke it down by income too, saying most dropouts earn under $15k their first year. I'm not quite there (I'm closer to $22k) but it got me thinking about how many people jump into real estate part time and just can't swing the fees and gas money. I ended up reading a whole thread on a agent forum where folks talked about burning through savings on lockbox subscriptions and MLS dues. Has anyone else here seen that stat and felt like it explains why the freelance market is so inconsistent?

3 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

david_palmer•13d ago

That magnetic brake tool I laughed at for 6 months finally saved my back

I had a buddy swear by this magnetic brake release tool for leveling machines, and I told him it was a waste of $45. Last week I had to swap a controller on a MCE iBox in a tight machine room in St. Louis, and my lower back was killing me after 20 minutes of reaching. I borrowed his tool on a whim, and it freed up my hands so I could work standing straight. That thing legit took 2 hours off my install time. Has anyone else tried one of those and actually seen a difference on hydraulic jobs?

3 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

david_palmer•16d ago

Tried pouring wet concrete on a hot windy day. Big mistake.

Last August in Phoenix I thought I could beat the heat. Started a slab at 10am. Wind picked up and dried the surface in minutes. Got crusty before I could finish the finish. Had to grind it down and re-pour 300 bucks worth of mix. Lesson learned. Check weather AND wind next time. Anyone else get burned by weather timing?

3 comments

c/anime-discussions•

david_palmer•17d ago

Just had a talk with a guy at the comic shop that changed how I watch subbed shows

He said I was missing half the emotion because I'm reading instead of listening to the voice acting. Tried rewatching Violet Evergarden with my eyes on the screen instead of subtitles and picked up way more from the vocal delivery alone. Anyone else ever try ditching subs for a rewatch?

3 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

david_palmer•18d ago

Visited the Cahokia Mounds last weekend and something felt off

I drove down to Collinsville, IL to check out the Cahokia Mounds for the first time. The big Monk's Mound is impressive, but I noticed the steps going up are all wooden and modern looking, not like anything ancient. There's a sign saying they rebuilt the stairs after a 2018 storm damaged the old ones. It kind of broke the illusion for me, like visiting a historic site with a plastic castle on top. Has anyone else been there and felt like the modern fixes take away from the real experience?

3 comments

c/contract-clause-check•

david_palmer•24d ago

Client wanted to renegotiate my payment terms 3 months after signing in Portland

I used to just trust handshake deals and email confirmations for freelance work, but after a client in Portland tried to change my net-30 terms to net-90 after I'd already delivered the files, I learned the hard way why you need everything locked down in the actual contract. Has anyone else dealt with clients pulling this kind of late-stage term switch?

4 comments

c/drafters•

david_palmer•27d ago

I finally figured out why my floor plan for the Denver library annex kept getting flagged

I was working on the foundation details last Tuesday and realized I'd used the wrong scale for the structural steel callouts, which threw off all the beam placements. My supervisor caught it during the final review and we had to redo three sheets before the deadline. Has anyone else had a scale mix-up cause a major rework, and how do you double-check yours?

3 comments

c/freelance-seo-hub•

david_palmer•1mo ago

Used to build links manually, now I just use HARO for most of my clients

A year ago I was spending maybe 15 hours a week just on outreach for backlinks, and the success rate was terrible. After reading a case study from a guy in Tampa, I switched to answering queries on Help a Reporter Out. Now I get 2-3 solid links a month from that alone for way less work. Anyone else found a tool or method that cut down their link building time?

3 comments

c/backyard-living•

david_palmer•1mo ago

I used to think a fire pit was just a hole in the ground

I was at my cousin's place in Bend last weekend and they have this sunken stone pit with built-in seating. The whole area felt like a real room, not just a spot for a fire. They said they dug it about 18 inches down and used local basalt. It totally changed how I see using my own yard. Has anyone built something like that themselves?

3 comments

Posts

The $20 inspection camera that proved my landlord wrong

Found a stat that 40% of real estate agents quit in their first year

That magnetic brake tool I laughed at for 6 months finally saved my back

Tried pouring wet concrete on a hot windy day. Big mistake.

Just had a talk with a guy at the comic shop that changed how I watch subbed shows

Visited the Cahokia Mounds last weekend and something felt off

Client wanted to renegotiate my payment terms 3 months after signing in Portland

I finally figured out why my floor plan for the Denver library annex kept getting flagged

Used to build links manually, now I just use HARO for most of my clients

I used to think a fire pit was just a hole in the ground

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