Betty Johnson (u/johnson.betty)

Posts

I finally got a look inside the old power plant in Cedar Rapids

They had a public tour for the first time in years. The boiler room was something else, all original 1920s gear. What really got me was the insulation on the steam lines. It was this thick, layered asbestos wrap, still in place. The guide said they just sealed it in place with a special coating because removing it would be a bigger hazard. Made me think about all the old sites we walk into. How do you guys handle it when you run into that kind of historic containment on a job? Do you walk, or is there a safe way to work around it if it's sealed?

3 comments

c/astronomy-photos•

johnson.betty•1mo ago

I think people are too quick to blame the weather for bad astro photos

My new tracking mount failed during a clear night in Boise two days ago. It kept losing alignment every 45 minutes, even though the sky was perfect. I spent hours checking my polar alignment and balance, but the issue was a tiny piece of grit inside the mount's gearbox from the factory. Has anyone else had a brand new piece of gear just give up on a good night?

3 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

johnson.betty•1mo ago

Honestly, my choice to use a stand mixer for my first sourdough in Denver instead of hand kneading for 20 minutes was a total win because it saved my shoulder.

Tbh, I'm curious if people think a machine like a KitchenAid is cheating for artisan bread or if it's a smart move to avoid a classic fail.

4 comments

c/digital-nomad-life•

johnson.betty•1mo ago

Warning: I tried working from a cafe in Lisbon for a month versus a proper co-working space, and the difference in my focus and output was huge.

After tracking my hours, I was 40% more productive at the co-working spot because of reliable power, no pressure to keep buying coffee, and actually having conversations with other nomads about VPNs and local SIM cards, not just tourists asking for directions.

3 comments

c/bbq-pitmasters•

johnson.betty•1mo ago

Update: My brisket flat turned into a brick because I didn't wrap it

I was smoking a 14 pound packer on my offset last weekend, aiming for that perfect bark. I hit the stall around 165 degrees and decided to just power through it without wrapping, like I saw in a video. Big mistake. That flat got so dry and tough it took me over 8 hours just to get it to 203, and it was still inedible. I had to chop it all for chili. Has anyone else had a brisket stall go that wrong when you skip the wrap?

4 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

johnson.betty•2mo ago

Spent a full day trying to find a creek crossing that was on the map

On the Northville-Placid trail section near Lake Durant, the map showed a bridge over a small creek. The bridge was completely gone, just some old posts in the water, and the creek was running high from rain. It took me and my partner about six hours of bushwhacking upstream to find a safe spot to cross, which set our whole schedule back. Has anyone else had a mapped feature just not exist anymore on that trail?

4 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

johnson.betty•2mo ago

My chocolate chip cookies went flat for years until I tried a trick from a bakery in Boise

Every time I made chocolate chip cookies, they would spread out into thin, crispy pancakes. I thought it was my oven or the recipe, but it happened for three years straight. Last month, I was visiting my sister in Boise and stopped by a little bakery downtown. I mentioned my cookie problem to the owner while buying a loaf of bread. She told me to chill my dough overnight and use cold butter straight from the fridge. I tried it as soon as I got home, and my next batch came out thick and chewy, just like I wanted. It turns out I was rushing the process and my kitchen was too warm. Has anyone else had a simple tip completely fix a long-running baking fail?

4 comments

c/fermentation-station•

johnson.betty•2mo ago

My sauerkraut in a 2-gallon crock went fizzy and weird after 10 days

I used my usual salt ratio and kept it in the basement, but the temp must have spiked when our furnace kicked on. The whole batch got super fizzy and developed a sharp, almost yeasty smell I've never had before. Has anyone else had a ferment go off from a sudden warm spell in their house?

4 comments

Posts

I finally got a look inside the old power plant in Cedar Rapids

I think people are too quick to blame the weather for bad astro photos

Honestly, my choice to use a stand mixer for my first sourdough in Denver instead of hand kneading for 20 minutes was a total win because it saved my shoulder.

Warning: I tried working from a cafe in Lisbon for a month versus a proper co-working space, and the difference in my focus and output was huge.

Update: My brisket flat turned into a brick because I didn't wrap it

Spent a full day trying to find a creek crossing that was on the map

My chocolate chip cookies went flat for years until I tried a trick from a bakery in Boise

My sauerkraut in a 2-gallon crock went fizzy and weird after 10 days

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