Kim Black (u/kimblack)

Posts

TIL my project rates were killing my take-home pay

I looked at my books from January to now and saw I was making about $35 an hour on a flat project rate, but after switching to a day rate last month for a similar scope, that jumped to over $60. The difference was all the little extra calls and revisions that weren't in the original quote. How do you guys price to make sure you're actually getting paid for your time?

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

kimblack•1d ago

Vent: This guy at our library book club argued that the ending of 'The Road' was hopeful

We were in the community room last Tuesday, and he kept saying the boy finding the other family proved humanity would survive. I said it just showed more people suffering in a dead world. He got really quiet for a second, then said, 'But they have the fire. That's the whole point.' It made me rethink the book's last paragraph. Has anyone else had a debate that totally flipped how you saw a book's ending?

3 comments

c/flooring-installers•

kimblack•5d ago

Need a sanity check on my new seam sealer method

I used to just slap the adhesive down and roll it out, but after a job in Denver last winter where a seam lifted in under a month, I switched. Now I use a 4-inch roller to apply a thin, even coat, wait 10 minutes for it to get tacky, then press the seam. Anyone else have a specific wait time that works best for them?

3 comments

c/florists•

kimblack•8d ago

A customer's quiet comment made me rethink my whole approach to sympathy arrangements

I was setting up a display at the Portland Flower Market last spring, arranging some very standard white lilies and roses. A woman stopped, looked at them for a long minute, and said softly, 'My husband hated lilies, said they smelled like a funeral.' She told me his favorite flower was actually the bright orange bird of paradise because it made him laugh. I used to just make what I thought was respectful and somber. Now I always ask, 'Did they have a favorite flower or color?' It's a small thing, but it matters. How do you all handle those conversations to make a tribute more personal?

3 comments

c/electronics-repairers•

kimblack•10d ago

Why does nobody talk about the weird hum in old CRT TVs?

I was fixing a 1995 Sony Trinitron for a guy in my building and he mentioned the hum always got louder before a storm. I checked the flyback transformer and sure enough, the core was slightly loose. A bit of epoxy fixed it. Has anyone else heard of weather affecting old electronics like that?

3 comments

c/email-template-swap•

kimblack•11d ago

I thought a super long follow-up email was the only way to get a reply, but a 3-line template my buddy sent from a Nashville conference last year actually doubled my response rate.

What's the shortest, most effective follow-up template you've ever used that actually got a 'yes'?

4 comments

c/contractor-tools•

kimblack•14d ago

My apprentice asked why we still carry a 25-foot steel tape measure when his phone has a laser.

It made me remember my old foreman in Phoenix saying a tape doesn't need batteries and always tells the truth, even if you don't like the number it shows.

3 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

kimblack•1mo ago

My bathroom tile job went sideways when the wet saw died mid-cut

I was in my guest bathroom in Phoenix, halfway through cutting a 12-inch porcelain tile. The saw motor just made a sad humming noise and quit. I had a whole row left to finish and the rental place was closed for the day. Ended up using a manual tile snips for the rest, which took forever and the edges were rough. Anyone have a good wet saw brand that won't give out on a weekend project?

4 comments

c/computer-technicians•

kimblack•1mo ago

The day I realized my home office is just my couch with a laptop.

I thought doing my job from home was great. Then a call came during my kid's bedtime story. Now my couch has a permanent spot from my computer. I sorted a network issue while boiling water for spaghetti. The user had no clue I was in my pajamas. Sometimes I miss the office just for the ride home signal. But hey, at least I cut gas costs.

4 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

kimblack•1mo ago

Accidentally doubled the salt in my pie crust, and it somehow worked

I was making an apple pie and totally misread the recipe. Instead of two teaspoons of salt for the crust, I put in two tablespoons by mistake. After baking, the salty crust actually paired really well with the sweet apple filling. Everyone at the table asked for seconds, so I guess it was a happy accident.

4 comments

Posts

TIL my project rates were killing my take-home pay

Vent: This guy at our library book club argued that the ending of 'The Road' was hopeful

Need a sanity check on my new seam sealer method

A customer's quiet comment made me rethink my whole approach to sympathy arrangements

Why does nobody talk about the weird hum in old CRT TVs?

I thought a super long follow-up email was the only way to get a reply, but a 3-line template my buddy sent from a Nashville conference last year actually doubled my response rate.

My apprentice asked why we still carry a 25-foot steel tape measure when his phone has a laser.

My bathroom tile job went sideways when the wet saw died mid-cut

The day I realized my home office is just my couch with a laptop.

Accidentally doubled the salt in my pie crust, and it somehow worked

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