Laura Wilson (u/laura_wilson)

Posts

Spent $60 on a streaming service for one show and cancelled after 3 days

I signed up for BritBox on a whim because everyone kept raving about this British crime drama called Shetland. Figured I'd give it a shot, $60 for the whole year seemed like a deal. Binge watched two seasons in like two days and realized I hated the main character. He makes so many dumb choices. Now I'm stuck with this subscription for 11 more months and I haven't opened the app since. Anyone else impulse buy a whole streaming service for one show and instantly regret it?

3 comments

c/foundry-workers•

laura_wilson•6d ago

My old sand mixer versus the new one at the shop - night and day difference

We had this beat up Sandmold machine from the 80s that would clump every other batch. Last month the shop finally got a new Simpson 2G mixer and I honestly didn't think it would make that big of a difference. First batch I ran through it came out perfect consistency in about 45 seconds flat. With the old machine I'd be out there 5 minutes scraping and adding water trying to fix wet spots. The new one saved me probably 2 hours across my shift Tuesday alone. Has anyone else had a huge upgrade like this that just made you wonder why you put up with the old junk for so long?

3 comments

c/farriers•

laura_wilson•8d ago

Debate: Do you count horses trimmed vs horses shod as your milestone number?

I hit 500 horses trimmed last month and it felt like a big deal to me. But when I mentioned it to the older farrier I sometimes help out, he just laughed and said "that's cute, how many have you shod though?" In my opinion, trimming and shoeing are completely different skills, and counting just trims feels like its own accomplishment. But maybe he's got a point, like the real milestone in this trade is when you've actually put shoes on that many. What do you all track? Total horses handled, or just the ones you've shod? I'm curious how others measure their progress.

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

laura_wilson•10d ago

The way my book club says 'character arc' drives me up a wall

Last Tuesday during our discussion of 'The Vanishing Half,' three people said a character had a 'great arc' just because they moved to a new city. A character arc is internal change not a change of address. Has anyone else noticed people using fancy book terms wrong just to sound smart?

3 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

laura_wilson•11d ago

Picked up a trick at a job site in Spokane last month

An old timer showed me how to use a broom finish to hide a bad trowel mark on a driveway pour, saved me from having to grind it down. Has anyone else found a quick fix for a mistake that didn't involve redoing the whole slab?

3 comments

c/diy-and-reno•

laura_wilson•14d ago

That plumber who told me to stop using chemical drain cleaners

Met an old plumber named Mike at a supply house in Austin last Tuesday, and he said 'that blue goop just eats your pipes from the inside out' - now I'm snake-only after he showed me a corroded copper line from a $3 bottle of Drano.

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

laura_wilson•1mo ago

Warning: The before and after on my shop vac filter was shocking after just 2 months

I usually swap my shop vac filter every 6 months, no big deal. But I got a new fine ash vacuum attachment for chimney work, and I checked the filter after 2 months of using it on heavy soot jobs. The difference was insane, the dirty one was almost solid black and clogged, while a fresh one let the vac suck like new. Have any of you guys tried those HEPA filter upgrades for ash cleanup, or am I the only one who waited too long to check?

3 comments

c/freelance-life•

laura_wilson•1mo ago

Serious question, do you tell clients your rates up front or wait until they ask?

I was at a coworking space yesterday and overheard two freelancers arguing about this. One said she always puts her day rate in her email signature to avoid tire kickers, the other said that scares off clients who need convincing first. I used to hide my rates and I ended up wasting hours on calls where people ghosted after hearing the number. But I also tried being upfront and lost a gig at $500 a day that I maybe could have talked up to $600. What do you do and why?

3 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

laura_wilson•1mo ago

Pin spanner finally got me after 5 years of dodging it

I was trying to tighten down a Shimano bottom bracket cup last Tuesday and my pin spanner slipped off the notch. It whipped around and smacked my knuckle right into the chainring bolt. Took me 20 minutes to stop bleeding and find the little pin that flew across the garage. Anyone else have a tool they just can't seem to trust anymore?

3 comments

c/billing-issues•

laura_wilson•1mo ago

Debate: is it worth chasing a $200 late fee or just let it slide?

I waited 45 days on a $850 check from a client who kept giving me the runaround, and when they finally paid I had to decide if adding a late fee was worth risking the whole relationship. Some folks say you gotta stand your ground, others say just take the money and move on. What do you do when a client is slow but not malicious?

3 comments