My friend called my packing strategy 'overkill' and he was right

I used to pack a full checked bag for every trip, but he pointed out I could save $60 each way on budget airlines by using a 40L backpack. Anyone have a favorite pack for a week in Europe?

Hot take: I thought 'write what you know' was the worst advice until I tried it with my weirdest hobby

I wrote a 500-word scene about competitive dog grooming in Akron, and my writing group said it was the most believable thing I'd ever done. Anyone ever have a prompt that seemed dumb but actually worked?

Serious question, I had a contractor in Boise tell me to always paint trim before installing it, but my dad swears you do it after.

Last month I was redoing my kitchen and the debate came up when I had to decide on the spot for the new window casing.

A quiet moment at the library that changed how I track my reading

I was at the main branch downtown, working on my reading log spread. An older woman at my table leaned over and said, 'You know, I just write the date I finish a book, not the day I start it. It feels more like a win.' I tried her way for three months now. My list looks shorter, but each entry feels solid. Has anyone else tried tracking just the finish dates?

Warning: My 'silly' method for finding a lost artifact actually worked

I was gridding a site near Tucson and lost a small bone awl in some loose dirt, so I tried gently sifting the area with a kitchen colander from my camp gear. Found it in about 15 minutes, which saved me a whole afternoon of careful troweling. Anyone have a weird but effective field trick they're almost embarrassed to admit works?

I tried a 'networking' event at a brewery versus a structured coworking demo day

The brewery thing was just loud and everyone was in their own friend groups, but the demo day at The Shop in Denver last Thursday had actual project shares and a sign-up sheet for skill swaps. I mean, I left with two solid contacts for a web project instead of just a headache. Anyone find a good middle ground for meeting people that isn't either too chaotic or too formal?

I stacked 50 frames of the Orion Nebula with free software and it beat my old single shots from a year ago.

I finally got a permit for the Enchantments but wasted $75 on a bear canister rental.

I rented a huge canister from an outfitter in Leavenworth, only to find out the trailhead has free ones you can borrow. I lost the rental fee because I didn't check the ranger station's website first. Anyone know other popular spots where you can borrow gear like that?

Shoutout to the client at a Portland cafe who told me 'Your rate is your floor, not your ceiling'

PSA: A talk with a guy at a Decatur coffee shop changed how I see follow-ups

I was at a meetup at Kavarna in Decatur last week, just grabbing coffee after. I got talking to a guy who runs a small tech firm. He said something simple that stuck with me. He told me, 'I stopped asking for a business card. I ask for a calendar link instead.' His point was that asking for a card just adds a step. You have to email them later to set something up. Asking for their link right then lets you book a 15 minute check-in on the spot, before you both forget. I tried it yesterday at an event in Buckhead and booked two real chats for next week. It cuts out the whole 'I'll email you' dance that often goes nowhere. What's a small change you've made that actually gets you more real meetings?