Back in 2015, a friend at a con said my collection was just a pile of books

He pointed at my long boxes and said, 'You're not a curator, you're a hoarder.' It hit me hard because I had about 300 comics just stacked in a closet. I started organizing them by story arc and character, not just issue number. Now I actually read and share them instead of just owning them. Has anyone else had a friend give them tough love about their collecting habits?

Pro tip: My PNG exports kept looking muddy for a solid week

Turns out I had the color profile set to CMYK for print instead of sRGB for web. Has anyone else run into this with Procreate?

Got tired of the mess from my old corded circular saw and picked up a brushless model last month

Honestly, the cordless one is just way better for moving around a site. I was framing a shed in my backyard and not having to drag an extension cord over the dirt made a huge difference. The battery lasted through cutting all the 2x4s and plywood without slowing down. Has anyone else made the switch and found they use their saw more now?

Just noticed I've filled 50 pages in my bullet journal this year. Didn't think I'd stick with it.

Showerthought: My best build day started with a broken jigsaw blade

I was cutting some tricky curves for a built-in shelf and snapped my last blade. Instead of running to the store, I tried a metal cutting blade I had from an old project. It cut the plywood cleaner than the wood blade ever did. Has anyone else had a tool work better for a job it wasn't made for?

Had a client yesterday who wanted a drastic color change in one session.

She came in with dark box dye and wanted a platinum blonde, but her hair felt pretty damaged. I had to choose between pushing for a multi-session plan or trying a gentler lightener with a bond builder to do it all at once. I went with the single session using Olaplex No.1 in the mix, and while it took 5 hours, the lift was good and the hair feels strong. Would you have tried to talk her into coming back another time or do you think getting it done in one go is fine if you're careful?

Visited the old train station in my town and noticed the ticket window still has a 1952 schedule pinned behind the glass.

Spent a solid hour trying to dial in a new Ethiopian bean on my V60... the grind was just a hair too fine.

I got this new bag from a roaster in Portland, and the tasting notes said 'bright lemon and jasmine.' My first cup was super bitter and took forever to drain. I kept adjusting the grind coarser bit by bit, but I was being too cautious with the changes. Went from a 12 to a 16 on my Baratza Encore over like four separate attempts. The whole process, from the first sour sip to finally getting that clean, sweet cup, took over 60 minutes of messing with water temp, pour speed, and mostly that grind setting. It's crazy how one tiny click can throw everything off. Anyone have a good starting point for light roast Ethiopians with a V60? I feel like I'm always starting from scratch.

Serious question, why does everyone think you need a ton of butter for a good pan sauce?

I see it all the time, cooks on TV and even in some kitchens I've worked in just dumping a whole stick of cold butter into a hot pan to finish a sauce. It makes a greasy, heavy mess. I learned from a chef in Chicago about 8 years ago that you need to start with a proper reduction first. Get your fond, add your wine or stock, and reduce it by at least half until it coats the back of a spoon. Then, and only then, you add your butter, but it has to be cold and you have to whisk it in off the heat. If the pan is too hot, the butter splits and you get that oily layer on top. I can tell a rushed pan sauce from across the room now. Has anyone else had to fix a broken sauce because someone got the butter step wrong?

Overheard a homeowner call our work 'just laying down fabric'

It was at a supply house in Boise, and it made me want to explain the whole process of tack strips and power stretching. Has anyone else had a moment like that where you felt the need to defend the craft?