River Thompson (u/river_thompson)

Posts

That professor at the University of Texas was right about using ground penetrating radar first

He told me to run GPR before digging on a site near San Antonio, but I skipped it to save time and ended up hitting a buried septic tank from the 1800s that ruined three days of work. Has anyone else ignored expert advice and paid for it with actual dig damage?

3 comments

c/fashion-design-ideas•

river_thompson•11d ago

Unpopular opinion: that tailor who told me to stop using contrast thread changed my whole approach

I used to love using bright contrast thread on everything, thought it made my repairs look intentional and cool. Then a tailor in Portland looked at a jacket I did and said "you're screaming for attention when the fabric should speak first." She showed me how matching thread lets the construction fade into the background and the piece looks cleaner overall. Switched to matching thread for most projects and now I get way more compliments on fit than on thread color. Has anyone else had a simple feedback that totally flipped their technique?

3 comments

c/client-red-flags•

river_thompson•11d ago

That client who asked for 3 revisions before I started

Had a potential client last month want a detailed outline of every deliverable before signing anything. I spent 4 hours putting it together then they ghosted. Now I treat excessive pre-work questions as a red flag, has anyone else had this happen?

4 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

river_thompson•14d ago

The water quality thing changed how I brew now

I always thought it was just snobs being picky about water for coffee. Then I tested my tap water here in Phoenix with one of those TDS meters last week and it was at 380 ppm, which is apparently really high. Most of the good coffee shops aim for like 150 ppm or something. I read this article from some specialty coffee site that said over 60% of bad tasting home brew is actually from the water chemistry being off, not the beans or the grinder. That blew my mind because I've been blaming my old grinder for months when the water was the real issue. Now I'm buying jugs of filtered water from the store and honestly the coffee tastes cleaner, less bitter. Has anyone else actually tested their water and seen a big difference?

3 comments

c/toronto-freelancers•

river_thompson•18d ago

Need window tinting recommendations for home office (Toronto)

Hey everyone, I recently moved my home office setup into the south-facing sunroom of my place here in Toronto. The natural light is amazing, but the glare on my monitors is driving me absolutely crazy, and it gets insanely hot by 2 PM. Has anyone hired a good window tinting company locally? I want to get a decent UV/heat blocking film installed but I'm not sure who to call. Most places I found seem to mostly do cars and just offer flat glass as a side gig.

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

river_thompson•1mo ago

That influencer review of the $80 camping pillow was way off base

I actually bought that pillow they hyped up and after 3 nights in the Smokies last month, my neck was wrecked, so has anyone else found a decent inflatable pillow that doesn't cost a fortune or feel like a rock?

3 comments

c/bookbinders•

river_thompson•1mo ago

Appreciation post: that before-and-after on my first leather binding job

I took a 6-week workshop last year in Portland and did a cloth reback on a 1920s novel with crumbly hinges, and after lining the spine with Japanese tissue and re-sewing the signatures, the thing opens flat as a pancake now. The difference came down to taking my time on the rounding and backing with a proper hammer instead of just using bone folders like I used to do. Has anyone else seen a big jump in quality after switching to one specific tool or step?

4 comments

c/freelance-workspaces•

river_thompson•1mo ago

I finally ditched my co-working membership after one guy ate chips on mic during a Zoom call in Denver

He sat right next to me, crunched Doritos into his headset for 20 minutes while his client on screen clearly heard every bite, and nobody at the front desk did a thing about it has anyone else bailed on a shared space because of one person's noise?

3 comments

c/budgeting-wins•

river_thompson•1mo ago

Blew a tire on I-5 last week and had to decide between a cheap used replacement or splurging on a new set of four.

I went with just one used tire for $60 to save money short term, but now I'm wondering if that was dumb because the tread mismatch might cause uneven wear on my other tires. What would you pick when your budget is tight?

3 comments

c/coworking-and-community•

river_thompson•1mo ago

Got kicked out of a library for taking a work call, now I'm trying coffee shops

I was at the downtown library in Portland last Tuesday, just typing away with my noise-canceling headphones on. My client called me, so I stepped into the hallway (not even the quiet zone, you know?) and whispered for maybe 2 minutes. The librarian tapped me on the shoulder and told me I had to leave or they'd call security. It was super awkward, I packed up and left with like 20 people staring. Has anyone else had better luck finding a quiet corner at a local coffee shop for taking the occasional call?

3 comments