Showerthought: My $200 custom frame for a first print comic was a total lifesaver

Found a mint copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 at a garage sale for cheap. Spent more on the UV glass and acid free backing than the book itself. Did I go overboard or is that just smart collecting?

Spent $60 on a book about the JFK assassination and it was a total waste

Kept seeing this book recommended in online threads. Bought it for about sixty bucks. It was just a rehash of the same old theories with zero new evidence. Felt like the author was just trying to cash in. Anyone have a solid source that actually digs into new info?

I was at a trade show in Denver and saw a trick with a cold spoon

Honestly, I was watching a demo for a high end serum and the presenter had a client with really red, reactive skin. Instead of just using her fingers, she took a metal spoon from a cup of ice water and gently pressed it under the eyes and on the cheeks. The redness went down in like 30 seconds flat. I tried it back at my place with a regular spoon from the freezer and it works just as well for calming flare ups during extractions. It's a free tool I already had. Has anyone else found a simple, cheap trick like that for sensitive skin types?

Ran a 6-inch suction dredge for a month on the Snake River, then swapped to an 8-inch cutterhead. The difference in material moved was crazy.

Just saw a tech at the Phoenix Jiffy Lube using a 3/8 impact to tighten drain plugs.

I asked him about torque specs and he said 'good and tight' is the factory setting, so watch out for stripped pans if you get those cars in your bay.

Client asked for a full site redesign, then ghosted me after I sent the mockups

A new client hired me for a website redesign, paid a $500 deposit, and was super responsive for two weeks. I sent over three detailed mockups last Monday and asked for feedback. I haven't heard a single word since, no replies to emails or calls. I spent about 25 hours on this. Has anyone had a client just vanish after you deliver the work they asked for? What's the next move here?

My dad told me to put a layer of sand under my patio pavers and I should have listened

He said it would help with drainage and stop them from shifting. I skipped it to save a day of work, and after one heavy rain last month, the whole corner is uneven and pooling water. Anyone else had to redo a patio because they cut a corner?

Pro tip: I stopped giving a flat fee for staging consultations after one client asked me to do their whole house for free.

I used to just say 'my consultation is $200' and show up. Then last month, a couple in the Elmwood area asked for a quote, I gave it, and after two hours of walking through their place they said 'so this advice is part of the $200, right?' and expected me to keep coming back. Now I write a simple contract before I even step in the door that says the fee covers one visit and a written plan, and any extra time is a new agreement. Has anyone else had to get this specific to stop scope creep?

Appreciation post: My air fryer chicken wings turned into a smoky mess last night

I was making a batch of wings in my Cosori air fryer and got distracted for maybe five minutes. When I came back, the kitchen was full of smoke because the grease from the wings had dripped down and started burning. I had to open all the windows and finish them in the oven. Does anyone have a good trick to stop the grease from smoking like that?

Can we talk about the push for CNC-only shops in Seattle

Three years ago I took a job at a high-end place in Ballard that had just bought a massive 5-axis machine. Last month, the owner told me they were letting go of two guys who only did hand-cut joinery, saying it was 'inefficient'. I watched a $15,000 custom vanity get ruined last week because the programmer didn't understand grain direction on the walnut. Has anyone else had a client complain about the lack of craft in machined-only work?