Had a job in a 1920s house in Portland yesterday... realized I've been crimping my RJ31X jacks wrong for years.

I thought the 'write what you know' advice was just a cliche until I tried it for real

For years I avoided writing about my own life, thinking it was boring. Then last month, I wrote a short story based on working at my uncle's auto shop in Toledo. I used real details, like the smell of the grease and the sound of the air wrench. It felt way more honest and people in my writing group said it was my best work yet. I guess you really do have to start with what's right in front of you. Has anyone else had a prompt or piece of advice they thought was dumb that actually worked?

Just got back from a week in Mexico City where my $12 gamble paid off big time

I was there last week and decided to try something I read online but didn't fully believe. Instead of buying a tourist card for the metro, I got a regular local card for about 30 pesos and loaded it with 200 pesos (roughly $12). For that whole week, I used it on the metro, buses, and even the cable car to get to a viewpoint. It worked everywhere and I never spent more on transport. The best part was taking the bus to the pyramids for basically nothing compared to a tour. I felt like I cracked the city's code lol. Has anyone else found a stupidly cheap local transit pass that saved their trip?

Had to decide on a mortar mix for a chimney rebuild in a coastal town

The homeowner wanted it done fast and cheap with a pre-mix, but I insisted on a custom lime-rich mix for the salt air. It added a day to the job and cost him an extra $300, but that chimney isn't going to spall in five years. Anyone else had to push back on a client's shortcut that would've bit them later?

My sourdough starter was flat for weeks until I changed one thing

I kept feeding my starter with tap water straight from the kitchen faucet. After three weeks of getting dense, sad loaves, I read a comment on a blog that mentioned chlorine in city water can kill the good yeast. I switched to using bottled water for my feedings, and my starter doubled in size within two days. Has anyone else had a simple fix like that make all the difference?

Bought a cheap paint gun from Harbor Freight and it cost me $300 in rework

The thing spit and sputtered halfway through a full hood job, leaving me with orange peel and runs everywhere. Anyone got a solid mid-range brand they actually trust?

We switched from a weekly team meeting to a daily 10 minute huddle and our project speed doubled

For about six months, my small team of five was stuck. We had a big weekly meeting every Monday to plan the week, but by Wednesday, things were already off track and we'd be sending a million emails. Last month, our manager said we had to try something new: a daily 10 minute stand-up at 9:15 AM sharp. We just say what we did yesterday, what we're doing today, and if we're blocked. It sounded like a waste of time, but the change was crazy. In the old meeting, people would talk for 20 minutes about problems that only concerned them. Now, if someone says they're blocked on a client approval, someone else can jump in right after the huddle to help. We finished our last project in three weeks instead of six. Has anyone else made a small change to meetings that had a huge payoff?

Best mortgage broker with 24/7 support?

Can anyone recommend a good mortgage brand or broker who actually works outside of 9-to-5 banking hours? I work long shifts and can't be taking personal calls during the day to deal with underwriters.

Tbh, my balcony basil plant started growing through the railings into the next apartment.

My neighbor asked if I was sharing herbs by airmail.