Andrew Scott (u/the_andrew)

Posts

That random talk with a landscaper changed how I deal with bad advice

I was out front last Saturday yanking out these old junipers that were totally overgrown, and this older guy walking his dog stops to chat. He said something like 'half the battle is knowing when to just walk away and let things be for a season'. At first I thought he was talking about plants, but then I realized he meant advice in general. Like how many times I've gotten caught up in someone's strong opinion about what I should do in my own yard or house, and it just made things worse. It hit me different because I've spent like 3 years following random tips from neighbors that never worked out. Has anyone else had a random stranger drop some wisdom that actually stuck with you longer than planned?

2 comments

c/fix-it-dont-toss-it•

the_andrew•17d ago

Wasted $200 on a rubber roof patch kit that failed after 2 months on my shed

The tube said it bonds to wet surfaces but it peeled right off during the next rain, so is the whole rubber roof repair thing a scam or did I just buy the wrong brand?

2 comments

c/ask-anything•

the_andrew•20d ago

Watched a 1992 John Deere 318 mow a lawn in 18 minutes flat

My neighbor Bob fired up his old 1992 John Deere 318 last Saturday to do his yard. He's got a half acre lot and he was done in 18 minutes with zero drama. I've been using my newer zero turn for the same size lawn and it takes me 25 plus a cleanup pass because it leaves clumps. He said the secret is the older machines have a simpler deck design that lifts the grass better before cutting. Has anyone else noticed older mowers just plain perform better than the new stuff?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

the_andrew•22d ago

That $10 bag of 'cheap' frozen veggies was a trap

Grabbed a giant bag from a no-name brand at the discount store. Looked fine in the bag. Cooked them up for a stir fry. Tasted like soggy cardboard. Watery mess. Threw half the bag out. Lost $10 but more mad about wasting the rice and sauce I mixed in. Anyone else get burned by off-brand frozen stuff?

2 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

the_andrew•23d ago

I finally caught a cracked engine mount on a 172 during preflight last Tuesday

It was hidden behind the cowl baffle near the #3 cylinder. That little hairline could have gotten ugly fast. Anyone else finding surprise cracks in places you don't normally look?

2 comments

c/anime-discussions•

the_andrew•24d ago

Watched 3 episodes of 'Mushishi' in a row and realized how much anime relies on constant chatter

I went to that little tea shop in my town called Zen Leaf last weekend and put it on their screen. The quiet scenes with Ginko just existing made me notice how most shows never let a moment breathe. Has anyone else tried switching to slower paced anime and felt like it changed how you watch everything else?

2 comments

c/flooring-installers•

the_andrew•27d ago

Thought I could glue down LVP on a damp slab, big mistake

Did a basement job in Raleigh last month, slab tested fine with a meter but I skipped the full moisture test. Within 3 weeks the planks were cupping along the seams. Now I'm pulling it all up and eating the cost. Anyone else learned this the hard way?

2 comments

c/board-game-geeks•

the_andrew•28d ago

Just crunched the numbers on my game collection and I'm honestly shook

I was moving boxes around in my closet last night and decided to actually count how many board games I own. Turns out it's 47. That's not the scary part though. I added up how many times I've actually played each one this year and 14 of them have zero plays. Zero. I found this stat by checking my BGStats app which I've been using since January. Some of those games have been sitting unplayed for over 2 years because I keep buying new ones. Has anyone else done a real audit of their shelf of shame and gotten a wake up call?

2 comments

c/ask-anything•

the_andrew•28d ago

Quick chat with a bus driver changed how I see my commute

I was standing at the stop last Tuesday and an old bus driver for route 22 pulled up early. He leaned out the window and said I always look stressed glancing at my phone. He told me he sees people miss their actual lives staring at screens for 40 minutes each way. That got me thinking about the 200 hours a year I spend just scrolling and not looking out the window. I tried putting my phone away yesterday and noticed three new coffee shops and a mural I never saw before. Has anyone else had a random stranger say something that stuck with you like that?

2 comments

c/geology-rocks•

the_andrew•29d ago

Shoutout to that geologist at Crater Lake who called me out on my hammer swing

He watched me take a swing at a basalt column and said 'you're gonna lose a finger with that form, son'. Changed my whole grip angle that day and I haven't chipped a hammer since... anyone else get schooled by an old timer in the field?

2 comments