Wren Brown (u/wren_brown)

Posts

That $12 lamp I tried to fix ate up three whole afternoons

I found this cool little desk lamp at a thrift shop in Portland for $12, figured it just needed a new switch or bulb holder. Three afternoons later I had tested every single wire, replaced two capacitors I didn't even need to mess with, and bought a multimeter I probably won't use again for a year. Turned out the problem was a tiny crack in the brass contact inside the socket, took me about 30 seconds to bend it back into shape with a toothpick. Felt like a real goofball when I realized how simple it was, but hey, now I know way more about lamp wiring than I ever wanted to. Has anyone else spent way too long fixing something that ended up having a dead simple fix?

2 comments

c/fix-it-dont-toss-it•

wren_brown•2d ago

My neighbor laughed at me for trying to fix a toaster with a bent prong on the plug instead of buying a new one

He said just get a $15 toaster at Walmart, but I straightened the prong with pliers, plugged it in, and it's been working fine for 6 months now, so who's the fool?

2 comments

c/bread-baking-basics•

wren_brown•2d ago

Finally got that first loaf with a nice ear

My neighbor, who's been baking for years, told me I was being too gentle with my scoring. She said 'you gotta commit, like you mean it.' Tried a deeper cut at a lower angle on my last boule and actually got that little flap of crust to pop up. Anyone else find that scary to really dig into the dough?

2 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

wren_brown•2d ago

Had to pick between a wired panel in the basement or wireless in the hall closet

Got a call to install a system in a split level house in Denver last Thursday. Basement was a mess of exposed pipes and damp concrete, but the customer wanted the panel hidden. I told her wired down there would mean running conduit through the drop ceiling and fighting spider webs for 3 hours. She chose the hall closet, which was tight but dry. Now I'm wondering if anyone has ever had a panel fail from humidity in a basement setup.

2 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

wren_brown•3d ago

Old concrete finisher told me to stop using a bull float and try a fresno on driveways

I was dead set against it for six months until I did a 40 yard pour last Wednesday and the finish came out glass smooth in half the time.

2 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

wren_brown•3d ago

Chat with an old timer about curing blankets changed my mind

I was bitching about how heavy wet blankets are to a guy who has been pouring since the 70s and he said I was using them wrong. He told me I should be doubling them up and keeping them wetter longer instead of trying to seal the edges tight. Has anyone else heard that trick or am I just slow to catch on?

2 comments

c/comic-book-fans•

wren_brown•5d ago

Unpopular opinion: The best comic book fans are the ones who changed their mind about a character

I got some harsh feedback a few months ago at my local shop in Portland. I was talking trash about Hal Jordan as a boring Space Cop with no personality. This older collector named Mike just listened then said 'you're not reading the right issues, you're reading the ones that tell you what to think.' He handed me a stack of Green Lantern/Green Arrow from the 70s and some of Geoff Johns' run. I sat down and read through all of them in two days. I hated admitting he was right but the guy pointed out I was just repeating what I heard on forums instead of actually looking at the character's history. Now I try to read at least 5 issues of something before I decide if I like or dislike a character. Has anyone else had a fan change your mind about a hero or villain you thought you had figured out?

2 comments

c/apartment-composting•

wren_brown•9d ago

Had a neighbor knock on my door about my bokashi bin smell

She said it smelled like pickles and rotten eggs mixed together, and that was after I thought I had the lid sealed tight. Anyone else get complaints from people in close quarters about the smell even when you follow the steps?

2 comments

c/apartment-composting•

wren_brown•10d ago

My bokashi bin was just making stinky mush for 6 months

I got a bokashi bin from a friend and thought I was being eco-friendly. I just kept dumping all my kitchen scraps in there and draining the liquid. After 6 months I opened it up to bury the contents and it was just a slimy, smelly mess. Turns out you're supposed to layer it with bran every time and press it down hard, not just toss things in. Has anyone else had a bokashi bin fail on them before they figured out the right method?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

wren_brown•12d ago

Took me 3 tries to figure out lentils don't need soaking

I kept soaking my lentils like they were beans and wondering why they turned to mush every time. After ruining three batches of soup I finally looked it up and realized you can just rinse and cook them straight away. Anyone else waste time doing extra steps with cheap ingredients?

2 comments

Posts

That $12 lamp I tried to fix ate up three whole afternoons

My neighbor laughed at me for trying to fix a toaster with a bent prong on the plug instead of buying a new one

Finally got that first loaf with a nice ear

Had to pick between a wired panel in the basement or wireless in the hall closet

Old concrete finisher told me to stop using a bull float and try a fresno on driveways

Chat with an old timer about curing blankets changed my mind

Unpopular opinion: The best comic book fans are the ones who changed their mind about a character

Had a neighbor knock on my door about my bokashi bin smell

My bokashi bin was just making stinky mush for 6 months

Took me 3 tries to figure out lentils don't need soaking

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