Update on that $20 'miracle' windshield repair kit from the auto parts store

I was sure it was a total scam, but a rock chip on my old Civic forced me to try it. The resin actually filled the crack perfectly and it's held strong for over a year now. Anyone have a similar win with a cheap fix you doubted?

Bought a $50 set of brush pens that bled through every page in my journal

Had to choose between two trucks at the downtown festival yesterday

I mean, the line for 'Big Mike's Bistro' was way shorter, but I'd heard 'La Catrina' had the best carnitas in the city. I went with La Catrina and waited 45 minutes, but idk, maybe it's just me but the tacos were kinda dry. Has anyone else tried both and felt the same way?

I finally figured out why my creosote scraper was always getting stuck in those old flues in the historic district.

Vent: Everyone says you need a full hour for lunch, but my 22 minute power nap in the truck cab is way better

I used to try and cram in a whole meal and a walk during my break, but I'd just come back feeling slow and full. Now I set a timer for 22 minutes, lean the seat back, and just zone out. I wake up feeling sharper than if I'd had coffee, and I still have time to eat a sandwich. Anyone else find a short rest works better than a long, drawn-out break?

Update: I finally cleaned out my email inbox after 2 years of ignoring it.

Hot take: My 'cheap' dried beans cost me a whole afternoon

I decided to save cash and cook a big pot of dried pinto beans from a 2 dollar bag. The recipe said 'soak overnight or do a quick soak'. I picked the quick soak, which was supposed to take an hour. My beans were still like little rocks after 3 hours on the stove. Turns out my beans were super old from the back of the store shelf, and old beans just won't soften up right no matter what you do. Anyone else had a cheap ingredient totally backfire on your time?

Warning: my kitchen sink was draining slow for weeks and I almost called a plumber.

I saw a video where a guy in Austin said to pour a whole pot of boiling water down, wait five minutes, then follow it with a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar. Did it last night and it cleared right up, no chemicals. Has anyone else had luck with this method on really old pipes?

My brother called my chili 'sad' and it changed how I shop

About two years ago, my brother came over for dinner and I served my usual ground beef and bean chili. He took a bite, looked at me, and said 'Em, this tastes sad. It's just brown.' That stuck with me. I realized I was so focused on cheap protein I forgot about flavor and color. Now, I always grab a red bell pepper and a yellow onion, even if they add a dollar to the cost. I roast them first for a deeper taste, and I've learned a single chipotle pepper in adobo sauce makes a huge difference for almost no money. It's still a budget meal, but it feels and tastes like so much more. What's one small, cheap ingredient that totally changed a basic meal for you?

The week I had to shoe a draft horse with a bad case of thrush

Last Tuesday, a regular farm out near Redmond called me in for their Percheron, and the poor guy's feet were a mess from wet spring ground. I spent over three hours just cleaning out the deep central sulcus on each hoof before I could even think about trimming, and the smell was something else. Some farriers I know say you should just do a basic trim and let the owner handle the treatment, but I'm in the camp of doing a full clean-out and packing the area with copper sulfate while you're there. What's your take on how much we should step in when a shoeing job turns into a hoof care fix? I'd rather not leave a horse in pain, but it also eats up a whole afternoon.