Used to roll my perms in 2 inch sections, now I do 1 inch for tight curls

I swear, when I first started out in beauty school back in 2018, I was doing perms with these huge sections like 2 inches wide. The curls came out loose and wavy, not what the client wanted at all. Then I worked under this older cosmetologist in Tulsa who showed me her method of doing 1 inch sections with smaller rods. Now I get super tight ringlets that last twice as long. Has anyone else had a lightbulb moment like that where a simple change in technique changed everything?

Got a quote for $800 to fix my hot water heater, fixed it myself for $40

My water heater went out last Tuesday morning. No hot water before work is a rough way to start the day. Called three plumbers in Decatur and the cheapest quote was $800 just to replace the heating element. Watched a YouTube video from a guy named Mark in Alabama who showed the whole thing in 12 minutes. Bought the part at Ace Hardware for $12 and a $28 socket wrench set I didn't have. Took me 45 minutes and my hands were shaking the whole time but it worked. Anyone else find that plumber prices have gotten insane lately?

My furnace died in the middle of a cold snap last month

I was three days into a -15°F stretch in Duluth when my blower motor seized up completely. Had to drop $450 on an emergency repair call plus a new motor, which totally wrecked my January budget. Anyone else had a surprise home repair mess up their savings plan for the month?

Stopped at a billboard company's office in Phoenix last month and noticed something odd about their mockups

I was there to drop off some specs for a campaign we were planning. The creative director walked me through their digital mockup wall, and every single billboard they showed had the exact same font size regardless of the speed limit on the road. I asked about it and he said they never adjust for how fast people drive past. Seemed like a huge miss to me. Anyone else run into shops that ignore viewing distance in outdoor?

Brand new framing nailer jammed on me 3 times in one morning

Picked up a new Paslode cordless last week and thought I was set. Got to a job site in Oakland yesterday and by 10am it had jammed three different times. I had to stop everything and spend like 45 minutes pulling nails and clearing out the mag each time. My foreman was not happy since we were behind schedule on that townhouse build. Has anyone else had problems with these newer models or did I just get a lemon from the factory?

Bumped into an old dive buddy at the dock last week

He was talking about how he switched to those lightweight composite tanks a few years back... said his neck and shoulders feel 10 years younger after a full day on the bottom. Got me thinking about all the heavy steel I've been dragging around since I started commercial diving in 2009 down in the Gulf. Never really questioned the kit I was using because that's just what everyone had when I came up. Anyone else make the switch to lighter gear and feel a real difference on those long salvage jobs?

Why I'm starting to think PVA might beat out wheat paste for tight back corners

I tried using PVA glue on a tight back corner repair last week instead of my usual wheat paste. The cover seemed to set faster at first, but when I checked it after 24 hours, the joint looked a little more rigid than I'm used to. On the other hand, that same fast set time saved me from having to clamp it down overnight. Has anyone else noticed a difference in flexibility between the two on older leather spines?

That guy at the bus stop who gave me a plot twist idea

Last Thursday I was waiting for the 27 bus on Main Street and this older dude starts telling me about how he quit his corporate job to raise snails for escargot. He said 'people think snails are slow, but they taught me how to speed up my life.' That random conversation gave me a whole story concept about a character who learns patience from the weirdest source. Has anyone else pulled a full story idea from a stranger's random life story?

Wasted $400 on a 'top of the line' crimper and it mangled every connector until I figured it out

That chat with the cashier at Aldi last Tuesday made me rethink my rice strategy

She said she stretches a $1.50 bag of yellow rice into five meals by mixing it with frozen veggies and a can of tomatoes, and it hit me how many times I've thrown out half a bag of plain white rice. Has anyone else found a specific cheap grain or starch that just works better for stretching meals than others?