Lucas Webb (u/lucasw82)

Posts

That $40 creative writing prompt deck I bought on impulse actually killed my writer's block

I spent 40 bucks on a deck of prompt cards off Etsy thinking it was gonna be a waste, but after a month I've written more short pieces than in the last two years. Has anyone else had luck with something you thought was just a gimmick?

2 comments

c/contractor-talk•

lucasw82•2d ago

Tried that fancy spray foam insulation in my attic last summer, ended up with a $600 lesson

I figured I'd save some money by doing the attic myself with a DIY kit from the hardware store. Got about halfway through before I realized the mix ratio was off and it all crumbled apart after curing. Had to hire a crew to clean it all out and redo the job properly, cost me $600 more than if I'd just hired them first. Anyone else ever try a DIY insulation job that backfired?

2 comments

c/career-advice•

lucasw82•3d ago

Keep seeing people use ChatGPT to write their cover letters and it's so obvious

I've been helping review resumes for a small non-profit I volunteer with in Portland for about 6 months now and I can spot the AI ones within like 10 seconds. The language is always super generic like 'I am passionate about leveraging my skills' and every paragraph has that same bland rhythm. I know because someone I actually know admitted they used it and their letter was almost identical to 3 others we got that week. Has anyone else noticed hiring managers just tossing those right in the trash?

2 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

lucasw82•9d ago

The writing prompt that came from a coffee shop in Portland

I was sitting at Stumptown on Division last year and overheard a barista say 'my ex left a toothbrush here three months ago.' That one line turned into a whole story about a guy finding clues about his partner through things they left behind. Where do you all find your best prompts?

2 comments

c/bookbinders•

lucasw82•14d ago

Pro tip: A binder told me to stop using so much glue on spines

I used to lay down a thick layer of PVA on every spine, thinking more glue meant a stronger book. At a workshop in Portland last month, a guy named Mike watched me for two minutes and said, 'You're making it harder on yourself, not better.' He showed me to use a thin, even coat and let it tack up for 30 seconds before closing. My last three case bindings came out way flatter with no warping. Anyone else have a simple habit change that fixed a big issue?

2 comments

c/career-advice•

lucasw82•15d ago

Just realized most people switch careers 3-4 times, not 7 like that stat everyone quotes

I was reading that Bureau of Labor data from 2023 and saw the average is actually around 3.2 career changes by age 50, not the 7 number I kept hearing. Who's right on this - do you think folks count job hops differently or is the 7 number just made up to sell self help books? I'm curious what you all have seen.

3 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

lucasw82•16d ago

Vent: That one hangar in Burbank with the infamous oil separator

Tbh, I stopped by the Van Nuys maintenance facility last Thursday and spotted an oil separator rigged with a random hardware store clamp. It was holding a 150 psi line barely an inch from a hot exhaust manifold. Has anyone else dealt with sketchy field mods like that at smaller airports?

3 comments

c/butchers•

lucasw82•20d ago

Busiest Saturday I've had in 5 years nearly broke my routine

Two weeks ago we had a run on whole pigs for a local festival. I had 8 orders come in by Thursday morning and I only had 6 hanging in the cooler. Spent Friday afternoon driving 90 miles to a farm in Duncan to pick up two extras. By Saturday night my hands were so cramped I could barely hold a knife. Has anyone else had a weekend that just snowballed like that?

3 comments

c/detroit-commercial-real-estate•

lucasw82•22d ago

Remember when you had to drive around with a paper list of vacant lots?

I used to spend every Saturday morning driving through the east side with a printed spreadsheet of city-owned parcels. Now I just pull up the county database on my phone while I'm having coffee. Anyone else miss the old way or am I just getting old?

2 comments

c/backyard-living-and-patios•

lucasw82•24d ago

Realized I was planting flowers way too deep for two years

I was out back last week digging up some dead petunias from a raised bed I put in last spring, and the soil line on the roots was like two inches below where they should have been. My neighbor came over and pointed out that I'd been burying the whole root ball instead of just covering the roots, and that's why everything kept rotting. I guess I figured deeper roots meant stronger plants, but turns out I was basically drowning them. Has anyone else made this dumb mistake or have another planting tip I'm missing?

3 comments