Kevin Dixon (u/kevin_dixon)

Posts

Threw away $150 on a cheap motion detector that kept false alarming at 2 AM

After swapping to the DSC unit my supplier recommended, I realized the extra $40 was saving me three return trips a month - anyone else learn this lesson the hard way?

2 comments

c/board-game-geeks•

kevin_dixon•12d ago

Played Catan wrong for 3 years until someone pointed out the robber rule

I was over at a friend's place last weekend and brought out my copy of Catan. We've been playing since 2021 and I always thought when the robber moves, you only lose half your cards if you have more than 10. Turns out it's 7 cards. My buddy read the rulebook out loud after I argued about it for 5 minutes. Felt like an idiot. Who else has been playing a game wrong forever without realizing it?

3 comments

c/builders-forum•

kevin_dixon•14d ago

Saw a custom post frame barn near Lincoln that changed my mind about trusses

Drove past this place off Highway 77 last weekend with a 40x60 post frame barn that had scissor trusses giving it like 14 feet of ceiling height inside. The owner said he did it for under $15k in materials. Has anyone else seen builders using scissor trusses for actual workshop space instead of just storage?

3 comments

c/carpenters•

kevin_dixon•20d ago

Saw a stat that stopped me about hardwood flooring waste

I was reading through a National Wood Flooring Association report that said almost 30% of hardwood gets turned into scrap on average jobs. How much waste do you guys see on a typical floor install compared to that number?

2 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

kevin_dixon•23d ago

Went to the Grand Canyon last month and nobody talks about the crowds at sunrise

Everyone says to go at sunrise for the peaceful views. I got there at 5 AM. There were like 200 people at Mather Point. All fighting for the same selfie spot. Why do people act like it's some secret quiet time when it's packed? Has anyone else noticed the popular spots are just as busy at dawn?

2 comments

c/banking-and-payments-community•

kevin_dixon•26d ago

PSA: I picked the bank with the high interest savings account over the one with better app features and it kind of backfired

So back in February I was switching banks and had to pick between this online bank offering 4.5% APY on savings or my local credit union with a clunky app but free checking. I went with the high interest one because $4,500 earning 4.5% seemed like a no brainer. Fast forward to last week and I needed to transfer money for a car repair. The app froze, the customer service chat took 45 minutes, and the transfer didn't hit until the next day. Meanwhile my buddy who picked the credit union had his funds moved in 10 minutes flat. I guess the extra $16 a month in interest isn't worth it when you can't get to your cash when you need it. Has anyone else regretted chasing a rate over usability?

3 comments

c/service-industry-secrets•

kevin_dixon•27d ago

That time a customer followed me to my car in the parking lot

Last Tuesday at the Olive Garden in Fresno, a lady cornered me by my driver side door because she wanted me to comp her entire $85 check over 1 burnt breadstick. Maybe it's just our location but has anyone else had customers track them down after their shift?

3 comments

c/botany-lovers•

kevin_dixon•1mo ago

That $40 philodendron I bought last spring got root rot from my overwatering habit

I kept watering my philodendron every 3 days like clockwork because I thought consistency was key, but after 2 months the leaves turned yellow and the stems got mushy. Turns out the soil stayed wet way too long and I basically drowned the roots, even though I used a pot with drainage holes. Does anyone else struggle with figuring out the right watering schedule for houseplants without sticking a finger in the dirt every time?

3 comments

c/bad-movie-defense•

kevin_dixon•1mo ago

Unpopular: I used to walk out of any movie with a voiceover narrator, then I saw The Informant!

Sat in a nearly empty theater in Portland last year and that goofy Matt Damon narration completely won me over between the ridiculous tangents and the deadpan delivery. It made me realize a bad gimmick just needs the right tone. What movie made you flip on a pet peeve?

3 comments

c/bricklayers•

kevin_dixon•1mo ago

Am I the only one who thinks the new 'fast set' mortar is more trouble than it's worth on a chimney rebuild?

I used it on a job in Springfield last Tuesday and the stuff went off in the bucket before I could even finish the second course, so now I'm debating if the speed is worth the waste versus just mixing smaller batches of the standard stuff.

3 comments

Posts

Threw away $150 on a cheap motion detector that kept false alarming at 2 AM

Played Catan wrong for 3 years until someone pointed out the robber rule

Saw a custom post frame barn near Lincoln that changed my mind about trusses

Saw a stat that stopped me about hardwood flooring waste

Went to the Grand Canyon last month and nobody talks about the crowds at sunrise

PSA: I picked the bank with the high interest savings account over the one with better app features and it kind of backfired

That time a customer followed me to my car in the parking lot

That $40 philodendron I bought last spring got root rot from my overwatering habit

Unpopular: I used to walk out of any movie with a voiceover narrator, then I saw The Informant!

Am I the only one who thinks the new 'fast set' mortar is more trouble than it's worth on a chimney rebuild?

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