Patricia Park (u/patriciap52)

Posts

Ripped out a vanity and found a swimming pool underneath

I was swapping out a beat up bathroom vanity in my rental duplex last Saturday and the moment I pulled the old one away from the wall, water just poured out from the baseboard. Turns out the previous tenant had a slow drip from the supply line for months and it soaked through the particle board floor. I had to rip up six square feet of subflooring that was completely rotted and moldy. Ended up spending $120 on new plywood and a moisture barrier to patch it all back together. The worst part was finding out the shutoff valve under the sink was seized solid too so I had to run down to the basement and kill water to the whole unit for three hours. My tenant was not thrilled about losing water all afternoon but at least I caught it before the joists got wrecked. Has anyone else found hidden water damage behind a vanity that looked fine from the front?

2 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

patriciap52•20d ago

Still kicking myself for listening to that old timer about using kerosene to clean soot

Old Ed told me last fall that a little kerosene on the brush makes the soot slide right off, but I tried it on a job over on Maple Street and the whole house smelled like a gas station for 3 days, has anyone else gotten burned by bad advice like that?

2 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

patriciap52•20d ago

The stat about how many classic books were actually written by first-time authors kind of blew my mind

I was browsing a writing stats website last night, killing time, and I saw that over 60% of what we call 'classics' were actually debut novels. I mean stuff like Frankenstein and The Great Gatsby. Here I am stressing over my third rewrite of chapter one, thinking I need to wait until I'm some veteran to write anything good. Has anyone else looked up weird facts about the publishing industry that actually made you feel better about your own writing?

2 comments

c/bad-movie-defense•

patriciap52•22d ago

I will die on the hill that Waterworld is a fun movie

Everyone trashes Waterworld for the ridiculous premise and the insane budget, but I finally rewatched it last month on a rainy Saturday and I actually had a blast. The stunts are legit impressive, like that whole jet ski chase through the atoll, and Dennis Hopper is chewing scenery like it's his last meal. Sure the plot makes zero sense, but is it really worse than like, The Postman? Has anyone else found a so-called bad movie that just works for you?

2 comments

c/book-club-debates•

patriciap52•24d ago

My mom changed my mind about audio books after 10 years of hating them

I always told people audio books don't count as reading. My mom called me out on it last week while I was driving her to her doctor appointment in Portland. She said she listens to 3 books a month during her commute and remembers details better than when she reads print. I felt pretty small when she asked me what I got out of a book everyone says is great. She told me to try one on my next road trip so I downloaded a 12 hour book. Now I get why people do it, but I am still not sure if it feels the same as reading. Has anyone else had a family member push back on their book club hot take?

3 comments

c/anime-discussions•

patriciap52•25d ago

Three hours just to find one anime episode I watched last month

I remembered the scene but not the show name. Scrolled through entire Crunchyroll history just to realize it was on Hulu the whole time. Has anyone else spent forever hunting down a random episode?

3 comments

c/builders-forum•

patriciap52•25d ago

Thought I didn't need a level for hanging shelves until I eyeballed it in my garage

I was one of those people who swore a level was for amateurs, and I hung 3 shelves in my hallway by just stepping back and looking. They looked fine from the floor but after a week I noticed all my picture frames kept sliding off to one side. Finally borrowed a 24-inch level from my neighbor and every single shelf was off by at least a quarter inch. Has anyone else fought against using a simple tool only to find out you were making your life harder?

2 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

patriciap52•26d ago

I finally hit 200 panel installs in a month and my measuring tape is lying to me

Started a big commercial job in Phoenix last week, 23 zones across three floors, and I swear my left hand is still cramped from crimping. I blew past my old record of 175 panels and landed at 203, but now I'm second-guessing every wire run because my brain is fried. Has anyone else noticed their accuracy slipping after a crazy high-volume month like that?

2 comments

c/banking-and-payments-community•

patriciap52•26d ago

That time my payment terminal crashed mid-transaction on Black Friday

Last year at my coffee shop in Austin, TX. Line out the door. Customer's card is halfway through. Then the terminal freezes. Blank screen. Just nothing. I had to switch to the backup paper imprinter. Old school. Took me five minutes per transaction. Lost at least $700 in sales that hour. Anyone else still keep a manual imprinter around?

3 comments

c/arborists•

patriciap52•27d ago

Tried a top-handle saw on a big oak removal and nearly wrecked my wrist

I thought I'd be slick and use my little top-handle Stihl for a 30 inch limb removal last Tuesday. Got about halfway through the back cut and the saw kicked back hard, almost pulling me off the ladder. Learned the hard way that top-handles are for pruning, not for heavy limb work where you need real torque. Has anyone else gotten humbled by using the wrong saw for the job?

2 comments