Rant: The 'fermentation bar' I tried in Portland had their crocks sitting in direct sunlight all day.

I stopped by that new spot on 3rd Avenue yesterday and every single one of their kimchi and kraut crocks was on a shelf getting full afternoon sun, which just seems like a basic temp control fail, right?

My buddy told me to skip the third floor of the old Sunrise Mall, said it was just offices.

Tbh, I went up there last month anyway and found a whole untouched food court with vintage signs from the 80s. Honestly, it was the best part of the whole trip and I got shots he totally missed. So, do you guys always listen to location tips or do you check everywhere just in case?

My anvil stand gave out mid-shoe yesterday

It was a simple pine block stand I've had for about five years. I was setting a heel on a size 2 shoe when the whole thing just split down the middle. The anvil tipped and the shoe went flying. I had to stop the job and bolt it back together with some steel straps I had in my truck. It set me back almost an hour. Has anyone found a good, solid plan for a stand that won't do this?

Shoutout to the 1,000th revision of a single detail drawing

I was cleaning out some old project folders and realized I've saved over a thousand versions of a single HVAC ductwork detail for a hospital job in Phoenix. The architect kept changing the adjacent wall framing, which meant my hanger points moved every time. Has anyone else ever hit a revision count that felt more like a joke than a milestone?

I used to think all board game nights were the same until I tried a themed one

My regular group just played whatever was new, but last month a friend in Portland hosted a 'deduction game only' night with titles like The Resistance and Cryptid. The focus made the rules explanations quicker and everyone got way more into the mind games compared to our usual scatter-shot approach. What's the best themed game night you've ever been to?

A customer in my area told me my diagnostic fee was 'highway robbery' and it made me think.

The big gravel versus mulch choice for my new garden path

I was stuck between using crushed gravel or wood mulch for a 20 foot path around my raised beds. The gravel was more money up front, about $150 for the amount I needed, but the mulch would need replacing every year or two. I went with the gravel last month and it's already paid off... we had a huge rainstorm and the path didn't wash out or get muddy at all. The initial work laying it down was a bit tougher, but now I don't have to think about it. Has anyone else picked a more permanent fix over something cheaper that needs more upkeep?

Tried a new clear coat on a '98 F-150 job last week

Sprayed it on a test panel first, looked good. On the actual truck, it started to orange peel like crazy after the second coat. Had to sand the whole quarter panel back down. Anyone know a good clear for older single-stage paint jobs?

Remember when a bad date just meant awkward silence?

Back in 2018, my worst date was just a guy in a Portland diner who only talked about his fantasy football league for two hours. Last week, my date spent the entire dinner at a sushi place showing me his crypto portfolio on his phone, asking for my opinion on his 'investments'. The whole vibe shifted from boring to a sales pitch. Has anyone else had a date turn into an unsolicited financial advice session?

Showerthought: I was cleaning out my old truck and found a 20 year old trowel. Made me think about how we used to mix all our mud by hand on site.