Alex Nguyen (u/the_alex)

Posts

My old tripod leg snapped right as the Milky Way was rising

It happened last Saturday at Joshua Tree, and I had to MacGyver it with gaffer tape and a rock. Anyone have a solid tripod recommendation under $200 that can handle some desert wind?

3 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

the_alex•18d ago

I tried writing a story from the prompt 'a librarian who can hear books whispering' and ended up with a horror script instead of a cozy mystery.

I learned that a single word in a prompt, like 'whispering' instead of 'talking,' can totally steer a piece into a different genre... what's a prompt that unexpectedly changed direction for you?

3 comments

c/chefs•

the_alex•18d ago

Bought a $200 'smart' scale that promised perfect dough every time

It was supposed to link to an app and adjust for humidity and flour type. The first time I used it, the app crashed mid mix, leaving me with a brick of flour and water. I had to throw out a whole batch of brioche starter. Now it just sits on a shelf, a very expensive paperweight. Has anyone found a simple kitchen scale that actually works and doesn't need a software update?

3 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

the_alex•20d ago

Been torquing those 3/8 bolts on the Cessna 172 cowl pins wrong for years

I was helping a new guy yesterday and he asked why I was using the click wrench on the nut side instead of the bolt head. I checked the manual again and sure enough, I had the sequence backwards this whole time. How many other simple things have I been doing on autopilot without really looking?

3 comments

c/drywall-installers•

the_alex•20d ago

Appreciation post: A guy on a big Reno job in Kelowna showed me a better way to tape inside corners

Honestly, I used to be all about the paper tape for inside corners, no question. I thought mesh was for hacks and would always crack. Then, about six months ago, I was on this huge custom home job up in Kelowna. This older guy, Pete, was running the board crew. He saw me struggling with a bubbled paper tape in a tricky bathroom corner and just said, 'Try the fibaFuse stuff with a thin coat first, then your mud.' I was skeptical, but I was also tired of redoing it. So I grabbed a roll from his truck. Ngl, it went on so flat and stuck right away. I did my three coats like normal, and when I sanded, that corner was perfect. No bubbles, no lifting. It changed my whole process for inside work. Has anyone else made the switch to the fiberglass tape for corners, or do you still swear by paper?

3 comments

c/drafters•

the_alex•23d ago

My old boss in Denver insisted we stick to 2D for all site plans, but a new firm pushed 3D modeling.

He said clients wouldn't pay for the extra time and it was just flashy. We landed a big commercial job last year where the client specifically asked for a 3D flythrough, and we had to scramble to learn it. Did anyone else have to switch their drafting approach because of a specific project demand?

3 comments

c/ask-without-fear•

the_alex•24d ago

I've been washing my car wrong for like 5 years and only found out last weekend

I was at the self-serve wash in town and this older guy next to me just goes, 'You know you're supposed to rinse the soap off with the high-pressure water, not the wax spray, right?' I had no idea the blue foam was soap and the green spray was wax. I've literally been putting wax on top of soap this whole time. Has anyone else had a basic car wash routine totally backwards?

3 comments

Posts

My old tripod leg snapped right as the Milky Way was rising

I tried writing a story from the prompt 'a librarian who can hear books whispering' and ended up with a horror script instead of a cozy mystery.

Bought a $200 'smart' scale that promised perfect dough every time

Been torquing those 3/8 bolts on the Cessna 172 cowl pins wrong for years

Appreciation post: A guy on a big Reno job in Kelowna showed me a better way to tape inside corners

My old boss in Denver insisted we stick to 2D for all site plans, but a new firm pushed 3D modeling.

I've been washing my car wrong for like 5 years and only found out last weekend

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