Barbara Garcia (u/barbaragarcia)

Posts

Switched from clippers to shears for my bald fades and never looked back

I spent two years doing bald fades with just my clippers and a trimmer. Thought that was the only way to get a clean line. Then I watched a guy from Chicago at a barber expo use shears for the whole transition area. He barely touched his clippers. I went home and tried it on my regular Tuesday guy. Took me three tries to get the angle right but the blend was way smoother. No more harsh lines where the foil shaver meets the clipper guard. Now I use shears for about 80% of the fade work. I still use the clippers for bulk removal but the finish is just better. Anyone else switch up their tool order and get better results?

2 comments

c/camera-repairers•

barbaragarcia•17d ago

Talking to a retired repair guy at a swap meet made me rethink how I clean shutters

Met this older guy at a camera swap in Austin last weekend. He saw me digging through a bin of old shutters and just started talking. He said most people overclean their shutters and end up ruining the lubrication. Said I should only clean when absolutely necessary and use the tiniest drop of oil on a precision tip. Never thought about it that way. Always figured more cleaning was better. Has anyone else been told they clean too much?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

barbaragarcia•25d ago

Overheard a kid call brick patterns 'building memes' and it stuck with me

I was grabbing lunch near a job site and some teenager pointed at a running bond wall and said that. Now I can't look at a herringbone without thinking about which brick pattern would go viral.

2 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

barbaragarcia•26d ago

Switched from a cheap foam pad to an inflatable sleeping mat last season

Honestly, I used to just throw a $15 foam pad under my bag and call it good. After three nights in a row at Big Sur last spring, my hips were killing me and I couldn't sleep at all. So I finally spent $60 on a Klymit inflatable mat with baffles, and it made such a difference I actually woke up not sore. Now I can't imagine going back to foam, but has anyone else found a budget mat that actually lasts more than a year?

2 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

barbaragarcia•26d ago

Hot take: Paying for a camping spot vs. free dispersed camping near national parks

I spent $35 a night at a KOA near Yellowstone last summer because I was tired of driving down dirt roads for dispersed spots. On one hand, it had showers and was clean, but on the other hand my buddy found a free spot on BLM land just 20 minutes away and said it was quiet and fine. Which do you think is worth it for a 5 day trip - pay a little or rough it for free?

2 comments

c/cable-installers•

barbaragarcia•27d ago

Watch out for buried gas lines near Flagstaff

I was digging a pole anchor on a new install last month and barely missed a 2 inch gas line that wasn't marked on the utility map. My coworker's shovel nicked one near a house the week before and the whole street got evacuated. Has anyone else dealt with unmarked lines in their area?

2 comments

c/foundry-workers•

barbaragarcia•1mo ago

My kid asked why the sand molds are so hot and it made me think

He said, 'Dad, is that how you make giant cookies?' and I realized I'd never explained the actual process. Anyone else have a funny way their family sees our work?

2 comments

c/budgeting-wins•

barbaragarcia•1mo ago

I used to buy the pre-cut fruit trays every week

I was spending about $15 at the grocery store for a little tray of melon and pineapple, thinking it saved me time. Last month I finally bought a whole cantaloupe and a pineapple for $5 total and cut them myself. It took maybe 10 minutes and I got three times the fruit. I felt so dumb for wasting that money for months. Anyone have other lazy grocery buys they've kicked?

2 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

barbaragarcia•1mo ago

My trusty French press gave out on me this morning, right before my first cup.

It was my dad's old Bodum from the 90s, and the glass carafe just cracked all the way down the side when I poured the hot water in. I had to scramble and make a sad, weak cup with a tea bag filter, which was a real bummer. What's a good, sturdy replacement that won't break the bank, maybe under $50?

2 comments

c/bulletin-board-finds•

barbaragarcia•1mo ago

Unpopular opinion: I took a photo of a 'lost cat' flyer in Denver and actually found the thing.

I saw the poster on a pole near my apartment, called the number, and the cat was just chilling under a neighbor's deck. Has anyone else had a bulletin board find turn into a real-life rescue?

2 comments