A customer in Denver said my post holes looked 'like a toddler dug them'

I was setting a cedar fence for a client last spring, and after I finished the first section, the homeowner came out and just stared at the holes. He said, 'I'm paying for a professional job, and these look like a toddler dug them with a beach shovel.' I mean, I was using a standard auger and thought the holes were fine, just a bit messy with loose dirt around the edges. But he pointed out that the uneven, sloped sides could cause settling issues down the line, especially with our freeze-thaw cycles. It stung, but he was right. Now, I always use a post hole digger to clean up and square off the sides after the auger does the heavy lifting, and I keep a tarp right next to me for the spoil. It adds maybe 15 minutes per hole, but the bases are way cleaner and more stable. Has anyone else had a client call them out on something basic that you just got lazy about?

I used to think expired film was just junk until I found a roll from 2003 in my grandpa's basement.

I was cleaning out my garage in Phoenix and spilled a can of old paint on a tarp. The way it spread and mixed with dust looked like a real painting.

TIL the best way to get a raise is to ask for a promotion first

I was stuck at the same salary for 2 years at my marketing job in Austin. My boss always said the budget was tight. Last month, I scheduled a meeting and didn't ask for more money. I laid out a plan for a new 'Lead Strategist' role I could grow into, with 3 new responsibilities I'd already started doing. They approved the new title last week, and the 15% raise came with it automatically. Has anyone else gotten a bigger bump by changing the job instead of just asking for more cash?

I used to ignore oil stains in parking lots, but now I see them as abstract paintings. What changed for you?

Showerthought: A quick trick for a tight heel bulb saved me 20 minutes yesterday

I used a small piece of rolled-up vet wrap as a temporary buffer while shaping the shoe, and it kept the area clear without getting in the way. Anyone have a different method for those tricky, tight spaces?

That time a basement slab in Dayton had a hidden slope I missed

I was laying LVP in a finished basement and my laser showed it was flat, but after locking in three rows I saw a 1/4 inch dip running 8 feet across the room. I had to pull it all up, skim coat the low area with Ardex, and wait a full day before restarting. Anyone else get fooled by a slab that looked level but wasn't?

Saw a sketchy 'lost dog' flyer at the bus stop on 5th and Elm

The paper was super generic, just said 'lost golden retriever, call for reward' with a blurry pic and a 555 number. No name for the dog, no collar description, nothing. It felt off, like one of those scams to get you to call a premium line. Has anyone else seen these around town lately?

TIL the library in Springfield has a free 'Intro to Python' workshop every Saturday.

I went last week and they had these great printed cheat sheets for basic syntax that made things click. Has anyone found a similar local resource for other languages?

I thought my friend was nuts for talking to her plants until my own basil started leaning toward my voice