Why I stopped using password managers after a close call last month

I had all my logins in one app for 3 years, then a phishing email tricked me into giving up the master password and I lost access to everything for 2 days. Turns out the backup codes I saved were for an old phone I no longer have. Should I stick with memory-based passwords only, or is there a safer way to keep using a manager?

Stargazed at Big Bend last weekend and the Milky Way was unreal

I went to Big Bend National Park last Saturday hoping to catch the Perseids, but the Milky Way stole the show right after sunset. The sky was so dark you could see the dust lanes with your naked eye, something I've only seen in photos before. Does anyone know if a simple star tracker would help me get sharper shots of that core detail without spending a fortune?

Hot take: Old timer told me to slow down my swing speed and I fought it for weeks

I was running a 14-inch cutterhead on a job in Mobile Bay and kept snapping teeth left and right. This guy with 30 years came by and said I was swinging too fast, that I needed to let the material tell me the pace. Took me three days to actually listen and drop from 12 RPM to about 8. Now I'm wondering if there's a sweet spot for different mud types or if it's just a feel thing. Anyone else had to unlearn a habit after someone called them out on site?

Still debating if the hardwired only guys are right about wireless sensors

An older installer I met at a job in Denver told me wireless sensors would never be reliable enough for commercial work, but I've been using them on small offices for 2 years now with zero callbacks. Who else has had wireless hold up better than the old timers warned?

My plumber neighbor changed how I look at PEX vs copper

Was over at Bob's place last Saturday helping him swap out a kitchen faucet. He's been doing plumbing in Edmonton for 30 years. I asked him why he still uses copper for new builds when PEX is so much cheaper and easier. He said 'sure it's easier today but wait till you have a mouse chew through a line in January.' That comment hit me hard because I never think about long term problems when I reno. Has anyone else had a contractor make you see your own work differently?

Old mechanic at Delta told me to stop using anti-seize on spark plugs

I was changing plugs on a CRJ-200 at Atlanta last month and this 30-year veteran walks over and says I'm making a mistake. He said in his experience anti-seize throws off the torque readings and can actually cause the plug to back out in flight. I didn't believe him at first but then I checked the Champion manual and it says the same thing. Anyone else ever get told this or has the old school method always worked for you?

Caught a reflection in a puddle yesterday that looked like a painting

I was walking home from the bus stop near 12th and Pine. There was this oily puddle on the sidewalk after it rained. The sunlight hit it just right and made swirls of purple and green. I stood there for like 5 minutes staring at it. It looked exactly like an abstract watercolor piece. Now I carry my phone out more when it rains. Has anyone else stopped to photograph weird puddles or cracks in pavement?

That service call in Oak Creek this morning made me think twice about panel labeling

I pulled an old GE panel apart today to find a breaker for a dead outlet. The legend was written in pencil, half of it was wrong, and the homeowner said 'nobody ever labels these right anyway.' Took me 45 extra minutes to trace everything back. Just a reminder that spending 10 extra minutes labeling a panel right the first time saves everyone headaches later. Anyone else deal with panels so bad you just walk away?

I was stuck on a story until I saw a kid's drawing on a fridge in a coffee shop last month

Just hit 1000 single issue comics in my collection and it feels weird

I was sorting my boxes last night and counted them all for the first time in maybe five years. I mean, I knew I had a lot, but hitting that four digit number made me realize how much space and money this hobby really takes up. Does anyone else get that kind of mixed feeling when you hit a big collection number?