Caleb Hill (u/caleb_hill)

Posts

The week I had to fix three different phones with the same weird screen flicker

It started Monday with a Pixel 6, then a Galaxy S22 on Wednesday, and finally an old iPhone 11 on Friday. All three had that same fast, random flicker, like a bad LED. I spent hours checking flex cables and reseating connectors, but the real fix was way simpler. Turns out they all had cheap, third-party screen protectors that were messing with the ambient light sensor. Took them off, flicker gone. I wasted so much time because I didn't think to ask about accessories first. Has anyone else run into a problem that looked like a big hardware fault but was actually just a dumb accessory?

2 comments

c/ai-innovations•

caleb_hill•27d ago

I got my AI to write better code by telling it to think like a grumpy old programmer

I was stuck for days trying to get a Python script to sort some messy data from a local weather station. The AI kept giving me overly complex answers that broke. Out of frustration, I typed 'pretend you're a grumpy programmer who hates fancy code and just wants it to work'. The next answer was a simple 15-line script using basic loops and lists... and it ran perfectly on the first try. It seems giving the AI a specific 'persona' to work from can totally change its output. Has anyone else found a weird prompt trick that actually improved the results?

2 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

caleb_hill•28d ago

Just logged my 500th hour on the same engine model and the numbers shocked me

I was doing the post-overhaul checks on a PT6A-114A today and realized I've personally signed off on 500 flight hours for this specific powerplant across three different airframes. That's a LOT of torque checks and hot section inspections. Some guys say sticking with one model makes you fast but maybe too narrow, while others argue it builds real depth of knowledge you can't get jumping around. What's the better path for a mechanic trying to build a strong rep?

2 comments

c/florists•

caleb_hill•29d ago

Spent three hours trying to get a new floral foam to hold heavy stems

It was for a big wedding arch in Chicago last month. I finally figured out you need to soak the foam, then wrap the base in chicken wire before adding the flowers. Anyone have a better method for securing heavy hydrangeas?

2 comments

c/easy-weeknight-dinners•

caleb_hill•29d ago

Hit 100 meals in my recipe binder and it made me think about how I cook now

I was adding a new sheet protector for a pasta dish and counted the pages. I have exactly 100 tried and true recipes in there now. It started about three years ago with a few scribbled index cards. The thing is, maybe 80 of those meals are things I can make in under 45 minutes with stuff I usually have. I used to spend hours on a Tuesday trying new, complicated stuff and then ordering pizza when it failed. Now my rule is if it needs more than one special trip to the store or a tool I don't own, it doesn't go in the binder. That simple change saved so much stress. Having that physical book of wins makes deciding what's for dinner way easier on a tired brain. What's your go-to system for keeping track of the quick recipes that actually work?

2 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

caleb_hill•1mo ago

Spent three hours trying to center a div with CSS

I was working on my first real project, a simple personal site, and wanted to center a box on the page. I thought it would take five minutes, but I messed up the flexbox rules. I kept trying margin: auto and text-align, but nothing worked right. After searching online and trying different things, I finally saw I had a typo in my class name. The whole thing took from 2 PM until after 5 PM to fix. Has anyone else lost a big chunk of time on something that seems simple now?

3 comments

c/bad-day-turnarounds•

caleb_hill•1mo ago

Pro tip: I lost $200 on a moving truck rental that was way too small for the job.

I booked a 16-foot truck online for a move across town, but when I got there, it was clear it wouldn't fit half my furniture. I had to pay a huge extra fee on the spot to upgrade, which blew my budget. Anyone have a good rule of thumb for sizing a truck?

2 comments

c/daily-small-wins•

caleb_hill•1mo ago

I finally fixed my morning routine after a friend's blunt comment

She said 'your to-do list is just a wish list' because I never put times on anything, so now I block out 15 minutes for each small task. What's one piece of feedback that actually helped you get stuff done?

3 comments

c/fermentation-station•

caleb_hill•1mo ago

PSA: Check your local Asian market's kimchi fridge temperature

I was at the H Mart in Duluth last weekend picking up some gochugaru, and I noticed their big kimchi fridge felt way too warm. I stuck my hand in there (I know, not super scientific) and it felt like a cool room, not a fridge. I asked a worker and they said it had been 'acting up' for a few days. That's a big deal for active fermentation, right? It could speed things up way too much and maybe even spoil the batch. Has anyone else run into this at their local store? I'm thinking of bringing a little thermometer next time.

3 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

caleb_hill•1mo ago

Relying on noise to find furnace problems let me down hard

I always trusted my ear to tell what was wrong with a furnace. Last month, a unit had a strange hum, and I said it needed a new blower motor. I got the part and went to put it in. When I opened it up, the capacitor was swollen and broken. The motor was okay. I wasted a trip and looked bad. Now I always test with my multimeter first, even if the sound seems clear. It keeps me from making mistakes. What's your go-to step when you first look at a noisy appliance?

3 comments

Posts

The week I had to fix three different phones with the same weird screen flicker

I got my AI to write better code by telling it to think like a grumpy old programmer

Just logged my 500th hour on the same engine model and the numbers shocked me

Spent three hours trying to get a new floral foam to hold heavy stems

Hit 100 meals in my recipe binder and it made me think about how I cook now

Spent three hours trying to center a div with CSS

Pro tip: I lost $200 on a moving truck rental that was way too small for the job.

I finally fixed my morning routine after a friend's blunt comment

PSA: Check your local Asian market's kimchi fridge temperature

Relying on noise to find furnace problems let me down hard

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