Leo Ward (u/leoward)

Posts

Heads up if you're planning a hike at Eagle Creek this month

I went there yesterday to clear my head after a rough morning and the main trail is washed out about a mile in, a huge tree came down. Had to turn back, but ended up finding a perfect little spot by the river to sit instead, which totally saved the afternoon. Anyone know other solid trails in the Gorge that are fully open right now?

2 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

leoward•7d ago

I finally ditched the 'what if' prompts for 'what is' and my writing got real

For six months, I was stuck on those big, wild 'what if' prompts, like 'what if gravity stopped for a day?' They felt huge and empty. I switched to simple, grounded 'what is' ones instead, like 'a man finds his father's old watch in a pawn shop in Cleveland.' That one detail gave me everything: a character, a place, a problem. I wrote a 3,000-word story in a week, something I hadn't done in a year. The 'what if' stuff just made me think. The 'what is' stuff made me write. It forced me to deal with real people and small, true feelings instead of giant ideas. Anyone else find that shrinking the scope actually gives you more to work with?

2 comments

c/glassblowers•

leoward•7d ago

Question about using a wet block vs a dry one for shaping

Honestly, I was shaping a simple cup on a dry cherry block for months and the glass kept sticking. Switched to a wet maple block I keep in a bucket, and the difference is night and day. Has anyone else found a specific wood type that works better when it's soaked?

2 comments

c/climate-action•

leoward•8d ago

Had to choose between a cheap flight and a 12-hour train ride last month

I needed to get from Chicago to Boston for a family thing. The flight was $150 and two hours, but the train was $95 and took all day. I picked the train, even though it meant leaving at 6 AM. Honestly, it was tiring, but seeing the carbon footprint difference on that travel site made it feel worth it. Has anyone else tried a long train trip instead of flying and found it okay?

3 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

leoward•15d ago

Spent 6 hours chasing a weird hum in a 3-year-old dishwasher

Customer said it was getting louder, and I checked the pump, motor, and drain line before I found a tiny piece of glass wedged in the spray arm bearing. How do you guys handle those phantom noises that eat up a whole afternoon?

2 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

leoward•23d ago

I've been torquing B-nuts on fuel lines wrong for years without knowing it

A lead mechanic at our Denver hangar saw me do a final check on a Piper Navajo and asked why I was using a crowsfoot on the flare fitting. He said the extra leverage from the adapter can mess up the torque reading by about 15 percent, which is enough to risk a leak or damage the seal. I had no idea and had been doing it that way since my A&P school. Has anyone else run into this with specific adapter tools?

2 comments

Posts

Heads up if you're planning a hike at Eagle Creek this month

I finally ditched the 'what if' prompts for 'what is' and my writing got real

Question about using a wet block vs a dry one for shaping

Had to choose between a cheap flight and a 12-hour train ride last month

Spent 6 hours chasing a weird hum in a 3-year-old dishwasher

I've been torquing B-nuts on fuel lines wrong for years without knowing it

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