So my landlord tried to keep my whole security deposit over a scratch on the floor

This was in my old apartment in Springfield. I moved out last month, cleaned the place top to bottom, and took a ton of pictures. A week later, I get a letter saying they're keeping all $1200 of my deposit to replace the 'damaged' living room flooring. The scratch was maybe two inches long and was there when I moved in, which I noted on my initial walk-through sheet. I sent them a copy of that sheet, my move-out photos, and a letter citing our state's tenant laws about normal wear and tear. I was ready to go to small claims court, but they backed down and sent me a check for the full amount after three weeks. Has anyone else had to push back on a security deposit claim? What's the best way to keep records?

Heard a guy at the hardware store say he never updates his router firmware

Honestly, I was grabbing some packing tape and overheard this conversation. One guy was telling his friend that updating router firmware is a waste of time and just breaks things. His friend argued back that it's the main way to patch security holes. It got me thinking, because my own router from the cable company hasn't had an update in maybe two years. Tbh, I'm not sure which side is right. Is skipping firmware updates a legit risk, or is it mostly fear mongering from tech companies? What's your take on this?

Had a big wedding order ask for all white, but the bride wanted 'not boring'

The choice was between using all different white flowers (like gardenias, lilies, and ranunculus) or adding in some green and cream tones for texture. I went with the second option, mixing in seeded eucalyptus and some pale green hydrangea heads. The final arrangement looked way more interesting (and the bride texted me a photo from the venue saying it was perfect). Anyone have a go-to 'white flower' that always adds that extra something without adding color?

I spent 3 months trying to get a simple monthly report set up with a new marketing agency.

Rant: Bought a cheap corner trowel that cost me half a day

I was doing a basement job in Springfield and grabbed a $12 corner trowel from a discount bin. The metal was so flimsy it bent on the first pass, leaving a huge ridge in the mud. I had to stop, scrape it all off, and redo the whole corner. That mistake set me back about 4 hours of work. Anyone have a corner tool they trust that won't fold on you?

I only looked at the star rating for years, but a single review saying 'broke after 3 months' on a 4.5-star coffee maker made me actually read them now.

I was about to buy that thing, but then I scrolled and saw six other people had the exact same issue with the heating element, which the star average totally hid.

DAE get that awesome feeling when your pulled pork texture is spot on?

I've been working on my pulled pork for ages. This Sunday, I cooked a pork butt for 10 hours. I used hickory and apple wood chips. The temp was steady at 225 degrees. When I pulled it apart, the meat was so tender and juicy. It felt like a big win after all the tries. How do you know when your pork is ready to shred?

Early catch on a hydraulic line prevented a messy failure

I saw fluid gathering in the pit during a check. The leak was at a fitting that had worked loose over time. How tight do you make those connections?