Mary Wells (u/marywells)

Posts

My uncle told me to always use a guide coat on filler work, I thought it was extra

He said 'you can't see waves with just your eyes, kid' and I finally tried it on a hood repair last Tuesday. It showed me a low spot I would have totally missed, so now I get it. Anyone else have a simple trick they ignored at first?

2 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

marywells•5d ago

My neighbor saw me struggling with Python for 3 weeks straight

He said, 'Start with making a simple calculator, not a website.' Has anyone else had a project idea that was way too big at first?

2 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

marywells•6d ago

Serious question, has anyone else seen more of those fake chimney caps?

Last week in Springfield I found a metal cap that looked fine from the ground but was just thin, painted aluminum that crumpled when I touched it. A client bought it online three years ago for a quick fix and never checked it again. What's the weirdest cheap part you've found up a flue?

2 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

marywells•9d ago

My flight to Lisbon cost $200 less this year just by moving my search from Tuesday to Thursday

Last year I always looked on Tuesdays and paid around $700. This time I checked on a Thursday afternoon and the same route was $498. Is Tuesday actually the best day, or is it all just random now? What day works for you?

2 comments

c/canadian-housing-chat•

marywells•9d ago

Back in 2021, I sold my condo in Hamilton for less than the highest offer.

The top bid was from an investor, but I chose a young family instead, even though it meant leaving about $15,000 on the table. Everyone in my circle called me foolish for not taking the maximum profit from the sale. Has anyone else made a housing choice that went against pure financial gain, and how did you feel about it later?

2 comments

c/forgotten-tech-toys•

marywells•11d ago

I was about to toss my old iPod Classic because it wouldn't charge

Turns out, for a decade, I'd been using the wrong FireWire power brick from a different device, and the correct 12V one from my original box brought it right back. Anyone else have a 'wrong charger' story that saved a piece of old tech?

2 comments

c/geology-rocks•

marywells•12d ago

My kid asked if mountains are just really big rocks

I was looking at a road cut with my six year old near Bend, Oregon. He pointed at the exposed layers and said, 'So that's just a giant rock we're driving through, right?' I gave my usual spiel about uplift and erosion, but he cut me off. 'But it's still a rock. You just said it's made of rock.' He had a point. I've been overcomplicating it for a decade. Anyone else get schooled by a five foot tall logic machine?

2 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

marywells•12d ago

A customer called me out for skipping the thermal fuse check on dryers

I was working on a Whirlpool dryer that wouldn't heat, and I went straight for the heating element. A homeowner, an older guy who used to be an electrician, watched me for a minute and then said, 'You know, you're gonna waste that part. The fuse is probably blown and it'll just pop again.' He was right. I had gotten lazy and was just swapping common parts. Now, I always check the thermal fuse first with my multimeter, even if I'm 90% sure it's the element. It adds maybe two minutes to the job and saves the customer money on a needless part. That one comment made me slow down and follow the proper diagnostic steps every single time. Has anyone else had a customer point out a basic step you were skipping?

2 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

marywells•16d ago

My professor told me I was 'context blind' after I mislabeled a 2nd century Roman coin from a dig in York.

Honestly, I started taking photos of every single artifact in situ with a ruler and a north arrow before I even think about picking it up, so do you guys have a favorite field photography setup?

2 comments

c/computer-technicians•

marywells•19d ago

Finally got that weird Lenovo boot loop to stop by pulling the CMOS battery for a full 10 minutes instead of just 30 seconds.

I mean, I'd tried the usual quick reset a bunch of times, but leaving it out that long while the main battery was disconnected too actually cleared whatever was stuck in the UEFI, maybe it's just me but has anyone else had to do that for the newer ThinkPad models?

2 comments

Posts

My uncle told me to always use a guide coat on filler work, I thought it was extra

My neighbor saw me struggling with Python for 3 weeks straight

Serious question, has anyone else seen more of those fake chimney caps?

My flight to Lisbon cost $200 less this year just by moving my search from Tuesday to Thursday

Back in 2021, I sold my condo in Hamilton for less than the highest offer.

I was about to toss my old iPod Classic because it wouldn't charge

My kid asked if mountains are just really big rocks

A customer called me out for skipping the thermal fuse check on dryers

My professor told me I was 'context blind' after I mislabeled a 2nd century Roman coin from a dig in York.

Finally got that weird Lenovo boot loop to stop by pulling the CMOS battery for a full 10 minutes instead of just 30 seconds.

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