Back in the day, I thought my sourdough starter was just slow. Turns out I was keeping it in the wrong spot.

Got my grandparents to stop oversharing on social media with a privacy checkup session

Hot take: My first geology field kit from the 90s is still kicking.

It's wild how basic tools haven't really needed an upgrade, lol.

Stranded without cash? How a digital wallet bailed me out in Vietnam

I was in Hanoi last week and went to a market to buy some snacks. My credit card got rejected at three different stalls. I thought I had enough funds, but it turned out my bank put a hold on it due to unusual activity. Luckily, I had set up a mobile payment app on my phone a while back. I transferred some money from my account to the app and paid with my phone. It was quick and I didn't have to find an ATM or wait for bank support. Now I always keep a bit of money in my digital wallet when I travel. It's a small step that can prevent big headaches when you're working on the go.

A yapping dog and my mixed-up wires created a happy accident

I was at this old house with wooden windows that creaked if you breathed on them. The homeowner's little dog barked at my ladder the whole time I was putting in window contacts. Got my wires crossed, literally, and thought I messed up. But it made the alarm notice real breaks quicker, which the client really liked. A noisy job turned into a better setup for them.