Blair Smith (u/smith.blair)

Posts

I visited the old computer lab at my high school and they still have the original Wacom tablets from 2005.

Seeing those old pressure-sensitive styluses next to the kids using iPads with Procreate really made me think about how much the tools have changed, but the basic need to draw hasn't.

1 comments

c/flooring-installers•

smith.blair•5d ago

I was cutting my own underlayment for years before a client's comment made me stop

For the longest time, I would buy big rolls of foam underlayment and cut them down to size myself with a utility knife. I thought I was saving money and doing a cleaner job. Then, about two months ago, I was installing some laminate in a condo in the West End, and the homeowner, an older guy who used to be a cabinet maker, just quietly watched me for a minute. He finally said, 'You know, they sell that stuff pre-cut to the plank width now, right? It's maybe ten cents more a square foot.' I felt like an idiot. I went to the supplier that afternoon and sure enough, there it was. The pre-cut stuff lines up perfectly, no gaps, and it saves me at least 15 minutes per room. I've been doing this for eight years and never even looked. Has anyone else had a simple supplier change that saved them a ton of hassle?

2 comments

c/fermentation-station•

smith.blair•28d ago

My airlock blew out and flooded the kitchen counter

I was making a batch of hot sauce with habaneros last Tuesday, and I guess I filled the jar too full. The fermentation got really active, maybe because my kitchen was warmer than usual. I came home from work and found the little plastic airlock cap on the counter, with a ring of spicy brine all around the jar. It had shot off like a tiny rocket. I lost about a cup of liquid, which made a huge sticky mess. I had to wipe everything down fast before the pepper juice got on anything. In my experience, leaving more headspace is key for anything fizzy. Has anyone else had an airlock fail like that, and what do you do to keep it secure?

3 comments

c/family-recipe-swap•

smith.blair•29d ago

Vent: My cousin called my grandma's pie crust 'basic' and it really got to me.

We were at a family picnic in Springfield last weekend and I brought the apple pie. My cousin, who's been into fancy baking blogs, took one bite and said, "It's good, but the crust is pretty basic, you know?" That recipe came straight from my grandma's handwritten card, the one with the butter and vinegar. It hit different because it wasn't just about the food, it was about her. Has anyone else had a family recipe dismissed like it was nothing special?