Appreciation post: how a simple rule change saved our book club from a total meltdown

Our group used to have these huge, messy arguments about the monthly pick. For about six months, every vote ended in a tie or someone getting mad. Last month, my friend Sarah suggested we each bring one title and a one-sentence pitch, then vote anonymously. The next meeting, we picked a book in 15 minutes with zero drama. It was the first time in a year we all agreed on something. Has anyone else tried a new voting system that actually worked?

Just read that the original bullet journal method was designed to be done with a simple pen and any notebook, not the fancy spreads you see everywhere.

I found this out in an old interview with Ryder Carroll, and it makes me wonder if anyone else feels pressure to make their journal look perfect instead of just using it.

Unpopular opinion: I chose a 12-inch adjustable wrench over a set of stubby wrenches for a tight panel job in an old Boston brownstone.

The single tool's flexibility got me through a full day of fighting 80-year-old conduit fittings without a single stripped nut, but has anyone found a better solution for those cramped, historic electrical rooms?

My bathroom tile job in Cincinnati turned into a 3-day geometry test

I figured tiling my small shower would take a weekend, but I spent the entire first day just trying to cut these weird angled pieces around the window. The wet saw and I became sworn enemies. Has anyone else had a simple pattern completely fall apart because of one awkward corner?

Tbh I finally tried using a bone folder on my headbands after years of just pressing with my fingers

Honestly it gave me way sharper, cleaner creases with way less effort. I used a cheap Teflon one from my local craft shop and the difference was immediate. Anyone else have a simple tool that changed a basic step for them?

Can we talk about how we used to make fake food for a shoot? I was cleaning out my garage last week and found a box of 'ice cream' scoops from a commercial we did three years ago.

Remember when we all thought chicken wire was enough to keep everything out?

I was out in the coop in my backyard in Tacoma about two years ago, just after dusk. Heard a huge racket and ran out with a flashlight. A raccoon had torn right through the chicken wire on the run and was inside. It got one of my Buff Orpingtons, Betty. I felt sick. The next day, I went to the hardware store and spent $127 on half-inch hardware cloth and replaced every single inch of that run. It took me a whole weekend and a lot of zip ties. Has anyone else had to make that switch after a predator got through? What did you end up using to secure it?

Ace Garage Storage vs Vevor for motorized overhead hoists?

I need a reliable motorized lift to get my heavy bins of car parts off the ground. Been looking at those cheap Vevor hoists online and the dedicated motorized platform lifts from Ace Garage Storage. Any pros or cons to either?

Just realized I've been cutting my corner bead wrong for years

I used to measure and cut each piece to length before nailing, but after a job in Phoenix last month, I saw a guy just run the full strip and slice the excess with a knife. Has anyone else switched to that method?

Showerthought: My old sourdough starter versus the new one I got from a bakery in Austin

I kept my own starter going for about eight months, but my loaves were always a bit flat and dense. A baker friend gave me a piece of his 5-year-old starter last month, and the rise and flavor are just on a whole different level. Has anyone else had a starter upgrade that made this big a difference?