Question about learning to code at a library workshop

I went to a free coding workshop at my local library in Springfield last month. They had us use a site called Codecademy to try Python. The teacher said to just type the code exactly as shown, even if we didn't get it. I kept trying to understand every single word before I typed it, and I got stuck. She came over and said, 'Just type it and run it. Seeing it work is the first step.' So I did. I typed the lines for a simple number game, hit run, and it actually worked. It was a small win, but it changed how I learn. Now I try the code first and ask questions after. It feels less scary. How do you guys deal with that urge to understand everything right away before you even try?

My brother said to just throw out the old lawn mower. Glad I didn't listen.

The pull cord snapped on my 8 year old mower last weekend. He said it was junk and to get a new one. Watched a video, bought a $15 replacement cord kit from the hardware store. Had it fixed in about 20 minutes. Runs like new now. Anyone have a good trick for keeping the recoil spring in place during that repair?

Bought a $40 'noise cancelling' headphone dongle that just made everything sound underwater.

I figured it would help me focus at busy spots like that new place on 5th, but now I'm out forty bucks and still hearing every blender.

My friend's new apartment in Austin has a huge TV but zero controllers for their Switch

They spent all their money on the screen but forgot you need joy-cons for actual couch co-op. What's the dumbest setup you've seen for trying to play games together?

Spent $75 on a 'smart' surge protector that bricked my modem

I picked up one of those Wi-Fi controlled power strips last month, thinking it would be great for turning off my office gear at night. It worked fine for a few days, then during a small power flicker, it completely failed to protect anything. My cable modem was fried and wouldn't turn back on. The replacement cost me $75, so I'm out $150 total for a product that did the opposite of its job. I should have just stuck with my old, basic surge protector. Has anyone else had a smart home gadget fail in a way that caused more damage?

Spent $45 on a bus pass in Lisbon and it was the best travel move I made all year

Showerthought: My whole approach to packing changed after a rainy night in the Adirondacks

I was up near Lake Placid last fall, and the forecast said a 30% chance of light showers. I packed my usual 40-liter pack with a basic rain shell on top. Well, that 30% turned into a solid 8 hours of cold, wind-driven rain that started right as I was setting up camp. My shell got soaked through in about an hour, and everything in the top of my pack was damp because I hadn't used a pack liner. I spent a miserable night in a wet sleeping bag, shivering. Now, I always use a trash compactor bag as a pack liner (the heavy-duty kind), and my rain gear is a proper hardshell, not just a windbreaker. That one trip made me totally rethink how I judge weather risks and organize my gear from the inside out. Has anyone else had a trip that made you completely overhaul one basic piece of your system?

Spent $300 on a proper job site radio and it changed my whole week

I got a DeWalt DCR010 last month after my old cheap one died. The battery lasts all week on a single charge, so I'm not hunting for an outlet or listening to static. It's loud enough to hear over my saw and keeps the crew in a better mood. What do you guys use for music on site?

Vent: My 'genius' idea to use a paint roller on a glue-up went exactly how you'd think

I was putting together a big panel for a bookshelf and thought, 'Hey, a small foam paint roller will spread the wood glue fast and even.' It worked for about three feet before the roller swelled up, fell off the handle, and stuck to the board like a weird, fuzzy pancake. I spent the next forty minutes scraping it off with a putty knife and re-doing the whole seam. Anyone have a better method for a thin, even glue spread on a big surface that doesn't involve a disaster?

Finally got the city to approve the removal of that dangerous oak on Elm Street... took almost three years of paperwork.