Warning: I saw a neighbor's garden get wrecked by a new plant last week

Three years ago she planted what she thought was a nice ground cover from a local nursery, but it spread under the fence and choked out half my vegetable patch in Portland last month, so has anyone else dealt with a plant that just takes over everything?

Appreciation post: I tried using a laser level for a tricky pick over a boiler room last week

We were setting a big air handler in a tight spot in an old Detroit plant, and I thought the laser would give me a perfect line of sight from the cab. It just bounced off all the steam pipes and gave me three different ghost lines, which was worse than my old plumb bob. Has anyone found a good way to get a clear visual on a pick when you're working over a bunch of pipes?

Just realized why my old shop's wire labeling system was so good

Three years ago at the MRO in Wichita, we used a specific color code for every wire gauge on the harness bench. It seemed like extra work then, but I just spent half a day tracing a single 22-gauge line on a different bird and finally understood the speed. Anyone else have a shop-specific system they miss?

Had to pick between a full rebuild or a quick fix on a customer's seized bottom bracket

This old Raleigh came in with a totally stuck cartridge BB. The owner needed it back fast for a commute. I could either spend an hour trying to free it with heat and a big wrench, or just drill it out and face the shell for a new one, which adds like $40 to the bill. I went with the drill-out because time was tight. Anyone have a better method for those really stubborn ones that doesn't risk damaging the frame?

Just realized trying to learn from random YouTube videos versus a structured course like CS50 was a huge mistake

I mean, I spent 6 months jumping between tutorials and never built anything, but after 3 weeks of the Harvard course I made my first text-based game. Anyone else find a specific resource that finally made things click?

Dropped $300 on a proper microscope for board work and it's the best choice I ever made

Watching the 'Hey Arnold!' pilot with the original theme song is a different vibe

A lot of people think the show always had that jazz intro, but the first airing used a totally different, more synth-heavy track. Anyone know where to find a clean version of that pilot episode?

Just realized that reading a new comic in a quiet coffee shop is way better than trying to read it at a crowded convention.

I finished and understood the entire first issue of 'The Department of Truth' in 45 minutes at a cafe, but at Emerald City Comic Con last year, I barely got through 10 pages with all the noise and people bumping into me, so what's your best spot for actually focusing on a new book?

Showerthought: I used to think those cheap climbing rope bags were fine

Bought a $15 one that ripped after a month, dumping my gear from 30 feet up. Anyone know a brand that actually lasts more than one season?

Vent: A guy at a con in Atlanta changed how I talk about anime fights

I was at Anime Weekend Atlanta last year, waiting in line for a panel, and got talking with this older guy. We were just chatting about the usual stuff, but then he asked me what my favorite fight scene was. I gave my usual answer, something like 'the one in that show where the guy gets the new power and wins'. He just nodded and said, 'Yeah, but what did the fight say about the characters? The best ones aren't about who wins, they're about who breaks first.' That one line stuck with me... I went home and rewatched a bunch of fights, and he was totally right. I used to just watch for the cool moves, but now I look for the moment a character's plan falls apart or they have to change their mind to win. It makes the whole thing feel deeper. Has anyone else had a simple comment change how you watch a whole part of a show?