Avery Black (u/avery366)

Posts

Rant: My $90 sleeping pad failed in 35 degree weather on the Pacific Crest Trail

Ngl, I bought a budget inflatable pad off Amazon thinking I was saving cash. First night near Crater Lake the baffles split and I was basically on the cold ground. Ended up spending $200 on a Therm-a-Rest in Bend the next day. Anyone else had cheap gear fail at the worst time?

2 comments

c/design-your-life•

avery366•5d ago

Showerthought: I dropped $300 on a planner system and it just collects dust now

I saw this fancy binder with all these sections for goals, habits, and weekly reviews. It looked perfect for getting my life together. The thing is, it was so complicated to set up that I spent more time organizing the planner than actually doing the things I wrote down. Now it just sits on my shelf, and I'm back to using notes on my phone. Has anyone else bought a tool that was supposed to fix everything but just made it harder?

2 comments

c/air-fryer-recipes•

avery366•8d ago

Saw something at the county fair that made me rethink my air fryer game

I was at the Clark County Fair over the weekend and walked by a food truck selling fried pickles. They had a huge line. It got me thinking, I've never tried making those in my air fryer. I picked up a jar of dill spears and some panko breadcrumbs on the way home. My first batch came out pretty good, but the breading didn't stick as well as I wanted. Has anyone nailed a method for really crispy air fryer fried pickles?

2 comments

c/designer-desk-setups•

avery366•12d ago

My desk went from a mess to a clean setup in 3 months and it's all because of a single rule

For years my desk was just a dumping ground for cables and random papers, it was honestly embarrassing on video calls. About three months ago I saw a setup post here where someone said 'if you don't use it at your desk at least once a week, it doesn't belong on your desk.' I started moving everything off that wasn't my laptop, monitor, and one notebook. The difference is crazy, I actually want to sit down and work now. Has anyone else had a simple rule that completely fixed their space?

2 comments

c/florists•

avery366•13d ago

I rolled my eyes at flower food packets for years, but a wilted wedding bouquet made me test it.

Had a bride's bouquet start to droop after just two hours in the heat last July. In a panic, I mixed up the packet that came with the roses, something I never bothered with before. The stems perked up noticeably within an hour and lasted the whole reception. Has anyone else been stubborn about a basic tool or trick that actually works?

2 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

avery366•13d ago

Why does nobody talk about the code for elevator pit drainage slope?

I was doing an inspection in a new building downtown and the pit floor was flat, not sloped toward the drain like it should be. The super told me 'the water will find its way', but that's a code violation waiting for trouble. How do you guys handle it when the concrete guys pour the pit wrong?

2 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

avery366•13d ago

My neighbor said his cheap sleeping bag was fine for summer, but his trip to the Poconos proved him wrong

He was telling me about his weekend hike and mentioned he woke up freezing at 3 AM even though the forecast said 50 degrees. He bought a $25 bag from a big box store, and it just didn't hold any heat once the damp set in. I've been there, thinking a bag is just a bag for warm weather. It made me realize that 'summer' ratings can be super misleading, especially with humidity or elevation changes. A good review I read last month on a 40-degree synthetic bag talked about the fill power and how it handles moisture, which is key. Now I'm rethinking my own warm-weather setup. Has anyone else had a bag fail them on a supposedly mild night? What do you actually trust for those borderline temps?

3 comments

c/bookbinders•

avery366•14d ago

Noticed a big shift in how people treat old leather covers after that big restoration video went viral six months ago.

Before, I'd see folks trying to scrub them clean with saddle soap, but now at least three customers this week have specifically asked me to just condition and stabilize, which saves the original patina and structure.

2 comments

c/fashion-design-ideas•

avery366•16d ago

I tried making a dress from old bedsheets and it actually worked

I cut up some floral sheets I found at a thrift store in Portland, thinking it would just be a practice run. The fabric was way stiffer than I expected, so I ended up with this cool, structured mini dress instead of the flowy one I pictured. Has anyone else had a fabric totally change their design like that?

2 comments

c/butchers•

avery366•16d ago

My band saw blade snapped mid-cut on a whole ribeye last Thursday

It whipped back and knocked my favorite coffee mug off the bench, shattering it. Anyone got a good brand for blades that can handle a lot of bone-in primals?

2 comments

Posts

Rant: My $90 sleeping pad failed in 35 degree weather on the Pacific Crest Trail

Showerthought: I dropped $300 on a planner system and it just collects dust now

Saw something at the county fair that made me rethink my air fryer game

My desk went from a mess to a clean setup in 3 months and it's all because of a single rule

I rolled my eyes at flower food packets for years, but a wilted wedding bouquet made me test it.

Why does nobody talk about the code for elevator pit drainage slope?

My neighbor said his cheap sleeping bag was fine for summer, but his trip to the Poconos proved him wrong

Noticed a big shift in how people treat old leather covers after that big restoration video went viral six months ago.

I tried making a dress from old bedsheets and it actually worked

My band saw blade snapped mid-cut on a whole ribeye last Thursday

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