Rowan Thomas (u/rowan_thomas)

Posts

Got shown up by an old timer on a blueprint I'd been reading wrong

I was working on a commercial build in Portland last month and this 60-something drafter named Jerry walked over and pointed at a section I'd been using as a reference for a whole wall layout. He said 'Son, that's the demolition layer, not the new build layer' and I felt my face go red lol. I'd been using that same file for 3 days and nobody caught it. Has anyone else ever had a seasoned drafter save them from a huge mistake with just a quick look?

2 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

rowan_thomas•7d ago

Found an old sketchbook from 2012 and compared it to my current stuff

I was digging through some boxes in my garage last weekend (looking for a fitting I swear I bought last spring) and found a sketchbook full of digital prints I did back in college. The difference in technique is honestly embarrassing. Back then I used default round brushes for everything and relied way too much on airbrushing to cover up mistakes. Now I actually plan out my layers and use texture brushes that mimic real paint strokes. Part of that change is just doing the work every day for 12 years, but I also learned more from watching speedpaints on YouTube than I did from my actual classes. The biggest thing I notice is how afraid I was of hard edges in 2012 versus now where I lean into them. Has anyone else gone back to look at their early digital art and felt that weird mix of cringe and pride?

2 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

rowan_thomas•10d ago

The Viking coin I found in a field near my town turned out to be real after all

I was digging a new garden bed on my property near York last spring and this little silver disc popped up. Took it to the local museum thinking it was a button or something, but the curator got real quiet. After 3 months of testing, they confirmed it was a late 9th century Viking penny. The detail on it was still sharp enough to see the king's name. Has anyone else stumbled onto something historic by accident and had it verified?

2 comments

c/cosmetologists•

rowan_thomas•11d ago

Just realized the $60 ultrasonic cleaner I bought off Amazon last year paid for itself after one deep clean on my brush collection

Came home with a bunch of crusty combs and brushes from a client who hadn't cleaned them in months, tossed them in there for 10 minutes, and they came out looking brand new - has anyone else had good luck with those cheap ultrasonic cleaners for tools?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

rowan_thomas•11d ago

Frozen fish trick for pulling cable through wet conduit actually worked

So I had this job last Thursday in Seattle where we had to run 200 feet of coax through a conduit that was full of standing water. My usual tricks weren't working and I was about to give up. My buddy Mike said he saw a video of a guy using frozen fish sticks to push a pull string through. I laughed but we were desperate so I grabbed a bag from the gas station. Worked way better than I expected, the frozen fish slid right through the water and we got the pull line tied on. Has anyone else tried some weird food item as a cable pulling aid?

2 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

rowan_thomas•12d ago

Finally found a trick for dealing with sticky relays

I had this one Otis elevator in a building downtown that kept throwing relay faults every few weeks. Changed the relay twice, still got intermittent failures. Finally took a closer look and noticed the relay contacts had this thin film on them. Tried cleaning them with a dollar bill instead of sandpaper or contact cleaner. Worked like a charm on that 1980s model. Has anyone else tried weird cleaning methods that actually did the job?

3 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

rowan_thomas•29d ago

Rant: My grocery bill went from $120 to $75 a week after I stopped buying those pre-chopped veggies

I used to grab the little plastic tubs of diced onions and peppers because it saved time. Over the last two months, I switched to buying whole produce and doing the prep myself on Sunday. Has anyone else found a simple switch that saved a surprising amount?

2 comments

c/anime-discussions•

rowan_thomas•1mo ago

My friend said to skip the filler in One Piece, and I'm glad I did.

He told me to use a specific list online that cuts about 45% of the episodes, so I started with the Arlong Park arc. It made the whole thing feel way faster and kept me from getting bored. Has anyone else tried a skip list for a long running show and had it work out?

2 comments

c/barbers•

rowan_thomas•1mo ago

I finally tried a cordless clipper after using corded ones for a decade

I picked up the Wahl Magic Clip cordless and used it for a full week at my shop in Milwaukee. The freedom of movement around the chair, especially for fades, was a huge step up from my old Andis corded model. Has anyone else made the switch and found a better brand for battery life?

2 comments

c/design-your-life•

rowan_thomas•1mo ago

Vent: People keep mixing up 'designing your life' with just making a vision board

Honestly, I see this all the time in online groups. Someone will post a picture of a pretty board with magazine cutouts and call it 'life design.' Tbh, that's just step one, and a tiny one. I tried that method for a full year after college and got nowhere because I never did the hard part. Designing your life means making actual choices and plans, like deciding to save $300 a month for a career switch or blocking out two hours every Tuesday to learn a new skill. It's not about wishing, it's about building. I know because I finally sat down and mapped out a real 6-month plan to move from admin work to a junior UX role, and that's what actually changed things. Has anyone else tried to explain this to friends who think it's all just positive thinking?

2 comments

Recent Comments

8d ago

I was stuck on a branding project for a week until I saw a street sign in Portland

wait but actually the really boring stuff can be the most useful for branding. i had this project for a coffee company once and i was totally stuck until i got a flat tire on the way to the post office. ended up sitting in a parking lot for an hour watching these seagulls fight over a stale bagel. the way they moved and fought over it was so aggressive and dramatic it gave me the whole vibe for the packaging. bright yellow background with bold black silhouettes. clients loved it. sometimes you just gotta look at the dumbest things around you.

11d ago

Overheard a guy at a coffee shop say 'AI will replace all studios in 5 years'

Right place wrong timing situation with that finance guy. My buddy runs a small design shop and he had a client who tried using an AI tool for their rebrand, ended up with a logo that looked like a melted sneaker and zero brand strategy. Took three weeks of actual human conversations to undo the damage and get them something that actually worked for their business.

13d ago

Just switched from a DA sander to a longboard for blocking filler on a 1987 F-150 in my shop and I can't believe I didn't do it sooner.

8 bucks at Harbor Freight, game changer right there.

13d ago

Picked streaming Crunchyroll over HiDive for the winter season and kind of regretting it

Is this just how EVERYTHING works now? You have to pick ONE option and then immediately find out you're missing something GOOD from the other one. I swear it's the SAME with grocery stores lately. The big chain near me has EVERYTHING but the meat is always just okay, while the smaller local place has amazing steaks but no regular produce. With streaming it feels like you're ALWAYS going to have that one show you can't watch unless you get the OTHER service. The buffering issue is the real kicker though. That's just basic stuff. If I'm paying eight bucks a month I expect it to PLAY without stopping.

1mo ago

Pro tip: The old way to set a threaded headset is still the best way

Wait, is it always a quarter turn back? I've found it changes a bit with different headset types, so I just loosen it until the bars turn smooth with no play. That tiny bit of wiggle room makes all the difference.