Fixed a stuck governor rope in a tight shaft in Cincinnati

I was on a call at an old office building downtown last week. The governor rope had jumped its sheave and was jammed against the wall, stopping the car. The shaft was so narrow I could barely turn around. I had to use a small pry bar to lift the rope just enough to guide it back onto the groove, working by feel more than sight. Has anyone else had to deal with a rope jam in a space that tight?

Got into it with the building manager over a 1998 Dover governor adjustment in a Chicago high-rise.

He insisted the old spec was fine for a full speed test, but I found a worn pawl spring and refused to sign off until we replaced it, so has anyone else had to push back hard on a safety call like that?

Shoutout to the barber in Portland who showed me how to use a hot towel before a straight razor shave

I used a 3:1 ratio on a big maple removal and the hinge snapped early

The tree kicked back hard and nearly hit my ground guy, so now I'm rethinking my hinge geometry on leaners. What's your go-to ratio for a heavy side lean?

Fridge full of random stuff, but I can't decide between a soup or a stir fry

I've got half a cabbage, a carrot, some leftover chicken, and a nearly empty jar of peanut butter staring at me. Part of me wants to make a quick peanut noodle stir fry, but the other part thinks a simple chicken and veggie soup would be better for this rainy day. What would you guys make with this kind of mix?

A client asked me to use coffee grounds as a stain and I thought they were nuts

This was about two years ago, a lady in Eugene wanted her oak table stained with a 'natural patina'. She handed me a bag of used espresso grounds and told me to mix them with vinegar. I was sure it would just make a smelly, gritty mess. But I needed the job, so I tried it on a scrap piece first. I let the grounds sit in white vinegar for three days, strained it, and brushed it on. It actually gave the wood this really warm, deep grey-brown color, like an old barn door. It sealed up fine with a coat of shellac too. I still don't use it for paying jobs, but it worked way better than I ever thought it would. Has anyone else tried a weird 'kitchen sink' stain that actually turned out okay?

My whole family had the same dream about a red balloon last Tuesday

We were all at my mom's house in Springfield for dinner, and out of nowhere my brother says he had a weird dream about a red balloon tied to a park bench. My sister and I looked at each other because we'd both dreamed the exact same thing that night. Even my mom said she saw a red balloon in her dream, but hers was floating down a street. That's four people, same object, same night. It felt way too specific to be a normal coincidence. Has anyone else had a shared dream with family or friends that was this detailed?

Serious question, I used to mix my own mortar for every job in Chicago, now I just buy the pre-mix bags.

About two years ago, I was on a tight deadline for a small patio job and grabbed a bag of Quikrete Mason Mix from the yard. It was so much faster and the consistency was perfect every time, even in the cold. I still do my own for big pours or special jobs, but for most things it's just not worth the time anymore. Has anyone else switched over for the smaller stuff, or am I just getting lazy?

PSA: My visa run to Kuala Lumpur last month was a complete waste of money

I mean, I spent $400 on flights and a hotel just to reset my tourist visa in Thailand. The whole trip was just sitting in a cafe working, then flying back. Idk, maybe it's just me but that cash could have paid for three months of a proper visa instead. Has anyone else found a better way to handle this without the pointless travel?

Adding a second step to my logins made hacking much harder.

Two-factor authentication blocks most unauthorized access attempts.