Unpopular opinion: I think the classic straight razor shave is overrated for most guys now

I did about 20 of them last month at my shop in Dayton, and honestly, half the clients said it was cool but they wouldn't pay the extra $25 for it again. It takes way longer and the cleanup is a pain for what feels like a novelty. Do you all still push them, or is it better to just focus on killer fades and beard work?

Vent: My truck's transmission blew up two days before a big job in Tempe

It happened on the freeway last Thursday, just a loud bang and then nothing. I had a $15,000 kitchen remodel starting Monday and all my tools were in the bed. I had to rent a U-Haul van for a week, which cost me $400, and beg a buddy to help me move everything. Anyone else have a major work expense hit right at the worst possible time?

First time trying to change my own oil and I stripped the drain plug

Honestly, I was just trying to save some cash last weekend. I used a cheap socket wrench from a discount store and it rounded the bolt head right off. Anyone know a good way to get a stuck drain plug out without taking the whole car in?

A guy at the bank told me something about credit cards that actually made sense

I was at the Wells Fargo on Main Street last Friday trying to figure out why my score dropped 12 points. The banker, this older guy named Ray, looked at my report and pointed out one card was at 89% of its limit. He said, 'Look, even if you pay it off every month, that high balance gets reported and hurts you. Try paying it down before the statement closes, not after.' I'd always just paid the bill when it came. Has anyone else tried this trick of paying early to keep the reported balance low? Did it help your score?

My buddy told me to add a gallon of water to the mix on a hot day and I'm still paying for it

We were pouring a patio in July, and it was pushing 95 degrees. My friend, who's been doing this for a while, swore that adding an extra gallon of water to the truck would buy us more working time. I listened, and the finish looked okay at first. Two days later, the surface was covered in a spiderweb of tiny cracks. The whole 400 square foot slab is a mess. I had to call the homeowner and explain why their new patio looks like a dried-up riverbed. Has anyone else had a 'helpful' tip from a coworker completely backfire on a job?

Tbh, starting a compost bin in my backyard was eye-opening.

Composting cuts methane and helps the planet a ton.

Vent: My dad's surprise visits during work hours are costing me clients.

Man, the air in my foundry has gotten thick since they 'improved' the vents. Not good.

Always thought hiding a hurt back was part of the job, but I was wrong

I always believed that as a painting contractor, I had to tough out back pain and keep working to show my crew I was strong. Last week, I was up on a ladder with a nagging ache and my leg gave out for a second. I caught myself, but it shook me up. What if I had fallen and hurt myself or someone else? That got me asking, is it really right to hide an injury just to look good? I realized that by not speaking up, I was putting everyone at risk and teaching my team to ignore their own health. Now I think being honest about pain is the responsible thing to do. It’s better to take a short break than cause a big problem, right?