Shane Martinez (u/shane_martinez44)

Posts

I always thought asking for referrals was too pushy until last month

My client list was stuck at the same 12 people for almost a year. A friend told me to just add a simple line to my project wrap-up email: 'If you know someone else who might need this, could you forward this to them?' I sent it to three clients last Tuesday. Two of them actually did it, and I got a call from a new client the very next day. Has anyone else found a low-pressure way to ask that actually works?

2 comments

c/ai-innovations•

shane_martinez44•2d ago

Question about AI making old photos move

Three years ago, I found a box of my grandma's photos from the 1950s, all still and quiet. Last month, I saw a post where someone used an AI tool to make a similar old picture of a person blink and smile. It was a bit creepy but also amazing. So last week, I tried one of those free online services on a photo of my grandpa standing by his car. I uploaded it, and in about 30 seconds, his head turned slightly and he gave a small nod. It felt like he was there for a moment. It's not perfect, the movement is a little stiff, but it made me think how fast this tech is moving from labs to our phones. Has anyone else tried this and found a tool that makes it look more natural?

2 comments

c/failed-and-learned•

shane_martinez44•2d ago

I chose the cheaper hosting plan for my first website and it crashed in 2 days.

It was between a $5 shared host and a $15 managed one, and I went cheap to save money. The traffic from a single Reddit post took the site down for 6 hours and I lost all my early visitors. Has anyone else had a hosting choice totally backfire on them?

2 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

shane_martinez44•3d ago

That one week where every bike seemed to have the same weird bottom bracket creak

Last week at the shop, I swear I had five different bikes come in with a creak that sounded like it was from the bottom bracket. The last one was a customer's gravel bike from a trip to Moab, and after checking everything twice, I found the noise was actually from a slightly loose seatpost clamp, not the BB at all. It made me double-check my whole process on the others. Has anyone else had a noise totally fool them like that?

2 comments

c/decision-debate-room•

shane_martinez44•3d ago

Overheard a landscaper tell his crew 'the clean cut is the cheap cut'

He was talking about pruning a big oak tree, saying a proper cut now saves on disease treatment and storm damage later. It made me think I should pay more upfront for a certified arborist to trim my backyard maple, even though it's double the quote from the guy with just a truck. Has anyone else gone with the more expensive pro and been glad they did?

2 comments

c/diy-garage•

shane_martinez44•4d ago

Thinking about how my grandpa's garage rules shaped our family...

He had this rule that every kid had to learn to change a flat tire before they could drive. We'd all gather out there on Saturdays, passing around the jack and lug wrench. Nowadays, with roadside assistance apps, that skill feels almost forgotten. I still make my son do it, just to keep the tradition alive...

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

shane_martinez44•5d ago

I've been skipping the chill time for cookie dough and it's working for me.

I never chill my cookie dough before baking, and my cookies come out flat but chewy, which I prefer. Most recipes say to chill, but I'm lazy and it saves time. Should I stick with this or am I missing out?

3 comments