Pro tip: I learned the hard way about mixing paint in a cold garage last winter

I was painting a built-in shelf in my unheated garage in January, temp was about 40 degrees. I mixed a custom color, rolled it on, and it looked fine. The next morning the finish was all wrinkled and tacky. A painter I know in Cincinnati told me the cold made the paint skin over before the layers underneath could dry right. Now I always bring the paint and the piece inside to warm up for a few hours first. Is it better to just not paint in the cold at all, or are there specific products that work?

Getting called out at the Portland Comic Con totally shifted how I collect now

I was bragging about my 200-issue run of a series to a vendor, and he just said 'You know owning them isn't the same as enjoying them, right?' and now I'm selling half my unread long boxes to actually read the stories.

Hot take: Seeing a huge digital mural in a Detroit warehouse last year made me stop caring about perfect layers.

Thought my neighbor was nuts for putting a towel under the fridge

I finally caved and tried it after a slow leak ruined my kitchen floor. The towel was soaked a week later, saving me a huge repair bill. Anyone else have a weird household tip that actually works?

Appreciation post: That one week where every camera was a sticky, gummed-up mess from the same beach wedding

Last week, I had three separate Nikon F3s come in, all from different photographers but the same outdoor ceremony, and each one had sand and salt in the film advance that felt like grinding peanut butter.

Had to pick between a new helmet light or a fresh set of drysuit seals

The old seals were starting to feel a bit stiff, but my primary light on the Superlite 17B was also getting dim. I went with the seals, figuring I could make the light work for another job. Just finished a three day bridge inspection in the Columbia River and staying dry was definitely the right call. Anyone have a good brand for a bright, budget helmet light they actually trust?

Rant: I used to track everything on paper spreadsheets, but after a $15k budget overrun on a Phoenix job last year, I finally switched to Procore.

I used to think wireless sensors were a bad idea for any serious install, but a job in a 1920s house changed my mind.

Had a client in the historic district who refused to let me drill any new holes for a wired system. I was sure the wireless gear would be flaky, but we used a specific brand's mesh protocol and placed the panel centrally. It's been running for 6 months now with zero false alarms or dropouts. The client is thrilled, and I have to admit the tech is way more solid than it was a few years back. What's the oldest building you've had to work on where wireless was the only real option?

Just pulled a perfect shot after three months of dialing in my new grinder

I finally get why everyone uses knee pads after that embarrassing fall in front of the homeowners.

Their laughter taught me to never skip safety gear again.