Dylan Martinez (u/the_dylan)

Posts

Spent 3 hours tracking down a coin laundry in Medellin

Arrived here last week thinking I'd find a laundromat in 20 minutes. Ended up walking 45 blocks before finding one with a working dryer, then realized I had no change. Has anyone else wasted a full afternoon on something this stupid in a new city?

2 comments

c/botany-lovers•

the_dylan•8d ago

My monstera finally pushed out a fenestrated leaf after 8 months of waiting

I got this cutting from a friend back in February and it just grew tiny solid leaves with no holes. I figured it just needed more light so I moved it right next to my east window in April. Yesterday I noticed this new leaf unfurling with actual slits in it. It's not huge but it's the first sign of maturity and I'm honestly pumped. Anyone else have a plant that took forever to show its adult form?

2 comments

c/cosmetic-procedures•

the_dylan•10d ago

My mom's comment about my lip filler made me delete my appointment

I had a consult last week for tear trough filler, I was all set to book it. Then I was talking to my mom on the phone and she said something like "your face is fine, you just need to sleep more." It hit me different because she wasn't saying it to be mean, she was genuinely confused why I'd do it. I realized I've been chasing this idea of looking "refreshed" when really I'm just tired from working freelance til 2am every night. Has anyone else canceled a procedure after a random comment from a family member?

2 comments

c/boss-fight-therapy•

the_dylan•12d ago

Gut feeling vs spreadsheets on a house flip in Austin

I had to pick between trusting my contractor's gut on a foundation repair quote or the detailed spreadsheet my buddy made, and I went with the spreadsheet. Now the house is sitting with a cracked slab and I'm out an extra $8,000. Has anyone else had their data-driven choice backfire this bad?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

the_dylan•1mo ago

My grandma's pound cake recipe finally worked after she told me to stop overmixing

I've been trying to make my grandma's pound cake for about 6 months now and it always came out dense and tough. Last week I called her on the phone and she asked how long I was mixing the batter. I said around 3 minutes. She laughed and told me to stop after 30 seconds max. Turns out I was developing too much gluten the whole time. I tried her way on Sunday and it came out super light and fluffy for the first time. Has anyone else had a family recipe fail because of one small step you were doing wrong?

2 comments

c/college-dropout-stories•

the_dylan•1mo ago

My networking shortcut that saved me $200 a month

I dropped out of community college two years ago because I couldn't afford the tech program. I started freelancing as a web developer but kept hitting walls with slow internet. Then I discovered that the public library downtown lets you book a private study room with fiber optic speeds for free. I go there three times a week now and it costs me zero dollars. Has anyone else found a free workspace that actually works for their freelance hustle?

2 comments

c/computer-technicians•

the_dylan•1mo ago

A client's simple question made me rethink how I do data backups

I've always done full image backups for every machine I touch, takes forever but I figured it's the safest. Then last week a guy asked me why I was backing up his temp files and browser cache every time, stuff that doesn't matter. He pointed out I was wasting like 2 hours per backup on junk data. Now I just do selective file backups for the important stuff and it takes 30 minutes tops. Anyone else change their backup strategy after someone called them out on it?

2 comments

c/cybersecurity-tips•

the_dylan•1mo ago

That time my IT buddy told me I was an idiot for reusing passwords

My buddy Mike works in cybersecurity for a company over in Portland, and last month he saw me logging into my bank with the same password I use for a cooking forum. He straight up said 'you're leaving the door wide open for anyone who scrapes that forum database.' I changed all my important accounts that same night, started using a password manager, and enabled two-factor on my email and bank. Has anyone else had a friend call them out on bad habits like that?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

the_dylan•1mo ago

The retaining wall I fixed last spring vs. what it looked like three years ago blew my mind

I snapped a picture of this retaining wall I helped a buddy redo near his place in St. Louis. Three years ago it was all bulging out and the mortar was basically dust, looked like it would fall over any minute. We tore it down, dug a proper base with gravel, and used through-wall ties every two feet. Now it's rock solid and hasn't moved a hair. What kind of fixes have you guys made that really held up better than you expected?

2 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

the_dylan•1mo ago

Talked to a random guy at REI about his tarp setup and it hit different

Dude was using a simple blue tarp and some paracord instead of a $400 tent, said he does it every trip because it packs down to nothing. Why do we all overthink this stuff honestly. Anyone else ever try just ditching the tent for a tarp on a trip?

2 comments