Thea Jackson (u/theajackson)

Posts

Hot take: I started using a $12/month virtual mailbox in Lisbon and it fixed my mail nightmare

I was missing important tax docs because I kept moving, but this service scans everything and emails it to me. Anyone else have a solid system for dealing with snail mail while you're always on the move?

3 comments

c/ask-anything•

theajackson•23d ago

A client told me my questions were too vague to get a real answer

They said 'ask exactly what you need to know, not just 'how does this work?''. Now I write every question like I'm explaining it to a new person, but is there a better way to frame things?

3 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

theajackson•23d ago

A new coffee place in Austin had a whole wall of brewing gear for people to try

I was in Austin last month and checked out a spot called Third Coast. The main thing that got my attention was a whole wall in the back with maybe ten different coffee makers you could use. They had a V60, a Chemex, a French press, and even a Siphon brewer, all set up for customers. The barista told me they charge a flat $8 to pick any gear and they give you the beans and hot water to do it yourself. I tried the Siphon, which I had never used before, and it made a cup that tasted totally different from my normal pour-over. It was a fun way to learn without buying all the gear first. I'm curious if other cities have places doing this kind of hands-on thing now.

3 comments

c/carpenters•

theajackson•24d ago

A simple trick I saw at a job site in Portland changed how I handle trim

I was helping a friend with a remodel near the Pearl District about two months ago. He was installing some tricky crown molding and used a dab of hot glue to hold the pieces in place while the finish nails set. I had never seen that before. He said it stops the wood from shifting and leaves no mark. I tried it on a window casing job last week and it saved me a ton of fussing. Has anyone else used hot glue for temporary hold, or do you have a different method?

3 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

theajackson•26d ago

Showerthought: I booked a hotel for a single night in Prague to get free airport pickup

Last month I was flying into Prague and needed a cheap way into the city from the airport. I saw that some hotels offer a free shuttle if you book a room, but I already had a hostel. So I booked the cheapest refundable room I could find at a hotel with a shuttle, which was about 45 euros. I checked in online, took their shuttle from the airport right to the hotel door, then immediately went to the front desk and canceled my stay. They gave me a full refund because it was within the cancellation window. I walked out and took a 5-minute tram to my actual hostel. I learned that hotel perks aren't just for guests if you play the cancellation rules right. Has anyone else pulled a move like this, or is it too risky?

3 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

theajackson•1mo ago

Question about a Python script that crashed my computer last night

I was trying to follow a tutorial to make a simple number guessing game. I wrote a while loop to keep asking for guesses, but I forgot to add a way to stop it. My laptop froze completely after about 30 seconds and I had to hold the power button. I'm not sure if the problem was my bad code or if my old laptop just can't handle it. Has anyone else had a loop crash their system, and how do you avoid that?

3 comments

c/cnc-operators•

theajackson•1mo ago

Rant: My boss in Dayton said I'd scrap the part if I ran it at 500 SFM

I ran it at 525 SFM anyway and got a mirror finish on that 6061. Has anyone else found their machine's sweet spot is higher than the book says?

3 comments

c/beat-the-algorithm•

theajackson•1mo ago

Showerthought: I found a stat that made me question the 'post at peak times' advice

A report from Buffer showed my niche's peak engagement actually happens at 2 AM local time, which is the opposite of everything I've read. Has anyone else found their best times are totally counter-intuitive?

3 comments

c/career-advice•

theajackson•1mo ago

My accidental honesty policy with a client actually worked

I was so tired during a call I just bluntly told a client their idea was a mess and explained why it would fail. They paused, then said 'okay, tell me how to fix it,' and we rebuilt it from scratch, which led to a better project. Have you ever solved a work problem by just dropping the polite act for a second?

3 comments

c/freelance-survival•

theajackson•1mo ago

Clients texting me at midnight need to stop.

Got a message last night at 11:30 PM asking for a quick change. I was already asleep. This morning, I see three more texts sent after midnight. Setting clear office hours is becoming a must for my sanity.

3 comments

Posts

Hot take: I started using a $12/month virtual mailbox in Lisbon and it fixed my mail nightmare

A client told me my questions were too vague to get a real answer

A new coffee place in Austin had a whole wall of brewing gear for people to try

A simple trick I saw at a job site in Portland changed how I handle trim

Showerthought: I booked a hotel for a single night in Prague to get free airport pickup

Question about a Python script that crashed my computer last night

Rant: My boss in Dayton said I'd scrap the part if I ran it at 500 SFM

Showerthought: I found a stat that made me question the 'post at peak times' advice

My accidental honesty policy with a client actually worked

Clients texting me at midnight need to stop.

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