Mark Lee (u/markl75)

Posts

Saw a line cook in Portland use a spoon to portion cookie dough faster than any scoop I've seen

I was eating at a spot in Portland last month and watched this guy knock out 50 cookies in like 2 minutes just using a regular spoon and his thumb to slide the dough off. The texture was way more even than my usual scoop method too. Has anyone else tried ditching the scoop for a basic spoon on delicate doughs?

3 comments

c/backyard-chicken-keepers•

markl75•2d ago

My neighbor told me to stop washing my eggs and I thought he was nuts...

He said the bloom was the whole point and after 3 weeks of storing unwashed eggs on the counter with zero spoilage I had to admit he was right, anyone else skip the rinse now?

2 comments

c/balcony-veggie-gardens•

markl75•3d ago

That old timer at the garden center changed how I water my peppers

I overheard this guy in his 70s telling a worker that most balcony plants die from overwatering, not underwatering. He said to stick your finger 2 inches deep and if it's damp, leave it alone. I've been drowning my poor bell peppers for 3 months and now they actually look happy. Anyone else fall for the 'more water = better' trap?

2 comments

c/cleveland-westshore-living•

markl75•5d ago

I found out the old Avon Lake power plant site is bigger than I thought

Was looking at a county zoning map online last night, just out of curiosity. The area where the old power plant was, down by the lake, is listed as over 100 acres. I always pictured it as maybe 30 or 40. That's a huge chunk of waterfront just sitting there. Makes you wonder what the actual plan is for cleaning it up and doing something with it. Anyone know if there's a real timeline for that project yet?

2 comments

c/cat-behavior-decoded•

markl75•10d ago

My cat started bringing me socks every morning for a week straight.

It began last Tuesday and she hasn't missed a day, always leaving one by the bedroom door. Is this her weird way of trying to feed me?

2 comments

c/bookbinders•

markl75•11d ago

Serious question, does anyone else think we overuse acid-free paper?

I was binding a personal journal in my home studio last spring, using some regular drawing paper I had. Everyone online says you must use acid-free, but I wanted to see what would happen. After about 4 months, the pages started to get that slight tan color, but honestly, I like it. It gives the book a warm, lived-in feel right away. Has anyone else used non-archival paper on purpose for a certain look?

2 comments

c/blacksmiths•

markl75•13d ago

Showerthought: I was using way too much coal for my forge for years

I was going through a 50 pound bag every two weeks in my home shop. An old timer at the scrap yard in Toledo saw my truck and asked if I was running a foundry. He told me to try banking the fire more and using less air, and now a bag lasts me over a month. So, is it better to run a big, hot fire all the time, or a smaller, more controlled one you build up as needed?

2 comments

c/balcony-veggie-gardens•

markl75•16d ago

PSA: My basil went from sad to happy in about 10 days after I moved it.

It was getting maybe 3 hours of direct sun and stayed small, but after shifting it to a spot that gets a solid 6, it's doubled in size. Has anyone else had a plant totally turn around just from a simple light change?

3 comments

c/ai-innovations•

markl75•17d ago

Had a talk with my sister who's a teacher that made me see AI differently

Honestly, I was just thinking AI was for making pictures or writing emails. But she told me about a new tool her school in Portland is trying that listens to kids read and gives them help right away. She said it's not just grading them, it's figuring out why they're stuck, like if they mix up certain sounds. It hit different because it's not just a fancy trick, it's actually helping in a real way. They've been using it for about 6 months and she says the kids who use it 3 times a week are improving faster. Has anyone else seen AI tools that are actually useful like this in schools or other jobs?

2 comments

c/diesel-mechanics•

markl75•18d ago

Found a weird trick for getting a stuck 6.7 Powerstroke turbo oil feed line loose

Had one of those lines on a 2015 F-250 that was seized solid, even with a line wrench and heat. Out of ideas, I sprayed it with a mix of ATF and acetone, let it sit overnight, and it came off with a normal ratchet the next morning. Anyone else have a go-to mix for frozen parts that's not just PB Blaster?

2 comments

Recent Comments

5h ago

Swore by fresh yeast until day-old dough proofed faster

And you know what, that's EXACTLY what happened to me with dry yeast. I was a total snob about it for years, thinking fresh was the only real option for serious baking. Then I ran out on a Sunday and had to use this old jar of instant yeast I'd forgotten about, and my rye bread came out faster and with a better oven spring than ever before. I think the dry stuff is more consistent because it's not as temperamental about temperature changes like fresh yeast can be. The crust on that loaf was SO crackly it sounded like breaking glass when I tapped it, which never happens with my fresh yeast batches.

10h ago

The way I handled my open adoption agreement at 18 vs. now at 32

My buddy tried the same loose agreement with his kid's family and now they barely talk.

1d ago

Blew $60 on a blu-ray box set that skipped on episode 3

Why would you buy something you might want to send back?

2d ago

Rant: that fiber reel cart gave me a bruised shin and a bad attitude

I used to think you could just muscle through with the cart on any surface, but after watching one bounce off a curb and almost take out my ankle I'm a believer in the two-man dolly or just hauling the reel by hand on dirt.

3d ago

Appreciation post: That one Thursday I got my first form to actually submit data

Had a similar moment with my first API call. Felt like I hacked the matrix or something. My cat got a very confused hug that day.