Question about asking for a raise after only 6 months in a new role

I've been in my current position for just half a year but I've already taken over two major projects that weren't in my job description. My manager even said 'you're handling this better than the senior person did' last week. Has anyone else successfully negotiated a pay bump this early without getting shut down?

Overheard a guy at the camera swap say he never cleans his lenses

He was bragging about never touching his glass except with a blower, and I just stood there holding my microfiber cloth. Has anyone else run into customers who refuse basic cleaning and then blame you for dust in their shots?

My mom casually mentioned she saved $6k last year just from meal planning

That Wednesday I fixed a 20 year old fridge with a paperclip and a toothpick

Had a call in Medford for a Samsung that wouldn't stop running the ice maker, found the flipper arm was snapped off and the customer was about to drop $400 on a new main board, so I busted out the paperclip to rig a new pivot point and used a toothpick to shim the microswitch and it's been running fine for three weeks now, has anyone else had to MacGyver a random household item to fix a board that was otherwise toast?

I finally stopped overproofing my dough after 6 years of bad loaves

Kept getting flat, dense bread no matter what I did. Turns out I was letting it rise for almost twice as long as needed after I got a cheap thermometer and saw my kitchen was 10 degrees warmer than I thought. Anyone else figure out their proofing was off because of room temp?

Picked a luffing jib over a conventional boom for a tight site in Boston

I had to choose between a luffing jib crane and a conventional boom for a job on a cramped street near the Seaport. The site was boxed in by buildings on both sides, so I went with the luffing jib. It let me work right up against the walls without swinging the load into the neighbors. Has anyone else had to make that call and regret it later?

My Reddit moderator friend told me to just post a disclaimer before quoting a controversial news article. I did it and got banned from a history subreddit within 2 hours.

He swore a simple disclaimer would protect me under fair use rules, but the automod flagged it as "concern trolling" and I couldn't even appeal. Has anyone else had a moderator give them advice that backfired this badly?

Appreciation post: That old security guy who set me straight about panel placement

Had a conversation with this retiree who used to install for ADT back in the 80s. He stopped by my job site last Tuesday while I was mounting a panel in a closet. He said "son, you put that thing where grandma keeps her winter coats and you'll be back here every time the battery beeps." I kinda brushed it off at first. But then I thought about it later that night. He was right, I was being lazy and putting it in a spot that looked clean but was a pain to service. Now I always think about access before aesthetics. Has anyone else had an old timer drop some simple wisdom that actually stuck with you?

Got a letter from the VA yesterday saying my funding fee was miscalculated by $400

Has anyone else dealt with the VA randomly reopening your loan file months after closing and sending a surprise bill?

Stopped by a forge in rural Pennsylvania that still uses a 200 year old bellows

Was driving through Lancaster county last month and saw a sign for a working blacksmith shop. The guy inside, name was Hank, had this massive leather bellows from the 1820s that he still uses for his main forge fire. Said it gives him way better control over the air flow than any electric blower he's tried. Has anyone else worked with old bellows or am I just behind the times?