Showerthought: I used to watch shows in release order, but now I start with the best season.

For years I'd start a show at season one, even if people said it got good later, like with 'Parks and Rec'. Last month I skipped to season three of a show my friend recommended, and I was hooked right away. Does anyone else jump around seasons to get into a show faster?

I used to think upcycling old clothes was just a hobby, not real design.

Back in college, my professor in Chicago made us take apart a thrift store jacket and use the pieces for a new piece. I thought it was a waste of time. But after seeing how the seams and fabric from a 90s trench coat gave my final project a texture I couldn't buy, I was sold. It taught me more about construction than any new fabric ever did. Has anyone else had a project that completely changed their mind on a method?

That time I ignored the 'always replace the thermostat housing' rule on a 2015 Ford F-150

I was in my home shop last month, working on a neighbor's truck with a coolant leak. The leak was clearly from the gasket, not the plastic housing itself. Everyone online says to just replace the whole housing assembly, a $120 part, but the housing looked perfect. I cleaned the surfaces, used a good gasket, and torqued it down in the proper sequence. It held for a week, then started weeping again. I had to eat the cost of the new housing and do the job over. Maybe the plastic warps just enough? Has anyone else had a housing look fine but still fail to seal?

Rant: People praise colorful travel art, but my sketches from a rainy London trip mean more to me.

Vent: Noticed my neighborhood's new community garden is easing everyone's anxiety.

Spending time there weekly has SERIOUSLY improved my mood.