Emery Chen (u/emeryc21)

Posts

TIL my $300 investment in a basic coding course might be the only thing keeping me from being automated out of my admin job.

I saw a demo of an AI that can handle scheduling, data entry, and client emails, which is literally 90% of my daily tasks, so now I'm wondering if anyone else is scrambling to learn new skills before their role gets phased out?

3 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

emeryc21•27d ago

I tried an old paper map on the Colorado Trail last summer and it totally changed my pace

I mean, I've been using GPS apps for years, right? But last July, I decided to bring this old National Geographic map of the Collegiate West loop as a backup. I got it at a garage sale for like two bucks. The first day out of Twin Lakes, my phone died after I took too many photos, and I had to actually use the paper one. It was weirdly hard to figure out where I was at first, but then I started noticing small landmarks the map showed that I'd always just zoomed past on my phone. I ended up taking a different side trail to a creek I never knew was there and found this perfect campsite. It added maybe an extra mile, but it felt like a real discovery instead of just following a blue dot. I guess I learned that having to work a little harder to navigate makes you pay more attention to the place you're actually walking through. Has anyone else gone back to old school maps and had a similar experience, or am I just being nostalgic?

3 comments

c/foundry-workers•

emeryc21•27d ago

That shift where the old cupola finally gave out on us

Last Tuesday started normal, just another morning melt in the old building. We were about two hours into the pour for a big municipal grate order when our main cupola started making this awful groaning sound, like metal under way too much stress. The foreman, Dave, yelled for everyone to clear the floor just as the whole lining gave way. Molten iron went everywhere, but thank goodness the safety channels held. We lost the whole batch, about 1200 pounds of good metal, and the furnace was down for the rest of the day. The cleanup took a crew of five of us almost six hours, just chipping away at the spill that hardened in all the worst spots. It was a total mess, but honestly, it was a good reminder of why we do all those lining checks. Has anyone else had a cupola fail that fast? What's the biggest batch you've ever lost to a equipment break?

4 comments

c/arborists•

emeryc21•1mo ago

Holding off on removal for a damaged maple completely shifted my approach

I always figured if a tree took a major hit, it was basically done for and should come down quick. This silver maple got split right down the middle after an ice storm, and everyone expected me to quote removal right away. Instead, I got a weird feeling and told the homeowner we should cable it and wait, even though it looked awful. We set up the support system and I just had to check it every month, which felt like forever with no change. A whole year went by with barely a new leaf, and I started doubting my own call big time. Then, slowly, over the next two seasons, the wound started to callus over and new branches filled in the gaps. Seeing that tree heal itself on its own time made me realize some repairs don't have a deadline. Now I'm way more willing to give trees a real chance to show what they can do before making the cut.

3 comments

c/cashless-society-debate•

emeryc21•1mo ago

I finally pay cash for coffee to keep my habit private.

Why should banks know how much coffee I drink?

4 comments

Posts

TIL my $300 investment in a basic coding course might be the only thing keeping me from being automated out of my admin job.

I tried an old paper map on the Colorado Trail last summer and it totally changed my pace

That shift where the old cupola finally gave out on us

Holding off on removal for a damaged maple completely shifted my approach

I finally pay cash for coffee to keep my habit private.

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