I’ve stopped bringing my over-the-ear noise cancelling headphones (Bose QC 15's). Sure, they make the plane a little less noisy, but so do my in-the-ear $10 Skullcandy earbuds. The earbuds are also a) less bulky, b) not battery powered, and c) easier to sleep in. Aside from using them on the plane, I almost never…

Dry laundry soap. It seems like overkill until you realize you won’t be able to extricate the baby spit/ketchup/road salt/ice cream/whatever that is magnetically attracted to your only pair of jeans. Plus, it is much cheaper to pack your own soap than it is to buy it from the hotel, or make a trip to Tar-Wal-Aid at…

For those who don’t suffer from hoplophobia, I’m sure this option is still both viable and enviable:

Reminds me of the WWII era Messerschmidts (BF-109's).

Nuke ‘em from heaven now. R.I.P. Bill Paxton. :(

Just don’t ask the moron from “127 hours”. Yes I said “moron”. Anyone from canyon country knows that you never hike slot canyons alone, and you always leave a note with your vehicle so that local law enforcement (aka first responders) know where to look for you.

Wanna know what frostbite feels like?

Cheap reliable used beater that doesn’t smell, burn oil, or leak transmission fluid. That’s what you need. Anything else is just gravy. Get something you can scratch up, patch up, mismatch the tires, bash the bumper, drive in the snow, throw your gear into without worrying about the upholstery, and still get you…

This is in my EDC bag, and I use it about once a week on my Leatherman Wingman (what can I say - I like a sharp knife!). Excellent sharpener.

This is in my EDC bag, and I use it about once a week on my Leatherman Wingman (what can I say - I like a sharp…

Seriously though, I was hoping for something more along the lines of: “my new polo work shirt shrunk and I just want to un-shrink it because XL shirts still run too short for my long waist”.

How To Turn a Favorite Shirt into a Kindergarten Art Project.

If you don’t need calculus to truly understand your job, you’re not an “engineer”. As a fellow mechie, you can back me up on this one.

“LSD” missionaries? Wow - where do you live?!

My sentiments exactly. I was traveling to China several times per year, and getting a visa can be quite a difficult process. Naturally my company picked up the cost, but even if they hadn’t, paying $200-$300 to a service to take care of all of the paperwork and embassy visits was money well spent.

I missed your post when I sent mine. You win on sheer number, but mine still says “1st”. :)

Utterly meaningless to the nth degree.

I want 20 seconds of my life back now, please.

Me to the serial interrupter during a meeting (in front of our supervisors): “Excuse me, I wasn’t finished making my point. I did not interrupt you during your argument; please allow me the same professional courtesy.”

1938 MG with mosquito hood ornament. Taken in Summer 2012 at the Dearborn Inn at a classic car show.

1938 MG with mosquito hood ornament. Taken in Summer 2012 at the Dearborn Inn at a classic car show.