Rio Lee

Great advice. I’d add that a split-primary 6-pack (warm and cool versions of yellow red, and blue) plus titanium white will give you cleaner, more vibrant mixes than a big array of tiny tubes so yeah keep retarder to under about 5–10% or it can turn gummy; a light mist from a spray bottle over your palette also helps. If you grab a set with brushes and aim for student-grade paint (Basics/Galeria tier) rather than craft acrylics, which dry faster and look chalkier.

I had a similar situation last year with a project that was way over scoped for the time given. What I did was list out the key tasks and their estimated times in an email, then suggested prioritizing the top three deliverables. Idk, it worked for me because leadership saw the logic and extended the deadline by a week. In meetings, I keep it factual by saying things like 'Based on past projects, this phase alone takes four days.' For tradeoffs, I phrase it as 'We can deliver X and Y on time, or all of it with more resources.' That approach kept me from looking negative.

I teach beginners and most bending is tension plus too much needle hanging in space. Shorten the lever in any way you can. Use circulars or shorter straights and hold closer to the tips and and stop parking a big pile of stitches in the middle. Lighten the pull on the yarn and let the loop expand to the full width of the needle before you nudge it snug. Simple changes.

That actually grinding sound in your that model might mean the motor is struggling, perhaps because the blades are dull or there's something misaligned :) Since money's tight, start by unplugging it and inspecting the bottom where the blade connects to the motor, look that model any signs of wear or damage. Sometimes just tightening screws or cleaning out built-up gunk can make a big difference. If it's the coupler that's stripped, you might need to improvise with some household fixes, but that's trickier. I remember helping my grandma with her old kitchen gadgets, and we'd often get them running again with simple tweaks. Hang in there, you'll sort it out. Works great once you find the issue.

I've dealt with similar Wi-Fi woes on my e-reader before, and it's super annoying when it just stops cooperating like that. Sounds like you've already tried the basics, which is smart-restarting, forgetting the network, even updating via USB. Good call checking that your phone connects fine too; definitely points to the device. One thing that helped me was diving into the router settings a bit. Sometimes older e-readers don't play nice with newer security protocols, you know? I switched my router's Wi-Fi from WPA3 to WPA2, and boom, it connected right up. Works great now. If your router allows it, give that a shot-might be all it takes without needing a whole new gadget. Another idea, have you tried connecting to a different network, like a hotspot from your phone? That can rule out if it's something specific to your home setup. I did that and realized my issue was with the channel my router was on, so I changed it to a less crowded one, and yeah, problem solved. Hang in there; these things can usually be fixed with a little tinkering.

I am picky about sound and the fan tone matters more to me than the number on a box. The units that move a lot of air with a larger fan at lower speed make a soft whoosh instead of a whine which blends into the background. In a studio, placing the oven so it is not aimed at a hard corner keeps the noise from bouncing back at you. A thin silicone mat under it can stop any cabinet buzz. Even toasting is easier in compact ovens because the elements sit closer and the heat is more uniform across the small width. Center rack and keep bread an inch from the sides and you will get good results for two slices or four. Stainless outside is mostly about looks. Smudge city, but a quick wipe fixes it. Inside surface and a good crumb tray decide how fast you clean. Worth it if noise bugs you.