Life

Confidence, friendships, routines and the decisions that actually move the needle.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

Pick Three Local Businesses and Give Them Your Regular Money

The December splurge at the gift shop doesn't keep anybody's doors open. Predictable monthly spending does, and so do four other things most customers never think to do.

GuideHealthCal Brennan23 Sept 20265 min

When to Rest a Bad Back and When to Get Moving

The first week of low back pain decides a lot. Most of it comes down to knowing which symptoms mean wait it out and which mean pick up the phone.

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Rewrite my CV so it actually gets read

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GuideTradesDean Shaw23 Sept 20266 min

The Tools a First-Year Apprentice Should Actually Buy

Skip the rolling box. Buy the twelve things you'll touch every day, spend where it counts, and let the company pay for the rest.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

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Community5 min read

How to Make Your Three Minutes at Town Hall Count

The agenda is public, the microphone is open, and almost nobody uses either one well. Do it right and you'll be the most useful person in the room.

Poll

How often do you see your closest friends?

GuideHealthCal Brennan23 Sept 20266 min

Stop Nodding Along and Go Get Your Hearing Tested

The test takes twenty minutes in a soundproof booth, and it tells you things about your brain and your marriage that you can't guess at.

GuideTradesRay Okonkwo23 Sept 20266 min

Union or Non-Union Trade Work and How to Actually Choose

Same trade, same skill, two completely different systems for getting paid and getting trained. Ask these questions before you sign anything.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

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GuideCommunitySam Ortiz23 Sept 20265 min

Volunteer Work for Teenagers That Isn't Resume Padding

The test isn't how it looks on a college application. It's whether anybody notices when your kid doesn't show up.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next fortnight.

GuideHealthCal Brennan23 Sept 20265 min

The Prostate Conversation You Should Have at Fifty

PSA testing isn't automatic anymore, which means the appointment only happens if you ask for it. Walk in knowing the numbers and the trade-offs.

GuideTradesAde Fisher23 Sept 20266 min

The Lineman Paycheck Is Real and So Is the Price

Six figures without a student loan, a Class A CDL, 7,000 hours of apprenticeship, and a job that will absolutely kill a careless man.

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Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

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GuideCommunityJosh Halloran23 Sept 20266 min

Stop Saying Let Me Know If You Need Anything

Your neighbor is having the worst month of his life. Here's what actually helps, and why week seven matters more than week one.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

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GuideHealthCal Brennan23 Sept 20265 min

Blood Pressure Numbers and What Actually Lowers Them

The line moved to 130/80 back in 2017, most home readings are taken wrong, and the fixes that work are boring and cheap.

Poll

How often do you see your closest friends?

GuideTradesRay Okonkwo23 Sept 20266 min

Price the Job So You Actually Keep the Money

Busy and broke is a pricing problem, not a work problem. Do the overhead math, use the divisor, and stop bidding against the cheapest guy in town.

GuideCommunityMarcus Vale23 Sept 20266 min

How to Run for School Board or City Council and Actually Win

The filing deadline is earlier than you think, the voter file costs less than a night out, and the whole thing comes down to doors.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

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GuideHealthCal Brennan23 Sept 20266 min

How to Read Your Cholesterol Panel Without Panicking

Total cholesterol is the least useful number on the page. Here's what your lipid panel actually says, and what to ask your doctor about it.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

Trades6 min

Which Kind of Carpenter to Be and What Each One Pays

Community6 min

How to Help After a Storm Without Getting in the Way

Ask BRO

Plan a cook for eight people

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GuideMilitary & VetsNina Castellan23 Sept 20266 min

How to Build a Marriage Around a 24/48 Schedule

Sleep, the wall calendar, the first twenty minutes home, and the money nobody budgets right. What actually works when the shift runs your house.

Dude.com — 16 advisers who listen, talk and pray with you

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Trades6 min read

What It Actually Takes to Become a Plumber

Four or five years of logged hours, a state exam, and work nobody can ship overseas. The honest version, including the parts that stink.

Poll

How often do you see your closest friends?

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