Ruby, I know exactly what you mean. I hit 900 hours on my old machine and still managed to put a stabilizer pad on a soft spot last month. It's not about the number it's about the pattern of mistakes you start to recognize. Like I finally learned to check the ground twice before I set up, not just once. That little habit change saved me more than any hour count ever did.

Started slicing green peppers for chili last month without the guard on my old mandoline, just like you used to do (felt invincible, right?). Sliced right through the side of my middle finger and spent an hour fishing pepper juice out of the wound with a paper towel. It's funny how one stupid mistake makes you notice all the other small shortcuts people take every day - like not wearing gloves when moving furniture or skipping the safety glasses for a quick drill job. We all think we're too good for the boring safety stuff until our blood is dripping into whatever we're making (and trust me, it's always way more annoying to clean up than to just use the guard).