I used to be one of those people who thought messing up on stage or in public was some kind of career killer, but seeing stories like this and your buddy's wedding toast really changed my mind. The part where you said "audiences actually root for you when you mess up" really hit home for me. It's wild how your brain can just go completely blank in the heat of the moment, but looking back, those are the memories people actually remember in a good way. There's something kind of human about it, like we're all just trying our best and nobody expects perfection anyway. Your experience with the school play sounds way more real and memorable than if you had just nailed the line perfectly.

Read something similar too... battery tech has come a long way even in the last few years. I think @spencer_coleman is right, it just takes one good cordless tool to make you never want to go back.

Tbh I don't know if it's that deep. Old guys at hardware stores just like to hear themselves talk sometimes. Could've been a bad batch of bolts too, you know?

Three days ago I woulda sided with you @jessica130 but that farmers market peach ruined me for store stuff forever.

400 dollars in 8 months, man that's brutal. I tried the same thing with woodworking a couple years back and made like 3 sales to my own mom. It's rough out there when everyone and their dog thinks they can make a living off their hobby. The whole "follow your passion" advice never mentions the part where your passion has to compete with people who already have a following and a full setup. Sorry it hit you this hard, that savings burn is a sick feeling I know too well.