My cousin got burned by a non-compete clause last year. It was in the standard paperwork for a graphic design gig. They said she couldn't work for any "similar business" in the whole state for two years. Basically tried to lock her out of her own career over some logo files. She had to get a lawyer just to sort it out.

That calendar of $500 gigs is just a fancy to-do list for broke people.

My sinuses are still mad at me for all those woodworking years.

Your story makes me wonder about the pressure of performing a ritual in public. We get so focused on the gear and the look of the thing that the basic rhythm gets lost. It's like when a musician is so worried about their new guitar they forget the song's tempo. That public setting adds a whole layer of distraction you just don't have at home.

Feel your pain on that rounded bolt. Heat is the only real fix for those old Civic brackets. Grab a torch next time before the socket even comes out.