Ugh, that's the worst. My old boss did the same thing. What worked for me was sending a weekly update with all my open calls and asking which ones to focus on first. It forced them to see the backlog and usually they'd back off or get me help. Might not fix everything but it shifts the blame off you when things pile up.

Yeah lasers are cool until they die on you mid job. I've learned the hard way that a string line never runs out of batteries. Old school just works.

Funny how many people treat gear like it's disposable then get upset when it wears out. This reminds me of folks who leave tools in the rain or never change their car's oil, then act shocked when things fail. There's a basic lack of respect for how stuff actually works, like expecting magic instead of materials science. You see it everywhere, not just with camping gear. Why do we ignore the simple rules for keeping things in good shape?

Wait, is skipping the second rise really a disaster? I get that babka is supposed to be light, but come on, it's still sugar and dough. My aunt once made a cake that sank in the middle, and we just called it a pudding and ate it with spoons. So maybe your friend's dense babka is just a new style, like a fudgy brownie version. In the end, if it tastes good, who cares if it's not picture perfect?