Totally agree, the right connector makes all the difference. Had the same thing happen with some old cloth wire in my attic. Swapped to a blue Ideal nut and it was solid.

Yeah that "weird finger feeling" is real. I heard a shoemaker say it's about hand strength you don't know you're missing until you work a tough material.

Geese on the Oregon coast? That's unusual. Seagulls are usually the bold ones around there, always after people's food. I remember one stealing a hot dog right from my friend's hand at Seaside. They're much more common in those areas. Your story is still hilarious though. Maybe it was a random goose, but seagulls are the typical thieves.

Heard most of those stories are overblown.

Remember that some clients have private stuff they don't want online. What if they're hiding from an ex or something? Just because the photos look great doesn't mean they want everyone to see them.