Oh man, that dryer trick is a lifesaver. I felt like a genius the first time I tried it, right up until I used the same logic on a washing machine pump. Spun smooth as butter by hand, so I replaced the whole motor... turned out it was just a clogged coin trap. I wasted an hour and looked like a total rookie. Sometimes the quick check works a little too well on my ego.

Feel your pain, that exact thing happened to me last summer. Crawl spaces are the worst for that kind of bad luck. I started keeping a spare battery in one of those cheap canvas tool belt pouches, the kind with a flap. It keeps most of the dust out and clips right on so I don't have to think about it. Still adds a little bulk but it beats a twenty minute crawl of shame any day.

Wait, you used half a bag of Blue Bottle just to dial it in? That's a whole different kind of pain... @tarahall is right about beans changing, but that's a brutal start.

That crane on South Tryon is a known problem spot. I watched them last month trying to set glass panels in worse wind, and my whole crew just stopped to stare. You can see the stress on the cables from the street, it's crazy. What's the rush that makes that kind of risk worth it, you know?

Ugh, that's the worst. Did they at least have good stuff behind the mess? I went to a place last week where the cookies were all broken in the case, like someone just dropped the tray in there. Totally kills the vibe.