Not to sound harsh, but is a busted crimp die really that big of a deal? I mean, yeah, it's annoying when a tool you've had forever breaks, but it sounds like you got the job done with that rusty backup even if the connectors looked rough. That's the real win right there. @jesse_fisher, I bet you've seen guys freak out over way smaller stuff on the job site. Tools wear out, that's just how it goes, especially a $20 die from 1998. People act like it's some kind of tragedy, but you just go grab another one from the supply house and move on. Half the time the new ones work better anyway, no matter what people say about old vs new quality.

Good advice right there.

That "too clean" rule makes sense for dialogue but real honesty isn't always messy. Sometimes people actually say what they mean clearly, it just depends on the person.

Read somewhere that SQL Server actually processes CTEs differently under the hood compared to subqueries. Something about how the optimizer can materialize the CTE result set which sometimes lets it reuse data instead of recalculating everything. Made me realize those 8 seconds you saw weren't just about readability.

Those square nails are called "hobnails" and they were a total pain in the rear if you ever had to walk on hardwood floors with them. Sounded like a whole marching band following you around. Plus, they'd pop out after a few months of heavy wear and you'd end up stepping on a loose nail inside your boot. Had a pair of reproduction boots with them once, the mud grip was decent but the noise drove me crazy.