Used to think adding buffer time was just being lazy. Then I got burned trying to fix a simple bug before a demo. Took three hours instead of one and I looked like a fool. Now I pad everything, like @ben_nguyen said. That extra hour for a meeting or even just to send an email saves my sanity every single day.

Oh man, was it the cheap stuff in the white bottle? I basically used Elmer's for grown-ups and now my book sounds like it's cracking its knuckles every time I open it.

Yeah @jason168, we were basically just wrestling with our computers back then.

Totally agree with testing on a small job first. I'll even run a new chainsaw through some scrap logs in the yard before it touches a client's tree. Check the oil feed and the chain tension after it gets warm, that's usually when new stuff shows its quirks. Saves a ton of headache later.

Honestly though, how close did you actually get to losing it? Like did you enter your full login info or something?