You know, I used to think perms were pretty straightforward. Just some rods and solution, how hard could it be? But your sister's story about the sleeping lady completely changed my mind. I always figured you could see the curl developing, but I never thought about the fact that you're basically committing to something you can't fully see until it's done. That trust fall analogy really hit home for me. I guess that's why I've always been too scared to try one myself, even though I've thought about it a few times over the years.

Wait till your kitchen smells like a science experiment gone wrong.

Man I did the same thing with 30 zip ties on my desk last month and regretted every single one.

Yeah, "mixers were for everyone" is exactly what I used to think too. It took me way too long to figure out that most people at those things are just there for free drinks and business cards they'll never look at again. I've sat through too many awkward conversations where people can't even tell you what kind of work they actually do. The Cobo shows sound like a better bet, honestly. I feel for your buddy though, it's frustrating to waste a whole night on something that doesn't pan out. At least he knows now what to avoid next time.

Honestly, that kind of gear can create a false sense of security. A lot of those hot spots are just poor connections that a simple visual check during install would have caught. Spending all that cash on fancy tools sometimes just covers up for skipping the basic, careful work in the first place. It feels like we're getting sold a solution to problems we shouldn't be creating. Sure, it found the issue, but depending on tech to find our own sloppy work seems backwards. The real fix is taking the time to do it right so the wall never gets closed up with a problem inside.