$200 is a lot of money to some people though...

But honestly though, do you think the whole "forbidden fruit" thing actually works better when its a school or library doing the banning versus a parent just saying "not yet" at home? Like with your nephew, you were trying to protect him from something you thought was too mature, but he just saw it as a challenge instead. I wonder if kids are smart enough to tell the difference between when adults are trying to control them versus when adults are just trying to guide them. Maybe the key isnt about banning at all but about having those awkward conversations earlier so they dont feel like youre hiding something. Cause the moment you say "you cant read this" without explaining why, youve basically given them a mission.

That's the cool thing about sticking with something long enough. Everything you learn just builds on what you did before, whether it's music or fixing stuff around the house.

Remember back in 2008 when everyone was trying to make collapsible fishing poles out of those things and they kept snapping in half on the first big catch? My uncle lost a really expensive lure that way, still brings it up every time we go to the lake. I guess the point is just because something's been around for a while doesn't mean people figured out how to use it right until way later. But yeah, you're right that fiberglass rods aren't breaking any new ground here.

That whole "your pile is literally smoking" thing is exactly why those hard and fast ratios are dumb. I once had a pile catch fire because I followed some online guide's perfect brown to green ratio but it was way too dry. You gotta adjust for your actual conditions, not some textbook number. Those people would probably lose their minds if they saw me throwing in coffee grounds whenever instead of measuring them out.