SO true for hands on stuff. When you said 'home AC tweaking hobby,' it hit me HARD. Tinkering at home lets you make mistakes without pressure. You learn the little signs that manuals miss. That deep down knowledge just sticks with you. It turns into INSTINCT on the job, no overthinking needed.

Set a firm block, got a meeting invite anyway.

That point about factory-made stuff is pretty much on point. I notice this with things that are too smooth, like brand new tools or software. When they work without any hiccups, it feels off, like something's missing. As spencer_nelson91 mentioned, the wobble gives it character. You see it in old books with bent pages or a voice that cracks when someone talks. It's the flaws that make things feel alive and not just made in a plant.