Notice how that same rule applies to pretty much everything else too, like packing for a trip or even just getting out the door in the morning. I've found that if I don't sort my stuff out before I start rushing, I always end up forgetting something or making a big mess. It just proves that a little planning upfront saves you a ton of headache later on, whether you're cooking or just trying to get through a regular day.

Laughing at myself because I once ate a whole box of discount granola bars that were expired by like 8 months. My stomach did NOT appreciate my frugal choices that night. Let's just say I spent the rest of the evening apologizing to my toilet. Now I check dates EVERYWHERE, even on stuff I'm pretty sure is fine. Seriously, those off brand bars are tough enough when they're fresh, expired ones are basically a workout for your jaw.

Power supplies matter a ton too... cheap ones dump noise right into your signal.

Switched to a tube feeder and nyjer seed last month, the finches showed up in three days.

That's exactly it. You spend so much time fighting bad conditions that when things finally line up, you almost don't know what to do with yourself. @amymason mentioned that fog analogy and it hit home-its like the whole world just opens up and you can breathe again. But here's what gets me: do you find that the good days make you second-guess the bad ones at all? Like, after a clear run, you start wondering if you were just being dramatic about the visibility, or if it really was that awful? I think the gap between the mud and the clear water is what makes the good days feel so unreal, not just the visibility itself.