Spot on with that. People always reach for the easiest comparison instead of actually listening. It kills the chance for something new to make its own mark right from the start. We end up with a bunch of copies in our heads instead of original stuff.

My gunsmith buddy in Texas always says mirror finishes can hide over-polishing lol. He showed me how even hand polishing can wear down the chamber shoulder if you're not careful. We measured one with a bore gauge and it was off by .002 inches after too much polishing. So yeah, shiny is good but you gotta know when to stop.

Feel that guilt hard. I've totally stood there with my phone out wondering if getting the perfect shot was worth stressing the animal out. That line between sharing a cool moment and being a pest gets real blurry fast. But the fact you're even worried about it means you care more than most.

My friend's tabby cat regularly jumps onto their seven-foot bookshelf. That totally blows the whole height trick out of the water. Even with detectors near the ceiling, a determined pet can find a way. I had mine mounted high and my dog still triggered it by standing on his hind legs. Pets don't follow the rules we set for them. It's wild how people think a few inches will make all the difference.

Watch it crawl along like waiting for paint to dry, which feels like most tech stuff these days honestly.