I don't know if it's really that black and white... like yeah, people aren't as loyal to Ford as they used to be, but look at how many folks line up for the new iPhone every year. That's still brand loyalty, just a different kind. Maybe it's more about the product actually working than the name on it. Feels like that VP was just hyping up his own job.

Honestly I felt the same way at first. What finally clicked for me was getting a cheap little kitchen scale and timing the brew. I fill the base with just-boiled water instead of cold, screw it tight but not crazy tight, and take it off the heat the second I see it start to sputter. Now it takes me maybe 90 seconds total and I get a way better cup than my old drip machine ever gave me.

Did you ever work in a place where the kitchen manager ran it like a military operation? Because I had one shift like that and walked out, that's the vibe I get from the show. Some kitchens are raw and loud, but the constant screaming is more for tv drama than realism.

Exactly. The city is going to fight any claim hard and make you jump through hoops before they pay a dime. Documenting everything is the real value here because it gives you something to stand on with your own insurance if the city stonewalls. A lot of people don't realize their homeowner's policy can cover water backup from sewers and drains if you have the right rider, but you still need the photos to prove what happened and when. Filing a claim with the city is worth a shot but nobody should sit around waiting for that check to fix their basement.

Huh, @blairc90, did you end up seeing any actual improvement or did your score just sort of stall after all that effort?