Showerthought: My old paper maps feel like a different world now

Last week I was packing for a trip in the Sawtooths and found my old map case from a 2015 trip on the Colorado Trail. Back then, I spent a whole evening with a highlighter planning each day's miles, and if the trail rerouted, you just had to hope someone left a note at the junction. Three years ago, I started using a phone app, but the battery died on day two near Twin Lakes. Now, I just download the GPX file to my watch, but I still fold that old paper map into my pack, just in case. Does anyone else keep a paper copy as a backup, or am I just being stubborn?

Just realized my 'simple' AI spreadsheet fix took me three days

My boss wanted me to use a new AI tool to sort and label a year's worth of supplier invoices. It was supposed to take an hour, but the AI kept misreading the handwritten dates and amounts. I had to go back and check every single entry from the last six months manually. Has anyone else found that AI tools for data entry need way more babysitting than they promise?

Just realized how much light pollution messes with our photos after checking a dark sky map

The Bortle scale site showed my backyard is a class 7, which explains why my Milky Way shots always look washed out. Anyone know a decent dark site within an hour of Cincinnati?

Just finished my 50th boiler install since going solo and the number hit me different

My old boss said to never use zip ties on outdoor sensor wires

Honestly, I thought he was just being picky. He told me, 'The sun will eat them in a year, use UV-rated loom instead.' I did a job in Phoenix last summer and ignored him, using regular black ties. Got a callback this week and sure enough, every single one was brittle and cracked. Anyone have a favorite brand for that outdoor conduit stuff?