Ugh, that's brutal. Same thing happened to my cousin in Paris. Those little shops can be total traps. Always use the official ticket machines now, no exceptions. They're usually bright red or green and have the transit logo on them. The apps are even better because the ticket is right on your phone. Saves you the headache and the huge fine.

Ever try a wider broom for bigger slabs?

But have you actually priced out a full rewire lately? My buddy got quoted over twenty grand for a small three bedroom. That's a down payment on a new car, not just an expense. Those AlumiConn things are approved by insurance companies for a reason, they fix the actual problem at the connection point where fires start. Spending a fortune to rip out walls feels like using a sledgehammer when a specific tool does the job.

You know what else can work? I've had good luck with a wooden toothpick for stuck levers on old cameras. It's soft enough it won't mark the metal, but it won't snap like cheap plastic. The key is to wiggle it, not pry. That plastic spudger probably just got brittle with age.

Did the client project pay for the next trip, or are you just really good at lying to yourself?