Spot on about the rust, @cole356. Seen that a Bunch with old hardware. A soak in white vinegar can work Wonders on the crusty bits if the leather is still intact.

Remember that trend a while back with people baking their own sourdough? My wife got into it during lockdown, and watching her wait for that starter to bubble taught me more about patience than I ever expected. There were days nothing happened, just a sad jar of goop on the counter. But when it finally worked, that first loaf, even a little lumpy, felt like a real win. It wasn't about the bread, it was about sticking with the quiet, slow process.

My dumb self never checked lists, but @the_tessa's right about those anchors.

Laying out your contributions" is exactly the right move. I make a simple list of my specific wins from the past few months, just bullet points on a notepad. Then I practice saying them out loud once so I don't blank. It turns a scary talk into just sharing facts you already know.

Try picking up anything besides static on my handheld radio last storm. Managed to get a fuzzy ad for a tractor auction three states away, which felt like a win. Honestly, if I caught a Brazilian station, I'd probably assume it was just someone's microwave interfering. My reception skills are that bad.