That line about thinking 100 checks would mean you actually knew what you were doing really hits. I used to believe the same thing, that at some point the job just turns into smooth sailing because you've seen it all. But the longer I do this stuff, the more I feel like experience just shows you the giant list of ways things can break, and you learn to respect how easy it is to miss one. So yeah, the number feels way different than I figured it would back when I was starting out. It is less about feeling like an expert and more about staying humble every single time.

Man, I read a piece on Bleeding Cool saying digital sales tanked too, which just proves nobody wants to wait anymore lol.

Wait, you actually PAID to get in and they still treated you like that? That's wild, I would've lost my mind right there. Nah, you're right though, some places just don't deserve your money.