My local nursery actually recommended adding perlite to my fern mix for better water retention.

Kinda crazy how official history often leaves out what mattered to regular people. @nancyb29's point about her great-aunt's depression stories shows that. But here's a thing: personal accounts are how groups who were pushed down kept their truth alive. Books often give the winner's side, so memories are the other stories that get shut down. Saying they're just memories is like saying those lives didn't count. Listening is about making things right, not just learning facts. Lol, it's deeper than people think.

Look, trusting your main light is usually enough. Modern headlamps have low power warnings, so you can plan ahead. Getting stuck in the dark once in a while teaches you to be more prepared next time.

Yeah it's wild... like @lewis.tara said, that's the heart of the car. Always felt like a scam until the one thing you never expect goes.

Yeah, you learn that lesson fast, don't you? I wrecked my own knees on a solo trip in Utah because I packed way too much water 'just in case' - had like eight pounds of it. Could barely walk downhill by the end of the first day. Now I weigh every single thing and it makes such a crazy difference.