Stacking multiple short exposures makes a huge difference with basic gear. Try taking like 30 shots at ISO 1600 and 30 seconds each, then use free software like DeepSkyStacker. It cuts out the noise and really brings out the nebula details you'd otherwise miss.

Two years back at the old warehouse on Elm Street, we had a faulty safety interlock on the loading bay door. Everyone kept jamming it with a piece of wood to keep things moving. I pulled the plug during my shift, called maintenance, and got chewed out by the foreman for stopping production. But the fix only took four hours, and we avoided what could have been a real bad accident. Sometimes you just have to eat the short-term grief.

That preventive attention idea, can it be taught or is it just instinct?

Totally agree with @xena_brown50 on this. Being too strict with your hours can totally mess things up with big clients. A little flexibility goes a long way!

Oh, I remember those toothpaste fixes too. But you know, CDs don't actually have grooves like vinyl records. The data is stored in a different way, and toothpaste is harsh and can haze the plastic layer that the laser reads. That's probably why it never played right again. Your point about testing first is always a good rule.