Is it really that deep though? I bought a basic one a while back and just stand when I feel like it, no strict schedule. It's fine for checking emails or taking a quick call, but I'm not gonna act like it changed my life lol. That Portland story is pretty funny, sounds about right for most fancy gear.

Your uncle was a smart man. I do the same thing with a bag of frozen mixed veggies in any pasta sauce or soup. It adds volume and you get some extra vitamins for like a dollar.

My laptop camera cover cost twelve bucks and still got malware last month.

Ugh, tell me about it. I got roped into a wine and paint night kit that was the same way. It came with these tiny bottles of paint and a cheap brush, and the whole thing felt so forced. We just opened our own wine and talked over the dumb video. The box just sat there making me feel dumb for buying it. It totally kills the real fun of just hanging out.

Honestly, that bleach is the killer. It's way too easy to mess up the dose. You're basically playing chemist with a strong acid and a harsh disinfectant, and the margin for error is tiny. A fraction too much bleach and it's not food anymore, it's flower poison. The commercial stuff works because it's a balanced, buffered formula. Trying to copy that at home with kitchen ingredients is asking for crispy petals.