Backbrushing is one of those things that sounds like extra work but actually saves time in the long run because you're not going back to fix drips later. Having said that, if you're using a decent self leveling paint and not laying it on like cake frosting, you can skip the backbrush and just roll in one direction. I painted a whole shed last summer with a 3/8 nap roller and it came out smooth as glass with zero drips. Seems like the trick is more about using the right amount of paint and not flooding it on in the first place.

Well hot dog, you nailed it! Self-leveling compound is the way to go for sure.

It's wild how normalized this hustle mentality has gotten, you know? Like people brag about pulling all-nighters or skipping meals just to get stuff done and we're supposed to clap for it. I see it everywhere now, not just in construction or trades but regular office workers and even friends running errands act like being completely drained is a badge of honor. A 12 hour stretch on your feet with no break isn't a flex, it's just a fast track to hating your body by the time you're forty.

Wait, they ate 30 different meats? That's insane.

Nah man, I gotta push back on this one hard. Wireless is such a trap for alarm systems, especially in old houses like these Victorians. You're trading one rodent problem for another set of headaches - battery dies in the middle of the night, interference from all the old plaster and lath, plus the signal drops when you're in a room with three layers of wallpaper and lead paint. I ran cat6 specifically because copper is bulletproof once it's in the wall, and those sensors can pull power right off the wire without any battery nonsense. The attic was a nightmare though, those old fire stops are basically solid wood planks between studs so I had to drill through each one with a long bit. Wireless might seem easier but you're just kicking the can down the road till you're crawling under the house replacing dead 9 volts at 2am.