Honestly, the real win is that you proved your specific data matters more than raw model size.

Remember that a badge of honor shouldn't feel like a punishment.

Feel your pain, that's a brutal way to lose half a day. @noah_singh81 is right, those shared neutrals are the first thing I look for now in old places. I've traced phantom voltage back to a buried junction box someone drywalled over before.

That QR code by the creamer is genius. I never would have thought to try something so simple offline. It makes way more sense than fighting an algorithm for attention.

Was your manager in finance or something? That is such a classic move to keep payroll costs down. I had a boss tell me the exact same thing about Q4 budget being locked, and I waited. Come January, they suddenly had no money for raises because it was a "new fiscal year with new constraints." It felt like a game where they just keep moving the goalposts. Your timing after a big project is perfect, because your work is fresh in their mind. If the budget is truly set, a good manager would at least note your request for the next cycle, not shut you down.