When I was about ten, I noticed an infrared sensor in our VCR and became convinced that it was a hidden camera that my parents were using to spy on me.

I wasn’t a bad kid so I wasn’t worried, but I convinced myself that if I sang and danced for the camera, my parents would FINALLY see my talent and help me get on Star Search.

For the next month, I did super weird performances in front of that VCR until I finally acknowledged that they hadn’t provided any feedback on my skillz, at which point I determined that the only logical conclusion was that the camera wasn’t working, so I…

DISMANTLED THE VCR to examine the camera.

Once everything was opened up and pulled apart, I realized I had no idea what I was looking at so I just screwed everything back together with a bunch of loose, rattling parts inside.

About a week later, I remember watching my dad trying to play a VHS tape to no avail and silently thinking “this is YOUR fault for not seeing my full POTENTIAL, daaaaad!”