"i never keep track of dates or use a microscope. i can tell when a plant is "done"."
You are obviously not the majority. Most likely a noob or even a novice and advanced growers cannot just look at a plant and know when to harvest. They may say they can, but they can't.
At 22,000 plus posts I expect you to have superpowers.
Most people with a good number of grows can look at a plant and tell you if it is finished.. It is perfectly easy to tell if a plant is ready to chop. This "check" the trichome stuff is a load of bollocks, just people being anal thinking they're a scientist. few if any farmers of any kind break out microscopes to see when their fruits or flowers are "ready", they have the experience to tell by look a smell or a touch. You emjoy your microscope
You obviously have a long way to go when it comes to growing cannabis. It is VERY easy to tell when a plant is ready to be harvested from the look alone.
You do know that checking trichomes means sweet fuck all. People like cannabis as they like it, if they see a plant, harvest it and enjoy it, then that is the end of it, there is no question of "but the trichomes were not amber". They got a plant, harvested it, and enjoyed it, the grow was a success.
You need to grow some more weed..