a 1-step yak-shaving example – started sorting digital video cables & etc.. ended up needing to sort my indoor collection of plastic bags (my famous “bags of bags”).
I started sorting and documenting a bunch of cables from CAVE-TUB-1-AVD… I wanted to group them into types (DVI, HDMI, small converters, etc.)… 
… but my indoor bags of bags is unsorted! 
Now sorted Small bags, big bags, foil/anti-static bags, and bubble wrap bags.
so then wanted to test the endoscope, maybe using my thinkpad w520 with ChromOS installed:
and then i noticed the endocpoes usb end is actually a mini with an adapter to give usb-A
but don’t have a phone or tablet that has usb-mini. and no converter!
Looked it up found an excellent explaination:
Shaving the Yak:
Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing one to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows one to solve a larger problem.