Wow - you have avoided using a rotary cutter all this time?
I use my coffee table (with a cutting mat on it) for cutting small pieces while the TV is on. (It is a good idea to watch what one is doing while cutting instead of the TV.)
My favorite ruler for cutting/trimming scraps is a 4 x 8 Ommigrid (the one with yellow) that is marked in a 1/8 inch grid.
https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/om..._content=Tools