Funny how nailing a small project gives you the guts to try something harder next time.

Isn't it funny how the smallest tweak can fix something so annoying? I see this all the time, like when I finally started using a level to hang shelves instead of just guessing. Or how marking where the trash bags sit in the can stops them from falling in. It's never the big, complicated solution. It's just one little step you were skipping that makes everything else work right.

Did he ever try to sell you on the pyramid, or was it just free advice? Wonder if he had a whole side hustle planned.

So @gray_adams, your butcher in Austin is sharing trade secrets now? I tried skipping scoring once, and my crackling was so crisp it scared the neighbors. Those fat bubbles from scoring can look like weird little hills popping up. Now I just rub salt on the skin and let it cook slow. It turns out flat and crunchy every time. Much less hassle than playing surgeon with a knife.

Totally get the garage projects thing. My grandpa has this ancient yellow radio he always uses in his woodshop. It has that fuzzy static under the music, and he only ever listens to baseball games on it. The sound is just part of the whole smell of sawdust and oil now. That old tech just has a vibe the new stuff doesn't.