My old shop in Atlanta caught a sticky solenoid twice just by pulling the rope first.

Totally get that, and it's everywhere now (not just LinkedIn). My local coffee shop has a whole wall of "hustle culture" quotes next to the pastries, which feels like the same vibe. It's like we've all agreed to perform being productive in public, even when we're just trying to get a muffin.

My buddy's kiln died at a big craft fair last year, he had to finish glazing pieces with a heat gun from his truck.

Oh wow, I had the exact same thing happen with my mom's biscuit recipe. Hers was all shortening too. I switched to half butter and half cold buttermilk instead of regular milk. The butter gave it that rich taste and the buttermilk made them so tender. It was a total game changer, like they went from good to the best thing on the table. Honestly, I'll never go back.

Getting your mom to tell her book club is a huge win.