Yeah, the "muddy, under-struck look" Claire mentioned is so real. It reminds me of this time I was trying to get a good strike on a silver glass and just kept getting this dull gray mess. A friend finally shoved his graphite pad at me and was like, just try it. The difference wasn't even subtle, it was like the color finally woke up. Totally changed how I handle anything that needs a slow cool down now.

Had a friend whose outdoor cat got snatched by a hawk last spring. It's a real risk people don't think about until it happens.

Oh man, that reminds me of the guy who used a paperclip and a car battery to test fuses. Worked every time, somehow.