Honestly that old timer might have a point about the math but he's missing something big about speed. In a shop you learn by messing up and fixing it right there, which sticks way better than a classroom. But ngl, trade school does drill in the technical stuff like angles and joinery theory that you might not get organically on the floor. I've seen guys switch from shop-only to school later and they said the classroom filled in gaps they didn't even know they had. Did you ever feel like you hit a ceiling with your hands-on learning where you wished you had more theory backing you up?

read somewhere those cheap hardware store trowels are just thin sheet metal stamped out.

Honestly, cinnamon in spaghetti sauce is a whole vibe if you do it right. Your grandma wasn't wrong, you just went overboard. A tiny pinch adds this warmth that cuts through the acidity, makes it taste like a real Sunday dinner.

Changed my mind after trying it once.