Wait, you just used that line without asking him first?

My own stencil kit is buried under a stack of old magazines, a monument to good intentions. I spent more time trying to get a perfect hexagon than I ever did planning my actual week. At this point, a slightly wobbly circle drawn with a bottle cap feels like a act of rebellion. The quest for neat shapes can totally defeat the purpose of getting your thoughts down. I'm starting to believe a little mess is part of the system's charm.

Honestly, my best trick came from a guy trying to fix a wobbly table. He told me to put a dab of toothpaste on the leg, let it dry, and sand it smooth. I tried it on a cheap side table, fully expecting a minty mess, but it actually worked. My place still smells faintly of spearmint, but at least my coffee doesn't slide off anymore.

Wait, did you say you were looking at your own rasp marks on actual x-rays? That's wild, how often do you get to see proof like that? It must be so different from just hearing the theory. So do you try to picture the bones while you're working now, or is that too much to think about?

So true, @the_simon. Do you find it also makes you more willing to try new recipes, since you trust the amounts more?