Totally agree. Makes finishing so much faster.

Cornstarch can work, but I've found it leaves a weird powdery feel sometimes. I just dry my broccoli florets really well with a kitchen towel before adding oil. That extra moisture is what makes them steam. I still get a great crisp at 400 for 12 minutes without any extra coating. For me, the simpler method is better than adding another ingredient.

Your brother-in-law has a point. I saw a video where a guy in Europe builds interior walls with just a ribbon of mortar on the bottom and top course, filling the middle with dabs. It's called something like a "dot and dab" method over there. The wall just needs to be stiff, not carry weight. Seems like we waste a lot of material doing full beds for no reason.

Used to think a sign just needed a name, but you're totally right. I've passed by places because I couldn't make out the number from my car. It's such a simple fix for a real problem.

That's such a good point about the story in a vase. It makes me wonder if we get too caught up in technical skill sometimes, you know? Like making sure every petal is flawless, but missing the feeling it gives someone. A customer last week called my work "honest" and it stuck with me. It wasn't about being the fanciest, just that it felt real. Maybe that's the real goal.