Wait, you're checking on a brisket at midnight? That's a serious commitment. I can't imagine staying up that late just to babysit a piece of meat. My last brisket was in the oven by 7 PM and I was asleep by 10. The idea of stumbling around in the dark sounds like a recipe for disaster, or at least a really bad burn.

Oh my god yes, my friend does this every single time. She gets her coffee, puts the lid on, and immediately pushes that little tab down like it's a race. I asked her once and she said if she waits she always forgets and then it spills in her car. Makes sense but it still looks so funny to watch.

That garage scene wrecked me for days.

That's the universe testing your commitment to the craft. At least you had a backup, even if it was ancient. My old system was so bad I'd have just shown up with a sad PowerPoint.

My friend Mark had the same problem with his starter last winter. He started using a heating pad under the jar set to low, and it doubled in size within a day. The temperature really does make a huge difference.