Honestly, that pancake batter thin mud is gonna cause problems. Tbh, if you thin it that much, it sags on ceilings and the knockdown just turns into a flat, shiny mess. You want it like soft peanut butter off the knife. Ngl, I learned this the hard way on a bathroom ceiling that looked awful. The thicker mud holds the knife marks better and dries with way more texture.

My toaster oven lies to me constantly.

Was it that one about the "minimalism regret" trend? I totally did that with a heavy coat last year and had to replace it by November.