That "full minute of quiet" is the perfect family dinner reaction! Your uncle's birds aren't real theory is the kind of statement that just kills all conversation. Someone asking for more gravy is the only possible move, because what do you even say to that, @terryrobinson? It's like the brain needs a full reboot. Awkward silence isn't just a reply, it's a survival skill for those moments.

Yeah, I've run into that a lot. What finally clicked for one student was showing them a batch of clear cullet next to a batch with colorants mixed in. I had them try to gather each on a punty, and the difference in how the glass moved was impossible to ignore. It's not a coating, it's a different material from the start.

Dish soap on a bike chain? That's like washing your car with sandpaper. It strips everything away and leaves the metal totally bare. No wonder it rusted in a week. I'd be so mad if someone told me to do that.