Found a chunk of what I thought was obsidian in a creek bed near Bend

I mean, it was black and glassy, so I was sure. Took it to a local rock club meeting and a guy pointed out the conchoidal fractures were way too big and grainy. It was actually slag glass from an old smelting operation, which makes sense given the area's history. He showed me under a 10x loupe and the tiny bubbles were a dead giveaway. Anyone else run into industrial slag masquerading as cool volcanic rock?

My 'experimental' hot sauce went from a mild green to a glowing pink in just 48 hours.

I threw in a whole beet from my garden on a whim, and now it looks like something from a sci-fi movie, but honestly it tastes pretty great on eggs.

My smoker lid flew off during a windstorm in Amarillo last weekend

I was doing a 12-hour brisket cook when a gust caught the lid and sent it rolling down the driveway. Had to chase it with oven mitts on while the temp dropped 50 degrees. Ended up using a big rock and some foil to keep the heat in until I could get it back on. Anyone else ever have their gear try to make a run for it?

I spent three whole days trying to write a simple story about a talking cat

My bean soup went from bland to amazing after a $2 change

I've been making the same cheap bean soup for years. It was always just okay. Kind of boring. Last week I grabbed a smoked ham hock from the butcher counter. It was only two dollars. Threw it in the pot with my dried beans and water. Let it simmer for like three hours. The difference was crazy. The whole pot had this deep, smoky flavor. The beans were so much richer. My partner actually asked for seconds, which never happens. It felt like a restaurant soup for pennies. What other cheap cuts do you guys use to boost flavor?

Spent $450 on a new digital multimeter with a clamp for current readings and it saved my whole week.

Tried using a cheap $15 fish tape from Harbor Freight on a tough attic run, and the tip snapped clean off.