Had to pick between a full packer brisket or just the flat for a small party

I was cooking for eight people and had to choose between a 16-pound whole packer or a trimmed 7-pound flat from my local butcher. I went with the flat to save time and space on my offset smoker, keeping it simple with just salt and pepper. It turned out a bit dry after six hours, even with a water pan, and I wish I'd kept the point for extra fat. Anyone have tips for keeping a smaller brisket cut moist without the full packer?

Working on a job in Phoenix, the lead guy had us cut all our sheets a half inch short on every wall.

He said it stops the sheets from buckling when the framing shifts in the heat, which happens a lot out there. I've always been taught to cut tight, so this felt wrong, but we had zero callbacks on that house. Do you guys leave a gap like that in really dry climates, or is that asking for trouble?

Went to a marketing meetup in Austin and a guy showed me his simple client feedback form. We added it and our retention jumped 20% in a quarter.

I dropped $80 on a 'premium' VPN that barely worked for a month

I signed up for a year of this service because the ads said it was the fastest and most secure. The first week was fine, but then my speeds dropped to less than 5 Mbps, making streaming impossible. I spent hours with their support, who just told me to switch servers over and over. It was a total waste, and I had to buy a different one. Has anyone else had a VPN just fall apart like that?

My line cook said 'we're not saving lives, we're feeding people' after a rough dinner rush, and it kinda stuck with me.