There was a study I heard about on a podcast where they found people forget most of their ideas within a few minutes if they don't write them down. Something about how the brain treats a written note as "handled" so it stops holding onto it. That stuck with me because it explains why my best ideas used to hit me in the shower or on a walk and then just poof, gone by the time I sat down. Now I text myself one line on my phone the second something pops up, even if it's half a sentence. The lighthouse keeper one is a great save, that thunder fear detail is what makes it work.

Six hours is barely past the stall on a packer, so I get why you are mad. I paid $150 for a class in Fort Worth a few years back and the guy spent 45 minutes of it talking about his spice line, so you are not alone in this. The only teachers I trust now are the ones who have run a real joint for years, not guys with a trailer and a dream. If his brisket came out dry and he blamed the wind, that tells you everything about whether he can teach you anything. Sorry you got burned on this one.