Fraser Clark

Great points. For a small lightfast starter palette, consider PY150 or PY154 (transparent yellow), PV19 (quin rose), PR206 or PR179 (deep crimson), PB29 (ultramarine), PB15:3 (phthalo blue GS), PG7 (phthalo green), and PBr7 or PR101 (burnt sienna/iron oxide) - mostly single-pigment and ASTM I. If a brand doesn’t list ASTM, Blue Wool 7–8 is comparable, and doing your own window swatch test is quick insurance; still keep finished pieces out of direct sun.

Hi Poppy, I've struggled with remembering names at networking events too, especially when I'm tired from a long day. What really turned it around for me was focusing on repetition right away. As soon as someone introduces themselves, I say their name back in my response, like 'Nice to meet you, Sarah.' That simple act lodges it in my brain better than just hearing it once. I also try to use their name once more during the conversation, which feels natural and helps reinforce it without much effort. For a concrete example, at a local meetup last month, I met a guy named Mike who mentioned he was into hiking. I associated his name with Mike the hiker in my mind, picturing him on a trail, and that visual stuck. It's a quick association trick that doesn't require any tools or apps, perfect since you're in a small town with limited options. This method is energy-efficient too, as it only takes a few seconds during the intro. One pitfall I ran into early on was overdoing the associations, which made me zone out and miss what the person was saying next. To avoid that, I keep it to one simple link per name and stay present in the chat. Overall, these habits have cut my embarrassing forgetful moments way down, and they're easy to start today without any prep.

Hi Cayson, Man and that sucks about your case cracking so fast. I've been there with cheap ones that don't last, especially when you're out in the elements all day. Probably the plastic is too rigid and can't handle the flexing from drops or even temperature swings, you know? Works great at first, then bam. Try opting for something with more flexible materials next time, maybe silicone-based to absorb shocks better. And yeah, check reviews from folks in similar jobs before buying. Could save you some hassle.

To add to that — Totally co-sign this. I had the same smoky bacon saga and the water in the tray plus a mid-cook drain wiped out most of the haze. Perforated parchment helped too, and starting cold at a lower temp let the fat render instead of flash burning on the element. That oven style pick fits your issue because the larger cavity and real drip pan keep hot fat off the heater, and you can catch drippings with a little water.