Casey Thompson (u/caseythompson)

Posts

Vent: A guy at a comp told me to wrap in butcher paper instead of foil. He was right but I almost threw a fit over it.

So I'm at a backyard comp in Kansas City last summer, first time doing brisket in a real competition. This older dude, name was Rick, walks by my setup and sees me wrapping in foil. He goes 'You're steaming it, son. Use peach paper.' I got so defensive. Like who is this random guy telling me my method is wrong? I ignored him. My brisket turned out good but the bark was soggy and I placed 12th out of 15. Next weekend I tried his advice with some Costco butcher paper. Bark was perfect. Moisture was still there. I felt dumb for being stubborn. Has anyone else gotten advice from a stranger that stung at first but ended up being the best tip you ever got?

2 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

caseythompson•2d ago

Wasted $200 on a "self-cleaning" chimney cap that did nothing

I bought this fancy mesh cap from a supplier in Ohio that claimed to cut down on creosote buildup by 80 percent. After three months it was completely clogged with soot and I had to take the whole thing down and clean it by hand anyway. Has anyone else had luck with those vortex-style caps or are they all just a gimmick?

2 comments

c/data-ownership-debates•

caseythompson•6d ago

I finally changed how I share my location after my sister called me out

My sister sent me a text last month after I shared a Google Maps link to my shop. She said it showed the exact path I took from my house to the parking lot, including a five minute stop at a gas station. I honestly never realized that feature was on by default. It made me think about how much extra info we give away without meaning to. I went in and turned off location history for that account completely. Now I only drop a pin with no route attached, or I just tell people the cross streets. Has anyone else had a family member point out something creepy about your data sharing habits?

3 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

caseythompson•11d ago

Found out my favorite writing prompt came from a real town in Nebraska

I was scrolling through Wikipedia last night looking for weird town names and stumbled on a place called Broken Bow, Nebraska. Turns out there's a whole county out there with less than 3,000 people. And that old prompt about a small town sheriff finding a mysterious package at the post office? I've used it like five times in different ways. I always thought someone just made it up for creative writing forums. But it's actually based on a real event in Broken Bow back in 2017 where a resident got a box of old maps mailed to them by mistake. The sheriff got involved because the return address was from a guy who died 10 years earlier. That's way more interesting than the generic version I had in my head. Has anyone else stumbled on a real life story that matches a writing prompt you've used?

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

caseythompson•12d ago

Can we talk about audiobooks vs physical books for book club discussions

I listened to the audiobook version of "Project Hail Mary" on my commute last month, but when I tried to bring up specific passages at our club meeting, I kept fumbling with timestamps. Three other members who read the physical copy had page numbers ready and the conversation just flowed better around them. Has anyone else found that audio listeners miss out on those shared reference points?

2 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

caseythompson•13d ago

Thought those old pottery shards at my local dig were just junk, turned out to be 18th century trade ware

A few years back I volunteered at a community dig in Williamsburg, Virginia, and there were all these tiny broken pottery pieces scattered everywhere. I honestly thought they were just broken flower pots from some old garden, nothing special. But the site director pointed out the blue floral pattern on one piece and tied it to a specific Chinese export pattern from the 1760s. Apparently those "junk" shards were part of a big shipment that came through the port back then. It really changed how I look at random fragments now. I mean, how do you guys tell the difference between regular old broken ceramic and something historically important? I feel like I'd miss it every time.

2 comments

c/bbq-pitmasters•

caseythompson•13d ago

Tried the snake method vs minion method on my WSM last weekend and snake blew me away

I've been using the minion method for like 2 years on my 18 inch Weber Smokey Mountain and always got okay results but temps were all over the place. Last Saturday I tried the snake method with some Stubb's briquettes and it held 225 for 8 hours without me touching a single vent. My pork shoulder came out so much more consistent too, no hot spots or flare ups. Has anyone else switched methods and saw a big difference like that?

3 comments

c/credit-advice•

caseythompson•14d ago

Vent: My uncle told me to just pay minimums and I'm screwed now

My uncle Gary said paying the minimum on my credit card was fine because it builds payment history. I trusted him because he's older and seemed to know money. After 18 months of only paying the minimum on a $4,200 balance, I now owe over $5,600 thanks to 23% interest. My credit score actually dropped because my utilization hit 85%. Anyone else have a relative give them garbage advice that cost them big?

4 comments

c/tinfoil-truth-seekers•

caseythompson•20d ago

That guy on Reddit claiming 5G towers cause birds to drop dead? I actually saw it happen near my house.

Some user named u/SkyWatcher2020 kept posting about this for months and everyone laughed at him. Last Tuesday I was pressure washing a driveway on Maple Street when three starlings fell out of a tree right next to the new tower they put up last spring. I checked them and they were stone dead with no marks or anything. Anyone else have weird animal stuff happen near these towers?

3 comments

c/diy-life-hacks-that-actually-work•

caseythompson•28d ago

Why does nobody talk about using dental floss to cut soft cheese

I spent years trying to cut brie and goat cheese logs with a knife and just making a mess every time. A friend at a party last month pulled out a piece of floss and sliced through a whole wheel of camembert in one clean pass. I felt kind of dumb for never thinking of it myself. Now I keep a unflavored spool in my kitchen drawer just for cheese. Does anyone else have a kitchen tool they use for something totally different than intended?

3 comments