Why is it silly to give materials a little personality? In my studio, glass is absolutely the drama queen (prone to fits of cracking if you look at it wrong) and metal is the stoic workhorse. That thermal expansion mismatch isn't just a chart in a textbook, it's a genuine compatibility issue you have to negotiate, almost like a relationship. Maybe annealing would have eased the tension, but a lower COE glass is probably the more diplomatic solution.

That line about splattered gravy instructions having more authority is so true. My mom's biscuit card is frayed at the corners and stained with buttermilk, and I always follow it more carefully than any digital recipe. Handling that tired paper feels like collaborating with every past kitchen attempt, which honestly improves my results.