My friend bought this really nice leather bound sketchbook with thick paper. She carried it around for months but wouldn't make a single mark. Finally she just drew a tiny, shaky pencil circle in the very bottom corner of the first page. Said it was like breaking a spell.

Exactly! This is the same reason I hate boring meetings at work. It's not about the game itself, it's about giving people a real problem to solve together. If everyone's just going through the motions waiting for their turn, you might as well be alone. The good stuff happens when you're all in the mix, arguing and laughing over the same stupid problem. That's what actually makes people feel connected.

Read something similar about old tools, @webb.blake, how they carry stories in the scratches and wear.

Wait, they actually push back on using a power stretcher?

Sounds like a life changing event. Did you get a promotion at the paint store too?