Cash can work great. Mine's labeled "van fund" and lives in the pantry.

Hruska's has been smoking on that same pit since 1981, which means that man has cooked more briskets than you and I will in our whole lives combined. The gray bark on your Oklahoma Joe is probably a fire management issue, not a recipe issue, since a thin blue smoke and steady draft matter more than rub or wrap. Spend a Saturday just watching your stack and keeping the fire small instead of chasing temps with big splits.

Noticed this same thing happens with books too. Everyone acts like you gotta speed read a 900 page novel in a week or you're doing it wrong, but I always remember way more when I take my time and let it breathe. Same deal with podcasts or even just learning a new game, you cram it all in and your brain just dumps half of it. We treat consuming stuff like it's a race or a contest instead of something you're supposed to actually enjoy. Dave probably meant well but rushing through a dense show like The Wire is like chugging a good beer, sure you get it down faster but whats the point lol.