Pushed back on the first one and it actually worked for us. We asked for the policy in writing, like the exact wording, and when they sent it over it said nothing about topic bans, just time place and manner stuff. Once we had that in email they couldn't keep hiding behind "safety" for every single speaker, so the second denial got walked back. Your group probably didn't mess up, the admin just counts on nobody asking questions the first time. Get the policy in writing and make them point to the line that applies, that's the whole game.

There is something about a study I heard about on a podcast, where people who kept a log of small daily stuff felt way more satisfied than people who only tracked big goals. Something about how the brain needs proof of the work, even if nobody else sees it. 1,000 quarts is wild though, that is like 250 gallons of bones and scraps turned into something real. The tally marks on the freezer door are the best part, because your hand just started doing it without asking your brain first. I bet your sous chef would feel real bad if he knew he drank through like a third of your life's work without saying a word.