The brainiac becomes a chef....

As long as I can remember I wanted to be a lawyer. As I got older into college I realized that career field was saturated. I was still interested, but unsure. My whole life learning has come easily to me. I did very well in school. I decided to take a few classes in different career fields. I found out that I kick ass at creative writing, poetry, and classical mythology. None of these classes proved a promising or interesting career for me. It never occurred to me to do something with my hands, to create something. I wasn't really encouraged to take shop or home economics in any of the years leading up to college. It wasn't as important as academic classes according to most. "Shop class is not going to get you into a competitive college," one advisor told me. I wish I would have had the balls to do it anyway. I graduated from high school early. I could have graduated at the end of my junior year, but Indiana has a seven-semester law. I thought for half my senior year I would take classes like shop. Nope, not me, I wasn't allowed.

Flash forward....

Michael was unsure of his career field. We talked it over and he decided to join the USAF. We made a deal though at the end. When he was done with his service I would be able to return to school and finish my degree.

In the course of being in the military, I discovered a lot of things about myself. I can iron when absolutely necessary. I learned how to polish boots. I like to mow the lawn. I learned to cook. We were desperately poor. I mean should have been on food stamps poor. One day I realized I had chicken leg quarters, rosemary, maple syrup, and cornflakes in the house and nothing else. So I did my best. I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Then I brushed the maple syrup on. Next I coated the chicken in crushed cornflakes and baked it. It came out pretty good. Later we got invited to a lot of bbqs. I would bring a caramel apple crisp or something else I would whip up. Then people from the bbq asked me to make it for them. They paid me $10.00 an apple crisp. It progressed further with people from Michael's lab coming home with him for lunch and so on.

Michael and I began to talk about forward progression. What did I want to pursue when we got out. I was torn between forensic science and culinary arts. He told me he fully expected me to do both in my lifetime. I am one of those annoying people who get bored with their career. It happens once I can no longer learn anything from my field. Lucky for me Michael is not this way. So we looked into culinary schools. It wasn't feasible to go to New York for the Culinary Institute of America. I liked the Le Cordon Bleu program too. So I found school and went. I was very unsure of myself. I still don't know if I am in the right field. A lot of times I am disheartened by the influx of morons in culinary arts. I enjoy my craft, but rather relish in the rich history, traditions, and cultures of the food and it's people. That is what is so appealing to me. It should be a field with infinite knowledge. It seems to be filled more with people who want checks, need another seat for their ego, or have lost major function in the brain.

I don't regret my choice. I am proud of the fact that I can create something with my hands. I think every one should be encouraged to do so at some point in their lives.