"I'm Going To Come Back To Training" and other lies

[Buka]

The only obsession I’ve had longer than Martial Arts is reading books. Unfortunately, most of what I read is fiction. About 90 percent.

If I read non fiction I might actually know something by now.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

The only obsession I’ve had longer than Martial Arts is reading books. Unfortunately, most of what I read is fiction. About 90 percent.

If I read non fiction I might actually know something by now.

I didn't even think to include reading as a hobby. To me that's like saying that breathing and eating are hobbies.

To be honest, though, I don't read as many books as I used to. For a good part of my life I read multiple books per week and now I average less than one per week. I think reading stuff online has taken up some of that time.

 

[Buka]

I didn't even think to include reading as a hobby. To me that's like saying that breathing and eating are hobbies.

To be honest, though, I don't read as many books as I used to. For a good part of my life I read multiple books per week and now I average less than one per week. I think reading stuff online has taken up some of that time.

I didn't even think to include reading as a hobby. To me that's like saying that breathing and eating are hobbies.

To be honest, though, I don't read as many books as I used to. For a good part of my life I read multiple books per week and now I average less than one per week. I think reading stuff online has taken up some of that time.

I’ve averaged two books a week since I was a little kid. And I sure know what you mean by “like saying breathing and eating are hobbies.”

The coolest thing I ever saw was from the Secretary in our Law Enforcement unit. She was a voracious reader as well.

I was walking by her desk one day. She had a stack of old notebooks on it. I asked her about them.

She was in her late fifties at the time. Since the second grade every book she had ever read she would record in a notebook. The title, author, when it came out, what it was about, who the main characters were and what her thoughts were about the book.

She was transferring her lifelong list of books onto a computer to save room in her small house.

Damn, I wish I had thought of doing that.

 

[Gyakuto]

I love watching actual cooking shows but don’t generally enjoy cooking competitions. I have all of the French Chef episodes on dvd and love watching The NY Times cooking channel on YouTube.

And hamburgers are just as fun to cook as anything else. So many different possibilities. Dozens of different ways to make a hamburger.

Hot dogs are pretty easy, but there are better ways to cook them than just boiling them. I’ve dabbled with sausage making, and make my own Italian sausage pretty often.

I like talking about food almost as much as I enjoy eating it.

Do you actually cook? I suppose I watch Wheeler Dealers (car repair) and have never repaired my car other than overfilling my coolant last night…top tip, perform that task in daylight rather than a dark driveway

 

[Steve]

Do you actually cook? I suppose I watch Wheeler Dealers (car repair) and have never repaired my car other than overfilling my coolant last night…top tip, perform that task in daylight rather than a dark driveway

I actually cook. I bake too. I literally talked about cooking in the post you responded to.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The only obsession I’ve had longer than Martial Arts is reading books. Unfortunately, most of what I read is fiction. About 90 percent.

If I read non fiction I might actually know something by now.

Wow, you actually found a hobby I've had since before martial arts. Though at that age I was more than likely being read books to me. But multiple books per week (or the equivalent), sometimes actual printed books, other times manga or chinese web novels. Or comic books..basically anything.

 

[Gyakuto]

I actually cook. I bake too. I literally talked about cooking in the post you responded to.

It wasn’t clear to me that you actually cooked. I can write about preparing beef wellington but as a strict vegetarian (who always takes the vegan option) I never have!

In the U.K., there’s a habit where people watch cooking programmes like Bake off or Master Chef but never attempt to cook, rather reaching for their phone and ordering chicken wings for home delivery by Just Eat/Über Eats…they don’t even get off their backsides to fetch their ‘beige food’. I personally think these cookery programmes should have health warnings/be broadcast after the watershed (9pm). Can you believe a programme that encourages the eating of high sugar, low fibre foodstuffs, probably before one eats up one’s broccoli and over boiled carrots. No wonder the U.K. has overtaken the U.S. in having the most obese population.

Anyway…no more about heating raw food stuffs…I find it dull!

 

[Steve]

It wasn’t clear to me that you actually cooked. I can write about preparing beef wellington but as a strict vegetarian (who always takes the vegan option) I never have!

In the U.K., there’s a habit where people watch cooking programmes like Bake off or Master Chef but never attempt to cook, rather reaching for their phone and ordering chicken wings for home delivery by Just Eat/Über Eats…they don’t even get off their backsides to fetch their ‘beige food’. I personally think these cookery programmes should have health warnings/be broadcast after the watershed (9pm). Can you believe a programme that encourages the eating of high sugar, low fibre foodstuffs, probably before one eats up one’s broccoli and over boiled carrots. No wonder the U.K. has overtaken the U.S. in having the most obese population.

Anyway…no more about heating raw food stuffs…I find it dull!

I love to cook. I actually make a pretty good Wellington a few times each year around the holidays.

Man, I can give you probably twenty variables for making delicious hamburgers that are very different.

I also love to talk about cooking and it sounds to me like you could stand to watch a little Julia Child. She was a national treasure.

I am a little surprised to hear that you guys don’t cook, though. I thought there was a tradition of Sunday roast and all that in the UK. Is that no longer a thing?

 

[Gyakuto]

I am a little surprised to hear that you guys don’t cook, though. I thought there was a tradition of Sunday roast and all that in the UK. Is that no longer a thing?

Good heaven, no! Very few Brits could be bothered with cooking a Sunday roast. Older people might as a way to entice grown up child who will not usually visit them. Most young Brits wouldn’t know where to start cooking such a meal! They have not acquired the skills. Christmas day roasts are in decline too with a quarter of us preferring a take away deliver according to a news report I saw this morning (Chinese food being the number one choice). Quite a few decide to eat out on Christmas day in hotel restaurants to avoid the stress and clearing up afterwards for an battalion of guests, but generally these are expensive and the food of varying low quality.

Shockingly, on average, Brits takeaway food deliveries 4 times a week! Is it any surprise we’re increasingly obese and unfit?

 

[Oily Dragon]

there’s a habit where people watch cooking programmes like Bake off or Master Chef but never attempt to cook, rather reaching for their phone

It's not just a UK habit.

The truth is simple: people just love to eat, and watch people cook. It's mesmerizing.

But it's hard work, to cook. It takes a special kind of madness to want to do it every day. And face all the inevitable judgement.

Welcome to my world.

 

[Gyakuto]

But it's hard work, to cook. It takes a special kind of madness to want to do it every day. And face all the inevitable judgement.

Yes, it looks very hard work and unsociable hours too. I could never do it

 

[Steve]

Good heaven, no! Very few Brits could be bothered with cooking a Sunday roast. Older people might as a way to entice grown up child who will not usually visit them. Most young Brits wouldn’t know where to start cooking such a meal! They have not acquired the skills. Christmas day roasts are in decline too with a quarter of us preferring a take away deliver according to a news report I saw this morning (Chinese food being the number one choice). Quite a few decide to eat out on Christmas day in hotel restaurants to avoid the stress and clearing up afterwards for an battalion of guests, but generally these are expensive and the food of varying low quality.

Shockingly, on average, Brits takeaway food deliveries 4 times a week! Is it any surprise we’re increasingly obese and unfit?

There was a show I enjoyed watching in the UK called Come Dine With Me. That show was hilarious... and it was enjoyable to see who could actually cook and who couldn't. The snarky voice over by the narrator made the show.

Now I'm a little curious. Do you cook? Are you one of these pudgy Brits who orders Chinese food on Christmas day?

 

[Steve]

It's not just a UK habit.

The truth is simple: people just love to eat, and watch people cook. It's mesmerizing.

But it's hard work, to cook. It takes a special kind of madness to want to do it every day. And face all the inevitable judgement.

Welcome to my world.

Cooking on a line is very different than cooking for friends and family, though. Cooking for family and friends is less stressful in some ways because you're not cooking for customers under high pressure all night, every night. But you are also responsible for every part of the meal, not just your station, so coordinating everything can be a bit of a hassle, especially when it's a special occasion or when there are lots of mouths to feed. I have a lot of respect for line cooks and professional bakers. Not a job I'd want to do again.

I should also add that cooking for family and friends (real friends) is very low pressure. When the meal doesn't turn out perfectly or something goes awry, if the company is good, the food will be just the way they like it.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Cooking on a line is very different than cooking for friends and family, though. Cooking for family and friends is less stressful in some ways because you're not cooking for customers under high pressure all night, every night. But you are also responsible for every part of the meal, not just your station, so coordinating everything can be a bit of a hassle, especially when it's a special occasion or when there are lots of mouths to feed. I have a lot of respect for line cooks and professional bakers. Not a job I'd want to do again.

I should also add that cooking for family and friends (real friends) is very low pressure. When the meal doesn't turn out perfectly or something goes awry, if the company is good, the food will be just the way they like it.

You haven't seen me cook for friends and family...it's serious business.

 

[Steve]

You haven't seen me cook for friends and family...it's serious business.

I would love to see you in action.

 

[Gyakuto]

There was a show I enjoyed watching in the UK called Come Dine With Me. That show was hilarious... and it was enjoyable to see who could actually cook and who couldn't. The snarky voice over by the narrator made the show.

My old friend, Savannah was on that programme! She emphasised her German culinary heritage on the programme which surprised me as I never, ever thought of her as German! It’s mainly a programme that highlights the obnoxious, weird and cringeworthy rather than food. The narrator is a British actor/comedian, Dave Lamb. He’s funny.

Now I'm a little curious. Do you cook?

I’m a vegetarian so I have to, but I don’t like food anymore to be honest. This has crept upon me over the years and now I only eat because I have to. If I could take a Sci Fi-like food capsule and be done with it, I would. I now find food just so disappointing and the cost : pleasure ratio is a poor. I had a wonderful meal for my birthday a few years ago but it was £90 for two courses and water. I simply can’t rationalise that and have never repeated the experience.

My other half is Burmese and she can improvise tasty dishes. Now that’s a skill (almost anyone can follow a recipe) She’ll look in fridge, after a day saving cancer patient’s lives, pull out some produce and throw them together with this and that and generally they’re great dishes. But because they’re improvised, she can’t always reproduce things I particularly like

Are you one of these pudgy Brits who orders Chinese food on Christmas day?

Well my Chinese friends eat it on Christmas day. My other half is working on Christmas day and I doubt very much any restaurants/takeaways will be open so I’ll have some cheese on toast (my favourite food) and a cup of tea!

 

[Oily Dragon]

I would love to see you in action.

Me too. For me it's a daily blur that starts with a trip to the store and ends with cleaning dishes.

 

[Gyakuto]

Me too. For me it's a daily blur that starts with a trip to the store and ends with cleaning dishes.

My idea of hell!

 

[Steve]

My old friend, Savannah was on that programme! She emphasised her German culinary heritage on the programme which surprised me as I never, ever thought of her as German! It’s mainly a programme that highlights the obnoxious, weird and cringeworthy rather than food. The narrator is a British actor/comedian, Dave Lamb. He’s funny.

Totally agree. The cooking is secondary to the snarky narration and awkward social interaction. A delightful show, IMO.

I’m a vegetarian so I have to, but I don’t like food anymore to be honest. This has crept upon me over the years and now I only eat because I have to. If I could take a Sci Fi-like food capsule and be done with it, I would. I now find food just so disappointing and the cost : pleasure ratio is a poor. I had a wonderful meal for my birthday a few years ago but it was £90 for two courses and water. I simply can’t rationalise that and have never repeated the experience.

While we can't say for sure there is a causal relationship, I'm not at all surprised to hear about a vegetarian who doesn't like food anymore. There is often a correlation between the two.

Mostly kidding, but I have friends who are vegan and when we talk about food, they will often mention how challenging it is to avoid ruts and boredom eating boiled carrots and broccoli, as you say. I like to eat at their house, though, because they eat a lot of curry.

My other half is Burmese and she can improvise tasty dishes. Now that’s a skill (almost anyone can follow a recipe) She’ll look in fridge, after a day saving cancer patient’s lives, pull out some produce and throw them together with this and that and generally they’re great dishes. But because they’re improvised, she can’t always reproduce things I particularly like

That sounds lovely. While I don't have any problems with folks cooking from recipes (and use them often myself), improvising in a kitchen just comes with experience. It's just like martial arts. If you don't cook, you'll never get better at cooking. You can watch the shows and eat the food, but that only scratches the surface. As you gain experience and try new things, your vocabulary grows. The better you get, the fewer mistakes you make, and easier it is to overcome them. And the more likely your skills will translate from one context to another. Doing kata is like reading a recipe. Sparring is like cooking from a recipe.

Well my Chinese friends eat it on Christmas day. My other half is working on Christmas day and I doubt very much any restaurants/takeaways will be open so I’ll have some cheese on toast (my favourite food) and a cup of tea!

Mmm... cheese on toast. A Christmas classic.

 

[Steve]

Me too. For me it's a daily blur that starts with a trip to the store and ends with cleaning dishes.

Dishes... yuck. For me, that day usually involves cleaning the kitchen about 4 times. By the time we're done eating, I'm ready for a glass of wine and a sit down.