Cooking and Procrastination – A Delightful Duo

I like to cook, but am not a gourmet chef. I cook because I like to eat, enjoy food, and prefer non-chemical, unprocessed fare. I occasionally try new recipes, but as I age rely more and more on old – maybe not quite as old as me, but old enough – favorites. Too many ingredients, exotic or unusual items not found in my pantry, and the recipe remains untried in my kitchen.

I rarely bake, indulging in the sweet smell of cookies and cakes baking only when guests, usually family, are about to descend.

I do not cook three meals a day every day. Some days leftovers reign supreme. Sometimes I go out to breakfast or lunch with my husband, or meet friends. Dinners out, in the past a regular occurrence, are now a rarity for three reasons. One, I prefer to indulge in breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare. Two, the cost. Unless seeking out diners or restaurant specials – real specials – dinner out has become a luxury. And three, my preference for after-dark activities has changed over the years. My favorite evening activity is to snuggle under a quilt and watch a movie, coffee mug nearby.

Confession: I often cook because I procrastinate, delaying other stuff that needs to be done, such as cleaning, laundry, and immersing myself in paperwork related to my position as President of a local volunteer organization.

A pile of papers, brochures, flyers, and notes covers my dining room table. My computer screen displays my monthly calendar. I stare at it, roll my eyes, glare at the stack before me, and groan. I glance across my kitchen/dining area into the kitchen, sitting idle, awaiting an eager soul willing to stick their head in the refrigerator, retrieve a handful of ingredients, and tackle cooking chores: cutting, dicing, slicing, mixing, sautéing, and baking or roasting. And finally the best part – eating!

Procrastination is an acquired skill, and I can humbly declare myself a master procrastinator. Combining my talents for cooking and procrastination sometimes triggers a bit of guilt, but I manage to plunge ahead anyway. Cooking generates positive vibes mentally and physically, and a tasty end product (most of the time). 

Eventually I tackle the pile of paperwork that begs for attention, but it doesn’t go anywhere when I choose a creative kitchen task over mental anguish, at times the consequence of dealing with organizational issues. I should probably take a course in time management to prioritize tasks, but I am retired. I cheerfully manage my own time. In my own way.