Team Wet Dog

quarter ending

My first quarter at the Art Institute of Washington is coming to a close — next week I have finals in my two classes, and then a much-needed two-week break. After that, Intro to Baking and Pastry.

It's been a fascinating couple of months, for a variety of reasons. I've learned a lot about food and cooking, obviously. While I'm not sure I've developed a whole lot of "skills" that I didn't have before, I have a much greater knowledge of why things happen and I'm more prone to take risks and try new things in the kitchen.

But aside from the cooking portion I've still learned  things, many of which I'm still processing.

Taking these classes put me in an entirely new situation — it almost doubled the length of my "work day," first off. And it put me in a room four times a week with a diverse group of people, each with their own distinct goals and background.

I learned that I am no longer 18 years old; I also learned that I am not yet 45. I learned that I get tired more easily than I realized, and that I need to try and sleep more. I learned my fascination with food is not the same as it is for most people working in kitchens. I learned that the people I cook with seem to like breakfast the most. I learned that many people take the basics for granted. I was reminded that some people, despite their positions, are simply not very bright. I was reminded that deep-frying things is a lot of fun.

And a whole lot more, of course. Much, much more. Mostly, I suppose, I've learned that this course and the courses ahead of me will do nothing more than scratch the surface — provide a starting point for me to learn from, or rather, decide if I want to continue learning.

— Robert

(9/7/06) 
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