what am i? a critic?

It may be a common misconception that I started doing this because I saw the movie Julie & Julia and thought it was cool. Not so, actually. I just saw it for the first time last weekend because a lot of people have been telling me I need to. By no means am I a movie critic, nor an expert cook, so take what you see here with a grain of salt. My review? It was a cute movie, for sure - and I would recommend it to others. There were some similarities between us that I could see. First, I'm very similar in age to the character. And while I don't have the seemingly depressing and thankless job she has, we are similar in that we do this because it's a way to get away. This is one of the few things that in no way relates to my job. My stove doesn't ask me how work is. I don't talk to my ingredients about the trials and triumphs, or even the day-to-day activities (which, is probably a good thing!) And the smells and the taste distract anyone else from asking me. ... On the bright side, I'm not a border-line stalker of Julia Childs, or any other celebrity cook/chef. *wink*

For those of you who have known me my entire life, my choice to do this may have surprised you to a certain extent. The cook in our family has always been mom, not me - and I'm not a foodie. While I've eaten at some great restaurants, I'm not a critic. I can't pair wines with food (not well, anyway) and I don't have a lot of experience to compare it against anything. But this gives me a chance to relax and prove to myself that what I do for a living doesn't define me. As most of you know, I've spent the last 5 years very dedicated to my job - perhaps to an annoying extent. But I do that because I like it and I believe in it... and I feel fortunate to be able to say that honestly. Anyone who knows me well also knows that last year was a rough year for our family and some others around us. And although I'm nearly an expert at playing the game and on the outside keeping it together, it threw me for a serious loop. It may seem silly, but starting this has helped me get my life back to normal, a little. Most importantly, I do this because I think it's fun, and from what I hear, you seem to enjoy it, too. :)

So there you have it. I'm not Julie. And I'm not Julia. I'm just me and do my best to make that good enough.