I am constantly amazed and in awe of people that have the capability to take raw ingredients, and just whip them into something wonderful and edible. This capacity is lost on me...I can look at individual items, and just never comprehend how to make them into food. If I have a very specific recipe, I can do that - but I don't enjoy it...I think for cooking to be good, the person doing has to like what they are doing. Those that are blessed with a passion for it, I'm envious - I have a deficiency of my Betty Crocker gland apparently. Yet another weird "rare genetic disorder" that I seem to be blessed with (and that's another story altogether). I watch lots of shows on Food Network, and it might as well be the SyFy channel for all that I understand what the hell is going on!
I have a handful of recipes that I can do well - tuna casserole (without nutmeg now...see below), shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie, lasagna, beef & noodles, grilled cheese, and meatloaf. And my meatloaf rocks (and no, there's NO ketchup in my recipe, that's just gross). But I have to have a very wild hair going to WANT to even bother cooking any of them. Thank goodness my poor husband knows this, and will feed us both most nights. And I feel guilty that I don't like to cook - I hate it, in fact. I feel that I'm not fulfilling my wifely duties some how by not even wanting to cook.
Last night for instance, which happened to be Valentine's Day, I was all prepared to go do the grocery shopping for some steaks (which the husband would have to do on the grill), baked potatoes (I can do the poking with a fork and wrapping in foil, and put the condiments out), one of those bags of salad, and a frozen cheesecake. I can handle all that, but I was (silently in my head of course) dreading it. My husband ROCKS - because when I called him to find out if I needed to get anything else at the grocery, he informed me he had already gone to the store, and got all the ingredients for sour cream chicken enchiladas, which I LOVE! What a great husband I have! The dinner would have been the best Valentine's gift, but he also got me a Forever Lazy (which I didn't even have to tell him I wanted, he just knows me so well...I love my husband!)...
So why do I so hate cooking? Is it just something innate in me, or is it my kitchen (which is frustrating in it's lack of counter space and no electrical outlets where they are needed, to say the least)? My mom was a stay-at-home mom until I was 13, then after we moved to Texas she went to work. She was the "June Cleaver" housewife in my mind when I was a kid - we always had dinner together at the table, and while Mom's repertoire may not have been extensive, it was all edible. Yes we had TV dinners occasionally, or Swanson's pot pies, or the box of Chef Boyardee pizza on Friday nights (which we loved)...but it was mainly the typical dinners that all my friends in the late 60's and through the 70's and 80's were eating. I didn't know any different at that time. And then we moved to Texas, and there was CHICKEN FRIED STEAK! We didn't know anything about this growing up in Ohio!! Although to date I don't believe my mom has ever tried to cook chicken fried steak...
The first time I tried to cook - I was 13, Mom had gone off to work, so my younger brother and I were home for a couple hours by ourselves after school. I thought I could make the tuna casserole, since I had watched Mom do it all my life. First of all, I somehow started a fire on the burner that got put out with a whole bag of flour...at least I didn't burn down the damn kitchen, but burnt flour is a huge mess! And secondly, apparently nutmeg isn't one of the ingredients in tuna casserole. I just saw Mom putting a bunch of different spices in the mix, and having no idea what the hell nutmeg was for, in it went...it's dinner and dessert all in the same dish! Thank God I at least knew that cinnamon shouldn't be included - that was for cinnamon/sugar toast...
So cooking is not something that is instinctual for me - I have to have explicit instructions apparently. I really want to find that desire and love for cooking...maybe it will take a new kitchen? That's on our wish list as soon as our new business venture takes off...
In the meantime - Mama's Pizza makes a kick-ass pizza, which I gladly make the drive to pick up. Genghis Grill has excellent Mongolian grill bowls. Pluckers is great for wings. And my best friend Elizabeth just introduced us to the Food Truck Park in Fort Worth - Dough Boy's Pizza Truck, The Bacon Wagon, Lee's Grilled Cheese (http://www.leesgrilledcheese.com/), Red Jett Sweets (http://www.redjettsweets.com/, who I'm about to begin stalking...mmm, cupcakes!) - all are excellent! We've also found a genuine authentic Italian place, it's mainly a brew pub but they offer pizza and a couple of pasta dishes that are to die for - Zio Carlo's on Magnolia in Fort Worth. I've never sucked down an entire 12" pizza faster in my life! These are the real deal - my parents lived in Italy for five years, and Carlo's food is just like we got over there! And El Gabacho off Bowen Road in Arlington - excellent Mexican food! As is Marianos near Six Flags.
In Dallas, where I lived for a couple years, there are several places off Lower Greenville that are great - Terillis, Blue Goose, Trinity Hall, Cafe Izmir (the best chicken basil wraps)...and the Pluckers there delivers until 3am!! I do miss that...
So we have lots of restaurants we love, but that gets expensive - so lots of nights we have grilled cheese, which I could eat every day, or whatever else my husband feels like cooking...I've been truly blessed to have a husband that understands my aversion to cooking. I just wish I could figure out how to change that, and to enjoy (and understand) cooking!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Are people actually functionally illiterate or just lazy?
So I run an online business...we do over $100k in sales every month, me and two employees that do our shipping...being basically a one-woman show is challenging at times (my girls only do the packing and slapping of labels on the packages - I do everything else - yes, I have control issues).
Believe me, I am far from complaining...I have a steady, solid income that covers all our bills and leaves plenty for our travels, vices (shoes), etc. My husband's company, that he runs with his father, has been extremely challenging the last few years, to say the least...my husband has taken about a dozen paychecks in the five years we've been together, simply because there wasn't enough money left to pay himself or his dad at the end of the month. So yes, my business does provide more than enough for both of us - my husband is now moving into another area of business that we are both invested in and believe will be our retirement income - http://www.bkbenergy.igniteinc.biz/ for more information on that venture...
So what am I ranty about this time? It's the quantity of time-wasting emails I have to answer every day simply because people don't bother to read the information I have spent the time to provide up front about the items they wish to purchase. And yes, I know that it is just a part of the business - but if I could spend the time I waste answering stupid emails instead listing new items or taking care of other business, I could continue building my business faster! The number of emails I receive answering dumb questions that are already answered if they looked past the picture of the item, is astounding to me on some days...some examples...
"I'll give you $5.00 including shipping on this item" (that is currently listed at $22.50, and clearly stated that we don't accept offers).
"I purchased this item three days ago and just realized I gave you the wrong address to ship to - please ship to..." (we ship within 24 hours in most cases, and don't always read our emails first - how hard is it to verify your shipping address?).
"This item is clearly a fake, and I demand a refund right now or I'll leave negative feedback, and I'm keeping the item" (yeah, we have so much time on our hands that we can fake a brand-name product so well that 99.9% of our customers are happy with it).
"Do you ship to (insert some random country here)?" (all the countries we ship to are clearly listed).
"Where's my stuff? It's been three days and I haven't received it!" (BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN FRICKING AUSTRALIA, AND I CLEARLY STATE IT CAN AND DOES TAKE 4-6 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY!!!!) Can you tell this one gets me especially pissed off, because I get a dozen of these every day...
The list goes on and on - and these are the majority of the emails I receive. The legitimate questions or issues are the minority, only a handful every day - most are because people either can't or won't read the very simple information they are all provided up front!
The most recent buyer that was disgruntled was mad because the item she purchased (she's in Australia), was noted in the information as having a universal charger. It doesn't include an adapter, so it didn't say it had one - just the universal charger. Of the 300+ buyers of this item, most of whom are international, she is the only one who didn't get the concept. She demanded that because my description was misleading, that I provide her with an adapter...the whole reason there isn't an adapter in the package is because they are different for every country!!! Then she proceeded to tell me how to run my business, and that I should state specifically in my listing that it doesn't include an adapter, just because she is stupid...
Which kinda makes a whole other point here - we play to the lowest common denominator on so many levels, that people no longer have to think for themselves or even read...if it's not explicitly spelled out for them (and even when it is), they feel that they've been duped and take umbrage, claiming that we've tricked them somehow. I'm sick of everyone pandering to the lazy and stupid because they are the loudest and bitchiest...how about raising the bar, and those that can't reach it, well that's their problem.
As a middle-class white female, I was never handed a single thing for free in my life, and I never expected to be. I have worked hard for everything I have (which isn't spectacular, but comfortable), and I resent greatly those that feel that the government, or those better off than they are, owe them because they chose not to rise above whatever circumstances they were dealt. I've been dealt some crap hands too, but I made my choice to get past whatever that crap was (hello? cancer? with no health insurance?). I fundamentally don't understand people that choose to be a "victim of soycumstance" (must be said like Curly from the Three Stooges!)....
Enough...the dogs are flapping their gums at me because dinner time is in four minutes, and heaven forbid should I be late! Duke is already flipping bowls around in the kitchen....
Believe me, I am far from complaining...I have a steady, solid income that covers all our bills and leaves plenty for our travels, vices (shoes), etc. My husband's company, that he runs with his father, has been extremely challenging the last few years, to say the least...my husband has taken about a dozen paychecks in the five years we've been together, simply because there wasn't enough money left to pay himself or his dad at the end of the month. So yes, my business does provide more than enough for both of us - my husband is now moving into another area of business that we are both invested in and believe will be our retirement income - http://www.bkbenergy.igniteinc.biz/ for more information on that venture...
So what am I ranty about this time? It's the quantity of time-wasting emails I have to answer every day simply because people don't bother to read the information I have spent the time to provide up front about the items they wish to purchase. And yes, I know that it is just a part of the business - but if I could spend the time I waste answering stupid emails instead listing new items or taking care of other business, I could continue building my business faster! The number of emails I receive answering dumb questions that are already answered if they looked past the picture of the item, is astounding to me on some days...some examples...
"I'll give you $5.00 including shipping on this item" (that is currently listed at $22.50, and clearly stated that we don't accept offers).
"I purchased this item three days ago and just realized I gave you the wrong address to ship to - please ship to..." (we ship within 24 hours in most cases, and don't always read our emails first - how hard is it to verify your shipping address?).
"This item is clearly a fake, and I demand a refund right now or I'll leave negative feedback, and I'm keeping the item" (yeah, we have so much time on our hands that we can fake a brand-name product so well that 99.9% of our customers are happy with it).
"Do you ship to (insert some random country here)?" (all the countries we ship to are clearly listed).
"Where's my stuff? It's been three days and I haven't received it!" (BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN FRICKING AUSTRALIA, AND I CLEARLY STATE IT CAN AND DOES TAKE 4-6 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY!!!!) Can you tell this one gets me especially pissed off, because I get a dozen of these every day...
The list goes on and on - and these are the majority of the emails I receive. The legitimate questions or issues are the minority, only a handful every day - most are because people either can't or won't read the very simple information they are all provided up front!
The most recent buyer that was disgruntled was mad because the item she purchased (she's in Australia), was noted in the information as having a universal charger. It doesn't include an adapter, so it didn't say it had one - just the universal charger. Of the 300+ buyers of this item, most of whom are international, she is the only one who didn't get the concept. She demanded that because my description was misleading, that I provide her with an adapter...the whole reason there isn't an adapter in the package is because they are different for every country!!! Then she proceeded to tell me how to run my business, and that I should state specifically in my listing that it doesn't include an adapter, just because she is stupid...
Which kinda makes a whole other point here - we play to the lowest common denominator on so many levels, that people no longer have to think for themselves or even read...if it's not explicitly spelled out for them (and even when it is), they feel that they've been duped and take umbrage, claiming that we've tricked them somehow. I'm sick of everyone pandering to the lazy and stupid because they are the loudest and bitchiest...how about raising the bar, and those that can't reach it, well that's their problem.
As a middle-class white female, I was never handed a single thing for free in my life, and I never expected to be. I have worked hard for everything I have (which isn't spectacular, but comfortable), and I resent greatly those that feel that the government, or those better off than they are, owe them because they chose not to rise above whatever circumstances they were dealt. I've been dealt some crap hands too, but I made my choice to get past whatever that crap was (hello? cancer? with no health insurance?). I fundamentally don't understand people that choose to be a "victim of soycumstance" (must be said like Curly from the Three Stooges!)....
Enough...the dogs are flapping their gums at me because dinner time is in four minutes, and heaven forbid should I be late! Duke is already flipping bowls around in the kitchen....
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