The other day a friend of mine said something about how I must be so motivated to bake as much as I do. Which got me to thinking. Baking for me is less about being motivated and more about finding something to do that provides me with the illusion I'm accomplishing something. That and the end product is a yummy treat with makes me (and Hubs) happy.
Yeah, yeah, I know... there's the whole 'food is not happiness' thing. =op
Anyway, I tend to think (and overthink) about stuff. So when my friend said what she said, I started to delve into it. Why am I baking like a fiend right now?
And that's what I came up with - I'm sublimating the urge to do things I cannot do into something I can do. I have little control over what's happening in my life, but I can control what I bake. 'Rona madness? Bake something. Election chaos? Bake something. Can't shop? Bake something. Can't write? Bake something.
Mental, I know.
But hey, my neuroses aren't debilitating and we have a house full of treats, for which Hubs is eternally grateful.
To that end, today I really have to do a batch of granola bars. Hubs ate the last of those a couple days ago. And I need to make a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving - which we will begin eating as soon as it cools, because cheesecake.
Does any of this baking really help? :shrug: It can't hurt. Except my waistline and that's been holding steady, so no worries there.
What about you? Have you baked anything lately? Does it help?
I used to bake all the time because...well, I don't know why except I did. Especially this time of year. Homemade yeast rolls, cinnamon rolls, fruit breads, cookies. Most were meant for gifts and for munching at LG's office. Then he and Only were diagnosed with borderline diabetes and I mostly stopped. Well, but for the rolls, and only for special occasions where I used to do a big batch every few weeks. Easier to just by the frozen ones in the orange bag. They're tasty enough and as long as I remember to set them out to rise, hot bread with dinner. I did the peanut cluster thing for awhile but then LG got on a trail mix kick and he's in charge of that because he buys the ingredients and mixes his own. I figure the sugar in the fruit he uses (and very little M&Ms, which is my favorite part LOL) and nuts aren't that unhealthy. I admit that I've even taken to buying Mrs. Fields Pecan Pies for holidays because--easy! I still usually make my own pumpkin pie. Usually. Okay, sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIt's weird. The older I get, the less inclined I am to do stuff like baking and decorating. Putting up decorations means you have to take them down. Baking stuff means eating it and my waistline does NOT hold steady!
All that said, I totally get where you're coming from though. And I say more power to you for whatever motivates you. We all gotta do what we gotta do to feel "right" in this crazy world. Me? I've rediscovered hiding in words and frankly, I'm thrilled. You, it's baking. Hubs is happy and that's not a bad thing. 😉
So go do what you do and don't worry about it. Because you got this. Whatever this is. 🥰