I can make one heck of a sausage gravy to accompany my biscuits (which can be hit or miss). Sausage gravy is considered a secondary ‘sauce’. It’s momma-sauce is Bechamel considered one of the base mother sauces. I learned this sauce from my momma - even though I thought I was making sausage gravy, which I was, I was also learning the technique of a white sauce and it’s shy and understated child: the roux.
There are 4 other base sauces. I know this because all 5 Mother Sauces are on my list of “to-do’s”. My list of to-do’s is like no other. It’s frightening. To-do lists aren’t frightening, you may be thinking? What if you had to purchase a book to keep track of all your ideas? All your to-dos? Are you frightened now? This book is really for all my random thoughts not just to-dos but still - a whole book?
There’s scientific evidence that writing down stuff in lists decreases anxiety. I take that seriously as someone who has put on a few boxing gloves and gotten in the ring too many times with anxiety. But a whole book?? Most of us start to get overwhelmed as soon as we have more than seven things to choose from. Slight recurring issue here. Sometimes my to-do list is so long that I completely shut down. This is when I stare out the window and escape. If aliens exist, do they have hands and feet?
I have tried to instill into my sons that if it’s a small task that will take less than 5 minutes to complete…just do it now. DO IT NOW. Check. And done. No list required. This is exactly how my list never exceeds 7 - anymore or …rarely. My book list is far less about to-dos, well kinda because they are actually things I want To Do, it’s just my book lists are typically items unrelated to everyday life and more about finding needles in the many folds of my brain haystacks. Confused yet?
Breaking down the to-do’s and the to-do’s.
There are your general “go-to and do” to-do’s. Go get milk, bread, cheese and wine for dinner. Go mail your son’s birthday card. Get coffee with [insert beautiful person here]. Change the oil in car. Do work item 1, 2, and probably 5. I consider these your General to-do’s. {Is it to-do’s or to-dos or to do’s?} Hey man, you’re the one reading this - i’m just writing as it comes.
Then there are to-do’s that are a bit more complex. Yeah, the complex, i’m not black and white, I don’t wanna wear a dress, and this calculation isn’t working to-do’s. Remodel your kitchen. Plan a trip to see grandma. Organize a fund raiser. This more complex to-do list is actually a list that will have many, many little to-do lists inside it. Like a piñata. Just waiting for you to bust one open. Pinata to-do’s, while completely satisfying, they do not actually have the self-absorbed quality as a book to-do. Definitely not book to-do’s.
So what are Book to-do’s? (Book to-do’s aren’t for everyone, I know) Write a screenplay. Learn all 5 mother sauces. Rewrite Hafiz in calligraphy AND Persian. Bind your grandfathers letters into a book. Make a secret fairy door. Learn hello, good-bye, thank you, sorry and please in 10 different languages…listen people, it’s a book; this is a sampling. This list is also a piñata to-do’s list, but Book list piñata to-do’s have bigger candies or maybe the candies have sprinkles. They are about discovery, learning, digging deep, ‘this is a great idea!’, and personal satisfaction.
Book to-do’s are NOT bucket lists - that’s an entirely different to-do list and not discussed here because I just don’t have the time.
Jack of all trades
Slightly antiquated. Why not Jill? Or Gem of all trades? Probably because it dates back to Elizabethan English and, so I have read, ‘Jack’ was a generic name for any kind of person. This is an idiom: “Jack of all the trades, master of none.” I’m a huge fan of idioms. In fact 5amidiom.com is my website. [though my idiom list has been neglected for awhile…] This particular idiom is considered a wee heckle to Sir William Shakespeare. It was penned by Robert Greene in his booklet, circa 1592, “Greene’s Groats - Worth of Wit”. Amusing to me that Greene thought Shakespeare was a Jack of all Trades.
This idiom, quite disparaging to many, is used to refer to someone who has many small interests aka skills, or who dabbles in many different things, but who does not specialize in any of them. For example, I like to be creative with multiple fine-art mediums (oil, pencil, ink, acrylic, watercolors…chalk) and draw. I am a ‘jack of all trades (in fine-art), master of none’.
A dilettante is someone who is a dabbler (superficial interest) in [branch of knowledge (like painting)]. If only it stopped at art por moi. I could be quite happy being a dilettante of fine art. It sounds like it should come with a crown and cast of characters. However, I am not a dilettante; I am a ‘jack of all [insert many a trade here], master of none’. I am the queen dabbler of many o’ things.
Is there a Queen dilettante?
I am she. Hand me that crown or be prepared to battle.
Superficial is incorrect. I mean for me personally and my Queen D status. I can go so deep down a rabbit hole that I actually believe I may know what I’m doing. Take building a fairy door for this new ‘stump’ of a tree. The stump had to happen else…i don’t remember but now there is a stump. With a lovely spot for a fairy door.
I design my fairy door. I select it’s wood, it’s little hinges, the wood stain and shellac…even found, amongst the “i’m-gonna-make-jewelry” collection, uh, hoarded-crap, the cutest bob that would become the cutest fairy knob. Assembly is ready!
Except i’ve never used the scroll saw…I didn’t know that bamboo isn’t a wood that you couldn’t easily carve intricate details into, why is the stain turning green when it was blue?, and these little screws won’t screw into my stump. Idea aficionado- check. Gumption - check. Depth of interest (clearly not superficial)- check. Execution slightly askew.
“The goal of life is to match your heartbeat to the beat of the universe.” — Joe Campbell
Talent and Skill
A skill can be fine tuned and sharpened with years of experience or skill can come naturally. Natural musicians, mathematicians, engineers, artists, …comedians. Being talented in an interest is that; having talent, for me, means you have some skills and could potentially pursue the course of being talented. As you can probably guess, Queen D has potential talent in too many things. Too many things she is not willing to sacrifice for one. I will not throw the baby out with the bath water!
I love art. Hmmm, sounds familiar if you have read ANY of my rants. I enjoy really studying what other painters, artists, and craftsmen do. I will watch hours and hours of YouTube videos of people - just painting or drawing. I could honestly watch the same video again and again and either a. not even notice I’ve seen it before, or b. don’t even care if I’ve seen it before.
I also enjoy art magazines, websites, design anything…and probably why Instaxxxx now has a leash on my phone. I purposely set time limits on myself. There are amazing artists out there and I will get sucked into personal wasted time! Yet, I have noticed this shameful or frightening trend. #ilooklikethisothergreatpost
Art is mutating on itself. Why are there so many little red barns? Bubble gum colored art, jeeps photos, boat photos, or figure paintings in some garish color? Does art trend???
If you, like I was, are in denial of this hypothesis I suggest your check out Insta Repeat on Instagxxx. @emmasheffer brilliantly demonstrates that there is a lot of doppelgänger posts roaming about.
This mutation of something that someone else has done is NOT skill or talent. Yes, these are great shots, but..no, just no. Inspiration is not blatant.
Overwhelming thirst will stain your insides
like green kool-aide
I understand that too much of anything is not good….even interests.
Have you read Thinking, Fast and Slow? Yeah, the intricate world of a decision making brain. Fascinating. One side of our brain is rational and effortful. This is the side that should rule my life. It does not. The side that overwhelming rules mine is the emotional and habitual side. The sneaky little fart that lurks just below our consciousness. The troll. That is the little guy I cannot run from.
I would learn anything. I want to experience the learning process. This is a genetic trait- I am convinced. My grandfather, who was a FIVE-Star Ambassador no less, would just as humbly read Vogue, if that was available, the back label of the fitness equipment, the encyclopedia, or War of the Worlds. He was consumed by learning. Though…he was considerably more fine tuned in his skill set and talent than I… Alas, some genes plod along, some come kicking while others are docile and won’t be aroused, and many of the good genes are just dormant. Like a forever dormant.
I try and be more rational about my activities (tasks, aka to-dos) during the work week. I no-doubt have a daily list, the work to-do list, of the rational choices for said day and, in a slightly smaller scale, the interesting choices. Luckily, like my eating habits, I have learned to do the stuff I don’t want to do first. I ALWAYS save my favorite bites for last, forcing myself to eat the good-for-you things first. Similarly, this is how I orchestrate my work to-do list. One typically needs to perform at ones job and I like my job so one adapts.
This is probably why I have an ever half-filled jar of ideas. Work is 5 physical days a week. Who decided that, she thinks. My book piñata to-do lists grow during those 5 days because the idea and emotion bank spurts and sputters and I’ll forget [next great idea] so I need to quickly jot it down… Lately I look at some of these scribbles and cannot make head nor tail of ‘next great idea’.
While my insatiable curiosity is ground zero for many problems, I don’t find that part of myself crude. I think I’m blessed to be moved by my many interests. Pressure is inseparable from the creative. The basic law of physics claims that all energy comes from the release of pressure. There is plenty of useless ideas jammed in this head that probably only entertains me. I am the Queen D and her own jester. Curiously, selfishly and (that’s mostly ok) probably only useful to myself.
You may be a “Jack” if…
SO. MANY. IDEAS. Period.
The idea execution looks like an execution.
The compliment “you have such an imagination” does not equate good [insert noun here].
“Well…, that’s got character” seems to crawl into some anecdotal conversation towards your endeavor.
You are typically the “chosen” extra in that: card game, board game, pickleball championship…accountant for small charity…weed eradicator.
… and you do try.
Bob Ross understood you. Happy little accidents abound.
There are a dozen+ half-finished craft projects in your office.
…not to forget the half-dozen sewing projects, gifting projects, deconstructing and reconstructing projects because they call to you, have no intimidation qualities, yet - Squirrel?
I’ve seen this tool in my dad’s shop. It can’t be that difficult.
Last month you were definitely learning all the 5 mother sauces; this month you are crocheting a granny-square handbag.
Beginning of Project: I’m going to do a cut out of the Eiffle Tower using all my leftover business cards and then superimpose Paris in the background with these trinkets I found… End of Project: Is that blue?
You are your own choreographer who just happens to have two left feet. Your physical capabilities just may not match up to your ambitions.
The bank account reflects your attempt at A. Then B. Or C. Occasionally D. Always E. I’m pretty sure I can do F and G using the same constructs as H.
You have a book of piñata to-do’s.
Apparently there are claims, websites, articles, announcements… that there is more to this quote.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” ~Viktor Vicsek
Well, well, well.
I do plan on perfecting those mother sauces this year. This particular book piñata to-do has moved from the book and into the the 2022 Year To-Do’s. Oh, did I forget to mention I have a yearly to-do list, too??
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You, my sunshine friend, are living your life with all of your senses on and open. It's worthy.
Interesting
I can relate