Unquiet
Things

Last week on my blog, I wrote about “challenging the monkey’s face.” If you’re familiar with my annual sharing of Bashō’s New Year haiku, you probably know what I mean. If not, the piece is worth a read. It’s about questioning whether the traits we think are fixed – our monkey’s face – are really unchangeable, or if they’re just comfortable patterns we’ve never thought to challenge.

These waffles, for instance. Whenever Ývan suggests using some of my massive quantities of sourdough discard for waffles, I’m quick with my usual “nah man I don’t eat that shit” because I don’t do sweet breakfast. But I always forget about savory waffles! This morning: cheddar-chive-scallion waffles with fried eggs (using techniques from J. Kenji López-Alt’s recent video). Bonus: extra waffles for the freezer. I used this recipe, subbed buttermilk for regular milk, skipped the sugar, and added about 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar, and a tbsp or so each fresh, chopped chives and scallions.

(Speaking of challenging kitchen habits – I’m also working on cooking from my pantry more. I recently discovered an entire bag of quinoa hiding in there, unopened for who knows how long! It’s made me realize how quick I am to dismiss ingredients I think I don’t like, without really giving them a fair chance. Last year, I discovered I actually do like cilantro and that freshly grated nutmeg is amazing. So maybe quinoa deserves the same open-minded exploration? I’m trying different recipes and preparations, figuring either I’ll find a way I enjoy it, or I can eventually say, “I’ve tried this a dozen different ways, and now I know for sure it’s not for me.”)

And puzzles? There’s a monkey’s face I’ve worn for 48 years. I don’t do puzzles because they make me feel like an idiot. Not just jigsaw puzzles, but word puzzles, number puzzles, riddles – all of it. I really hate sitting with that feeling of being dumb or ignorant. But here’s a ridiculously simple realization I’ve finally reached: if I don’t want to feel that way, maybe I should work at getting better at these things? (When you actively avoid thinking about something, you don’t reach many conclusions.) So last week I downloaded the NYT puzzle app, and now I’m trying to start each morning with it.

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