I cleared a hurdle today. I've been fighting with the a/v receiver for our surround sound since we installed it more than 3 years ago. I had the cable and the blue ray hooked in but try as I might I couldn't get the apple tv integrated into the system. Periodically I would get frustrated and try again using an hdmi cable, I tried several different ones, but it just wouldn't work. Finally this time I stopped trying to do it the way it was supposed to work and thought about different approaches. I left the apple tv connected directly to my tv with the hdmi and simply added an optical cable line to connect it to the receiver through the line provided for a cd player. It worked like a charm and left me mentally kicking myself, wondering why it took me so long. Then I shook it off and decided to enjoy the fact that it works now. It's too easy to beat myself up for not being fast enough or smart enough instead of appreciating the fact that I finally got it done (yay!)
When this happens in the kitchen it feels more like a victory because I tend to enjoy the entire process of development. Pie is a great example of this. I make a mean pie. It's always a work in progress. I have definite feelings about crust and filling and I unequivocally believe that the worst sin in pie making is under cooking. That said I've certainly been guilty of it myself more than a time or two. This past week I made the great pie. It was a mutsu apple pie with apple cider caramel and a heavy sprinkling of raw sugar. It was loved by all who tasted it. Now it is but a memory. Who knows when the next great pie will come along. It doesn't even matter. I enjoy the process of tinkering and refining in the kitchen. It's what makes me good at my job. Now if I can just apply that mentality to the rest of my life I'll be the most productive and positive person on the planet.
Years Past
November 8, 2009 (triple crust pie)
