If your first batch of kids were cookies, they’d be thrown out. They’re either too sweet, too nutty, too salty, too soft, overcooked, or all of the above and I just can’t stand to stomach them. Catch me on the right day and I might be able to force a bite or two down, but catch me any other time and my taste buds are going to reject it on contact.
Let’s say you’re baking cookies while you’re watching television or doing something else and you don’t pay as close attention as you ought to be: Rather than pouring one tablespoon of salt, you look and see the ¼ cup that goes with the sugar and you instead use that measurement for the salt. You finish the directions adding more nuts than the recipe calls for simply because you want to get rid of the little bit that’s left in the bag. And that’s okay, right? Well, you think so until that batch of cookies comes out of the oven and cools a little and you take that first bite. You immediately spit it out wondering how you bit into a warm, round block of salt and nuts. You kick yourself, but realize that the salt mistake could happen to anyone not paying attention and you didn’t realize that there was such a thing as “too nutty.” Apparently, there is.
You decide to try it a second time because you really want some homemade cookies, so you head to the grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients yet again. Because you have to spend more money and time to make the cookies a second time, you tell yourself that you’re going to pay attention so that you get it right. And you do just that. You triple check all of your measurements to make sure they are exact –nothing more, nothing less. After removing them from the oven and waiting just a few minutes for them to cool, you take that anxious bite and are in heaven. They’re as perfect as any cookie could be and you pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
Though the cookies are wonderful, a few hours later, you realize that you’ve had your fill and the next day, you only want one cookie and the day after that, you don’t want any. But a day or so later, you’re in the mood for few cookies yet again and though they’re a couple of days old, once zapped in the microwave they’re just as delicious as they were on day one –perfect.
With the first batch of cookies, you didn’t pay much attention to the directions and you were too busy to realize it and as a result, they were salty, sweet, and nutty and you had to toss them. You know that the way they turned out was because of you, but still, you knew you could get them right. And you did. You paid close attention to the directions and were careful in what you put into the batter and though you’re not always in the mood for them, the cookies are as perfect as they could possibly be.
*Disclaimer: In no way am I actually suggesting that people be thrown away.