So, I was enjoying making yogurt...right up to the point where I ended up with a runny, bitter milk-type-substance.
At first I thought, hmmm, what could have gone wrong? I succeeded at this once already. But when I actually dug a little deeper, I realized that any number of things could have caused the failed culture.
Perhaps I didn't heat the milk properly: too little heat and the proteins don't alter, too much and who knows what happens! Maybe I didn't let the milk cool enough before I added the culture and killed the little bacteria before they ever had a chance to reproduce. Or maybe the jars didn't stay warm enough during the "growth" stage. It couldn't possibly have been the fact that I cut the "growth" stage time in half, could it?
All this yogurt analysis lead me to realize something more important: I've been cutting corners trying to get everything done. As a perfect example, here is a list of what I am doing this very moment:
1. writing on this blog
2. thinking about my sister and her MRI
3. checking email (ok, I have to tab back and forth with the blog to do this)
4. ripping a reference CD to my lappy
5. waiting for the next batch of milk to cool to 120 degrees
6. thinking about the knitted starfish that I really want to finish tonight
7. balancing my budget and checkbook
8. trying to decide when I'm going to eat dinner
9. trying to remember if I have everything I need to teach my class tomorrow
10. hoping I have time to squeeze in a shower before I fall asleep
The jist of this post is that I realized that my life is getting a little out of balance the past few weeks. I tried telling myself that when this series of workshops is over in mid-June, things will settle down. But I know that's not true: something else will come up to take its place. Like my little yogurt bacteria, I need to create an environment that favors growth, then give myself time to do what needs to be done. Short cuts only work in the short run.
No comments:
Post a Comment