5 Reasons Doing C & I Is Better Than Cooking
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| HL Nikolai Kolpachnik Spinachev’s Baronial Arts and Sciences Championship Competition Entry. |
I’m not that great a cook. Mostly cooking doesn’t interest me. I’m also not a foodie or gourmet. High-quality or exotic ingredients don’t interest me. And I can’t be bothered with food skills that don’t involve a microwave or Keurig.
Attending a scribal gathering or making an SCA scroll is way more fun to me than cooking. Even more fun than eating at a 5-star French restaurant or local trend setting place.
Why you ask? I have five reasons.
1. A scroll or full page illumination lasts longer than food. Whether I keep it or give it away, my creation can be enjoyed for years to come.
In the SCA most scrolls are framed and hung to decorate a wall. They may be there because the recipient is proud of the honor it represents, but a well-done scroll also adds to their room’s decor. That makes us both happy.
My fridge often contains dishes from weeks ago that need throwing out. Plus, if I walk away from a pan on my hot stove the food will either burn, go dry or boil over.
My studio has a few projects I plan to return to “some day.” They’ll be there when I finish the scroll I’ve been asked to do by the current Royal Scribe. And may be the Royal Scribe after that, too.
When I’m working on a calligraphy and illumination project I lose track of all time, I often miss meals. I even skip cooking because C and I is more fun than standing to stir a pan. It’s also way more fun than washing the dishes needed for cooking and eating.
While I’ve devoted more time to learn C and I than I ever would to cooking, I’ve enjoyed the learning process thoroughly. I’m now able to scratch off letters I mistakenly wrote in the scroll text. I can adapt or cover up a misplaced mark. I’ve even adapted a cat foot print into a scroll motif.
Well-seasoned cooks take pride in their exotic spices and techniques, and they should. It is their passion and expertise. Using fresh homegrown herbs is great for you. I’m lucky I have them dried in a jar on my counter. And I don’t know the difference or taste between Italian and lemon basil, or when to use them.
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| My Playing With Pigments Class |
Give me a scribal gathering or class, with or without wine, and I’m in heaven. Scribes share skills and materials easily. We can do this in the field or in a symposium. Scribes are the most giving, sharing people. They easily share what they know, on the spot if they have their portable art box near by.
These are my five reasons I prefer calligraphy or illumination to cooking and even eating. It’s my passion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Categories: Musings
An Itinerant Scribe 