Join the Club

Then there are those mistakes that have you assuming you’re the only one who would be so careless, but then you find out that two of your friends and three of your acquaintances made the exact same mistake. Ahh… now it’s easier to shrug your shoulders, (which suddenly feel so light) and wink and say, “Yeah, I messed up, along with plenty of other folks who made the exact same mistake. I guess I just joined the club!”

I prefer the second scenario, of course, and I’m sure you do, too. Which is why, as a writer, I enjoy getting feedback. Like this mini soliloquy recited to me in the paper goods aisle of my local grocery store last week, as I was studying my parchment paper choices.

“You’re Peshie Needleman, right? Thought so. I loooooved your article about leaving your chicken out to cool off and then going to bed and totally forgetting about it. Then in the morning, you had to dump the whole thing!

“It reminded me of when I cooked 29 Cornish Hens for a sheva brachos, and I left them to cool, but thought I’d set a reminder timer, but really I hadn’t, so I slept the whole night through and woke up to see them all lined up, soldier-like in their tins, stuffed and basted and cooked, and I had to throw them all out and start again!”