[teamfat]

So my wife and I saw Julie & Julia recently. I enjoyed the movie. One part in particular showing an old clip of Julia tryng to flip some sort of egg omelette or something, where she claims success is based on having the courage of one's convictions.

I agree. When I make omelettes, they are a single fold, fluffy American style and not the flatter, trifold French style. As was the one I made this morning. I shake the pan to get it loose, preparing to flip and that scene from the movie comes to mind.

I flubbed the flip big time.

When I don't think about it and just do it, it works perfectly. If I am thinking about it, or trying to show off, or demonstrating the technique to someone it never works. But with a clear mind and calm spirit it works every time!

mjb.

[monetrey]

It's really funny you tell this story. I was working an omlette station at school last week for a buffet. The only one I messed up was for a Chef Instructor. The only thing going through my mind was dont mess up dont mess up and damnit i messed up lol

[DC Sunshine]

Monterey - I feel for you You were focusing on the mess up - not on a lovely omelette.

Exam/test time sucks. All that passes thru the mind for many is - I'm gonna fail....I won't get thru this. It becomes like a mantra, a self fulfilling prophecy.

Visualisation of succeeding does have its benefits - or thinking of something totally removed from the situation at hand. With practice, it can work. If I have something stressful...my mind goes back to something I deliberately stored in my memories for times I knew were ahead. A memory from where there was no stress, it works for me.

The memory is of sitting on the end of a jetty, supposedly fishing, but just looking out onto the far horizon and letting my mind just go blank apart from the feel of the wind, smell of the sea, sun just gone for the day. I knew I had to store that one.

That was 20 some years ago. Its still clear as crystal.


P.S. The fish weren't biting - doesn't matter
That isn't why I fish