Burnout

Last night a friend of mine grilled me about why I hadn't posted anything on my blog in so long.  And I didn't really have an answer for him.  We left the conversation with a promise from me to post something soon (here you go!).  I think the conversation weighed on me in my sleep because as soon as I woke up this morning I started thinking about my blog and why it had been so long since I'd posted anything.

My conclusion: burnout.  For the most part I think my last job in the food industry just sucked me dry of all my passion for food.  I've been at home for two weeks now.  And since that time I've barely gotten up the energy to cook at all.  When I do cook it's been the easy stuff, the stuff I could throw together in my sleep.  The stuff not worth mentioning here.  Not only that but I haven't eaten out anywhere since then.  It's like someone zapped me with some energy gun and took all my love for food away.

Another issue is that I'm getting ready to move to Taipei for 8 months.  This is a really recent development - we didn't even know about it until a few weeks ago.  As a foodie I should be really excited about the move.  I know Taipei is going to be thrilling and have more amazing food to eat than I might ever get around to.  But for some reason it's just adding to my burnout.  Especially with gardening.  Right now I should be feverishly working on my spring garden, but we aren't going to be here in a month or two so it would be pretty pointless.  I'm definitely fueled by my garden.  And it just depresses me now to look out at the mostly empty space where only a few winter vegetables are clinging to the soil for dear life, heartlessly neglected.

I have to get out of this funk.  I miss being excited about food.  I miss the thrill of putting together new combinations, trying new ingredients, eating at new restaurants.  There has to be something I can do to fix the situation.  I'm thinking that something drastic might be in order.  Going on a restaurant binge.  Buying live animals from the Asian market.  Maybe a new kitchen tool to shake things up.  Anybody out there have any suggestions for me?  I'd love to find my passion again...