"But Kim," you say, "all of your recipes and cosplays are so perfect, how can you say that?"
I got a little secret for you, those things aren't perfect. Like, at all. I could point out little things wrong with every single thing I have made. Nothing is perfect, and I am well aware of that. I've made things that were awful. But one of my favorite cartoon quotes is from Adventure Time "Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something." If I don't let myself make mistakes, then I'll never get better.
People who are really perfectionistic would probably have an aneurysm seeing how often I fudge it, alter alter it, mes with it, just to make something work. The number of times I have looked at the way a thing is "supposed" to be done and said "screw it, I'm doing this my way" is insane. Has is caused me to waste a lot of time screwing around with something that could be done very easily another way? Yes. Did it also give me an understanding of the process that I may have not had otherwise? Probably. But my goal is always to make it work, not make it perfect. Because I'm my own worst critic, and if I think it works, an outsider will really think it works.
When talking about my cosplay, I like to encourage anyone with an interest to give it a go. Hey, it's a hobby that has bought me a lot of joy and I'd like to see more people involved in it. One thing I've heard on several occasions is "I could never do that because I would want to make something absolutely perfect." That sentiment kind of saddens me. It saddens me that someone could be so afraid of imperfection that they are not willing to try anything new. And even the ones that people perceive as the pinnacles of perfection conceal their fair share of flaws.
I want to make all of this very clear because I don't want to intimidate anyone with this perceived image of perfection. Because I assure you, my creations are not. I don't have any magical superpower that makes me able to make these things without work. My kitchen is a mess, my table is covered in scraps, and I have ideas that I have given up on shoved into the back of my closet. You just don't see that stuff. And those abandoned projects have their own value as well, even if it's not very much. Every stupid, imperfect thing that I have made has been worth doing.
The idea that "anything worth doing is worth doing right" has created a world where perfectionism is the norm. It makes people afraid to try anything new because they will just pick it apart and fuss over whether the result is worthy of its existence. I propose a new way of looking at trying something new: "Anything worth doing is worth half-assing" (pardon my french). Let. It. Be. Imperfect. A C-level paper is better than one not turned in. A thrown-together meal is better than starving. A quick meetup between activities is better than not seeing a friend at all. Life is not perfect. And what's not worth doing is missing out on life because you feel it can't be perfect.
Obviously there are somethings that you can't afford to do imperfectly. You should probably strive for perfection when, say, filing your taxes or working on an important project at work. But no one, and I mean NO ONE has enough energy to make every little thing exactly perfect. Unless they do...pretty much nothing. In life, it's important to be mindful of picking which things will be perfect, and which just have to not be awful.
For friendsgiving this year, I put some of my perfection energy into these pies. For anyone not in the know, friendsgiing is when a group of friends get together for Thanksgiving and each bring a dish and enjoy being thankful for our chosen family. I was on dessert duty, as I normally am for gatherings I can make a lot of things, but my desserts tend to be the most showstopping. I've had a couple of people ask for the recipes because they turned out AMAZING. I'm quite pleased, as pies are not something I make often. The braided crust on the cranberry pear one is something I'll probably do on any pie that calls for a top crust. I like doing it, and it's a nice change from the traditional lattice. And if you want to try the braided crust, but are afraid of messing it up, DO IT. If you screw it up and it looks like a dead octopus, that's fine. It will still taste good. Even if it doesn't, that's okay, too. You tried something new and had a new experience. It's better than not trying it at all. Maybe you can test this one at a Christmas event or for a birthday if the person prefers pie to cake (I do not understand that idea, I am a cake lover, but you do you). Don't expect it to look like the picture on the recipe. Don't expect it to look like mine. It's yours, let it be imperfect in it's own way and enjoy it. A less-than-perfect pie is better than no pie at all. I'm pretty sure everyone can agree on that.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Cranberry Pear Pie Recipe
Sprinkles of Kim:
Pumpkin:
-I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup because I was worried that it would be cloying with the maple syrup and candied yams. I was right, the sweetness ended up exactly to my taste.
-Instead of mashing and straining the filling, I blended it. It was faster, easier, and it made the finished product very smooth and a bit fluffy.
Cranberry pear:
-This pie was very juicy, so I recommend actually leaving out the pear juice to cut down on the liquid.
-I used Bosc pears. Do this, they are the perfect compliment to the cranberries.
I hope everyone had a wonderfully imperfect Thanksgiving, now if you'll excuse me, it's Christmas cookie season. And if you read my post on Christmas cookies last year, you'll know that I tend to go a little overboard...and I'll probably do it again.
