prfsnl_gmr wrote:KitKatCara wrote:Repo, do you know how to actually cook beyond using a microwave? You can get your grocery bill much lower if you know basic cooking skills, and the food will last longer and be healthier...
I agree. For only a few dollars, large bags of rice and dried beans will keep you alive and relatively healthy for quite some time.
If you do not know how to prepare them, then you need to learn. These skills will be essential if you plan to move to NYC at some point. (In other words, there is more to preparing for your move than simply getting your finances in order.)
I actually know more than enough on how to cook without a microwave.
In fact, in the recipes thread that I started, so many of my recipes are made in a stove or stovetop.
I also know that if you use soda in lieu of water when baking a cake from a boxed mix, the result is slightly better. And that turkey bacon cooks quicker and shrinks less than real bacon. I even came up with a recipe for a soup where a huge bulk of the ingredients can be bought from the Dollar Tree, save some some chicken and turkey.
But right now, we're living in a motel and all we have is a microwave. And not even a good one at that. And even when I have access to a real kitchen, I only cook in an oven or range when I have all the stuff. But it's just easier to pour water into a thing of Easy Mac and cook it in the microwave, preferably after adding a dollop of Cheez Whiz, some crushed potato chips (I prefer Garden Salsa Sun Chips), bacon bits and a healthy amount of chili powder. Or just taking some leftover chicken and tossing it into a pot of ramen.
It's all pretty much a matter of it being cheap, easy, and convenient. But until we can move into a permanent residence, I can't just whip up some chicken noodle soup or try my hand at making Nutella brownies.
Oh, and I also have a GT Xpress Redi Set Go, and with that I can whip up quickie omelets and handheld pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, turkey-bacon melts for lunch, a personal pizza for dinner and with the time and effort I could even crank out a nice-sized three-layer cake. Though I plan on upgrading to the new model they have out, get some of the other pans they have for the new model, and then turn around a replace my Magic Bullet (which I can use for a lot of the things I make, like omelets, pancake batter and personal-sized milkshakes and smoothies made with frozen berries, a thing of yogurt and a whole orange, or blood orange if I can get one) with the newer one they've got out.
And I know that moving to New York City is more than just about having the money. It's about:
* Learning to adapt and pass yourself off as a native New Yorker
* Dressing for any situation, since between getting off work and getting home is usually when you go out with friends and you gotta be prepared for anything (the bar, the club, movie theater, ball game, birthday, baptism, funeral, bar mitzvah, quinceanera, et cetera), and that it's better to ere on the side of dressy than casual. Oh, and to dress in dark colors.
* Treating foot traffic like motor traffic, keeping oncoming traffic to your left.
* What not to wear in what places and/or when. Like I hear that the Bloods and Crips still operate in NYC, so naturally I'd wanna avoid wearing any colors associated with them or their rivals.
* Eating cheap
* Dealing with crippling loneliness
And the list goes on. But so far, I've already gotten use to keeping a lot of my shit in my front pocket and not putting anything into my back pocket where it's easier to steal.
And if I wanna work at a temp agency I better work on my skills.
I aced my first semester of CCNA classes.
I finally heard back on an interview I had a couple of months ago and I got the job! It feels good to not be in the dark about it anymore.
Getting cable installed at the house today... Cable guy was three and a half hours late, and he's been here for two hours! wtf!!!!!!!