Day 1

A blog.

If you must know, I just finished watching the movie 'Julie and Julia' and was inspired. Who isn't by such a wonderful movie? It's heartfelt and gives you the idea of starting your own blog. Unfortunately, mine is about cooking as well but I can never compare to write something as good as Julie Powell. I won't do anything like go through all the recipes of a cookbook or anything... I'll never have the resources or the commitment to do that. Well, perhaps the commitment but definitely not the resources. You may be wondering what I mean.

First, you must know where I live. I live in little unknown Misawa, Japan. Now you're wondering how I'm able to do this in English; because you're probably thinking I'm Japanese. Unfortunately, I am not. Although I do know how to read Japanese, sit down like them, slurp soup like they do, and generally act like Japanese folk; I am not, which is partially my greatest regret. Not saying I hate being American. My father is part of the military and from such we are stationed here in Japan. It's a really nice co-military base.The word co-military base probably isn't a word but I just made it one. You see, there's different branches of the military... we have all of them here in this small base. Not many Marines but we do have them, its more Air Force based than anything else but we have everything. Not sure why Navy is here... we only have a lake nearby.

As I was saying, this is where I live. I love it here. I've been here the majority of my life and hardly know anything about the states. People always cast me weird looks when I ask them what Jack in the Box is or what's Sam's Club. Honestly, I don't know until they tell me or I google it later. Even with my little experience in the states... I consider myself a very patriotic American. Who isn't who lives over here? We live on base, our paycheck coming in from the government, our housing, electricity, food, and essentially games all are paid by the government. We practically live and breathe what made America.. so then shouldn't we be considered the most patriotic people in America? I've gotten to travel around the world thanks to the military moving us about. It can be a hassle at times but, I love it.

Now you're wondering why this isn't called 'Diary of a Military Brat', I'll tell you why. I love to cook. I don't do it because its the only thing you can come home to and actually know. Honestly, I don't really know how to cook, sure my mom has taught me a few recipes and things that her family have done over the years... I just honestly don't. Now why would I say its the diary of a cook? Well, because I want to be. Cooking for me... is a creative thing. Did I mention I'm also a writer on the side? Not that I've actually published anything. Like writing, cooking you can take a person's creativeness and put it on a plate; much like putting it on paper with a pencil in writing. You can write a book with a pencil and paper... and then with cooking, you can write a creative vast adventure novel, with a tidbit of romance, in a meal that you serve to you're loved one. That's what I do. I cook.

I am 17 years old, a woman, military brat, cook, writer, and good friend to a great many people. In the beginning it always... become a writer, publish a novel and have everyone love it! That's still my dream, that's still on the track, yet now there's a new addition. Becoming a cook. I found out I wanted to do it last year... during my Junior year in high school. After, of course, watching the Disney movie 'Ratatouille'. Movies can be a great inspiration to people. Some mores so then others.

Some would think such great inspiration from a movie would eventually fade. Not me, I'm dead set on becoming a cook; and not just because of the movie but because. People eat. Not everyone reads and actually enjoy it, trust me. Everyone eats... even those people on diets, they eat and enjoy what they eat when they do. Sometimes people go all out and eat all sorts of stuff. That's the main point of cooking. Cooking, definition; making a meal with food in which people will enjoy. That's my own translation of course. That's what I'm aiming to do; please people by cooking. Some people cook just for themselves; I do as well. Not all the time though, because when you make something... its traditoinally supposed to be shared with friends and family. So that's what I do.

Every weekend I go to the commissary (the military's version of a grocery store) and find anything. Chicken? Sure! Throw it right in the shopping cart! Potatoes? Sure! Let's make a stew. Usually it starts off like that, I see a vegetable and decide to grab it and slowly peice together something my family will enjoy. I don't have a big family so i have a pretty small audience to feed. So far so good though. It starts off simple, then it evolves.

Beef stew, Beef Yakisoba, breaded pork, fried chicken with mushrooms, fish and chips, and then some real good BBQ chicken pizza. After that I started to get deeper; stretching out my resources. Cheese souffle, chicken curry, cheddar cheese soup, vanilla hard candies, chocolate souffle, shrimp spaghetti, home made Alfredo sauce on top of tortellini, and tortilla chips baked in an artichoke hearts dip. All sorts of different things. I'm slowly learning, and still wanting to learn more. It's Monday, November 8, 2010 here, and I'm destined to go to culinary school where many other people will enjoy my foods. I'm aiming to succeed in it, writing on the side. I may be only 17; but I'm working hard... and not hardly working. Wish me luck!