Boredom and cornbread

I have not worked in an office since I was fourteen, when I covered for my dad’s receptionist for two weeks while she was on a summer vacation. I have missed nothing. This has got to be the most boring job I have ever had.

I am used to physically working, whether doing art or cooking and baking. Both my mind and my body are involved, and at the end of the shift, there is something there that didn’t used to exist. People in restaurant kitchens get mad, joke around, vent, have drama, help each other, all in a matter of minutes. It’s fast paced, skilled, and should pay better than it does.

My current job is painstakingly dull. The people are nice, but I feel like I am whiling my hours away for pay, wishing I could go do something. No wonder most of America is out of shape. Sitting at a desk all day ignores the fact that we have bodies, and that they want to work too. Most of America works in offices or at desks, and get paid better much than those who produce something. No wonder our economy is a mess.

At least a census job is temporary. They work in projects, and people bounce from one project to another. I had to turn down the last one I was offered, because I had a full time job at that point, but I worked for them last spring. I was in the field then, not in an office.

I recognized several people from last spring in my new job, and there are others that I didn’t know but that also worked for them before. The people are the one consolation. I like them. It is a diverse crowd, and the department I am in is a good team. Still, I like to get the job done and leave, not stay because you have to finish the shift, not matter what. And this will interfere with my going to my writer’s group. I’m going to see if I can find some flexibility to get off 2 Tuesday nights a month. If not, oh well. It is temporary, 2 months at most.

And now, I am off to make bagel dough. We run low on breakfast breads when I am working, and have no time. But since I’ve already posted the bagel recipe, I’ll give you cornbread instead.

Black eyed peas, greens and cornbread are traditional new years foods in the southern U.S.

This follows the same techniques for muffins. Put all the dry goods (the first group of ingredients) in a bowl.

Melt the butter by putting in the pan in the preheated oven. Then pour it into a bowl with the other wet ingredients, and whisk them together. Make a well in the center of the dry goods. Pour in the wet goods and fold just until mixed.

If you are doing one of the variations at the bottom, fold in the fruit or other additions at towards the end of the folding. Don’t overmix, as that leads to heavy baked goods.

Put batter into the pan you melted the butter in, and bake. Happy New Year.

Corn Bread

350˚, 20 min. 1 8” square pan

1 c cornmeal

1 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 c buttermilk or yogurt

1 egg

3 T honey or sugar

3 T melted butter

Mexican: Add 1 c corn,1/2 c grated mild cheese, 3-4 scallions

Blueberry:Increase sugar to 1/4c. Add 1 1/2 c blueberries.