I quit my once-a-month-gig at the snr. It was great money, but I was always scrambling for deadline, hate giving bad reviews, and hate giving stars in general. Believe it or not, I don't eat out very often. I never go out to breakfast and lots of my dinners are snacky. Like some cheese and bread and a salad. Or some smoked mackerel and a shitload of dijon mustard (I can eat a spoonful of mustard right out of the jar). Lunch I'm in Davis five days a week. So except for an after work thing with friends (which I wish I had more time for) I only eat out on weekends. I guess Sunday at Pho Saigon has gotta be my most regular jam.
Which means that I push deadline because I naturally wait a couple of weeks after the last one, even though I vow to not do that, and then I am scrambling for time to eat somewhere at least twice. And then if I decide on a place, sometimes it's not good or just mediocre and not worth writing about. But then I'm trapped into reviewing it because not only am I running out of time, but I have often spent 60 or more dollars buying a few people dinner so then I'm committed to reviewing it.
ALSO, this obligation to try these places is not fun because I really just want to hit up places I like and don't get to go to enough. I've probably eaten at Magpie maybe twice this year. Insane!! I don't go to Masullo enough, either. Although both of these places end up being more expensive than I want them to be. I'm not complaining about that, they deserve it.
Even more reasons: Scott hates the rigamarole and how stressed I get when I have to review a place I don't like.
The funny thing is that the writing comes super quickly and easily no matter the subject.
I'd rather focus more on Edible at this point. Things are going well with the new owners and we've got DKK on the team now! And Ngaio Bealum is contributing. I love his writing.
So that's what's going on with me. the millionth reason: my new job is busy and stressful. even though I sometimes don't consciously feel all the stress because I'm good at repressing my emotions (over 20 years of it with my family), I go through periods of clenching my jaw and biting the insides of my mouth at night. Sometimes insomnia, but not too bad right now.
if you clench your jaw (or grind your teeth) too often in your sleep, you can get TMJ, which is bad. Get a mouth guard to wear at night. I had to get one that was like 400 bucks but its lasted like ten years so far.
ReplyDeleteAlso, i used to chew gum every day so that helped bring on the TMJ.
ninja
I have the disposable ones and those work when I start to have pain. I tend to throw them across the room in the middle of the night while i'm asleep.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see I lit the blog on fire by announcing my retirement.
Good for you, life too short of stuff that stresses you out.
ReplyDeleteI panic if I don't have a mouth guard to sleep in.
Let me add: Stresses you out AND doesn't pay the bills. Important distinction.
ReplyDeleteNatalie
Let me add: Stresses you out AND doesn't pay the bills. Important distinction.
ReplyDeleteNatalie
I can now reveal that I'm the new SNR food reviewer.
ReplyDelete^Fuck I didn't get the gig ... fuck!
ReplyDeleteNM
I cant wait for Millerz weekly reviews of Willies
ReplyDeleteI did little one paragraph reviews for the SNR for about a year and I swear it nearly killed me. We got so tired of having to find a new place to eat every week -- sounds like fun at first, but we just wanted to go back to the places we loved, not keep trying new and increasingly mediocre food (especially since I was reviewing dives). Our last meal was at a place out on Howe that caused me to spit food into a napkin ... I said, that's it, I'm done, and gave my notice. Congratulations on your new-found freedom!
ReplyDeleteIt's a cool showcase for your writing if you can handle it. I think I may have been the only person to have the gig in many years who was not a freelance writer as a job.
ReplyDeleteFocused talent is effective talent. Good choice!
ReplyDelete