Comments on: Control Freak

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:26:10 +0000

Thanks for calling me out on this one, Maggy. I’m a work in progress! As Jane just said — it’s nice you’re learning this at a young age!

By: Jane McNeill

Jane McNeill — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:50:22 +0000

Hey Maggie…good for you for learning this lesson of letting go in the kitchen at such a young age. Here I am well into aldult hood and still have this issue. I’m happy for you. I’m glad you and Andy are trying to do such a great thing in Africa. What a challenge. I’m very impressed.
All is well here. John & Kip are well, productive and happy ( who can hope for more?). Ian has now a new 2nd hip and seems to be on the road to recovery.
I think of you often, remembering last years party in your parents new house in the kitchen talking about your baking passion. It was great to see you last year and I look forward to seeing you and Andy in the future. Good luck with your project, if we can help in any way, please let us know.
Jane McNeill

By: Maggy Keet

Maggy Keet — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:59:54 +0000

So glad I am not alone…! Thanks for all the comments, guys. And suggestions.

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:09:57 +0000

Ha, I can totally relate! Great story!

By: Rachel W

Rachel W — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:59:24 +0000

I love this post, mostly because I have this problem in spades. It should probably be my New Year’s resolution to be less of a spazzy control freak in the kitchen. My friends don’t even try to help any more! I need to take it down a notch or two (or twelve!)

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:19:12 +0000

Ugh. I am SO guilty of this. It’s like that scene from the movie “Mean Girls” when Lindsay Lohan is talking about “word vomit.” Just how you can hear yourself talking and you know you should shut up…but it just keeps coming out.

Like you said, I can HEAR myself being condescending and annoying, but am almost powerless to stop it. Right? WRONG!

I’ve tried to take a page out of mom’s book, and adopt her catch-all phrase, “It’s fine.” So what if the onions are diced instead of sliced? It’s fine. And what if the garlic is a little toastier than I would have liked it? It’s fine. And what if someone isn’t stirring with the same vigor that I would? Or using a wooden spoon where I would be using a spatula? Really, say it with me, “It’s FINE!”

I’m trying. Haven’t mastered it yet. Recently, I’ve been cooking a lot with a friend who’s even worse than I am in the control freak realm, so I am the one who gets to relax and get “reminded” of certain things, or take “suggestions.” It’s actually kind of fun (and funny) to witness someone else getting their control freak on, and it puts things in perspective.

By: Rae

Rae — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:34:58 +0000

Dear Micro-managing Maggy,
It’s a hard thing to admit but many of us do this. My hubby and I both are prone to telling everyone we don’t need help in the kitchen because we would rather do it ourselves, our way. I’m learning to let go because we have three children and since we are homeschooling, we need every opportunity to teach them life skills. so i try to let them “help” me as often as possible. Taking deep breaths helps… but only if you don’t let them back out as exasperated sighs.
Love,
Learning Patience in Nebraska

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:53:32 +0000

this post was a good reminder for me to keep things in perspective and not worry about trying to make everything “perfect” or my way. I couldn’t have pulled of Thanksgiving Dinner without the help of my brother, his fiancee and even my boyfriend, yet it was hard to adjust to working with others in the kitchen. I even snapped at my boyfriend when he was trying to be helpful.

I have to remember that even though I can chop onions/pull of thyme leaves/mix together dessert faster than them because I’m a kitchen nerd, in the long run it saves us time when everyone helps out, rather than me doing it all myself!

By: Michele Albert

Michele Albert — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:36:01 +0000

OK – to all fellow control freaks! If you want to be left alone to cook in peace here are a few suggestions that have worked for me……

1. put all of the plates, sliverware, napkins, etc in a pile in the center of the table, anyone asks if they can help have them set the table.

2. put all of the items for your beverages on a table in the living room, if anyone asks, have them cut the lemons/limes (make sure you put a cutting board and knife out!), open bottles of wine, make and serve drinks.

3. have them arrange the dessert buffet

4. let someone else put all of the food away, clear the table, and do the dishes, goodness knows – you deserve it after making all of the food!

Good luck, and if anyone has any other suggestions, I am open. I like being in the kitchen cooking but on the other hand I don’t want to cause hurt feelings.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:13:15 +0000

While driving to our Thanksgiving destination my husband informed me that I needed to leave my kitchen control freak in the city we were passing through. And no, I was not allowed to pick it back up on our way home. Sigh…