I puked out what little money I had left in a bar a few years ago. I had been a struggling artist in Los Angeles for about four years at this point. This was not long before the pandemic began. I was very reckless, frustrated and lost. In a drunken and impulsive state, I spend one of my last dollars on the cheapest drink I could get my hands on. The next morning I woke up hungover to a phone call which I now consider to be a miracle. My agent called to tell me that I had booked a commercial. The joy I felt wasn’t because I was going to finally be on TV. It was because I had money for food and rent. I felt like I was given a second chance. I wish I had learned from my mistakes but the bad habits continued. And then we entered into March, 2020 and the whole world stopped. My recklessness and frustrations kept going and were now confined in my friend’s little one-bedroom apartment. I had been living on their couch for a number of years now. I was bored and seeking comfort so I began to cook. Cooking has taught me that in life you ultimately don’t have control. You can only give yourself and the things that you love, time, attention and patience. Sometimes the fruits of your labor will lead to good things. In cooking and in life, make your choices thoughtfully and the results, although not always in your favor, will hopefully be good in a different way or better than expected.