The sound of cooking goes “minnnng!”

I’ve mentioned before that when going vegan I decided to learn to cook properly. As I’ve said, I’ve practically detested cooking before, and hardly had skills to make anything more advanced than pancakes. Really, I could barely make microwave popcorn without setting off the smoke alarm. I guess I simply found cooking exceptionally boring, which is never any help if one wants to learn something. 

Now, however, I’m making process in my quest towards learning to cook, and am slowly turning to like cooking. I have a little motivational trick that makes the prospect of spending hours in the kitchen not only tolerable, but even appealing. Even doing the dishes becomes a joy. The secret is audiobooks. I was sceptical towards the concept at first, but when my flat-mate started listening through the Harry Potter series while doing domestic chores I joined in on the listening and actually enjoyed it a great deal. If the person doing the reading is good enough at it, it actually becomes almost as good (sometimes even better) as reading the book yourself, with the additional bonus of making it easier to find time for it.

Right now I am listening my way through the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, books I can strongly recommend in any form to anyone unfamiliar with them. Especially if you like fantasy and enjoy a good laugh (who doesn’t?). But even apart from the witty humour, they are lovely in so many ways.

“And why is it called Ming?”, said the arch-chancellor, on cue. The bursar tapped the pot. It went “minnnng!”

– Terry Pratchett (The wizards of Unseen University discussing etymology, Moving Pictures)

Do you like to listen to audiobooks as a means of motivation to do boring chores? Or in other circumstances? What do you listen to?

Love and audiobooks,

Winterdragon