My cooking and learning mantras:
· Cooking food is all about experimenting with different flavors, textures, aromas. It appeals to various senses. So should learning. Our brain enjoys multisensory learning experiences.
· I cook primarily to have something to eat, but also to relax, and occasionally, to entertain and socialize, if I cook with a group of friends, for example. In most cases I reap the benefits then and there. Learning, like cooking, needs motivation. Make sure you formulate your goals and the benefits of reaching them before you start doing any kind of learning. Make them personal and meaningful, and as relevant to real life as you can.
· Balancing the flavors is one of the most challenging elements of cooking. Balancing all of the reading, briefing, outlining, moot court, law journal, and other law school activities is often the most difficult aspect of law school, but it is crucial for success.
· When you cook, choose the top-quality ingredients to get the best flavors. Same goes for learning. Be selective when you choose your resources and study aids. More does not equal better.
· Reduce, reduce, reduce. Outline, outline, outline. Reducing the liquid intensifies the flavor. Outlining intensifies the learning.
· Marinating meat or vegetables overnight is an easy way to ensure an abundance of flavor in your dish. When you learn something new, let it “marinate” for a few days and then review the material. It will boost your memory.
· You can improvise quite a bit in cooking, however baking requires precise measurement of ingredients. Make sure you know which legal concepts have precise meaning and which allow for a reasonable point of controversy.
· I like new gadgets and I watch for new trends in both cooking and learning to taste and share.