Does Breaking Things Mean I’m Dumb?

Broken lamp, food processer, plate, glass jars — and I’m the common denominator

Photo by Joel Henry on Unsplash

I stood across the break room at work and chucked a fork into the sink. When it clanged in, I raised my arms in exultation — but immediately put them down when the fork bounced up against a jar and broke it.

After almost a week of breaking something every day, I started to wonder if perhaps something was wrong with me.

It started with the almond butter.

Just like the next person in line (love you, next person), I go through food phases. During a particularly fierce almond butter phase, I got the bright idea to make my own. I googled some articles, gathered the supplies, and got started.

I should have scrapped the whole idea and taken a walk instead. But I didn’t.

Most recipes recommend toasting the almonds then grinding them into butter in a food processer. The grinding process can take up to 25 minutes, maybe more. I compared recipes, chose one with high reviews, and toasted my almonds.

Once toasted, I let the almonds cool, then put them in the mini food processor we got as a wedding present. Somehow, I didn’t see any of the multiple warnings in the recipes to give the processor a rest, so I started…