VIP Class Notes (Vicki)

Vocabulary

playwright – the author of plays

pungent – smelly

stinky – smelly

cuisine – food
i.e. I really appreciate the Chinese cuisine.

chow down – eat really fast

significant – important
i.e. He is my significant other.

lettuce – sheng cai

culinary – peng reng de
i.e. My culinary need is very simple, all I want is meat.

nourishment – nutrition ying yang
i.e. Baby needs his nourishment from mother’s milk.

unbearable – not able to tolerate
i.e. The noise outside is unbearable.

saliva – kou shui

Should you eat to live or live to eat?… a question posed by French playwright Moliere in his work ‘The Miser’. While eating is functional, and our bodies need the fuel that food provides, dining with friends or loved ones can be a wonderful experience. However, some of us often find ourselves reserving a table for one in a restaurant. But is dining alone really that bad? Maybe not.

We all have foods we like and dislike. Maybe it’s a pungent cheese or stinky fish. We sometimes hold back on things that may offend the noses of others. When dining alone, we can consume whatever we like, with the added bonus that we might be able to eat more healthily. Often, if you want a salad and your significant other wants some less healthy cuisine, you end up ordering the same. And if you don’t get the same, you might end up with food envy as you watch someone chow down on a pizza while you’re left holding the lettuce.

Have you ever spent too long debating with people which restaurant to eat in or when to meet? If dining solo, you can make the choice depending on your culinary desires at that moment and get your nourishment at exactly the time you’re hungry! And why does it have to be a restaurant? You could eat in a park, garden or even your bed – the point is, the choice is yours! That alone time also means it’s a time to switch off. According to psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter, a bit of solitude can help your brain to unwind and may help you concentrate more.

Finally, for some, dining alone can be a necessity. For those of us who suffer from misophonia, a hatred of sound, that can in some cause PTSD, the noise of someone else masticating can be unbearable. Eating alone can save you from the extreme anxiety that may arise listening to someone smack their lips or the sloshing of saliva in their mouths! So, is eating alone bad? Well, it may not be for everyone, but there certainly are some benefits to it. Try it sometime – you might just like it!