I never made a bucket list, but if I had...learning to eat with chopsticks would have been on it. I know it may sound lame because maybe you are supposed to say you want to go sky diving. The thing is, anybody can jump out of a plane as long as there is somebody to push them out...but eating with chopsticks is a difficult skill to master. One day, I was at my favorite Japanese restaurant, and finally I figured out how to use those things. I was so proud of myself!



Why did I buy these? I'm trying to correct some bad eating habits that were instilled in me when I was younger. The day I learned how to use the chopsticks at the restaurant, I noticed there were advantages to eating with them. I was forced to take smaller bites. My eyes tend to be larger than my mouth, and to make things worse--I have large tonsils. Sometimes I've choked on my food. I also eat too fast--no doubt due to years of timed lunches where I couldn't enjoy a leisurely meal. I was able to enjoy my meal more when I slowed down, and I was able to pay attention to my body sensations. American silverware is extremely convenient to use...but I sometimes do wonder if that very trait doesn't contribute to our expanding waistlines. We are able to put large amounts of food into our mouths very quickly.



Now why did I choose this particular brand? Well, I admit the price was attractive. There were bamboo sets that were the same price, but I wasn't certain how clean you can keep bamboo. I thought stainless steel would be easier to clean, though I wasn't certain it wouldn't be harder to use.



These were more beautiful than I expected. They were light weight. I was worried about the finish rubbing off after reading one of the critical reviews. My mom did suggest that I might have to be careful about using harsh detergents--and maybe it would be best to use the sponge side of the sponge rather than the green brillo side. The first meal I ate with these was a pizza cut into small squares. They weren't difficult to use at all. I haven't tested them with everything, but actually eating pizza is rather challenging--and they passed the test with flying colors. Now, they can be slippery if you have hand lotion on your hands. If you are slippery, they will slip from your grasp. Otherwise, they work very well. The finish didn't come off onto my food, though I am babying them more (with washing) than I do my silverware. I also made origami chopstick covers to keep them in when not in use.