Second this. I spent a lot of time focusing on trying recipes with new techniques or new ingredients when I was in graduate school and cooked dinner for my wife and myself every weeknight. When I started, I viewed recipies almost as magic spells that had to be followed just so (or maybe for this crowd, code to be copied verbatim from a Stack Overflow answer). But once I learned some basic techniques and the properties of ingredients, I gained the confidence to experiment and create new dishes. Recipies and cookbooks are now sources of inspiration and not rigid rules.

except for baking—-precision and reproducibility are key there.

I would add to this: learn how to sharpen a knife with a cheap wetstone and learn how to cut correctly with a chef's knife... it speeds up your prep time immensely and is also a lot safer. i can basically cut up most veggies without thinking about it or looking at the board and it doesn't take very long to learn.

I was going to say the same thing! For me it is baking/making bread, but cooking generally is rewarding and a practical skill.

I wouldn't advise to start with baking once the learning curve is way steeper and less fault tolerant than general cooking. If you are just starting and want to see cooking as a relaxation activity delay baking and start with Italian food.

Completely agree. Being able to eat decently, consistently and without breaking your budget definitely makes cooking a great skill to invest.

Hint (it works for me, YMMV): cook only once a day, only when you're rather hungry and preferably on evenings after work. It will help you to relax.

Cooking, and ironing are my go to relaxing activities in the evenings. Hit two birds with one stone.

I’m rather the opposite when it comes to ironing, I can never get myself to do it while not hating it. Do you have any tips for how to make it more bearable?

Have one item in the bathroom when you shower. The steam can remove the wrinkles depending on the conditions.

Do less laundry.

I also agree with this. I have learned by doing blue apron and hello fresh for a year, and it's amazing the little things I've learned from cooking so much. another bonus is my foods budget has become much more manageable.

Agree that being able to feed yourself, your family and friends properly is fantastic. Our society is not set up to make it easy.

P.s. I’ve flipped through ‘The French Laundry Cookbook’, and if you can take that on, I’ll call you a chef. :)

Hahaha. It's one thing to make something from the French Laundry Cookbook. It's another thing to do it all day(night) every day. That's a chef.