Love this analogy, Harold. As one who is no longer a regular member of the kitchen staff, I've taken to developing my chops at living out loud, hoping I still have something of value to share until those times I can weasel my way back into the kitchen.

This also reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago who would not cook if the exact ingredients - in the exact amounts called for - in a recipe were not available. Recipes need not be so rigid that slight changes render them useless, or provide no wiggle room for experimentation and innovation. The same goes for knowledge, I believe.