--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I, alas, must present myself somewhat…" description: "\"I, alas, must present myself somewhat ignominiously as a chef in a busy kitchen. Somewhere a novel is bubbling on a back burner, an old attempt at hist..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/theodore-white-19249_alas_i-alas-must-present-myself-somewhat-igno_3168857.png" --- # I, alas, must present myself somewhat ignominiously as a… ![“I, alas, must present myself somewhat ignominiously as a chef in a busy kitchen. Somewhere a novel is bubbling on a back burner, an old attempt at history may come out of the freezer.” quote by Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/theodore-white-19249_alas_i-alas-must-present-myself-somewhat-igno_3168857.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/theodore-white-19249_alas_i-alas-must-present-myself-somewhat-igno_3168857.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/theodore-white-19249_alas_i-alas-must-present-myself-somewhat-igno_3168857.png) > “I, alas, must present myself somewhat ignominiously as a chef in a busy kitchen. Somewhere a novel is bubbling on a back burner, an old attempt at history may come out of the freezer.” [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits feeling inadequate while juggling multiple creative projects, likening himself to a chef overwhelmed in a busy kitchen. **In simple terms:** Feeling out of depth in many roles. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and prioritize tasks. Themes humility creativity overwhelm Mood reflective humorous Type personal confessional When to use this quote - writing - cooking - historical research - personal reflection Key Concepts identity role conflict multitasking Questions to Reflect On - How can you streamline your projects? - Which role brings you the most fulfillment? A Different Perspective Balancing many pursuits can dilute focus and quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) [Back burner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-burner/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Busy Kitchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-kitchen-613360/) [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Chef Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef-busy-5758979/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Freezer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freezer/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ignominiously Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignominiously-chef-5758978/) [Kitchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitchen/) [Kitchen Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitchen-novel-5758980/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Somewhat Ignominiously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhat-ignominiously-5758981/) ## Related quotes > [“You missed breakfast," Jason announced as Trevor stepped into the large busy kitchen filled with Bradfords and food. "That's fine. I'm not really hungry,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/you-missed-breakfast-jason-announced-as-trevor-stepped-into-the-large/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) > [I prefer to just jump into something instead of put it on the back burner, and I suppose that's how I deal with most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bosworth/i-prefer-to-just-jump-into-something-instead-of-put-it-on-the-back/) [Kate Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bosworth/) > [ \[ Lady Susan novel by Jane Austen is\] extremely difficult to adapt. I worked on it for years, for, like, ten years, before I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/lady-susan-novel-by-jane-austen-is-extremely-difficult-to-adapt-i/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [When you're working and you're busy and you're successful, no matter what, something suffers, whether it's your relationship with your mother, your relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/when-you-re-working-and-you-re-busy-and-you-re-successful-no-matter/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I've always got to have one impossible dream on the back burner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-ve-always-got-to-have-one-impossible-dream-on-the-back-burner/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I just want people to get off the back burner of their life and start to take better care of themselves and their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-just-want-people-to-get-off-the-back-burner-of-their-life-and-start/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [My political science degree is always on the back-burner. I took my LSAT, so even if I want to take the LSAT again, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinny-guadagnino/my-political-science-degree-is-always-on-the-back-burner-i-took-my/) [Vinny Guadagnino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinny-guadagnino/) > [I think people felt like they did everything they had been told they should do to fix the problem, and it still wasn't fixed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/i-think-people-felt-like-they-did-everything-they-had-been-told-they/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [Most cooks would not, for example, prepare an important, elaborate, and difficult dish on the back-burner. Neither should we relegate the cultivation and preparation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/most-cooks-would-not-for-example-prepare-an-important-elaborate-and/) [Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/) > [When you lose people that are close to you it brings everything into focus, and the rest kind of gets put on the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gill/when-you-lose-people-that-are-close-to-you-it-brings-everything-into/) [Vince Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gill/) > [Allowing anger to seethe on the back burner will lead to a very large lid blowing off a very hot pot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/allowing-anger-to-seethe-on-the-back-burner-will-lead-to-a-very-large/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Anybody that I ever dealt with knows that I'm a very focused individual, and when it comes to my work and what I do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/anybody-that-i-ever-dealt-with-knows-that-i-m-a-very-focused/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [“When we crave the touch and the feel of an unfeigned world, we must not waver and put our quest on the back burner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-we-crave-the-touch-and-the-feel-of-an-unfeigned-world-we-must/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [My stand-up has a lot of performance in it, and I loved doing it so much that, after years, I put the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristela-alonzo/my-stand-up-has-a-lot-of-performance-in-it-and-i-loved-doing-it-so/) [Cristela Alonzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristela-alonzo/) > [We know form past experience that when you put women's issues or face issues on the back burner, they never get dealt with. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/we-know-form-past-experience-that-when-you-put-women-s-issues-or-face/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) ## More by Theodore White > [Power in America today is control of the means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/power-in-america-today-is-control-of-the-means-of-communication/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [When the bus or the plane rolled or flew through the night, they sang songs of their own composition about Mr Nixon and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/when-the-bus-or-the-plane-rolled-or-flew-through-the-night-they-sang/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [I class myself as a manual laborer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/i-class-myself-as-a-manual-laborer/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [The gusto of one, the indignation of the other; the challenge of the one party, the response of the other; the eloquence and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/the-gusto-of-one-the-indignation-of-the-other-the-challenge-of-the/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [A liberal is a person who believes that water can be made to run uphill. A conservative is someone who believes everybody should pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/a-liberal-is-a-person-who-believes-that-water-can-be-made-to-run/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Those 40 or 50 national correspondents who had followed Kennedy since the beginning of his electoral exertions into the November days had become more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/those-40-or-50-national-correspondents-who-had-followed-kennedy-since/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [A President and his wise men can only propose; but Congress disposes. It is when President and Congress agree that American history marches forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/a-president-and-his-wise-men-can-only-propose-but-congress-disposes/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [America is a nation created by all the hopeful wanderers of Europe, not out of geography and genetics, but out of purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/america-is-a-nation-created-by-all-the-hopeful-wanderers-of-europe/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [It is almost nicer being a godfather than a father, like having white mice but making your nanny feed them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/it-is-almost-nicer-being-a-godfather-than-a-father-like-having-white/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [His passion has aroused the best and the beast in man. And the beast waited for him in the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/his-passion-has-aroused-the-best-and-the-beast-in-man-and-the-beast/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [When that book came out, it was like Columbus telling about America at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/when-that-book-came-out-it-was-like-columbus-telling-about-america-at/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Politics in America is the binding secular religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/politics-in-america-is-the-binding-secular-religion/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [The President's decisions make the weather, and if he is great enough, change the climate, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/the-president-s-decisions-make-the-weather-and-if-he-is-great-enough/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Always inflation comes gradually; is recognized too late; and can be cured only by ruthless political surgery, which, if delayed too long, proves futile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/always-inflation-comes-gradually-is-recognized-too-late-and-can-be/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/there-are-two-kinds-of-editors-those-who-correct-your-copy-and-those/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) [Explore all 33 Theodore White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) ## More Alas quotes > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Time, time - that is our greatest master! Alas, like Ugolino, time devours its own children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-berlioz/time-time-that-is-our-greatest-master-alas-like-ugolino-time-devours/) [Hector Berlioz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-berlioz/) > [Removing prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/removing-prejudices-is-alas-too-often-removing-the-boundary-of-a/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-pharcellus-church/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus-he-exists-as-certainly-as-love/) [Francis Pharcellus Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-pharcellus-church/) > [Alas, Postumus, the fleeting years slip by, nor will piety give any stay to wrinkles and pressing old age and untamable death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/alas-postumus-the-fleeting-years-slip-by-nor-will-piety-give-any-stay/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Sensible Catholics have for generations been ignoring the views on contraception held by reactionary old men in the Vatican, but alas, since it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/sensible-catholics-have-for-generations-been-ignoring-the-views-on/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [The flesh is sad, alas, and I have read all the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/the-flesh-is-sad-alas-and-i-have-read-all-the-books/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/alas-all-music-jars-when-the-soul-s-out-of-tune/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [In spite of the honestest efforts to annihilate my I-ity, or merge it in what the world doubtless considers my better half, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/in-spite-of-the-honestest-efforts-to-annihilate-my-i-ity-or-merge-it/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-is-indeed-of-more-ancient-institution-and-of-foreign/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ideally a painter (and, generally, an artist) should not become conscious of his insights: without taking the detour through his reflective processes, and incomprehensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/ideally-a-painter-and-generally-an-artist-should-not-become-conscious/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Alas! we makeA ladder of our thoughts, where angels step,But sleep ourselves at the foot: our high resolvesLook down upon our slumbering acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/alas-we-makea-ladder-of-our-thoughts-where-angels-step-but-sleep/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) [Browse all 453 Alas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I, alas, must present myself somewhat ignominiously as a chef in a busy kitchen. 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