I'm the exact same way. There is a very scientific and analytical aspect of cooking that people miss out on and I think would appeal to many more here on HN. Baking is the ultimate example in my opinion of you must get everything perfect -- measurements, mixture, consistency, and cook time. It's applied physics. Plus, the best part is you get yummy treats to enjoy afterwards as your reward.
That's true but it's actually why I'm usually more of a cooking person than a baking person :-) Sous vide and reverse sear notwithstanding, I tend to be more improvisational than someone who carefully follows recipes.
