But - at least, going from these posts - they aren't really backed up. You aren't rolling your Profession: Bad Chef very often if at all.
What I'm seeing is "I want to be a blacksmith so I devout some of my points into 'have a backstory.'" I don't understand why "have a backstory" requires taking points out of other things.
Or maybe I'm just amazing; I can cook and swim and rock climb and hold down a job teaching and dance. That puts me ahead of most D&D characters!
Actually, if I have Profession [Bad Chef] then I damned well
am going to use it at every opportunity!

I may even put points into it as the game progresses. Eventually I might even cross out 'Bad', as my character learns the trade.
My paladin in a current game (I actually get to
play for once!) has Perform [Storytelling] as a cross class skill, and trust me, I am carrying the skill with intent to use it. (I have Perform [Storytelling] on my own sheet, somewhere - I used to be hired for such, often enough to be ego building. So, I play characters with the skill.)
As for your skill ranks, that is because you have an NPC class, Expert. Get a good Int and you can have a pretty decent assortment of skills.

(Pretty much everybody is an NPC class... I know that I'm one, also likely Expert.)
Cook, yeah, rock climb... does spelunking count? (I hate heights, but have no trouble with caves.) Teaching, yes, dancing... well, I dance, but I don't think that I have any ranks in it....

Sing, a little, and a weird mix of Knowledge skills. (I'm a gamer, it just happens....) Ride, maybe a pip, I know enough to post.
The Auld Grump, what, doesn't
everybody fill out a character sheet for themselves?
