Wow, what a time I'm having. Saturday was Christmas and I had to work, and I hear that I don't get holiday double pay because I haven't been there 90 days, however a fellow student, Sammy, told me that she got it for working on Thanksgiving. I don't know. I guess I'll find out next week.
Today at work was day 12 of a 13 day stretch (the first two days were Orientation...) and I'm telling you--I'm more beat than a dead horse... Tomorrow, at long last, is my Friday, and I get one day off... On that one day off, I have to go to work in the afternoon to pick up my pay and do laundry and shopping and errands... A day off? Really? At least it won't be another day like today: SLAMMED! 140+ covers, 3 servers, 2 people cooking... Can you say busier than a one-armed paper-hanger?! I'm saying! 5 straight hours of rushing and fumbling and burns and cooking and getting the job done. Just had to keep my head down and dig in. It was crazy. We were under-staffed, under-supplied, and my co-worker was even more so of her ever-so-charming-and-lovely self and yelling at me and blaming me for everything that was going wrong. I finally had to shut her down to shut her up. In front of some server and the manager... Hey. I won't be spoken to like that by her or anyone. And ultimately, I was in the right and was later praised for not only doing a good job on a day where we got shafted, but also for handling Maria in a professional manner when she was coming unglued... I was given an apology for the fact that I came for my externship and my chef was on vacation, and then the chef I'm directly working for went on vacation for a week. I wasn't adequately trained and there weren't any arrangements to see to it in her absence. So all week has been trial by fire with a coworker who probably has no future of advancement due to her bad attitude and mouth. And I get to look forward to a encore tomorrow. But I'm venting now... Oh, and remember Egg Day??? I have to cook eggs at breakfast now... Don't GET me started on that...
What brought up my day? Check out this YouTube video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE
I won't spoil it for you, but I wanted it repeatedly, and recalled when I did that in college! Oh, it took me back and was such a delight to watch!
My dilemma this week, though: what to do and where to go for New Year's Eve! It's one of my most favorite holidays! It's like getting a clean slate, hitting the reset button, second chances all over again... Hope and promise and renewal. I have always loved that day. But I'm in a new place and don't really know anyone or where to go. But I'm networking on my iPhone chat app and meeting people. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Stage Across America Day 21/Extern Day 7
Merry Christmas Eve to all! I hope the holiday finds everyone in good health, high spirits, surrounded by loved ones (I have Gracie with me!)
Day 9 of a 13 day stretch over Christmas weekend brought a busy day. But I feel like I'm really starting to "get it" on the line; being that I've never worked the line before, I'm still kinda slow in my thinking of "what's next..." But It's starting to gel and I'm expanding my execution to several tickets down the board. This is obviously a VERY important skill to have in a time-sensitive hospitality industry...
I got into it a little bit with Maria today... She comes with a self-given disclaimer that she's "a grouchy bitch with a bad attitude that just doesn't care about other people..." And yet she seems to get along with me ok, most of the time. But she must thin I'm a total idiot and she likes shortcuts... Like just cutting off the bottom of a head of Bibb lettuce to get rid of the roots and dirt so she doesn't have to wash it... What a waste of product! But hey--it's her world and I'm just a squirrel... So she was showing me how to cut lettuce and I walked away. She asks me to do something and then starts doing it herself, so I'm just like, "fine. you go ahead and do it." It's so frustrating sometime, but I just have to keep in mind that it's only temporary.
Oh! And here's another mind-blowing revelation: Marriott International does NOT recycle or compost! That just floored me! At school, we have the yellow bin for recycling, the blue bin for compostable material, and the grey bin for all other trash. Marriott is the 3rd largest hotel/hospitality company in the world with over 3000 locations, and they don't recycle or compost?? I can't even imagine the amount of waste that could be repurposed that the company just throws away. Something to do with money and finding companies that will make pick ups... I don't know. I just think it's a shame. As an industry leader, they should be leading the way in going green.
And finally, my wonderful neighbor, Christine, came to my rescue again today: our laundry facilities don't take quarters. We have a card with a microchip that we load with money and it just deducts when you wash/dry. We have to load the card in the office building, but it was already closed for the holiday when I got home today. So Christine was kind enough to let me use her card so I could do 2 loads of laundry, and gave her $5 in return. It was very necessary! I can't have Santa come over and I have no clean undies!
With that, I have to put the laundry away and get some dinner before bed. 5:30 comes very early in the a.m....
Day 9 of a 13 day stretch over Christmas weekend brought a busy day. But I feel like I'm really starting to "get it" on the line; being that I've never worked the line before, I'm still kinda slow in my thinking of "what's next..." But It's starting to gel and I'm expanding my execution to several tickets down the board. This is obviously a VERY important skill to have in a time-sensitive hospitality industry...
I got into it a little bit with Maria today... She comes with a self-given disclaimer that she's "a grouchy bitch with a bad attitude that just doesn't care about other people..." And yet she seems to get along with me ok, most of the time. But she must thin I'm a total idiot and she likes shortcuts... Like just cutting off the bottom of a head of Bibb lettuce to get rid of the roots and dirt so she doesn't have to wash it... What a waste of product! But hey--it's her world and I'm just a squirrel... So she was showing me how to cut lettuce and I walked away. She asks me to do something and then starts doing it herself, so I'm just like, "fine. you go ahead and do it." It's so frustrating sometime, but I just have to keep in mind that it's only temporary.
Oh! And here's another mind-blowing revelation: Marriott International does NOT recycle or compost! That just floored me! At school, we have the yellow bin for recycling, the blue bin for compostable material, and the grey bin for all other trash. Marriott is the 3rd largest hotel/hospitality company in the world with over 3000 locations, and they don't recycle or compost?? I can't even imagine the amount of waste that could be repurposed that the company just throws away. Something to do with money and finding companies that will make pick ups... I don't know. I just think it's a shame. As an industry leader, they should be leading the way in going green.
And finally, my wonderful neighbor, Christine, came to my rescue again today: our laundry facilities don't take quarters. We have a card with a microchip that we load with money and it just deducts when you wash/dry. We have to load the card in the office building, but it was already closed for the holiday when I got home today. So Christine was kind enough to let me use her card so I could do 2 loads of laundry, and gave her $5 in return. It was very necessary! I can't have Santa come over and I have no clean undies!
With that, I have to put the laundry away and get some dinner before bed. 5:30 comes very early in the a.m....
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Stage Across America Day 20/Extern Day 6
So here we are, continuing the culinary adventure of a lifetime. Today I worked day 8 of a 13 day stretch; only 5 more days to go before I get a day off. I'm really looking forward to that... I have to say--I'm kinda beat! I'm not complaining about the work, but it's just been a crazy time moving here, getting into the system at the resort so I can start working, getting called in on my one day off this week, and having the holiday influx of guests... It's all just adding up, is all I'm saying.
Yesterday I was late to work, too. I HATE when that happens because throws off the rest of my whole day! I don't what happened, but I awoke to my phone chirping from a text message. It was my boss asking me why I wasn't at work. PANIC MODE! I look at the time and it was after 9 am, and I was supposed to be at work at 7! Apparently, the socket that my alarm clock is plugged into, doesn't hold a plug very well, and either Gracie or I knocked it loose in the middle of the night and it reset. I was over three hours late to work and of course, I had some 'splainin' to do... And so now I am also setting the alarm on my phone as a back-up. So again, all day my head was scattered, my coworker was annoyed (and annoying), and I just couldn't get my groove back. Thankfully, I had to leave early to go to HR to do more in-processing and GET PAID. Thank goodness for that! Only for the two days of Orientation last week, but hey--every penny counts right now!
On that issue, once I start getting my full paychecks, with all the overtime I'll be working, in addition to my monthly GI Bill housing allowance, I'll be sitting pretty. I have to get a few things fixed on the car, especially to get ready for the long road trip in April. I am going to pamper myself for my birthday, too: I found out that as an employee, I get a HUGE discount on spa services, so I'm going to treat myself to a full day at the spa with as many services as I can afford and squeeze in! I can't wait for that... And of course, I need to save as much money as possible the road trip. Gas and hotels aren't cheap... And finally, I'm hoping to pay off the damn credit card! That will be a great feeling.
So back to work: I closed down today after my coworker left at 3:30. We actually had a third pair of hands come up from the main kitchen to help us out today, and my coworker, Maria, had him work the hot line while she worked the cold line and I was doing a bunch of prep in the back. He supposed to be there again tomorrow, and Maria wants him again on the hot line and have me on the cold line while she preps. And on Christmas, it's just Maria and I, and I'll be on the hot line while she works cold. After work, I stopped in to the main kitchen to speak to Chef, and we chatted about the day. He was hoping to hear that we used Jesus as a back up, and that Maria and I were the ones doing all of the cooking... I think he's going to have a talk with Maria tomorrow...
But in the conversation he had with me today, he was mentioning my staying at Sprouts for a bit, then perhaps moving down to the main kitchen and/or BLT Steak, and then on to Banquets. I want as much experience as I can get while I'm here, so I'm excited at any opportunity he gives me. But at the same time, I'm also hoping to see some of Phoenix while I'm here, and I REALLY want to take Gracie to the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Four Corners, The Winslow Meteor Crater, and the Grand Canyon! I wonder if I'll be able to swing all that... We'll see.
Other than that, work today was just ok. Tomorrow is supposed to be busy, but we can handle it. Life is good.
Yesterday I was late to work, too. I HATE when that happens because throws off the rest of my whole day! I don't what happened, but I awoke to my phone chirping from a text message. It was my boss asking me why I wasn't at work. PANIC MODE! I look at the time and it was after 9 am, and I was supposed to be at work at 7! Apparently, the socket that my alarm clock is plugged into, doesn't hold a plug very well, and either Gracie or I knocked it loose in the middle of the night and it reset. I was over three hours late to work and of course, I had some 'splainin' to do... And so now I am also setting the alarm on my phone as a back-up. So again, all day my head was scattered, my coworker was annoyed (and annoying), and I just couldn't get my groove back. Thankfully, I had to leave early to go to HR to do more in-processing and GET PAID. Thank goodness for that! Only for the two days of Orientation last week, but hey--every penny counts right now!
On that issue, once I start getting my full paychecks, with all the overtime I'll be working, in addition to my monthly GI Bill housing allowance, I'll be sitting pretty. I have to get a few things fixed on the car, especially to get ready for the long road trip in April. I am going to pamper myself for my birthday, too: I found out that as an employee, I get a HUGE discount on spa services, so I'm going to treat myself to a full day at the spa with as many services as I can afford and squeeze in! I can't wait for that... And of course, I need to save as much money as possible the road trip. Gas and hotels aren't cheap... And finally, I'm hoping to pay off the damn credit card! That will be a great feeling.
So back to work: I closed down today after my coworker left at 3:30. We actually had a third pair of hands come up from the main kitchen to help us out today, and my coworker, Maria, had him work the hot line while she worked the cold line and I was doing a bunch of prep in the back. He supposed to be there again tomorrow, and Maria wants him again on the hot line and have me on the cold line while she preps. And on Christmas, it's just Maria and I, and I'll be on the hot line while she works cold. After work, I stopped in to the main kitchen to speak to Chef, and we chatted about the day. He was hoping to hear that we used Jesus as a back up, and that Maria and I were the ones doing all of the cooking... I think he's going to have a talk with Maria tomorrow...
But in the conversation he had with me today, he was mentioning my staying at Sprouts for a bit, then perhaps moving down to the main kitchen and/or BLT Steak, and then on to Banquets. I want as much experience as I can get while I'm here, so I'm excited at any opportunity he gives me. But at the same time, I'm also hoping to see some of Phoenix while I'm here, and I REALLY want to take Gracie to the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Four Corners, The Winslow Meteor Crater, and the Grand Canyon! I wonder if I'll be able to swing all that... We'll see.
Other than that, work today was just ok. Tomorrow is supposed to be busy, but we can handle it. Life is good.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Stage Across America Day 18/Extern Day 4
Hey everyone! I'm back online! And that is thanks to my sweetheart of a neighbor letting me pay her $50 to use her Wi-Fi for the 4 months that I'm here. :) Don't have to deal with the cable company or any of that, and it's cheaper! So, THANKS CHRISTINE! :-D
That said, I have some catching up to do!! I know I said a week and a half ago that I would log an entry, and then didn't, but you have to realize the predicament I was in... If you read my Facebook posts, you know that I was in San Antonio and out of money to get to Arizona! And I managed to go out to the old bars I used to go to, taking my friend Jake, who moved from NY to San Antonio last summer to run the new bakery cafe at the new San Antonio campus of the CIA. It's supposed to open next month. And so far as going out when broke--thank goodness for old friends who want to buy you a drink!
So--back to San Antonio... On the drive down from Fort Worth, I saw that my accounts were dwindling, and I spent most of the 4 hour drive on the phone to the bank, pricing hotels in El Paso, to the bank... I was trying to see if I could make it Arizona on what I had left for funds, and there was just no way it was going to happen. I wasn't even going to have enough money for gas to get to El Paso!
So I was staying with my friends Tripp and Joseph, who graciously let me stay for three nights instead of the originally planned one night. My mom, on Wednesday morning, had transferred money into my account so I would have the money to move into my apartment once getting to Arizona. The EXACT amount. We were hoping that my former landlord back in NY would come through and sent my deposit reimbursement check to my friends; address in San Antonio so I could take it right to the back and my mom would get her money back. No such luck. One of the phone calls on the drive down was to a lawyer in NY regarding tenant/landlord issues, and long story short--my landlord has 30 days to pay me back, and must itemize and deductions from the deposit and explain why. So, knowing how cheap and, shall we be nice and say uncooperative, he is, I don't expect to see that check until the 30 day mark on Jan 4. Then I had the lovely time explaining that to my mom, who, of course, had to throw it back in my face as to my poor planning, lack of saving enough money and her having to bail me out again. Oh, and how she guesses she'll just have to give everyone else notes for Christmas, explaining that there christmas presents went to my apartment, and of course I ruined Christmas. To top off that whole situation, my stepdad (who is ONLY 6 years older than me) felt compelled to send me a text regarding how much joy it gives my mother to be able to give at Christmas time, and how my insufficient planning successfully derailed that. Merry Christmas. Yeah, thanks... I will save THAT rant for another time... I'm still stewing over that one...
So, back to business. My Godsend of a friend from The Wick, April, caught up with me on Facebook that day and loaned me $200 to get me to Phoenix THANKS AGAIN APRIL! But the funds transfer from my mom still hadn't cleared and shown up in my account yet at that time, so now it was time to gamble... I decided to go ahead and hit the road on Sunday, stay the night in El Paso, and drive on to Phoenix on Monday, and pray that the transfer would show up in my account come Monday morning. IT DID! But let me just tell you... Getting to El Paso from San Antonio was VERY painful...
I was warned, but I paid no mind. The first half of the drive was actually ok. The sun was still up and I could see the countryside. It was after sunset that I wanted to stab myself in the eye just to keep things interesting... Pitch black, NO traffic, no towns, no NOTHING for hours and hours... Oh, except for Fort Stockton in west Texas... Don't blink when you drive through that town! My friend, Tommy--I see why you left! ANd once leaving town, pitch black again. The most exciting thing was seeing a shooting star.
So I rolled into El Paso, ready for something, ANYTHING, to look at. It's a bigger city than I expected, and with Juarez right across the border, all the city lights together made it look like a sizable metropolis. The coolest thing for me, tough, was a giant star in lights on the side of one of the mountains (I also wasn't expecting mountains yet): The town had originally put it up for the holidays years ago, but kept it around as a symbol of support for our troops. How cool is that!?
I checked into the Motel 6 and with the $4.67 in change I had left in the cup holder, I walked next door to Arby's and the lovely lady told me to just pick any sandwich, and also gave me a bottle of water. What an angel! ANd the girl at the front desk of the hotel gave me free Wi-Fi access. Thank you ladies! I ate, tried to catch up with my online business, and crashed out hard, to awaken to the lovely sight of money in my checking account! Time to move on! Went to the post office right there in El Paso and bought the required money order to pay my apartment complex upon arrival, and took off. I have to say that the drive across New Mexico and into Arizona is very picturesque, but I'm willing to bet money that at night, it would be as painful as that drive across west Texas the night before... There's just nothing out there! But again, if you follow me on Facebook, you undoubtedly saw all of the pictures I posted on the road. And it was entertaining me at the same time.
Now announcing the arrival of Air Rizona! Get it? ;-) I got to the apartment office only about 30 minutes before it closed, paid my money order, signed the papers, got the keys, and that was that. I was in my new place. I got in touch with Sammy, a fellow extern from school working in BLT Steak baking and pastry at the resort, and she came down to help me unload my car. Remember, I had it packed like a Tetris master with only that which I would need out here in desert. Clothes, air mattress, a few odds and ends, of course ALL of Gracie's stuff, and that was it. Got the little studio set up, which is a really cute place, if you saw the pictures on Facebook last week. Bare floors keeps it nice and cool--the complex had the heat on and it was 85 degrees in my apartment! That was a no-go, so I had them turn off the heat all together the next day. And the BUGS!! My neighbor told me that the guy who lived here before was a total slob, and that the had to replace the entire floor and repaint the whole apartment... So it stand to reason that the bugs are here because of him... As soon as I can afford, I'll buy stock in Roach Motel!
Tuesday I went to the resort in my whites to check into HR, and as I knew, they sent me right off to do my drug screening. No biggie. Then back tot he resort to explore! It's really quite beautiful! And so historic... You can see why Mr Marriott spends his birthday there every year. But the HR debacle... Man oh man what a nightmare! They KNEW I was coming for months, and yet still didn't have my background check paperwork from the corporate office! And the lady in HR couldn't have cared less about my situation, just kept telling me that it was corporate policy and there are state laws regulating something-or-other... Man, I wanted to just come across the counter and slap the taste right outta her mouth... I was so mad, but I managed to keep a smile, and my temper, and act like a man with his hat in his hands... No luck. I left. In the end, though, everything came in, I got the paperwork done, and started work on Saturday in Sprouts, the Spa cafe.
There are only 3 of us who work there, and as you can see in the picture I posted in Facebook the other day, it's a tiny little kitchen and I got the grand tour as I stood in the middle of the kitchen and turned a 360. Literally. It took 30 seconds. And I spent the day reading the menu and trying to learn the composition of all of the items. Sunday had me getting trained on the cold station--salads and fruit, mostly. And then I got trained on the hot line yesterday. I was supposed to have today off, but I woke this morning to a text from my boss asking if I could come in because she was sick and the other girl couldn't cover. So, on my one day off out of a 13 day stretch, I rolled up my sleeves and ran the whole kitchen solo. I made everything on the menu today, save 3 items. Keep in mind, that it's Tuesday... The servers said that today was NOT a busy day, but me being on day 4 of my very first a la minute service with more than 20 menu items encompassing appetizers, soups, sandwiches, salads, proteins, deserts... It was a trial by fire day and I made it through very well. But now, for the next seven days, including Christmas Eve and Day, I'l be there with the other employee while my boss is on vacation for a week.
So now that we're back up to date, I'm going to wrap this entry up, because this bare floor is starting to hurt, I'm hungry, and I just want to catch up on my Hulu. So with that, I bid you adieu until next time!
That said, I have some catching up to do!! I know I said a week and a half ago that I would log an entry, and then didn't, but you have to realize the predicament I was in... If you read my Facebook posts, you know that I was in San Antonio and out of money to get to Arizona! And I managed to go out to the old bars I used to go to, taking my friend Jake, who moved from NY to San Antonio last summer to run the new bakery cafe at the new San Antonio campus of the CIA. It's supposed to open next month. And so far as going out when broke--thank goodness for old friends who want to buy you a drink!
So--back to San Antonio... On the drive down from Fort Worth, I saw that my accounts were dwindling, and I spent most of the 4 hour drive on the phone to the bank, pricing hotels in El Paso, to the bank... I was trying to see if I could make it Arizona on what I had left for funds, and there was just no way it was going to happen. I wasn't even going to have enough money for gas to get to El Paso!
So I was staying with my friends Tripp and Joseph, who graciously let me stay for three nights instead of the originally planned one night. My mom, on Wednesday morning, had transferred money into my account so I would have the money to move into my apartment once getting to Arizona. The EXACT amount. We were hoping that my former landlord back in NY would come through and sent my deposit reimbursement check to my friends; address in San Antonio so I could take it right to the back and my mom would get her money back. No such luck. One of the phone calls on the drive down was to a lawyer in NY regarding tenant/landlord issues, and long story short--my landlord has 30 days to pay me back, and must itemize and deductions from the deposit and explain why. So, knowing how cheap and, shall we be nice and say uncooperative, he is, I don't expect to see that check until the 30 day mark on Jan 4. Then I had the lovely time explaining that to my mom, who, of course, had to throw it back in my face as to my poor planning, lack of saving enough money and her having to bail me out again. Oh, and how she guesses she'll just have to give everyone else notes for Christmas, explaining that there christmas presents went to my apartment, and of course I ruined Christmas. To top off that whole situation, my stepdad (who is ONLY 6 years older than me) felt compelled to send me a text regarding how much joy it gives my mother to be able to give at Christmas time, and how my insufficient planning successfully derailed that. Merry Christmas. Yeah, thanks... I will save THAT rant for another time... I'm still stewing over that one...
So, back to business. My Godsend of a friend from The Wick, April, caught up with me on Facebook that day and loaned me $200 to get me to Phoenix THANKS AGAIN APRIL! But the funds transfer from my mom still hadn't cleared and shown up in my account yet at that time, so now it was time to gamble... I decided to go ahead and hit the road on Sunday, stay the night in El Paso, and drive on to Phoenix on Monday, and pray that the transfer would show up in my account come Monday morning. IT DID! But let me just tell you... Getting to El Paso from San Antonio was VERY painful...
I was warned, but I paid no mind. The first half of the drive was actually ok. The sun was still up and I could see the countryside. It was after sunset that I wanted to stab myself in the eye just to keep things interesting... Pitch black, NO traffic, no towns, no NOTHING for hours and hours... Oh, except for Fort Stockton in west Texas... Don't blink when you drive through that town! My friend, Tommy--I see why you left! ANd once leaving town, pitch black again. The most exciting thing was seeing a shooting star.
So I rolled into El Paso, ready for something, ANYTHING, to look at. It's a bigger city than I expected, and with Juarez right across the border, all the city lights together made it look like a sizable metropolis. The coolest thing for me, tough, was a giant star in lights on the side of one of the mountains (I also wasn't expecting mountains yet): The town had originally put it up for the holidays years ago, but kept it around as a symbol of support for our troops. How cool is that!?
I checked into the Motel 6 and with the $4.67 in change I had left in the cup holder, I walked next door to Arby's and the lovely lady told me to just pick any sandwich, and also gave me a bottle of water. What an angel! ANd the girl at the front desk of the hotel gave me free Wi-Fi access. Thank you ladies! I ate, tried to catch up with my online business, and crashed out hard, to awaken to the lovely sight of money in my checking account! Time to move on! Went to the post office right there in El Paso and bought the required money order to pay my apartment complex upon arrival, and took off. I have to say that the drive across New Mexico and into Arizona is very picturesque, but I'm willing to bet money that at night, it would be as painful as that drive across west Texas the night before... There's just nothing out there! But again, if you follow me on Facebook, you undoubtedly saw all of the pictures I posted on the road. And it was entertaining me at the same time.
Now announcing the arrival of Air Rizona! Get it? ;-) I got to the apartment office only about 30 minutes before it closed, paid my money order, signed the papers, got the keys, and that was that. I was in my new place. I got in touch with Sammy, a fellow extern from school working in BLT Steak baking and pastry at the resort, and she came down to help me unload my car. Remember, I had it packed like a Tetris master with only that which I would need out here in desert. Clothes, air mattress, a few odds and ends, of course ALL of Gracie's stuff, and that was it. Got the little studio set up, which is a really cute place, if you saw the pictures on Facebook last week. Bare floors keeps it nice and cool--the complex had the heat on and it was 85 degrees in my apartment! That was a no-go, so I had them turn off the heat all together the next day. And the BUGS!! My neighbor told me that the guy who lived here before was a total slob, and that the had to replace the entire floor and repaint the whole apartment... So it stand to reason that the bugs are here because of him... As soon as I can afford, I'll buy stock in Roach Motel!
Tuesday I went to the resort in my whites to check into HR, and as I knew, they sent me right off to do my drug screening. No biggie. Then back tot he resort to explore! It's really quite beautiful! And so historic... You can see why Mr Marriott spends his birthday there every year. But the HR debacle... Man oh man what a nightmare! They KNEW I was coming for months, and yet still didn't have my background check paperwork from the corporate office! And the lady in HR couldn't have cared less about my situation, just kept telling me that it was corporate policy and there are state laws regulating something-or-other... Man, I wanted to just come across the counter and slap the taste right outta her mouth... I was so mad, but I managed to keep a smile, and my temper, and act like a man with his hat in his hands... No luck. I left. In the end, though, everything came in, I got the paperwork done, and started work on Saturday in Sprouts, the Spa cafe.
There are only 3 of us who work there, and as you can see in the picture I posted in Facebook the other day, it's a tiny little kitchen and I got the grand tour as I stood in the middle of the kitchen and turned a 360. Literally. It took 30 seconds. And I spent the day reading the menu and trying to learn the composition of all of the items. Sunday had me getting trained on the cold station--salads and fruit, mostly. And then I got trained on the hot line yesterday. I was supposed to have today off, but I woke this morning to a text from my boss asking if I could come in because she was sick and the other girl couldn't cover. So, on my one day off out of a 13 day stretch, I rolled up my sleeves and ran the whole kitchen solo. I made everything on the menu today, save 3 items. Keep in mind, that it's Tuesday... The servers said that today was NOT a busy day, but me being on day 4 of my very first a la minute service with more than 20 menu items encompassing appetizers, soups, sandwiches, salads, proteins, deserts... It was a trial by fire day and I made it through very well. But now, for the next seven days, including Christmas Eve and Day, I'l be there with the other employee while my boss is on vacation for a week.
So now that we're back up to date, I'm going to wrap this entry up, because this bare floor is starting to hurt, I'm hungry, and I just want to catch up on my Hulu. So with that, I bid you adieu until next time!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Stage Across America: Day 5
Wow, what a trip, so far! It really is turning out to be quite an adventure. Since Sunday night when I last posted, I drove from Knoxville to Little Rock on Monday, and now I'm here in Fort Worth. On the way to Little Rock, though, I stopped off in Memphis and saw my old friend Erin from SHAPE American high school. We graduated in 1992, and haven't seen each other since--that was half a lifetime ago! So we got together and grabbed a bite to eat at Neely's BBQ--the famous Pat and Gina Neely from the Food Network. No, they weren't there, but yes the food was delicious! I had the sliced beef brisket, cole slaw, and bbq beans while Erin had the pulled pork, potato salad and fries. Of course, being back in the south and having BBQ, I HAD to have SWEET TEA! The official drink of the South. We talked and caught up, telling our stories, even though we had already been catching up on Facebook. Even still, it's always nice to occupy the same physical location. Then on to Little Rock. This is where I was first stationed as a crew chief on C-130s back in 1999-2003.
This is where things really started getting interesting, but in a good way. So I rolled into Little Rock on Monday evening and stayed with my old friend Sam and his family. I have actually been corresponding more with his wife than with him, because he doesn't really do the Facebook thing much. So I got to there and we just sat and talked and caugth up as well. We had actually been kinda out of touch for almost ten years! So there was a lot of catching up to do. But having kids that needed to go to bed, we had to make it a bit of an early night so they could get to bed. So I went out to meet another old friend, Edward, for drinks.
Sam, Edward and I were all crew chiefs together back at The Rock, and I learned a few things from the two of them, who didn't work in the same circles... Long story short, I thought that people didn't take much issue with my sexuality but thought that I wasn't a very good crew chief. In reality, it was the other way around. Apparently I was hated for being gay, but did a very good job as a maintainer, which ultimately saved my career. I appears that I was investigated more than once fro Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but some unlikely, and unknown allies, went to bat for me. Thanks Edward.
As the story goes, Edward and I were in the same boat, but I was a lot more vocal about who I was than he. And I thought he hated me because I was gay, and I thought that he didn't think much of me as a crew chief, either. The fact that I had the hots for him, probably didn't help my case, either. But he told me the other night that I was brought up on charges a few times for my sexuality back then. I had no clue about any of it. I just went to work and worked hard to prove that I was a good crew chief. But behind the scenes the "good ol' boy" were gunning for me. He told me that at one point he was the swing vote that ultimately saved me from being brought up on charges. Just goes to show that you never know who people really are. Oh, and one other thing he told me that surpised the hell out of me was that people were jealous of me for having me degree already. I NEVER wanted people to think that I thought that I was better than them because I had gone to college already. I just wanted to be one of the guys. But he said people were jealous as all hell because I took that degree and got picked up for Officer Training School.
It's amazing how time and maturity can change a person and how you see them, how they might see you... And now, I count him as one who has my back, and therefore, I will have his. Funny story--the only time in the 4 years n the same squadron the he and I really worked together was at a Red Flag wargame exercise in Vegas back in the summer of 2000 or 2001. After a night of partying, we ended up having pancakes together and I was starting my whole, geet drunk and come out routine with him, bnut he wouldn't hear it. What he told me the other night cracke dme up--that if I had gone about coming out to him differently, then he and I could've been checking guys out together. I just about fell over when he told me that! I was not expecting that.
The next day (yesterday), Sam's wife, Shelly, took me to the base where I had been stationed 8 years ago. I was giddy as a school girl in a doll shop! It was so surreal being back there after so long gone... It felt like a lifetime ago, but just yesterday at the time. Everything had changed, yet stayed the same. The BX was in a new building, the planes were parked in different spots, the units had moved... And I just strolled down memory lane, recalling things I didn't even realize that I had forgotten.
Sam escorted me out to the flight line and I got to go onboard one of my old planes, but the highlight for me was seeing MY PLANE: 93-1040, The Deerslayer! She hit a deer on take-off and splattered it all inside the wheel wells... I LOVED my job back then. It was so incredible to go back to that feeling of pride and accomplishment, especially in light of revelation that people thought I was a good chief. It felt good. Validation after all these years.
Our visit came to an end, Shelly took me back to the house, I loaded up nad hit the road. I have to say that the drive from Knoxville to Little Rock was pretty boring. Not much to look at... Except for the DOZEN State Police that were all over the place! But the drive from Little Rock to DFW... Snooze... Right up until you cross the reservoir coming into the east side of Dallas. Then it's the terror of the Autobahn! Everyone drives as fast as possible, cutting in and out... I was white-knuckling the steering wheel all the way through to Arlington! Whew!
And here I am, stayed last night with my friend and former boss from Central Market, Karon. She's awesome. I got in and jumped right in the kitchen because I was so hungry. And Karon was secretly hoping I would cook. So I raided the fridge and pantry and this is what I came up with:
Pan seared pork chops in a red wine cream sauce
Rice Pilaf
Glazed Beets
Sauteed Green Beans
Self-evaluation: delicious! But the sauce needed more seasoning, but Karon ran out. Oops. But it really was tasty, and Karon really enjoyed it. Coworkers and children were jealous. Sorry guys! Next time.
And now I'm off to Central Market to see my people and get something to eat. Tonight--drinks at Rainbow Lounge! Stay tuned for more!
This is where things really started getting interesting, but in a good way. So I rolled into Little Rock on Monday evening and stayed with my old friend Sam and his family. I have actually been corresponding more with his wife than with him, because he doesn't really do the Facebook thing much. So I got to there and we just sat and talked and caugth up as well. We had actually been kinda out of touch for almost ten years! So there was a lot of catching up to do. But having kids that needed to go to bed, we had to make it a bit of an early night so they could get to bed. So I went out to meet another old friend, Edward, for drinks.
Sam, Edward and I were all crew chiefs together back at The Rock, and I learned a few things from the two of them, who didn't work in the same circles... Long story short, I thought that people didn't take much issue with my sexuality but thought that I wasn't a very good crew chief. In reality, it was the other way around. Apparently I was hated for being gay, but did a very good job as a maintainer, which ultimately saved my career. I appears that I was investigated more than once fro Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but some unlikely, and unknown allies, went to bat for me. Thanks Edward.
As the story goes, Edward and I were in the same boat, but I was a lot more vocal about who I was than he. And I thought he hated me because I was gay, and I thought that he didn't think much of me as a crew chief, either. The fact that I had the hots for him, probably didn't help my case, either. But he told me the other night that I was brought up on charges a few times for my sexuality back then. I had no clue about any of it. I just went to work and worked hard to prove that I was a good crew chief. But behind the scenes the "good ol' boy" were gunning for me. He told me that at one point he was the swing vote that ultimately saved me from being brought up on charges. Just goes to show that you never know who people really are. Oh, and one other thing he told me that surpised the hell out of me was that people were jealous of me for having me degree already. I NEVER wanted people to think that I thought that I was better than them because I had gone to college already. I just wanted to be one of the guys. But he said people were jealous as all hell because I took that degree and got picked up for Officer Training School.
It's amazing how time and maturity can change a person and how you see them, how they might see you... And now, I count him as one who has my back, and therefore, I will have his. Funny story--the only time in the 4 years n the same squadron the he and I really worked together was at a Red Flag wargame exercise in Vegas back in the summer of 2000 or 2001. After a night of partying, we ended up having pancakes together and I was starting my whole, geet drunk and come out routine with him, bnut he wouldn't hear it. What he told me the other night cracke dme up--that if I had gone about coming out to him differently, then he and I could've been checking guys out together. I just about fell over when he told me that! I was not expecting that.
The next day (yesterday), Sam's wife, Shelly, took me to the base where I had been stationed 8 years ago. I was giddy as a school girl in a doll shop! It was so surreal being back there after so long gone... It felt like a lifetime ago, but just yesterday at the time. Everything had changed, yet stayed the same. The BX was in a new building, the planes were parked in different spots, the units had moved... And I just strolled down memory lane, recalling things I didn't even realize that I had forgotten.
Sam escorted me out to the flight line and I got to go onboard one of my old planes, but the highlight for me was seeing MY PLANE: 93-1040, The Deerslayer! She hit a deer on take-off and splattered it all inside the wheel wells... I LOVED my job back then. It was so incredible to go back to that feeling of pride and accomplishment, especially in light of revelation that people thought I was a good chief. It felt good. Validation after all these years.
Our visit came to an end, Shelly took me back to the house, I loaded up nad hit the road. I have to say that the drive from Knoxville to Little Rock was pretty boring. Not much to look at... Except for the DOZEN State Police that were all over the place! But the drive from Little Rock to DFW... Snooze... Right up until you cross the reservoir coming into the east side of Dallas. Then it's the terror of the Autobahn! Everyone drives as fast as possible, cutting in and out... I was white-knuckling the steering wheel all the way through to Arlington! Whew!
And here I am, stayed last night with my friend and former boss from Central Market, Karon. She's awesome. I got in and jumped right in the kitchen because I was so hungry. And Karon was secretly hoping I would cook. So I raided the fridge and pantry and this is what I came up with:
Pan seared pork chops in a red wine cream sauce
Rice Pilaf
Glazed Beets
Sauteed Green Beans
Self-evaluation: delicious! But the sauce needed more seasoning, but Karon ran out. Oops. But it really was tasty, and Karon really enjoyed it. Coworkers and children were jealous. Sorry guys! Next time.
And now I'm off to Central Market to see my people and get something to eat. Tonight--drinks at Rainbow Lounge! Stay tuned for more!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Stage Across America: Day 2
As you can imagine, internet access while traveling isn't always an easy proposition... And these last few days have been C-R-A-Z-Y!!!! But I finished out the block in Garde Manger with the completion of The Cheese Project and the final exam, finished packing up the rest of my things for the trip across the country right after midnight on Friday night, and finally sat down to relax for about an hour and a glass of merlot before bed. Woke up late due a power outage situation earlier in the week that reset my snooze to 9 minutes from 1 minute, and it was a mad dash to load the car, Tetris-style, and get on the road. But it all worked out in the end, like it always seems to do in my life... I have fallen on my face more times than I can count, but like a cat--I ALWAYS, somehow, manage to land on my feet and move on to the next. I will owe my guardian angels big time when I get to Heaven!
If you keep up with me on Facebook, you've heard all the stories of the Check Engine Light going on and off, the weather being cold and snowy (that which I'm trying to escape in NY by going to AZ), the back hills of Virginia and the natural beauty of our great nation, ANYTHING that involves Gracie, and all of the pictures I manage to snap along the way. But even more exciting, was last night with Mom and Jim, where, again posted on Facebook, they set me up in a hotel room (because mom is allergic to Gracie), took me out to dinner, and had an early Christmas back at their house (Gracie was in the hotel, watching Food Network, of course). Point is--they gave me an HD Still/Video camera so I can better document this experience of a lifetime! Who knows--maybe they just gave me they gift that could really help to launch my career. And if you wanna get really deep, what means to most about this gift to me is that is shows that they really think I can do something with this life path that I'm working on. Let's face it: in the past, I've had some pretty lofty dreams and half-assed plans of things that I was going to do, whether acting, modeling, writing (I mean in Hemingway calibre), becoming a personal trainer (at one point)... And they knew all too well that most likely nothing wold come of any of it. I was just trying to figure out what to do... But now I'm doing this and they gave me an expensive tool to help me along. They believe. At long last, I have my mother's approval.
Like I said--heavy heavy. So back to the Trip of a Lifetime! My STAGE ACROSS AMERICA! Watch out, Food Network! If you don't pick me up, Bravo might! Or are they both under the same company? I don't know... I'm only going to have one Stage on the way to Arizona, and that's back at my old job at Central Market in Fort Worth, Tx. But this first part of the journey is going to be all about trying to fine tune and focus how I'm going to document the next 5 months. I know I need to keep up daily, and I will try harder than I have ever have before. I'm truly committed to this experience! So here's the thing--I think that once I figure out how to USE that camera, I'll be switching my format from the typed word to a video diary, via Facebook... Perhaps I'll go back and forth between video diary and blog. I just don't know yet. But UNTIL I have the video situation all figured out ( I think I need one of those Apple Store tutoring sessions... Maybe more than one...), I will continue to write. And if you're really interested, keep up on Facebook as well. That is where I'll put the pictures and the more immediate and shorter content items. I'll reserve the blogosphere for more in-depth explanation and rumination.
So here we are: Stage Across America Day 2. Day 1 was driving from Hyde Park (school) to Williamsburg, Va. Note--when driving through MD, DON'T SPEED! The state has cameras hooked up to speed radars that when triggered, will take a picture of your license plate and mail you the speeding ticket. My roommate showed me that... And then I saw the equipment in the big construction zones. And basically, the drive from Baltimore, Md to Manassas in norther Virginia sucks. Except for maybe 2 am on a Sunday night/Monday morning.
But today saw more promise and, oddly, better driving conditions, even if was through the Appalachians in the snow. Very scenic and beautiful. It's amazing how shifting your life perspective changes how you see things. There was something of fascination or rural beauty around seemingly every bend! And I just can't help but feel the urge to document all of the minutiae. While driving today, I felt compelled to Facebook about almost every little thing, like I was having a personal conversation with 1500 people. I know--stay off the phone while driving. But would have told Hemingway to stop writing while drinking??
So now that I have that caught up, at least for now, it's time to unwind for bed. I feel some Hulu coming on!
If you keep up with me on Facebook, you've heard all the stories of the Check Engine Light going on and off, the weather being cold and snowy (that which I'm trying to escape in NY by going to AZ), the back hills of Virginia and the natural beauty of our great nation, ANYTHING that involves Gracie, and all of the pictures I manage to snap along the way. But even more exciting, was last night with Mom and Jim, where, again posted on Facebook, they set me up in a hotel room (because mom is allergic to Gracie), took me out to dinner, and had an early Christmas back at their house (Gracie was in the hotel, watching Food Network, of course). Point is--they gave me an HD Still/Video camera so I can better document this experience of a lifetime! Who knows--maybe they just gave me they gift that could really help to launch my career. And if you wanna get really deep, what means to most about this gift to me is that is shows that they really think I can do something with this life path that I'm working on. Let's face it: in the past, I've had some pretty lofty dreams and half-assed plans of things that I was going to do, whether acting, modeling, writing (I mean in Hemingway calibre), becoming a personal trainer (at one point)... And they knew all too well that most likely nothing wold come of any of it. I was just trying to figure out what to do... But now I'm doing this and they gave me an expensive tool to help me along. They believe. At long last, I have my mother's approval.
Like I said--heavy heavy. So back to the Trip of a Lifetime! My STAGE ACROSS AMERICA! Watch out, Food Network! If you don't pick me up, Bravo might! Or are they both under the same company? I don't know... I'm only going to have one Stage on the way to Arizona, and that's back at my old job at Central Market in Fort Worth, Tx. But this first part of the journey is going to be all about trying to fine tune and focus how I'm going to document the next 5 months. I know I need to keep up daily, and I will try harder than I have ever have before. I'm truly committed to this experience! So here's the thing--I think that once I figure out how to USE that camera, I'll be switching my format from the typed word to a video diary, via Facebook... Perhaps I'll go back and forth between video diary and blog. I just don't know yet. But UNTIL I have the video situation all figured out ( I think I need one of those Apple Store tutoring sessions... Maybe more than one...), I will continue to write. And if you're really interested, keep up on Facebook as well. That is where I'll put the pictures and the more immediate and shorter content items. I'll reserve the blogosphere for more in-depth explanation and rumination.
So here we are: Stage Across America Day 2. Day 1 was driving from Hyde Park (school) to Williamsburg, Va. Note--when driving through MD, DON'T SPEED! The state has cameras hooked up to speed radars that when triggered, will take a picture of your license plate and mail you the speeding ticket. My roommate showed me that... And then I saw the equipment in the big construction zones. And basically, the drive from Baltimore, Md to Manassas in norther Virginia sucks. Except for maybe 2 am on a Sunday night/Monday morning.
But today saw more promise and, oddly, better driving conditions, even if was through the Appalachians in the snow. Very scenic and beautiful. It's amazing how shifting your life perspective changes how you see things. There was something of fascination or rural beauty around seemingly every bend! And I just can't help but feel the urge to document all of the minutiae. While driving today, I felt compelled to Facebook about almost every little thing, like I was having a personal conversation with 1500 people. I know--stay off the phone while driving. But would have told Hemingway to stop writing while drinking??
So now that I have that caught up, at least for now, it's time to unwind for bed. I feel some Hulu coming on!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Grand Buffet has gone away
Today was the last Thursday of the block, which always means Grand Buffet. Grand Buffet is where the Garde Manger (pronounced guard mon-zhay) classes put out a feast of hors d'oeuvres and appetizers. AM and PM, 2 classes each, 6 teams per class, 6 dishes per team= a LOT of food... Takes a week to put it all together... See the pics on Facebook. Whew... Glad that's over. Good feeling of accomplishment. My team served yup a rabbit pie in parmesan prosciutto crust, duck and pasta salad, and I made the Farro Salad (a grain similar to rice or wheat, aka Spelt) with lots of fresh veg and a light vinaigrette, Artichoke and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad, Broccoli Rabe Salad, and a Whole Smoked Ham that we brined for 10 days and then smoked all day. It was delish!
Tomorrow brings The Cheese Project--a paper and a presentation with Power Point and a tasting of the cheese, which is very similar to parmesan, called Piave from Italy. Mostly done, just a little tweaking in the morning with my team. And the final exam... 40 question scantron... I hope I do well. I think I'm on the border of A-/B+ AGAIN. Can't I just get a solid A??
And I'm only 33 hours away from departure. Car is good to go, Grace got to the vet, and I have to get a shot tomorrow myself. Get done with the day and come home to finish packing. Making it through the week ok! Except for the fact that it's 22F outside... :( I haven't had to scrape frost off my car windows in a very long time...
Tomorrow brings The Cheese Project--a paper and a presentation with Power Point and a tasting of the cheese, which is very similar to parmesan, called Piave from Italy. Mostly done, just a little tweaking in the morning with my team. And the final exam... 40 question scantron... I hope I do well. I think I'm on the border of A-/B+ AGAIN. Can't I just get a solid A??
And I'm only 33 hours away from departure. Car is good to go, Grace got to the vet, and I have to get a shot tomorrow myself. Get done with the day and come home to finish packing. Making it through the week ok! Except for the fact that it's 22F outside... :( I haven't had to scrape frost off my car windows in a very long time...
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