argh

i work for a multinational, so i'll keep it short...
tonight was a rediculous night.
tonight was the worst night.
i am trying to see a positive in this.
but it is more difficult than you'd think...

Mellancamp

So, I survived another birthday. My 23rd was the birth of "Classy on the Inside" and as far as events. it was one of the best birthday's I've ever had.

(23rd Birthday!)

It was such an outpouring of love and support from such a vast array and group of friends. It was also the catalyst for chang ein my life. I realized, that as much as I've been alone, and done everything on my own for the last 4 years, I still had people willing to help me, and to listen, to critique and to comfort. It also didn't hurt that we got our party on that night in such a manner that there was no class left on the outside at all.

It started a shift from the talk, and idea or change to the action of change. Which has made this last year so much harder, and so much more fulfilling than I could have hoped for. Thanks to anyone reading for that. I'm a better man for all of you.

(24th Birthday!!)

So this year, for my birthday, I took a little trip to Ottawa. I was in the city for EXACTLY 24hrs and 17min. And I had a complete blast. These people are friends in the greatest sense of the word. Generous and caring, kind and beautiful. Honest. Trustworthy. So how else should we celebrate than in a private box at a Tom Cochrane & John Mellancamp concert! Classic rock at its best, the kind of show where you wait for one song in particular, but for all the time in and around that song, you are reminded of so many other songs that have been a soundtrack to precious moments of your life. If you've read this blog for a while, you will know how much live music means to me. Everything around me fell away. The stress, the stiffness from the bus ride up, the music sort of wrapped around me and time became as fluid as the notes in the air. I would swear to God that we were only at ScotiaBank Place for 10min.
(Life is a Highway)
(Jack & Diane)
Upon my arrival home Sunday evening, a group of 12 of us went to Matsu on Park for a Sushi Birthday Dinner. I love the food here, the quality and care is on par with any of the best sushi restaurants in a bigger metropolitan city. It's hidden from view, off of any main street here in Peterborough, so most students are unaware that they have more than one sushi option. It was such a good dinner, filled with laughing, and reminicing. I've known all of these people since i was in ninth grade, and we still get along like thieves. We've come along way from dinner's at chain restaurants, and to a degree I'm going to take some credit. I've pushed their palates for almost a decade, so I think the Swiss Chalet celebration is on its way out.

(Me & Mr. Matsu)

I hope that this theme will continue throughout my twenties, I am in my mid-twenties now, the first birthday to sufficiently freak me out. Looking back though, I don't see much of a change, and the change I do see, is easily for the better.

Mazel Tov!

he shoots, he scores!

today was so busy at the hotel.
atom hockey tournements fill the hotel to capacity.
and at the Holiday Inn... kids eat free!!
so I was very busy.
non-stop busy.
and can i tell you a secret?
i kinda liked it.

do you know what else i liked?
hearing things about myself through the grapevine.
i'm doing even better than i thought.

fluidity of kharma

Today will be fun.
I went out last night to shoot some stik with the guys, a thursday night tradition i've been missing a lot lately due to work. Made the effort because cluper leaves for czech very soon. A great adventure for him, but a serious loss for our crew.
I got solid sleep and solid progress made in my book.
Soon I will be getting to hawk trimmed and such.
Then a meeting at the hotel with my boss and the head of the culinary program at Sir Sanford Fleming College.
Then out for dinner, RARE, the newest kid on the block here, and from word of mouth, and excellent gourmet steakhouse.
Plus, today is payday... and I have all my bills up to date!
Money to play around with!!
Psych! Money to put towards a downpayent on a house.
Seriously. Within two years I will own my own home.
Good times always lead to good things.
Peace.

me?

So, my boss offered to apprentice me yesterday.

Which means only one year of school instead of two.
Which means discounts on school and supplies.
Which means gov't subsidies and scholarships.

2008 is starting off very very good.

turn the page

2007 saw...
The beginning of "classy on the inside" with my 23rd birthday extravaganza.
It saw the Carleton Charity Ball weekend in Ottawa.
It saw me getting my fab apartment, the first time I've truly lived on my own.
It saw new friends becoming a significant part of my life.
It saw me quitting my job of seven years.
It saw me happy at work with my new job, in my line of interest.
It saw debt reduction.
It saw honesty and openness for the first time in as long time.
It saw the multi colours, the Jew-fro, crew cut, Mohawk and beard.
It saw contacts and a drop of 60lbs.

2008 will see...
The resolve to drop another 40lbs.
The further drop in debt.
My return to school.
Travel, for the first time in my life.
More honesty, more friends, more freedom.
The resolve to cook more, if that's even possible.
The resolve to keep a visual record of my life.
A clean house. Literal and Figurative.

My heartfelt best to all of you in the new year!!

choppy chop chop

rule number one of any kitchen...

BE CAREFUL.

there are a multitude of ways to injure yourself. has anyone seen the commercial about workplace safety where the woman scalds herself with boiling oil? well, the other prep cook took off the tips of two fingers when the food processor exploded as he was making coleslaw. he will be off work for two weeks, so i will therefore, understandingly, have less of a life than i currently do. so i will have been working 7 days a week for almost 9 weeks. at least my bills are getting all caught up. theoretically.
a cogeco mix up means i made payments to the wrong account. so i have to make 4 months of payment at once, because they have mailed me a $240 refund check for an old dormant account.
otherwise, i'm having a relatively skint christmas. good gifts, but on the cheap. everyone understands, but it hurts me because giving is the fun part. otherwise, i've been antisocial, and i apologise. this will return to regular posting in the new year. apparently the hotel business slows in january.
if i'm not back on soon, the warmest wishes to everyone over the holidays, whatever you celebrate. hanukkah ended last week, but everything else is in full swing. so the best to you all.

snowy

you'd think in climate weather would stop people from packing the hotel for brunch, wouldn't you?
i guess my omelets are just too good to pass up.
in other news, i just spent a whole day's pay on a sweet new tie.
damn my addiction to accessories.
hopefully we'll have some pics from tomorrow's hotel Christmas party where you can see me/it.
but no guarantees.
ps: way to call in the army TO. and you call yourselves Canadians...

I'm the Hip-Hop-appotemus, and my lyrics are bottomless...

Things are slowly getting back on track. Nothing bad has happened to derail what i was doing, but time seemed to be harder to manage than usual.
Going from having more free time than I knew what to do with straight into a full and part-time job involved me losing the patience and time to do the things i wanted to.
Work is busy. Work is consuming. Work is also amazing. I can't quite imagine how I managed to drudge through 7 years of employment and not realize that things were not just better elsewhere, but that I deserved them. I've never been so tired, and so happy.

Now that that's straight, I feel like I should share that, 2 week into the hotel job, I got a gold star. Nothing major, but its already more recognition than I've gotten at any other job I've had, and although the cafe had some drama over the last week, I did my first alone shift, and handled fine, and had not only a couple of nice comments from the manager and owner, but hugs from both. This is what I can only hope for, for everyone out there. Not just the recognition of accomplishments, but honest and sincere appreciation for them.

Also... Wednesday I'm geting my hair cut. This is big news, and cause for a better mood. It's no secret that I'm vain. I consider it to be a virtue. I take pride in my appearance, I ejoy the compliments I recieve, but do not limit myself to them. I do better work when I feel better about myself. I'm not above the use of product, and do not limit myself to that for hair. I you know me, you know what I mean here. So suffice it to say, I am excited at the prospect of taming the burgeoning jew-fro on my head. I think a physical change would be suiting.

And on a final note... if you are not aware of "flight of the conchords" you need to be. I was aware, but ignorant until i rented it a few days ago, too tired to go out and too caffeinated to sleep. This is some of the most therepeutic and rewarding laughter I have had in a long time.

you have no idea

I'm still alive.
But oh so tired...

with the right tools...

First off, I got the kitchen job. I'm really excited to get my feet wet in the industry that I plan on working in, in some capacity, for the rest of my life. I must be a really good interview, because Terry, the GM, came into the office as I was filling out the paperwork to congratulate me. He said something along the lines of,

"It's a good thing you accepted the job. We're beyond excited to have you on the team."
I naturally asked why it was such a good thing. Apparently I had the highest scoring interview for kitchen staff they'd ever had since he took over 6 years ago. And... I am the least qualified. They have Red-Seal Certified Chefs that don't score as well as I did. They have people who have worked in catering, industrial kitchens, and high-end restaurants that didn't do as well in interviews as I had.

YAY ME! I ROCK!!

(I was so trying to "find the light" as Tyra would say on ANTM)

And as or the fun I alluded to yesterday, my friend Desiree is an amazing photographer, and has recently purchased a new camera. A Canon 30D which is necessary to the photography program she's entering once she graduates this April/May from Trent. So what is one to do with a camera that costs 4 months of my rent? Have an impromptu photo shoot!! Elena and I were easily happy to oblige, and wasted 2 or 3 hours in the sunshine and parks and schoolyards, pretending to be models.

(Family of Choice)


(Me and the Gorgeous Photog!)
(The Sunshine on Any of my Cloudiest Days)

(I danced on a fire-hydrant for that smile) (tiny unexpected gestures often mean the most)

(With the Right Tools, Even I can be a Photographer!)

Then, to celebrate her new hair-colour/cut, I coerced Des into buying 2 sweaters which were neither Black nor Brown or Grey! My powers are infallible. Then to Hot Belly Mama's for some Blackened Catfish Poh'Boys, Roasted Corn Soup, and Sweet Potato Frites.

(Don't She Look Cajun Crawfish Good?)

So I guess the good news came with good friends and good times.
This must be that karma people keep talking about...