I said that to Julie, the cruise director, last night aboard the Fleetwing II as we shared a cigarette break. This was my second time on the boat as the chef. I'm working as a casual chef for Buffets Galore and I've done four functions with them in the past month. It is after all, the busy season for hospitality in Sydney. It's summer, and company Christmas parties abound. Catering companies are falling over themselves trying to keep up with demand.
Over the past few weeks I have been experiencing depression. I finally moved in with my sister to our new place in Meadowbank. Leaving my old place in Carlingford was more emotionally taxing than I imagined. 11 years and 3 months is a long time to live in the one place, the roots run very deep into my psyche. Sheer inertia prevented me from moving out long after I should have, like after the divorce. Now that I have finally moved, it was not on my terms, and the feeling of powerless-ness (yes I just made up a word) is something I don't care to have to deal with again.
Last Tuesday, in an attempt to shake off my depression I decided to face up to all the things that I have been putting off, like doing my taxes. Within hours after setting an appointment with my tax agent, I got a message from Geoff Hopkins asking if I was interested in doing a short IT project for him writing a few query reports. I could do with the cash so I set that ball in motion. Not long after that I got a call from my agent about an audition for a commercial on Friday.
Friday? Holy crap, according to my diary I have a catering gig on the Fleetwing II! But wait, according to my Google Calendar (TM) it is on Saturday, not Friday. Which is it? So I called my chef Chris, and he told me that he actually wants me to work on the boat both days. It turns out the Friday is an evening cruise so in the end I was able to do the audition.
The commercial is all hush-hush, with confidentiality agreements so I can't say what it's about or which product. But it is my first audition. Ever. After the audition, I thought to myself, that was actually easy. It can't be that easy. Why can't somethings in life be easy? Where does it say that everything has to be hard? Anyway, I don't know yet if I got the part, but I'm proud of my performance. Whatever happens, I don't think I'd ever be nervous about an audition again. I do my thing as best as I can and and it's up to the gods if I get it or not.
So Friday night, during a lull in the service, I'm on the bow of the boat enjoying the harbour breeze with a still mostly full moon. Life is good.
