Eight and Nine days since last day off

Today was going to be an awesome day, I was starting to get a grip on things. Everything was going alright until midway through the breakfast service I started to feel aches and pains in my body. My trapezius muscles were protesting any movement I make. My ability to focus was impaired.

Commis [Paul] asked me if I was okay with a very concerned look. I told him I was just really physically tired from not having a day off in over a week. He suggested caffeine, I politely refused, I would try and tough it out for as long as I could.

Which wasn't really all that long, when the breakfast service finished, I checked the lunch bookings: 16 guests, so I then went and asked Sous chef (Sanjoy) if I could be sent home early since I was feeling crook and it won't be that busy anyway. He said yes, just finish some of this prep and you can go at 12:30. I was almost finished with the prep when Sous Sanjoy disappeared just as Executive Sous Joseph came in. Exec Sous gave me some more jobs to do so I kept doing them. Then Sous Sanjoy came by and asked why I was still here, I said Joseph gave me more jobs to do. Well then go home when you finish what you were doing. I got out of there at 1:30PM.

I went to the doctors and got myself a certificate saying I had a viral infection, and doctors advise saying I should stand up for myself and not accept such long rosters. I got home, popped a gram of paracetamol and slept. Then I got up to go visit at Bea's place when I discovered I couldn't find my keys. How could that be? I used those keys to get home and get my sleep. After a half hour of panicked searching, I gave up and visited Bea. I didn't want to lose precious Beatime in a futile search.

The ninth day (Thursday), the final day before I get my first day off in 9 days, I got to work and tried to discover the process for lost locker keys. I'm sure it happens all the time. Apparently the procedure is designed to make you hate losing your keys. I have to find the hotel duty manager, who has the master keys, to open and lock my locker for me. This is just so clever because all this time you feel like you're wasting someone else's time because of your carelessness. I got in to the kitchen 14 minutes later, Sanjoy chewed me out for being late. In the process I found out how to let the kitchen know if I wasn't gonna make it on time. They were having kittens wondering how they would be able to handle the 400+ breakfast service one hand short. Even after Sanjoy chewed me out, I got the sense they were relieved I was on board for the breakfast service.

Commis Paul and I shared a moment when he told me he admired what I was doing. He said not many people your age are willing to try something different.

Getting Traction

This is my third week at the Sheraton and I'm starting to feel like I'm finally getting traction with this job. The last few days have been a struggle because I'm being torn with a few conflicting things about this job.

When I am on wok bar, I have to set up and do breakfast and lunch service. I officially start at 6:30AM (hence the 04:25AM wake up to catch the 5:02AM train to get to work by 6AM. As soon as I get there I have to get my station ready for making omelettes, poached and fried eggs. First customer walks in at 6:30AM and I have to be ready.

A couple of cool things happened at the breakfast service today. There's this asian chick who looked so familiar asking me for poached eggs. Then it hit me who she was so I just blurted out "Oh, Natalie ... ahhh youtuber ... ummm what can I get for you?" Thee was a queue of about 4 people waiting for their omelettes, so I was so busy I couldn't introduce myself properly or have a photo taken with Natalie http://www.youtube.com/user/communitychannel. Then when I fished out her poached eggs, one of the yolks had broken. I offered to make her another one, but she just said that "It all goes down to the same place anyway." And then took her broken poached eggs with her. Bloody typical, we had Lady Gaga staying at the hotel, but did I ever get to serve her? Instead, it's this other semi-celebrity. It felt really weird that I know so much about her (due to her VLOGS) and yet she knows nothing of me, I'm not even young enough to be in her audience demography (ie. 15-25). I just begged her to please not vlog about the poached egg I had ruined for her.

The second cool thing was this older english gentlemen and he tells me I make the best omelettes. It feels great to be appreciated.

The best part of the day was finishing my prep at 4:08PM, I was only nearly an hour overtime, I usually spend at least 2 hours chopping and dicing. I'm slowly getting things right, and that is fuckin' awsome!

Shout to the world

I am in love. I mean, really in love. With the woman of my dreams. I can't believe how perfect my life is. I am pursuing my dreams, taking the craziest chance, like an explorer on a one way journey.

I've been on a few of these self-help workshops and seminars, where they tell you that you can have what you want. All you have to do is believe that you deserve the very best. I had always thought that it was easier to say than to make happen. However, I can now unequivocally say that it does work.

I am a fledgling chef in a major hotel, getting the apprenticeship that I had not had the opportunity to obtain. It's not without great challenges. At 4:25AM I am constantly asking myself why am I doing this? Yet my response is always, because it is your dream. If you hate it so much, then give up. But I don't. I love it. Even the moments when it seems like it's getting a little bit too hard.

And then I remember that I have the love of a beautiful woman who stands behind me, supporting my dreams. And sharing hers. I am unstoppable. I can be slowed down, but nothing can stop me achieving my dreams.

I just want to shout to the world that I am utterly, totally, completely in love with you, Beatriz. You are my ultimate dream.