PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE FROM A RAMBLING IDIOT

Segregation Still Thrives!?!

2009-05-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday on my way into work I was listening to 1130AM KFAN. What they were talking about was something that I couldn't even believe: segregated proms. I couldn't believe what I was listening to. What the host was referencing was an article written by Sara Corbett in the New York Times titled "A Prom Divided."

The article talks about how a small school in Montgomery County in Georgia has had segregated prom's since 1971. The school is also the subject matter for an HBO documentary due out in July. So what's the deal with having separate proms for black and white students?

From interviews stated in the article, most of the students want a unified, single prom. It's the parents and school officials that are reluctant to change. Yes, I agree that tradition is important but this isn't one of those old traditions that you want to carry on with the younger generations. You don't want to teach segregation to future generations, do you? At this school, they don't have black and white sporting teams, don't have separate black and white student councils, and they don't have separate learning classrooms for black and white students. So why have segregated proms? Makes no sense. Honestly, if I lived in that community I would be so embarrassed by that school.

Go read the article here.

Newcastle, Memories, & Summer Weather

2009-05-18T10:47:00.001-07:00

Finally. I think Mother Nature and Father Time finally realized that Minnesotans were sick of the cold grey days of winter. Sitting out on the patio soaking in the sun makes me thankful for the few warm days like this we have. But it also brings back memories of picnics with our cousins, grilling with dad, and playing baseball on Newcastle with all the other kids. It's one 0f hte greatest times of the year. We can sit outside, sip a beer and talk wtih family/friends without the worry of a major blizzard approaching. And no major bugs yet either! This that time right before those flying blood suckers come out.

Getting back to summer memories, what is your favorite? I haqve a lot of them, mainly involving our cousins and going to picnics at various parks. Or playing baseball with the neighborhood kids of Newcastle was always a fun way to spend an afternoon. We would play until our parents called us home for dinner. It was fun and a nice way to build friendships. Most of the kids in the neighborhood played so we always had enough to play. It's funny, I remember watching The Sandlot recently and thought of Newcastle. Most of the kids would agree that it was a great environment to grow up in and that it was completely unique, nearly surreal. We had so many kids to play with it was borderline ridiculous. The parents also got involved and would ocassionally take the game to a "real" baseball diamond. At night, we'd end up playing Ghost in the Grave Yard, Keep Away or any other game that seemed like fun. I remember climbing on top of Gobeli's "Tootsie Roll" van and watching the other kids. I think Mike found me that night but it was fun as hell to watch.

Sitting on the deck of McKenzie's in Minneapolis after class and enjoying a nice cold beer with Chad was a great way to start relaxing. Or hanging out with Cory at a local patio bar during happy hour. Good times. Summer is finally here so let's get the grill out and start talking about days past!

Fantasy Football: Never too early

2009-05-15T15:33:00.001-07:00

I know it's not even June yet, but is it ever too early to start thinking about fantasy football? For those newbies, non-believers, or haters out there, we die hard fantasy football fans usually start thinking about this stuff right after the NFL draft. Even though training camps haven't even announced starting dates or events, we're still debating who the best WR or QB will be this upcoming season. Our speculations and debate are fueled by ESPN projections, debatable banter, and other fantasy football sites. In today's world of all knowing 24/7 media, we have all the tools to try and build the best fantasy football team possible ... at least in every owner's mind.

ESPN.com put out a sortable table of ALL the NFL players that mattered last year. Yes, Mark Sanchez is included as well as every other rookie that matters. Sanches is listed at number 277, which means he probably won't do too much damage - as of right now. With all things like this, players can eb and flow. An interesting point about Sanchez's ranking: he is listed above guys like Derek Anderson, Matt Leinart, and Jeff Garcia. Even though most of the QB's listed probably will serve a backup role, it still proves that even a rookie has a chance to make an impact. I'm not saying that he'll be like Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco, but anything is possible as proved by both of those two guys.

The number one rated player according to ESPN.com is Minnesota's Adrian Peterson. He's a RB with the home run capability that fantasy owners crave in a starting runningback. In fact, the top eight spots are all RB's. The first appearance of another position, WR, is Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald. First QB overall is New Orlean's Drew Brees. Want even more of a surprise? Traditionally top ranked players like Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, Peyton Manning, and Terrell Owens aren't mentioned until the 17th slot (Moss). With my fantasy experience, RB's are the workhorses of any good team. Having a couple of starts and then key role players at this position can only help secure a championship run.

But like any new season, free agency, coaching changes, rookies, and players returning from injury will also influence ratings. It wasn't long ago that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were the top QB's everyone was gunning for. Now? Tom Brady is coming back from a severe injury and hasn't been tested (at least on the field) yet. This puts him at a very low 16th best overall. Like I said before, time will only tell if this holds true. My money is that Brady will be a top QB once again.

How will some of the big name rookies far? Guys like Michael Crabtree (97), Percy Harvin (143), Jeremy Maclin (191), Knowshon Moreno (63), Chris "Beanie" Wells (85), Donald Brown (96), and Brandon Pettigrew (205) are expected to make a big impact right away. But history has taught us all that rookie WR's very rarely find consistent success in their first year. For a rookie WR to find success is almost as rare as it is for a rookie QB, excluding Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco of course.

Professional Sports

2009-05-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm sure some of you have visited ESPN.com in the past day or so. There is an article written by Howard Bryant in the MLB section that was posted yesterday. The article has to do with David Ortiz and his recent slump at the plate. Mr. Bryant's article isn't about hitting mechanics, analyzing the swing, plate discipline or batting averages. It's more a reflection on what the steriod era has produced within our society. In a time of economical recession, cynical thinking comes to the forefront while the positive lay dormant in the back of our minds. Professional sports and steriods are no different, theortically speaking of course, than our turmoil to earn a honest wage.

What the article points out very clearly is that we think every star studded player, every household sports name is cheating in some way or some form. Whether it be the scarlet letter of the steroid or other "less" serious supplements/drugs, every star player is using. This isn't a fair image painted by the media or the people. So why does it happen? What if that player was one of the everyday guys? And does it even matter on the grand scheme of things? We all have our own battles with daily life so I'm guessing that this is a small blimp on your radar. I, however, don't agree with that argument.

Since the beginning of the modern era of professional sports, we've put much emphasis on them in society. Not only do we dress in team colors, paint our faces ridiculous colors, or tailgate for our favorite teams but we also identify with them. We want to see the players live in our communities and give back. We want to see our favorite star athlete affiliated with good, honest, and loyal products. We want that all American golden boy image that has long been lost in decades past. Like past generations, we want the children of today to idolize the right athletes. The ones who aren't tainted with scandal, brandish irrational behavior, or are known to use drugs to enhance their play. The American public wants to believe that every sacred record in every professional sport is untouched by steroids or any other drug. We don't want to see an asterisk next to those records.

I believe sports is just more than playing a game. It's more than "just a business" as so many have said before. Sports is an institution that is fabricated deeply within our society. Every single city that is fortunate enough to have a major college or professional sports team knows this ... we just tend to not think about it this way. Because we see athletes, team logos, and the like every single day, we take for granted what sport really means to us. We see sports on billboards, television, internet, and magazine ads everyday. We're briefed with breaking news from ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and an endless other sources. Really though, sports has become an institution unto itself. Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League are woven into our society just as much as that long standing historical memorial that celebrates good ole' Ab Lincoln.

Sports play a larger role in our society than I think people realize. Can you imagine not having a professional baseball team to cheer on? Or to bleed the colors of your favorite football team. I can't imagine not seeing people wearing a number 23 red Chicago Bulls jersey. But that's just cosmetic stuff on top of what sports really mean to us. For some odd reason, we need tragedy to (or a players lockout) show us how much sports do for the American public. Think back to the days after 9-11. Remember the baseball games being played? Or the upcoming NFL season? New York, with all its diversity, unified to say "We are not afraid. We will overcome this." And it was all on display at sporting events.

Our teams and players that we cheer give us hope and joy. They give us an escape to forgot, even just a few hours, all the other distractions in life. We can forget about the economic strife, banks asking for government help, and the other negatives in life. For those few moments, we are fans and cheer on that one team we call our own.

Photography Site

2009-05-13T07:35:00.001-07:00

http://visuallystimulated.shutterfly.com/ - check it out. I'm going to be adding new photos at Shutterfly and updating a lot of the information on there as well.

This is where Catherine and I are keeping most of our pictures from over the past year. I need to add some more, especially of the kids and sammy! Hope you all like it!

ADHD, Irrelevancy,

2009-05-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

So I'm not the greatest at keeping up with this whole "blog" thing. I'll admit (and the facts can back me on this one) that I haven't put forth a great effort to keep this thing going. However, how many people that aren't family members read this? I haven't gotten any emails, phone calls or the like saying, "Hey Jacob, when you going to add some new stuff to your Blogger.com site?" Yeah, I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. There are hundreds of thousands of sites like this one - irrelevant and lost within the sea of cyberspace. Does it bother me that know one reads this thing? If I was an aspiring journalist, writer, or just easily offended .... then yes it would bother me. But I'm none of the above so it really doesn't even enter my thoughts. Then why do it? Honestly, haven't got a clue. I sit here typing out this and I still can't come up with a decent answer. Maybe thats cause I'm thinking about getting coffee (been thinking about that one for about 20 minutes), wondering when the weather will clear up today, and what in the hell Sammy has in her mouth that is all purple and red ... be right back. One of Megan's stuffed animals, well that's what it used to be. The ADHD thing is kicking in again, gotta love that side of me.

Speaking of ADHD, let's shift topics. I know, nice segway huh!?! So with the economy in a downward spiral, people losing jobs, the financial institutions of America in turmoil, and the auto industry in shambles, what do we have to look forward to this summer? Besides, blockbuster movies, high gas prices, and a few months grillin? Honestly, what do we as a country have to look forward to? On the small scale of things, I do think people will be looking forward to being outside more and doing things that might not cost too much (state parks, trails, bike rides, grilling outside). On a larger scale, the summer festivals (Lumberjack Days, Uptown Art Fair, MN State Fair, county fairs, etc) will bring a lot of joy back into the communities. But how will the economic downslide affect those events? Will people still want to go out and have fun like the did a few years ago? I sure hope so. The whole country needs to have a "state fair day" and forget about all the problems, just have fun for an entire day with family, friends, and strangers alike.

What else is on my mind ... Brett Farve. Either play or don't. I think he still can play ...... until about week 10 and then its hit or miss. He starts to get worn down and his body falls apart, literally (see torn bicep). Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Vikings uniform. It might make my annual training camp visit more surreal and chaotic, but if that is the worst of it, then I can deal. Speaking of training camp, anyone in for the road trip to Mankato this year? If you have never been to training camp, definitely go! There isn't a ton to do, but the Vikings make it a fun atmosphere for everyone. A few years back, I was 10 feet watching Cris Carter play catch with a little boy. I got to see Daunte Culpepper (I thought #11 was some long shot at linebacker) his rookie year at training camp. Seeing Adrian Peterson run a sweep live, not on TV, and you're like 25 feet away is pretty cool. He's fast. Really fast. This year, I'm going to see Percy Harvin and hoping that all the hype is true. We usually spend a good portion of the day up there. We get rolling by 6 or 7AM so we can make the morning practice. Stick around town until the afternoon practice and then head home after it is all said and done. So usually we'll get back around 6PM. Sun screen and laughs provided. Bring your own lunch money.

Family

2007-08-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about this for quite some time now. It's nothing all that special nor is it some new truth being introduced into our world. The topic has been discussed for generations upon generations between generations. Family and getting old(er). I hate to say it that way but we do all age quite a bit in our lifetime. I would have said wiser instead of older, but there are a few of us who will never "wise up" when it comes to this topic.

Do you know what amazes me the most these days? Family. I'm amazed at family, but not just any family ... my family. And how the hell haven't I noticed that I have an amazing family? I guess that with age, I've gained a small amount of that infinite wisdom. Try and remember the last ten years of your life. Hell, try and remember the last 10 years of life with your family. Think of all the small things and big things, the graduations and ceremonies, the weddings and funerals, the promotions and job changes, all the laughter and sadness.

We all tend to get "lost" in the daily routines of our lives, but when family comes together for an event like a graduation or wedding, we just might reflect on the most important people in our world. But like everything in our world, we should never loose sight of the small things either. Just going out for a cup of coffee with mom or seeing my sister Brooke at church brings a smile to my face. Getting an email from Brett and Cortney detailing what is going in their lives makes me proud. Or just spending a couple of hours with the family pets can do wonders.

When we (Jessica, Brooke, Brett & myself) were all growing up, we would have our fights, arguments, laughs, agreements, and of course get into plenty of trouble. I remember the road trips we took, crammed into that Chrysler Town & Country mini-van. All the family vacations (Eagle Bay Lodge with the Houskes, getting lost in Disney World, seeing mom fall into the river at International Falls, the miserably funny camping trips). And who can forget spending time with the "cousins" and not knowing what Uncle Rollie was gunna do next! Now it's different. We no longer ride in a cramped mini-van, haven't been to Eagle Bay Lodge with anyone in years, and the only time I get lost now is in my car driving in Saint Paul. And yes, we all still love Uncle Rollie and his unique sense of humor! But with all of us kids having our own careers and lives, it is something of a rarity to see all of us in one place at one time. We all have grown up. We all have changed. But we all are still family.

In the last couple of years, I've become more aware of how important family is to an individual. We all know that family is your greatest support. However, how well do we each understand that? Do we take family for granted because they're always suppose to be there for us? Do we sometimes put things on the back burner because we know family will be there tomorrow? Sure, I think all of us do it to some degree. Is it right? I can't answer that one, but I'd say don't let it happen too often. Some times life just takes over. But we should never loose sight of those who love us unconditionally and ask for nothing in return (except the occasional back rub). These are our greatest supporters, our greatest friends. They are our family and we are part of them.

We all have grown up. We all have changed. But we all are still family.

February, March, April ... They're all the same!

2007-04-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Wow. The last post was from February? How time flies without notice. What has happened since February .... I moved back to Burnsville, MN ... Went through our 4 week blitz of Spring Break at The Grand Lodge ... And I think that is about it for all the "eventful" stuff.

I moved back to Burnsville in March. I love Minneapolis, there literally are hundreds of things to do in that town. However, living there isn't always the greatest idea. Especially where I lived, the North side of Minneapolis. I'm just glad to be back in the "burbs" and away from all the crap that was negative. I'm now about 10 minutes away from work (8.5 miles away) which is a far less messy commute and can get home before 2:00AM, which is very nice.

The area I live in is close to Nicollet Avenue so I have access to everything that I need. It's a safe area with very easy going neighbors. I am living with two good guys; Brian is a poker dealer at Mystic Lake Casino and Ryan is a full time student at the U of M studying medicine and biology. All three of us are usually pretty busy and hardly ever home at the same moment.

That 4 week rush known to be called Spring Break was complete ... hell. When you think of Spring Break, what comes to your mind? Florida? Hawaii? Cancun? How about Bloomington, MN!?! Yeah that is what I thought. But we were busy as hell 7 days a week for 4 weeks straight. We extended our normal hours by an hour each night, extended the room service hours, and even added on a "late night" happy hour bar menu. The hotel was at 100% (or more some days) occupancy for 4 weeks straight. There were families everywhere. It was crazy. I was averaging about 30 hours of overtime each of those weeks. It was stressful, hot, chaotic, grueling, and painful. But in the same sense, it was .... fun. Putting things into perspective now, I think that after surviving the onslaught, I can handle pretty much anything in the kitchen now. Whatever doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger definitely applies here. Chef told me that during those 4 weeks, we (night crew only) were averaging about 1,200 covers (or plates) per night. To take that into perspective, the night shift starts at 3:00PM and lasted until about 12:00 midnight for restaurant service. If you do the math, that's about 133 covers per hour! Amazing. With that said, we're now into a small lull right now. Won't last much longer, maybe a few weeks, and then we're right back where we were.

The Grand Lodge opened on May 15th, 2006. We're fast approaching our 1 year anniversary and I think people are starting to notice use more. We're getting people from all over now. Business groups, business travelers, families, etc on a regular basis. Plus the walk-in business from local communities has increased ten fold. People are figuring out that our restaurant, The Split Rock Grille, has exceptional food. We consistantly put out food that people find appealing. Our reviews have been nothing but good. And our Chef has given us praise for the hard work and efforts, which to me is better than what a food critic can say.

ReVisited: Random Thoughts on a Life Not Recommended (Repost)

2007-02-24T01:07:00.000-08:00

Stop reading this right now. Go directly to the next post. Please read "Random Thoughts on a Life Not Recommended" first. This is the revisit I wrote on Myspace on February 22, 2007.

Background:
Someone had read the original post, "Random Thoughts on a Life Not Recommended" and asked me if I felt the same way now. Below is the response I gave to this question.

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I thought it would be wise to revisit this "topic" due to several months have gone by since I wrote the original piece. Buckle up, here we go on a midnight trip ....

There are things that have changed. Then there are other things that haven't changed since I wrote the original in July. Most of the changes have been cosmetic, only surface stuff that one can expect out of daily life. The deeper issues, the more substantial stuff has remained nearly untouched by the constant rigors of daily life. Only a few deep topics have been changed, but they've only gone through slight modifications rather than a whirlwind of change.

My desire and focus on my career hasn't subsided. If anything, that so called "inner fire" is burning even more intense. I've worked every major holiday since the original post (labor day, thanksgiving day, christmas eve and day, new years eve and day, valentines day). I've put in my 60 hour weeks on a regular basis. My knees hurt, I feel beat up, and you know what? I keep coming back for more because I love it. I love the sounds, smells, look and feel of a kitchen set in motion. It's a beautiful thing when you and your team can crank out 1,300 covers for the night. And then do it again for the next three days. Yeah, I was part of it. And it only made me want to come back for more the next day. We handled it and I think we all know whatever is thrown at us, we can handle. So the workaholic thing might have been taken a little overboard but I love what I do and the guys I work with. Honestly, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else on a Friday/Saturday night than at work. That's sick, but its the truth.

That leads to the "balance" topic. It's gotten a little better. My chef knows that I work my ass off on a regular basis. The respect is already earned. I keep working hard to make him proud and to keep that respect. Do I hide behind my career? Yes and no. I've come to terms with the industry I am in and the choice of career I've made. It's not the greatest job in the world (when it comes to having a social life) nor is it the worst job. I work at night, from 3-12 sometimes 1:30AM. In the past I wouldn't go out or do anything on my days off. I needed to relax and rest my body/mind. Now, I do go out more often with friends. Is my job taking the place of a relationship? You know what, I'm not too sure on that anymore. I do work a ton, but I know that the two days off I have, I need. I am fully dedicated to my career and moving forward with it, but I realized (around our christmas rush) if I push too hard, I'll burn out faster than I want.

I still couldn't do the 9-5 office cubicle thing. Props to you people that have done it, are doing it, or want to do it. I'd be an HR nightmare in an office setting. I'd probably piss someone off, offend another person, and cuss out someone all in about 10 minutes. Besides, after seeing Office Space .. yeah enough said there.

I guess that I will change when needed otherwise I'll adapt to my surroundings and go with the flow of things. I miss not having a girlfriend, but most of the time I'm too busy to even notice that stuff. I know, I need to slow things down, smell the roses and enjoy life cause we only get one shot at this thing. But what if I enjoy working? I have other things that I like to do, but so what. I do enjoy my life, albeit it's not the most glamorous or best. There are bumps in the road but there is also some smooth long straight aways as well.

I'll take my chances and see where this one leads me. You never know, I just might surprise everyone, including myself.

Random Thoughts on a Life Not Recommended (Repost)

2007-02-24T01:02:00.000-08:00

The blog below was written by me on July 19, 2006. It appeared on Myspace.com ... Someone recently read the post and asked if I felt the same way about what was written. Honestly, I had to think about all that has happened since July. There have been some bumps in the road along with some straight aways. I can't say that I feel totally the same way, but nor can I say that I feel that everything has changed.

Read on below to see my thoughts on my life months ago ...

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This is the hardest part. It's the part where you try and put your emotions on paper (or a screen) hoping for an accurate reflection of what you're feeling. I've been trying to do this for about a week and just couldn't come up with the words. I've talked to myself about what is going on and can't describe the emotions. Nor could I put it to paper. Well, finally I'm forcing myself to do this, to be honest with myself and write it down.

There a thousand thoughts going through my head, so many that it's hard to focus them into a single thought. I just want someone to listen and hopefully understand what I'm saying. Is that possible since we're all different? I hope that someone reads this blog and understands where I am coming from.

What is your definition of success? Is it having a big house with a Lexus parked in the driveway? Maybe it's a title you hold at your job. In any case, if that is the measurement of success, then I am not even an after thought. I didn't graduate when I was 24 from a highly regarded university. Instead, I took a path that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. It took me quite awhile to figure out what to do with my life, at least the working part of it. I'm a line cook at a new hotel who works the long hours and doesn't have much of a life outside of work. I know that balance is needed between a professional life (if that is what you want to call working in the service industry) and a personal life. Yet, I have no real desire to seek out that balance. I 've mentioned before that I want balance and that I was trying to figure it out. In truth, I haven't done a damn thing to straighten it out.

So the real question is ... why. Why haven't I attempted to balance my life out? What is holding me back? What am I afraid of finding? Honestly, I don't know. I do know that I put all my energy into my job and that I want to be successful in that pursuit. I'm at the beginning of my career in the kitchen, as odd as that may seem, but I want to dedicate the time and energy to be successful. I want to work the long, hard, sweaty days in the kitchen. I want to be depended on to get things done. I want the respect of my peers and my Chef. For me, I believe that is all accomplished through hardwork and long days. I actually don't mind it at all. I thrive off it. I want to be the one who only has one day off. I want to be at the restaurant all the time. But again, the question is why?

I guess that I am hiding behind my job. I use my job as an excuse not to look at some hard facts about my life. I dedicate so much energy and time that I don't want to do anything else. My job has taken the place of a relationship in many forms. Sick. Yes, I know that is sort of weird thinking but follow me for a minute. I'm sure we all know someone whose completely dedicated to their job and would do anything for it at the drop of a pin. This person isn't married, seeing anyone nor do they have anyone on the radar screen. They work a shit ton and come home to an emtpy home. Their friends and family complain about never seeing them or calling them. When this person has a day off, it's to do laundry, grocery shop or the ocassional beer with someone whom they haven't seen in "forever." Know anyone like this? Yeah, that is pretty much me. I would rather be at work than sitting at home doing nothing. Yes, financially its always an option, but the feeling of being needed is more the pull here.

We all want to feel needed. And I think that is where my workaholic attitude stems from. I've always been able to adapt within my work enivornment and move up. Granted, its never been a success story, but I have done well in different companies. In the kitchen, you're just not a warm body who comes in and works an 8 hour shift. You're counted on to run a station and maybe pick up the slack where needed. If someone calls in, that person's workload falls onto another person. And its felt throughout the kitchen staff. There are those who don't understand this, but most cooks get it right away. We understand that showing up and doing the work is important to running a dinner rush smoothly. I love the feeling of being productive and being needed. Who doesn't want to be needed? I thrive off that feeling at work. I love being at work and will do anything for us to run smooth, regardless of the long days that turn into stressful nights. In the end, there is a feeling of relief, but also a sense of accomplishment for me. And hearing Chef say we did a great job is something that every line cook wants to hear.

I couldn't do the 9-5 thing. I tried to do it for a couple of years, but it killed me inside - slowly but it got me. Now, I'm part of an industry that seeminly doesn't sleep and is always looked at with a shadow of disapproval. There are the few exceptions but those are the celebrity chefs, reality show wannabe chefs, and the assorted others whom fascinate the general public with their books, bam and magazines. For most of us that cook for a living, we're given the polite intrigue. Wow, that has to be a fascinating job! I love to cook! Could you tell me the recipe for your (insert trendy food item here)? We work the long days and don't really have a weekend off. When you're out playing, we're the ones who make sure the food is absolutely fucking fabulous. Instead of leaving the office at 5PM to make happy hour, we're making sure the line is fully stocked for 250 covers while enduring the heat from our grills, salamanders, and broilers. We're making sure that the well done NY Strip some idiot ordered is actually charred to hell while everyone is toasting to the weekend away from work. And while most are sleeping in the middle of the night, we're just starting to clean up and finish the last couple hours.

Back to the job replacing a relationship topic. That sense of being needed is like a drug. I don't know if I'm the only one out there that thinks this, but it is something I want, need. And I have it, plenty of it. Like I said, I am dedicated to my career. I give 100t work and want to make sure everything is smooth. Before I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, the relationships I was in were one sided. I gave those relationships my all and nothing to work. My heart and soul were in those relationships while my job got the leftovers. Now, it's different. I am more focused on what I want out of life. I am a different person than I was two years ago. When I first walked into Ai as a student, I wasn't sure if I could do this cooking thing. Two years later, I know I can do it and I want to strive for success. Whether that success be an executive chef or a career line cook, I want it to be successful.

Learning to split my dedication between my career and personal life is something that shouldn't be all that difficult, right? I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe I just haven't met the right woman. I know that searching can be a pain in the ass, but also know that nothing just falls in your lap for no apparent reason. I just think that way. But then thoughts enter my head that maybe, the one person whom I'd fallen in love with and then let walk out of my life ... maybe she was the one. Maybe I let that person leave my life prematurely and that's it. How do you know if that person you're supposed to be happily ever after with walked out of your life years ago? Or how do you know that there is one person out there for you? I have no clue .... the more I think about it, the more questions with no answers fill my head.

I don't regret the path I've chosen in my life. I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I know the ramifications of my past and fully accept them. My past is what made me into who I am today. I just want a break in life to get ahead of the game.

Happy President's Day

2007-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

The holiday weekend is finally over. Who would think that President's Day, which is today, would generate so much business? But with every single public school closed and parent's led by their screaming 8 and 10 year old, the path to The Waterpark of America is blazed anew. Isn't it funny how the people using sippy cups, watch Dora the Explorer, and eat PB&J's (thinking its the greatest thing ever) basically controls a family? It's pretty damn funny if you ask me.

I'm glad its over. We had three Saturday night rushes in a row. And our guys are tired, beat up, stressed out, and need a breather before the next big wave comes at us. I found out that we actually did closer to 1,400 on Friday night. Saturday we did very close to 1,200 and this past Sunday we did 1,100 (roughly). This is all at night, from 3pm-11pm. In three days, just at night, our guys did roughly 3,700 covers. That is amazing. If you break it down by hour, we have 8 hours of service each night, so in the last 3 days we had 24 hours of service. Do the math and it comes out to be about 154 covers per hour. And now I understand why my knees hurt.

This is just a small glimpse into what this summer is going to be like. I don't even want to think about that just yet. Our hotel is finally getting noticed outside the MN area (click on the link located on the left titled "Grand Lodge Hotel MN"). This means we'll do more business this summer than we did last summer. The biggest difference? We'll be prepared for it. We've only been open since May 15 of last year, so we're relatively a new hotel. Chef has worked out most of the kinks in the restaurant portion, hired more skilled cooks, and put people in place to be successful. We'll be ready come July.

1,200

2007-02-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

Wow. Last night was busy at work. We did over 1,200 covers in the restaurant! From about 5:00PM-9:00PM it was crazy rush. I was working on the cold side and I couldn't get ahead of the tickets! I was always about 5-7 behind. We needed more guys in the kitchen, but managed to keep our heads above water somehow. The business we were getting in, it felt like the summer all over again. I didn't leave the restaurant until about 1:30AM this morning. Crazy.

With the holiday weekend (President's Day), the hotel is at 100% occupancy until Monday so that means we're gunna be busy for the next couple of days. We usually do about 600 - 800 covers on a weekend night, so it's nothing new. I'm not sure Chef thought we'd be this busy though. Sous Chef Eric Parsen asked a couple of guys to come into work tonight just in case we get hit again. I think it will happen.

I went over to Kitchen Window this past Thursday and used the gift card from Christmas. I bought a Wusthof knife sharpener and a bottle of Cuisine Perel's Blood Orange Vinegar. Have no idea what I am going to use the vinager for just yet, but it sounded good so I had to pick it up. Cuisine Perel has a lot of different products and they all sound interesting. They've got a fig vinegar that sounds pretty good. I'm going to try and do some cooking during my days off this upcoming week. Maybe salmon or something seafood based.

Well that is all for now. Not too much to write about since it's all work and no play the last few days. Hope all is well with everyone.

Knife Wielding Pirates

2007-02-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, now that I've got my very own 'blog' site, what in the heck do I next? I guess write whatever comes to mind ... with a little censorship. A lot of censorship. C'mon, you know I might piss off a few people, but it might be interesting along the way!

Well today is Sunday, and that means a good majority of people are not working. Rather, they are at home relaxing. Me? Relaxing isn't an option today, I have to be in the kitchen around 3:00PM. It's going to be another long day in a series of long days for me. Last night we did nearly 900 covers at the restaurant. As a whole, we did over 2,000 covers all day! Tonight we'll be busy again, probably about 650. Have no idea why, but we're expecting a good rush.

As you probably can guess, I cook for a living. I've gone to school for culinary so I'm not exactly the stereotypical uneducated pirate frantically waving a knife in every direction but the right one. I love what I do and that is the best part about it. When people say that they love to cook 'at home' but could never do it in a restaurant, they're right - they never could, never. The conditions we work aren't exactly ideal for normal, sane people. Think of a being in a overly crowded small room with people of varying ethnicity yelling, cussing, and throwing things at each other. Then add about 90 degrees of ambient heat, non-stop noise from pots and pans, and then an upset Executive Chef barking out orders. Yep, that's what we go through every single day - more or less. But it's fun. I love it, wouldn't want to do anything else in the world. Only downfall is social life is nearly non-existent and the late nights.

Until next time ...