crushedcorn

Have you ever written fan mail to anyone? I have, and now my sent fan mail count is up to 2. Recipient #1: Charles Osgood, the endearing host of CBS Sunday Morning and someone I’d like to adopt as a 3rd grandfather. Sunday Morning has been one of my favorite news programs since I was little, and although some may consider it a “soft” new program, I think it’s a very needed format touting the good, wholesome, still novel and quaint things about America. But it’s not completely mushy – there are still those rants and politically charged commentaries that are relevant, but just delivered in a more palatable format.

Recipient #2: Zach Braff. I know! I’m a dork and I’m even ashamed to write this, but it’s true. I gave in. In a moment of idol worship and boredom I wrote that poor sap a fan mail letter. But it was quick, devoid of any hearts, lipstick marks, or “xoxos,” so it wasn’t totally immature. Yet, I still feel foolish for having divulged that here. Yikes. Who will fan mail #3 go to? I don’t plan on sending it out any time this year, but when I do I’ll make sure to take a popular opinion poll.

Lately I’ve had this forceful urge to practice yoga. I’ve never taken a class or learned moves from much more than a “Self” magazine fold out or an A.M./P.M. Yoga DVD, but I’m talking about wanting the real deal; I want to take a class that requires me to buy a yoga mat and that will give me moves that I can take home and practice on my own. That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to give DVDs another chance (yoga classes are expensive! although I’m sure they’re completely worth it), but I can hardly wait to get the DVD in the mail. I’m even considering studying a little bit about the yogic and Buddhist teachings just to mix it up a little. Have you taken any yoga classes? I’ll tell you that I used to practice with a Kundalini Yoga VHS cassette after working at Geno’s until 10pm and I was so filled with energy and inspiration that I had troubles going to sleep.

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I just got home from work and I did the dumbest thing on my home: Along the lines of wanting to practice yoga, I stopped by the public library to check out their selection of yoga videos. I found the video I wanted, I filled out the paperwork and got myself a new library card, and when I got into the car and put the tape into my bag I realized I rented just that – a VHS tape. Now, this story would ideally progress to me trying the tape and giving it so many thumbs up. But, that can’t happen if you don’t have a VCR, which I don’t. But I kept the tape with me, too ashamed to walk right back in and return it since that library doesn’t rent DVDs.  Eek.  What is going on in my mind today?

Sorry it’s been such a long time, all. Z and I just got back from a brief vay-cay to Steamboat in honor of H Bomb and Adam’s wedding. You don’t even have to ask; it was beautiful. They were beautiful. The sunset behind the reception was beautiful. There was nothing bad about it. And I’ll have pictures to prove it once I download them to the computer.

Speaking of pictures, we got a new digi camera!

This little beauty, the Canon Powershot 260, may change the way we now see and look back on our lives. At the wedding they had a computer slide show with pictures of Adam and Heather from childhood to their high school sweetheart day to their days together prior to engagement. It made me think to those movie scenes that are scenes of home movies from the 70s, those “newlywed” home films that are a little grainy, but always involve husband and wife playing football or playing on the beach. Whatever it is, it’s always achingly sentimental and romantic. Now, I know we won’t have anything like that, but I would like at least 1 album of us before we start having kids. Photos of just us, doing whatever cheesey, lame things we do. It’s for posterity.

Aside from the wedding, it was nice to be back in that comforting valley. It was nice that I didn’t get sentimental for the landscape or the location, but just gushy because of my friends – my second family – being there. I miss them dearly and always will. That is, until I can get them all to move closer to me!

In more mundane news, I am hooked on VH1 “Celebreality!” I know you’re all shaking your heads in disappointment, but I don’t care what you think, punk. “Rock of Love” and “The Pick Up Artist” have been mentally highlighted on the TV Guide. I guarantee that if you watch one episode of either show, you’ll be wondering what’s going to happen next week, even if for the entire 30-60 minutes you’re bemoaning the fact that you’re wasting your time on such mind sludge.

Orientation continues with an optimistic tapering-off of classes. At least for me. I am still liking work and can’t imagine those feelings changing any time soon. I am in league with 3 older woman, and one of them, my pseudo-mentor, reminds me of my mom. I love it! I just want to hug her and tell her everything that’s going on in my life and I want her to give me advice and recipes and…And then I have to stop myself before any of this actually comes out of my mouth, because the truth is that we’ve only been working together for 4 days and she isn’t really my mom. She is really sweet though, as are the other women and the entire kitchen. I didn’t think I was bad with names but walking into a kitchen with at least 20 some faces going in an out of the double doors has made me doubt my magic with monikers.

(I’m Kannika, the Thai Mama Ebs)

I hate the idea that some people are better than others and I strive against it in my mind, if not outwardly. But working in a place so computer oriented has made me feel a little less valid. In almost every class I’ve had they like to take stock of what parts of the company everyone is working in; technical Services (TS), Computer and Technical Support (CaTS), Developing, Programming, all of these things have to do with electronic minds. How often do they remember Culinary? How many people raise their hands? How often does someone’s reply have a disappointed tone when you say you’re a Kitchen Assistant? I’m sure they don’t mean to be smug, but I also don’t think that they think about people being hired for the kitchen. They probably just imagine that the service workers are just there, that the hiring process for someone who cuts lettuce is different that their own. I hate the fact that when they ask who is in Culinary I feel almost ashamed to raise my hand high. I am not embarrassed at what goal I’m working towards, as different as their own may be. But I will learn to get over that. I don’t know why I’m so easily embarrassed, particularly about things that aren’t in the least embarrassing at all. Ugh, I’m lame like that.

But don’t think I’m spending my time getting down on myself. In fact, I’ve been spending my time Simpsonizing like crazy. If you go for it, here’s a little suggestion: Simpsonized babies are pretty lame-o. In case you haven’t already seen it, here’s me cartoonized, which is so cool because I’ve always wanted to be a cartoon character:

If you ever need help getting that Simpsonizer to work, I’m your woman. Huh, I guess I’m not so devoid of computer geekiness after all.

Today was my first official day of work. I never imagined that I’d be this jazzed about it, but I am. Actually, “geeked” would be a more appropriate word than “jazzed,” seeing as I’m going to be working with a large constituency of self-proclaimed Star Wars loving, anime watching, role playing, computer nerds. Nothing against them, though, it makes it even less intimidating to meet people and gives me more of a prompt to just let it all hang out. Everyone has an inner geek, these people just let it be widely known. It also makes working in the kitchen seem like an oasis from hours of staring at a computer screen. After my first 4 hours of orientation seminars and sitting in a lecture hall, I felt renewed walking into the bustling, bright, busy kitchen. So tomorrow I shall return to Verona, ready to get into the thick of it, but also accepting of at few more hours of orientation training.

Other than that, I’m going to get some rest.  It’s going to take some time getting used to having to go to sleep and wake up and particular times because there’s actually something going on the next day.  I feel like I’ve gone back to school.  I’m am definitely a freshman once again.  The big difference?  This time I want to be there.

I officially have a job! It’s not with who I originally thought it would be with, but it’s with a great company nonetheless. I will be a weekend warrior with time to do a little catering work on the side. I am so relieved that the whole job search is over and that I have an employ that I think I’ll be really happy with. I’ll get some new, needed experience but I’ll also get to dig into my dusty bin of knowledge and use my dietary studies as well. The fun starts on Monday, but the weight has already been lifted. Phew. Along those lines, I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut until I know things are for positive. So with all that talk about being a cook at an assisted living home, just forget I said all that.

In order to celebrate both Z and I being payrolled, we decided to splurge on an Old Country Buffet dinner. It was worth every penny, and believe me, we made sure we got our money’s worth: salads, tacos, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, fried shrimp, fish fillets, cinnamon rolls, hot cross buns, melon, and, of course, dessert topped with frozen yogurt. Oh, so good. I threw out the idea of maybe going there later in the afternoon to get the lunch price and to be around for the dinner turn over, but we decided to be more civil and just have dinner.  However, if you’ve never tried to be at a buffet for the switch over, it’s a move I would highly recommend if you have the time and the interest. It’s a rush, let me tell you.

It’s amazing how what you eat and where you eat can have such a huge impact on how you feel. Sure, OCB isn’t gourmet dining, but to just be out and to be eating things that weren’t hot dogs or frozen chicken breasts, it has done wonders for my outlook and attitude.

  My mind must be obsessed with food lately, because I finished reading a book about it, I ate an embarrassing heap of it last night, and I’ve been hooked on food tv.  “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Top Chef,” and pretty much anything on Food Network have been on my regular viewing schedule.  Along those lines, anyone have any other viewing suggestions?  Movies?  Shows?  Or do you want to just tell me to get off my can and stop watching so much boob tube?  That would be fair.

With so much free time lately, I was starting too look for more sophisticated modes of occupying my attention. I hadn’t found anything that I could give an example of, though.

I finished “If the Buddha Came to Dinner.” It was a really interesting book. Although some of it may have gotten a little too moon doggie spiritual at times, it did make some valid points about how we don’t pay enough attention to what we put into our mouths. As the book says, eating is about as intimate as you can get – putting something inside your body – yet, we don’t give that act the recognition that it deserves. If you’re in to that kind of thing at all, I would recommend reading it.

It also makes me want to try a “cleansing.” Not a fast, but a kind of detoxification. I tried a detox in a bottle once and while it did work a little bit, but I know that I will be short on energy and patience if I do another one, especially the kind she suggests. I’ll face it: I have an addiction to bread.

I know they make posters for everything these days, but they even have a poster with just bread on it. Look at it, it’s delicious. Obviously, it’s an art and a passion for some people. And I love eating it. That and rice. And, well, I’m an equal opportunity eater.

So back to the whole thing about looking for more “sophisticated” distractions…It ends up the one of the least modern toys in the apartment ended up having the best time-wasting abilities. When is the last time you played a Super NES? What about Family Feud on a Super NES? Thanks to a day’s worth of free time, I can smugly answer “a few hours ago” to that question. It really is all about the simple pleasures.

Hopefully tomorrow will be the beginning of a beautiful job.  All nervousness and jitters aside, I know that this is pretty monumental.  I’ve changed job paths and am pursuing a bonafide career.  Is this what people normally do?  Because it’s scaring the heck out of me.