This way of life I lead...

While my frequency of posting on my blog is sporadic at best-I think about my blog daily. I will always be happy that I began doing this 5 years ago and all I will regret is how I never pursued it more actively. It is easy, as an aspiring writer, to be intimidated by others who may have more experience writing. What do I write about? Is it possible that I wont sound stupid? Probably not.
Lately, I have been thinking about the path in life I chose. While this blog began about my trials and errors of a home cook-it was not meant to imply that my experiences in a restaurant or bar are limited as well. I have inadvertently made a 15 year (and counting) career out of the restaurant business. I didn't mean to. I have a degree in Psychology for God's sake. I'm supposed to be lobbying for the reform and elimination of abstinence-based sexual education programs in public schools!
Instead I work with the general public. I simplify the complexities that are, ordering food. Not complicated, you say? You're right its not...not until I give you the menu and see what amazing translation you come up with for such expressions as: 'two', 'or', 'and your choice of' or '6 oz glass'. My job isn't service. It's reading your expressions when I describe the specials and wait for you to cringe or get excited when I mention the fish special. It's to parlay your little bitchy comments about spice or avocado into recommendations of entrees without. My job is picking up on both the subtle and non-subtle cues you give me and remember them in hopes that you notice and are impressed.
I do love this business. I love the detail, I love the potential for both myself and my client, I love teaching someone new how to pay attention to such detail. I have grown to accept that a manicure for me is a big waste of money. My nails will never be long and shiny and my hands will always be rough, callused and crack in the winter. I will always go to work in a uniform and be treated as the 'help' by people who cant miss an episode of Top Chef. And yet, my friends will always think its cool that I don't sit in an office every day, but work in a kitchen. They will never RSVP 'no' to my dinner party without a really good reason, because they know their missing out on an amazing meal. And they value my opinion of a restaurant more than yours because I don't judge a restaurant by the quality of their cheese quesadillas.
I offer these comments to you not to be snide, but to offer perspective. Knowledge is nothing without the mental capacity to view it from a variety of angles.