Day 2

Hello.  This is Day 2 of my blog and an exciting Day 2 it is.  No, not really, at least not yet.  I started off today by going to the Starbucks by my place on my way to work.  I must say that the Starbucks on National Blvd is the BEST STARBUCKS I've ever been to.  Their staff is always friendly and although the line can be a bit of wait (usually not longer than 5 mins though) their baristas are so quick.  From placing my order to getting my drink, I probably only have to wait a couple minutes.  Quick service + friendly baristas + great drinks = BEST STARBUCKS EVER!  On top of all that, today the barista remembered my drink order.  She didn't remember my name yet but at least she recognized me.  That's always a plus.  It probably helps that I've gone to Starbucks the last 12 days straight.  I enjoy it there and hope I can just relax there one day instead of just stopping by on my way to work.

Last night, I made pizza... again.  Haha, I think my blog yesterday about pizza kind of inspired me but I used leftover dough from the last pizza session instead of making fresh dough.  This time it turned out pretty good.  I rolled out the dough thinner than last time and it got really crispy except for the center of the pizza that was probably drenched with all the toppings (leftover steak, tomatoes, orange bell peppers, prosciutto, olive oil, monterey jack cheese, parmigiano reggiano, basil leaves, thyme).  Also, I baked it differently.  The oven was at 400 degrees and I had a baking sheet pre-heating in the oven upside.  Once the oven and sheet were hot I placed the pizza on top of the baking sheet and left it in there for about 10 minutes.  It turned out great and I may make some more pizza again today, but change up the toppings a little bit.  Pizza is the best way to get rid of random ingredients you may have in your fridge.  Fried rice also works wonders as a way to clean out your fridge too; and it just so happens that that's what I made last night too.  I had to make lunch for today. =)

So, I was thinking about what I may want to post about today and something from "The Noticer" popped into my head.  This is my recollection of what was said.  I apologize if it's not completely verbatim.  "There are 5 seagulls on a pier.  One seagull decides to fly away.  How many are left on the pier?"

If you answered "4", just like the person in the book did, you may be surprised the find that "4" may be an incorrect answer (I say "may be an incorrect answer" because it depends on how you look at the question but then again that is the point).  The book says the correct answer is 5 because although the one seagull decided to fly away, it did not actually fly away.  Not until it actually flies away will there be 4 seagulls left on the pier.  This wasn't supposed to be a trick question, but rather a question where you can possibly learn to see things from a different perspective.  I, too, thought the answer was 4 and it may very well have been.  The seagull could have decided to fly away and then did just that.  But the question only says that the seagull decided to fly away.  So depending on your perspective the answer can be 4 or 5.

But the real point of the question was to get you to understand that deciding to do something and actually doing something are two completely different things.  This applies wholly to my own life.  A little more about me... I graduated from high school and attended college the following year.  I survived about 2 and 1/2 years before I was dismissed from school due to poor grades.  Entirely my fault.  I was given multiple chances to prove myself worthy of staying in school but I did not take advantage of those chances.  Remember when I said I was a completely lazy procrastinator?  See, it's true.  Nevertheless, I was dismissed from school but a great opportunity presented itself.  I was working in an office as  student and my supervisor left his position as I was dismissed.  So I applied for the job and got it.  I've been working full-time ever since and it's been rewarding.  I'm not trying to brag but I am making a decent amount of money and actually more than some of my diploma-in-hand friends.  Again, I'm not trying to brag but merely making the point that I am extremely lucky to be in the position that I am and I am thoroughly grateful for all the opportunities that befell on me.

However, as of lately, probably the last 4 months or so, my life has been changing.  As I mentioned, I moved into a new place by myself after ending an almost 2-year relationship with my ex-girlfriend; and although I am happy with my decision and what I'm doing day-to-day, I still have this yearning for something else.  I mean I should be happy.  I have a roof over my head, a good job, great friends, loving family, and everything else a person could ask for; but I think I need something new.  Or I need to finish what I started.  I have the desire to go back to school and when I was interviewing for my current job, I mentioned that I planned on going back to school to finish and get my degree but years later I still haven't.  I need to not only decide what I want to do but also act on my decision.

Another option that I have is Culinary School.  As you can probably tell, one of my great passions is cooking.  I love cooking, for myself or for other people.  I really do feel like I am in my element when I'm in the kitchen.  Whether it's making pizza, cooking fried rice, baking cookies, or just chopping vegetables, I'm happy.  So I recently, actually just yesterday, got an information brochure in the mail from Le Cordon Bleu.  I requested it last month and I've been receiving calls from one of their recruiters but I haven't picked up or returned her email yet because once I do, it kind of becomes real.  I'll actually be doing something to further a possible career and this kind of scares me.  I love cooking and if I were to become a chef, that would be oh so excellent but if I were to go to culinary school and then fail (like I previously did) that would be devastating to me.  Like I mentioned previously, I am a slight perfectionist and I hate to fail.  I hate the fact that I dropped out of college.  That is not something I usually do.  I am not a quitter.

I played sports competitively when I was little, not like club or anything but like little league.  I played soccer and baseball each for 8 years and won a few league championships here and there.  I played on the basketball team in junior high and on the golf team for a couple years in high school.  I was also in my high school's ASB all four years.  I was and still am an extremely hard worker.  I work hard at my current job and I strive to complete everything correctly, efficiently, and on time.  So this is why I hate the fact that I didn't finish college and I know my parents hate it too.

So, I think I am ready to make another decision in my life.  Whether I act on it or not is another thing though.  My decision is this.  I am deciding that I will go back to school.  I will speak to a counselor in a month or two and see what I can do to position myself to being re-enrolled in school.  This will probably require me to take classes over the summer, which I am happy to do, and get good grades, which I am hoping to accomplish.  From that I can hopefully be re-enrolled so that I can take probably a maximum of 2 classes a quarter since I plan on still working full-time.  Taking 2 classes a quarter will probably mean I will finish school in about 3 years, hopefully.  From there, I want to pursue a culinary career.  I want to take my passion for food and cooking and run with it.  I want to see where it takes me.  You may ask why go back to college and why not just go straight to culinary school?  Why spend the money on college?  Well my dear friends, the answer is simple.  I need to finish college for myself.  To prove to myself that I can do.  To prove to myself that I really am not a quitter.  To prove to myself that I really am smart enough.  To prove to myself that if I really put my mind to it, I can accomplish whatever it is.  Just like everybody else in the world.  If anybody sets their mind on a goal and actually works hard towards accomplishing that goal, it will happen - IT WILL HAPPEN.

Enough for right now... be back later.