Hi. It almost feels foreign to me now, sitting in front of the computer. I've only written one post over the past week which is, to say the least, uncharacteristic. Also, to say the least, I’ve been busy. As I type, I’m watching the clock which tells me that I have less than 45 minutes before I need to leave for work. This is day six of a 13-day stretch of 8+ hour days, and I’m already starting to feel the burn. I had to order new slip-resistant shoes because I literally walked through the tread of my first pair that I started wearing on October 1st. I don’t average 20,000 steps every day at the Xcel Center, but it’s pretty darn close.
Last night was one of the slowest game-nights yet, which was preceded by the busiest overall Wild game ever, two nights before. Slow nights are worse than busy because there is the opportunity to watch the clock go by at a snail’s pace, and there is nothing for me to do up there in the kitchen, except for watch the game on T.V. which is frustrating because of the delay from live game-play. So, I hear the crowd reacting to something, and then I have to wait ten seconds to see what happened. I know; first-world problems. But ten seconds!
When I get home from a typical game night, my socks are stuck to my feet, I favor my left leg for walking, and my body is clammy overall. There is a general aroma of caramelized onions from my top, to my bottom, and my shirtsleeves are covered in beef juices; my chef-coat is wrecked.
Yet I persist. I wake up, and I wonder what I can accomplish this coming day, and I get up motivated to grab this day by the pussy (to quote your president) and do with it as much as I can. There are a few of us in the kitchen; a solid few who come in with bright eyes and determination. A few who don’t hear when others cry at their given tasks, and focus on what we need to do, then help others when our work is done.
Recently, a few individuals have been reprimanded for not accomplishing their work in a timely fashion. I have been ridiculed and told I have been doing too much by these very people, and I simply say that that’s how I work. I get done what I am asked to do, and more. This is why I have been promoted, and given a raise, and similarly why they complain about their wage and are stuck at the bottom. Drive. It’s what I have, and I won’t be held back in any area of my life, anymore.
For the record, I was always the one holding myself to a standard easily attained. My focus was on what happened before and after work, never realizing that what you do at work determines what you can do with your free time. I can do what I want, buy what I want, and eat wherever and whatever I want because I make a decent salary now, and I never would have put that puzzle together when I was drinking.
Yesterday, on impulse, I bought tickets to see Tom Petty with Joe Walsh. I’ve seen Tom before, but Joe Walsh is bucket list for me, and I’m grateful I had the means to do what I wanted to do.
And now it’s time to get ready for work.
