It’s 6:30 pm. I’m tired, hungover, and bored. My room smells a little bit like fish, and I just don’t have it in me to care. I’ve got the window cracked open, and that will have to do.
I’m not sure if anyone will ever read this. If anything I think I’m doing it for myself. Kinda wish i did this a few months ago before I started school, as a thing I could look back on later. On the off chance that someone does indeed read this, I guess a little background is called for.
My name is Cory Meyer, and Friday will be my 25th birthday. I live alone in San Francisco in my school’s dorm, and until just recently I more or less only existed online. I’ve been in school since the middle of February, and as of this date I (believe) I still have a 4.0 g.p.a.
School might be the only place where I even feel normal. Well, that and online. I’m an introverted person, and sometimes life just isn’t easy. It’s hard to feel like myself when I’m in the world. I don’t tell the people I care for the way I feel. I just don’t know how. I’ve got some friends, some people I’d consider really good friends, actually. I’m not so bad once I know someone.
I find it easier to relate to people online. Over the last few years I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time playing World of Warcraft. (WoW) It’s a fully immersive fantasy game. I’ve met some people through this game that in many cases I’d consider them as good, or in some cases better, friends, as anyone I’ve ever met in real life (IRL) I’m not really sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. There are some people I genuinely care for, and I’m pretty sure in some respects that it’s mutual. I guess that can’t really be a bad thing, even if it might not be conventional.
I stopped playing before I came to school, and I went so far as to uninstall the game and sell my account. It’s one thing I don’t ever see myself going back to. For that matter, I don’t see myself ever getting involved in anything even remotely similar to that. It’s like a drug, only worse.
I still keep in touch with most of the people I considered friends. It’s not like you can just cut that shit off. For that matter, I’m not sure I even want to. It might just be that extra push I need to get out there and really force myself into the world 100%, but you know – oh well.
Not sure why I really am able to feel normal when I’m at school. I feel like I belong. I’m with similarly like-minded people. I can’t put my finger on why or how, but I managed to be in a class with amazing people and we gelled almost instantly.
I love school. It feels like it started yesterday, but I’ve already went through 9 weeks of classes. Our first 6 weeks were broken down into 3 classes per day. Starting with a basic skills class for the first half of the day, we started with the basics of basics. Using a knife properly. From there we progressed to stocks, sauces, soups, and finally to different cooking techniques. Starting with how to cook simple grains like rice, to potatoes and eggs, to finally spending whole classes learning how to roast, braise, fry, sautee and all that. I really loved that class.
The rest of the day was broken in half with 2 other classes. A safety/sanitation course designed to help you get acquainted with the different health hazards and safety problems with a kitchen, and a “success/strategy” class. The safety/sani class is really kinda straight forward. They might as well rename it, “How to pass a health inspection” class. Nonetheless, it was useful information and I’m serv-safe-certified in the government’s eyes.
The last class we had was the success strategy class. There’s more to being an executive chef than cooking. You’re part manager, friend, villain, everything. This class was designed in part how to ’succeed’ in school; taking notes, becoming serious and identifying your priorities. Stuff like that. The other half, the half I think was actually useful and relevant to myself, was made to help you understand different types of personality types and learning styles. It’s a great tool to be able to identify different people and be able to talk to them on their own level.
I had 3 great teachers, and honestly I think it made a lot of difference.
Those classes took up the first 6 weeks of school. We then had spring break. Now, people are supposed to look forward to spring break, right? Not me. I think there’s something inherently wrong with not looking forward to spring break. Oh well. It sucked. I was bored. BORED. For fuck’s sake, I was bored on my own vacation. Too much time in the real world I guess.
I wish I had used that time to get a job, but instead I aimlessly drank most nights away. It’s not that I didn’t want to get a job, or for that matter, still want to get a job – I just can’t get myself to get started. I’m one of those people that are 100 or 0. If I do something I do it to the core. I am passionate beyond belief in this respect, and I just don’t half-ass anything. I’m also a procrastinator, and usually that first step is all that keeps me back in life. I just can’t force myself to get myself OUT THERE and actually actively find a job. I need the money, I need the experience, and I’d love to have something to do with my free time. There’s no logical reason for me to not be working right now – but here I am. At home on a Saturday night, when any respectable member of the culinary world is probably hard at work right now.
That being said, the last three weeks after spring break were great. I had just one class per day – butchery. They split our class in half, and honestly I couldn’t be happier with the way it all split. If I had to pick the people in my class, it wouldn’t have turned out all that much differently. I learned a lot, had a lot of fun, and retained a ton of information. At the same time, honestly – it was time to finish that class. It really took its toll on me. I can’t walk down the street now without seeing a dog and being like oh, well you’d just cut off the foot at the ankle, follow the leg to the knee and cut off the shank, go up and around the hind leg and follow the contour of the bone and cut off the leg. Skin it, cure it and hey we’ve got ourselves doggy ham.
I learned what there is to know, got a good feel for handling product, and now I get to move on. That class, overall, was awesome. Chef Allen Calhoun was awesome. I hope I get him again for another class down the line.
Monday starts a week of computer classes. We’ve got software/application stuff like excel and quicken for a week, and then 2 weeks of purchasing/kitchen math. Honestly it’s probably great information, and stuff I’ll need to know down the line. That being said, I’m not entirely sure I’m looking forward to it. Oh well, that’s life. On the bright side, I’ll get to see the other half of our original class. There’s a lot of people in there that I miss, and I’m looking forward to seeing again.
This entry really turned out long, I really wish I got to this months ago. I really credit David (espydon for those of you from WoW) for giving me the inspiration to get off my ass (figuratively, I’m definitely still sitting on my ass) and get this started.
I really should get started on laundry. I’ve got nothing clean for Monday. Nothing. At all. Butchery really took its toll on my uniforms. This smell is actually starting to get to me. Kinda glad I won’t have to filet any fish next week.
