Egg-cited? (file under the things we do)

We keep on hearing in the news about the impending economic doom. While I don’t think, unlike Chicken Little, that the Canadian sky is about to fall, it is undeniable that the economy has seen better days. Unlike all the other naysayers though I don’t feel that this is going to be a long correction. I don’t say this to lessen the impact that the recession will have though I tend to see things as half full rather than half empty.

At Without Reservation, our owner, is a good guy. His concern is less for his own pocket than that of the employees that depend on him to feed themselves, shelter and clothe themselves. As such, as is often the case, when I was having a cigarette with Chef, I looked at him and had a eureka moment. We already have the space. The location is a fixed cost and we currently are not utilizing it to realize our full economic potential. WHY ARE WE NOT DOING BREAKFAST? We are in a location that has a captive early morning customer base (the early morning overseas traders) who catch a bite between their overseas orders and the morning bell.

Chef walked back into the kitchen and approached the owner right away saying that I had had a great idea. What if we did breakfast? At first he seemed unsure. But as I assured him that I would be willing to do all the necessary work he warmed to it. As such I designed a flyer to be distributed in the building and set to work on a menu. Chef and I played back and forth with the menu and with the owners input came up with a menu that seemed both workable and appetizing.

Breakfast is a no brainer to me. Of course it will require me to get up at five in the morning in order to get to work for six. As I said in my last post I’m not making enough hours to survive. As such, by doing breakfast, I will be getting eight hours a day, from six until two and making my survival a little easier.

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals during the day, although most days I don’t get to have one. When C is here I try to cook her a breakfast as much as possible. I love eggs. Bacon. Toast. Omelettes and the like. And moreover, it is another cornerstone of the culinary world that I can get under my belt.

The owner has decided that we are going to give it a good shot. A solid run of two months to prove that it works. I think it will. It just seems to make sense. While I may not necessarily enjoy waking up at five in the morning I will enjoy that I will be able to come home and study for several hours while the sun is up.

Plus, I have a wedding to think about, rent that needs to be paid and food that I need to eat. Survival is not always pretty. But I always have and always will find a way. Plus if breakfast doesn’t work (though I’m sure it will) I always have the opportunity to find a second job in order to ensure that my dream continues on the course it is.

So if any of you know anybody that needs a hardworking, talented, quick study who is a team player and extremely motivated, let me know, cause I might just need that second job. But in the meantime, eggs anyone?

John Gunther once said; “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” I don’t know about all happiness but certainly some of it.

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM

Survival (file under Dreams ain’t always easy)

When I left Reservation to join Without Reservation though I was working a ridiculous number of hours I was making enough money to live. Currently I have been working less hours (last week because I was sick) and this week because we are in a period of transition. It is difficult given my current hours to survive. By survive I mean pay my rent, get to and from work, buy cigarettes and groceries. This will change and I will use the next post to explain how. However, I know that if the hours remain what they are I will have to search out a second job so that I can afford to live.

When I moved to without Reservation I was under the impression (as that was what I was assured because I knew I could not live on less than I was making at Reservation) that I would get between forty and fifty hours a week. As it stands I have been lucky to get between thirty five and forty five hours a week. Of course it always appears that the grass is greener and in this case (for the time being) it is. But it would really be difficult for me to get a second job just to meet my survival and continue the level of intensive studying that I have been doing.

But nobody ever said that living your dream was going to be easy. Nor should it be. I have and will always find a way.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox once wrote; “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

Is there any doubt for any of you that I am not determined? I know that I am and that I will get to where I need to go for myself.

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM