August 20
From my brain
Contents |
2010
Me 05:46, 20 August 2010 (EDT)
Ya know how you know you haven't been keeping your blog up to date? When the website makes you log in because you haven't done so in awhile.
Anyway, below is the reason why I haven't been posting lately. That's what my head's been filled with.
- Attn: Bradford School
- Mr. B, President
- Chef M, Culinary Program director
- MH, Culinary Career Services Director
- RE: Available options for my externship
- I often communicate my thoughts better in writing, so this letter is a summation of all the options we have put together thus far from meetings and interpersonal communications (whether in person or second-hand) regarding my externship. I have fully reviewed all of the options, consulting family members, fellow classmates, and mentors both within and outside of the school.
- Continue my coursework on schedule, and obtain a local (or at least continental U.S.) externship. Following graduation in February, I go to Italy on my own.
- Either immediately following the International term or following the “four week sprint” (when most people begin their externship), I withdraw from classes, go to Italy, and when I complete a stay there, return to CCI, and obtain a local externship. In this case, I would graduate with the June class.
- Complete my “four week sprint”, withdraw from CCI, go to Italy for as long as necessary, and simply forgo completing my degree.
- Work out a way to go to Italy and have it count as my externship.
- Thus far, the first option has been lackluster. All local options in Columbus are typically of a corporate chains or large-scale factory production operations. Few locations are of a hands on artisan nature. The primary local option which has been brought up is “The Bread Basket” in Gahanna. While this location is more of the style I’m seeking, while Mr. R was in the process of selling me on the idea, in the very same conversation, I was also told that our school’s head pastry chef didn’t like their quality. This provides little faith for me in the quality of learning experience I will have there.
- The second option is something we’ve spoken of at length. Each of us has worked some angle of this option and it has held the most potential thus far. However, after further review, I realize that it has dire financial implications for me. My entire stay at CCI has been supplemented by the fact that I’m receiving unemployment benefits. My continued unemployment benefits rely on the fact that I’m enrolled in school, or otherwise I must seek employment each week. If I’m not technically enrolled in school, personally “studying abroad” will not count for the State of Ohio’s benefits. My stay in Italy is unpaid (save for room and board), and so therefore, I’ll be completely out of income.
- Option three, truth to be told, has been something I have been prepared to do from the moment I received any push-back. Hypothetically, an individual could graduate from a career academy with an Associates degree, and obtain a job with a number of recommendation letters from their chefs and instructors, and do alright for themselves. Likewise, that same individual could halt their studies, go to Rome and work for three solid months on their own for a chef. Returning to the states, when that person is questioned, “Why did you not complete your degree?” The response to that question could simply be, “My school was unwilling to accept my studies in Italy as a valid location for my externship. However, here is the [glowing] recommendation letter from the Michelin star accredited chef I worked under for three months in Rome, Italy.” From the professional and personal opinions of the dozen or more individuals I referred to in the first paragraph, the magnitude of that experience greatly outweighs a piece of paper stating the individual has an Associates degree.
- Still though, that option three has the exact same issues as option two has with regards to my financial status. I would still not be enrolled in school, and would still not be able to collect unemployment benefits. There is a potential for obtaining a paid externship at the Hassler Hotel, but that is still a floating potential, not a certainty. Therefore, let’s focus on number four.
- In our meeting the other day, the primary concerns presented by Mr. B were that the school had no lines of communication (language barrier) should anything bad happen, and that distance was a factor (time delay). There was also the issue of liability – again “should anything bad happen” – for the Bradford that other schools deal with by having a service provider paid to be a middleman. Bradford school currently cannot afford such an outgoing step. Rather than focus on the communication issues and the financial issues for the school, let’s put the focus on what can get this to work, rather than what’s impeding it from working.
- I have asked exactly what qualifies as an externship, and everything in the handbook and what we’ve spoken of privately speaks only of working under the supervision of an executive chef and the number of days and hours of work. Chef Apreda easily meats the first requirement, and the personal financial investment I’m willing to put into journeying to Italy leaves no room for me to even consider not working while I’m over there.
- Therefore, I ask what criteria I must meet in order for my chosen location for an externship to be allowed. Provide the criteria for me, and I will do everything in my power to meet it. Both Bradford as well as I myself invested a great deal of time and effort into the end result of me obtaining my degree. Let’s all focus on what it will take to get the job completed, rather than what is blocking the way.
- I look forward to your reply.
- Sincerely,
2008
Me 09:12, 20 August 2008 (EDT)
I guess it's only fitting that today I end up going to visit Zejan. I feel like a complete and total schmuck for not having gone in two months. There's been so much complete and utter bullshit that I've been waging war against in my life and I've neglected the predicament that he's in.
Those things are slowly starting to straighten themselves out. They're not done, far from it, but I'm working on it.*
Me 17:30, 20 August 2008 (EDT)
The indecisiveness is nearly coming to a close. Just sent a couple big emails out to a two individuals in the guild who have been raising quite a ruckus. In the words of Bill Cosby's wife...
I am fried.
- three guildies causing issues
- the house still not sold
- going to visit Zejan tonight
- dealing with so much bullshit lately I don't even get a chance to play the game
- bored out of my mind at work (and stalled at every turn on when the new position is coming down)
- a monstrous stack of beta keys to dole out (way more than what we need)
- facing the fact Wifey is going to have to get a job
- we're broke this week. bad broke.
- told the guys officially today that on Friday Lunch, I'm out for the foreseeable future
- I'm pissing off a friend more than I'm helping them
- I don't sleep, I barely eat at work, and yet I still get out of bed every day, smile and go about the same routine, day in, day out, passing out when I get home.
Maybe my meds are off again. I know I didn't take my thyroid meds yesterday. Maybe that did something. I don't know. I do know though that I'm cracking. Bad.
Hopefully the emails I just sent out will kill those two issues. Right now, with the handful of problem children I have in the guild, I want to just ask all of them -- as their issues are all interrelated -- to log onto their alts. Then, once I have the whole lot of them assembled, I start dropping their mains from the guild one by one. When they pick their jaws up from the floor, I proceed to nuke their alts too...starting with the ones they're logged in as.
Shut up! This is my fantasy! /muhahahaa
Then there's the other idea of having my friend K from work come into the guild. I promote her up to the Officer rank, have HER boot them out, then quit. I'll do the same for the problem children in her guild.
My favorite though? We call a guild meeting. We go to the guild house. Everyone is expected to attend unless they have some pressing real-life engagement. When everyone is assembled, I state
- Due to the asshattery that's been exhibited by certain individuals as of late, I have elected to cleanse the guild. Please whisper me for an invite.
...and then I disband the guild.
Don't look at me like that. Shut up! I know I'm a spineless jellyfish and wouldn't do any of it.
But it puts a smile on my face. :)
2005
Me 00:21, 20, August 2005 (EDT)
Happy Anniversary ASBAON!!!!
Domain Name: ASITEBYANYOTHER.NAME Term: 1 year(s) Price: $34.99 Exp. Date: 2006-08-20
2004
Making the journey of a thousand bytes...
Okay, so there's more data than that porting over, but whatever.
If you're in regular contact with someone who pops in occassionally to post but isn't on this list, lemme know. I'm gonna leave their accounts, but the blogs will go bye-bye by the end of the month (or whenever the portage occurs).
- Me (duh)
- Sterling
- Ellie
- PhrEEK
- Wiz
- Comixx
- Ceraun
- Mel (ask the Weasel if he still wants his...)
Also, I wanna clear up something: This is still E-I where, and as Zej had it. Tomorrow (paycheck willing) I purchase new domain, and obtain host.
More to come...
Me 22:50, 20, August 2004 (EDT)
Domain Registered, Blogspace Rented...
Now, Zej and I just gotta get together and move all this crap over...
And the funny thing is...I beat someone coming up with the idea for once! Sure, it's been a topic of various on-line articles (google), but just remember who came up with registering it KG...ME! That's right. I win!!!
/returns to lameville.
