December 29, 2013

It's been a few months since I've posted, so Trav and I both wanted to give a few updates on what we've been up to lately.



-(Travis speaking...) So...the easiest summary of my emotions from the last year is that I'm tired of not seeing family & friends.  Working as a chef is a crazy commitment, which works a whole lot better if your family & friends are in a similar industry.  In Boston I would work ~2 PM-10:30 PM (or later) varied days of the week.  Here, there are a limited number of high quality restaurants that have a strong focus on true craftsmanship.  When we first moved here I interviewed at four restaurants & I was really torn about what my best option was; each had its positives and negatives.  One I would have to work Sundays and early mornings but would keep most nights free, another would be very high quality but would be long nights & weekends, the next would be highly entrepreneurial but would pay very little, and the last would be an actual chef position with many challenges.  I've frequently said that I think God wants us to make the tough choices rather than the easy ones, so I took the last position.  2 months of 80-hour work weeks later with little progress & a lot of friction, I decided it was best if I left this position.  On one hand, I got a thrill out of the creativity allowed.  For lunches I would make specials from anything from molé to ragus to Indian food; for dinners I got the chance to create multiple menu items like Dr. Pepper braised short ribs and French inspired cuisine.  Yet at the end of the day it was never worth it.  I would come home just to go to bed & start the cycle over again, while seeing Amy & friends on Sundays and Wednesdays nights only.

I stayed on for an additional month after I gave my notice so that I could try to find a new job...easier said than done.  After a month of this & several management discussions, I decided it was best if I left even though I did not have a position lined up.  This was definitely rough, but I still feel that it was my best option.  I still help out at the restaurant from time to time, but I'm never scheduled.  Currently, I am working as a temp at a logistics company while weighing my options.  I would love to teach and match Amy's schedule, but neither of us are exactly excited for more loans to make that sort of thing happen and I would really like to find more stable work right away.

As for keeping my foot in the food world, one exciting new option is opening up a stand at the Waco Downtown Farmer's Market.  I have been approved to start and really just need the appropriate equipment/resources to get going.  My current goal is to start off with a sleek two item menu.  One item would be more steady (like homemade ramen or smoked chili) and the other item would vary every week based on seasonality.  Each week I would use as many items from the other farmer's market vendors as possible.  This feels like a good balance because I would have a creative outlet, but would only have a minimum requirement of a day's work depending on weekly needs.


-(Amy speaking now..) As of Dec. 17, I finished the toughest portion of my teacher certification program. I've made it to the end of my night classes (hallelujah!), and passed both of my certification exams. So I am ready to get hired somewhere! I will be completely done with the program after 1 year of teaching, since Region 12 mentors me through the first year. As any teacher knows, there is a small window when most of the hiring for teaching positions happens. And winter is not that time. I am job searching, but there is just not much to be found right now. So I am still working with the sweet preschoolers at Academy for Creative Learning for now. I am thinking about substitute teaching this semester, but then once summer comes I would have to find something different for a few months. So we'll see. So glad to finally be certified though! And by the way, I am so grateful that I went through the program with an awesome group of women, and made lifelong friendships!
 (This has become my motto ever since I decided to go back to school in 2010)

-You know how movies and cartoons always depict the angel & devil on people's shoulders? Well, I feel like I am split in two as well. Not in the sense of good and bad, but within my passions. One side of me only cares about bettering the lives of children. As most people know, I absolutely love working with children. It makes my heart feel so full of joy and I believe it is perhaps my greatest "purpose" in life. I adore the kids I work with, and absolutely love the time I get with them each day. This is why I decided to become a certified teacher..so I could have more options as to how to better the lives of kids and pursue my passion.

But then there is the side of me that likes to feel unsatisfied and focus on my other passion. The side that is consumed with seeing the world, with films,with acting and big dreams. This is the side that if it were a trending hash tag would be called #firstworldproblems. I have always had an obsession with adventure..with traveling as much as I possibly can..with completely losing myself in films..with pursuing acting and modeling. So it's often hard to tell that whole side of me that it has to be put on silent mode for now. I get frustrated because I love change, and feel like a gypsy. I always want to explore new places and pursue new adventures. And therefore since I love those things, I also hate money. Because money, in the form of many loans, airline tickets, bills, and rent is always what stands in the way. I have hope that Trav and I will get to do things like see Europe together someday, but the spoiled side of me was sure that it would be before we were 30. Because if you want something bad enough, it will happen...right? The reality is that sometimes dreams get put on hold. And until then, there are many blessings to focus on. This past month I auditioned for a role in To Kill a Mockingbird at the Waco Civic Theatre and was so thrilled when I got it! So I am extremely grateful for unique opportunities like that. I am so excited to be a part of what I know will be a thrilling show.

p.s. Maybe it is no coincidence that my role model in life is the woman who so beautifully embodied both sides of my dreams:

We wish all of our friends and family a very blessed 2014! I am so excited for all that lies ahead in this new year!