new job!

Well well it's been a bit since I posted, things have been busy! I started a new job as a kitchen assistant a week after we moved in. I get up at at about 5-5:30 am, do some yoga, make myself a green smoothie, and get to work around 6:45-7:00. What's a green smoothie? Simply some chopped fresh fruit (e.g. an apple and ripe banana, orange, or pear), a generous handful of leafy greens (e.g. kale, spinach, parsley, or just some romaine among many others), and I like to add a small source of healthy fat like a tablespoon of ground flax seed or flax oil. Sometimes a dash of lemon juice. Blended in a blender, the smoothie turns bright green but tastes of the fruit, unless you put too many greens in, but it's kind of hard to do. (Careful with parsley, it's really strong....must be a small handful paired with a strong fruit like a very ripe mango or pineapple.)

At the same time (about 3 days before I started my new job) I gave up coffee and soda. I got a bit of a headache (as to be expected) but not nearly the type I've gotten in the past from caffeine withdrawl. I'd like the think the smoothies and the yoga helped. Either way I feel pretty good, but getting up early than I'm used to has been wiping me out around 8 or 9 pm. With time I hope to get used to the hours and stay up a little later so I can spend more time with Erich in the evening. However, I do like getting done with work between 12-2 pm and having a sunny afternoon to enjoy. :)

Here's my new job: Alpha Delights

Granted it's only been a week, but good so far: I'm a kitchen assistant, so I have done mostly prep work and preparing dishes for the cafe, but eventually I will learn some cake decorating and some bakery work. The best part? I get to resurrect my old scarfs to wear in the kitchen, since I need to have my hair covered. When I graduated school and got an "adult" job I thought I'd lost them to weekends forever...now I can go find some fun fabrics and make some more! So far I have learned how to supreme an orange (cut it out of the pith for pretty decorations), make a roux (water/flour mixture to thicken soups), hollandaise sauce, how to assemble almost all of the meals (not too hard) and have locked away a few recipe ideas to try at home. Also how to rolls croissants, but that's easy. The hard party will be making the dough, which involves 27 layers of butter/dough. Ever wonder what makes them so flaky? It is the butter. Mmmm.

I can't remember who I filled in on my little plan here...so in review: in December I quit grad school and my job, and decided to pursue a career in food. Good food for the soul and for healthy bodies, and a happy katie. That means a little of everything: healthy veggie-centered meals and the occasional homemade bagel or pastry, and even some homemade ice creams and cakes. The bakery seems like a great place to learn a lot and use as a springboard to future opportunities in a few years when I've learned some things. I'm done trying to be happy following the formula (lots of school, lots of student loan debt, job you don't really like so you can pay for all the stuff you want). From now on I'm doing what makes me happy, not trying to climb a social ladder on which I never had solid footing. While the pay cut stings, I'm in the fortunate position that some good budgeting and cautious spending will (hopefully) keep us caught up with the bills for now.

So. Here I am. I think tomorrow I will wear the pink bandana.