Previous blog entries from the last couple of months

Blog 25 April, 2007


It is a national holiday in New Zealand, today- Anzac day. Anzac day is similar too US veteran’s day. I heard a great speech from the radical progressive Prime Minister David something. It was great, totally knocking the logic of the Nuclear detterant argument with a thrumming bass in the background. I ate it up, sitting in my car, listening to it in high volume, when it was time to turn off the car and head inside. I long for leadership that isn’t in the market of fear, but rather courage.

Let me reflect on the week Ive had. We are settling in to the new rental house in the modest Auckland neighbourhood of Point England. I am resisting really homing in, since I am not sure if we will stay here. The unsavoury surprise of cockroaches, fleas and latenight, loud, foulmouthed parties at the beach reserve just across the road. It almost sounds like Im not satisfied here, doesn’t it? I have been working a lot of hours this week. I started it out with a shift of temp work for the Relish group catering company. The facility is called Pinot and it is much more discriminating in the food realm than the company I usually work for which is called Creative Functions. I enjoy working there and the shifts are usually short in comparison to the 8-15 hour shifts at Creative. I then put in 38 hours on three days working on the huge meals serving between 200 and 650 as part of the Australian Tourism board. These were golfing affairs and “Gala Dinners” They were highly staffed and sometimes highly qualified chefs were swimming all over each other to do some job a monkey could do. I usually try to find my own tasks when this happens as I am unnerved by crowding over-eager workers. There is always some tensions when someone assembles a group of people who are often in charge in their normal domains. People assert their bossiness while others follow and then others rival. I am happy to assume a leadership role, if needed, but I have no interest in jousting for control in a “too many chiefs” arena.
Yesterday’s day started at 10 am and ended at 12:30 am. We worked with some travelling chefs from Rockbrook restaurant in Sydney. It was a good eye opener to what life might be like as a chef with a high degree of PR role. I am in the process of deciding between a position at a very exclusive resort about 45 minutes south of Auckland called Hotel Du Vin and taking a job as an Artisan baker at Wild Wheat here close to our new house. If it were a quality of life decision, strictly, then it would be easier. I would probably go for the baking and focus on writing, sewing and family (maybe not in that order!) with all the untaxed brain cells left. The other job would stretch me more skill- wise and would have advantages in the pay and advancement side of things. The whole quandary has nudged me get my resumè polished up for the Peter Jackson world, and perhaps eek my way out of food and rely on my imagination to make a living here in New Zealand. Today I will prepare the packet and get it ready to send. I also asked my friend who is somewhat an insider to shoot it at Wingnut studio from his vantage point. I am fishing with my resume as bait, its kind of fun, but bring a lunch and some warm clothes, it could take a while.