In a way my ultimate fascination is in watching the moments of my life unfold, I have tough time saying no, and have a habit of challenging myself, which mean dealing, insecurity and moments of being overwhelm, learning to brake it down to it’s bit size basics and such, dealing with mistakes and failures, as honestly as with victories, learning and carrying on. (The most horrifying is plumbing. Screw up something, and running away isn’t an option - and the psychological dance with oneself, between all one knows, ‘you’ve done this, you understand it, just do it. Buckling down, dealing with it, the moment, stop making things worse, go back to what I know, soberly assess the situation, arrive at a solution, question the heck out of it, but at one point one must act. And by and by, one thing is resolved and the next challenge crops up its head. Fortunately I’ve done no plumbing lately.
Now retired I think back on what made a difference, such as realizing that being there and caring about doing a good job goes a hell of long way, if you’re willing to pay attention and learn.
So now I’m half way through my cinderella weekend. This year for the first time I wasn’t involved in lining up the food donations, and things were looking pretty sketchy up to last week - (because of COVID, employee drought, etc, not because of me!), but fear goes a long way and the Board members are very proud of our Greenroom, so they engaged and by Thursday evening, we were looking okay, all the holes filled and ready to go.
But, with communication being what it can be in a fast paced world, we were left guesses just how much food would arrive. But we knew main bases were covered, volunteers lined up and food promised, and we’d deal with what rapid fire happens in the real world when the times come. Now at 2:30, I’m still absorbing the quantity of food that arrives, bowled me over, which created all sort of unexpected logistics challenges, and no time for farting around, the roller coast is in motion folks. People waiting to eat and all that.
From my own observational plane recalling all the decisions and the various people who jumped to, along with the space I was given in the kitchen - in previous years our relationship with the Hotel was frayed and I really needed to do a diplomatic dance. New owners, new crew, new attitude, everyone bending over backward to accommodate us.
Meaning, suddenly when I had food coming out the ears, rather than my one speed rack, I was suddenly taking over another, and chef is there, no problem, we’ll move this and this, have at it.
I was a life long worker, fast paced jobs were one had to pay attention or pay rough consequences, and it was fun, if you’re surrounded with good people and everyone is focused on accomplished the same feat. One hand washes the other and all that. And what can I say, old me freaky deeky absent minded but all that is the mind, - I’m a banquet wizard, my body, reflexes, muscle memory and job memory, so many little things to be done, takes too long to explain to others, they are taking care of the basic function of serving food and watching the door, not expected to think of all the nuances taking place during an event.
For me it’s fascinating to no end and I’ll tell you, with my initial recognition and now a couple years of appreciating for the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide soaking in, it’s all taken on even more texture. But, I really should be taking a quick nap, so enough.
