I added alot of my pictures to my page. They are from NY and the Bahamas. Check'em out! I hope you like!

Not too many people I have met, say they love their job. It is work, and that's what you do, WORK. I have a passion for cooking. I also have the great desire to please people. I had THE BEST job EVER. But, it's gone. Literally, gone.

I worked for SunCruz Casino boat. I was a cook. I loved to come in, in the morning, prep food for lunch, send it out, prep food for dinner, etc. Two weeks ago, we all, lost our jobs. It was on the news, I beleive, the day they told us the boat was not to return to the Port of Palm Beach.

"The money wasn't coming in as planned. We spent too much to get this operation going, to see it failing. We are sorry to tell you all, but the boat will not be returning to this port." That is what they told us all on Friday the 28th, in a cramped office. There were dealers, pit bosses, cooks, bartenders, cocktail waitresses, managers, EVERYONE. We all got the bad news together. Thats how we worked, together. I don't think I have seen a place run so smoothly, because all the employee's worked TOGETHER. We were all very upset to get the news.

I really can't imagine other people working in that kitchen, and running it the way we did. I understand the casino was not making much money, but it is off-season now. How could they cut us before season actually started? The snowbirds haven't even started flying down yet. They would have probably made the SunCruz so busy, and making so much profit, the owners would have said they'd stay. But they didn't wait. We are all so sad.

I hope to find a job that I like as much as I loved this one. I think it will be nearly impossible, but I am up for the challenge.  If anyone knows of a place, that needs a SOUS CHEF, LEAD LINE COOK, or EXECUTIVE CHEF, please let me know. I am looking for a good quality job, with benefits, prefferably in Palm Beach County. If there is something elsewhere, let me know, I will consider it.

 

This message is basically an update for the conversation I was having one day this week with a few ladies on Wildspace Chat. We were chatting about Things that are wrong with food that come from factories, etc. I found this artical on AOL. I am not claiming any responsibility for this artical at all, I simply copied and pasted it.  Please read:

Botulism Cases Force Huge Meat Recall
AP
Posted: 2007-07-22 07:37:55
Filed Under: Health, Nation
WASHINGTON (July 22) - A Georgia meat processor on Saturday expanded its recall of canned meat products that may be connected to a botulism outbreak.

Castleberry's Food Co. of Augusta recalled more than 80 types of canned chili, beef stew, corned beef hash and other meat products in addition to the 10 brands it had recalled Thursday.

Cans of chili sauce made at the Castleberry's plant were found in the homes of an Indiana couple and two children in Texas who had been hospitalized with botulism. All four are expected to survive.

Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Such bacteria are commonly found in soil.

The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday that an equipment malfunction may have been responsible for the contamination.

On Saturday, FSIS said the malfunctions at the Augusta processing plant may have existed longer than initially estimated.

Castleberry's, which is owned by Bumble Bee Seafoods LLC and based in San Diego, voluntarily expanded the recall.

Castleberry's senior vice president Steve Mavity said: "We believe we have isolated the issue to a situation of under-processing on one line of our production facility. As an extra precaution to the recall we announced on Wednesday, we have shut down this line altogether and are recalling all products produced on it."

Brand names of the recalled products include Austex, Best Yet, Big Y, Black Rock, Bloom, Bryan, Bunker Hill, Castleberry's, Cattle Drive, Firefighters, Food Club, Food Lion, Goldstar, Great Value, Kroger, Lowes, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Prudence, Southern Home, Steak N Shake, Thrifty Maid, Triple Bar and Value Time. The recall also includes four varieties of Natural Balance dog food.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Castleberry's at 1-888-203-8446.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-07-22 07:02:03

 

Everyone @ work has that certain someone that always gives them a hard time, right! Well, mine is now my boss. A month ago, she wasnt. Now, she is! She suspended me today, because I asked her why she treats me like a bitch since she got the new position. Let me break it down for you. I am a chef. She is a waitress. At least she was when she started with the company like 8 years ago. She went from being a waitress to food runner to bartender to assistant food and beverage manager. Now, she is the manager. She is nice and all, but she has this thing about working with woman. I dont know why, but when she is around another woman, the eyes start rolling, the whispers start, its basic childish BS. Oh, she is like 6 years younger than me.

Ok, so, I have held her position before @ a different company, and I relly didnt like, and really would not want to do it again. But, she thinks I want her job. I really don't. I prefer to stay in the kitchen making the food. Instead of on the cell phone all day and night, talking up a storm to whoever listens. Wait, maybe I do want that job!!!!! J/K!

I had a run in with her today. I asked her, after being there for like 10 minutes, if she worked yesterday. And she was like, when yesterday. I said, YESTERDAY! And she is like, I only worked at night! I said ok, how was it? Busy, not so much???She said I shouldnt be out there chit chatting with her, I should be getting food ready for lunch. I said I was talking to her, my boss, what was the problem. She just looked at me. I got up and walked outside to the truck we keep food in. I walked back in, and went up to her, and asked her if I could talk to her. She said sure, so I waited. Like 5 minutes later, she came to me and said, lets talk. Ok, so she wants to take me to this "soft count" room. It is a room on the boat, where all the money is counted. I said NO. I am not going into the room where my entire conversation is recorded." Then she opens the door, and tells me to go in, again, I refuse. She asked what I need to speak to her about. I tell her, I say, "WHY ARE U TREATING ME LIKE SUCH A   B I T C H, since you got this position." She tells me to get into the room. Again, I refuse. I know there are certain rules to follow at work, but I am nobodys puppy! I don't doddle on command! I told her, I dont want the conversation to be recorded, it was between her and I and not the company. So, then she says if we are going to talk about this, to go into the room. I went into the room, knowing!!!!! I go! Then she says, so, you think I treat you like a bitch, I said "I have nothing to say." She says it again, and so do I. And again, and again. Then she calls our corporate boss. She walks out of the room, and far away so I cant hear! Like I am stupid or something. She has NEVER a position of autority, and does not know how to handle it. The first week, it totally went straight to her head! She ignored EVERYONE and then when she came down off her cloud, no one wanted to speak to her.

What is really funny, is we just had a class @ work yesterday, about communication. And then is stuff happens.

So, she comes back, and I am back working. She told me if I have anything to say to her, to go to the soft count room to talk. And the supervisor has to go to. I said fine. Actually, what happened, is the fan in the hood was so loud, I had to have her repeat it 4 times, cuz I couldnt hear her!!!!! She got more pissed.

So, according to her, at the end of the day, she comes up with this suspension for me. It was twisted around to look like I had called her a B I T C H! I refused to sign it until I talked to the corporate manager. And even after I did, he said I didnt have to sign it, but I was still suspended for 3 days! Thats fine with me. I can use the break from work. I just wish it was like 2 weeks ago when I went to NYC!

So, I didnt sign the form, I read it, but didnt sign it. And I left after asking a few question, which pissed her off. Then she tells me that I am being too bossy to people, and she is hearing it from managers. And, I have made 2 sports bets, since I started there over 4 months ago, and she said I am going to the sports betting desk too much. And I am watching TV too much, and I am doing too many other things wrong! Well shoot me! Seems I can't do anything right these days.

Being a woman, in a kitchen full of men, I can't do a D A M N thing right! I ask someone to do something, I am being bossy. If I don't ask them to help me, I am a B I T C H !!!!!! Where does this vicious cycle end? Do I have to get a job with all women, who will call me a B I T C H just for looking at them, or stay where I am and be called that by not asking for help. I can't win one way or the other!

I had sooooooooooooooooooooo much fun in New York this past weekend. Not so much fun going and coming back, but while I was there, the time flew by so fast.........

Ok, so here's how it went. I go to the airport @ 10 am for a 11:52 flight, which has been CANCELLED!!!!!!!! I arranged for standby on the next flight out to NY, but it goes to JFK instead of LaGuardia. No problem, right. WRONG!!!!! Delta said they would pay for ground transportation to the hotel, if I took the JFK flight. They didn't. It was posted in the computer for them to give me free transportation, but they refuse. So, I took the subway, because, since I am not from there, I ASK for the easiest way to get to the Hudson Hotel. The Delta Manager says, "take the train, its easy, and fast. You'll be there in the same time as if you took a taxi." So, I take the airtrain to the A train. Two hours later.........I arrive @ 59th & 8th. Not bothered at all by this, since I am going to change, and go to the concert.

I check in, get the concert tix, and I am ready to change. I go back downstairs, and talk to the conceirge. He said I could get a taxi to the Giants Stadium for around $100.00. I decide to go back to the subway, go to Penn Station, and on to Secaucus. When I get there, I am running to get the shuttle to the stadium. But guess what, the shuttle has stopped running to the stadium. Oh, did I mention, it is 7:30 by now. So, I am running around trying to find someone to tell me how to get there, and I come across two guys going to the stadium. I told them about the shuttle, and we get a cab. I did MANY things in NYC, I would NEVER do here. And I have lived here for 31 years!!!!!!!!! So, if I trust anywhere, it should be here, right! NOPE!!!! LOL!!!!!

So, we get there, I go in, its 8 now. I saw the end of one persons set, and then I think it was either Cameron Diaz, Al Gore, or Alec Baldwin, had come out on stage to chat for a while. Then I watched a few more sets, and leave early to miss the not so large crowd. I went to look for the shuttle back to the train station, and, well, lets just say, NO ONE could find it. So, I saw a couple walking, about my age, and I asked if they were looking for the shuttle, and they said no. So, I asked them, and keep in mind, I would NEVER do this here, I asked them if they were going to Manhattan. They said they were, and asked if I wanted a ride. So, I courtiously accepted. They took me back with them, over the George Washington Bridge, to NY, into Manhattan. They dropped me off at 95th St. and I walked to the subway from there. They wouldn't take money from me, I when I jumped from the truck, I left $$$$$ on the seat, and Thanked them for thier help.  I would NEVER ask a stranger for a ride here. Not ONLY because I have my own vehichle, but the more obvious reasons........

So I changed, and went back out for a few hours. I love NY. Nothing ever closes. Everything, restaurants, shops, theaters, everything was open. I went back to the hotel around 4am, took a shower, and went straight to sleep. I didnt wake up until the housekeeper came into the room. I felt like one of the people you see in a movie, who is dead asleep and gets woken up by the "quiet" housekeeper.

I had another concert to go to that night, so I got up, showered, dressed, and went out. I went to the Akon concert around 7:30. He was scheduled to come out @ 8, but being the Divo he is, he didnt get onstage until 9:45. His opening act was a really cute family of 5 kids and thier father. They HUMMED and played the Bongo drum. They were raising money for thier camp in Michigan. It was annoying to hear them for more than like 3 minutes. Everyone started to yell @ them and they left. It was almost like, America's got talent!!!!!  I was tired of being there, so I stayed for 2 songs, and took some pics and left. I spent the next few hours, doing the touristy things. I went souvineir shopping. I had dinner. I took in the ambiance. There wasn't enough time to go anywhere and see the sights, like the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, or anywhere like that. I basically stayed in Times Square, walked into EVERY store I passed. It was so much fun. I can't wait to go back.

I got to the airport just in time to get on the plane. I was actually the LAST one onboard. Then we sat there. For over an hour. So it was like......HURRY UP and WAIT! But the flight was good, the landing was fine, I got home in time to go to bed for work the next day.

I had so much fun while I was there. It was definately not long enough, but I really appreciate the chance to go. I want to thank Kobe, and all the people @ Wild for sending me. I am so glad I was picked to go. I needed that break from reality so badly, I was on the verge of going crazy!

I haven't ever been so excited to win anything, or go anywhere. That was definately a once in a lifetime experience. I am so thankful to the Wild crew, and Universal Records. Because of them, all this greatness has happened for me. Thank you all so much. I really had a great time. And the little bad things, like the flight etc. were no problem. I am just so happy I got his opportunity.