Genesis vs Evolution

Ok...I know...Odd title...but...for the sake of this blog of mine...it sort of holds a lot of meaning.

"Let me esplain...no...let me sum up"

I am 43 years old. Most of my career has been involved in the entertainment industry. Many have said that I have/had a cool job. Meeting lots of famous people, rubbing elbows with lots of rich and famous...but alas...it consumed my soul...well...what little soul I had...thanks mom for praying for it! I almost lost who and what I was while pursuing my "career" that I really began to wither and lose all that was truly important to me.

The recent economic downturn struck me as it has many others...no one is immune to the devastation that has struck so many. Lost my house, in debt to my eyeballs and seeking some kind of stability in what little I have left. It was very easy to get lost in sadness and depression but in the darkest parts of what seemed a black hole, there was yet hope.

The combination of losing myself and the difficulty to find work in my industry, it got me to re-evaluate truly what I was doing with myself...my life...my happiness. Sooooo...comes the evolution...or is it the Genesis?

Cooking...food...and everything that comes with it has always surrounded my life. The most vivid memories of my life have been around the kitchen and family get togethers. Ok...sure...drink followed as well...but nothing wrong with that...my family has always been happy drunks! You know...the singing, dancing and "i love you man" kind of drunks that you see in old 80's frat movies...I miss the 80's!!!

So it was only natural that I was drawn to food and drink...well...wine...yes...it evolved...from long island ice teas to a Caymus 1984 Cabernet...mmmmmmm...I still get chills thinking about that moment.

I love to cook...I love to entertain...I love the feeling that I'm bringing joy and feeding the soul...LITERALLY... of those around me. What greater joy is there to see a smile come across a friend or family members face when they take a bite of something you created. Its amazing the kind of reactions you can get from people...good, bad or indifferent...on what you created.

Sooooo...again...with all this...I decided to "reboot" my life. I've had to rework my life to be able to survive on very little...so...why not try to find a way to maybe pursue a new life...one that involves doing something I love...like...oh...I don't know...maybe COOKING?!?!?!?

Its funny...how life presents opportunities for you when you don't even realize it.

I may go into more detail about that statement...but to sum up...the right people, in the right place at the right time, present opportunities for me to go to cooking school, and get some formal training in this new industry.

I often think that I should have pursued this in the beginning...but...I guess I wasn't ready to bite into that apple yet...back then...but now...I'm ready...well...I have nothing to lose either.

Why am I writing this...well...maybe I want to have my own version of a diary to track this...express my emotions of this process...something to keep me focused and to continue to evaluate the whole process. It doesn't really matter if anyone else ever does read this...but hey...you never know...maybe I can help and inspire others thinking about pursuing their loves, desires, their inner most passions.

Either way...Lets see where this goes.

On April 5th, I show up for my first formal orientation for school...pay for my uniforms and knives and get ready for first day of school...on May 3rd...oh...and let me tell you...getting everything ready to go to school has been a chore in and of itself...I may elaborate on that later...but for now...lets just say that having gone through everything I have, just makes me feel even more confident that this is the right choice for me.

Ok...well...so much for summing up!

Lets leave it at this for now...

Viva la Cocina!