I've been thinking about the possibility of coming back to Meadows. Chris actually has a good job opportunity lined up. It's not in food and beverage. If I come back there are two jobs I would do - drive or greeter. Neither are in food and bev. It got me to thinking.
I love cooking, but I have had the thought before that I need to take a break. A season off. It will help keep things fresh, help me still to do what I love and love what I do. I know some people never do what they love and I know some people never love what they do. Worse, though, is when someone does what they love and then stop loving what they're doing. My little sister, for instance, works part time as a computer-fixer-person. She's still in high school so part time is all she works and it's totally acceptable. She LOVES fixing computers. She loves working with computers, software and hardware. I'm computer-stupid. I can do a bit more than most people but I can't come close to what she does. She used to help me out and laugh and joke and it was no big deal. Now that it's her job and she deals with SO MANY computer stupid people she has gotten to the point where any computer fixing is a chore. She hasn't admitted to it, but it's not hard to tell. She needs a break. She needs to get out of computer fixing fast or she'll hate working on computers. She did Chris a favor with his computer and instead of joking and laughing and no big thing she was unhappy and treated him like a common stupid person. She would never have done that without being burned out.
So I'm taking heed from my little sister's plight. I think next winter I will not do food and beverage. I think I will take a "break" and work at something else. I joke about staying home a winter and doing the house-stuff while Chris works. We all know that's not going to happen though.
This is one of the things I love about what I do. Seasonal nomads change it up every six months. New work, new places. I firmly believe the reason it's taken me five years to even BEGIN to burn out on food and bev is partly due to the fact that even when I do F&B two seasons in a row everything is new. New kitchen, new menu, new co-workers. Nothing to burn out on. The reason I'm starting to now I firmly believe is because of a string of bad F&B jobs. More to do with the company and less to do with the actual work. But, because I'm a seasonal nomad, it's no problem. This summer I'm committed to a cooking job that I'm SURE I'll love, but the season after that I can take off from food and beverage. Next summer I'm thinking maybe I'll do front-of-house. Get a feel for it. I need/want to know how to do it, and I think it's about time. Then I'll have more flexibility. I've also kind of wanted to try front desk somewhere. I think that could be interesting. As my social skills improve I find I almost enjoy working with customers. Almost. I definitely think it's an avenue worth exploring, especially since once we get our food truck, I'm going to HAVE to work with guests and BETTER be good at it/ok with it.
It's nice - never being so burned out you hate everything. Being able to change it up every six months into a new job and new location. It really makes all the difference in the world. Think about your job, and what you would do if you KNEW it was ONLY SIX MONTHS. What job would you try? Would you try your hand at cooking for a season? Maybe try being front desk where it's constant guests.... Or get your liscence and bar-tend for a season. Or get your CDL and drive employee or tourist buses for a season. The possibilities are near to endless. What would you try - if you knew it was only for six months? Where would you want to go, if you knew it was only for six months?
Kinda fascinating, huh?
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