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So I’ve only got two more weeks left of my externship, 8 days total. I’m pretty excited to be done, it’ll be nice to go back to a normal schedule and drop the 55 hour work weeks. And it’s over just in time for me to have a nice relaxing couple of days before my birthday. Yay 25! I’d write something interesting, but since I’ve mostly just been working, I don’t have much to write about. I decided that I’m going to start recording what I’ve read in the past week here too, so I’ll be able to refer back to it and give recommendations. I wish I’d started this like 20 years ago, it’d be interesting to have a list of all the books I’ve read. Anyways, from the week starting Oct. 17th, here they are in no particular order:

Bitten
Stolen
Dime Store Magic
…all by Kelley Armstrong

Dead Witch Walking
…Kim Harrison

Going Postal
…Terry Pratchett

I’m getting the next book in the Kelley Armstrong series on the 23rd, hence the rereading of the first three.

So apparently yesterday was Sweetest Day, which passed under my radar without so much as a blip. According to a couple of websites, Sweetest Day is a chance to show appreciation for those that you care about, and those that might ordinarily be taken for granted, or some such nonsense. In my opinion (because everyone should have my opinion), I think holidays like Valentine’s Day and Sweetest day are kind of a barometer of a relationship. If you really need an advertising campaign telling you to be nice to your family, friends, and significant other, maybe you need to put more time and effort into your relationships. Like do something nice for someone one of the other 363 days of the year. It means more to me when Jon does something nice just because he was thinking about me, or when one of my friends calls just to see how I’ve been, than it does to get a card because it’s a holiday and one was expected. Anyways, I’m taking that opportunity now. It’s not a holiday, but I really do appreciate my friends and family, and of course, Jon, who’s the center of my life and my best friend. Love you guys!

So it’s the 2nd week of my externship and I’m of two minds on the whole thing. I thought (and was told) I was getting paid, but it turns out that I’m not, and it took all of my willpower and considerable self restraint not to just say fuck it and walk out. I guess so far the most important things I’ve learned have had nothing at all to do with baking: don’t buy into everything a potential employer says at an interview, always talk to the one who will be signing the paychecks, and whatever you agree to, GET IT IN WRITING. That last one is the most important. That’s the one that screwed me. But I’ll live. I cut back my hours at Reo’s so I don’t have to work 60 hrs a week, but I still work a 15 hour day on Tuesdays. And the most amusing (heavy irony there) part is that I’m making less money working 55 hours a week than I was when I was working 20. But it’s only 4 more weeks and then I’ll be back to 20 hours at Reo’s and looking around for a part time pastry making gig somewhere around the house. I guess I’m focusing on the negative part of the externship thing…there is a good side too. The people that I work with are really cool, and I’m learning a lot from the pastry chef. I’m not sure exactly what I want to do as far as a career goes yet, whether I want to work in a restaurant, do catering, or maybe just win the lottery and open my own place up. I don’t know, I just know that I want the opportunity to be creative. I’d hang myself with an apron string if I had to cut dessert bars and plate cookies for the rest of my baking career.

I guess that was kind of a long rant, but it’s my blog, so butch up and deal with it. On a completely unrelated and much less serious note, Jon and I went to see “Team Americe: World Police” tonight. It was highly amusing. It’s difficult to choose a favorite part though; it’s a toss-up between the gratuitous puppet sex and the inspirational soundtrack featuring such greats as, “America! Fuck Yeah!”

We also went to the farmer’s market this morning. I love Portland. The produce was incredible. Not that we bought any, I mean I was there for the baklava and Jon wanted a spicy beer sausage from Fetzer’s, but the produce looked really nice. And we did eat a lot of samples, if that counts. Mmm…samples.

I think tomorrow we might go to the Home and Garden Show, and oogle all the pretty things we can’t afford. But maybe we’ll just stay home and play X-Men: Legends all day…I know that would get Jon’s vote.

I’ll try to post some pics tomorrow if I get a chance. They’re all on the ‘puter, I just haven’t had the ambition to caption and organize them. If not tomorrow, I won’t get a chance ’til next weekend what with all the (unpaid…argh) work and all. So I’ll just have to keep everyone in suspense for another week.

So I finished school on the 24th of September. It seems like it went really fast. I had a lot of fun though, and made some new friends. And obviously I learned a lot. Actually I learned more than I thought I would. It was interesting to be around people who are as into food as I am. I really will miss it. I put up some more pics earlier today, and I have one more set that will get posted by the end of the week.

More stuff has been going on but nothing to earth shattering, so I’m going to leave it at that for now and write more later in the week.