Homework

As part of my Professional Cooking class, I have to write a letter to the instructor detailing why I am the best candidate for a potential cooking show at JCCC. This letter should act like an introduction to who we are and why we are taking his class. And to make matters worse, we have to read the letter to the class. At first I thought the assignment was lame and I put it off to almost the last minute. However, at the end of 1 1/2 page letter I was enlightened. I felt used this essay as a chance to reflect on my choices and what ultimately lead me to this spot right now.

Here it is:

Hi, my name is Amanda Gritzke and I have a passion for cooking especially baking. I was helping my mother and grandmothers in the kitchen since I was old enough to hold a wooden spoon and stir. Baking is my specialty, but I have created numerous recipes for savory meals too.

Even with my love of food and cooking, I went to college for Atmospheric Science. I wanted to storm chase, but when reality hit and I learned that I couldn’t make much of a living doing that, I turned to broadcasting. I was on the local KU cable station and radio station doing the weather forecast.

However, after graduating I could not find a job in my field. I turned to the restaurant industry to supplement my income until I found a “real” job. What I thought would be months turned into years and I was really enjoying the hospitality industry. I was traveling around the country training new staff for new restaurant openings and I was being molded into a management candidate. I worked as the expediter where I learned the different stations of the line, but I know there is still much for me to learn. Managers would ask where I saw myself down the road and I would always say, “Running a restaurant”.

It seems like a strange dream for someone to have when they went to school for meteorology, and eventually after 3 years, I left the restaurant for that “real” job. I stuffed that dream down and almost forgot about it. I was an environmental scientist for 4 years when I was laid off. I tried to look for another job, but nothing was appealing to me. Again, I tried to envision where I would be in the future and I could not see myself growing in the environmental industry.
I took a part-time job at the new Barnes & Noble Café in Oak Park Mall, which turned into an assistant-manager position. My dream resurfaced; this time as a coffee shop and bakery. Currently, I am beginning my own bakery business out of my home. I have a few clients booked including cupcakes for a wedding.

I would be good as part of a television program because I have experience being on camera and my cooking style is approachable and not intimidating and yet the outcome is gourmet tasting.

Thank you,
Amanda Gritzke

Butterflies and Cupcakes

With my layoff from Tetra Tech, I found myself back in the restaurant industry so-to-speak. Last April, I was hired as part of the opening staff for the cafe at the new Barnes & Noble at Oak Park Mall. As I was working with coffee and food again, that same ol' dream of owning my own restaurant resurfaced this time as a coffee shop. The difference is, I believe this is the right path for me and not just some silly wish.

I began baking more. I brought in my creations to work and even had people comment that my sweets were better than what we sold in the cafe. I started coming up with recipes on my own and even woke up thinking about how to make something better.

One of such recipes is my Red Velvet Cupcakes. Facing the challenge of red velvet, I wanted to put a twist on making them cupcakes. After some minor issues and three cream cheese frosting recipes I have what have been hailed at the best cupcakes people have ever had. One person likes them so much he asked me to make 250 of them for his wedding in April. A real paying gig! And I am nervous.

It's actually my second paying customer, though. I might have the beginnings of a home business. However, I know I still have a lot to learn.

With my renewed passion for baking I have taken the first steps toward my goal of owning my own cafe. Tonight marked the beginning of my professional cooking course and last Thursday I turned in my application for the Pastry/Baking Program at JCCC.

The butterflies in my stomach have still not ceased fluttering.

Change Will Happen

As appropriate as President elect Barack Obama's campaign slogan was, it is also appropriate in my life with my current circumstances. After watching the history-making election results, I cried sweet tears of joy and awe at what we Americans had succeeded in doing on that fateful day bringing hope to our nation when we needed it the most. I knew the hope I felt in my heart was one of great change that would face this nation in the months ahead. I did not anticipate the change that would fall upon me just two short weeks after the election.



Some people like to blame the election of Obama to the highest office in the United States for the layoffs plaguing are nation and even hitting close to home at my job at Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. I, in fact, was chosen to spend this winter indoors back at my office. It is not considered a layoff, but Tetra Tech is downsizing their field staff to match the available workload, which is a direct correlation to the nations economy. The demolition company has cut most of the laborers and heavy equipment operators for the winter.



For me, the loss of my position came as a surprise since I was in place to lead an area that is independent from the demolition company. I knew some staff would have to be let go because too much busy work has been completed during the last few weeks and months, but I was safe once work began in my area. I was exilerated to have the opportunity to prove my ability as a project manager. The slap in the face came Monday morning when I was told in the morning meeting that work was to begin that day, but then I received a phone call from my boss stating that I was a victim of the downsizing. Rage flowed through my body and the dark angel on my shoulder voiced the opinion that I should leave and never look back, but the voice of reason, my husband's, spoke in my head saying do not make any rash decisions and do not burn bridges. Once I calmed down, I realized that if I finish out the rest of the week with a positive attitude, then I might have the chance to reutrn once work picks up in the spring.

Political Rant

With the Republican National Convention underway and the vice presidential candidate chosen, I was intrigued by McCains selection. My initial opinion of Palin candidacy is it's a ploy to attract uninformed women voters who will vote for a woman just to have a female in a high political office. After Palin's acceptance speech Wednesday evening, I still hold true to my initial thoughts but add that Americans love "the beautiful people" and she looked good up on the stage in front of the cameras and thousands of adoring devotees. Her speech was exactly what the Republicans wanted and needed from Palin that night; it was empowering to the conservatives.

However, since I am not a conservative, I found her speech appalling on the issue that matters most to me, the environment. The McCain Energy Plan focuses on completion of the Alaskan pipeline and further dependency on petroleum, while the future of energy is in renewable resources. In Palin's speech, she reinforced the McCain energy plan by saying "Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines ... build more new-clear plants ... create jobs with clean coal ... and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources". This statement seriously aggravates me; laying of more pipelines is not the answer to the current petroleum crisis, only severing the dependence on oil will end the crisis.

One way of reducing our dependence on petroleum is to mandate that all vehicles built in the United States to be able to run on flex fuel. It is easy to adapt any vehicle to run E85. Gasoline made with ethanol is better for the bank account and the environment. The Obama energy plan states by the end of his first term, all new vehicles made in the US will be flex fuel capable. Obama will also work towards including other forms of synthetic petroleum into the national supply. The Obama energy plan includes 10% of the nations energy consumption to supplied by renewable and sustainable resources by 2012. This attitude towards the energy and the environment is exactly the kind of leader this country deserves after eight years of Bush.

Both energy plans call for the completion of the Alaskan pipeline. I do not support the construction of the pipeline running through the Alaskan territory since it will destroy the delicate environment that our future depends on. I read yesterday that an ice shelf in Canada the size of Manhattan broke off. After learning this, I cannot understand how people still believe the pipeline to be worth the risks. But no matter the outcome in November, the pipeline is being built and future generations will pay the consequences.

The Long Weekend

Even with the discouraging weigh in on Friday, I gourged myself with a chinese buffet, various fried deliciousness', ice cream, and even fast food this weekend. I did however, continue to workout at Curves twice over the holiday and walked what felt like 10 miles.

This weekend marks Kevin and I's second wedding anniversary. It is in fact our sixth year anniversary of being together. Since we got married over Labor Day weekend, we decided to make it a very long weekend and both took Tuesday off in addition to the holiday. The weekend started off with Kevin and Lee going to see "Tropic Thunder" while Bethany, Ellie, Taylor, and I went to Santa Caligon Days. This is the first of many afternoons on my feet. I had not gone to SCD since I was a child and did not know the fair consisted of numerous city blocks. Bethany and I both purchased "Vote Obama" pins; mine states "Give Peace a Chance: Vote Obama" with a large peace sign encircling the pin. Since I am a self-proclaimed "Damn Dirty Hippie" this fit very well with my peace symbol on my shirt and my peace sign pendant. I promptly added it to my purse so everyone could see that I am anti-war from every angle. I was surprised to see four different democratic/Obama booths set up throughout the fair and only one or two booths for republicans. In addition to the beautiful pin, I began my holiday shopping. I purchased gifts for my stepmother, my sister, and my aunt and uncle.

As for Sunday, we did not have any plans. Kevin and I decided to visit a local museum. However, the GPS steered us to what looked like a abandoned house in a subdivision in Shawnee. Wishing that we had knocked on the door, we departed for a real museum, the Kemper Museum of Modern Art. This museum is quite small and we were only inside for about 20 minutes. Kevin is not a huge fan of modern art and some of it, I do not get either. After that we drove to the Plaza and walked around for awhile. It was a nice laid back afternoon.

Why I do this...

I have read my friends blogs, my husbands blog, and even strangers blogs and wondered why do people believe it is necessary to read about the lives of strangers or loved ones. Or why does someone feel that their own life is a journey that others want to peruse. What in the human experience draws us to connect with others in non-personal ways? Blogs allow for comments to be made, feedback to be given, peer approval to be manufactured, but only if the reader feels opinionated enough to add their own commentary.

I am beginning this blog as an opportunity to vent emotions and experiences that I do not feel comfortable discussing with others audibly. I finally decided to delve into the blogging world head first this morning after a disappointing weigh in at my local gym. That may be a silly or insignificant bump in the journey of life, but it bothered me today. Even hours after wards I am still thinking about it. The thought of having to be on a diet for the rest of my life keeps rotating in and out of my mind. This fear of mine is strong. I hate the thought of being on a diet for more than a minute. I workout regularly, the prescribed frequency and duration the facility recommends. The regimen states 30 minutes 3 times a week. Even with my strict adherence to the Curves motto, I am not losing the pounds successfully. This month marks the beginning of a new program at Curves, which I adore. The "Smart Equipment" pits a battle between myself and my potential. I was burning around 500 calories in each 30 minute workout. With this accomplishment, I went into my monthly weigh and measure appointment with enthusiasm, only to find disappointment. I had gained 2.5 pounds and most of my measurements were higher than last month. The only explanation I can conceive is that I am ingesting more calories than I am burning, therefore making the fear of living on a diet more real than I have ever believed possible. Is there anyone else out there in the ever-growing internet population that has the same fear? the same desire to be healthy but still eat what we want?

There is my rant for the day...