Sorting Through All the Options

More and more, my idle mind wanders to thoughts of employment: the critical and unknowns of"who, what, when, where and how. The Why is obvious: because it's time. Because I need to. Because it's the culmination of this whole big adventure.

I've been reorganizing and revising my resume, a procrastination opportunity if there ever was one. Each of my valued advisors have suggested different changes, some of which are directly opposed. I will eventually have to come to some decision and declare it "done." At least until I revise it on a case-by-case basis once I start sending it out.

I've put together a list of about 30 people and organizations that I want to contact. Even though I've been an avid craigslist reader, odds are that my job will come through some connection rather than through answering an ad. But the ads are useful. It's a great place to read through a variety of job descriptions and requirements and "try them on," as it were.

I've begun to read Michael Ruhlman's book, The Elements of Cooking, and it's provocative and entertaining, as promised. Though the book is primarily a glossary of terms, he begins it with a few essays on subjects about which he feels passionately: stock, eggs, salt, heat. He likes to make big, sweeping statements: "The home cook, limited by time and money and cooking knowledge, ratchets up his or her talent by a factor of ten by making veal stock." (This, despite the almost insurmountable challenge of obtaining 10 pounds of veal bones and joints. I've tried.) A more approachable task: "Perfecting egg technique elevates your abilities as a cook more than perfecting the use of any other single food item."

In other news, I found out that graduation is March 8. No other details, but that's a start.