This year is going to be an adventurous one. I recently inquired about culinary school, and have been looking at the options. It's the only long term goal I have right now that will fit into my plans of relocating back to Oregon when my lease is up. I will be able to start school in Pasadena and transfer to the Portland location. So maybe that is the first sign that it's meant to be. I wish I had gotten started on this earlier, but then again I don't because once I REALLY want something I'll go through with it no matter what. This is just the first stepping stone on the path to having my own restaurant in the future. I spoke with one of the admission reps from Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena last night. The questions that were asked did nothing but get me even more excited to attend. When I was asked if I have restaurant experience and I said yes, that I was doing expo at one point, he was like "Great! So you know how seriously busy a kitchen gets" Oh yeah, I know!
As for my current position with SeniorINFO, the overall feel of the company has changed. When I first came in, there was a system of how things worked, that guarantee you would get at least one sale a day. My sales technique with the company has only grown stronger, yet my resources to tap into have diminished and with what used to be a strong team working together to bring in money, is now split into small sales teams. Half of my "department" was canned because of their inability to close sales. The remaining three of us suddenly turned into the other two setting up a team where the weaker link becomes his assistant and instantly makes 8% just for calling back his follow-ups. As for the other "Sales teams" they have the luxury of the main boss doing daily fax blasts for them so they don't have to cold call. I'm the only one who is fending for myself, desperately trying to locate enough calls to sell. I brought it to the attention of my immediate boss and requested some things be sent my way as well. Of course the couple of things that were sent my way were already called and sent out for assessments.. I just don't think working for a company who is so selfish and has no regard for anyone else is something I want to be apart of much longer. I have been actively looking for something else that will be more positive overall and of course offer livable wages.
So what's my plan for the next 12 months?
#1 & #2 might be tied since I really don't know how the next couple of weeks are going to go. But Ideally:
#1 Start the admissions process for school
#2 Find a more positive higher paying job
#3 Save save save!
#4 MOVE!
It seems since I've made the final decision to leave CA within a year, more things have arose to make my decision even more final. The initial reasons were, because the only remaining members of my family that I actually care to be in contact with are in Oregon, all the friends I've known growing up are there, and it's CHEAPER! There are a lot of places and experiences I had in Oregon growing up that I want Madison to experience. Like eating the clam chowder at Moe's in Coos Bay, visiting the OMSI museum, Newport Aquarium,and A.C. Gilbert house, seeing the rose gardens in Portland, going to the Saturday market at the waterfront, and growing up with my friends kids.
It'll be a lot of work, but it's so worth it in the end.
