Sometimes the universe gives you a nudge

And sometimes, it shoves...

On Tuesday, February 22, I didn't get a job I'd interviewed for- it was half time, and had decent pay, and was working with teens in the community- all of which fit my experience, but I didn't get it.  In the end, it's probably a good thing, since I had an excellent conversation with JoAnn, one of the Red Apron owners, about running your own business and following your own path.  She spoke a lot about having a clear vision of what you wanted when you start out, and focusing on how you can make that vision happen.  She also talked a lot about working long hours, but it not feeling like it is hard because you want to build that vision in real life.  Before she and Jennifer opened the Red Apron, she ran a restaurant, and has worked for herself for a while.  I don't think she can imagine working for anyone else...
And I get it- my big struggle is generally about having a clear vision, but with the help of the universe via a few key people, I think am getting one. It's more of a mosaic than a single image, I think, and I'm going to put it on paper.  It's going to be seasonal, it's going to be varied, it's going to be community focused, it's going to be creative, it's going to be fun, and it's going to be MINE!  So nope, it's not a clear vision, not yet, but I got a DIRECTION.
Then, I got email from a friend who runs the Good Food Box connecting me with someone who is doing workshops and asking for a workshop in October- shockingly, I was already booked to cook for the Buddhists that day- so the workshop is going to be in September!  And then, two more things- a friend I worked with on some projects for Riverglen Farm and SLOWest is thinking of working an urban backyard CSA this summer, and has been toying with the idea of having a year round CSA with preserved and stored foods.  If she and her partners are gardening, they'll need someone to do the canning- perhaps yours truly?  They also have a really strong community focus, which is what I've got too. Oh universe, your subtlety is getting the message across is about as difficult to grasp as sandpaper (that's the highest friction thing I can come up with- any ideas?).  I realize, none of these projects are certain...  yet.
But graduating from the Community Food Advisor program was- it's a program run by Ottawa Public Health in which twenty people were trained in basic nutrition and food presentation skills to go out to community centers, schools, and the Food Bank to teach basic cooking skills. My experiences through them have been pretty great, and have reaffirmed my skill and love for food presenting.
Which is maybe why Jennifer from the Red Apron asked me to take a five minute demo spot on the A Channel's morning show on March 18.  She and JoAnn are away on March Break, and instead of turning down the opportunity, they asked me... I said yes. We'll be working with a farm through the Savour Ottawa program.  More community connection...

Since I do believe that when the universe gives you a shove, it's generally in the right direction.

Now, to work on my interview prep for my USC interview on Tuesday.  If I'm offered that, then this will all remain in the realm of my volunteering world, and there'll be love and passion for the development based network connections of that amazing NGO.  If I'm not, I'll start to figure out how to get paid for some of this other work... Maybe through creating a Jamie Oliver style Ministry of Food here in Ottawa, as my lovely friend Irene suggested to me last night...

Prepping the soil and planting the seeds

As I've been plotting for the last little while, the blog is finally being seeded- a month before I actually seed anything in real soil, but I think that words may grow differently in the ether than bits of DNA grow in moist soil. The big difference between this seed and the ones that grow on my porch and garden is that we generally have a pretty good idea of what is going to pop up when we take good care of the tender seedlings. I'm pretty darn curious as to what can grow from this seed!

What's crystallized it? A pretty firm realization that, after nearly a year of fun/under/self-employment, volunteering, studying and writing, and exploring the local and international food system; I have come to a point that I have a pretty good idea of where it is I can fit in in building a sustainable path from field to fork. I've found a niche for my passion, and since I've been wanting to learn what that was for years, I'm listening to Joseph Campbell's advice to follow it! Oh yeah, and my Employment Insurance is running out, and working as a part time prep cook at the Red Apron (which I adore) just ain't going to pay the bills. Even with the occasional honourarium from the Dharma Center or a Community Health Center.

So, either I get a job that I go to every day, or I build myself something where I cook, order food, teach people how to cook, and get up on my flipped over planter box to preach the virtues and practicalities of local, seasonal, organic eating and growing. I'm not the only one doing this- you may have heard of Jamie Oliver, for example, but it's really what I want to do, so I'm beginning the journey of starting my own self-employed business of food instruction and construction. Unless I get that totally amazing job at USC that I'm interviewing for next week- in which case, I'll do that and rock it and make a big difference there. I believe in them, and want to do that work, so there you go. But I'm not applying to anything else until I give this a good crack- and I have just six weeks until the EI dries up, so I'd better get on with it.

This blog will be about my journeys and experiences in the kitchen, the garden, the classroom and the conference halls as I work to make some scrumptious soup with my friends and neighbours.   Lovely to have you along for the ride...