When You're Smiling...

So it's been over a month since I last even thought about this... And so much has been happening (most of it good).

First and foremost, I've found a new best friend. His name is Champix, and so far I've managed to refrain from have a cigarette for a week :)
No small feat considering I'm now the odd one out in the kitchen. But on the up side, I feel flipping awesome! Like insanely awesome... perhaps even more awesome than that!
Best of all, the cravings this time have been pretty easy to fend off. I'm not putting all that down to the drugs, though they've definitely helped.
I just had one of those somewhat epiphany type moments and found myself in the Doctor's clinic the next day getting all kinds of fun prescriptions (ok so really it was just anti-biotics, anti-spew and champix) but that doesn't make for a good story.

I'm loving every moment of my placement, well except for the bit where I've pretty much managed to complete my work load and the 'stalker' chicks work too (we were working on a particular case together, I just somehow managed to get all the hard stuff to do -Don't worry I took full credit for it).
She worries me though, she seems so hung up on her own stuff but refuses to acknowledge that it can/will impact on her professional practice (not a bad thing, just something to be aware of).
Ah well, not my problem. I have enough on my plate there to keep me busy. Just gotta stay focussed on that rather than the politics of the office.

On the work front, it seems we're all about to go our separate ways...
Paulie got poached and has taken a pay rise and a job closer to where he grew up near Sydney and as I write is currently taking some time out in the city before flying back up North after finishing up at Warrenmang on the weekend.
Jose somehow managed to get a job as sous chef in a brewery/restaurant near Melbourne somewhere and leaves Warrenmang in November.
Fat Stu the apprentice, well I'm not really sure what he's gonna do. He'll probably stay on with the pair of Brazilian Chefs that have been hired to take over from Paulie and Jose.
Then there's me... I'll be leaving Warrenmang in a few weeks, to return to my old job catering random functions all over the countryside. Just to help out my mentor for a few months before I leave the hospitality industry on a permanent basis if all goes to plan.
From the looks of it, I'll be getting a job out of my placement (and to be honest, they'd be mad if they didn't offer me something considering the level of work I'm achieving -Apparently its not the norm for 3rd year students to be working in the manner I do)
The strange thing (and I realised this as I was in the shower, where all my deepest thinking is done) is that Warrenmang was the first restaurant I ever worked in back in 1999 and will more than likely be the last one too.
Aside from the fact that that makes me feel somewhat old, I think its cool that I've had the opportunity to work with so many great people over the years.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. -But really, I think it's just the end of an era for me and the start of a whole new and exciting adventure.
I laughed when people told me at the beginning of my degree that it would change me, but it truly has. I think it's done so for the better, it feels like I've finally come home. It's hard work, but it feels so natural to me.

So Uni is gradually falling into place, placement is rocking along nicely, work seems to have sorted itself out as well. Everything really is just working...

I've even started actively looking for a significant other, go figure!
Mind you, I'm still having no luck. But then I live in a tiny little country town in my parent's home at the ripe old age of 28, this is no big surprise.
And no, that's not me having a whine... I'm actually kinda laughing as I write this.

So yeah, I'm still trying to find that boy who gives perfect cuddles. Cause at the end of the day, thats where it all is (well for me at least). You can teach a boy how to kiss, how to speak, how to act and (excuse the language) how to fuck. But you can't teach them how to put the warm and fuzzies into a cuddle to make it perfect.
I've met a few guys but have yet to meet one that I deemed worthy of a second date, most of them failed on the basic conversation test.
Or just turned out to be weird...

So the search is still on, meanwhile my little black book seems to be dwindling somewhat all my old flames seem to entering into relationships lately. How the hell am I supposed to scratch that itch now!?
Yes... I know... solo stimulation... BORING! -Especially since not smoking has taken my libido from 0 to 100 in the space of a few days! (Anyone know a good blister remedy? lol)

So thats where its all at currently, 7 weeks left till I finish uni for the year. 2 months till I leave the hospitality industry permanently. Loves it!

Oh yeah, my 28th birthday... Lets just say, I freaked and ignored it.
Don't do that... it makes for an even shittier day because you spend most of your time avoiding the people that mean the world to you. Plus you cry... and grown men don't cry!
Worst of all, the 30 million voice mails and text messages you have to deal with when you turn your phone on again and having to explain to everyone that you were having a bad day and just didn't want to speak to anyone.

Peace out,

N :D <--- How I'm currently feeling