un-fun...

... might not really be a word, but it does describe, fairly accurately, what my opinion is about certain aspects of my new role as a Publix associate.

Several coworkers have asked' how I am getting along in my new job assignment?' I try to make myself smile when I give a response. And hope to have to presence of mind to report that I think it will get better with time and experience. Since I have only been doing the cooking demonstrations for about a month, I would like to believe that more time doing it, I will improve skills, techniques, learn short cuts, simplify, improve interaction skills with customers,  practice my 'sales pitch', remember to smile all the time (like a cheerleader or used car sales person?) 

I have to go in at 11:00 today, and do a new recipe until 8:00 tonight (with a hour out for lunch break). I am convinced I am trying to be a good sport about it, and hope that managers feel the same way. So important to have them think well, approve of my behavior and activities when on the clock.

But the truth of the matter is: I completely failed to consider how much meat is involved. I never considered when I offered myself up to be trained that every meal revolves around some form/type of animal. There is some sort of muscle, animal protein in every recipe I have cooked thus far. I know that there will occasionally be a time when the sampling demo. will be side dishes, or even better: desserts! Yay!  But everything I have prepared in my limited experience has started with deceased animal: beef (big thick New York strip steaks, cooked medium well, so still quite raw in the center). Or raw  shrimps that had to be split open and stuffed with crab meat, then baked. Or pork loin that had to be sliced in half, put in a zip-bag of marinade and cooked, twice; once to brown in a fry pan, then put in the oven to bake. Or raw chicken strips than had to be cubed, before tossing in flour/spices and browned.

Of course, I am wearing gloves during all aspects of food prep. Never touching with my actual fingerprints the food that will be served to customers. But the thought that all the recipes developed in the test kitchens in Lakeland would involve a raw animal. That had to be cooked, and sliced, then served to the passers-by, customers waiting in line for me to put the goods on a little plate and say: "Would you like to give it a try?"