SO EARLY.

5:30am is a rough time to start a shift. Especially when you have to add an hour commute to that. Oh, and how could I forget? I'm not getting paid to do any of this!

But, today we worked in production within the B2 kitchen. We did things like portion audits and forecasting. They're having a problem with inconsistencies of the scoops using to portion out items. Things aren't being as uniform as they should, especially when patients need a specific amount of food. Why might this be? If they're diabetic, on calorie counts, or on restrictive diets. We also worked on our recipe with Chef Steve. Who is very Italian, but fun to work with. We're making a BBQ Chicken Salad with an Herb BBQ Ranch Dressing. Tomorrow we get to work the huge majority of the day with him on our recipe. I'll definitely post a picture when it's finished. 

Then, a week from tomorrow we will have the taste test. The best salad out of the other two intern groups, Chef Steve, and our group will win itself a place on the menu! Which may not be exciting to some, but it is for me. Today I finally completed the patient surveys and yesterday I finally got done the tray-tracking worksheet. It's just so many projects to keep track of and it's not only confusing but definitely hard not to catch myself getting them mixed up. It might have to do with the fact that I've been up for 13 hours already today...

But it is nice to be home early. But, that means more time being alone. Grandma always seems to be outside working on the yard or downstairs. A lot of alone time - could be good or bad. Ideally I'd love to go home every weekend but a) it's so expensive, b) I have 8 projects due in 1.5 weeks, and 3) I never seem to get anything done when I'm home. After living in the dorms for three years and then a sorority house for the last year, it's tough being completely alone for a huge part of your day. I do get a lot done, but sometimes I wonder...

But, next weekend I'll be going to Mt. Pleasant for Homecoming. And I'll be leaving the afternoon on the 15th. October 15th ring a bell? It's when all of my projects will be due! No projects for a whole weekend! What will I do!? And, the following week, our whole day is going to be dedicated to going to a food show. It will definitely be a good time, think of it this way:

Love going to Sam's Club, Meijer, Wal-Mart, or wherever and they have a product sample at the end of the isle? A food show is like a HUGE building dedicated to product samples. It's going to be better than Halloween. Any "foody's" paradise. Snacks, frozen dinners, juice drinks, alcoholic beverages...I'll definitely report on what I end up with.

Other than that, while some days are much harder than others...I'm just tryin' to live the dream...

268 days..