28 days later...

Where have I beeeeeeen ?! It's been 28 days guys, I'm sorry! Especially when I try to keep y'all keen on my blog, what am I like eh? Let's reconnect now, come together now, that's it, thaaaat's it.

Right let me tell you something!

..over the past few days I have witnessed and experienced craziest things you could imagine - well actually this is an exaggeration because things can't be that crazy right? Not with such a normal person like me (I'm slightly half amazing though?)

Recently after my staggering trip to the dentist running late (as usual to be honest), I left with a bulky treatment charge and an upset face. They say my sugary diet is far too high as evidence in my teeth. Well I'm sorry Mrs LadyWhoThinkSheHasBetterTeethThanTheWholeWorld whether you like it or not, me and sweets will always be bbfff (bestest best friends forever forevermore). Sweets only appeared to me at birthday parties when I was younger until I grew older and teachers were giving them out as prizes and I found out that shops sold sweets for as little as a penny each, I began my dangerous habit. Eating sweets everyday of the week and funnily enough they're what I need when I am stressed.

anyway

I was in Morrison spending far too long choosing a sandwich for my meal deal and an old man walked in front of me looking too. erm, excuse me? He turned around with a bacon sandwich, gave me the soft eyeball and just threw it at the back of his loose jacket. I couldn't believe what I just saw! He walked up to the refreshments section and came back repeating the exact same action with the same sandwich! Looked at me and winked before leaving the shop. What the hell?! When buying my things, I asked the lady behind the till whether the alarm stands by the door actually works, She said 'oh no they're not actual alarm stands, it's more like 'impersonators' to prevent people from shop lifting'  Are you serious? That's like the policemen posters on windows of Poundland to scare people off shop lifting..................

During the first two weeks of April I had such a disgustingly poor throat; first I thought it was a symptom of a flu but I rarely get a cold. After a few days it got worse and worse, I was losing my voice and hardly eating! I stupidly didn't see a doctor until after a week of unbearable pain. My doctor was on holiday so I had to go to a nearby A&E, luckily I was moved up the queue among coughs and cold patients also waiting. I sat on the far end of the room constantly spraying antiseptic in my hands. I was called shortly and I was diagnosed with Glandular Fever from a follow up of Tonsillitis. I was familiar with it because my friends have had it before but never did I imagine the pain they were going through. The number of times I felt like slashing my throat was amazingly bad. I couldn't sleep for more than 3 hours, barely drink water (and they say I need to drink plenty of water, oh ffss), I couldn't eat tasty fooood ahhhhh - this made me so upset! My beauty Prince helped me though, he looked after me and made sure I ate well despite wanting to kill myself everytime I swallow. Thank you lasheyy.
Imagine a tennis ball glued to your throat, now attached to that tennis ball is a needle. Not one but 59 needles poked through the ball, short enough to scrape your inner tube. Right so it's fine just sitting there, a little discomfort but it's fine - once you swallow something, even your own saliva, the ball moves in sudden slow motion. I had to take about 12 pills a day and spray which contained benzydamine hydrochloride at my infected area (back of my throat) to numb down the swelling. After 8 days, I felt fully recovered. Only to this day, It still hurts to yawn sadly but I don't want to strangle myself this time.
The doctor believed my infection was due to stress causing my immune system to sink lower than it has ever been. I blame what I was doing really, I overworked myself.

I was working at Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust working for the crews such as Ed Sheeran, Micky Flanagan and Lilly Allen. I was also working on a deadline and revising for my exams. Possibly the worst struggle I've had in years. After every shifts, I was in such a horrible state and before I start my shifts, I'm at uni working on something. There was one shift where my manager assigned me as a Bar Manager at the third floor in the Asahi Bar. I was so scared for this shift, I was in charge of three bar tenders and managed three tills which included money re-ups, money count and approving transactions. Note that we also sold Aspall cider and Appletiser. It was going so smoothly well until a horrible man demanded I pour him Aspall cider in the same cup he had given me. I accidentlly threw the cup away paying no attention to what he had just said. He screamed at me saying I just told you I wanted my cider in that cup. You know when someone accused you of something you blatantly haven't done and you give them that look. That's the look I gave him. I apologized and said I'll pour it in a fresh cup for you, no problem. I stupidly grabbed the Appletiser without thinking and before giving me a chance to approach the counter, he screamed at me again saying I SAID ASPALL CIDER. I swear I was going to cry at this point, I couldn't take this job anymore and wanted to slap that dickless piece of shite so many times I swear. Luckily I didn't. I held it in and apologized again, cashed the money through then he grabbed the cup off me. Oooooh I wanted to scream at that point. I couldn't show any weaknesses as I was therefore the manager of the bar. After this shift I told my manager, NEVER to put me as a bar manager EVER again.

Once on my way home from work, I was hit by a bike on the back on my legs making me and the rider tumble to the ground like two peas in a pods idiots. He claimed to have been beeping and ringing his bell toward me which made him think it was okay to still cycle ahead despite me not responding! My stupid ears caused this and I grew angry at the man telling him to shove off and ride on the bicycle lane that so and so enforced.

ergh.

Anyhooo - time flewwww - Completed my last assignments and did exams since my troubles, luckily I was well enough to work for it! My last exam is next week then I can start doing big things. I have had my visa processed, insurance covered, flights booked, travel planned (for the last three weeks off work), advanced rented my beauty apartment with a gym and swimming pool. I also have business cards as representative for my company and a cellphone for work. Now I can go major shopping woooo'
Still learning Mandarin which is pain because it's so hard! It's like teaching a 3 year old A Level English. So much effort to repeat a phrase everyday before moving on otherwise I will forget!

The news has been so tragic lately; at the gym while I run, I watch the news on the small screen (makes me run alot longer) and the amount of bodies dropping everyday is dreadful to hear. Kids popping knifes among adults and waving vintage guns in the air like it's a bubble machine. And these are the most unlikely kids to ever go through this too! Well you wouldn't think so anyway. I watch people. I watch the life of people on the streets; no judgments made nor any stereotyping (I try not to be stereotypical though anyway). I enjoy people watching much more than I like people to be honest, I could spend all day watching people and making up stories about them or giving them a story such as names, occupation and lifestyle or trying to figure out how the person is feeling, what they are thinking, where they are going and what could be of them by tomorrow. I don't know, It's a personal interest of mine and someone to do it with would be very engaging. Especially with whom I find intellectually stimulating and we could talk for hours and I would listen for hours.

Chinese proverb of the day; 'Give a man a fish and you feed him a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Fact of the day: The most money ever paid for a cow in an auction was $1.3 million by a group of investors

Say no more.

Life behind kitchen d00rs

Who I work for often involve doing things in the kitchen as well as being behind bars, topping up champagne, cash handling and serving three course meals at top charity events. What I would like to talk about is what I have experienced and seen for the past month - countless secrets and hidden surprises which take place behind kitchen doors - all the names are made up for identity reasons (lol joke, I do not actually wish to get in trouble) and I'm not going to reveal which company represented whom and so.

What really happens behind kitchen doors - who are they?

Around the end of last month I have been working at Kitchens during events in Bond Street;my duty was arranging when the food go into the hall and among the guests, which had any dietary requirements. This job involved me being in the kitchen long enough to hear everyone's life story. Bare in mind, before I was due to start work I was told not to let any of the chefs touch me; of course I thought this was just a poxy joke. I was wrong.

Much to my amazement, I found that the head chef of the kitchen was an ex inmate - he served 8 years inside for Heroin use but this is all I know. I feared that there was more to this as 8 years seems like such a long ass time. The sad part was that he looked so young to have been through all that but the good thing is he is finally doing something well for himself I guess? Some of the other chefs were from a low economical background all recruited from an agency who assist in that area of need; unemployment. However, they have been thoroughly trained and taught to make the finest food that people would be paying thousands for. Two guys were bigger than average who liked to swear a lot and talk about porn which was truly disturbing to listen to. The youngest was 22 who was a victim of a crime 4 years ago; he had 8 scars across his face from stab wounds and a limp. Now I'm not the one too judge but to even get yourself in that position, he either must have been at the wrong place at the wrong time or just with the wrong people. There's always any good in every bad when you think about it though so I can't say much. I never knew I was going to be learning all this information but when I did, I took more interest in the background of other workers; not just where I worked but any where else.

 But to add on one last worker, the food prep leader in the kitchen was also an ex inmate; he was inside for raping a child 28 years ago - now what do you really think? As much as I despise pedophiles, no judgement was allowed at work of course and I weren't to know this (which I wish I didn't) but gossip is very ill these days and the news couldn't wait to spread. I spoke to this man once for the whole night! He would often drag his feet around the kitchen which drove me mental because of the sounds made doing it but strangely not mental enough to tell him to stop, I couldn't.

However, they do intend to say that the best workers are the ex cons; an example of another case is David Nunes who is an ex criminal charged for bank robbery in California; he had spent 30 of his 50 years in prison (junvenile detention first). The company Kahala Caterers hired him first as a dishwasher, then through hard work and seen motivation he was moved up to food prepping then to cooking shortly after. He is the leading truck driver for the company. For ex inmates - it would be like some sort of rehab for them straight after being released from the stone cold four walls for several years; given jobs such as washing plates, clearing rubbish etc.

All the staffs were very chatty, they would share dirty jokes among each other and laugh heartily. Once a course has been served, they would grub in what's left and drink lots of staff refreshments. Some would even sing or annoy a waiter on purpose.

It would be a lie to say no risks were involved (still no biggie) but they were jolly men who were doing as they were told and cooked amazing dishes that were of great taste. According to the rehabilitation offenders Act 1974 - these worker's convictions would have been spent and with certain exceptions, they no longer need to be disclosed by the ex-offender in any context when applying for a job or getting insurance. Do correct me if I'm wrong because most convictions (without a re conviction) need not to be serious?

I'm sure we all know about Gordon Ramsey and his attempt to train inmates how to cook! At Brixton prison, he had a goal to teach a number of inmates how to cook and planned to run a business selling food from inside the prison to us, the general public in Cafe Nero. It was such an interesting tv show on channel 4 a few years back, have you seen it? The 12 inmates were convicted of either actual bodily harm, robbery or burglary - none of them have over a 5 year sentence. Two landed a tryout at Ramsay's savoy restaurant after release but one got fired due to a relapse into drugs - such a dear shame.

I'm going to stop here now but I wanted to share this because crime and judgement is a massive interest of mine and having experienced what I've just shared about the Kitchen staffs - I didn't know what else to think. They are given a second chance you could say; they are trusted to do well; this is their last option?