Initiation

     I thought I was going to be able to get through my first leg of the cruise without being initiated. I thought wrong. Much like the frats of yester-year, the kitchen has a very strong, machismo undertone that creates something of a brotherhood inside the four walls, lined with stainless steal appliances and sharp cutting utensils. Outsiders are not welcome until they have proven their loyalty to the chef and their fellow kitchen swashbucklers. (Please note: I know absolutely nothing about frats, I'm only making the aforementioned assumptions based off of Animal House and other classic American cinema. )
     Today I was given the task of peeling, deveining and butterflying 3,000 shrimp. And I was not to leave my station until the job was completed and approved by my chef. This was when I started wishing I hadn't stayed out at the (wine and) cheese party on the boat until 2:30 in the morning. (Please note as well: I did not partake in the wine, as per my contract with Celebrity Cruise lines ! Just in case one of my supervisors decides to read my blog...) So I stood there and for a few hours, my day went like this: Peel, peel, peel, peel. Devein, devein, devein, devein. Butterfly, butterfly, butterfly.
     At about hour two, I was starting to get pretty annoyed. But then I remembered my training. No, not what the training you're thinking of. No, my dear friends, I did not rely on the training from my culinary school to get my through this. I used the skills I learned in high school to help me along. You see, I was the master of zoning out in class and doing work without actually thinking about it. And of course on the :cough: rare occasion that I would get in trouble for something and sent to a silent one-hour detention, I found a way to think about absolutely nothing the entire time to maintain some sense of sanity.
    In conclusion, I would like to thank my very boring classes all throughout high school for teaching me invaluable lessons such as: not listening during conversations with superiors but nodding and saying, "Yes of course" at the right times, being able to stare at a wall for hours on end and not making my eyes bleed, and last but not least being able to take all in stride and keeping in mind that every task has its purpose whether we immediately recognize it or not.