Today is the day!

Tonight is my first night working at the Swan! I am kinda nervous. But more excited than anything!

I will post tomorrow about my first night! Wish me luck! :D

Till later

- Corey Joseph

What a day -

So today was the "big" day...and let me tell you that it was a bittersweet day.

Don't get me wrong, I am so excited that I am moving on with my life, pursuing a job in what I LOVE doing, putting everything I am learning to hand and sharping my skill. But it was a little hard to say bye to people today.

Even to some of my normal customers that have been coming in for the years I have been there! I am really going to miss working with some of the people there, and it is going to be hard to stay touch with some of them. I am not sure how crazy my life is going to get after this weekend...I am going to be pretty busy. haha

On Sunday, a couple of ladies from work are throwing me a Surprise going away party kinda thing...yeah I know. How is it a surprise if I know about it? I am just good..haha! Dad told me tonight to be ready for a bigger turnout then I would think. Mmm, its going to be fun though!

Its going to be nice to kinda have a weekend off before starting at the Inn on Tuesday. I go in on Monday to do final paperwork and such. Get my name-tag, uniform. I am excited that both of my uniforms now are Chef's attire. Less to worry about! I really cannot wait to get into the kitchen and have FUN!!

It was a good day today. I am happy. And all the Thanks and Glory goes to God no matter what!

Till later

-Corey Joseph

What a weekend -

Wow, I had such a great weekend.

It started with school of course Saturday morning. In class we broke down an entire leg of a lamb, and a side of a lamb too! So if anyone out there needs help fabricating lamb or anything else for that matter I can help you out!

Class was fun, it is always fun with Chef B. He is my favorite Chef Instructor we have there. After class, went home cleaned up and got ready for band practice.

Band practice went smoothly, after practice me and the dudes were going to chill out and hangout at the office all night. We made a surprising trip down to EC to pick up one other friend. He was stunned that we were there. We came back home to the office and stayed up till 3am playing video games, making some music, chilling..it was great.

We all had to get up early for setup at church and practice! I was ready! I love church days, they are my absolute favorite. I love being in community with my friends and family there.

Right in the middle of church I got a call from Founders Inn. They wanted to HIRE ME!!!

Whoo HOO!!! I was surprised, I was not expecting it at all. I was so happy and excited I was dancing around the bathroom at church! After church and we got all packed up I called them back to get final details and such, so I will be starting next monday!

I will be working on the A La Carte line on the night shift, so sweet! One sad thing about working nights is that I might have to go to day-time classes. So if that happens that will be weird! I am going to miss my class, we've been together since the beginning and I don't wanna leave them!

BUT - we will have to see what happens. I have to talk with people from school and see what I can do, and then I gotta talk with my Chef's at work.

And then I gotta talk with CFA! I really think it would be best if I have my last day be this coming Friday. I need to get things started with Founder's Inn, ya know?! We'll see what happens, I just gotta talk to too many people...

But its all good, I'm giving it all to God and he is going to handle it and control it!

Till later

-Corey Joseph

Its only been three days...

Okay, I know I said that I would do this daily. But I've been worn out this week. And that surprises me, I haven't been like tired but I've just been worn out.

Tues, Thurs, and today I did my "working interview" at The Founders Inn. I have had fun, done alot of work! Tues I went in at 9am and began cutting up carrots and other various veggies for a Stir Fry station they had on Thursday night for a huge banquet. After the carrots, I began preparing a Avacado, Mango and Shrimp stuffing for wontons, made over 250 of those wontons. Prepared and wrapped over 250 beef empanadas! Segmented over 35 grapefruits for a flambe. I left the Inn at 7 that night!

Thursday, I came in knowing it was the day of the huge banquet. I did not know that I would be working out on the floor of the banquet, I was stationed at the carving station carving beef tenderloin and whole chickens. That was fun, I wasn't scared or anything. I was just stunned that they put me out there. And not only did I not know I was working the banquet, but I did not know what the banquet was for. It was the MAN himself Pat Robertson's 80th birthday celebration!!!!! Crazy! I never saw the guy...I mean..I saw him at his table but he never came to my station. Which was okay haha...

That was fun, and then today I was out in the restuarant sqeezing fresh orange juice for guests. After washing all the juice and plup off of my arms, I did some more prep for a big dinner tomorrow night.

I really did have a great time at the Inn, I gain some new knowledge on how to cook for banquets and such. Some new tips and tricks.

BUT -- To be honest, I don't know if I am going to get the job, or even if I want to work there, or even if they were really looking to hire me. When the Chefs first called me they said that they were shorthanded and needing help for the hige banquet, and so they decided to bring me in for a "working interview" and we'll see what happens. So thats what I did, but all this week it hasn't felt like they were looking for someone to hire, just someone to cover their butts and help out with the banquet. I like the Chefs a lot, the Excecutive Chef is a super cool guy. No matter what happens I am getting paid for all my time their so if I am not hired then..whatever.

It just kinda sucks cause I really would like working there, but we will just have to see what happens.

In other CJ news -

Life is Life. Work is not a subject I want to talk about. Why? Cause no matter what I am leaving in two weeks and so I am trying not to have a good attitude and leave happy. I am super excited about this new chapter of my life, knowing that I had a job to jump right into after leaving would make me even more excited but none the less I am still excited.

School is school, I really want it to be over now. I mean I still love learning new things and everything, but my life would be a little more open and less conflicted without school. But I just gotta keep thinking January! January!! January!!!

Church is great. I love my friends, and I enjoy just hanging out with them even if were doing nothing. I love it. I am always yearning for Sunday...love it.

I also love my God. His love for me is incredible, cuz there are numerous times that I know I wouldn't love me, but he does unconditionally. Incredible.

Taking the muchkins out for dinner tonight, haven't really seen them all week so we are going to go do something to tonight..

I think thats all for now,

Till later

- Corey Joseph

The time is drawing near!!!!

Wow, so much has been going since my last post!!

The valentines banquet went super well. The food came out great, I had great help from my friends and some of the teens that were working the banquet! Thanks guys! You all were awesome!

I got so many "good jobs", and " oh my gosh, it was so good!" or "I want the recipe!", I felt really good after it was all over. I can't wait till next year!

Life is in a good spot right now I would say - Starting tomorrow, I will be doing a working interview with The Founders Inn in VA beach! I will be going in tomorrow, thurs, friday, and sat. I am super stok'd! I had applied there almost three weeks ago, and not having heard anything from them I had given up hope. But the Chef called me on Sunday and we talked and worked out this schedule! AND, I will be getting paid for doing this interview, thats pretty cool!

I am really nervous though, I have no idea what to expect. I don't know what I will be doing for 8 hours!? But overall I am excited, and open-minded ready to learn!

I am planning on my last day of working at Chick-fil-A be the 1st of April. No its no April fools, I am for real! haha!! It is just time, I am ready to get out of that place and grow and into something that I love. Nothing against Chick-fil-A or nothing but thats not what I want anymore!

I'm really going to miss working with my crew though, and seeing all of my favorite customers! So many of my normal customers have told to tell them where I will going that way they can come visit! Aww, I am going to miss them!

I am making it my goal to keep this things updated on a more daily basis, I want to document everything that I do during the next couple days in this working interview process! So I will be back! You can count on it!

Till later

-Corey Joseph

June 2009 - February 2010?!

Wow, I am just really really bad at this jornaling thing aren't I? I just don't even know where to start, should I begin with school, or work, or life...hmm

Ok, I guess I will start with school. School is fantastic, there has not been a day that I don't dread driving to school. Since June, I have completed 6 of our lab classes, and 5 management classes. I passed a certification exam and I am now certified with understand the basics of nutrition! Haha, I still laugh whenever I look at that certificate. Really it means nothing, but it looks really good on the Resume!

The class I am in now is going great, we are in International Cuisine. So I am learning all about different styles of cooking and ingredients. Mainly learning about Spainish, French, Italian, and little German thrown in there. I love the chef instructor I have for this one. He really knows his stuff when it comes to culinary knowledge. I will be done will school inn January! That is crazy to think about, I am so ready though! Even though I love it so much, I am ready to be school free and just have fun in a kitchen, producing good foods.

Everyone always asks me what I am going to do after school..honestly I have no idea! It is all up to God, and where he leads me. Thoughts of opening up my own catering business, or personal chef business is something that I have been thinking a lot about. I don't know what it is, but I just love cooking for other people, like cooking in a restaurant is fun and stuff. But having that personal level with the person eating your food makes me even happier!

Soo, that leads to the next topic, Valentines Day!! No, I still don't have a Valentine, but its all good. Tomorrow is Stokd's Second Annual Valentines Banquet and I am catering it! I planned the whole menu, and will be preparing it! I am just so excited, I really want this to be a great night of fun for the couples of NBCC. Speaking of which, being at NBCC about a year and a half now. It has been amazing! I love my church family, and the friends that I have gained from there. I truely love going to church and its awesome. I love seeing my friends, and going to college group, and helping out at PIN, it all is so great! I just love it.

I think one last thing for now, and then I should get some sleep. Its 11:30Pm and I got a busy day tomorrow! But the one thing that I am so excited and scared for; I am leaving Chick-fil-A in two months! YES! Finally, after 4 years and 6 months of working there in April I will be outta there!

Why? Well, it is just time for me to move on, I need to find a job that can and will help me inprove my skills in the kitchen, a job that I will love to do, and be able to have fun. A lot of things has changed at Chick-fil-A, and not that they are all bad, and not that I am just running away from them. Its just...time. But I am really excited, it feels weird looking for jobs. I found this one restuarant that I would love to work at. Its exactly what I am looking for.

So I will update more, but I need to sleep some.

-Corey Joseph

June already, crazy.

So, I have a bit of catching up to do. Well, let me start with this.
Today, over this last week I've noticed that I need to change. My mind and my heart aren't in tune with God. I volunteered to talk at Stokd last week. While I was preparing for it, and reading all these scriptures I realized that I would be a total hypocrite for me to talk to these kids about what they need to do if I'm not doing myself. I realized that I was just playing the part of a Christian. Simply acting like I was doing everything I read, thinking to myself you're doing great just stay like this. But the real reality was that I wasn't doing great, I was slipping away slowly. Sure, I read my bible, and I pray, but it wasn't because I wanted to, its because thats what we were doing at church that day. While I was preparing I came across these verse from 1st John, and I had forgot to use in my little talk thursday but Roger used it nicely in todays sermon.

1st john 3:18 says: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
The part that really struck me were the last three words. "and IN TRUTH." I realized that my life, I was living it in actions, with words of the tongue. But. I wasn't truthful. Or sometimes I was truthful, but only sometimes. I wasn't really living my life in truth. When telling the truth you can't only tell part of it and make up or lie about the rest, so why am I living my life like that? Because of sin. Sin has entered my world in a way I wish never happened. But it has. And I let it take a hold of me. I let it reign over God, and over me.

Well, thats not the case anymore. That sin. Its behind me. And I'm never going to think about it again, I won't let it tempt me again. It created this facade in my life, where one day I could live the perfect life and the next be in the worsts of everything. But that part of my life is over. I won't let sin reign over me anymore, because I serve a God who is mighty to save.

That verse from 1st John is my life verse right now, it is the one verse that I repeat in my head over and over again. I need to be in truth. If I'm not in truth then what good am I?

The road ahead is going to be rough at first, but I need it to be. I need to get closer with my God, and start to fully rely and trust Him with my whole life. I need to start being truthful.



Wow. Umm, other parts of my life have changed as well.

I am totally and completly dropping business or teaching and going for something that makes me totally happy. I am a student of the Culinary Institute of Virginia in Norfolk. I am only in my third week of classes and yet I am loving it! I am finally happy with what I am doing with my life! I am always looking forward to classes, and getting in the kitchen and cooking. So far, I have only cut myself twice, which is good for my class. A few of us have cut ourselves three or four times. In about 2 years I'll graduate with my Associate in Culinary Arts. With that degree I could go anywhere basically. I really would like to get in with Disney and work in one of their kitchens. Whether it is in one of the parks, or a resort, or even a cruiseliner! Getting in with Disney would be really awesome.

Other then that not much is going in my life. My little sister has made her debut in community theatre. She is playing Macduff's son in 'MacB' as we say around the house since you really shouldn't say the actual name. (Macbeth.. ;). She is thrilled about it. Hopefully she will be able to get to do more. My younger brother is growing up really fast. I can't say little anymore simply because the boy is almost taller than me, and his voice is changing and it makes me laugh. I wish there were more time in the day to hangout with my younger siblings but its hard between the work and the study and the going to school. But I try.

I also need to love them more and not get so easily angered with them. Its like in the bible in Ephesians 4:3, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." and further down in verse 31-32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.". I need to be like this to them. I don't want them to think I don't like them or don't care about them. Because I do. I love them. So thats another thing I am changing in my life.

My older sister is growing my little niece or nephew inside her belly. I know it is her and her husband's child before my niece or nephew but it is still exciting. I am going to be an uncle. crazy. Uncle C will be my name, or Uncle CJ.

There are a lot of changes going on in my life. All of which are important in my life.
So strap on your seatbelt. or you can just sit there and read about it all on here. I want to continue writing about my life, about my thoughts on things on this blog. I call it my online journal.

CoreyJoseph