What I'd Like For Christmas ~

Lists.
O how I love thee.

There's no tree. If there was it might be strung with popcorn and cranberries. I wouldn't mind it shedding because I love the scent of pine. But I'm Jewish so the subject is either mute or complicated, or both, depending on how you look at it.

I want things I can't have on Christmas. I want people to live again who aren't. I want wars to cease and people to stay who are leaving. It's a selfish time of year, or it can be. So in that spirit I bring you my {slightly cynical} list.

1. I want my dessert sales to go up. /So I can use this gorgeous machine more often. It would also be nice to put some desserts on the menu which have slightly different personalities than the ones I know will sell...

2. I want all the cooks on my team to have good health. I want them to advocate for their health via proactive (and not necessarily traditional Western) paths.

3. I want culinary schools* to start telling the truth to their prospective hefty check signers students. Even for a week. One week of truth telling, even that would be a miracle. /Because maybe then we could hire some newbies who want to learn how to cook and bake-- people who know a lotta years of very hard work with little pay is in front of them.
        *Do you not think it amazing that there are all these culinary schools pumping out all these students and yet there is a citywide, if not nationwide, shortage of cooks? It appears that the loans students have to sign up for and then pay these schools back on, can't be covered by any starting wage they make in the industry they've just paid thousands of dollars to train for. Come on now-- am I the only one seeing this Doublespeak in action?

4. I want to have more time for my friends. a. More time to see movies and go on short driving adventures with them.

5. I want inspiration. I want to have more time to step back and look at other things besides food. Like museum walking and book reading and knitting and maybe a potato printing party...

6. I want to hold someone's hand again this next year. Maybe have a someone to bring flowers to or lay in a field of tall grasses with. Giddiness would be lovely, delicious.

7. I want to teach again. Good, solid foundation basics classes. And I'd love to take a class-- in my field of study but also maybe knitting or printmaking or some other part of me which waits patiently, but hungrily. I want to learn more about digital photography and share more on flickr.

8. I want to get some clarity and help in figuring out how to clear my living space a bit. I have a lot of things of someone who is no longer here. I would love to know what I can release and how I can best hold onto what I can't or should not, not yet anyway, let go of.

9. I want to be closer with my family, even if it means regular phone-calls and short trips East.

10. I want my friends to start thinking about what they should do about my Big Bday in March. The Big Four O.

11. I want Eggbeater to help speak a voice which fairly and truthfully represents my industry. And I don't mean a glamorous speaking head that is the shiny happy voice of major network television and 4 star chefs or comes from a multi-book publishing popularity contest blog. I want chef bloggers, real chefs, that is, to be more unified. /If you know a chef blogger (actually working in the industry, with an actual blog of their own,  and not just reporting on it or from their first semester in culinary school) who I do not link to, please send them my way. {thank you.}

12. I want to figure out a way to incorporate exercise into my life. I might look fit, but it's a lark.

13. I want to be part of getting a Democrat elected in 2008.

14.  I want to write more. (I miss ESF, yes.) But I'd also like to write something bigger. Something that starts at the beginning.

15. I want to be more courageous. From my heart. Take more risks. Love more openly. And commit more intentionally, stick it out even when exiting is easier.

Happy. merry and all that horse poo poo. I hope you are safe and warm and comfortable where you are and that you can give and receive with an open mind and heart in the following days.

Comments

[Kung Foodie Kat]

merry Fishmas dear friend....may all your dreams come true!

[Ellen]

I appreciate that you write with such sincerity and vulnerability, like a stream of consciousness directly from the heart. I also appreciate your honesty. Happy holidays! And I hope you achieve all 15 entries on your wish list.

[cellobunny]

Hi there- I hope all your wishes come true - but as an aside- the review was well great. I hope the reivew helps you sell more dessert. Keep going.

[Kat(zie)]

I want people to understand that I am not becoming a hardened soul by not wanting to come home for christmas....Rather I realize how crazy it is at work and would rather wait until the chaos is over....
sincerely,
A.not a first semester culinary graduate,
B.and at the same time not a seasoned Chef.
C.Merely a dedicated pastry cook (or monkey)
D. and a newfound lover of cheese

[Susan]

A cynical list, hm?? You mean the world isn't all gumdrops and rainbows?! jk. I hope your wishes come true :) Can you put a "Pastry Chef Special" on the dessert menu? Yay for desserts! I don't know if I mentioned but we're bringing OOT friends by this week for some holiday eats...gotta hit the gym in preparation for the marathon eating.

[C(h)ristine]

Shuna--happy holidays to you, too. I love reading your blog, for both your professional as well as personal insights and I thank you for putting yourself out there.

[Malini]

I second Christine's pov-Love your blog for both its professional and personal ruminations.

Take care.

[Veranda]

Happy Holidays, Shuna. Your blog is always thought provocking. Many of your resolutions hit home for me, too

[Aaron]

Veranda inadvertently hit upon a point I wanted to mention. These entries seem not like Christmas wishes and more like New Year's resolutions. Do you make resolutions for the new year? Where do you draw the line between wish and resolution? Do you recognize an inherent difference in the personal responsibility these terms imply?
Hope these all come true!

[Melissa]

As always, your posts give me much to think and reflect on.
Have a fantastic day!

[Richie]

I hope all your wishes come true Shuna! Happy Holidays...enjoy the day off!

[Raspil]

Merry Christmas my lovely friend.

/I want Cara Cara oranges to arrive at Whole Foods NOW

[shuna fish lydon]

Raspil----

Oooooooo but really you wish you could reach into my fridge and pull out my bag of mandarinquats! Or go to our walk-in and see my case of bergamot! Or come to monterey Market with me to visit the Yuzu!

I look forward to meeting you over produce one day!

Happy Christmas is Almost Over!