Events in my life.

Remember the restaurant that I used to run? The current owners have asked me back to help out for about 6 weeks due to 2 chefs are leaving to go back to China for a month holiday...Today was my 3rd day back...I can't believe how deep a shit hole they have got into! Their Head Chef (Self proclaimed 10+ years of experience at some fancy restaurant) is a complete mockery of the word "Chef", I have only been a Chef for two years but I was loaded with at least 50 years worth of experiences through 3 different chefs...and even I know this guy is utter useless. There was a few things that confused me to the point of hysterical laughter...I swear on my life these are questions/comments HE asked/said me! Why is business bad?   Why is it that since you came back business is so dead?   Why are you making sauce like that?   Why are you so eager to get things done?   If you make sauces/flavour food that way it'll taste bad!   Why don't you make those sauces with the...

Sunday 20th Jan 2013, for some subconscious reason I decided to visit the ex's parents. When I got there, I must have stood for about 5 minutes deciding whether or not to ring the doorbell...Why was I here? What possessed me to do so? What was I thinking?...Then the best question popped through my head..."listen Hakuren, what's the worst that could happen? Asked to leave? If so, then leave!" I proceeded to ring the bell, sure as Hell I heard the most familiar, excited and eager bark! It was the family pet dog, scratching and whining at the door extremely excited about my presence, her parents knew that it would be me, the dog only gets this happy when I am there. The door opens and the dog launches himself at me, it's been about 5 months since I've visited this place properly. "Oh my, Hakuren its you! Do come in" Aunty Wong said. "I knew it must be you because the dog went crazy!" Uncle Wong said warmly. We exchanged and caught up a...

Anyone else been through a break up and your ex blocks you on everything? I mean...e-mails, FaceBook, mobile numbers, the lot. Well, who else can I blame for this mess than myself? I tried phoning her a month back for a general chat but she never taken my calls, only texts saying "Sorry, was busy" I text her many times but replies came by, far and few in between. I also texted her about how much I wanted her back (because phoning her was impossible). Of course the reply wasn't pleasant and that should be a lesson..."I don't want to get back with you, I am VERY happy with my new boyfriend...can't you just be happy for me?" Its so ironic...I seriously knew nothing of how big a part of my life she was until now. I severely miss those random calls she would make to me when she had just 5 mins off work. Ones she'd make when something was wrong. Ones she'd make when her folks wanted me to pop round for dinner. Times she surprise visits me at wor...

Ever get one of those days where you wake up refreshed and ready to get on with the day? I felt like that this morning but then I got a call... "Hey Hakuren, the plumber is here can you pop by?" “Yup, on my way!” I replied You see, majority of the Chinese operates under a hierarchy system, when the ones at the top are unavailable, the guys at the bottom looks at me. I am all for helping people but it’s the people themselves who ask for my help that most piss me off! Allow me to explain; I have been in the restaurant business for about 5 years on end, met many tradesmen, good and bad, fluent Cantonese and English speaker, able to run a simple bar without problem, I am free most days since my position was taken over by some less efficient person and…the one person who EVERYBODY takes a stab at with their smart ass comments. Mind you, not everyone is rude to me…. Perhaps it is my tendency to manners, when I ask anyone for something or help, I will say “Plea...

Has anyone else felt like they can't communicate with the previous generation? Folks like your parents, aunts & uncles? Or people who firmly believes in just one way of life? Both my parents came to the UK with nothing, met here, got married, ran a small business, 15 years later had built a tiny empire...now in their mid 40's (mother) and mid 50's (father), they have retired. Its more or less the same story with all Chinese people and my other blood relatives. Now that their children (myself included) are in our early to late 20's, they keep saying having a job is important! Job this! Job that! And frankly I am sick of this because I have seen something that they have missed!! If YOU have a job, that is your ONLY source of income. If one day your job goes, so does your income and you're on the hunt to find another. I was one of those kids who without choice worked in the family business. Week in, week out, year in, year out. The year was 2008, I had grad...