The man, the myth, the legend.

I know this blog is probably premature, but there are things I have to say before it goes back into the general apathy that has been the majority of my life.

I want to speak about a man who has been a bedrock of my values throughout my childhood and my adult life.  I know most people will say that this particular person will have been the same for them, but I need to say how this person has affected me, and how what has happened angers and saddens me.  To do this I may have to delve into my past a bit, so bear with me.

My father, is quite possibly one of the most selfless man I have ever met, and that is hard to say with how selfish he has been over the last several years.  For twenty years, he has had one sole purpose for living, me and my brother Chance.  After my mother was taken from us, and then later passing away, my father had one sole purpose.  To take care of his sons.  I spent a year in therapy dealing with the issue of my mother leaving, and in time I realized that what my father did was not smart... but I still respected him for it.

Most of my adult life I took his singular approach to relationships, basing off what he felt for my mother as his reason for romance. I have met several remarkable women in my life, and they have all fallen prey to that singular obsession that I battled for years... and that progression feeds directly into what I am so sad and angry about right now. A singular obsession with one person ended in my heart and those I loved being absolutely broken.  My father is guilty of the same sins... he believed and wanted to fight for so long for someone else, he totally forgot what it meant to fight for himself.

I am on the cusp of a new beginning of my life.  I have a son, and I will soon have a daughter.  The main difference being I am now in a time of my life where I can actually be a father.  My mismanagement of Tristan is my greatest sin... and I am forever thankful that his mother is the greatest of people, and found the family to ensure my son will be taken care of... 

My daughter is going to be born during the man I respect most's greatest battle.  My father is the strongest and toughest man I have ever known... but I don't know if he can fight this... this battle has nothing to do with what makes he and I strong... others.

People have always said my bother Chance took more after dad than I... saying I was more like Mom.  In most respects, looks and personality this is absolutely right... but one thing I am far more like dad is how I live my life.  Without saying this with hubris, or a false sense of pride, I know where he is... I know how he feels.  The very thing that he turned into his reason for life has turned against him.  Chance and I have grown up... we don't "need" him anymore.  We have, for the most part learned to support ourselves without his help.

But he is wrong. 

I have been a bad son by not contacting him when I should.  Part of my failing as a person.  I have always been isolated... always been the person who kept themselves at arms length from others.  Doing their best to be the rock for those we care about, supporting them... just like him. 

My father needed me... but he did not need me as a son.  He needed me to need him.

I am so angry at him right now.

Angry and sad.

Fathers are the symbol of invincibility that all children have.  No matter if its their blood realitive or a step dad... their father.  You always see them as a symbol of in all sense of the words a god.  Undefeatbable, unfallible... even if you see their faults.

I think the worst thing is that I am so far away now.  I travelled accross the world to chase after a career and where does it put me.  Eight thousand miles away from my father, and three thousand miles away from a woman I love and our daughter.

As I used to say to a woman I loved once... "I never do things easy."

I am not a religious man... but I still pray.  I might not pray to "god", but I believe that belief is enough to turn the tide.  I know my father is am an of indomitable will and stubborness.  I still believe he will be around to say something mean at my eulogy.  He might just need a few people to believe with him.

Please, keep him in your thoughts.

Necro game review: Dragon Age: Origins

I am by no means a professional reviewer, or game head, or professional gamer in any way shape or form, but I wanted to share some thoughts about one of my favorite games over the last few years.

So here is a necro game review!

Dragon Age: Origins.

The Basics:

The key theme of Dragon Age is dark fantasy, but it also has strong leanings of heroic fantasy as well. Taking what made George RR Martin's “A Song of Fire and Ice”, and authors like David Gemmel and the ever present Tolkien it paints a dark and bloody world of oppression, war and the ever present threat of an ancient evil.

The game itself is a throwback to the Baldur's Gate series put out by Bioware/Black Isle back in the day (which was a Wednesday of course) and features a more strategic method (especially on PC) of combat and Bioware's now famous excellently written dialogue. While it was not Dungeons and Dragons like Baldur's Gate it possessed both Dungeons, and yes you guest it Dragons.

Set in the mythical world of Thedas, it tells the story of the nation of Fereldan which is in the throes of both a civil war, and an invasion of evil monsters from the depths of the earth known as Darkspawn. The main character is unique in this style of game, in that while you can choose from different backgrounds and races, and these choices impact the game in a meaningful way, especially in the beginning when each “origin” has its own unique story.

I won't give away plot details, but I will tell you that the game has everything that makes a sweeping epic. Love, romance, blood, death, betrayal, armies clashing and an ancient evil that must be opposed for the game to be defeated.

The Good:

Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O from here on out) is a deep an immersive world that will suck you in. The game itself will provide well over forty hours of gametime your first run through it, with many players enjoying the game for sixty to over seventy hours as they explore the many sidequests and dialogue options in the game.

The voice acting is superb. This has become a Bioware trait as we see some of their more prolific voice actors as well as sporting some geek cred with Claudia Black (Farscape) and Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek Voyager). While it is not as star studded as the Mass Effect game the voice actors are entertaining and believable in their roles. Each character brings about a different dynamic to the group and dialogue, and while some characters have proven to rub some people the wrong way (Be careful with your elf or you might find yourself batting for the wrong team if you character is male) and some such as the aforementioned Claudia Black (portraying the character of Morrigan) really bring a wicked sense of humor to the character interaction. Some of the dialogue between Morrigan and Alistair are worth the game itself.

The story is an epic. You will come from humble beginnings and save the world during the course of the game, and you do get a sense of accomplishment from these acts. Bioware really hit the nail on the head when it comes to pacing in this game. You can get the feeling of a threatened kingdom thrashing and fighting to survive and the desperation of a people who are facing a terrible foe.

The lore and setting are well fleshed out. The Chantry, the Templars, the Gray Wardens, the kingdom of Fereldan truly feel as if they are long standing fantasy worlds that have been around for a long time. I got the same level of understanding of Thedas as I did from Abir-Toril (spelling) in the Forgotten Realms setting. I do recognize some ideas that were reused and tweaked from existing source of their own or others work. The Gray Wardens are much like the Jedi are portrayed in the Knights of the Old Republic, but with copious amounts of Night's Watch (A Song of Fire and Ice), and the Witchers (From the Witcher/Hexer polish novels).

On a sidenote, I think there is a psychic gestalt in the fantasy game creation crowd. Many of my custom settings and campaigns fit way to seamlessly in some of these games. Even if I did not even know about these settings I find similarities in themes, plots and settings. I guess what they say about there being no original stories is true. It is merely how you portray them.

The Art Design is fantastic. The game truly feels like a “believable” fantasy world without looking like a final fantasy/spikey haired/anime … thing. The armor looks far more believable, the swords are the appropriate size, and you get a proper sense of scale when it comes to your equipment. While the graphics of the game are dated, the design itself is top notch, and has a very strong influence of Tolkien's work, with Bioware's only edge. The world feels lived in, real, and believable.

The audio work is fantastic as well. Besides the voice acting the sound direction was top notch as well. The Music score truly hits home when it comes to fantasy, and I use the soundtrack in my own fantasy games that I used to run for my friends. I also use it when I am writing on my fantasy novel as well. It truly sets the tone, and as films like Star Wars and Jaws have proven, it is the music that sets the entire tone for the film.

The Bad:

Game design. I will be frank. I do not play Bioware games for their mechanics. Knights of the Old Republic is considered one of their greatest games, but the combat system was clunky and easily broken. When people play Bioware games, they don't think of how awesome the gameplay is, they are talking about the story. That being said, Bioware made a strong effort in this game, and the combat feels appropriate to the game. They added interesting ideas with spells and abilities affecting the game world, and it works well. The combat system just doesn't break the mold, or do anything that has not been done. It is basic, but it serves the game in the manner it is supposed to. While this is not a negative for me, it can be for more gameplay minded players.

Graphics. The game looks ok on PC, but the Xbox titles looks old. The character models were not as sharp and detailed as their other AAA title “Mass Effect” that was released near the same time and it shows. While the art direction is superb, there are a lot of bad polygons and terrain details that just don't mash up well, especially at a distance. The Battle of Ostagar is a pretty good example, the forests in the background do not look good and the army clashing below you looks more like a mass of lights moving back and forth against each other. Sound design helps alleviate this, but in some places the game looks like it is about three to four years out of date.

Voice Acting. I know I praised this before, but in one place voice acting is sorely lacking. The main PC is silent, and while you can choose dialogue options the character does not voice them. I understand and actually agree with Bioware's desire to let the player be the main character, but after the bang up job they did with Commander Shepard in Mass Effect this almost seems like a backwards step. While the main character is the “hero” of the story, it is often up to the other characters to voice out to NPCs (particularly in the Bioware “epic speech” moment). In the sequel and upcoming third game it has been announced that the main character is voiced, which solves this issue. That being said, the main character from Dragon Age: Origins is an excellent character.

Lack of a real antagonist. There are several “villains” but you never really get that feeling of the hero striving to better the great evil at the end. This is mostly because the main enemy of the game are so alien to the desires of the people of the world, there is no common ground for communication The Darkspawn who make up the main “bads” for the game are more like a force of nature than a villain to battle, and there is no humanizing of their goals so it is difficult to relate. And while there is a humna subplot dealing with betrayal it is completed near the end of the game, and kind of takes the sales out of the “fight for justice” aspect of the game.

The Happy Ending:

Dragon Age is definitely worth picking up. If you are a fan of fantasy with a darker and grittier edge it is one of the stand outs of the genre in a video game format. While the graphics appear a bit dated and the gameplay is pretty basic the sound design makes up for these short comings. If you enjoy these kinds of settings and words and fantasy you will get sucked in by the great voice acting, plot, and the game world itself. While the game does seem to lack a antagonist for the player to relate too, the villains in the game are suitably epic for the setting and the subplots for the betrayal storylines are very engaging.

Good luck trying to find this in the UAE where I live though. Due to the ability to have a sexual relation with a man in this game it was banned throughout the Middle East... pretty much like every Bioware game is over here.

Thanks for reading my step into the past for one of my favorite games of the last five years.

Time is like cash in your wallet, it flies!

Wow... it has been since last August that I updated this thing. I am not sure I this has been because I have been to busy, uninterested in sharing my life or just blown away by life. Probably all three.

Lots of stuff to talk about... so I will just start off with the big news first.

A lot of people probably know that I have been in a relationship with a wonderful woman named Sarah. Two very different worlds coming together in this desert land to begin the steps of what will hopefully be a lifelong journey.

The big news about this, is that I am going to be a father again. Little Isabelle is due August 1^st. The day after my birthday (Yes Chana, I still remember that is your birthday as well!). Mom is back in the Philippines as Dubai does not let unmarried couples have children over here (Its a Visa thing). We have started discussing what we are going to do in the future.

This is going to be big news to a lot of people (some of my family included), but those of you that know me, I play things pretty close to my chest and do not communicate very well! The baby is doing well, mom is discovering all the wonderful things about pregnancy (cravings, back pain and endless bathroom breaks). I have never seen a woman more excited to welcome a baby into the world, and that is saying a great deal. I know many phenomenal mothers out there (Anglia, that means you!), and those little bundles of joy are the greatest and most profound things that can happen to anyone.

My biggest reservation (you know there was going to be one!) about this entire situation is that Sarah and her family are pretty fervent Catholics, as most kabayans are. I am about as non-religious as you can get without being a straight out atheist. I just want to be sure that our daughter has the choice to believe whatever she wants to be, and she won't be brainwashed as I have seen people become by the church.

Ok, now that the big one is out of the way, on to the other stuff.

Work has been progressing pretty quickly. My last blog talks about the opening to my new store. Well that is long done and I am proud to say my team are animals when it comes to delivering the Message. Our management team has shuffled over the last six months, with Christine moving on to (hopefully) greener passengers, the addition of Mark, Arianne and fellow stateside Changster Liz. Morad, our GM is transitioning (or as he calls it, transaction...) the store to Maan our new GM. Maan is an old hand from MOE, and is coming over to DM with a new promotion. I had kinda hoped it was going to be me, but I am going to have to hold off a bit longer.

Speaking of promotions, I have been going to a Alshaya (my franchiser) courses on Store Management. These really aren't necessary for the brand per se, but will help me in understanding the labyrinth that is Alshaya business practices. Courses on Loss Prevention, Human Resources, Leadership and managing time. Most of these are centered on the predominately retail aspect of Alshaya, but some of it is relevant to the business of running a restaurant.

My book has stalled... again. It is all up in my head, from beginning to end, but the main mindset I had for the book has long since passed. The tragic love story of Gaise and Tendra was mostly fueled by the heartbreak I felt when Jess left me a lifetime ago. I just have a hard time channeling the level of feeling when I write the characters now, and when I do they feel hollow, and full of cliches. While I am not Stephen King, I do not want to be stuck in the same vein as Stephanie Meyers... I want to be able to put out more than just juvenile fiction.

That is not to say that I am not still writing... “Sellsword” is still being worked on slowly as well as “The Ascension War: Operation Godhammer”, my science fiction short. Mostly I have been working on a conversion of Shadowrun 4^th edition for a Mass Effect RPG. I had originally intended to use the Saga Edition rules, but SR4 seemed like a good fit, especially with in place rules for wireless hacking. I have also been working on a new edition of “The Therandul Campaign Setting”, which is using my own combination of D20 rules to form a Dark Mid-fantasy campaign. I am shooting for a combination of A Song of Fire and Ice, Conan and David Gemmel's Draenei series. Tales of politics and deadly alliances, with magicians essentially slaves to royal houses, men and women with skill at arms and diplomacy shaping the destiny of the great nation of Therandul.

A friend of mine suggested I should write a biography. In my head I wanted to call it, “The Last Laugh: Life of a cynical optimist”, but I am far to young to write a biography when I am only 33 years old. Perhaps after I get famous. It is weird to think that when I look back over my life, and can realize that I have lived a pretty remarkably varied life. There is so much I want to still do and experience, and it only serves to remind me that life is a ongoing journey and adventure.

My creative energy has been up, with no ability to game over here. My schedule does not match up with the one gaming group I have found in Dubai, and even if I did have an opportunity to play, they are doing D&D 4^th edition, and are a group of predominately wargamers. I have found another group in Abu Dhabi, but suffer the same situation, but with the additional two hour travel time with no car to get there. So I spend my time coming up with more story thoughts, plot hooks and basic campaigns that I dream of running again when I get back to the States. In reality I should be taking all of these adventure hooks and turning them into workable stories to actually put into a book. Maybe a collection of short stories perhaps?

I have been doing a lot of Video Gaming (more than normal). With Sarah back in the Philippines and me not having a lot of friends outside of work I have a hour or two to kill on a daily basis, so I have been playing on my Xbox and PS3. My PC recently tanked on me (trying to get it up and running now), but I will probably have to replace it. Sadly, ordering parts and building it seems to be a no-go here, so I will probably have to pay an ridiculous amount to by a new gaming rig. So for right now its console gaming for me.

I will save individual reviews for a different time and blog post. Have some things to say about the Mass Effect Saga, an old review of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, and my recent guilty pleasure, the Witcher 2.

Well, I have been rambling on enough again... so I suppose I should call it a night. I really need to post on my blog more often so I can get this word stew out in a more sensible and focused form.

Ramadan and suitless

Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam.  It basically is a time of reflection where devout Muslims fast so they can realize what it is to live like those who are not as fortunate as they are.  They abstain from food, drinking (even water), music, dancing, and basically everything that people find fun.  From sunrise to sunset you are not allowed to chew gum, or eat or drink water in public and everything must be done behind closed doors.

As a Westerner this is of course difficult.  And most people don't realize how tempting a water fountain is when you are walking in the heat over here until you can't drink from it.  It's almost a natural reaction to being thirsty.  While I have not personally done it, I have had to coach several of my staff about it.  It kind of slips the mind.

No, I am not fasting.  But I have several friends over here who are (some are not even Muslim).  Personally, I have been homeless (I had places to stay, even if it was my car... but I have gone without a steady place to live before), I have had to choose not to eat so I can have money to pay bills.  I know what it means to be poor (even if we as Americans have little idea what it means to be truly poor), and while I can respect and understand why people fast over here, I am not partaking in it.

The new store is coming along pretty good.  We were supposed to open in two days, but we had to push everything back due to construction.  So now the date is August 17th.  We actually start our first mock mocks today, practicing what we have learned over the last week of training as well as Ramadan service.  It will be interesting to see what happens when we fill up the restaurant with hungry people and then have to cook all their food at the same time!

Still feeling a bit isolated, though not as badly as I was a week ago.  I have not had the opportunity to get to know my staff that well, since I have been working on alot of projects for the store.  Andrei and I have gotten alot of practice at moving boxes though.  Thousands of plates and glasses, loading into the restaurant, then back into storage, then rearranging storage, then rearranging it again, then putting more back in the restaurant, then back to storage, then loading it up onto a truck to take back to the warehouse and today... rearranging dry storage again.  I suppose this is part of the fun of having an offsite walk-in and dry storage. 

I was so burned out on people yesterday from my last week of work that I might have spoken eight words all day and barely left my apartment  Sometimes I wonder why I still do this kind of work with how much I dislike crowds and large groups of people, but then I remember that this is the only way I have been able to have the human interaction that I need.  I learned a long time ago that I never do things the easy way, I always go way over the top, or not enough.

I suppose I should work on that.

I miss MOE.  The staff was like family.  I know that DBX will be the same, it is like saying goodbye to friends you see everyday.  We will drift apart as friends so often do (just like the ones back home) and I will have to make more friends.

Have I mentioned that I dislike making new friends? 

Life is going to be a bit hectic over the next few weeks as DBX opens its doors and I only get one day off a week (been that way for the last month or so) and work 70-80 hours a week (tired lol), but I will do my best to keep putting up blogs and hopefully put up the three chapters I have ready to post.

See you all on the flip side.

More somber than usual.

Bear with me on this one lol.

First the good.

The new store is coming along nicely.  We have some construction to do still, and some organizing but the place is starting to look like a real restaurant.  I am getting along great with the other managers and the only problem so far is that I seem to make Sara (our sous chef) laugh to much with the dumb things I am prone to say... which of course makes me want to say more dumb things.  (Sidenote:  There are three left handers in the front of house management team... how whack is that... even more so over here!).

Most of the trainers flew in today, and I got to see Ray Rey and Jared for the first time in over a year.  It was a great reunion and I am looking forward to working with them, Jessica and the rest of the training team that has been brought over from the other stores here in Dubai and also Kuwait.  It is going to be a great and interesting experience since this is the first time I have worked with them in  management, and a good portion of our team has already been trained at least once.

Now for the bad.

The last two years of my life have been me doing my best to repair damage that has caused of a lifetime of suffering on my part.  From my pain, sense of abandonment and guilt for the things I have either lost or avoided my entire life.  It has been an uphill battle, and as most things I have put my mind to, I have overcome.

My greatest threat now is my sense of loneliness.  Not necessarily in a romantic sense (though that has been lacking as well) but mostly human interaction.  Since I have left MOE I have kind of lost touch, since that staff has been so good to me and I have had problems sleeping due to it.  Late at night I feel the familiar creepers of anxiety creeping back in.  They are not strong, or difficult to defeat, but they are there. 

This frankly scares the poop out of me.  My first reaction is to retreat inwards and shut everyone out in an effort to protect myself, but I know this is the incorrect action.  The danger that I fear are those creepers becoming more powerful as those connections start to break down and fade.  They always do when I move to a new place or job... no matter how much people promise to keep in touch they always drift apart.

I suppose part of this is me being stupid since some of these people I work with are fantastic, and some I am interested in (of course, professionalism would require an unrequited attraction in this matter).  However as Jerome said, "the ones who are interested in you, you are not in them, and the ones you are, are not interested in you".  Long winded, but the truth.  But as we say over here in the Middle East.

What to do Yanni?

So tonight I decided to ramble as I lay in bed... wondering about the fact that I am almost 33 years old and girding the possibility that I may never either be prepared, or get the nerve to commit to a longterm relationship.  But again.

What to do Yanni?

Alright... I think I am going to try and sleep now.

Sorry, for the downer... living here is still great.

All Good Things...

While not quite the seven year run of the Star Trek the Next Generation whose finale was titled those very same words I have come to an end of a sorts.

Tonight was my last night as an AGM at the Mall of the Emirates Pf Chang’s.  A nine month run at one of the most fun jobs I have had the pleasure and honor of working at.   I truly cannot thank the team enough for what they have done for me since I have moved to Dubai.  From my first GM, to the last, to the management team and the staff, I have never felt more welcomed and part of something, ever.

Times like these, with people as great as these make me realize why I have remained in this industry for so long.  It is not the work, but the people.  From staff to guest, I get to meet people from all walks of life, every creed, lifestyle, nationality… it is amazing.  For a man who spent most of his life doing his best to not be human, I have spent the greater part of my adult life immersed in humanity, at its best and worst.

While there is no way I can shout out everyone (I have like 150 employees at the store) there are a few I really do need to give a shoutout too.  First the managers.

Sean, you are quite possibly the best GM I have ever worked for(and I have worked with some truly great ones).  Never have I worked with someone with such a powerful grasp of the business, and be skilled at it, yet remain a leader that allows their staff to grow with their jobs.

Mike, I have learned a tremendous deal about the does and don’ts of management.  I am sure I will continue to use these examples in the long future ahead.

Jorge, the Latin Lasso… you my friend are the man.  You are one of the most remarkably talented and intelligent people I have ever met.  You have what some people would call a beautiful soul (not a come on).  The irony is that you are latin, which pretty much requires you to be so.  Be well on your journeys my friend.

Maan, thank you for the humor at work.  You are very down to earth and have a deep caring about the staff you work with.  Even through your Bravado you truly do care about your staff and try and do right by them.

Charissa, I am going to miss you.  You have a depth of knowledge about management, yet a charming naivete that constantly WoWs me.  You are not afraid to teach, as well as learn to improve their shortcomings, and you do this without being told what those are.  Continue to grow, though I think the only way you are going to get taller is with bigger and bigger shoes

The Chef team of Ed, Dale, Federico, Allen, Meg and Ron… when I first got there it took me a while to get close to you (aside from Dale), but over the months of working together I consider you some of my closest peers.  Though a couple of you are continuing your journey with me, I will miss all of you and your Chinese food slinging greatness.

Though the management team is who I work day in and day out with to ensure the success of one of the busiest (might be by the end of the year) PFC’s in the world… it is truly the staff that made me love the store.

There are far to many of you to give each and everyone of you a shoutout… but there are a few I feel as if I have to say something.  But know that if I do not say anything in this blog, that you are not forgotten, and each of you are close to me.

Ehab… you are an inspiration.  I have watched you grow over the last 9 months from a awkward server to a superstar.  You are the man, and I always could count on you for a smile and an attitude that could cheer anyone up.  “A smile costs nothing, but is worth a lot.”

The dynamic duo, Aimee and Glenda.  I could always count on you to be real at work, and were two of the first to actually listen to me as a person rather than a manager.  Even though you are both trouble.

The host team, Sarah, Anna, Margarita, Eula, Randy, Deepanker, Christina… each of you is awesome in their own ways.  And while I still suck at the host desk I love supporting you and wish you all the success Chang’s and life can give you.  

The runner team snuck up on me.  I was not that close to many of them until I started to expoing and I was honored to work with probably the finest tuned machines I have ever worked with.  Lemuel, PJ, Jade, Wendell, Paul, Ron, Samar, Binod, Armel, Jay-R, Vlad, Nicolai, Jorge, Allan (I probably missed someone)… thank you for being fun, and thanks for most of you for shaving your heads when my clippers betrayed me.

Bartenders, Willy, Eugene, Chris ,Ricky Ricardo and Arnel, the Gorilla from Manilla.  You proved to me that bartenders are bartenders no matter where you go.  Thanks for letting me hang out in your frat house.

Servers… there are so many of you.  Berlyn, keep smiling, your whole face lights up when you do.  Shyrell, you too… you have a lovely  smile be proud of it.  Jerome, stay fabulous.  Ajay, keep up the good work.  Lani, don’t be so shy, even though its cute.  For my future ex wife Cherry.. are you sure you want to be last?  Phyu, you are one of the most charmingly nice people I have ever met, even though I still think you are mean.  Miquela, stop hitting me.  Chona, quit calling me sir!  Caroline, you have made such an improvement over the last nine months, keep smiling it changes your entire demeanour.  Khin, you are a good guy.  You to Gavino.  I am still going to fight you Gibo.  Lance, you are a tremendous person, your personality is the tops.  Soe and Win, I am not even sure if you know how to not smile… keep it up.  Rhyan you are a player, don’t deny it!  Gracia, you keep smiling too!  

Schenley (lord I know I probably spelled that one wrong).  Thanks for being my server trainer.  You have a tremendous amount of talent, use it.  Keep smiling, it is infectious with you.  I could always count on you to say things that would make me with humor or shock, sometimes both.

To my trainers.  Aaron, Fox, Maria, Rizaldy and Rowell.  I want to see all of you in stores opening over the next year.  I have talked to each of you at least a little bit about what you need to focus on, and what to expect.  I may not be a guru like Dom, but I know a thing or two.

To the culinary team.  I wish I got to know you all better.  In truth I barely know some of your names, but I have never worked with a team that could crank out so much food everyday.  The hard work you guys do in the kitchen, prep and dish cannot be besmirched.  You guys are incredible.

I know I missed people.  Some are going with me, some I just overlooked in my tired mind… but know I love each of you, and will miss all of you.

Starting Monday I will be at Dubai Mall Pf Chang’s.  Same city but a whole different environment.  The Dubai Mall if currently the world’s largest mall (total floor area, not retail leasing space) and is adjacent to the Burf Khaliffa (the world’s tallest building and structure) and the Dubai Fountain, one of the world’s largest fountains.  I do not have pictures of this store yet, but I will.

This is a great opportunity for me and my own personal growth in this industry, but will press my limits farther than they ever have.  I know my future departments and they are things I have yet to do.  I am kinda psyching myself out already, but I did the same when I first got here, and when I did my culinary training.  If I can fly 8000 miles and have positive impact on MOE’s record breaking I should be able to handle this (just have to believe in myself).

My team over there is almost already good to go, having been trained over the last two months in stores in the UAE.  We have some late joiners to get up to speed, but some old friends are coming over from the states to handle the training.  Part of MCC’s team that I worked with a year ago.  I am looking forward to working with Jessica, Jared and Ray Rey again.

This blog is getting exceedingly long, and I can post another later about the hello to the new store. 

I am going to miss you MOE… stay beautiful.

We are truly glad you are here, and we will do everything we can to make you want to come back.

Welcome to PF Chang's.....

I promise to have some more excerpts in my next blog, I have several chapters that I have worked on, but I have been really busy.

The title says it all.  Apparently the entire UAE has been into my store here at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.  About every three weeks we break another sales record, and this week we crushed it.  We broke the total daily sales record, and our guest count (neither of which can be posted on a public forum).  This store currently sits as number #2 in the world when it comes to PF Chang's (with Las Vegas beating us by a surprisingly small percentage considering their advantages) and we serve an almost stupid amount of Chinese food to the people here.  Over 400 Dynamite shrimp... for Changsters or restaurant employees in the know, that is a crazy amount of a single dish going out.

Life has been incredibly busy but good.  I wish I had a bit more free time, but that is mostly from me mismanaging my free time.  There is alot in Dubai I have not seen yet, that I need to.  It would be nice to hit some of the nightlife again one of these days, but I seem to be stuck at work more often than not.  I have not loved a job like this in a long time, and find myself there to talk with my staff and guests even on my days off. 

I suppose I just need to get my butt out of the store and out of my apartment and hit the heat (which is bad already... and it hasn't even got close to where it will be later this summer) and find some night life.  Maybe some pools, clubs and definately the beach.

I would say I need to do this before the end of the world, but that happened today.  Or didn't. 

But, my views on organized religion are best kept to myself for the time being.  It would be the wrong book.

So Big D signing off.