Good afternoon, friends and neighbors!
I love bakers hours.
“Well f**k you!”
No seriously, I do. People tend to refer to “bakers hours” as a curse or a lamentation, but I really like them. Granted, right now my hours are 6am to 2pm at my current gig, which more or less puts me on the night shift of the baking world, but they are still early enough to make a lot of non-bakers cringe.
Yeah, I get that look a lot.
When I joined the professional baking world, my hours were 11a – 7p at the casino, a swing shift. As it was, I woke up at 6am each day so I’d have time to eat, work out, and clean up before driving to work.
I’m serious about the working out. Really- get in shape. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my career.
Those hours soon changed to 9a- 5p so I could get more time with my mentor at the casino who worked 6a- 2p. After moving out to Portland, I had a brief job working 9-5 before moving to my current gig and hours.
I get up at 3am every work day now, and I kinda love it.
Mrs. Black Hat, not so much,
After waking up, my routine isn’t too different from anyone else’s- breakfast, exercise, Triple S (shower, s***, shave), and out the door. The differences that make it worthwhile though.
1. Trying to do everything with as much stealth as possible. Emily usually doesn’t need to be up till 8:30, so I go through all my motions as quietly (and with as little light) as possible.
I am silent… I weigh less than a slice of bread…. I can’t find my socks.
2. The isolation. On days I go out running, there are barely any cars on the road. The air is cool and wet, and mist is still floating over low ground. I can run right on through my route and let my mind wander. It’s honestly during my runs I get my best ideas- an experience I share with a lot of great chefs.
Or I can pretend I’m a noir-style detective…
Now I’m not about the proselytize about the merits of waking up early. Everyone’s got their own schedule and their own likes, and I’d be a bit of a punk to take a holier-than-thou attitude about all of it.
Honestly, though? I feel weird on days I sleep in- like I wasted part of a day. Waking up early, I feel brighter and more productive, especially on exercise days. (Those who want to start on the “Don’t Trust A Skinny Baker” crap, I’ve already covered it.)
Yes, I get tired a bit earlier, and I don’t always enjoy feeling sleepy in the afternoon- but there are certain things that make me want to stay awake just those couple extra hours. One of them tends to be delicious, and the other tends to come home at around 7pm.
We just got engaged on Valentine’s Day, I’m allowed to be a bit sappy for a few weeks. There’s a rule.
Stay Classy (and Caffeinated,)
The Black Hat Baker 