Moving from Memphis to Maui

October 10th, 2018

Yup, I’ve had this blog for almost 46 months and just now realized that my “About” page was still just the regular old WordPress page that came with the blog.

So it’s probably time I update this page

Who I am

My parents named me Clay, but most of my friends tend to call me by a bunch of different names, including “Train-wreck” “Mess” and “What the hell Clay”.

I’ve spent my life in the restaurant business with a dream of someday getting paid to write stories that people will actually read, sooooo I’m a restaurant guy. It’s a brutal business, but the friends you make in it stick with you for life.

Over the last forty years I’ve lived a full and fun life with a whole lot of “learning opportunities” which you can read a little bit about here: Life of a Loser (Coming Full Circle)

But over Thanksgiving in 2014 I randomly found a Craigslist Ad looking for a restaurant manager in Maui, Hawaii that I applied for, AND GOT. Two weeks later I had sold everything I owned except for about 800 pounds of books and 100 pounds of fur in the form of my two dogs, all of which I left with my family to send out later.

What this blog is

Originally, this was just supposed to be a blog for me to practice my writing with while I kept my family up to date on my life as I moved 4,000 miles away from them.

To date, the most viewed post I’ve had on this blog was my going away party two days before I left (remember how I mentioned that restaurant people are the greatest friends) Festivus Party (I’m leaving!)

But I wasn’t really good about keeping this up to date over the past four years.

And then I went to Thailand and used (am using) that trip as an opportunity to restart my life in the direction that I choose.

What you can expect

Life on the Island

This category is all about life in Maui and especially how it’s different from life in Memphis, TN. Here’s where most of my original posts fit and they’re interesting, but evolving.

There’s even a post about how I chased some robbers like the Memphis-born asshole that I am! My Memphis as Fuck Moment

Thailand

This is my travel-blog segment where I talk about how damn fascinating Thailand is and how much fun I’ve been having on my month-long journey (fun I did have? Based on when you’re reading this).

It’s an amazing country full of incredibly bright and happy people. As far as I can see.

Oh, and you’ll also get to read all about how I tried to learn Muay Thai as a midlife crisis

Work / Restaurants

Like I said, this has been my lifelong passion so I love to write about it. Here you’ll learn about the restaurant I moved for (that fired me three months later as they downsized), the Cheeseburger in Paradise chain on the islands and my challenges there, my old bar The Mad Earl, and just life in a restaurant in general.

Random writing

And then of course every once in a while I’ll post either a writing exercise I’ve completed trying to improve my skills, maybe a short story or two, and even serial stories that I’m trying to write as I work up the discipline to write a true book.

Oh, and some food stuff. I do so love food so I’ll occasionally write an instruction manual on that.