Hi, and welcome.

Just started this blog. With all the bull involved in making a go of a business in an industry NOTORIOUS for business failures, sometimes, well......OFTEN, the rest of your life takes a back seat. That includes your family. Your wife, your kids, basically, all the people who depend on you.

Your NOT home during most holidays, your NOT home during EVENINGS, your NOT home on weekends......................basically....................YOUR JUST NOT HOME.

Lets face it, the hospitality business FAILS in being hospitable to your family. It may take a few years, it may take several years, but eventually, the outcome of all your absences begin to take their toll. And its not gonna be pretty. Marital problems, kid's issues, drugs and alcohol, psychological issues, too many problems to list.

If you're THINKING about getting into this industry, show up and read. What you read MAY change your mind. If youre ALREADY in the industry, show up and read. There MAY be tips to help with the problems of having a family in this business.

Being married is tough, as it is. Being married and in THIS business is CLOSE to impossible. Wait, let me correct that. Being HAPPILY married is close to impossible.

I am in this position today. Never, ever, ever thought I would be. But I am. ANd, truthfully, my marital future doesn't look so good. And as your marriage goes south, you will begin to notice that it effects your business. That is, it effects your business if you LOVE your wife or husband and WANT to stay married. Many, many people in this business can dump one spouse and hook up with another without batting an eye. Or stay single and REALLY indulge in all of the industries "fringe benefits".

I'll post my history in the next post. How I started to become interested in the business, why I got interested. My work history, failures and successes. I 'll work up to the present and go over what I am trying to do to rectify my marriage, keep bringing in money and an exit stratagy that might solve the whole mess. But, it wouldn't be easy. ANd the odds are against me.

You know, if you are a restaurant owner, EVERYBODY wants to talk to you. They ALL think that its exciting, glamorous and exactly what they see on TV. You know, the Food Channel, the Iron chef, all those restaurant and chef shows. There is a HUGE difference between COOKING and running a restaurant. HUGE. HUGE. HUGE.

I am looking for others to post their experience and solutions to family problems associated with being an restaurant owner. BUt, the posts can be about ANYTHING to do with cooking, food and the restaurant business in general. The EASIER you can make your business the BETTER it is gonna be for EVERYONE involved, directly or indirectly. I hope this blog helps ME and many of my readers. I hope I get to know many of you.