Alright, it's time for a good old fashioned bitch-fit. It may or may not be news that I work in a restaurant, and my main job there is hosting. Let's just say that I have no long-term plans for working in the food-service industry, each night dishing out some of the most entitled assholes money can create. Tonight the slow-streak in the Restaurant ended, so here's a list of things to consider if you're going out to eat somewhere that's packed and chaotic.
If you're going to bring a large amount of people, call ahead and let the restaurant know. Even parties of six or more warrant at least some heads up. With big parties the best(and most logical) thing to do is make a reservation a few days prior. It takes time to make room for lots of people to sit together, and extra staff to accommodate them. If you walk in with a party of 12 with no notice, don't expect to be seated or served right away.
Just order what's on the fucking menu. The things that are on the menu are what the cooks are prepared to make. Special substitutions, additions, and just plain ordering whats not there is annoying and complicates everything for servers and cooks. If you don't want what's on the menu, why are you eating there in the first place?
If you're in a hurry, don't fucking go to a sit-down restaurant to eat. I'll never understand the person who comes in and asks to be seated, then demands their food be "rushed" because they have to be somewhere. If you're in a hurry, order to-go or go to a drive-thru.
Just sit where the Host seats you. This is just a big pet peeve of mine. Unless they offer you a choice of where to sit, they are probably seating you there for a reason. There are reserved tables and server sections to consider, and if you insist on sitting somewhere else, you're disrupting the flow. ALSO, don't fucking seat yourself behind the Host's back and expect to be helped any time soon. Especially if there's a sign that says "please wait to be seated" and a bunch of people waiting in front of you. If you want proper service you have to go throught the proper channels first.
Always, always, always tip the server. Decent service deserves a decent tip, therefore shitty service deserves a shitty tip, but it still deserves a tip. Servers make the majority of their money off of tips, and people need to come prepared if they want to eat at a restaurant. Stiffing the server on the tip is just wrong.
Never, never, never fucking "snap and point". Also known as "have some goddamned human fucking decency". Consider this: You are not the only table your server has to take care of. While you're snapping your fingers and rolling your eyes, they are getting something out to whoever asked for it before you. Servers are people too, and no amount of slow service justifies treating anyone like they're less than human.
Know the difference between your server, other servers, and the host and busser. Unless they ask, don't blurt out your order to the person that sat you. And don't try flagging down any employee you see running by. The fact that they're running means that they are already trying to do something and don't have time to stop.
We've all seen Waiting, right? Anyone planning to go out to eat needs to at least see that movie so that they know what the dining experience is like on the other end. Before you judge, bitch, complain, and send you food back to the kitchen, take a moment to think about just who you're sending it back to, and how you've been treating them.
It's been over a month since my move to "The Valley", and my period of adjustment has come and gone. As far as living up to my expectations, I'd give this lifestyle change a C-.
I began by cleaning the bathroom and kitchen enough that I was comfortable using them,which is to say it involved a lot of Ajax and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. It doesn't take long before the mess cropped up again, but I've been trying to keep up with it whenever I have spare time.. My TV has been set up in the living room, and I've got my own designated corner of the bedroom for my desk, which holds most of my books/nicknacks and is where Terezi usually lives. I've got to give Chris(and Zane) some props for all of his help during the move, and for putting together my new dresser.
My new job has been pretty much everything I expected. My co-workers are nice enough. It fluctuates regularly between slow as shit and really fucking busy. It's a restaurant/bar so it's much more difficult to keep track of various patrons. My first night I walked full-force into a wall-length window, earning myself a fat lip and a bruised nose. Work hasn't kicked my ass this hard in a long time.
My job takes up most of my time so far(surprise surprise!) and I work nights so that doesn't leave much time to go out.
I do make more money than I did in Prescott, but I hardly notice because
I have less free time to use said money
money doesn't go nearly as far down here
Part of it is gas; it takes much longer to get anywhere in the valley as it did in Prescott. The 5-10 minute drive it would take to get to a friends house or work now takes 30-40 minutes, and usually involves a freeway or two. That's not even counting rush-hour traffic.
Most things are also more expensive. It all adds up to less time and money, which compounded with nonstop work and a horrific sore throat made the first few weeks kind of hellish.
So yeah Phoenix is hot and smoggy, traffic sucks, and I get lost nearly every time I go out without a mapquest route. But stangely enough it still feels like home. Phoenix is a big place when I have the time to explore it. I love the desert, and I've got some awesome people to hang out with. Most of my days consist of work, running, sleep, and interenet. My dear Terezi keeps me sane most nights, the internet beimg my livelihood lately. Once school starts I expect things will get less monotonous. We'll have to see.
This past week has been made of packing, cleaning, and brainstorming ways to fit furniture into a car. Tonight I'm moving down to Phoenix (after nearly a year of claiming it's "happening in a month or two") right after my last official day of working at the Prescott Resort. I'm not putting much stock in goodbyes, because I'll be back up in a week to visit and pick up my copy of Mass Effect 3. Once I get down the challenge will be finding room for all of my things, getting the kitchen/bathroom in order, and just settling in general. Immediately after I'll be finalizing paperwork for my new job, and starting work later this week.
I'll miss the simplicity of Prescott, my roommates, and having my own room, but I am excited for such a major change. I love the city, and I'm well on my way to being able to navigate the valley.
For now I'm just going to continue the 30-day challenge, which brings me to
Day 14: Your Favorite Song(s).
Now mind you, this selection changes often. I don't pretend to be an expert on music genres (no that's not metal it's GRUNGE), nor am I really picky when it comes to artists. For the most part I judge every song individually, I don't usually like more than a few from any single band. There are exceptions, like Protest The Hero and anything by Jack White.
Here are the most recent examples worth mentioning:
This one I heard last night, and it caught me off guard with its sheer edginess. Didn't expect that one from the Bravery.
Here's another one I really like by them for reference. (I seriously couldn't decide if I like the Sun or Moon Version better, I recommend checking out both.)
I mentioned liking everything by Jack White, and I mean pretty much everything he's touched. This includes anything by The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, etc. (I'm still trying to decide how I feel about his collaboration with ICP). Of course I've got my favorites; "Icky Thump", "A Martyr For My Love For You", and the cover of "Jolene" are among them. But If Pressed, my ultimate favorite has got to be "Top Yourself". I find it deliciously simple yet the lyrics still haunt me.
Now Gorillaz has been a band I've enjoyed since middle school, and by sheer lasting power alone I have to include "Feel Good Inc.", as this song as spent the longest on my "favorites list".
And then here's something different to top it all off with. It's called "Form" by Hooray For Earth.
Enjoy.
I just had an interview for a job similar to the one I've spent the past 3+ years doing (working at a resort). Meh, at least it's a job, and one I know how to do.
Kind of stressed about moving, since it's several days away and I've not even begun packing.
But I'm still stoked about moving to the city and being closer to my AZStuck friends.
Just covered myself in Old Spice and Let-Me-Tell-You I've never before had such an urge to have sex with myself.
The Skyrim Main Theme gets me all kinds of pumped about life.
Just loaded my online wishlist up with beautiful gauges to get once I've reached size 0
I'd love to get around to making a post about my 21st, but I'm still waiting on some photos from a friend.
I'll prolly just continue the challenge until then.
Need to get back to Julio on that photoshoot thing.
Yes, 2012 is here and I'm pretty stoked, for various reasons. But first, a brief recap on the final months of the Year of the Rabbit.
I turned 21, which has been pretty 'meh' so far. The night itself was awesome though (details later). As far as feeling 'different,' because I can BUY BOOZE NOW(!!!1), not much has changed. While yes, I can legally purchase alcohol whenever I want, it means nothing if I lack the funds.
My best friend got married and moved halfway across the country. This is great for her, but not so hot for me as she was one of the few people I enjoyed interacting with. It was still an occasion I'm proud I was a part of. Despite some fudgings on the Bachelorette Party and Ring-holding, I think I was a halfway-passable Maid of Honor. It was bittersweet because I'm going to miss two of my best friends, but major changes are always exciting, and I remain optimistic about keeping in touch.
Christmas... happened, I guess. Every year I spend the whole day at work. Then my parents always insist I visit in an effort to keep me from becoming completely estranged (usually just to keep up appearances for the relatives). I got some great gifts from friends and family though, which I'm extremely grateful for and am already getting tons of use out of.
I was scheduled to work at 6AM on New Year's Day, but luckily this is the one day of the year where you can show up to work completely destroyed and it's not a big deal. Needless to say I drank and danced to my heart's content on New Year's Eve and less than one fuck was given. Here's to starting the new year off right.
I hope to accomplish a lot of things this year. Off the top of my head those things include:
moving in with my boyfriend in Phoenix
getting a new job in Phoenix
paying off my car
starting school again
getting more in shape for swimsuit/cosplay season
hopefully visiting my friends in Oklahoma
finishing up my costumes in time for Phoenix Comicon
camping for a week???
not dying in the apocalypse
Here's hoping 2012 will be a good one, and not the last one like the Mayans seemed to think.
Last weekend was Saboten-Con, the self-proclaimed "largest anime convention in Arizona", held at the Pointe Hilton Resort. I attended along with several Homestuck fans that I met back at Phoenix Comicon. The Hilton is incredibly nice on it's own, complete with several pools, a restaurant and a water park. When you fill it with anime geeks it becomes that much more entertaining.
The Price of staying in an actual room throughout the convention was steep. However, we made it affordable by employing a cunning method called "stuffing the room to twice it's occupancy". We managed to fit nine people in a suite meant for four. It was cramped, but ultimately worth it.
just look at the state of it.
Saboten's content is a little more niche than Phoenix Comicon. I was simply referring to the whole con as "Homestuck Camp", because our group did not go to one panel. We spent most of our time dicking around the hotel and taking pictures with other Homestuck groups (of which there were several). In fact the only anime-related activity we did was watch the Adult Swim lineup in our room.
Obviously the costumes were the best part.
Chloe I stopped this girl just for you
I want to know how they were getting around
Of course we all came prepared with our own costumes. At 4:13 on Saturday many (but not all) of the homestuck cosplayers met up for a photoshoot that lasted two goddamn HOURS. The crowd got massive, and by the end there were nearly as many people taking pictures as there were people posing.
"Come at us, Bro"?
Kanaya disapproves
a Jack is fine too
Getting into costume was more arduous than I thought. If you're going as one of the Trolls, every unclothed part of you must be covered in gray makeup. It took a good 30 minutes just to get an even layer on my face. I tried on my black wig; that was just not going to happen. I did manage to attatch some red eyelashes, even though squirting glue into your eye strikes me as a terrible idea. It was worth it for the pictures, apparently my character isn't frequently cosplayed.
the world must never know
I'm not likely to be dressing up in Troll makeup again anytime soon. After an hour in the shower with three kinds of soap my skin was still grayish. Other than that, It was a very good time. I had lots of fun and met more new people. Can't wait for the next one.
everyone's favorite picture of Guy, Rowan, and myself
