Thursday, May 23, 2013
Boy Scouts Today: a response to a Facebook thread
Saturday, May 18, 2013
5 minutes to close...
Anybody who has worked in a restaurant understands the biggest bane if a food-service employee's life: the folks that come in to get food in the last few minutes of the kitchen being open. Picture the scene: the kitchen closes at 11pm, and it is 10:55. Lo and behold, the ticket printer goes off, spitting out that order for a well-done KC strip, loaded baked potato, and dinner salad caesar (out first), among whatever other things that folks wanted at the last minute. This drives the cooks nuts.
Invariably, kitchens tend to get busy in the last hour or so that they are open. Quite often, we have already started cleaning things, at least as much as we can without shutting things off. Murphy's Law pretty much dictates that if you just cleaned the flat-top, you will get an order that requires you to clean it again five minutes later. Shut off the grill, and someone will want a burger or steak or something.
Some people thrive on living at the last minute. The procrastinators (guilty as charged) of the world will unite when they feel like it. This includes getting dinner. "Hey, I got two minutes left before they close!"
If anything, this has really made me think about how and when I go to look for food. I don't want to be "that guy" that shows up five minutes before the restaurant closes, expecting perfect service. There is a good chance that the person cooking for you has been there since before the restaurant opened, and the only thing they want is to go home after twelve hours of catering to people's whims. Oh yeah, did I mention that quite often those whims might be bordering on crazy and even psychotic?
If anything, the next time you go to order food a few minutes before close, think about what you are ordering. Make it simple, make it quick, and appreciate what the service folks do for you.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Some days...
... You realize how tired you really are.
Of course, this could have any number of meanings. Physically tired - 37 hours straight with one hour of sleep, moving/packing/cleaning/cooking the whole time through. Mentally tired - my brain shut down hours ago. Emotionally tired - I really don't care about much of anything right this second.
On the bright side, though, I am done moving for a couple of months.
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So, I wrote this last night. I was definitely in a different state of mind. Sometimes you need to have those moments when you realize what you are doing to yourself.
Lesson of the day: balance is your friend.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Summertime, and the living is easy...
It's finally summertime, and despite the song, the living is not quite as easy as one might believe. At least, not yet. I still have some stuff to work out, like cleaning and packing my apartment, and moving into my new place of residence. I will be living with more people again, the most I've actually lived with since when I was still living at home. It should be interesting.
I'm going to continue working at Willie's Sports Bar in Atchison for the time being. I seem to have made it over the hump where the job sucks and you just want to quit. Things have gotten better for me, and I can actually say something now and have someone listen (I'll talk more about that kind of thing later). The work can be hard, but at the end of the day, I know I have some friends to share a drink with. Plus, it's a job, something I don't have if I go somewhere else right now.
I decided to go to the BC graduation, despite the fact that I wasn't walking. I know hindsight is 20/20, but I wish I had just done what was needed to walk. I think I'll look into whether or not there is a December comencement ceremony. If there is, and things work out, that's what I'll do.
I have a few plans over the summer, all things that I really could not get done while I was in school. Mostly, time would not allow me to do theses things, or I found that I didn't want to after spending so much time with school. I hopefully won't have that problem as much now.
1. I want to get this blog up and running properly. This (hopefully) isn't going to be just a spweing of my deepest, darkest thoughts. I want to actually write something of some worth. This may include topics ranging from business management, to politics, and even religion. I'll put up some beer, wine, and liquor reviews. There will be occasional music topics, as I would not be who I am with the music in my life.
2. I want to start working on a novel. I have had an idea rattling through my head for the last couple of years now, but have not had the time to really work on it. This will be a bit difficult, but hopefully I will get somewhere with it.
3. I need to look for a proper career. Those who know me well, know I hate a beauracratic life. I have to figure out how to either conform to that (not my choice) or find a one in a culture I like (a lot harder). This is the most important task of the summer.
4. I want to get a concealed-carry permit. I don't own a firearm yet to use for this, but I still think it might be a good idea, considering the forecast of the political climate lately.
5. I want a dog. This is dependant on a couple of things, but I hope it'll work out.
I have a few other smaller goals, but those are just incidentals.
So, here we are now. It's summertime, and the sun is shining. Life is moving, and you can't get off. So hold on tight, as it'll be a fast ride.