Irony

Happy Halloween!

To start todays post, I thought I would show some pictures of costumes:

This is me:


"Making it up as I go"

And here is Katie:


"Trying, but not really making it"

And a Halloween anecdote.

So Ryan sent me a text on Monday afternoon to tell me that he needed a "spooky side dish" for work for today. I said sure, and then forgot about it.

Last night he asks me if I have all the stuff I need for the side dish, oh and while I'm at the store can I grab some candy for the trick or treaters? Sure, why not?

So I jump online, look around for a few minutes, and find I recipe I don't hate that doesn't look too difficult. I write down the ingredients, jump in the car and pick up the necessities.

Upon arriving home I decide that I can't be bothered to make the dish now, and leave the cream cheese out to soften. Once again I forget that this has to be done now.

After putting the baby in bed, watching TV, and general putzing around the house I decide I should make this side dish. With Ryan's help I was done in about 20 min, including pipping the sour cream spider webs on the top.

Today I get a call from Ryan.

"We won, honey!"

"We did?, what did we win?"

"We won some popcorn and movies, and a gift certificate"

"No, what did we win for?"

"The bean dip, silly!"

"Really? Sweet!"

So the irony here is that I didn't even take a picture.

Going back out!

I did something last night that I haven't done for a while. I went to the bar.

I went to the bar, and I had a drink, and I hung out with friends (from the diner, because they are the only ones I have). I even went to the diner afterward and ordered food, and drank coffee, and I was one of the crowd!

I had a great time, though I have no pictures to show for it. I might have to do it again sometime, and soon at that!

Restoring my faith in Humanity

I sometimes wonder about people. I wonder what they are thinking, or if they have ever learned manners. This came to the forefront of my conscious today.

This morning I was on my way to work and decided to stop at the convenience store to get a soda. As I walked in it became apparent that they were receiving a delivery, because there were cases of beer in the isles, and a big truck outside. After navigating my way around the beer to get my soda, I got in line at the check out counter. Standing next to me was the vendor who needed his paperwork signed. As the customer ahead of me finished his transaction I looked to the vendor to go first, because he had been there first. He looked at me and indicated that I could bypass him. As I stepped forward to the counter the cashier grabbed her clipboard and started checking in the delivery. I waited, and the vendor looked at me apologetically. He did everything he could to hurry the clerk, and was out of my way in about a min. As I stepped forward and set my soda on the counter the cashier continued to fill out her paperwork. For another minute or two. Finally I asked her “Can I pay for my soda, please?”

She looked at me angrily and said “This has to be done, I have to do it right now, and I’m sorry you are so pissed off about me doing my job.”

I looked at her with shock, and said “I would be less pissed off if you would look at me and say ‘One moment, please,’ or ‘I’ll be right with you’”

“Well you don’t need to get to grumpy with me, and I’m sorry you are having a bad morning”

I was shocked. I grabbed my change from her hand, and walked out of the door, while saying, “All I wanted was a ‘One moment please’.”

As I drove to the daycare to drop off my child I pondered about what has happened to common courtesy. I think it’s dead, and this was confirmed at the daycare.

I went in with Rebecca to get her settled, and while I was pouring milk on her cereal, and giving her a kiss an employee of the daycare walked behind me, knocking into my purse, and didn’t say anything. No “excuse me” or “I’m sorry” or anything!

Needless to say, by the time I arrived at work I was sure that common courtesy no longer existed, and I am from another time when you say “Excuse me” “Please” and “Thank you.”

I would have believed this too, if it weren’t for the doctor’s office. I called them because I needed to fax some information to them, but I didn’t have the fax number. When the receptionist answered the phone she asked me if I could hold. Please. I said sure.

While I was on hold (for 8 minutes, I had lots of time to think) I realized that this woman had asked me to hold, and then waited for me to answer. She didn’t assume that I would hold, or put me on hold before I could respond, she waited for me to answer and give my consent and permission.

Yes ma’am, I can hold. (for information that would only take 30 seconds to give, but that’s ok, she said please.)

After this happened I had one more small experience that has truly restored my faith. I decided to go out to lunch, and when I walked in to the fast food restaurant the woman behind the counter had her back to me, and was logging inventory. (It must be the day for it) I stood in front of the register and looked at the menu, and before I had a chance to wonder what she was doing she turns to me and says “I’m sorry, I’ll be right with you.”

Wow! I didn’t know that could happen! This woman used all her nice words, acknowledged my presence, and told me she would hurry. Her manager walked up then and asked me what I would like, and my companion and I spent the next 2 or 3 minutes singing the praises of this employee. She was wonderful, she was fantastic, and she used her nice words and asked us to hold. She should get a gold star for restoring my faith in humanity.

Who knew?

So I have been employed at only one job for a week. In this time I have learned a few things about myself that I didn't know.

Thing 1: If left to my own devices, I won't do laundry.

Thing 2: I like to bake.

It seems that I like to bake a lot! This week I have made pumpkin pie, (it's gone now, sorry, I didn't get a pic.) banana bread, and banana cream pie.

I didn't know how much I enjoyed baking. Looks like I like to make up my own recipes. I just make this crap up as I go.




Above is the banana bread that I made, but I didn't have enough banana's, so I used milk. Close enough.



This is the banana cream pie I made out of a vague idea I got from a recipe web site. I used cream instead of milk, and cornstarch instead of flour, and an egg substitute. Does that make it my own recipe?



I begin to wonder what these will become. I'm thinking pumpkin cookies!

Saying Goodbye

I don’t know exactly how to explain how it feels to leave a job you like, but don’t.

Due to a recent (and sudden) change in my living situation, I am no longer able to work the graveyard shift at the diner. I had to quit, and I had to do so immediately. I wasn’t able to give two weeks notice, this happened so fast. I went in to work on Friday, and told Linda about the situation, and because she is an understanding person, she let me quit without giving 2 weeks.

I am no longer employed with Dee’s Inc. I’m feeling a loss about writing those words. I’m sad about it. I feel like a piece of who I was is gone.

“Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why. It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time.”

I have worked at Dee’s for 18 months. I have never worked any shift except weekend graves, and I didn’t even work most holidays. I have spent most of my weekends there, serving people, and making friends. I have met all kinds of interesting people, and lots of good friends.

I have seen some crazy things there. I have seen fights, I have seen brawls, I have even seen a guy shot with a taser. I saw a guy break a glass window with his fist (I chased him to the parking lot and got his license plate). I saw a guy get pepper sprayed (because he wouldn’t leave). The store has been robbed (I wasn’t there that night, and I’m glad). We have run out of ice cream (see blog post, I’ll learn to hyperlink to archives later), we have run out of other foods, we have kicked people out of the restaurant, and we have let customers do the same (they were bouncers, we figured they could handle it better than us). I have worked with dozens of employees, and I have made friends with quite a few of them.

By working at Dee’s I was able to accomplish some things I’ve always wanted, to say “I did it”. I have always wanted to say I worked true graves. I have always wanted to serve at a diner. I have always wanted to work at Dee’s, just so I can say I did.

With the good and the bad, I have to say that looking back at the last 18 months, I couldn’t have done it without Dee’s. When I separated from my ex-husband Dee’s was there so I could cry on the shoulders of my friends. They were there to offer me stability, and a vacation from the rest of my life. For the 10 hours I was there I didn’t have to worry about what I was going to do, or how I was going to take care of whatever situation I was in. I didn’t have to think about how sad I was, or how hard it was to be alone.

When I had my thyroid removed they were there for me, offering support, and carrying my trays until I was strong enough to do it on my own. My friends there helped me, and split side work with me, so that the things I couldn’t do could be traded for the things I could do.

When my daughter had a birthday there were there for me, giving me support, and giving her a great time.

And when I started seeing someone new, Linda pulled me aside, and reminded me that I should wait at least 6 months between serious relationships. She just wanted to look out for me, and didn’t remember that it had been 11 months since my separation.

I will miss that. I will miss my “Linda mom,” and I will miss Marky, Jon and Ferarri, my “sisters”. I will even remember Ryan, the “brother” who drove me crazy. I appreciate that even after we haven’t gotten along for so long, he made a point of signing my card, and leaving me a nice message. This is like a family, and I will miss them.

I’ll also miss my customers. I’ll miss my UPS crew, who came in to see me every Friday night. I’ll miss the group from the Westerner, who make sure to give me a hard time as often as they can. I’ll miss the coffee pouring competition, and I’ll miss seeing if we can beat the record of 15 mugs (I’ll see if I can’t get a pic of that up. I have one in the phone from when we poured 7). I’ll miss the crowd, and miss the rush, and miss all the people who came to see me, that I really liked, but never took the time to learn their names.

I won’t miss the mess. I won’t miss the fry sauce on my arms, or ice cream in my hair. I won’t miss sore feet, or the smell that may never come out of my aprons. I won’t miss the uniform, and I won’t miss the mean drunks that sometimes came in. I won’t miss the stress of someone calling in, and I won’t miss being yelled at by the kitchen for making a mistake (I made a few of them. They thought it was funny to yell at me). I won’t miss cleaning up spilled drinks, or spilled condiments. I won’t miss being awake for 26 hours on Friday, and having to get up early on Sunday so I don’t mess up the sleep schedule. I won’t miss the fights, though I will miss our copper. He was a nice guy, and always looked out for us. I won’t miss a lot of the details about working there.

But in the end I will miss it.

“It’s something unpredictable, but in the end there’s right. I hope you had the time of your life.”

Cats aren't enough!

As if the cats (and the funny story with them, check the history. I'll learn to hyperlink it later) weren't enough I now find that I am the proud (?) owner of 2 Betta fish.

"How did this happen?" You may ask, or even "I thought you liked fish, Amanda." Well let me tell you.

I do like fish. As a general rule they are the only pet I've ever had that I really enjoyed. I don't mind cleaning the tank, and I love to look at them and feed them. Except Betta fish (and goldfish).

I don't like these fish for some simple reasons. I don't like how dirty they are. The tank is always dirty, and the fish themselves seem dirty to me. I can't put nice things in the tank because they get dirty. I can't put other fish in with them because the other fish will die because of the dirty tank.

Overall Betta's are something I have avoided for most of my fish-caring life. Until this week.

Ben moved out over the weekend, and when he left he didn't take his 2 Betta fish with him. They have been in little cups for 2 days. The one was not doing well at all. It's supposed to be red, but it was starting to look like Malibu Stacy's fish (think puky pink).

I went to the store last night because I didn't want the fish to die, and they haven't been fed in a few days. I got new fish food (blood worms!), and a tank.

When I got up this morning my fish no longer looks like Malibu Stacy, and now looks more like and appetizing lobster... only fishy.

Could be worse, I suppose. I could have salt water fish.

On a related topic, I'm thinking it might be time to replace the camera. I'll see if I can't get to that in the next week or two. Show everyone pictures of the fish instead of trying to describe the color.