littlelotte

Just random. So remember how I said I put in two apps? The other one was at Food Dance Cafe. They called me at about quarter after nine last night for an interview. Oh well...at least I have a nudge if I need to find another serving job at some point while still in Kalamazoo--turn in an app with a note "I've turned in an application and was called for an interview before, but had already been hired and started training somewhere else, so I couldn't accept."

Two for two. Yay :-)

I told you my co-workers were a bad influence on me...



http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n91/littlelotte_phantom/Jimmy%20Buffett/

Couple of quick work pics.

One from the concert, the party bus group, until I get an album of some sort posted:


And one more...it was raining pretty badly at work the other day, so we started an unbrella service for Locals (our term for customers). I couldn't resist snapping this one:

( Nick with umbrellas... )

Well, fall has definitely made its mark. The first home football game of WMU's season was last night (otherwise known as Comm-University night), and it was pretty crappy weather for a game so far as how it's been lately, but it was the perfect fall weather for a football game. Now I'm sitting on the couch typing this up, and I've actually pulled my fleece blanket back out to begin it's six or seven month stay on the couch.

It's been a pretty uneventful week, really. We went to Bronco Bash Friday evening and talked about how it just gets worse and worse every year. The best was my freshman year, of course. I don't really think it was ever better than that one. It was also kind of strange because they moved it from the Fine Arts Village over by Miller over to the flag pole/Sangren/Faunce area. We also rented Dear Wendy a few days ago, and it was definitely quite a twisted little piece of work, though a rather lovely film, regardless (of course, Lars von Trier wrote it, so of course it was...that's what I seem to say about every movie of his I've seen--which reminds me...I apparently haven't harassed Dan enough to bring Dogville back to Kalamazoo with him...I only half bought it for him ;-)). I also finally got Dan to see Monsoon Wedding last night--I think I've been trying for about two years...and he admitted it wasn't the terrible thing he was expecting (his words being, "I thought it was going to be like My Big Fat Greek Wedding! You can't blame me!" I haven't seen that movie, so I can't comment). He also finally rented Motorcycle Diaries last week, as I've been the one resisting the rental of that and finally gave in (we've about killed video rental at Video Hits...there are about four that we've wanted to rent for forever but people have stolen them and we keep hope out that they'll come back, but aside from those we've pretty much depleted VHP as a rental resource). He got maybe half an hour in before giving up on it with "Ugh...why did I want to rent this?"

Tonight is definitely laundry night, tomorrow is a long day at work, and Tuesday will be an exceptionally long day--in to work early so that I can finish early and pick up the new MZD book before I have to be back at CiP at noon for the trip down to the Buffett concert, and then another bright and early workday on Wednesday. I'm really not looking forward to the actual concert part Tuesday (I hear more than enough Buffett at work), but I am looking forward to an evening with people from work I really like.

Edit: I just discovered that I can import these entries to Facebook, so I guess I should start actually titling things ;-)

My little brother would be having a field day with the piece of info I picked up this afternoon. Apparently, our MP bought all the Keys tickets to the Jimmy Buffett concert on September 12th.

Did I ever mention that I don't actually really care for the guy or for his music? I get a kick out of some of it and, thanks to work, have a few songs I actually enjoy, but...oh well...free concert tickets and a guaranteed night off to hang out with some of my favorite work people. I guess I can't actually complain.

So...not only did I pass my Key test...I passed with beyond flying colors! The score sheet separates each section into categories for grading: High Pass, Mid Pass, Low Pass and No Pass. On all four sections I received a High Pass. On the Key tests (it doesn't do this on the normal FOH tests) it also gives a breakdown of what the individual's answers indicate of the person--the first three sections are just like taking any of those "On a scale of 1 to 6, 1 being Strongly Disagree and 6 being Strongly Agree, where do you fall?" personality tests. It was also nearly 200 questions. Apparently, at least according to the breakdown, I'm well-suited for management ;-) Anybody else who knows me well find that vastly amusing?

...I can't wait to start training :-) I'm getting antsy.

I also ran into Marcie today. That made me grin. I thought she was wonderful when I directed her, and she's just a really great person all around. Dan says she's a morning regular at the coffeeshop.

I'm so tired. Today was my day off. Guess what I did. I taught a new server class and then got suckered into doing other stuff at work.

I think it's bedtime, but I really can't. But I really want to.

I'm taking my Key test this week.

*bounces* I really really love my job. Shall I list the reasons why?

Hired in end of May (third hire...our MP was convinced I would be the first, but the other job interfered with that happening)
Training/Open started July 20th
~October became a trainer
~December started HeadWaiting
Started travelling in January <---- This had been my "by my one-year anniversary with the company" goal
Promotion to head admin around end of January
Admin raise about two months ago
July 1st, promotion to Key <---- Where I've actually ended up :-D

...now is actual management too lofty a goal for year two? It's only one more step.

I will be working ~40 hours a week with a steady income between working in the office and Key shifts. I may even be getting some overtime through the training process. I've also been considering applying at another OSI restaurant to train to bartend part-time (like two days a week). I really want to become capable at it, and then I'll be completely trained in every FOH area. I will have to do a couple of bartending training days for Key, but not the full thing (of course, the full bartending training course for CiP is ten days). As an added bonus, I will be going through Key training along with Jenny. I <3 Jenny.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Molly's biting my arm :-(

I would just like to say that this is the biggest BS of an article EVER:

Restaurant Renegades
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2085903&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

I have known servers to pull the whole "try to make it so the people don't realize there's a gratuity added in already" thing, but not many and none of the rest of that stuff. There have been one or two throughout my serving career that have bragged over how ridiculously much they make, but we've always thought they were exaggerating, though it's also possible they would pull some of the above scams.

Oh! And never ask for "light ice" in your drink unless you want a weaker drink. For some reason, people think that a lot of ice makes for a weaker drink. We do it so the alcohol to mix ratio is lower, thereby giving you a stronger drink.

Today was long and obnoxious. I'm really glad I switched Jenny for her volume, though, because I'd have made roughly $20 between noon and 3. This was the slowest Saturday lunch I think has ever existed, plus I was making the most rotten of tips. I never had more than two tables at once, and I only had two at a time a few times when I was lucky. When I did my cashout at the end of the night it told me that my credit card tips averaged 14.22%. &%(*#%&#(^$*#_@!!! My afternoon tables consisted (as a rough idea) of $3 on 57 and change, $4.41 on 31 and change, $10 on $15 (because it was a Carrabbas employee and they got a 50% discount and tip like me at my sister concepts) and various others. It was an absolutely terrible day. I still walked with a fair amount of money, but it was really nothing when you compare it to what my sales were (over $800...given the section I was in, on a normal Saturday volume I would have broken $1000) :-P My back was screaming at me, too, but Matt is my hero and cracked my back (by me crossing my arms and him lifting me up with my back to his front), which also lengthened my spine a bit and made the rest of my night a million times easier. I really wish I could afford a chiropractor. I really need one.

Now my feet hurt and I'm sleepy and I have tomorrow off. I'm going to watch a DVD and then go to bed :-)

I just found out that the Leewood opening (a second Kansas City store...the other one is the "Speedway" store because it's near the racetrack) is in May. I reaaaaaaally need to tell Nick that I reaaaaaaaaaaally want to be on that opening. A lot of the trainers from OKC are going to be there, my roommate from the OKC opening, Cristina, is likely transferring there because it's closer to where she lives, and her bar manager, Brian, is going to be a manager there. *bounces* I would love to see them again!