Monday, June 14, 2010

A Moment's Thought on a Warm Summer Day

I love being able to enjoy the day. There is something to be said about being able to sit outside and read a book, soaking up the sun, letting your worries go...at least for the time being. Obligation becomes obsolete on those days. The days where your only obligation is to do whatever you want.

It gives us a chance to become part of something real. Being in nature. We can get caught up in a book, or even our own thoughts. Things become pure for a while. A renewing sense of calm and importance over takes me on those days. I suddently understand everything again, when I can take a moment away from everyay stress and worry. I can realize, life is beautiful. This world is beauiful.

Nothing is without faults, not even ourselves. I have beliefs, I have opinions, and sometimes those things can dominate my mind for a while, and I start to doubt the way our world is turning...Then I sit outside, and listen to the birds. I spend time with people I adore, I enjoy a warm summer night surrounded by firelight, and people who make me laugh. I listen to a beautiful song that I swear was written for me. Then I realize there is a lot of awesomeness in this world, and a lot to fight for. Which is why I get so passionate about the things I beleive, and the things I want to change. I realize a beauty, a purity that we miss out on all too often. I want to preserve it, and cherish it. I want others to see it, and want the same things. This world is much too beautiful to destroy, and so are the people inside of it.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

A revolution is in order, please do not let my bold language to get in the way of you taking me seriously. This is not an emotional plea, but something I have felt strongly about for years. It is difficult for me to properly articulate what needs to be done, because there is so much, and I have so many things to say, and so many messages to relay, but I still feel like I am at a standstill, I feel alone in my endeavors. Perhaps that is more unfortunate than the need to revolt, the fact that no one else seems to be jumping on board. Why wouldn't we want to change the world for the better? Seems like a silly question, but here we are, in the midst of this nonsense, accepting it.

Before I even get into politics or anything heavy like that, we need to address ourselves. First of all we have to quit blaming our problems on everybody else. Quit bitching about the government, the school system, the neighbor, and look at yourself. Nobody can solve you. Nobody can snap their fingers and make your life better. Only we can make our own lives better. Today I was at the store with a friend. I had one item to pay for, she had one item to pay for. Common courtesy states that you let a person with one item step ahead of you in line if you have multiple items. No one did this for us. Then when another register opened up, "I can take who's next." The people in the back of the line hurried over there, when clearly my friend and I were next in line. Next does not mean Last, last time I checked. People do not even know how to be courteous to one another anymore, yet they are going to bitch. Sounds a bit hypocritical to me.

I will bitch about our government, because I am a decent peron, therefore I have the right to bitch. I am a courteous person. I do know the proper protocol for day to day life. I know about common courtesy and decency. I'm not making this world a sadder, ruder, dumber and fatter place, therefore I feel that I am in a position to start speaking up. I want to lead by example.

Please do not misconstrue the following. Help for Haiti. Of course I have compassion for others. What happened is tragic, and everyone should do what they can to help, but why is it that we are so quick to help others on the outside, but not to help us on the inside. If we banned together the way we did for Haiti, think of the tremendous change that could have been made. If we all threw money into an American kitty, perhaps all of our problems could be solved. If every American donated money to America, we could begin to fix our economic problems. We must first help ourselves and stabilize before we can truly be of help to others, otherwise it seems to be only a half assed attempt. We should be banning together, but instead everyone seems to be flying solo.

I am so sick and tired of businesses shutting down left and right. Businesses that have been open for years. I am sick of E-Commerce getting in the way of actual business. My video store in my neighborhood is closing, thanks NETFLIX. Seriously everyone loves living their lives on the internet so much that it puts real places out of business. Pretty soon we will have nowhere to go but our computer desks. I should not have to rent my movies online, and have to wait for them in the mail if I don't want to. I should be able to get in my car, drive to the video store, browse, and be on my way. Now I can't even do that. Why do people try so hard to not leave their homes? Why do we not support local businesses? Why don't businesses help each other instead of putting each other out? It's gross. People are gross, business has become gross. Screw you Wal-Mart, screw you Bank of America, though I suppose I have an account there because they took over one of the banks I use. See what I mean, I just have to accept that? No way, I don't accept things that I deem bullshit, and the problem is, is that most people do accept it whether they believe it to be right or not. We will never get anywhere with that kind of attitude. We need to start making changes, start within yourself and work your way out.

To be continued

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Judgements

I know I'm judged on a constant basis, so are all of you. If it isn't the clothes we wear, it's how much we weigh. If it isn't the cars we drive, it's the place we work. If it isn't us, it's where we come from.

I've recently been negatively judged for being a college graduate. Apparently some fellow employees that I worked with did not appreciate the fact that I had received a great education. I do not like to toot my own horn, but TOOOOOT! The only conclusion I could come to, was that their judgement did not stem from disdain for higher education itself, it was disdain for people like me who had the opportunity to receive a higher education.

They treated me horrible, even went as far as to fabricate stories about me, and spread'em around work like butter on bread.

I was also judged for my age. I am 22 years old, many of them were in their forties...single mothers with three kids trying to make ends meet. I did not judge them for being forty, so why did they judge me for being twenty?

I decided that their dislike for me stemmed from something deeper. Perhaps I had something that they wanted, and never could have. Perhaps they saw that I was young, educated, and grew up in a family that was always able to help me out when I needed it. Perhaps, they never took the time to get to know me. Maybe I have had it good up until now, but I have appreciated every second of it...and now that school is over, I'm broke just like everyone else.

I was nothing but nice to any of them, yet they still had nasty things to say. When you do all you can, and they still won't budge...oh well.

I decided that it was not my problem that they were unhappy with their lives. I was not going to let them get to me. In fact I felt sort of bad for them. Why was I always on their minds? How could I affect them so much? Why was I always a topic of conversation amongst them? Why did they even care? I figured if they needed to put me down to lift themselves up, fine. If that's what they needed to feel good, fine. I didn't care. I'm happy, nothing they say or do can change that...but if hating me makes them happy, GREAT! I'm glad I could be of help.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Keepin' It Real

Never thought a Chinese Bistro Franchise would have such a profound effect on my life. Not the place itself, but what it has so nicely represented. This place has managed to personify everything that is wrong about society.

Offense #1 Hello Hypocrite

I want to applaud you on your ability to say one thing, but do another. Did you think I wasn't listening? Hello.....I'm not stupid, it didn't take me long to realize that you were full of shit. Remember that message that you drilled into my head for five fucking days? Well I do, "We are truly glad you are here, and we will do everything we can to make you want to come back." Well during one of my days in training, I had the chance to take a few tables on my own.

Table 1, Two Ladies
Loved me, told me I was "sooo nice". It was their first time there, and they assured me they would be back, and wanted me as their server. They were shocked when I told them I was a trainee. "Well you did a wonderful job" They told me. There is your GD message in a nutshell.

Table 2, A Young Couple
The man pulled me aside and said, "I know you are training, but I want you to have this." He handed me a ten dollar bill, which I told him I could not accept because I was not to take tips while training. He told me that he would take care of my training server, but that it was extra for me. Obviously I helped make his dining experience a good one, otherwise why would he have bothered? Provocative, I know.

So basically you can take your message and shove it, because if you can't believe in it, then neither can I.

Offense # 2 Communication? Not in this joint.

It is pretty pathetic when those in authority do not have the balls to communicate any information to their employees. Guess that's what you get when you assume a little girl can handle the responsibility of an adult. Management isn't for everyone sweetheart, I'm looking your way.

Offense # 3 When the Boss is Away the Douchelords Will Play

Way to wait til the Big Guy left town to begin your subtle yet disgustingly apparent attempt to faze me out. See, what you didn't know about me is that I do not deal well with bullshit, and I will make it known to anyone who will listen just how much you are lacking in the spine department. Don't make the Big Guy take care of your dirty work when he comes back from vacay. Pathetic display of "authority" (using the term very loosely).

Offense # 4 Blood, Sweat and Tears, Literally?

I was not aware that bloodshed was a requirement to work at your establishment. I mean I was given a set of criteria, and I met all of the qualifications. Then I heard a colleage of mine accidentally cut herself on a corkscrew during her test, yet she still passed. I didn't know that you wanted me to bleed into your wine bottle before serving it. It could have been arranged, I just didn't get the memo.

Offense # 5 Whose House is This?

When I heard some feedback (that was given at a completely useless juncture in my training) I knew who it came from. I knew by the words used, you didn't need to mention any names. I find it funny that a fellow server's opinion can affect management so much. I thought management managed the place, not a little old waitress girl. So it made me ask, who is running this joint? Because I was clearly misled. I was under the impression that those in authority, actually had some. "Consolidate" =Eff off. You think you're cool because you just used a fancy word for multi-tasking....Bravo.

Offense # 6 Wasting My Time

You told me what I needed to do to pass your test. I did it. You told me to come back for one more day before I could be on my own. I came back. You then took away my shifts without even a word or a reason. I then called, and was informed I had to wait until the big guy came back from vacation. There was your first problem, he's on vacation, what insight could he offer? He wasn't even there to see what happened. Why make him do your dirty work? So I show up and talk to him, drive all the way there for nothing. I still do not get a straight answer. I get a speeding ticket on my way home. Then I call back, like I was supposed to several hours later. Then I call back again. Finally I get a bullshit answer. Pretty much without any real explanation, or justification "We're gonna pass." A.) I'm a person, using the term "Pass" is slightly disrespectful, especially after wasting two weeks of my life, and doing nothing but what I was supposed to do. Sorry that my good attitude was too much for you to handle. Sorry that you could never communicate any sort of problem for me to work on. Isn't that why you have people write reviews? Shouldn't they be used for good instead of evil. Being set up for failure is not a favorite pastime of mine. Weird, I know.
B.) Yeah right. As if I was just going to say "Okie dokie" and hang up.

Offense # 7 Jerking Me Around

"Train one more day, and you will be fine".........Then I was secretly removed from the schedule without notice or reason.....Then you tell me to call on Monday when he comes back.......Then you tell me to call later........Then you attempt to let me go, nice try.......Then you feel bad and say give me til Thursday. What's the point? It will be more of the same. What they told you before is what they will tell you three days from now. I mean no disrespect to you Big Guy, but can't say the same for your two minions. How unfortunate that these people misrepresent you. Why is it so hard to get a straight answer around here?

Believe it or not, I am an extremely reasonable human being....but everyone has their point. I would never slander for no reason. I just could not believe this place. I can recall two instances in my life where I was treated extremely unfairly. Well, you have made it three.

So there it is, everything I hate personified. I hate dishonesty. I hate disrespect. I hate people who are too sheepish to be honest with one another. I hate insincerity. I hate hypocrits. I hate bullshit. I hate adults who act like children. I hate unfairness. I hate injustice. I hate that anyone can say whatever they want, and it is accepted as truth. I hate phonies. I hate when professional situations get personal. I hate when people pretend to have beliefs and/or convictions. I hate when something just is NOT right. I hate wasting my time. I hate when people fuck with me.

Please do not flatter yourself. I am not writing this because I'm sad that you didn't like me. I'm writing this because your establishment has represented everything that is wrong with our society. Basically it is a dishonest world we live in, and most people are too chicken shit to keep it real. Well, way to fit in! Congrats on being full of shit.

I graduated from DePaul University..... So what a joke it is that I didn't graduate from your establishment. You can have your BokChoy.....Believe me I don't need it.





(Views (though true in my opinion) are mine and do not reflect that of my place of employment)

Look how compliant I am, even though I am righteously pissed.