DJStrife

"Yes, Ted?"

"Strange things are afoot at the Circle K."

Hello, all.

Stopping in real quick.

So I was asked to explain my leaving Coyote and I will.

As detailed in various journals since the time I started, there was a strong degree of favoritism at Coyote Ugly I couldn't get past, and when our awesome GM got fired and the head bartender moved up, it got even worse. They tried to get rid of me by making up their own rules (some of which are actually unconstitutional without a signed waiver from the employee, which they didn't have) so I eventually left on principle. I was being paid to do other peoples' work in addition to my own and I was tired of it.

Upon my leaving, I emailed Daniel the regional manager a solid 6000 words detailing everything. As he put it in his response, even if only half the things I said were true, something needed to be done immediately.

He told me he would stay in touch but I haven't heard anything, but I'm not too disappointed considering I emailed him without any expectations. If the problems were fixed, great. If not, oh well. Shortly thereafter a number of the top bartenders quit or were unjustly fired.

I still miss the place and I'm still friends with the girls, but I've moved on.



I did Borders Books for a month as seasonal work in December with the potential for moving to full/part-time when the season ended.

On my last day they caught me as I clocked out and said, "Oh, by the way, this is your last day" which was a real dick move, but they told me there simply weren't enough hours at the moment, that I was still on rehire status and they wanted me to reapply in 2 months.

So I will.

Great benefits. No drama. Great people.

They have an employee "library" system of sorts. Employess can check out any book for two weeks at a time, a maximum of two books at a time. This would be handy for school books, but is also useful for getting a chance to read all those new bestsellers that come out so we can make product recommendations without having to spend $100 a month on books.

Many other benefits.



So I was just let go from Borders and I was standing there trying to figure out what to do.

Shit. Need money. I really wish they had given me at least SOME advance notice I was going to be let go.

Right across the way from Borders was Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. Never been, but I knew it was a restaurant and it used to be a Zoopas, so why the hell not?

Having never been inside, I could tell what kind of place it was from the fact that they have a valet, so I tucked in my collared button-up shirt (I always wore nice shirts to Borders) and brushed my hair.

Walked in. Fuckin' nice.

Having never been in a Fleming's before, I had no idea what to expect, and wow...

I'm a fan of wood interiors and the restaurant swims in an ocean of wood and burgundy (colors, but I guess the wine too since it's a wine bar). Dim lights. No windows except for the 4 by the doors so the restaurant had a very intimate feels. High class.

Hostess greeted me. I asked if they were hiring for servers or bartenders. She disappeared.

Reappeared with the GM. Shook hands. We must have said 10 words. He asked me when I could come back and fill out the application and take the wine test. I said tomorrow worked perfectly.

Came back the next day at the accordant time.

Filled out the application and took the wine test. Man that test was tough (Appropriately so, I've come to find.)

Jim (GM) went back and graded the wine test. While he was grading the wine test, I took a gander at the drink/food/wine menus. Cheapest entree is the double-breasted chicken for $26. Most expensive is some seafood one that runs for $59. House specialty drinks all start at $10. Appetizers start from $10 and work up to a four-person seafood tour that is $99. A $99 appetizer.

I knew there was money to be made so when Jim came back and told me I got a 69 which was good, but not the required 80 to become a server/bartender and would I be interested in a busser position instead, I said definitely.

He told me to come back the next day and we would definitely do interviews.

Came back the next day. Had THE best interview I've ever had. Talking to my mom about the interview later that night, she said I inherited my father's ability to influence, which my sister and I have long known of. If my dad wants something to happen, there ain't shit you can do about it.

So basically I pitched myself to Jim. Hit all my points. Due to the events at Coyote, I definitely stressed teamwork and communication.

And then he did this interesting "test". He had a paper of prompts, one of which he would read off, and I would have to list as many things I could of think of to do to remedy the situation. So there wasn't ONE right answer, there were, like, 500. For example, a customer complains to you that the wait is taking really long. What should you do? You should not ONLY apologize, you should/could recommend they have a seat at the bar til their table is called, maybe order a drink or appetizer. You could also call a manager to speak with the person. Check the system for them to see how much longer. Was an interesting interview process.

And I nailed it. Said normally they did the interviews over a number of days but that he wanted to knock them all out now (sounds like someone had already made up their mind :3).

He left the private dining room where we were doing the interviews and stepped right outside the room to speak to Christian, another manager. I was casually observing the wine racks on the far wall about 20 feet away but I could just barely hear them talking and Jim actually used the words, "this guy is freaking amazing".

:thrust:

<falsetto>Nailed it!</falsetto>

Got the job. It'll all be uphill from here. Making friends (and one enemy). Jim has pulled me aside multiple times to remind me to keep things at a high pace and it won't be more than 5 weeks til I get moved up (they're BIG on crosstraining). Robert, the bar manager, casually pulled me aside at one point and complimented me on my wine test, and said that I "really impressed a lot of people" by accepting the busser position to get my foot in the door. And he told me a week later that my name came up frequently in the previous day's manager meeting, and I jokingly asked, "In good ways, I hope" and he emphatically said it was.

So... once again...

<falsetto>Nailed it!</falsetto>

I get 50% employee discount off parties of 2 (of which I am a part, of course), 33% off of parties of 3, and 25% parties of more, so you all and I need to go. The food is, of course, incredible. First time in my life I've ever considered becoming a certified sommelier.



Can't have good luck without bad.

Actually went out the day before yesterday with a number of Borders employees after I got off at Flemings. Was one of the Border's cashier's bdays. Went to local place (Rebar). Went back to her place. Cupcakes and Rock Band/G Hero abounded. Was told that "damn, dude, you just made that game your bitch". And then I woke up the next morning to find I'd lost my wallet.

All my credit cards. Social security card. License. And half of my upcoming rent.

I know I had it after all was said and done because my friend Mike was giving me a ride home and we stopped at Whataburger and I pulled it out to pay... so either it's in his truck still or it fell out of the truck when I got out. Went and checked the parking lot yesterday and nothing. :C

So we'll see.

I'm going through a Backstreet Boys revival and I don't mind.

Note to all: Tried to make alcoholic pancakes on New Years (read: alcohol in the batter) and all we ended up doing was setting off the smoke alarm. :<

I'm going to pull out my camera again since I miss it. Just been so busy lately I haven't shot ANYthing.

Waiting for my damn W2 so I can do my damn taxes so I can send in my damn FAFSA. >

I have made zero writing progress in the last 3-4 months.

Reading "Non-Violent Resistance" by Ghandi and it's a personal perspective clash since I'm Machiavellian in every way aside from not believing that ends justify the means. If the only advocation of an argument is that the ends justify the means, any extreme can be claimed as justification. I WISH I could subscribe to ends justifying means, but that it's so easy to manipulate to one's own end is the exact reason it's not logically sound.

New ID :3

And since, as the adage goes, never miss a chance to shut up, I conclude.



_{P.S. I may not be responding to all journals and deviations, but I'm reading and scrutinizing all of them, respectively.}

And Stephanie read a couple pages the next night without me knowing (it was sitting out at work as I was proofing it) and she told me was "incredible". :3

I realize to non-writers I might seem as if I'm just stroking myself right now, but (a) I think that's what I need to counter some things in my life at the moment, and (b) writers will understand the ego boost attained from creating something good in such a blazingly fast amount of time that not even THEY know what happened.

It's awesome.




Was working the other day and Rosie was behind the bar with me.



And we were just talking casually... and out of nowhere, she says, with a tinge of Hispanicism, "You know, if we dinna work here [and thus weren't subject to the no-fraternization policy], I'd totally go out with you."

Um... thanks, Rosie. Must be some good soda you got there, huh?

Wanna share whatever it is you're smoking?

So that was nice.

And then the next morning, I was sitting upstairs eating lunch with George and he set his food down for a second, which I noticed but I initially attributed only to him digesting.



And he said, also with a signiciant Hispanic accent, "What are you doing here, doggie?"

(He calls everyone doggie.)

"I'm eating my sesame chicken."

Shakes his head. Does a deny gesture with his hand. "I mean, what're you doing here? If I ha' your potential, your skills..." Shakes his head again.

And that was nice of him. We talked for about 20 more minutes about various things related to why we both worked where and what were planning to do about it.

And THEN!!

I was with Stephanie (see pic above) the other night at work and we were doing our thing, and I apparently did something really right because she turned to me and said, "If I'm not married when I'm 35, will you marry me?"



Yes, Stephanie. I do.

My first time as someone's backup spouse.




So I've been picking up some weird things lately.

A penny. A syringe. A tramp.

No, but really. So I was working a day shift the other day, right? Working with Amy.

I was hungry and the manager said I could go get food, so I asked the girls I was working with if they wanted anything. I always ask whenever I'm going to go somewhere and suggestions I give the girls range from coffee and candy to hookers and Mexican food.

Well... on this day. I walked up to Amy, told her I was going to get stuff, and asked her what she wanted. She started to think... and I rattled off, "Coffee, pizza, hookers..." And then for some reason, I said stamps.

I've never asked someone if I could get them stamps before.

And she said, "Yeah, actually, I do. I need to pay my mortgage today. How did you know?"

I don't know. So I got her stamps.

That was weird.

And THEN!!

I texted Gina because I haven't seen her in forever. She still works a few shifts now and then, but she's mostly a teacher now.



And I opened the initial text message with, "Hey, Gina Bean. Whatchu up to?"

And she replied with, "Wow. I haven't been called that in 7 years. My best friend in California used to call me that."

Not sure why I called her that name. I've known her for about a year now and I've never called her that before that text.

So that was weird.

And THEN!!!!!!!!

So I was in the office last week right before I came on for the night shift, right? Chilling in the office which a bunch of the girls, and once more Stephanie was near me. And, without any reason whatsoever, I turned to her and said, "Monkeybutt".

I don't know why. I've never called anyone that before. She's never mentioned it before (it's a pretty memorable phrase).

And she immediately turns to me and says, "How did you know?"

And I said, "I'm not sure. Know what?"

And she said, "That I'm 'monkeybutt'." My sister used to call me that, but I haven't talked to her in over a year. That's our thing. She calls me monkeybutt and I call her monkeyfuck."

_{Her explanation of the names was more in-depth but I won't go into it here...}

So that was weird, as well. Blurting out things I wouldn't normally ever say and having them be massively relevant unknowns.

Psychicplz.

Fer ril fer ril.