4 Weeks Is Long Enough To Get Promoted, Isn't It?

So after this weekend, I think I could be a Cheesecake manager.
Both crazy busy days this weekend, we opened without everything setup.
In my mind, the priority of the restaurant should be to be prepared for the mass amounts of people coming through our doors rather than start seating at the strike of 11 or, in the case of Sundays, 10. Kitchens weren't ready, lines weren't set, staff wasn't all ready to work. Thus, problems fall on people like me, the server. Grr.
A manager should be able to read a schedule.
All of them are paid more than me so reading, close reading, careful reading, should be a given. Saturday I picked up a shift. When I got there, the name Wade was on the schedule in my section. Nate, when written, kinda looks like Wade. Only sorta. This would be a minor mistake except Wade is the name of another server. I turned out ok and I worked. But, grr.
Today I walk in and was informed one of the managers is freaking out and looking for me. Alright. Its always comforting to arrive at work already in trouble. So I find her and am curtly told to get on the floor, to section 15. Apparently she read that I was to be in at 10:15 and in 15. In reality, I am Nate, scheduled at 10:45 in 17. Grr again.
Managers should also be better servers than the servers themselves. In theory.
One certain transfer "head of cake" apologized to one of my tables for the long wait on their food. She then proceeded to assure the delivery of half of the food. And that's it. The other half didn't get their food for probably a total of 40 minutes after ordering. And Grr one more time..
All this seems semi hard to follow and too small and specific to get mad at but those of you fabulous servers know what I am talking about.
Ah well tomorrow is another day.

bye bye

nate

My First Chicago Snow

It is 2:30 in the AM. I make the decision to go out with some work friends after a long night at the club. When I finally depart from the late night bar at 4 AM, what do I see flying through the early morning air, but the first snowflakes of the season. As I make my way home a permanent smile is stuck on my face. It is beautiful. I grab my IPod and tune in to my Christmas mix and for the first time since I have been in Chicago, I am giddy instead of exhausted on my way home from my late night bouncing job. The Christmas season has finally arrived.
No matter what is going on in my life, the Christmas season brings joy to me. I love the music, the lights, the gift giving, the overall goodwill to people that comes out of this time of year. I love the snow, the stores, the warmth that comes with the end of the year.
My favorite month is December. There, I said it. As much as I love the warm weather of the summer months, the colors of fall, I love everything that comes with December.
I can't wait to see this big city all lit up with the colors of the season, all the stores flaunting their Christmas treasures, and the cheer everyone eventually gets when they look past the crowds, the expenses, and the hustle and bustle.
I am looking forward to finding the radio station here that plays 24 hours of Christmas music from Thanksgiving to NewYears.
My favorite Christmas song is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas no matter who sings it.
I will watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation at least 25 times this year and stay up to see 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS on Christmas Eve.
I love the crazy 2 days of parties my parents throw for my family and I love that they worry about it every year even though it goes better than we could have hoped each and every year.
I love that every year my parents go to a fresh tree lot and pick out a real tree. And even though my sister and I don't live in the house any more, they will still get a real tree every year and decorate it with the family ornaments.
And I love that I will still be as sappy as ever about this holiday season no matter what happens.

bye bye

nate

Sometimes Randoms Happen

Once again I find myself unable to sleep during normal sleepy time. I realized it's been a bit since my last post...
I've been lazy at this blog and I apologize. However I'm sad to report that not much has been up in the last couple of weeks. So, here are a few things that I've discovered that you all must try/see/check out.

The Colbert Report: A successful Comedy Central spinoff, this one being from The Daily Show. Stephen Colbert takes his quick wit that made him hilarious as a segment reporter and blows it up into a half hour. Its like sitting around with all your intelligent friends with big vocabularies and making fun of current events. Check it oout.

Johnny Rockets: Many of you Chicago natives know and love this nation-wide restaurant chain but I, living most of my life in Wisconsin, recently discovered it. It's an old timey fifties style diner with cool decor and cheap, good food. You need tokens for the men's room which is kinda weird but cool. I recommend the tuna melt.

OxyClean Laundry Stain Remover: A huge thank you to Nikki to showing me the way to quick stain removal through this product. All you fellow Cheesecakers and food service workers, this product will rip the stains off your clothes, even those whites. Wow that was like an Ad, picture me holding the bottle next to my face with an unnatural and semi-scary grin. Only $7.99!

Bye!

nate