December= snow!

Weather for Missoula MT:
-2°F
Current: Cloudy
Wind: NE at 2 mph
Humidity: 58%

BRRRRRRRRRRRR!

happy :)

Wanted to put some pictures of that special guy in my life.

9 months of bliss


Indecisive about lean cusines


I got a rose!

What a week!

It has been quite a week! Halloween came so fast! Zack and Sabrina stopped by on their way to Idaho and carved pumpkins, the Griz won ANOTHER football game, I voted for the first time and oh yeah...America elected our first African American president! Its amazing to think about how far our country has come...I cant wait to see the future. Maybe a woman president will be next!



I was a Kitty cat for Halloween


Zack and Sabrina carving pumpkins

Proud

  


Mitch graduated advanced training and also passed his Canine Good Citizen test. I couldn't be prouder, it seems like just yesterday he was a little puppy,unable to control his bladder, and could never satisfy his teething.


Mitch at 2 months

home :)

I took a weekend off work and I got to go back home to Kalispell to see my family and their new house. I saw the whole family except for Sabrina (she was out of town). I got to go shopping, out to dinner, and lounge around! Sounds like a perfect weekend to me...

My voter info pamphlet

I received my voter information pamphlet in the mail today (Well to the MT voter at Beckwith). I didn't know it was mine until Dan brought it to me and said I should start reading. This whole voting thing is new to me- well government voting (I take it years of voting for prom court or "if Britney will make a comeback" doesn't count as experience). I registered to vote last spring when I realized it was an election year and I am finally legal to do something worth bragging about (tobacco, alcohol and gambling don't do it for me really).

Surprisingly, deciding on who to vote was difficult. I went as far as to take a little online quiz to find out if I am republican or democrat, I wont say who I am voting for until after I submit my ballot though (which doesn't make my mother too happy).

So flipping through this pamphlet, I am starting to feel dumber by the minute. I should get a dictionary out and look up "referendum", "grandiose","viactical" and "biennial" before November 4th. Just watch, I am going to forget I.D.

Mitch became exhausted from trying to understand the confusing pamphlet lexicon!

Hot chocolate and thoughts...

I just got off work and I am surprised I was only there for less than 3 hours. Every day the restaurant is getting slower, my hours and my tips have basically been cut in half because it is so slow. Everyone is fighting to take more hours or at least to hold on to their own. When the managers call everyone over to send more girls home, we all run and hide, or act like we are so busy we cannot possibly go home yet.


I had expected the excitement of the new restaurant to fade, but this much? It makes me nervous, I just got a car because I thought I could afford it...


Alright, enough financial-concern talk, wasn't it just last week I wrote about my new perspective? I am standing by what I said, I am taking one thing a day at a time, so today I didn't make much money...tomorrow is a new day right? Also I would like to mention that along with a new day- the MINNESOTA VIKINGS ARE PLAYING THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS FOR MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL! Hopefully there will be Viking fans to tip me!


School seems steady this semester, with the right amount of a workload I can keep up working and school at the same time. I have already had 3 tests and have another this week! I cant believe it is almost midterms!


Mitch has started his third week in advanced training. He is a little rusty from his month vacation but is catching on okay. Can you believe he actually stayed put (in a sit-stay) while getting pets from a stranger? I am so proud, but he has a lot more work to do. And to prove that I am proud I am putting his picture up! Yay Mitch!

reciprocity

I understand people's need to go out after a long day of work and be served food and beverage, but lately I have been holding a lot back. At work, I am told to play a role, put up a false front...but at the end of the day, I wonder- should great service be reciprocated?

The answer is yes. For those who haven't worked in a restaurant or bar (or any aspect of the service industry), money is unpredictable and the majority of us that work at restaurants live on tips we earn. Here is some information we servers cant say to your face (look I am practicing reciprocity!):

Issue #1: "THE CAMPERS"
If you feel the necessity to stay for longer than 15 minutes after you pay, its an extra $3 every 30 minutes. I make my money from the tables I serve. If you are in one - I can't seat it, thus I don't make money.

Issue #2: "THE VERBAL TIP"
Telling me I am the best waitress you have ever had is NOT a tip. If I was good, let me know by leaving more money. I can’t pay my bills on compliments. Its not that I don't appreciate the praise, its just that if you say that and then leave a small tip, it's an insult.

Issue #3: THE SALVATION PAMPHLETS
Prayer cards and any other religious pamphlet is NOT a tip. It is insulting that you assume I may be without religion and must be saved. Again, like...2, I can’t pay bills with prayer cards.

Issue #4: "VINTAGE TIPPERS"
It's not 1960. 15% is the MINIMUM amount of what you should be tipping your servers. Remember, the restaurant only pays minimum wage ($6.55/hr). Servers also are required to share tips with the hosts, bussers, dishwashers and bartenders...we really don't make as much as you think!

Issue #5: "THE COMPLAINERS"
If you get a discount because your food was prepared wrong, please don't take it out of my tip. I didn't cook it incorrectly. The cooks get paid hourly regardless if the food is bad. However, I only make what you give me! I will fix your food or find a way to make you happy if you let me!

Issue #6: "THE GREET"
When I come up to the table to greet you and ask how you are doing please let me know. If you are in a bad mood I want to know that I am going to have to deal with your attitude the entire time. A confused stare or complete silence does not suffice as a reply to "How are you doing?'' Also stop interrupting my greeting and say "I want a beer", that's just rude.

Issue # 7: SELF-SEATING
Once again...it is not 1960, and most restaurants are not on a "seat yourself" policy. Don't just assume that the area near the bar is a place where you can sit yourself down wherever you want. There is actually a reason hosts put you where they do. Hosts try to rotate tables, ensuring that each server gets the same amount of tables, and also so that servers do not get three tables all at once. This helps guarantee you get the best service possible.

Issue # 8: GETTING JEALOUS OF A SERVER OF THE OPPOSITE SEX
I am being nice to provide good service, not because I want to flirt with your companion. If you took a step back you would realize I am being just as nice to you as your company.

I understand the concept of "the customer is always right" and when you are paying for a night out, you deserve good service, but the point I am trying to make is- I am trying my best and I am tired of being stiffed because people don't understand common courtesies. PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU SIGN THAT CREDIT CARD RECEIPT OR PULL SPARE CHANGE FROM YOUR POCKET!

New perspective...

I decided to today, after many days of stress and worry, that I will be taking a new perspective on life:

1. I will start taking everything one day at a time. Not one week, one month, or one lifetime at a time. Life is too short to worry about tomorrow.

2. I will start celebrating the little accomplishments like a great workout, finishing a book, and having a successful night at work.

3. I will try to be more patient with Mitch. I know he is trying hard to learn, he wants to please his mom more than anything.

4. I will try again- even when it hurt the first time, I should try my best to catch a dream.

5. I will work harder on my relationship. Instead of getting into a rut, I should try new ways to fall in love over and over again.

6. It is never too late to start over. Tomorrow is a new day to pick up a piece of crap, dust it off, paint over the ugly parts and recycle it for more than its worth.

Here is to new beginnings :)