For the past couple days, I was down in Howell with Jaime. I even went to Monmouth University with her last night and spent some time at the student center while she went to class. Afterwards, she treated me to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays - probably for going to school with her. The campus is very nice; perhaps I will go there for graduate school someday. We shall see. That is all for now; I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on the latest. There will be more to come in greater detail a little later. For now, it is time for me to get ready for work.
Take care everyone.
Peace.
Blog of Bryan has so much more traffic... I am loving the fan base ladies and gentlemen! Kudos goes out to all of my family, friends, and fans.
I called the dude who lives at the apartment, the one I am trying to move into in Somers Point, but there was no answer so I left him a message telling him I was interested in renting out a room. Clearly, everyone now understands that I will no longer be living at home in Dover-Rico, or "the bowl," as many of its residents commonly refer to it as.
Earlier this afternoon, Scott called me and talked to me for a little while. We talked about the stupidity of George Bush, politics, internet pornography and how that idiot of a leader is trying to ban it, the new XBOX 360 being released next month, school, New Jersey, and California. It was a rather lengthy conversation. Scott currently lives in Sacramento, California, but he is moving to Hawaii in June with his wife Liezel. What he is doing with his life in terms of traveling is unprecedented in comparison to the rest of our high school graduating class, or anybody in our demographic for that matter. When he finally lands a pad in Hawaii, I informed him that I want to fly out there and visit him.
This year is rapidly coming to a conclusion; it was truly a year of trials and tribulations, drama, obstacles with employment, and will inevitably come to a close with my graduation. Hopefully the year 2006 is a breath of fresh air, for which I can start over with a clean slate to some degree. I know I need a vacation; a break from the apparent stresses of everyday life in the work place. More exercise is required if I opt to take care of myself and remain healthy. My three year anniversary with Jaime is coming up on December 18. We, Jaime and I, are leaning towards a trip to N.Y.C. for this year's anniversary; I would love to attend a Broadway play. It would be a magnificent way to conclude the year and celebrate our three years of love and devotion for each other.
What will the new year bring?
Residence in South Jersey is certain. Perhaps, as an alumni, I will become more involved in the functions that Stockton has to offer. There is no doubt that I want to become more involved with the school because I am quite fond of the campus and the atmosphere. I definitely want to hang out with my friends from the area, such as Jeremy, Keeley, Anna, Erik, Kristen, Ben, Jack, Colleen, Frank, Brian, and many others much more often than is the currently the case. Our time together during my birthday celebration was short and sweet, but it was a sign that we need to come together more often for fun and excitement. We are only young once and it is essential that we, as friends, take advantage of that time together. Spring semester 2006 is right around the corner, so all Stockton students must prepare for the return of the Uncrowned King of Life. I'm coming back, just not as a student!
Living down in South Jersey will present Jeremy and I with the opportunity to settle an old score in Fight Night Round 2. He is leading me in the series, so we both have a purpose in continuing our everlasting saga with that game. Jeremy is probably reading this post, shaking his head with a grin on his face, and telling Keeley and Sean that I am certifiable. LOL. Nonetheless, I need to catch up in this legendary video game series and win at least as many fights against him as he has won against me. On the other hand, he needs to turn the recent tide which has flowed smoothly in my favor. I won the last two fights, so we definitely need to play again soon. Whenever we get together to play video games and drink, it always produces shits and giggles.
I love the pineys. I love the ocean. I love Stockton. I love the people down South. I am a Southerner at heart and I will be in South Jersey again very soon. The pineys are the ideal grounds for road work, which I need to do more often. There are too many hills up here in North Jersey; I like flat grounds, trees, and fresh air. As I sit and wonder what exactly is going to happen to me following the drama at home and the stresses in the work place, I remain positive that this is a sign from God telling me that I need to make this move and that I need some sort of change or restructuring of life.
This entire post has really taken a stream-of-consciousness format, but I felt like typing and I typed what was on my mind. I know you had fun reading it and I invite you to return so you may have the privledge to read more. You do not want to miss a beat!
The time has come for me to go to the Olive Garden and see if the internship contract has been signed and returned in the mail from the Florida headquarters. Perhaps I will see if anybody wants to go to Fridays and get a snack after work.
Take care and be safe.
Peace.
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Hope all is well with my world wide audience on this warmer than usual Monday afternoon in November. As you look at the title of this entry, you are probably asking yourselves just what exactly I am referring to? Back and forth and back again? Is it making you dizzy?? Where am I going with this particular entry???
As of about two days ago, I have decided that I am going to make a more permanent move in terms of my place of residence. Back in May, I departed from D-town to live in South Jersey with the intentions of conducting my internship down in that area of the state. When I discovered that I was not going to do my internship down there, I returned home to D-town with the primary intentions of completing my internship under the conditions of free room and board at mamma's residence. However, the internship is practically complete now and it is time for me to move out and live on my own once again. The moms has decided to start charging me for rent due to the fact that I am becoming somewhat of a lazy and ungrateful burden (uh oh!!), and I totally respect her opinion, so the time has come for me to once again depart. Afterall, how many 25-year-olds are going to pay rent to live with their mother and under their mother's terms and conditions?!?!? Yeahhhhh... I did not think there were very many of you out there.
The moment has come for me to get the hell out of dodge for all-times sake.
As a result, Jaime and I have discovered a nice little pad for me on Rent.com in Somers Point, very close to Ocean City, where I can move in with these two kind gentlemen who happen to be brothers (one of them from Stockton... perhaps I know him) who are looking for a fun, charismatic, and easy-to-live-with third roommate, in hopes of decreasing their rent charges. Such a situation is really no different than a returning campus resident who is moving into an apartment with random roommates for an entire school year. All of the amenities and utilities to this apartment will be covered in greater detail in a later post, but the rent is way too affordable to pass up and the apartment/duplex is located in an area that brings out the best in yours truly. Who knows how long I will stay in that particular apartment? Hopefully it is for a while. Should some of my close Stockton friends and I decide to live together and find an apartment in the local area, I might consider finding some place to live with them. After her graduate school education is completed, Jaime is going to want to live with me and that is going to happen at least two years down the road. At this time, however, I feel as though everything can work out at the apartment in Somers Point. Plans have not been solidified as of yet, but I should have everything set in stone very shortly.
What exactly is in store for me in the event of this latest and greatest move?
Much cheaper gas, shore points, country setting, Wawas, Atlantic City, nicer people, closer to my soulmate, minutes away from some of my closest friends, etc. This move makes great sense. I am no fool!
This, my friends, is a revolution. It could even be a fresh start; a resurrection of the man who was living on the high road prior to this internship mayhem with the Olive Garden in Rockaway. To all of my current Stockton students and South Jersey/Atlantic County residents who are friends of mine, I will indeed be present for spring semester. Therefore, let the good times roll!
Many of you are now 21 years of age, or will be 21 within weeks, so we need to find ourselves some venues where we can enjoy some cold adult beverages. Whether is Pitney, the Corner Tavern, the Irish Pub, Atlantic City, Stockton College, or any of the fun places in the pineys or cities nearby, we are going to have fun.
As Andy Dufraine stated in Shawshank Redemption, Get busy living... or get busy dying.
Peace.
Life is too short to be small. ~Benjamin Disraeli
Age is a number and mine is unlisted. ~ Anonymous
Old age is always 15 years older than I am. ~ Bernard Baruch
Men are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the
best improve with age. ~C.E.M.
Joad At 20 years of age the will reigns; at
30 the wit; and at 40 the judgment. ~Ben Franklin
There are three hundred and sixty-four days
when you might get un-birthday presents ... and only one for birthday
presents, you know. ~Lewis Carroll
Later this evening, we are off to Atlantic City for a magical, yet unpredictable evening. Sounds intriguing! I dearly thank and praise everyone who is going to be in attendance... I am still not 100% sure! LOL.
As of late, life seems to be testing me to see what I am truly made of. My job, my age, expenses, upcoming events, etc. are revealing my character and bringing about a reaction from deep within me. I do not yet know if that reaction is positive or negative.
My 25th birthday is rapidly approaching in just two short days, which is truly unbelievable. The celebration is going to take place in Atlantic City, on the eve of November 5, which will hopefully be a memorable occasion. Jaime told me earlier this morning that she has a special suprise for me, so I look forward to seeing just what that happens to be. I hope to see a number of my friends and close acquaintances in attendance on November 5 in Atlantic City.
Yesterday I managed to work a double, as I covered for one of the servers during the dinner shift. The money I earned throughout the entire day was average at $85. After work, I went to Friday's with Steve-O, who is returning home to Utah in another week or so. So far, I have not made as much money as a server as I used to working as a busser. Paychecks are the major difference between the two positions. Bussers are paid a much higher hourly rate. Due to the exceptional benefits that I receive from this job, I am somewhat locked into this job until I find a better job with similar offers in the realm of benefits.
On this day off from work, I plan to relax and do a little bit more cleaning of my bedroom and car.
I look foward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Holidays are times of relaxation, stressless activity, and peace for your's truly. It seems as though everyone gets a fresh chance come the start of a new year and 2006 is a year for which I hope to make some changes, goals, and notable achievements. Once I graduate in December, I want to map out exactly what I plan to achieve, my game plan(s) for doing so, and set myself in a direction to make great things happen. As I go around in circles with limited direction, I detect a need for resolution.
- exercise
- the GMAT
- graduate school
- money
- fun and vacations in between
All of these significant factors of my life will occur one at a time, but not before a lengthy vacation, highly intended to rejuvenate me and tune me up for a new set of challenges and ideas. Hopefully I can go someplace far and exciting for this vacation that I am thinking of. Stress is the biggest bitch of all. I just need to breathe and take one step at a time. Time for a change is coming; setting my sights on some continents, perhaps a change in location of residence (like, outside of NJ), change in perspective of life, change in career path, and just an overall plan in general. For now, this is my day off from work.
4 days until my birthday! The celebration will be in Atlantic City on Saturday night!
Halloween certainly did not prevent the vultures from coming out to eat at the Olive Garden last night. During a dinner shift filled with complexity, chaos, madness, and frustation, I put myself through hell and back to earn $94. The best night I have so far, money-wise, but not necessarily the healthiest shift of my life mentality-wise. I was indeed present at Fright Fest last night for Halloween, but it was not the one at Six Flags Great Adventure!
At the end of the night, I went with a bunch of my work buddies to T.G.I. Fridays to get a small bite to eat and some drinks. Whenever we go to Friday's, it is never a dull moment. The group consisted of Mike, Eileen, Beth, Peter, Gabe, George, Steve-O, and myself. Steve-O was talking to some ladies at the bar and the rest of us watched to see what might happen as a result of that. I ate chicken quesadillas and drank an Ultimate Mudslide, a large Yuengling Draft, and a bottle of Heineken.
After such a rough night at work, we needed some time when we could just go out, get some drinks, and cool down.
That is all for now. Take care and keep reading.
Peace.
Our festivities, which have become weekly events in the recent months, landed us at KatManDu in Trenton last night for Halloween. Yes, Halloween is on October 31st, but many adults celebrate Halloween the weekend before the actual holiday. That is the very first time I had ever been at KatManDu and I had a total blast being there. People who came out for the night consisted of Laura, James, Gena, Lauren, Jason, Charlie, Pete, Dan, Alicia, Caroline, Dave, Lindsay, Marissa, Jaime, myself and some others that I may have failed to mention.
Oh yeah... Jodie and Laurie, now happily engaged, made a special appearance later in the evening. I loved the devil/Will Ferrell look that Jodie sported for Halloween. Priceless. Congratulations to both of them on their engagement. They are a terrific couple. Great people.
The evening began with Jaime and I ordering some Chicken Quesadillas at the bar. They were delicious; they served as a the perfect absorbant for my alcohol consumption. For Halloween, I was dressed as Napoleon Dynamite and Jaime went as Deb. James and Laura were doctor and nurse. Laurie, Jodie's fiancee, was an angel. We all had a whole lot of fun dancing, drinking, and chatting with each other as we looked around and noticed all of the people wearing their creative costumes - many of them homemade. There was a Martha Stewart, framed in a prison photo shot with her ID number going across her chest. There was also an anchorman crew from the movie "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."
The dude who was dressed as Ron Burgundy looked more like Brian Fantana than Ron Burgundy. A Frankenstein on stilts was also sighted in the club; he came close to winning the costume contest and I felt as though he should have. Dressed as Napoleon Dynamite, I gathered plenty of attention to myself. Girls came up to me asking me to take pictures with them. A few people took pictures of Jaime and I dressed as Deb and Napoleon. Many of the people in attendance approached me and let me know that they felt I should have won the contest based on the comedic value of my costume. I was touched. LOL. All in all, it was a great time.
I have work at 4pm, so I must prepare for my shift. Hopefully, I have a successful shift. Wish me luck and feel free to comment.
Peace.
I am liking what I am seeing in terms of the internet traffic coming through this website. Everybody is coming here to read about me or check out the latest news and events! There has probably been a greater influx of traffic coming here in the past two months than there was in six months at the other page I had. I love attention and I am truly flattered. There are times when my posts contain something that could benefit you as well, so it is a plus for all of us. Good stuff ladies and gentlemen! Thank you very much. Keep coming, keep reading, and enjoy yourself by all means!
The world news on television can be so dark and depressing. Why watch the news, and learn that an impoverished, strung out, coke-head threw her infant in the garbage (as sad as that is), when you can come here and read something noteworthy about my life??? Granded, I do rant and rave about my job excessively, but I also manage to post some interesting, must-read material about my unpredictable life from time to time. There you have the good and the bad, but the news only gives you negative feed.
While we are on the topic of traffic, what is with the traffic on the Garden State Parkway lately? Does anybody else from Jersey notice the increased traffic we have been having on the Parkway?? Every single time travel on the parkway, whether I am going North or South, I run into traffic delays because of some type of automobile accident. More and more people are getting into car accidents on the roads and it is really an inconvenience to everybody else on the road. People have time constraints; they have to go to work or make serious appointments. Each time some jack ass gets into a car accident, as a result of scratching his ass, picking his nose, taking his eyes off the road to look at the broad in the car next to him, or whatever the case may be, other drivers are forced to wait in at least five mile back ups on the Parkway. This is inclined to happen anywhere on any highway, but it has been happening more often on the G.S.P. lately and it is so irritating because one can not do anything but sit in the traffic and waste time. One can hold the elderly accountable for this traffic dilemma as well. When one is too depleted of one's hearing, eyesight, or any other significant senses, one should no longer be driving on the highway.
Occasionally, there will be a justifiable accident that could not be prevented, in which somebody's car lost traction on a slippery pavement or their breaks gave in (I can totally understand this and I do have sympathy for cases such as this), but not every single car accident is necessarily an accident. Many car accidents result in negligence and inexcusable stupidity. Fortunately, I have been driving for seven years now and I have never been a legitimate automobile accident (cross my fingers and God Bless), but that is because I keep my eyes on the road in front of me (whenever I am not admiring at my handsome face in the rear view mirror at a red light) and I watch where I am going. If I could prevent car accidents for seven years, I think many other people can as well. Those who continuously cause car accidents, ones that they are legally accountable for, should be re-tested for their drivers licenses after a certain amount of collisions or violations. This is something that New Jersey, as well as the rest of the states, should take into account.
This is just heads up for everybody, including myself. Please be careful and keep your eyes on the road, so you are not liable for damages, you do not have to be inconvenienced by the situation, and you are not delaying others from reaching their destinations.
After venting about the meltdown I incurred at work yesterday, I drove down to Howell to meet up with Jaime and go to her job's manager's house to watch a movie with her friends from work. We watched Monster In Law, which is pretty much a girl flick starring Jennifer Lopez, but it certainly had it's comical moments.
Getting back to my job, the fact that one of the managers told me that I did not believe in myself really struck in nerve within me. She lit a furious fire under my ass; that is when I called one of the other managers and told him, "Give me three, if not, four tables on Friday!!! She pissed me off! I am going to show the entire restaurant who one of the best servers truly is!!!!" At times, I try to remain humble, but they awoke a sleeping giant yesterday. The manager who insulted me with that targeted insult was that of a mad scientist, who at that moment, created a monster that is going to be tough to deal with and will not simmer down until my business there is complete.
When I come to work tomorrow, thunder is going to rumble and everybody in the restaurant will witness a God-given spectacle in front of their very mortal eyes. I am heavily heated. I am not even playing around. If they truly feel as though I lack self belief, they are about to see a food and alcohol serving proficiency, on the part of this human buzzsaw, who is going boast about his insurmountable sales, continue to take tables, and refuse to be topped or broken. No more being humble about my success. It's on tomorrow! They created a MONSTER.
I am FUELED. Yesterday afternoon, I was galvanized to demonstrate the gifts and talents of one of God's greatest works and I have been angrily fired up to do just that on Friday. After excelling at this and completing my internship, I am going to rub it in like salt in an open laceration, as I toss this serving position aside to do something that I actually want to do... something that I actually care about! I do not give a damn about a restaurant!!! I care about ME and my well-being. Guests come in and I sell shit. I talk about it, I sell it, I make money, I excell, and I get the hell out! As I stated in the previous post, serving as an intern was really my last resort. I am going to serve, complete this internship, blind anybody watching me with my God-given skills and talents, and take my business else where afterwards.
RED ALERT: HURRICANE BRYAN! Devastating!
I am trying to do this and get out! Serving is not for ever, but I am!
During today's lunch shift at the Olive Garden, I had yet another meltdown in which I lost control of my mental state and totally broke down in a fit of anger and frustration. Many of my fellow employees believed I was weeded (which means, "dealing with too much to handle" in restaurant terminology). The managers assigned me three tables today and I was clearly not ready for it. My experiences today, in my honest belief, go even further than just being frustrated or weeded.
My feeling is that I need to get out the restaurant industry A.S.A.P. before something negative happens. There is no sense in one sticking with a job or position that brings out the irrational side of one's personality and behavior. Insanity has never been, nor will it ever be, a prerequisite for progress and success. I literally blew up at a manager today and started hollering at her. Managers keep telling me that I do not believe in myself and that my lack of confidence is the primary cause of my dilemmas as a server. I disagree with that. I do not lack confidence or self belief. I did not lack either of those when I got a job at the Olive Garden as a server assistant. I firmly believed in myself when I revolutionized bussing and raised the standards for the rest of the server assistants, sending them home with little money because I earning so much of it. I was supremely confident enough to continue my college education through all of the rough times.
One would argue that I am having a difficult time with serving and that is no different than my troubling moments in college. There is a difference between those two scenarios. I liked college from the start; I do not necessarily like serving tables in a restaurant. Afterall, being a server was my last resort for an internship after all of the hotels in the local area failed to give me the necessary time and day. I do not lack confidence. What I do lack is patience and composure. I also have a temper, in addition to an insane alter-ego that occasionally surfaces, whenever I become frustrated from something not resulting in an outcome that is favorable to my interests. As a result of my anger, management cut me and let me go for the rest of the day. In no way, shape, or form was I in any type of stable mentality to continue my duties as a server. I suppose we'll see what happens come Friday (the next day I am scheduled to work).
I pray that I complete this internship before I lose my job as a result of these heated flake outs. If I can keep my head about me for just a little while longer, graduation is just around the corner. Easier said than done. Perhaps the Olive Garden woke up sleeping monster when they granted me this internship opportunity. Telling me I don't believe in myself? That is only going to make matters worse!
NOTE: In my archives, you will notice the additional months/years of blogs, which contain posts that I have transferred over from my Xanga Website. They are ideas, occurrences, and thoughts that I would like to preserve and present here at the Blog of Bryan. Therefore, feel free to read through some of those posts, decipher in your own interpretation what I am saying, and enjoy your own conclusions. Leave a comment if you wish!
Today I made significant progress in cleaning my room and doing laundry. That is always a positive thing. I would like to thoroughly clean and organize my room in an attempt to make it a more comfortable and presentable place to live. Perhaps I can buy some posters to hang up on the wall and put some pictures up there as well. My walls look rather bland, and I am anything but bland, so I am feeling the urge to embellish the look and vibe of my bedroom.
Whenever the rain chooses to take a break from making everyone's lives miserable, I will also begin cleaning the interior of my car. I also have to call the school to get update on the status of my graduation application.
At 4:30, I am heading to work, so it is time for me to prepare my outfit, eat, and get some coffee prior to my shift. Everyone take care and be safe.
Peace.
Laura, Jaime's friend and co-worker from Kohls in Mays Landing, arrived and joined us in the festivities. I drank quite a bit that night. I had a glass of wine, a Yuengling Draft, two Yager bombs, one Irish Car bomb, a Heineken, and a Disaronno Amaretto. Quite a load, but I did not get sick from it whatsoever. I did, however, pass out upon returning to the hotel room. I was tired, spent, and wasted. The makings of a champion. LOL. I had a lot of fun and you need to have fun to relieve yourself of the stresses that come with a work-filled life.
On our way home the next day, Jaime and I grabbed a bite to eat at the Galloway Dinner.
Also worthy of mention, last Friday night, Jaime and I stayed at Jeremy's and Keeley's place for the night. We watched television, had some drinks, and Aaron came over to hang out with us as well. Most importantly, Jeremy and I had yet another rematch in Fight Night Round 2. Jeremy used Muhammad Ali, which I used Kenny Norton. Using my knowledge of boxing coupled with my video game prowess, I dominated Jeremy from start to finish enroute to a 10th round knockout. Judge's scores at the time of the stoppage were 88-80 and 89-79 twice. So sad that I actually remember that. Jeremy is still up on me in the series, but as time goes by I begin to establish my acquaintance with this boxing game as well as the controls and the moves.
In reality, back in the 70's, Ali and Norton actually fought each other three times, with Ali taking two of the three fights. Many fans and experts believe Norton deserved two of the three as he was robbed of victory in one of the two decision losses he suffered. Last Friday night, there was no controversy, no judges decision, no doubts, and no regrets.
It was all in good fun! I still have a ways to catch up in our little series.
Tonight I am scheduled to work from 4pm until close. Last night was not a bad night for me in terms of serving. The guests were pleased with the service I provided for them. After work, I met up with some friends from work at Friday's by the Ledgewood circle. I was also served a complimentary Yuengling Draft by the the bartender. How hot is that?
At this moment, it is time for yours truly to get ready for work. Wish me luck in my pursuit to make sales. Money is key. I at least need to finish this internship and then I can take my business else where outside of the restaurant industry. Take care everyone.
Peace.
The 609 is fine by me baby!
As I walked around the various locations in Atlantic City, I was reminded of some of the fun times I had when I went to school for three years at Stockton. Atlantic City was the same as it has always been; various shows taking place, plenty of visitors gambling their money away in casinos, and people walking around admiring the hotel establishments and living life to the fullest as they emptied their wallets in exchange for some sort of amusement. I have to tell you; it felt great to be back! Your boy definitely did his thing in South Jersey and you are about to read about it.
James celebrated his 23rd birthday in Atlantic City this past weekend, so I had yet another opportunity to party in the magical city I once worked in for the better part of a year. People who were out to celebrate Jame's birthday included Laura, Lauren, Jason, Gena, Ken, Caroline, Pete, Laura (Jaime's friend from work during the college years), Jaime and myself. I may have failed to mention one or two people, but it's early in the morning, know what I mean?
Jaime and I rented a hotel room at the Best Value Inn on White Horse Pike. Our room was ghetto fabulous, but it served its purpose for the short period of time that we were there. We ended up meeting the rest of the group at Resorts. At that time, we took a walk over to the Trump Taj Mahal to grab a bite to eat at the Stage Cafe. Jaime and I chose not to eat anything; we each ordered a glass of Woodbridge White Zinfandel.
After our little dinner at the Stage Cafe, we were all off the casinos to do some gambling. Playing the slot machines, I lost a total of $6, which is not too bad considering the substantial amounts of money that people lose while playing Blackjack and Poker. There was not a single person in the group who won money on Saturday night; everybody lost! Jaime and I did not waste too much time in the casinos gambling; neither did the majority of the people who were out for the birthday celebration. While Caroline and Pete stayed in the casino for a little while longer, the rest of us walked to the Irish Pub to begin the alcohol consumption. The Irish Pub gets my vote as the best bar in the South Jersey area, but The Corner Tavern as well as Pitney Tavern(with the deals that they have for Stockton students) will always be admired for their convenience of being located so close to campus.
More to come at another time. Sleepy-eyed and getting tired of typing so much, heading to bed sounds like the perfect plan.
Take care and stay tuned for Part II of Atlantic City Revisited.
Peace.
The Quarter-Life Crisis!
by unknown
by unknown
It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.
You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all.
You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.
One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while wining the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!
What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.
This little piece makes a great deal of sense and I can relate to most of what is being described. This stage of life is the most difficult for one to leave the past behind and to live in the present. I do still cling on to the college life and what it consists of because I am still fond of that life style. At this moment, I can not help that. I keep going back to my college for visits to see friends and old professors. However, I do think about my place of employment and notice that is not nearly what I envisioned two or three years ago. I want to be "more"; greater than just your ordinary average Joe. I believe I am destined for more. In that sense, my life's current state is comparable to that of The Quarter-Life Crisis.
Tomorrow I am scheduled to work the lunch shift. I am due in at 11:30am. Tomorrow I go to work in hopes of elevating myself to a higher level.
As you can see from last Saturday night, it was HOT in Hoboken.
The last couple days have been rather catastrophic, following the enjoyable weekend I had in Hoboken for Jaime's birthday celebration.
My bad luck began on Monday afternoon when I lost my keys! Jaime and I did a thorough search of her house and bedroom looking for my keys. We also called Panera's, where we had lunch that day, asking them if they had found a misplaced set of keys. No such luck. At that time, we decided to check the parking lots of Panera's and Sovereign Bank, where Jaime had taken me earlier so she could make a transaction, but we could not find the keys under any circumstances.
Jaime, who has a basic AAA membership, called AAA to come to my car and open the door so I could get my stuff out of there. Afterwards, we called a locksmith to make a key replacement. Fortunately, one universal key operates my ignition as well as the doors, so I only needed one replacement. Thanks to Jaime and her AAA membership, I paid $125 rather than $175. This past weekend was a fun and exciting weekend that was capped off by total madness and chaos. It can be compared to a delicious homemade-baked cake, fresh from the oven, which is topped with dogshit for icing.
As if that was not enough, I received a message from Mike the G.M. at work, telling me that I was on the schedule for Monday at 4pm. WTF???? After exchanging phone numbers with my certified trainer at Saturday morning's mandatory meeting, she informed me that she was going to call me and tell me when I was going to work as a certified server who had passed training class. She said it would most likely be Tuesday at the earliest. I could live with that. I stayed at Jaime's for the entire weekend, without a single until Monday night at 5:10pm, when the G.M. finally told me that I was supposed to work that night. The manager was not mad at me; he summed it up as a miscommunication and told me to come in the following night (Tuesday) at 4:30pm.
Driving home from Central Jersey, I ran into some God-awful traffic, perhaps the worst traffic I had ever encountered on the highways in my six years of driving. Apparently there was an overturned truck on Rt. 80, which caused a nine car pile up. I was backed up in traffic for at least eight miles. As a result, I was late to work last night. I was so fed up and frustrated that I knew I was not going to be able to server tables. Last night was supposed to be my first day of getting tables, but I declined and suggested that I undergo one more day of training. Sure enough, I still needed practice with the P.O.S. system, so it was a good thing that I chose not to accept my own tables yesterday.
After taking some time to think about the situation as a whole, I take into account that I was frustrated from driving home in traffic and losing my keys the previous day. I am off today and tomorrow, but I am scheduled to work Friday's lunch shift as a server. It will be my first day of getting tables. Either today or tomorrow, I plan on talking to G.M. about my experiences yesterday as well as training last week. He believes I am ready to work on Friday; he felt as though I was ready yesterday. We will talk about it very soon. On Friday, I will give it a try without any frustration or monkeys on my back. Afterall, I need to complete this internship and make some money. My G.M., just as he had planned to do yesterday, is likely going to let me start off with a maximum one or two tables at a time.
Until then, I am using these two days to cool off, relax, and gather myself. I must make sure that I am right for Friday afternoon, or else there will be another disastrous meltdown.
I look forward to returning to Atlantic City this Saturday night for Jame's 23 birthday. This will be the first of three weekends in an upcoming five week period during which I will be hitting up Atlantic City. I love Atlantic City; it has been a while since I have gone there. A conservative amount of gambling and alcohol consumption will be the theme of the evening this Saturday night. Supposedly, we are going to the Borgota to do the gambling and then we're all going to the Irish Pub for the drinking. The cheese fries at Irish Pub are slammin'.
At this time, I want to go to Panera's for lunch. This time, I'll remember to keep my keys in my pocket!
Take care and have a nice day.
Peace.
Jaime's birthday celebration in Hoboken last night was a blast!
Charlie, his friend Erin, Jaime, and I had reserved rooms at The Hilton Garden Inn. That hotel was so difficult for us to access from the highway. We must've gone around in circles for like half an hour. Eventually, one of the people attending the celebration found us at Outback Steakhouse, where we parked and waited, and led us to the entrance of the Hilton Garden Inn. After spending some time in our rooms waiting for everybody to get ready, we took a cab to the street in Hoboken that had all of the bars that we wanted to go to. Our cabdriver was Mexican, barely spoke English, and was speaking on his cellphone for a majority of the ride, so we were thankful that we made it to our destination safely without any problems. So it appears, a number of the stores and hotels in Secaucus/Hoboken area have letters missing or not lit up in the names on their buildings, so they look funny at night time.
CROWNE PLAZA, Hilton Garden Inn, Shoprite, etc.
Many people were out for Jaime's birthday, including Gena, Ken, Laura, James, Alex, Vito, Charlie, Dave, Erin, Bill, Pete, Alicia, and some others who I may have failed to mention. It was great to be back in Hoboken again; going to the Whiskey Bar and Bahama Mama's is always a great time. I met Vito, Alex's boyfriend, for the first time. He never really comes out to hang out with us, but I am glad that he did because he's a cool guy. Our night began at the Whiskey Bar with Vito buying Ken and I each a drink.
At Bahama Mama's, it can be a bit overcrowded in the front by the bar, so we always go to the back behind the dance floor where there is more room. I got really drunk at Bahama Mama's and I do not know why. I really did not have a whole lot to drink last night. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I only had five hours of sleep the previous night and had been up since 8am for the meeting I had at work. I still had a tremendous time with everybody in Hoboken and I look forward to returning really soon. Expect to see some pictures within the next few days.
Today, on our way home from Hoboken, Charlie, Erin, Jaime and I stopped at Baja Fresh, which serves Mexican food, for some lunch. I ate a charbroiled chicken quesadilla, which might have done more harm than good to my already aching stomach (as a result of last night's alcohol consumption). Now I am in the process of recovering from last night. In a few minutes, Jaime and I will be heading to the mall so she can pay her Macy's Bill.
More to come later.
Peace.
I just arrived at the birthday girl's house in Howell. She has received the gift I got for her, which happens to be an AIPTEK 6 megapixel digital camera that includes a taperecorder, MP3 player, and a feature that allows her to record video from DVD's, TV, and VHS. The camera is a really nice camera; she is delighted with the gift that I have provided. All she needs to do now is learn how operate it properly.
Tonight we are off to Hoboken for the birthday festivities. Along with Jaime, it is also Pete's and Alicia's birthday celebration. Hoboken is definitely going to be in the house tonight! We all went to Hoboken last April and it was a terrific experience. Hopefully we hit up The Whiskey Bar, Bahama Mama's, and many of the bars in Hoboken once again tonight.
I LOVE YOU JAIME! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!
This is a day that will be celebrated to the fullest extent.
Other birthday celebrations upcoming:
James on October 22 (Atlantic City)
Myself, The Great One, AKA The Uncrowned King of Life on November 5 (Atlantic City)
Anna on November 18 (Atlantic City)
Yeah, I will be going to Atlantic a number of times throughout the next four weeks or so. That is a good thing because it has been a while since I have been there. I truly miss the casino and restaurant atmosphere. One works in an area for an extended period of time; that area has a tendency to gradually lose its luster. That is what happened to me, more or less, when I worked at P.F. Chang's in Atlantic City. I was in Atlantic City so often that it seemed to get old. Now, it has been a while since I have been there. I am looking forward to celebrating all of these birthdays (especially mine) in Atlantic City in the coming weeks. Atlantic City is going to be in the house as well and the king looks forward to making his long awaited return. One could say this fall season is starting to get exciting.
For now, it is time for Jaime and I to head to McDonald's for a bite to eat before we all leave for Hoboken.
Take care, be safe, and have a great Saturday night.
Peace.
Throughout this entire week, two things have been rather constant.
Raining and training.
Eight (8) straight days of rain! I think it safe to say that the rain has overstayed its welcome. I am tired of seeing cloudy skies and getting drenched every single time I go outside. This rain definitely needs to stop! Since this past Monday, I have also been in server training. For the most part, I have made sufficient progress with my training. I am learning the ingredients for the appetizers, entrees, and deserts. As I sample each and every one of them in my training classes, I develop a personal foodbite (a small description) that I can suggest, inform, and endorse for the guests when I greet them at their tables. Most of the wines are really good as well. Tonight I did some floor training, as I followed a trainer, greeted guests, made suggestions, and took orders. As a ravishing young man who is charismatic, handsome, personable, and polite (wow, those qualities just happen to be in alphabetically listed!), I looked hot on that floor tonight!
Rain and train boldly describes my life as I knew it this entire week, but the weather is supposed to improve tomorrow. One can only hope that the sun comes out provides us with the brightness we have been thirsting for for almost a week.
Tomorrow morning, I have a mandatory meeting to attend at work at 8am. The meeting should be interesting, as we are going to have a raffle, enjoy some snacks and coffee, and cover some of the new dining and menu standards that will take effect beginning on Monday, October 17. The meeting will last until 10:30; after that I am off for the rest of the day. As a result, I am aloud to wear my regular clothes to the meeting. In addition to that, tomorrow is the ideal day for me to be off from work. Why, do you ask?
Tomorrow is my girlfriend Jaime's birthday!!!
Jaime, all of her friends, and myself will be heading up to Hoboken for the birthday celebrations. Barhopping, drinking, and dancing will be the activities of choice tomorrow. I look to provide Jaime with a fun and exciting birthday celebration. She is definitely going to love the gift that I have for her.
Hoboken, here we come!
That is all I have to say for now. Have a great night, be safe, and I will do the honors of blogging again very soon. Therefore, it is a wise decision for you to return soon. You do not want to miss a beat.
Peace.
Wow! The low price for New Jersey Gas today is $2.39. Gas prices are definitely going back down, which is good news for this Jersian.
Procrastination has the been the name of this big baller's game in the last couple days. Monday marked the first day of my Hospitality Management internship, which I am conducting as a server at the Olive Garden I work at. My internship deals with service, management, and Point of Sale (P.O.S.) systems.
One of my assignments has been to come up with a schpeel that I will be using to greet the guests as well as endorsing special foods and beverages. Such an assignment seems easy enough, but I must make sure my greeting does not sound too cheesy or corny. I also have to memorize the first 22 wines on the wine list as well as all of the premium (regular, super, and ultra) vodkas, rums, gins, scotches, etc. This takes time, but I will accomplish it if I really want to make money and ace this internship. Sitting down to go over the material and look over all of those products is the difficulty that I am having.
Before my ordeal in July, I was trying to land a server position at P.F. Chang's China Bistro. Those plans were altered when management totally overlooked my reliability, work performance, and devotion to their company. They chose not to promote me to server. As I result, I threw a fit and ended up losing my job there because I was no longer happy with the way I was being treated. Everything seemed to go down hill from there for the rest of summer. I would eventually work my way back to where I began on this journey by moving back home and applying for a job at the Olive Garden by my house. Fortunately, I was hired, but I was only hired as a busser/server assistant. For a couple months, from August up until the 2nd week of October, I set a precedent for the bussers by providing exemplary service for the servers as well as the guests. In management's eyes, as well as my co-workers, I stood out amongst the rest of my fellow bussers. Yes folks, I was viewed as The King of the Server Assistants just as I was acknowledged at P.F. Chang's for so long. As a busser, I came, I saw, I conquered. At the same time, I was desperate for an establishment to conduct my internship at and the hotels in the local area were less than courteous to accommodate my needs, so interning as a server at The Olive Garden [while being a last resort] ended up being the immediate solution.
Where did I want to be prior to the summer chaos???
A server at P.F. Chang's China Bistro.
Where am I right now?
I am working as a server at the Olive Garden, which counts towards internship hours that will lead to the completion of my internship. Following this, I am officially graduating from college this December. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it was a bumpy ride, but here I am as a server, exactly where I belong (where I have belonged for the past five months) at the present time. P.F. Chang's management failed to realize the fact that I should have been a server, but they also have their own distorted definition of the word "communication". As a management team, they also stood alone with the bizzare and false belief that I was incapable of serving guests in a restaurant. According to them, I did not possess the skills or the communciation to be a server. In a monotone way of speaking, they attempted to explain this to me as they looked down at the table we were sitting at (not even looking me in the eyes as they were talking to me).
In the end, I would like to think that I always win one way or another. Afterall, I am The Man.
Speaking of winning, how on earth could I possibly lose by celebrating my girlfriend Jaime's birthday in Hoboken this Saturday night? That should be another memorable occasion. Whiskey Bar and Bahama Mama, here we come! I love Jaime very much and I will make sure that she has the best birthday she can possibly have come Saturday night. She is definitely going to be thrilled with her gift.
Come November 5, I will be having my gigantic birthday bash in Atlantic City, NJ. This is special birthday for yours truly due to the fact that I will have made it a quarter of a century through life. Huge birthday bash for quite a charismatic superstar such as myself.
After she gets out of work at 5:30, Jaime is driving up to spend the night with me. Our plan is to go to the Olive Garden for a nice romantic evening of dining. Not only that, but this week is the last week of the "never ending pasta bowl." I absolutely love that limited time offer and I must go to Olive Garden for dinner with the soulmate before that offer comes to an end this Saturday. I can not wait to see my girl.
As this moment, my focus (along with being concentrated on the love I have for that sweet lady of mine) should be on this internship and the work that I need to do for it. I need to start it at some point, or else I am never going to make it.
That is all for now. Everyone have a good night and always remember to come again.
Peace.
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