T.G.I.M. .... Thank Goodness It's Monday!

Yes, you read the title of my post correctly... T.G.I.M.  Thank goodness it's Monday.  I might be the only person in the world who is excited for it to be Monday, but after the crazy weekend I had, Monday means a much needed day off!!!!

Working in the restaurant industry means that I don't really get to celebrate holidays like normal people do.  Not that Halloween is a holiday, but in the bar business it can be a crazy night.  So while friends were dressing up and getting ready to go to the bar to relax, unwind, and have some Halloween fun, I was putting together a crummy costume to head to work and take care of all those people who want to unwind and enjoy the day.  We ended up not being as busy as we normally are for Halloween, but our specials were killer.  Killer in that they were the only thing that people ordered and killer in that they hurt our pockets because people were being really cheap.  I was so glad when the night was over, the only unfortunate thing was that after getting home after 2am, I had to be back in the building at 8am to do a supervisor shift.

Bartending with my favorite ladies... Dressed as 2 servers from Friday's past and a Flyers Princess

Jello Shot special at the bar for Halloween

Saturday at work went by pretty quickly and uneventfully.  Despite the fact that I was exhausted and living off of caffeine, I was in a fantastic mood because I was going to get to leave early to pick up my hubby from the airport.  M went to the UK for work and I was pretty much miserable without him home.  It was tough because we didn't have much communication while he was gone due to the time change, our still completely opposite schedules and the lack of international cell phone plans. This was the longest he and I had spent apart since I moved down this way for law school in August of 2007 and I must say, I am not a fan. I give all you military spouses out there a lot of credit... I had trouble for a week... I don't know how you do it for months at a time.  I may or may not have even cried a little after he called me to tell me where he would be waiting for me... just hearing his voice made me so happy!

After picking up M from the airport we headed to Black Walnut Winery to catch the end of a surprise party for my law school bestie RC.  I was really sad that we were unable to make the beginning of the party, but I was so glad that we were able to stop by for a little bit and to get to celebrate her birthday with her.  RC is pretty much the only person I still keep in contact with from law school and I am so glad that she and I became friends towards the end of our law school careers.  I only wish our schedules were more conducive to hanging out... especially since we basically live right down the street from each other!

Couldn't be happier that this man is finally home from his business trip

Law School besties celebrating RC's 30th birthday with our hubbys!

Sunday was another fun-filled day of work.  I was scheduled to open as a supervisor and then close as bartender.  Thankfully this Sunday I was working with another more experienced bartender and was actually able to leave early... so I only worked 14 hours instead of the 17.5 I was scheduled.

So yup, thank goodness today is Monday and I have the day off.  Today is an even more awesome Monday because my Giants are playing in the MNF game this evening versus the Colts.  The only downfall is that my one BFF and I won't be friends tonight (she is a huge Colts fan), but don't worry, we will be back to being BFFs by the time the game is over no matter who wins!

Today I am linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston and Meghan at Champagnes and Suburbs for their "Weekending" link up!  Head on over and check out both their lovely blogs and see what everyone has been up to this past weekend!

What did you do this weekend?

Top 10 Things I "Love" that Customers Say to Me as Bartender

As much as I want a job using my college & law school degrees, being a bartender definitely has its moments where it just makes me shake my head and laugh.  Today I decided to compile a list of my "Top 10" things that I love (and by "love" I mean hate) that customers say to us on a fairly consistent basis.... plus of course what  I am thinking when the customer says this and of course what I actually say in response (*Note: my thoughts and responses to customers do not always go like this... depends on how I am feeling in the moment what exactly I think/say when these situations arise).  These also may not be my "Top 10", but these are the things that have been said the past few shifts that just happen to stick out to me at this point.

(In no particular order)

10. "Do you know how to make a Long Island?"

• What I am thinking: Are you kidding me?! What kind of bartender doesn't know how to make a Long Island?! That is probably one of the first drinks they teach you.
• What I actually say: Absolutely I can make you a Long Island.

9. "What do you mean I need to show you my I.D., don't I look over 21?!" or "What do you mean I need to show you my I.D., I'm a bartender." or "What do you mean I need to show you my I.D., I'm a server.", etc.

• What I am thinking: It doesn't matter if you look over 21. I could lose my job if I don't card you and honestly, I would rather keep my job than worry about upsetting you because I asked you for your I.D. Also, being a bartender or a server means that you should know better and you should know that I need to see your I.D. in order to serve you.
• What I actually say: I still need to see a valid form of I.D. if you would like to sit at the bar.

8. "Let me get a 'Strong Island'."

• What I am thinking: You seriously sound like an idiot.  Are you really going to come in the bar and ask for a "Strong Island"?!
• What I actually say: All of our drinks are made to recipe, so I can make you a Long Island

7. "What does it matter that my I.D. has expired?!"

• What I am thinking: Your I.D. expired months ago, how have you been driving around with it?!
• What I actually say: It is against the law for me to serve you without a valid government issued I.D. The fact that your I.D. has expired means that it is invalid.

6. "Can I get a margarita with extra vodka in it?"

• What I am thinking: Who really thinks vodka comes in a margarita?! You obviously have NO clue what you are talking about if you are asking for extra vodka in your margarita.
• What I actually say: You mean extra tequila?

5.  "I can't taste the alcohol in my {insert name of frozen drink here}."

• What I am thinking: Of course you can't, that is the point of a blended drink.  
• What I actually say: You aren't supposed to be able to taste the alcohol in a frozen drink.  When you think about it, you are drinking all the ice that you wouldn't normally drink if the drink hadn't been blended. 

4.  "What do you mean I need to give you a card to start a tab?!"

• What I am thinking: You are sitting at a bar... you need to give me a card to start a tab.  What bars do you go to where they don't ask you for something to hold your tab open? I know I always have to give a card when I sit at the bar. Especially on a busy night.
• What I actually say: If you don't want to give me a card that is fine, I just need you to cash out now.

3.  "What do you have on draft?" I list all the draft beers. "So you mean you don't have {insert beer we don't have here} on draft?"

• What I am thinking: You just heard me go through all of our draft beers... did you hear me say X beer?! No. So if I didn't say it then obviously we don't have it on draft.
• What I actually say: No I'm sorry we don't have that beer on draft.

2. "Can I get {insert drink name here} without {insert juice here}?" I make drink and hand it to the customer and get "Why isn't my glass full?"

• What I am thinking: Of course it isn't full. You took half of the juices out of it.  Do you really think that getting less juice will mean that you get more alcohol? No, it just means you get less juice.
• What I actually say: Well you asked for none of x juice and y juice so that is why the glass isn't full.

1. "You are here to serve me."

• What I am thinking: That is probably the rudest thing I have ever heard.  
• What I actually say: No, I am here to serve you responsibly and that is why you cannot have another drink.

For as much as I say that I hate my job at times, it definitely gives me many good stories to tell.  Stories that I will be able to tell for years to come.

As always, today I am thankful for customers who give me these stories to tell.  I am thankful that although my job drives me crazy I have those days where I can just laugh at all the idiotic excuses people give and the things that they say.  As much as my job drives me crazy there are definitely good days where I don't mind it and where I can laugh my way through a shift with a smile on my face. 

Why Working at Night Screws with My Life

While in law school and while looking for a career oriented job I have spent my time working in a restaurant. Being a full time student I started my restaurant career only being able to work at night because well I had classes all day long, plus needed some time to study, so working night shift seemed like a valid option.  After graduating from law school continuing to work at night seemed like a good plan because it meant that I could job search during the day and then be able to work a full shift at night.

Now that I am no longer in school, working at night really messes with my life.  Besides the fact that it means I have ZERO social life... it also means I almost NEVER get to see my hubby.  M and I have been married for going on 5 months now and if we are lucky we get to see each other a few hours on Monday and Wednesday nights, all day Saturday and during the day on Sunday.  Now if M works on the weekend make that we get to see each other a few hours on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.  It stinks.  I miss my husband!

Working at night also screws with my life because it just makes me so tired.  I don't like to sleep my day away so I try to get up at a decent time every morning (read 9am), but sometimes I just can't get out of bed.  I am getting home anywhere between 1:30 and 3am... which means I am going to bed sometime between 2:30-4am... depending on how much caffeine I have consumed during the night at work.  Because yes I drink A TON of coffee while working just so that I can stay awake.   But in staying awake at work it means I can't fall asleep when I get home.  Then when I can't fall asleep at home I can't get out of bed at 9am.  Then when I finally do get out of bed it seems like most of the day is wasted AND I am usually still tired because although I don't get out of bed at 9am I also don't fall back asleep either.... I usually end up just lying in bed watching episodes of "Girls" on HBOGo on my tablet or catching up on blog reading.

I seem to have ZERO energy to do anything these days... I don't want to work out, I don't want to cook, I don't want to shop... I don't want to do ANYTHING.  It is AWFUL! I have been doing my best to find a way out of this lifestyle, but so far no luck.  I would love nothing more than to have a job where I work during the day so that I can have a normal out of work life.  I want to be able to have dinner with my husband.  I want to have the energy to go to the gym or Zumba every night.  I want to be able to go to bed at 11pm and wake up at 7am (or earlier).  I just want to be able to lead a healthy lifestyle...a lifestyle that just doesn't seem possible to when I am leaving for work at 4pm and not getting home until after 1am.

Sorry for the rant, but working at night really is screwing with my life these days.  Any suggestions for how to deal with working at night until I can get this job situation figured out?

As always, today I am thankful for the fact that I have friends who will at least once a week kick my butt into gear and get me to go to Zumba with them.  Zumba has become such a great stress relief and I look forward to it every Wednesday night.  Sure it means I don't get to spend as much time with M, but this is something that I need to do for me in order to help get my life together.  I wish I had more free nights to do it... or just more free nights so I didn't feel guilty about going to Zumba when I could be spending time with M.  But I am thankful for the time I do get to spend doing it... here's to becoming a healthier me!