Still
Although I finally stopped believing there's something wrong with me because I've never been married, I still feel deeply disappointed and discouraged that, at the age of 39, I've never fallen in love or found someone to share my life with. It's a discouragement that...
May the VCR Rest In Peace
According to TiVo: • Many manufacturers have halted production on VCRs permanently. • 2006 will be the last year for VHS movie releases.Sad. I still prefer using a VCR to watch rented movies because I don't have a DVD player and have to watch DVDs on my Apple laptop....
New Job Still Good
More reasons why my new job serving at Nick and Tony's Restaurant is so much better than my old job:1. Better tips.2. Parties of 5 or more have the gratuity (tip) automatically added on.3. Fairer system to determine who gets to serve those parties of 5 or more. We...
Almost a Cubs Fan
I’m part of a writing group that has given itself the assignment to write our best autobiographical story that takes place in a bar. I’ve never been able to stomach alcohol so I’ve spent shockingly little of my 39 years in bars, but this story at least ends in a...
Chicago Marathon
Tomorrow is the Chicago Marathon and the general manager at Nick and Tony's says we'll be packed tonight, all reservations full. It's because we're an Italian restaurant and all the runners will want to eat pasta tonight to "carbo load" for tomorrow's race. I heard on...
Drip
It’s beginning again. Another one. This must be roughly the 324th since the process started when I was twelve. Month after month after month and never for any good reason. The lining becomes plush and thick, “ready to receive an egg,” it said in the Modess pamphlet I...
54 Degrees
It's cold outside! I'm so excited. Finally, the damn summer is over!
Fatty McBlog
Damn it. Can't sleep. Spent last hour reading Fatty McBlog which is a very interesting and often funny blog. At least feel like I've been productive. Check it out, especially if you're at all food-obsessed like me. Their blog reads, "We're not here to lose the weight,...
The Nick and Tony’s Experiment
My first weeks at Nick and Tony's are going well, but my feet aren't used to this much wear. Being off work for a month really killed my stamina. Trying to build up again.Just about every shift there's competition: a bottle of wine for whoever sells the most glasses...
No Babies Here
One thing I am very grateful for is never really suffering from “baby fever.” There was a short period around age 30 when I thought I wanted to bear and raise a child, but three years of doing childcare took care of that craving. I know a lot of women like me (coming...
I’m a Nick and Tony’s Server!
Today on my final day of training as a server at Nick and Tony's, I waited a few tables under supervision and took the “final exam.” The big test took me an hour and included questions I’d had on previous tests, plus new material, such as "Name our cognacs," and...
My New Job!
Ways my new restaurant job at Nick and Tony's is so much more exciting than my old restaurant job at Carson's:1. Business - Customers! Lots of them. We opened at 11:30 a.m. and the lunch crowd started arriving immediately. Almost every table was full by 12:30 and I...