Chicana on the Edge

Mentioning the unmentionable since 2004

Ask For What You Want, Part Two: People Pleasing

Are you good at asking for what you want? Some insight into those who struggle with it.

How Chicago Failed Its Most Vulnerable: The Heat Wave of July 1995

31 years ago, a three-day disaster revealed an ongoing one.

Looking for a new career?

My new job as a restaurant hostess at The Grillroom is stressing me out. Why the hell can't I just pick one job and stick with it for a good long time, you know, and accumulate experience and become better and better at it and more and more comfortable with it and...

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My Favorite Date Story (this is good)

In honor of Valentine's Day, here is my favorite dating story. He worked in the medical profession, in mental health to be specific. We had been having a perfectly nice dinner when the subject of smoking in public places came up. He mentioned how in the state of...

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Homage to Green Catfish

I give up. I just don't like alcohol. My 2005 new year's resolution was to start drinking and I did develop a taste for alcohol, by which I mean I stopped gagging when I drink it. But once I overcame my tastebuds' aversion, I noticed that I don't like the effects it...

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Hostess Cupcake

My new job as hostess (cupcake) of The Grillroom in downtown Chicago:1. Banker's hours are nice: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.2. Whole new skill set to learn.3. But much less responsibility than being a server (also much less money, but I think I can get...

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The Grillroom! (should be sung)

Looks like there's a Blogger outage in ten minutes, so quickly -Oh, my god The Grillroom is another world! Busy lunch shifts, sparkling dining room, decent hours (they close at 10:00 p.m. every night!), a very professional staff and an even tighter team than at Nick...

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Bar Louie – The End

I have worked my last shift at Bar Louie Dearborn! I worked the brunch/lunch shift today: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I walked out with all of $37. Yup, 37 bucks. And it only took me seven and a half to earn it.But that's it. No more complaining about Bar Louie. Tomorrow I...

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Vocabulary

Adjectives for when employment is unpleasant (in the form of a sentence):“I can’t wait to leave thisfucked uppodunksnafusuckratcrap-asssinkholemindrotmood-festercandyassluck-blownsoul-suckingsleep-stealing job!”Adjectives for when employment is pleasant (in the form...

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Re-Employment Joy!

Okay, so this is the deal I finally feel comfortable making public. When Restaurants America said they'd find jobs for all of us servers who were being laid off when Nick and Tony's closed, they asked us at which of their other restaurants we'd like to work. Everyone...

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DON’T DO THIS

If you walk into a restaurant and apply for a job, say - oh - as a server, and the manager sits you down right then and interviews you and really likes you and offers you the job on the spot SAY YES AND TAKE THE JOB RIGHT THAT MINUTE. In the restaurant business things...

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Peers

Seriously, of all the women who read my blog and offer comments, am I the oldest one of us all? Really?I hope not, but not for the stupid "oh no, I'm old" reason women usually have. I relish the community I find here, and all of your comments are always important to...

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First Prize

This happened on January 3, but it took until now for me to work up the nerve to publish it. I hate all that new age bull&#%* I used to dwell in, but for some unknown reason the following question grabbed a hold of me this past holiday season: what belief or fear...

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Louie Update

My Bar Louie job is going fine. I worked the lunch shift on Monday and Wednesday (a 7-hour shift) and walked out with $60 each time, so I'm satisfied. I don't like that it takes so many hours to earn that $60 (almost twice as long as it took at Nick and Tony's), but...

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