Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls. Delicious. And we go way back.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Why Working in a Restaurant -- For Now -- Doesn't Totally Suck
Alright, so I'm waiting tables. No, it's not a career move, it's not something "I've always dreamed of doing," and it's certainly not something I plan on doing for the rest of my life. But for right now, it was a good decision. And it's actually a lot more work than I ever gave people credit for.
I'm in a period of downtime and refueling, and waiting tables works well for that. Plus, it doesn't totally suck, and here's why:
- I'm getting exercise? I do a lot of running around, lifting things (buckets of ice, bins of chips, pans of salsa), and very little sitting down. Oh, and laugh if you want, but the plates we use are heavy! Seriously, I think my arms are getting bigger and my thighs are getting smaller. Nice.
- I get to practice my Spanish -- a LOT! That's not something I thought would happen back in good ol' Kentucky.
- I have a very flexible schedule.
-I bring home cash. However, I do feel a little weird going to the bank every week to deposit lots and lots of $5 bills...
- When I find myself in a new city in the near future and am totally broke and jobless (again), I'll at least know I can fall back on my waitressing experience to keep me from starving. Because apparently, in today's economy, you can't even get a freaking restaurant job without prior work experience.
- And lastly, serving tables is basically...a rite of passage. I don't think you're really allowed to say you were ever young and broke...unless you've waited tables.
And that's me, trying to look on the bright side of things. Hip hip hooray.
I'm in a period of downtime and refueling, and waiting tables works well for that. Plus, it doesn't totally suck, and here's why:
- I'm getting exercise? I do a lot of running around, lifting things (buckets of ice, bins of chips, pans of salsa), and very little sitting down. Oh, and laugh if you want, but the plates we use are heavy! Seriously, I think my arms are getting bigger and my thighs are getting smaller. Nice.
- I get to practice my Spanish -- a LOT! That's not something I thought would happen back in good ol' Kentucky.
- I have a very flexible schedule.
-I bring home cash. However, I do feel a little weird going to the bank every week to deposit lots and lots of $5 bills...
- When I find myself in a new city in the near future and am totally broke and jobless (again), I'll at least know I can fall back on my waitressing experience to keep me from starving. Because apparently, in today's economy, you can't even get a freaking restaurant job without prior work experience.
- And lastly, serving tables is basically...a rite of passage. I don't think you're really allowed to say you were ever young and broke...unless you've waited tables.
And that's me, trying to look on the bright side of things. Hip hip hooray.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
We Knew How to Pick 'Em
I haven't thought much about high school in a while. In fact, I probably stopped really thinking about high school once freshman year of college got going and intense love and pride for a new school took over.
But now, now that I'm once again living in the place I haven't really lived in, well, since high school, I'm understandably brought back to those days a little more often.
Don't get me wrong, I liked high school. Heck I loved high school while I was in it. But looking back, we did stupid things and thought stupid things and believed we were "living the best days of our lives" haha -- when, in fact, we hadn't really experienced much of anything. (Yes, I realize that when I'm 50 I'll be reciting these very same words about my twenties.) I guess, in a lot of ways, I've just liked putting high school behind me. Who doesn't?
But there is something I don't think I gave our teenage selves enough credit for: friends. We knew how to pick 'em.
Now that I'm back in Louisville, I still see Greg every day or so because we work together, and I still walk next door to kill time at Emily's just as much, if not more, than I did during high school. Last Wednesday "the four of us girls" -- our high school clique, if you will -- shared margaritas and Mexican food. On Saturday night, a different six of our gang went out, including Michael, who I probably hadn't seen since high school. And this weekend at a wedding, we'll see even more people.
Every time I come home from one of these get-togethers, my first reaction is always, "Wow, it was SO good to see them! I'm surprised how much fun that was!" And my second reaction is, "Wait, why am I surprised?" Like I said, we knew how to pick 'em, and I think I sometimes forget that.
I've been halfway around the world and back a couple of times, so I'm certainly not the same high school Carrie (Thank God). But I guess there's still a little bit of her in me (And I'm okay with that). Changing, but not totally forgetting where you've been, I think that's called growth. That makes you human.
And having some people who stay fairly constant along the way? Hmm. I think that just makes you lucky.
But now, now that I'm once again living in the place I haven't really lived in, well, since high school, I'm understandably brought back to those days a little more often.
Don't get me wrong, I liked high school. Heck I loved high school while I was in it. But looking back, we did stupid things and thought stupid things and believed we were "living the best days of our lives" haha -- when, in fact, we hadn't really experienced much of anything. (Yes, I realize that when I'm 50 I'll be reciting these very same words about my twenties.) I guess, in a lot of ways, I've just liked putting high school behind me. Who doesn't?
But there is something I don't think I gave our teenage selves enough credit for: friends. We knew how to pick 'em.
Now that I'm back in Louisville, I still see Greg every day or so because we work together, and I still walk next door to kill time at Emily's just as much, if not more, than I did during high school. Last Wednesday "the four of us girls" -- our high school clique, if you will -- shared margaritas and Mexican food. On Saturday night, a different six of our gang went out, including Michael, who I probably hadn't seen since high school. And this weekend at a wedding, we'll see even more people.
Every time I come home from one of these get-togethers, my first reaction is always, "Wow, it was SO good to see them! I'm surprised how much fun that was!" And my second reaction is, "Wait, why am I surprised?" Like I said, we knew how to pick 'em, and I think I sometimes forget that.
I've been halfway around the world and back a couple of times, so I'm certainly not the same high school Carrie (Thank God). But I guess there's still a little bit of her in me (And I'm okay with that). Changing, but not totally forgetting where you've been, I think that's called growth. That makes you human.
And having some people who stay fairly constant along the way? Hmm. I think that just makes you lucky.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Oh Em Gee Read
We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver
I started this book about a month and a half ago, had trouble getting into it (it's sort of a downer -- the story is a fictional set of letters that a wife is writing to her husband after their teenage son carries out a massive school shooting), but then picked it up again last night. And I couldn't stop reading.
I stayed up 'til 2 a.m. finishing the book, and at about 1:45 a.m. when I yelled out loud "WHAT! Oh my God!!" in regards to the plot, I was really glad I hadn't been reading in some public place. Like on an airplane. Or in a coffee shop. That could have been awkward.
Sooooo good!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Top 5 Adjustments
You don't need to be an Einstein to know that coming back to the States after a year in Guatemala was certainly an adjustment. Ignoring the much more complicated emotional-mental-heart side of it, let's just skip right to the nitty gritty part.
What were the five strangest things to adjust back to?
5. Snow. I came back in January, right in the worst of winter. Snow, ice, sleet. Ew.
4. Being outside and not seeing mountains and volcanoes. This place feels so flat.
3. Basically having a house and a room to myself. Without seven housemates, my life is a lot quieter and a lot less exciting. I often find myself thinking back to our house with the cozy "living room" and the communal kitchen table. And I miss it.
2. Toilet paper goes in the toilet here.
And weird adjustment #1?
1. Remembering how to drive a car! Seriously, my first few weeks back behind the wheel were just terrifying.
What were the five strangest things to adjust back to?
5. Snow. I came back in January, right in the worst of winter. Snow, ice, sleet. Ew.
4. Being outside and not seeing mountains and volcanoes. This place feels so flat.
3. Basically having a house and a room to myself. Without seven housemates, my life is a lot quieter and a lot less exciting. I often find myself thinking back to our house with the cozy "living room" and the communal kitchen table. And I miss it.
2. Toilet paper goes in the toilet here.
And weird adjustment #1?
1. Remembering how to drive a car! Seriously, my first few weeks back behind the wheel were just terrifying.
Old Habits Die Hard
I thought I noticed something odd the other day. And then my mom confirmed it yesterday.
"Carrie? Do you notice that we always seem to be out of bowls lately?"
YES. What is up with that?
I thought about it, and amazingly, the answer came to me almost immediately.
"Um, I think it's because I only ate out of bowls in Guatemala. Three times a day, every day. Pretty much." (Looking back, I actually mentioned it here.)
Hahahahaha. Apparently, old habits die hard.
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