Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Ciao! 2010

It is 2011 (Happy New Year by the way! They say twenty-eleven is going to be heaven) and things are already moving fast. I wanted to post a blog on New Year's day discussing my resolutions but never got ‘round to it. So instead, I thought of writing each time I have accomplished one of my resolutions. It is much less of a cliché and it shows that I have managed to complete the goals set out for myself.

The main theme or goal for me this year, apart from finishing my Journalism degree, is to become more independent. My whole life I have grown accustomed on depending on other people, whether it is for financial, emotional or physical reasons. It has always been much easier to depend on others like friends, family or lovers than myself and my own abilities. Thus I have adapted to asking for help, wanting love, needing to share everything with another and seeking other people's approval. But this year I yearn for independence, and I will do anything to get just this.

So, my first resolution for this year was to find a suitable job while I finish the last few subjects of my degree. I randomly applied online but had no luck in finding something that could accommodate my studies. Not until a restaurant phoned me for an interview. I wasn’t too excited of being a waiter again as I sucked at it in High School. I once accidentally dropped a butter knife down a lady’s low cut dress leaving a butter trail all the way down into her crack. I then frantically reached down for it and then realized too late how inappropriate it is to stick your hand down a lady’s dress. She smiled after the brief groping incident but her husband was much less happier and gave me a foul look and no tip. So the morning of the interview I had to drag myself out of bed.

It was only half-way through the interview that I thought, “boy, they sure do expect a lot from their waiters here.” And then I realized that it wasn't a waiter they were looking for, I was now being interviewed for a manager’s position. I then suddenly sat upright, smiled more and thought more carefully about the answers I gave them. Later that afternoon they phoned to announce that I was hired.

Ciao! Restaurant in Brooklyn is where I now spend most of my day. The Restaurant specializes in all Italian and Mediterranean dishes. I now find myself devouring enough pizza and pasta dishes to frighten any Italian. We also have a very big wine selection and I am learning so much about this wonderful liquid. My love and knowledge for red wines has developed so much and I have reached the status of a bordering alcoholic.

At first the perks of being a manager was amazing. Free drinks (I have never drank so many milkshakes in my life) and food was a luxury I never knew existed. Also the sudden power of being someone’s boss was a thought I had to get used to. The waiters would need my permission for everything, from having the day off to using the loo. Being a former waiter myself I would then kindly grant every wish they sent my way.

Now, two weeks into the job I have realized that being a manager isn’t all about power, free food and socializing with the customers. It is hard! And it is filled with responsibilities. Constantly having to move around making sure the customers are okay is a bitch on your feet. I have to constantly sort out issues, make sure the customers are treated like VIPs and grant foolish requests from the staff, all the while smiling and trying as hard as possible to wipe the sweat from my face so it doesn’t end up in someone’s Panzarotti dish.

All moaning aside, it might get tough sometimes but I love it. It feels as if I am moving forward and learning how to deal with stress, people, responsibilities and how to manage my time. So I can tick ‘find a job’ off of my ‘to do list for 2011.’

No comments:

Post a Comment