Today I was supposed to work two shifts, but I wound up only working for about a third of one. Then I was way too sick to continue, and went home instead. Luckily, they were really nice about it, and I go back to work tomorrow. Tomorrow's shift was supposed to be my first REAL shift... not sure if that's still the case or not, but I sure hope so! Tips, come to Mama!
But enough about that stuff. Today is a day for non-work-related anecdotes.
Anecdote #1: I went into a used bookstore on 17th Ave the other day---the day I nearly froze my feet off---and the fellow behind the counter was a former Monctonian. We discussed the Moncton disco scene, which apparently was quite happening back in the 70s.
Anecdote #2: Yesterday when I returned from my noon shift at work there was a lovely kitty-cat sitting on the steps of the apartment building. It looked at me and said, "Mew," quite plaintively. It was quite glossy looking---missing an ear, but still looked quite well kept. In any case, it followed me into the apartment building. I was hoping it belonged to someone in the building and would take off back to its own part of the building, but no, it followed me up to the third floor. Once there, it made a beeline into an open apartment, which was where we parted ways. I ran into the fellow who was moving out of the apartment, and asked him if it was his cat: he had two cats, but it wasn't one of them. It mewed in the hallway for a while and then vanished back from whence it came. Poor cat. But I can't exactly bring it to live with me on the floor of my friend's apartment now, can I?
Well, there you have it. A pretty uneventful day. Spent a large part of it sleeping, and then watched Philidelphia with Chris---damn, Antonio Banderas was a hottie! And yes, I know there was much more to get out of the movie than just that.
Wish me luck on tomorrow's shift, eh?
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
I'm running out of exciting names for posts
Today I did my first lunch shift at Ric's. The schedule said to come in at 10:30, but the restauarnt didn't open for lunch until 11:00. I'm not sure when I got there.... probably sometime around 10:20 or a little thereafter. In any case, the restaurant was locked up tighter than a drum. I tried looking inside, but the windows are frosted. So I stood out there getting colder and colder and wondering where everyone was. Eventually, Val, the manager, opened the door from the inside and let me in. She'd been wondering where I was, it seems. Turns out there's a back door. The thing is, when I was first hired, I asked Val if there was a different door I should be using, and she said, 'No, just use the front door.' Uh huh.
Anyhow... Today during lunch I shadowed Yen, a very nice lady of asian descent who is one of the few Calgary natives I have met since coming here. Possibly the only one, in fact. Yen showed me how to make mochas and cappochinos: mine had little or no foam. I am going to have to ask Rokaya to show me how to make them properly.
Val asked me to come back in the evening and help out, even though I wasn't on the schedule. So back I came at 5:00 to help out Louis: Louis' a very nice fellow who I met my very first night. He's from some middle european country--I think he said Lithuania. In any case, he's been a waiter in Calgary for 25 years. His wife, who he brought over from the old country, just got a job with Price Waterhouse Cooper, after working at McDonald's for 17 years. They have at least two sons, who they seem to spoil rotten. Louis helped me out with the menus and bar lists. He's also going to keep his eye out for a place for me to stay.
I have two shifts tomorrow, too, and then my training period is done. There's a very long test I'm supposed to write--although one of the servers told me that so long as I don't mention it, they may not make me write it... At least, that's what happened with him. I'm not going to count on that happening, though.
Tomorrow night, Kendall, one of the managers, has told me he'll go over the wine list with me. He also told me to bring money for a cab, because I'll be tasting all the wines. I may have to ask him if we can put off the wine tasting, though... My first official shift is at 10:30 on Friday, and I don't wanted to be hungover for it.
Anyhow... Today during lunch I shadowed Yen, a very nice lady of asian descent who is one of the few Calgary natives I have met since coming here. Possibly the only one, in fact. Yen showed me how to make mochas and cappochinos: mine had little or no foam. I am going to have to ask Rokaya to show me how to make them properly.
Val asked me to come back in the evening and help out, even though I wasn't on the schedule. So back I came at 5:00 to help out Louis: Louis' a very nice fellow who I met my very first night. He's from some middle european country--I think he said Lithuania. In any case, he's been a waiter in Calgary for 25 years. His wife, who he brought over from the old country, just got a job with Price Waterhouse Cooper, after working at McDonald's for 17 years. They have at least two sons, who they seem to spoil rotten. Louis helped me out with the menus and bar lists. He's also going to keep his eye out for a place for me to stay.
I have two shifts tomorrow, too, and then my training period is done. There's a very long test I'm supposed to write--although one of the servers told me that so long as I don't mention it, they may not make me write it... At least, that's what happened with him. I'm not going to count on that happening, though.
Tomorrow night, Kendall, one of the managers, has told me he'll go over the wine list with me. He also told me to bring money for a cab, because I'll be tasting all the wines. I may have to ask him if we can put off the wine tasting, though... My first official shift is at 10:30 on Friday, and I don't wanted to be hungover for it.
Seven days down
Well, today marks a full week that I have been in Calgary.
Today I have a lunch shift at Ric's. Should be interesting to see just how many people come in. Of course, it's also still frickin' freezing, so that might affect it just un peu.
The last two days I had off. I was free! Free as a bird! And did I stay in the apartment as a sensible person would? Nah. Both days I ventured out into -30 weather.
The first day, Rokaya and I went to Second Cup and looked through the paper for apartment listings. We didn't find anything nearby that was still available, so we decided to take a second look at that $700 place---I made an appointment for the following day. Then, Rokaya went of to be evaluated for table fitness, and I went back to the apartment to take a nap in her bed.
In the evening, we developed a craving for Chinese, which morphed into pizza as hunger mounted. Chris and some guy were playing xbox in the living room. They were very helpful in giving us non-existant numbers for the pizza place. Rokaya had to drop something off at Second Cup (where she works) anyways, so we headed out into the cold.
Just across from the Second Cup resides an enterprising business know as the Jerky King. The Jerky King sells a wide variety of jerky, all made on site, including strawberry beef jerky. He also sells Chinese food, although not quite so wide a variety of it. As a special bonus, though, he throws in two stick of beef jerky for free! His front room was so cold, the pop in the cooler out front had exploded. The food, however, was not bad.
The second day, I rolled out of bed and headed of to meet Rokaya to take a second look at that apartment. On the way, I stopped at Ric's to check my schedule, and had a chat with Jenny, who was working as a hostess (she had previously trained me in table running my first shift). I learned that when Jenny is not multi-tasking at Ric's, she works as a dealer at a casino.
Well, Rokaya and I took another look at the apartment. It was still as nice as ever, but I was still not that keen on living with them, plus, they had someone else interested in it who was coming to look at it that evening, and who was willing to pay more. This may have been a lie designed to bring up my offer, but if so, it backfired. I wished them luck, and was on my way.
We bused on down to the grocery store, then, where after buying food we spent a fun filled 45 minutes waiting for a cab.
In the evening, we went out to a smoke filled pub to watch the hockey game with some of Chris's buddies from work. The appropriate team won, apparently. Chris's buddies, two guys most recently from Texas, were quite funny. It wasn't a bad way to spend an evening. Eventually, Andrea, the girlfriend of one of them, showed up---she works with me at Ric's.
My neck was hurting, so I decided to try the floor last night. Had an excellent nights sleep.
Today I have a lunch shift at Ric's. Should be interesting to see just how many people come in. Of course, it's also still frickin' freezing, so that might affect it just un peu.
The last two days I had off. I was free! Free as a bird! And did I stay in the apartment as a sensible person would? Nah. Both days I ventured out into -30 weather.
The first day, Rokaya and I went to Second Cup and looked through the paper for apartment listings. We didn't find anything nearby that was still available, so we decided to take a second look at that $700 place---I made an appointment for the following day. Then, Rokaya went of to be evaluated for table fitness, and I went back to the apartment to take a nap in her bed.
In the evening, we developed a craving for Chinese, which morphed into pizza as hunger mounted. Chris and some guy were playing xbox in the living room. They were very helpful in giving us non-existant numbers for the pizza place. Rokaya had to drop something off at Second Cup (where she works) anyways, so we headed out into the cold.
Just across from the Second Cup resides an enterprising business know as the Jerky King. The Jerky King sells a wide variety of jerky, all made on site, including strawberry beef jerky. He also sells Chinese food, although not quite so wide a variety of it. As a special bonus, though, he throws in two stick of beef jerky for free! His front room was so cold, the pop in the cooler out front had exploded. The food, however, was not bad.
The second day, I rolled out of bed and headed of to meet Rokaya to take a second look at that apartment. On the way, I stopped at Ric's to check my schedule, and had a chat with Jenny, who was working as a hostess (she had previously trained me in table running my first shift). I learned that when Jenny is not multi-tasking at Ric's, she works as a dealer at a casino.
Well, Rokaya and I took another look at the apartment. It was still as nice as ever, but I was still not that keen on living with them, plus, they had someone else interested in it who was coming to look at it that evening, and who was willing to pay more. This may have been a lie designed to bring up my offer, but if so, it backfired. I wished them luck, and was on my way.
We bused on down to the grocery store, then, where after buying food we spent a fun filled 45 minutes waiting for a cab.
In the evening, we went out to a smoke filled pub to watch the hockey game with some of Chris's buddies from work. The appropriate team won, apparently. Chris's buddies, two guys most recently from Texas, were quite funny. It wasn't a bad way to spend an evening. Eventually, Andrea, the girlfriend of one of them, showed up---she works with me at Ric's.
My neck was hurting, so I decided to try the floor last night. Had an excellent nights sleep.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
That last post sucked, didn't it?
So, last night's post made my second night at work sound really boring. In fact it was anything but! I'd say the highlight of the night was when the pipes overflowed and the kitchen and the women's washroom flooded. The cooks were working while standing on a pile of towels a foot thick. The manager put plastic bags on his feet (they looked really spiffy with a business suit!). He stayed back in the kitchen and passed plates of food out to the servers, rather than letting us go back there. Ed, the big boss man, refused to allow us to put an 'out of order' sign on the washroom---Instead, he made our poor little hostess girl (a grade 11 girl in a very little black dress) stand by the washroom and redirect traffic while the plumber worked his magic.
The girl who was training me was really quite amazing. "Everything I do is right, and everything everyone else does is wrong," were among the first words she said to me. She also called some customers idiots to their faces. She makes amazing tips, and is a WestJet stewardess when she's not working at Ric's.
Today was the coldest day since I've arrived. I went to look at a apartment and thought I was going to die, walking there. I went into several stores and 'browsed' in a futile attempt to keep warm. FUTILE, I tell you! FUTILE. My feet were so frozen I could barely walk.
The apartment, on the other hand, was really, really nice. It has a pool in the building, plus a sauna and a gym. $700, heat and hydro included. But I would be sharing it with a middle-aged couple. I just don't know! I spoke to the man on the phone a while ago and decided to go back and look at it again tomorrow. His girlfriend is from Australia (they met online). She's a photographer, and very nice. I didn't get a chance to meet him... Something I want to do before I agree to anything. Plus, they want someone long term, and I'm not a long term kinda gal. UGH!
The girl who was training me was really quite amazing. "Everything I do is right, and everything everyone else does is wrong," were among the first words she said to me. She also called some customers idiots to their faces. She makes amazing tips, and is a WestJet stewardess when she's not working at Ric's.
Today was the coldest day since I've arrived. I went to look at a apartment and thought I was going to die, walking there. I went into several stores and 'browsed' in a futile attempt to keep warm. FUTILE, I tell you! FUTILE. My feet were so frozen I could barely walk.
The apartment, on the other hand, was really, really nice. It has a pool in the building, plus a sauna and a gym. $700, heat and hydro included. But I would be sharing it with a middle-aged couple. I just don't know! I spoke to the man on the phone a while ago and decided to go back and look at it again tomorrow. His girlfriend is from Australia (they met online). She's a photographer, and very nice. I didn't get a chance to meet him... Something I want to do before I agree to anything. Plus, they want someone long term, and I'm not a long term kinda gal. UGH!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Ric's Grill: Day 2, Calgary: Day 4
Well, finished my second shift at Ric's Grill. I think I'm going to really enjoy it once I get a hang of the menu and everything. I like the people I'm working with (so far, at least). The main boss man seems like a bit of a yeller, but I've worked with meaner and scarier people.
I was going to write more, but I've decided to watch TV instead, so yeah.
I was going to write more, but I've decided to watch TV instead, so yeah.
Friday, November 24, 2006
First day (or night as the case may be) of work
Welladay...
Rokaya and I had planned to go for Chinese food for lunch today, but somehow it didn't wind up happening. Oatmeal instead.
Last night, I didn't even TRY to sleep on the air mattress (which is completely deflated and folded in a corner. Instead, I slept curled up on the loveseat. Not the most spacious of sleeping arrangements, but I'm tiny and I managed to sleep through the night. Booyah! Third night's the charm, eh?
So yes, to get to the topic of the post... My new job. I started at 4:00 today. Started walking at 3:25 or so, and wound up a little early for work, but not a lot. Then, it turned out the girl they wanted me to shadow didn't even come in until 6:00, and it was pretty dead... Why they told me to come in so early, I do not know. But one of the other girls, Vanessa, showed me how to prepare the tables... steaming and polishing all the wine glasses, etc... Vanessa's worked tehre 3 weeks. She's from the NWT, and also used to work in a Chinese restaurant! I also learned how to fold linen napkins in a variety of pretty shapes, and learned the floor layout. Then Jenny, the girl I was shadowing showed up. Jenny is a table runner (she's also sometimes a hostess). Table runners stand in the kitchen, and when it gets too busy for the wait-staff to handle, they take the food out to the tables.
Anyhow, yeah. I worked 5 and a half hours, and then Amelia (I think), another new girl, drove me home. Her boyfriend lives in the next building over from Rokaya and Chris!
Tomorrow, I start work at 3:30.
Rokaya and I had planned to go for Chinese food for lunch today, but somehow it didn't wind up happening. Oatmeal instead.
Last night, I didn't even TRY to sleep on the air mattress (which is completely deflated and folded in a corner. Instead, I slept curled up on the loveseat. Not the most spacious of sleeping arrangements, but I'm tiny and I managed to sleep through the night. Booyah! Third night's the charm, eh?
So yes, to get to the topic of the post... My new job. I started at 4:00 today. Started walking at 3:25 or so, and wound up a little early for work, but not a lot. Then, it turned out the girl they wanted me to shadow didn't even come in until 6:00, and it was pretty dead... Why they told me to come in so early, I do not know. But one of the other girls, Vanessa, showed me how to prepare the tables... steaming and polishing all the wine glasses, etc... Vanessa's worked tehre 3 weeks. She's from the NWT, and also used to work in a Chinese restaurant! I also learned how to fold linen napkins in a variety of pretty shapes, and learned the floor layout. Then Jenny, the girl I was shadowing showed up. Jenny is a table runner (she's also sometimes a hostess). Table runners stand in the kitchen, and when it gets too busy for the wait-staff to handle, they take the food out to the tables.
Anyhow, yeah. I worked 5 and a half hours, and then Amelia (I think), another new girl, drove me home. Her boyfriend lives in the next building over from Rokaya and Chris!
Tomorrow, I start work at 3:30.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
I found a job!
It actually seems to be true what they say about jobs being easy to find out here.
After Chris left for work this morning I had a nap on his side of the bed with Rokaya.
I got up and started agonizing over clothes. I wound up wearing a very nice pinstriped business dress, three pairs of stockings (hey, it's COLD here) and my fancy fake lambswool coat that goes down to my feet. I was worried it would be too fancy, but I was looking to apply at nice places, and I figured overdressing was better than underdressing.
We wound up leaving the apartment around noon... Which, as I pointed out to Rokaya was an awful time to be applying for work at restaurants. Instead, we strolled down to where her friend Stephanie, a retired dancer, was working at this fitness place: the place specializes some sort of yoga, or pilates, but on a table. I dunno, it looked pretty hardcore.
Rokaya, Stephanie and I had lunch at a vegetarian place on 17th Street. The food was delicious, and it was very funky. I'll definitely be going there again.
Following lunch, we proceded with Operation Job Hunt.
I dropped my resume off at the Metropolitain Grill, and was interviewed on the spot. The guy who interviewed me there used to spend his summers with his grandparents in Moncton! He told me he had to discuss it with some other guy, and he would probably call me within the next day or so.
We walked a block down the street and stopped in front of a place called Ric's Grill. "Want to try there?" asked Rokaya, and I was like, eh, the outside is maybeish, but let's check it out. Well, the inside was anything but maybeish: way nicer than Metrolpolitain, in fact, and the Metro was nice. Two different people interviewed me on the, and half an hour later I walked out an employed woman!
Now, I just need to memorize the menu and wine list. I've been told I don't need to know all 300 bottles for tomorrow, but I should definitely know the 30 wines they sell by the glass. What have I gotten myself into, eh? Val, the woman who hired me told me she usually only hired people over the age of 25, with at least 5 years experience. I'm 24 and have 4 years. Oh well.
Wish me luck?
After Chris left for work this morning I had a nap on his side of the bed with Rokaya.
I got up and started agonizing over clothes. I wound up wearing a very nice pinstriped business dress, three pairs of stockings (hey, it's COLD here) and my fancy fake lambswool coat that goes down to my feet. I was worried it would be too fancy, but I was looking to apply at nice places, and I figured overdressing was better than underdressing.
We wound up leaving the apartment around noon... Which, as I pointed out to Rokaya was an awful time to be applying for work at restaurants. Instead, we strolled down to where her friend Stephanie, a retired dancer, was working at this fitness place: the place specializes some sort of yoga, or pilates, but on a table. I dunno, it looked pretty hardcore.
Rokaya, Stephanie and I had lunch at a vegetarian place on 17th Street. The food was delicious, and it was very funky. I'll definitely be going there again.
Following lunch, we proceded with Operation Job Hunt.
I dropped my resume off at the Metropolitain Grill, and was interviewed on the spot. The guy who interviewed me there used to spend his summers with his grandparents in Moncton! He told me he had to discuss it with some other guy, and he would probably call me within the next day or so.
We walked a block down the street and stopped in front of a place called Ric's Grill. "Want to try there?" asked Rokaya, and I was like, eh, the outside is maybeish, but let's check it out. Well, the inside was anything but maybeish: way nicer than Metrolpolitain, in fact, and the Metro was nice. Two different people interviewed me on the, and half an hour later I walked out an employed woman!
Now, I just need to memorize the menu and wine list. I've been told I don't need to know all 300 bottles for tomorrow, but I should definitely know the 30 wines they sell by the glass. What have I gotten myself into, eh? Val, the woman who hired me told me she usually only hired people over the age of 25, with at least 5 years experience. I'm 24 and have 4 years. Oh well.
Wish me luck?
Day 2: Calgary
Well, I finally figured out what is wrong with the keyboard. It{s been set for Spanish. However, I do not know how to change this... so be prepared for another apostropheless post.
Chris swore he had figured out what went wrong with the bed, so last night he pumped it up again. I went to sleep at around 8:00, zonked out of my mind from the jet lag. 12:00 the phone rings. It{s Rokaya, wanting into her apartment. I stagger up and let her in, noting as I lie back town again that I can feel the floor against my backbone...
And halleluah! I just found the apostrophe key!
So yeah, I can feel the floor: something I could NOT feel at 8:00.
2:00 I wake up. The electrical cord under the bed is digging into my spine. I decide I'll go give the love seat a try.
Yesterday I didn't really accomplish much. Wandered around the Chinook shopping centre with Rokaya for a while, and bought two books at Chapters. Rokaya pointed out all the fancy restaurants she thought I should drop my resume off at, and Chris pointed out all the McDonalds that were hiring. lol
We were all supposed to go to some sort of meeting last night, but I was pooped and decided not to... Hence the phone call from Rokaya at midnight.
Today is resume dropping day. Also possibly movie or mild partying night.
Right now, it looks like tomorrow may be head out to Banff day, but we shall see.
Chris swore he had figured out what went wrong with the bed, so last night he pumped it up again. I went to sleep at around 8:00, zonked out of my mind from the jet lag. 12:00 the phone rings. It{s Rokaya, wanting into her apartment. I stagger up and let her in, noting as I lie back town again that I can feel the floor against my backbone...
And halleluah! I just found the apostrophe key!
So yeah, I can feel the floor: something I could NOT feel at 8:00.
2:00 I wake up. The electrical cord under the bed is digging into my spine. I decide I'll go give the love seat a try.
Yesterday I didn't really accomplish much. Wandered around the Chinook shopping centre with Rokaya for a while, and bought two books at Chapters. Rokaya pointed out all the fancy restaurants she thought I should drop my resume off at, and Chris pointed out all the McDonalds that were hiring. lol
We were all supposed to go to some sort of meeting last night, but I was pooped and decided not to... Hence the phone call from Rokaya at midnight.
Today is resume dropping day. Also possibly movie or mild partying night.
Right now, it looks like tomorrow may be head out to Banff day, but we shall see.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
I hath arrived!
Just a quick explanatory note... The keyboard I am using is having an identity crisis. I cannot find a key that will allow me to make apostrophe marks... The underscore key makes question marks, and the question mark key makes underscore marks.
So, I got into Calgary at around 11 30 last night (also cannot find a key that makes colons). The plane ride was uneventful, but I have to say by the end I was going stir crazy. My nose wouldnt stop dripping. I was also seated directly behind first class, so I got to see all the things they got that I didnt. lol Let me see... National Posts, liquids served in real glasses as opposed to disposable cups... Having said that, would I have sprung for the additional $500 or so, so that I could sit up there? Hell, no!
My cabbie from the airport was a cheerful Palestinian man, who loves Calgary, but misses Jerusalem. He has not been there in 17 years, he told me. Hed like to go, but he cant because of politics. Its so nice to be a Canadian, sometimes!
Rokaya and Chris (my friends who I am crashing with at the moment) have a nice, if currently underfurnished apartment. They set me up in the spare room with an air mattress that slowly deflated as I slept. lol By morning, I was sleeping on the ground. Did I care, though? No. I was so doggone tired, I would have probably slept on a bed of nails if that was all they had to offer. Having said that, I hope we figure out the mattress problem before tonight...
Today, Im going to try and get a feel for the city. Tomorrow... Who knows. It depends on what I see today. Right now, Im thinking I may bus out to Banff, but plans may change.
So, I got into Calgary at around 11 30 last night (also cannot find a key that makes colons). The plane ride was uneventful, but I have to say by the end I was going stir crazy. My nose wouldnt stop dripping. I was also seated directly behind first class, so I got to see all the things they got that I didnt. lol Let me see... National Posts, liquids served in real glasses as opposed to disposable cups... Having said that, would I have sprung for the additional $500 or so, so that I could sit up there? Hell, no!
My cabbie from the airport was a cheerful Palestinian man, who loves Calgary, but misses Jerusalem. He has not been there in 17 years, he told me. Hed like to go, but he cant because of politics. Its so nice to be a Canadian, sometimes!
Rokaya and Chris (my friends who I am crashing with at the moment) have a nice, if currently underfurnished apartment. They set me up in the spare room with an air mattress that slowly deflated as I slept. lol By morning, I was sleeping on the ground. Did I care, though? No. I was so doggone tired, I would have probably slept on a bed of nails if that was all they had to offer. Having said that, I hope we figure out the mattress problem before tonight...
Today, Im going to try and get a feel for the city. Tomorrow... Who knows. It depends on what I see today. Right now, Im thinking I may bus out to Banff, but plans may change.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Beginnings and endings...
Well, I head out to Alberta tomorrow.
--Leaving home yet again.
The big difference this time, I suppose, is that I have no idea what or where I'm going to. Always before, I have left with a vision (albeit faulty) of my future. This time, nothing. No idea. My future is a blank slate waiting to be written on. It's scary, but exhilerating at the same time.
--Leaving home yet again.
The big difference this time, I suppose, is that I have no idea what or where I'm going to. Always before, I have left with a vision (albeit faulty) of my future. This time, nothing. No idea. My future is a blank slate waiting to be written on. It's scary, but exhilerating at the same time.
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