Bitch Fest (sweeeeet)

Okay so my plane ticket is booked for October 13th and I am comin' home! For a long time I wasn't sure it was the right thing for me to do, but I prayed about it a lot and all signs seemed to point toward go. I have loved and been changed by New York City, and I do hope to be back someday. However, I have also learned that NYC is a great place to be - if you are in a good position. I have learned that I'm not quite willing to be a starving artist in hopes of getting a chance someday (I cannot even get an audition - I send my headshot/resume and nothing...I don't even get a chance to show them what I can or can't do, as the case may be)! But I am the man (woman?) with the plan, and a plan ALWAYS makes me feel better :)

Today at work I got a great confirmation of my decision. This morning they installed Open Table, a computer program that helps keep track of, well, open tables, reservations, wait lists, etc. So a group of about 5 or so of us were standing around the host stand, learning the computer system (which by the way, was incredibly easy and one of the most user-friendly systems I have ever seen, can you believe I got turned down at jobs because I didn't know this system?)... so anyway - this man goes to leave the restaurant (he had been there for like 3 hours) and he had left his big ol' heavy bag in the coat check room, which I suggested after he asked me where to stow it. As he passed us, I slowly recognized him and remembered his bag. After manuevering out of the group and going to the coat check room (thinking he would wait for me to open the door), he had actually already opened it and had already picked up his bag. Seeing that there was nothing else I could do, I returned to the host stand. My manager (one of four who had come in to learn the system) scoffed in disbelief and said my name as if I wasn't aware that the man was there. I turned back again, to see the man was still getting his bag (taking his sweet old time), turned back and replied, "He's already picked up his bag," thinking that would be the end of it. I mean, do you want me to pry it from his cold lifeless fingers? Apparently so, as my boss closed his eyes and shook his head as if I was the biggest moron he'd ever encountered. And in front of 5 other people - awesome! So, feeling super cool at that moment, I tried to concentrate on what the computer guy was saying. Because as all the other people scattered away (including my boss, who complained that it was just too much information for him to absorb), I was the only one who stayed for the whole tutorial. After it was over, my boss came up to me and advised me that in the future I should always get things out of the coat check room for people. I explained that when I went over to do just that, he had already grabbed his bag, and I did not want to smother the poor guy. ("Excuse me, sir, I see that you've already grabbed that bag there that belongs to you, but could you kindly put it back down so I can pick it up and hand it to you? Mmkay thanks!") He said he knew that, but that I should smother him because (get ready for this) the man could have tripped and fallen on something in the coat check room and sue us. Um, k. Two things you should know. One, his bag was right at the door, so he didn't even have to go into the room. Two, HE COULD TRIP ON ANYTHING IN THE WHOLE RESTAURANT! Why just the coat check room? It's not like it's filled with booby traps or anything. It's just a room. With hangers in it. Ooh, watch out. Ugh! Actually though, it's not so much the fact that he wanted me to do it differently. I can deal with that. But do you really have to make a big fuss about it in front of everyone and embarass me? I mean really, was it that bad? Surely people have made bigger mistakes than that. Is it too much to ask to just be treated like an adult? So I get to work with this d-bag, who I really think is just not that intelligent (and now maybe on a power trip), another guy who never smiles or says a word to me (or anyone), and another guy who is basically the same but fakes nice. Those are my managers. There is one female manager who I think is really cool, but I never get to work with her. I am turning in my notice tomorrow or Friday, and I am very very happy about that! Sometimes I think I will never find a job that I like.

So, back to the plan. I'm not sure what kind of job I will try to get when I'm in Gainesville (I guess any one that will hire me). However, most of my energy will be devoted to preparing for grad school auditions in January. I will also be trying to audition for the Southeastern Theatre Conference in March (screening auditions in November). If both of those routes do not work out, I would seriously consider trying to take classes at the Esper Studio in NYC (I think I could handle the crappy jobs if I was in classes, and I also found a place similar to where I am that has bedrooms for as little as $450/month, or for $550/month you get a private bathroom, you just don't get meals. They have a long waiting list so I couldn't move there right now, but it's good to know about it, I could even afford that on my measley hostess salary). And if none of that happens, I currently plan on going back to school for...I am 99% sure...psychology. It's one discipline that incorporates a little bit of all my most beloved subjects, and it is always interesting to me. I have mentioned to some that I would like to learn web design, which I still do, but I found out you can take online classes for that and you don't have to be in school (it's pretty cheap too...www.ed2go.com). But otherwise, I think I am done working lame office and restaurant jobs! I really think my soul cannot handle it anymore...I just can't...not saying a career in theatre or psychology would be perfect all the time...but at least I would be passionate for it. Sorry if this blog was bitchy, but I warned you!

*******************
Bitch Fest Complete!
*******************