total hours clocked in at work this weekend (fri-sun): 25.5hrs. woohoo! achybreakyfeet.

friday was unbelievably tiring...like physically. yes, i know. i'm a weakling. after 11.5 hours of standing, (with only a 30min break for the entire duration), i found i had wobbly legs (more than usual), an achy back, and a blurry eyes...[ well-toned leg muscles? loads of stamina?hello?] :O) from 4 o'clock, we began our 5 hour countdown. by 5pm, i was left with only one other person behind the counter, one on the floor, and a steady stream of customers for company. oh and truckload of jam, cream,milk,and tomato containers to fill, and LOADS of food to clear. am i complaining? no, just documenting. :O) it wasnt a mundane night anyhow. good stuff. dustan was really excited about his impending holiday ("only 2 sleeps!! yaay!"), and excitement is contagious. so, even for our state of fatigue (he was on for 12hrs), we were deliriously happy. delirium reigned. friday was also exciting for all @ apollo cos Ruby's Grace was having a gig at the cornish arms. on thursday we (well, all five of us that are dinosaurs,at least) were all set to go support 'em. on friday, our individual decisions fluctuated every couple of hours...at 8pm, i was all set to go home and veg out. at 9.30, i felt really really compelled to not let work get the better of me and of my word. so i hyped myself up enough to feel energized enough to wobble home, prettify myself (yeah rite..like it really makes a diffference), wait for a certain someone to stand me up, and merrily cab it out to the gig in time for the 2nd set. :O) i have to say...it was SO WORTH IT! they really are a goode live band. friendship aside, these guys know how to work a crowd. you feel their energy and love for the music. awesome stuff. seriousness.

Exciting Stuff.....
wednesday: 9am appointment with the dentist! then, retro shopping with my cousin.
thursday: work 10-6.30. dinner with workmates,p'haps.
friday: work 10-9.15. ruby's grace gig @ the cornish arms, 10pm.
saturday: work 11-6.15.
sunday: uncertainty looms (work?)
:O)

so work was ok today. wait...who am i kidding. hehe. it was one of those days where things didnt run as per normal...like we had our usual 10am rush, then we actually had a few quiet moments!! and then, of course, the boss comes in with his temporary 'solution' to the order and queuing mess that is the cafe system...and actually ends up making it a more arduous task to take orders and get dockets to the register, coffee machine, and toaster. oh and then he comes up to me and tells me how to basically "force" (My word, to be fair) the customer to have his/her sandwich toasted (ie.old sandwich). but that's the thing (i felt like telling him)...i dont REALLY want to sell 'em poor buggers ol' sandwiches for the price of a fresh one!! sighes. and it's like he seems to pick on me...previous incidents.. anyways, for some reason today i could feel that strain of annoyance tainting my usual vibe. probably the catalyst in my decision to go up to my manager and throw the, "sooooo...does michael (my boss) not like me or something?" question. in retrospect, that may not have been such a wise choice-of-action (well..duh...seeing as it was a rash one!). it was funny, my manager tried to apease me with the notion that EVERYBODY gets crap from the boss..and that he IS a DAMn critical dingbat....keyword here is EVERYBODY. did i mention everybody? well, that totally explains why he gets along pally wally with the other old staff and i get the "cheryl, where is this and that and why isnt this done and that done" rubbish..and i'm NOT even in a managerial/supervisor position!! I"M CASUAL STAFFF (dammit!). :O) i still have to smile...the politics of a cafe..ohmygoodness! imagine what it's like 'ouT there'!
oh, and did i mention that i was also, weirdly enough, suffering from an acute case of the giggles..ohmygoodness, it was SOOOOOOOOOoOOo bad..to the extent where i had to excuse myself in the middle of serving a customer because i was doubled up in laughter..at a very random moment. it all began with me asking a customer if she wanted a "bug" with her order. yes, i kid you not. this really beats the "wouuld you like that toasted" inquiry regarding a coffee. the simple explanation is that i was really asking her if she wanted a BAG for her order, but it came out VERY bahasa baku. see? i'm bilingual. :O) ahem. shy.

and then, my boss decides that he wants to pick my brains. oh ok. sort of. we have a sit down to discuss the efficiency issues...and by that time i'm feeling so blech that i actually lose all the fumble and over-excitement that plagues my person, and take my serious side for an airing. yep, even (in my opinion..heh) constructively criticized his "new" temp solution for the docketing system. i morphed into my planner, brainstormer alter ego...then i steppped back behind the counter and shrivelled up back into my semi-bimbo counter girl persona. ...HI THERE!! can i help you?? bounce bounce....

check it 1,2...aa aa yeh yeh.

after all that, i still feel damn crap. it's like an embarassment. no, that's not the word. it's like i feel like...a hypocrite. oh and a loser, maybe. i mean, isnt it just a tad bit sad that i had NO ONE to drag along with me tonight? isnt it?? and i feel like the kid's not going to believe me anymore. oh no!! this is really buggin me.
it's 2am. and i still havent done my homework for work. i;ve got to list down the problems that we are experiencing as counter staff, in relation to customers and service. now, how do i tell the boss that the root of the problem lies in the SYSTEM itself? and this can only really be rectified by changing the layout of the cafe counter itself. there is no space, the system within which we operate does not allow for quick and efficient service during rushes and BUSY BUSY BUSY lunch, the registers are slow, insufficient manpower. how? and how does one suggest solutions when one can't really think? and how am i expecting to enter the workforce proper and do "brainstorming" and be a planner when i cant even find be resourceful in a small project like this? 2.15 am..and still thinking.....6hours to go.

i suck i really do.
and let me tell you, it's annoying knowing that you've just (possibly) let someone down...regardless of the fact that your actions may, in reality, have not had the slightest impact whatsoever on the afore said person. nevertheless, if it's the thought that counts (in most cases), then yes, indeed, i do suck. [btw, the "suck" I'M referring is NOT in least bit connected to any sort of physical action...such dirty buggers]. :O) yes, i did say i would "try" to go for the gig. but isnt it common knowledge that these sort of random statements do have a lil asterisk on the top..for "subject to change" at the bottom of the agreements page (in a conversation). isnt it????? no???
i feel bad. BUT (come come, let me redeem myself)!...I AM DEFINITELY going to support the band on FRIDAY for the bigass gig!! (erm, so there). this i PROMISE. regardless of the fact that i'll be on my feet for all 11 hours before the peformance... :O) no, i'm not whinge-ing. really. and YES, i really do like the mooosic!! they're an awesome live band. the album's great for easy listening. hmmmm...an investment, p'haps...
wait wait. let's get back to the point. so i didnt go tonite for the solo gig. and tmr i shall have to face the music..(heh)...this is the 2nd time i've done a no-show. dammit. but today, i didnt really feel like braving the cold and big bad world that is sydney road (yes, the area where bismi, the cornish arms, savers (and probably a few bits and pieces of that gunned down gangland leader) reside). ok. so that's 3 goode things and one DAMN dodgy. still... and let's not forget that i'd have had to board a tram on elizabeth st...now we all remember that "will you give me your urine pls" crazy loooney i bumped into last year...ahem [*shudddeerrrrrr]. put 'em together and hey! you've got plenty of reason to cosy up on the couch and watch the fab 5 sprinkle their special brand of fairy dust on the latest to join the 'gay or attached' list. :O)

WOOHOO! :O) so much to say, so lil time (sleep abeckons), so many limitations (frozen fingers,toes..the list seems endless). stuckey..i took a photo in your honour some time ago whe i was traipsing around sydney rd..now i've just got to figure out how to web-ivate it.