Our apartment community decided to spray for roaches, of course by no fault of theirs the spraying took place today, otherwise known as the hottest day of the year. We locked the cats up in the bedroom and had to shut off the central air and open all of the windows. I got home and the place still stunk of the spray they used, we made them go light on the chenicals but it still smelled bad. I decided since the cats were still locked up that I would open up the front and back doors in an effort to expediate the airing out process. Some big-ass flys managed to get in while the doors were open, 4 of them by my count. I took 3 big ones out with my bare hands and loved every minute of it. The smallest one, who is also the quickest is still around, soon he'll slow down and then he'll be mine too.

I absolutely hate flys, and take a great deal of pleasure in hunting them down and killing them. I have actually considered getting a bug-zapper for the kitchen, since it seems flys always manage to get in. I love the blue glow of those things and the fact that they electrocute flys is an added bonus--kind of like a black-lite electric chair for insects. Now if I can only find a lava lamp gas chamber for rodents.

I was in meetings all day for teaching and have more the rest of the week. Things are going well in that respect but getting uinderway is a bit taxing.

Just Kidding

There has been a major change of plans. I was offered a position through my tutoring company to teach part-time in Richmond Public Schools, which I accepted. I then called my boss at the restaurant and left a message stating that I was withdrawing my resignation. So instead of switching restaurants, I will be working at the same restaurant and teaching part time. It looks like I am going to have my own classroom and a full class of kids. I am looking forward to it. It is very strange how things work out.

The next question is what do I do about the other restaurant I was going to start working for. Do I call them and say that I am not going to be working there, or do I just not show up? Since the General Manager was kind of an ass to me, and the bar manager asked upon finding out I was vegeterian "Don't you ever just want a thick, juicy steak?" To me that is like asking a Jewish person: "Don't you ever just want to worship Christ?"--it is my personal belief and choice, and I don't think that anyone has the right to question it, particulary in such a blatantly close-minded way. I think that I will just not show up. Watch in amazement as I burn these bridges, be thrilled at the sight of me screwing them over, gasp in horror at my lack of concern...

One thing that has always amazed me about the restaurant industry is how easy it is to get a new job. Less than 18 hours after deciding that I was going to leave the current restaurant, I have a job at a new restaurant. I am very happy to be on my way out and into something new and different. A great location, nice atmosphere and most importantly I am back to serving. Three cheers for less responsibility and more money. Judging from the menu prices and the location I should do alright.

86 the Scapegoat

I finally reached my breaking point at the restaurant tonight. I was cool though. Instead of saying what I was thinking, I enthusiastically agreed with the unwarrented criticisms that were tossed my way. After I was done playing the yes man I said that I would try harder, even though I will most certainly not try harder. I bided my time until I was able to come home, and made up my mind that I am looking for a new job starting tomorrow. The best part is that there are 2 new malls opening in early September and I already located a new restaurant that seems just fine to me, and they are HIRING.

It just got to the point where the things going on are so far beyond anything I can possibly put up with that it is unbelievable. I am caught in the middle between the management and the servers, my bosses are micromanaging-passive agressive nutcases, I am making a fraction of the money I used to make, I have way too much responsibility, I am always taking the blame--mostly for things that are not my fault, and the list could surely continue.

There is a special feeling in reaching the end of your rope and realizing that you have options and can move to a better situation.

The Fall semester begins one week from today. The books for my course have yet to be announced, in addition there are 4 sections of the course all offered on the same day at the same time and the powers that be have yet to inform me which section I am enrolled in. It is amazing that I am paying for this. This means that I have not been able to purchase my textbooks, which are not available at the physical bookstore--they must be purchased on-line, nor do I have any idea of my professor or the room number. I hate to say it but it seemed that things ran better before everything went paper-free. I have not even been able to log into the college's email system for a week--they are doing maintenance.

I also updated the Reading/Watching/Listening section if you are interested.

I have not worked in eight days; tonight will be my first night back at the restaurant. I am not looking forward to it, but for some reason I am not really dreading it either.

Congratulations to Lex who passed his citizenship test and will soon be a US citizen. I find it amazing that most of my students are US citizens by birth and could not pass the test. Its a scary world we live in.

The Dylan show was really good. It was the last show of his tour with The Dead and he was awesome. 62 years old and more animated than ever. He played 4 songs with The Dead, 1 more than on the rest of the tour. All of the songs with The Dead were great, and Bob Weir even played with Dylan during his set, another thing which only happened at the show we saw. The vibe was really good at the show, but way too many people were wearing tie-dye. I was offered drugs twice--and said no--amazingly enough. The major complaint I have is with The Dead--they don't play songs, they just jam. If they played songs they would be great live but instead they choose to "jam." Jamming for The Dead means everyone solos, sometimes in different keys, and makes no effert to follow along with each other or take turns taking the lead. It sounds like free-jazz gone incredibly wrong. The best thing about their set was that Joan Osborne (of "What Of God Was One Of Us" fame) sang with them, and displayed the most natural talent by far. I was really impressed with the power of her voice.

The rest of the trip was fun too, though the car ride definitely sucked.

I forgot to mention earlier that Paint A Vulgar Picture turned two back on July 30th.