6 month update.

 

Last time I wrote was when my brother got jumped and was in the hospital.

 

That was September, which was… 6 months ago!  Good Lord.

I used to write ALL the time.  At least once a week; for awhile, once a day.  Now, I don’t at all.  Partly due to the fact that I’ve actually had a full time job for the past couple years, resulting in a lot less BS time to do things like write in your online diary.  Haha.

 

NEW JOB UPDATE: 

I am now the Food and Beverage Manager/Banquet Captain at a Conference Center in Big City.  I was hired, and started last month.  No more hotel.  No more serving tables with my degree. 🙂 

I am not quite sure if I had written about this earlier, but while working at MLB team part time, I got a job through my roommate at the time, serving tables at a hotel restaurant in downtown Big City.  Which, made me feel so very great about myself with my degree in a city full of endless opportunities :/ But, MLB team wasn’t paying shit, and I needed the money. And boy, money did I GET! 

I was rolling in the dough.  After about 2 months, I already had $4000 in savings and was able to start paying for everything, as my parents had been up to that point (another frustrating facet of my life at that point).  Not to mention, because I was full time working for a corporation, I had benefits!  So here I was, a waitress, with better health insurance than my Dad and making almost $2000 a week. 

 

It had its ups and downs.

When I was hired, we had a manager but she quit because she hated it there.  Don’t blame her; that hotel is an absolute disaster.  We had also just been bought out by another big hotel corporation so things changed I suppose, not sure exactly how because right when that happened was when I had started.  We went manager-less for… almost a year? 

 

In that time, I feel as though EVERY server got fired or quit accept for the restaurant supervisor and I.  Him and I tag teamed that place and ran it pretty damn well.  I wasn’t an official supervisor but definitely a leader, and all the servers looked to me for guidance.  (At the time though, I didn’t feel ready to run the restaurant, and quite frankly didn’t even feel as though it was an option.  Looking back, I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT).  However, it was SO tough to hold people accountable, not mention HIRE people to assist our extremely short staffed establishment.  And then finally, a manager was hired. 

 

Our HR Director sat us all down and explained that the new manager was a people person, super sweet, blah blah blah.  Whatever.  Robby (supervisor) and I were just happy that someone would finally be there to take over and take the burden of all our stresses.  I mean, we were working 16 hour days, 6 days a week.  I’m serious.  I worked my ASS off, and so did Robby.  If we weren’t going to do it, WHO WOULD? So yeah, long story short, excited about new manager being hired.

 

Her name was, and I suppose is, Camry.  She still works there, which I’ll get to later.  She seemed nice enough–but alarmingly, came from being a shift supervisor at Red Robin and a manager of a cafe and bakery.  Not exactly a fit for a four star hotel and restaurant in downtown Big City, but whatever, I was desperate. 

 

She’s a fucking nightmare. 

She was hired and nothing changed.  In fact, everything got worse.  WORSE.  Shit was so dirty.  We were incredibly understaffed.  We were out of EVERYTHING.  Camry was NEVER at work.  We had one of the busiest happy hours in downtown Big City.  She maybe showed up to ONE happy hour shift all summer.  It was fucking frustrating.  So I finally went to my GM and said listen.  I am so fucking sick of this.  She’s been working here for 5 months, all this shit was supposed to change.  GM talked to her… and then ROBBY went and talked to GM.  Same thing.  My GM, Shelly, who was a marine and a tough as nails type of chick, said that type of behavior "wouldn’t be tolerated".   I thought she would for SURE get fired after amenities weren’t getting delivered, guest reviews were terrible, etc…  then, Camry and I of course get into it one day. She tells me I need to keep my mouth shut, blah blah blah, she couldn’t be at work from open to close which is something I had done every day for the entire summer… whatever. 

 

And then what happens?  LOL. 

 

CAMRY GETS PROMOTED TO MANAGER OF ALL FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES.  

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Beginning last November, our restaurant began undergoing renovations.  So all of us were suddenly unemployed, but I actually still did event coordinating and banquets but only on occasion. So I began applying and applying and applying for jobs.  Had a TON of interviews.  (*side note:  Applied for a coordinator job at the hotel too.  DIDN’T GET IT.  With my event coordinating experience, two years at the hotel, multiple rewards, management degree, computer science background…yeah.  didn’t get it.  FUCK THAT HOTEL). 

 

Anyway, I ended up getting a job at a local Community College as a Hospitality Coordinator.  Mostly managing events, booking spaces, writing BEOs, etc.  Thinking my luck had changed, found out the job was only PART TIME!  WTF!  Damn.  Haha.  Whatever though, I thought maybe it’d be good to do for the time being while I wait for the hotel to be renovated.  I would total return but had NO INTEREST in doing so.  Could

n’t work for Camry anymore.  So I took the job and did it for a while.  In the meantime, I had applied for this F & B manager job at a conference center literally down the ROAD from my house.  Granted, I don’t live far from downtown Big City; only about 3 miles north…but I have to get on the interstate to get there.  And I’ve had days where it has taken me 2 hours to go 3 miles.  Fucking can’t STAND it.  Not to mention, at the hotel, it’s $5 a day to park cuz you know, it’s in swanky downtown Big City.  Parking is a bitch. 

 

So I had a phone interview for the conference center job.  And during the phone call, the recruiter offered me an interview with the Corporate Director of the company who is Acting GM of the center.  I spoke on the phone with the GM, went SUPER well… he invited me into check out the center.  After that… I WAS HIRED!

 

It was such a relief.  And such a saving Grace.  Seriously.  I was not happy with my current situation.  Even though working at the College was fun, great experience, and I had a GREAT manager, the downfall of it being only part-time AND a 30 minute commute from home was kind of too much to handle.  New job, I’m a manager, 2 minutes from my house.  Seriously.  AWESOME.  And I don’t have to go back to the hotel. THANK.  GOD.  This job is also AWESOME pay, full benefits…AND…wait for it…MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY!  MOST of the time.  There are occasionally a Saturday or Sunday event but not often.  It’s freakin’ fabulous.  SO many awesome perks.

 

I’ve only been at the Conference Center for about three weeks.  It’s been…interesting.  I’m working my ass off, as always, trying to do a great job.  Operations Supervisor is a tough bitch mother hen type, but believe it or not, I really like her.  She gets the job done and works hard.  You could be the biggest bitch on the planet, but in the hospitality industry, if you work your ass of, I won’t give a shit.  I’ll love you.  I think my GM likes me too, but I really need to sell him on me.  I’m sure I will.  I’ve been doing captain’s reports daily and I think they really appreciate that!  I had a funny one yesterday.  Probably put some stuff in there yesterday that I shouldn’t have but kind of don’t really care.  That’s my personality.  🙂 .  The only downfall is some conflicting personalities.  There’s a middle aged setup guy there, been at the Center for ten or 11 years, and is CONSTANTLY complaining about EVERYTHING.  UGH.  He always goes to the GM and bitches about this or that.  SHUT UP AND DO YOUR JOB!  He LITERALLY has 2 rooms that he is in charge of.  He works 40 hours a week and probably gets paid like $17 an hour.  But does NOTHING.  I am in complete charge of the Dining Room which is the BIGGEST ROOM!  And the biggest area to be in charge of!  Not to mention the chairs are fucking heavy.  Ha.  Here I am, 135 pound blonde chick hauling chairs and tables around cuz my SETUP GUY WON’T.  Not that I care–I’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done–I’m just saying, when I see him taking 14 smoke breaks a day and walking around doing nothing while I spend 2 hours moving stuff around, it’s frustrating. 

 

Oh well.  Nothign I can’t handle.  🙂  I’m sure this job will get a lot better.  Right now, still learning a lot.  But I’m determined, motivated, a hard worker–I don’t think I have anything to worry about.  Especially compared to the last F & B Manager, who I guess was a complete nightmare.

I acquired this job about a month and a half after starting work at the Community College.  And I was doing SUCH a good job, my manager was sad to see me go.  The nice thing is, I’m still able to do events on weekends since I most of the time don’t work them!  Which is AWESOME, and here’s why.  As an event manager, you check in with the client, make sure they have everything they need, and then that’s it.  On some occasion, I’ll stay in whatever building they are in just to make myself available.  But days like today, with a repeat client–I’m sitting in my office making $15 an hour while listening to Pandora.  Can’t really beat it, lol.  I’ll sacrifice a Saturday to make $100. 

BOY UPDATE:

Mitchell and I will be celebrating a year together on April 5th 🙂 It’s been so wonderful.  HOWEVER, and I’m actually really surprised I didn’t write about this because it was super stressful, I did have a little hiccup in January.  Remember Jason?  The parents-basement-dwelling Valet?  The one who broke up with me, yet wanted me back full force two weeks later?  Well he just so happened to reappear in an effervescent fashion. 

 

One night, around 1 am or so, Mithcell and I were just hanging out, watching Netflix about to go to sleep.  When I get a call, or maybe text I don’t remember, from Jason saying: "I’m at an ugly sweater party by yourself.  I want to see you."  What?!  And then he proceeds to tell me he’s not going anywhere until I come see him.  Granted, I’m not at home as I NEVER am, I practically live with Mitchell.  But for some reason, I was like, I don’t want this poor sap sitting outside my door?  Creepo.  So I go handle the situation…tell him, AGAIN that I love Mitchell and tell him, AGAIN, that I’m over him…

 

But we slowly began texting and semi-seeing each other.  Not offically "seeing" each other; there was no physical contact or kissing or anything, but for a minute, I thought maybe I still had feelings for him and wanted to end things with Mitchell.  One night, Jason and I went and played basketball.  My phone ended up dying.  I went back to Jason’s house until about 3 am.  We just hung out, flirted maybe a bit too much for having a boyfriend. 

I got back to Mitchell’s, and he was a wreck.  Worried about me, cuz he couldn’t get ahold of me, it’s 2 am, my phone’s dead.  Stupid girl.  How could I do that to him?  The aboslute SWEETEST guy who loves me SO MUCh and treats me like a damn queen.  Unbelievable I am sometimes.  Lo

oking back though, I was so confused.  Jason and Mitchell are just SO different.  On a fun, party level, Jason and I have SO much in common, but on an intellectual and overall life level, Mitchell and I have this amazingly strong connection.  I didn’t know which one I wanted more in my life.

 

The best part about all of this is I was straight up, forward, HONEST about this with Mitchell.  I told him everything I was feeling.  I felt that was WAY more important than doing anything behind his back.  The whole debacle lasted about a month and a half, and in reality, I only saw Jason maybe 5 times. 

 

But Jason would do the same shit that he did when we were dating, even though he said he "changed".  For instance, I would wake up with these hate texts from him because I was with Mitchell.  Are you fucking kidding me?  You’re going to text me a HATE message because I am with my BOYFRIEND?  After your crazy ass shows up at my doorstep at 1 am, threatening not to go anywhere until I tell you I love you?  I mean he did this MULTIPLE times.  Like would be a JERK.  Ha.  Mitchell, on the other hand, was so supportive and so understanding.  He knew the tribulations I went through with Jason–he was there the whole time.  He was my shoulder to cry on when Jason and I were dating, and he was an asshole.

Needless to say, the Jason story ended quickly.  I texted him one day and said, this is over.  

And I haven’t looked back since.  

Mitchell is what I want and need.  He’s the air I breathe, the blue in my sky, the green in my grass.  He’s my rock.  I have tears in my eyes just writing this.  I can’t tell you all what an amazing boyfriend and person he is.  It absolutely baffles me that someone like him even exists.  Jason is a barely a thing in the past, and only a ghost of the future.  I hope he finds what he’s looking for.  But he let me go because he couldn’t handle me, even when I was at my best.  Funny thing, I’m not even hard to  handle.  Prettyyyy easy going.  But I have my moments.  And when I do have my tempermental, semi-psychotic moments, Mitchell holds my hand and tells me to take a deep breath.  He kisses my forehead and says he loves me no matter what. 

 

And after a year, I still look him in the eyes like it’s the first time. 

 

I picked out a ring 🙂 And apparently, a proposal is in the VERY near future.  It’s scary, exciting, everything else in between.  I feel as though, because I know it’s coming but I don’t know when, that I might not be as surprised.  I mean we are already planning our engagement party. And I already picked out my wedding dress.  But I’m sure I will be.  LOL.  I’m sure I’ll probably freak out!  The man of my dreams, kneeling before me with a beautiful ring and a vow to be mine forever.  Gives me chills. 

HEALTH UPDATE:

Right now, I’m at my normal weight. 🙂 I’ve maintained this now for a year!  Losing 25 pounds after my accident.  I don’t exercise or run like I used to :/ But I do eat right!  Vegetables and healthy food all day long.  I’m pretty proud of myself.  I’ve also been 6 month energy drink sober!  And diet soda!  I  have a diet soda occasionally now and then but RARELY.  Sadly though, I really don’t work out at ALL.  I think I’m going to return to the gym I worked out at when I first moved to Big City.  It’s like, some ridiculous $10 a month super cheap.  Nice little gym for me to go to get a few workouts in a week.  I mean, if I can maintain a healthy weight without working out merely by eating right, I’m sure I’ll be a studette!

HOW I AM FEELING UPDATE:

 

With all these updates, I can’t believe this is my life now.  I have a great job (more so two great jobs), a great boyfriend, about to get engaged, money to do things with… etc.  I’m beyond happy and blessed.  I can’t believe how drastically  my life has changed.  Two years ago, I was broke, living in gay ass East Side of the state with a terrible job and nothing going for me.

 

My advice?  Do what scares you.  Go after things that you don’t think you can get.  I PROMISE.  Something will work in your favor. I moved to Big City with about $100 in my pocket, a part-time, dead end job and my parents still supporting me.  But through hard work, faith, and just being an overall good person, life has worked out in a way that I never imagined. 

 

Life is so sweet.

 

Much love everyone.

 

-Elle.