my brand new non-career

tommorrow is my first day of work at a brand new job where i'll be......waitressing! i know that some people in my life see this as a desperate move, or as a sign that i'm throwing in the towel, but honestly, it's exactly what i wanted. after being "let go" from a job that i worked so hard to obtain, a job that i perservered at despite the fact that it made me unhappy, simply for the sake of my career, i really just want to wait on tables. it's like when you get out of a real serious relationship and you're not really ready to start dating again. i got burned pretty badly and i'm not in the mood to jump into another career just yet.
i waitressed for five years before i decided to sell wine for a living, and although i occasionally resented my customers, got sick of the late hours or felt like everyone's slave, for the most part, i really enjoyed it. here are my top five reasons why:

5. you actually get to move
the first year that i was waitressing, i dropped about twenty pounds and i couldn't figure out why. then i got a job in a fancy wine shop where i sat at a computer all day, and i gained it all back. that's when it clicked. all those hours that i was busting my ass waiting on tables, i was excercising without even realizng it! not only is it great to be active because you lose weight, but it can also improve your mood drastically.

4. time flies
working in a restaurant is simple. you go in, you do what needs to be done, then you leave. there's no watching the clock, no trying to look busy. either you are busy, or you get cut.

3. free time
restaurant hours are great. shifts are typically short and don't start until later in the day. no one calls you on your day off. no one expects you to put in more time just to prove how dedicated how your are. no one expects you to do anything except show up for your shift and finish your sidework. what this means is that you get plenty of space to do what really matters to you, whether it be working on a side project, or drinking till four am every night.

2. it's such a bonding experience
restaurants are pretty low-commitment, but at times, they can be brutal. the staff gets overwhelmed, the customers get hungry, the managers are all overworked and underpaid. emotions can run pretty high, especially when it's busy and everyone's in the weeds. because of this, you really rely on your co-workers to get you through it when they can. i've met some of my best friends working in restaurants, and we're still close to this day.

1. it's fucking fun!
yes, it's hard work. no, you never get the appreciation that you deserve. sometimes the chef flips out and calls you a whore. other times you wanna murder your co-worker who somehow always gets the best section despite the fact the they never do their sidework. despite all that, it's great fun. you schmooze your customers, gossip with the staff, and deliver people yummy food and drinks all night. you meet lots of cool people, try lots of great food and you get to be social all the time. coming from where i'm coming from, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

love always