I don't know if it's cloudy or bright

"and Brian came into the kitchen and said, 'a woman from one table just yelled F!@$ you at another table! That's a first...'"
"That's it! we're calling the cops and filing a complaint; I do not accept people assaulting my waitstaff!"
"I had only one table that did not have a complaint tonight...one"
"Jenna, can I buy you a drink? I think you need it after your night"
Tonight was by far the worst night of waitressing I have ever had in which the painfulness of the evening did not come from me screwing up, being in a bad mood, etc, but rather from just crazy customers. I have asked myself repeatedly this weekend if there was a full moon. I spent the night with a goofy helpless apologetic grin on my face, at times fighting back tears, at times fighting back scowls, at times fighting back the urge to simply walk out the door. Somehow I made it to the end of the night, where I was treated to sympathetic looks and pats on the back from coworkers, a freebie beer from my manager, and hilarious retellings of the night's events, all centering on my tables. At least I don't work tomorrow during the day. A little break to get back on my feet. I have worked doubles the past three days: mornings spent in the kitchen, nights spent out in the restaurant.

Things to remember: don't take things out on your waitress when you know and acknowledge that they are not your waitress's fault. If your waitress takes things off your bill because you were not satisfied, you still need to tip for the amount she/he took off.

Life is still fantastic though. over 90 degrees already up here, spending breaks between shifts at the pool...

There's no way I'm tradin' places

The trip to Colorado for my cousin's graduation was great. Although I was sick, like usual, it was good to see my dad's side of the family. Just what I needed.

With the trip out of the way, it's time to settle into summer. Right now I'm feeling like I have so little time. Insane to think that, since it is not even June, but I still feel a need to really enjoy this summer. Maximize the time. The weather is beautiful, I'm going to be working like crazy and trying to fill the rest of the time...why do I feel like sleep will be an afterthought? It's an hour after my kitchen shift, an hour before my waitress shift...I had so much more to write about but the energy has slipped away.

So hard for it honey

You forget how much strength you need to lift a hotel pan of creme brulees into the oven...to carry a towering tray of drinks up to the loft...to carry twelve people's dirty dinner plates down from the loft...how much energy you need to be running around for 6 hours without sitting down...how easily you weep at the slicing of onions...how good it feels to hear that you did a good job...were given a better than average tip...made someone's wedding reception perfect.

I forgot how much I love working in a restaurant...even when that includes slicing 15 lbs of onions. I've been baking and doing prep work all week and tonight was my first night waitressing. First night waitressing and I pull a wedding reception of 70 people and get put up in the loft...which is up a skinny steep flight of stairs and ensures a fantastic workout and sore muscles the next day.

I watched Swingers last night. I should probably watch it again when I'm not so tired (and won't fall asleep at the very end and apparently miss the triumphant finale) but I have to say I was weirded out. I felt like I was watching Williams and Adam on the movie screen...if they were more annoying. Hard to imagine, I know. Just kidding.

I'd tell a tale sure to make you smile

Just yesterday I was up at 4am, packing in the mist, driving in the rain, having Mother's Day Brunch amid the clouds, then heading up to Door County, the sun began to shine once I hit the border, clouds began to clear, a smile began to broaden. I worked today, walked to the grocery store, came home, napped and read on a sunny porch, made some steak and asparagus and am drinking a Malbec. Life. Does. Not. Get. Better.

Except if I had more of my pals to watch Grey's with...

All you gotta do is just step-step

I used to be smart. I swear. I blame not being able to read casually as much for school being more difficult for me. I also blame lack of intellectual stimulation in school growing up for my current difficulties.

Yesterday's exam didn't go so well.

Best score from that class so far.

Not saying very much.

Time to buy, Time to lose yourself

exhaustion + a good amount of stress + reading Katie's latest blog + thinking about everybody leaving for the summer + the local radio station having a radiothon to "Cure Kids Cancer" and having continuous stories of kids with cancer and their families = me, weeping in my apartment between my test and heading to the library

I am such a girl...or maybe the thought of more time in the library is enough to make me cry at this point.

Pero ves que ya no puedo despegar de mi papel

After talking to Heidi, my Summer Siamese Twin, the library doesn't look so bad and the scowl isn't held so tightly. She's spending a month in Germany this summer, which is awesome..and the plans for the rest of the summer are piling up. Two tests taken, two more awaiting my pencil strokes.

he shot the future in the foot with every step it took

one test down, three to go. It's imperative I do well on the one tomorrow. 20-points-better-than-the-past-two-exams-in-that-class well. I have no motivation and I'm pretty sure that free coffee at the library will erode my stomach before the next sunlight. Negative thinking? Yup. Exhausted already? Most definitely. Wishing the guy at the other table would stop being so creepy? You betcha.

'Cause we only act like children when we argue fuss and fight

In the past three years, finals week has not resulted in the bad mood that often plagues other students. Actually, I have usually been in a great mood--stressed, but still surprisingly chipper. In the past three years, I have spent minimal time in the library. I would say there is a significant effect of library time on my mood, specifically a positive correlation between the amount of time spent in the library and the amount of time I spend scowling. So, friends, sorry about the scowl. Blame Helen C. White.

O eh, o eh, (o eh, o eh) O eh, oo aah (o eh, oo aah)

Third continuous day at the library. Thespace bar on thiscomputer issticking. Throwingmeoff mygame. Ugh. It's beautiful outside. Of Course.

(The right arrowkey and left control button don't work either...I think it'stime fora new keyboard...)

Oh i don’t mind it when you try to save me

I look up from my book to see a group of guys walk into the quiet study room Katy and I are in. Something is wrong about these group of guys. First, they are wearing signs taped to their chests saying..."Happy No Pants Day"...eyes travel down to boxers and surprisingly smooth legs. Somebody shaved in honor of "No Pants Day." One of the guys stopped at our table to tell us about no pants day, and how it is overshadowed by cinco de mayo. His comrades begin to cause a raucous and dash out of the room. He strolls away wishing us good luck studying and sorry for the noise.

Hilarious.

Cool elixing drinking tipping wine from the bottle

Sitting in a local coffee shop, studying my little heart out, the need for it to be summer is nearly palpable. The need to be in Door County, to be out of classes, to be in a restaurant, the need to be baking, to be chillin out, maxin, relaxin all cool, the need to read books for pleasure, cook in a normal size kitchen, be on a boat, be on a jet ski, be in a kayak, be in a hot tub, be in a hammock, the need to be making money, have time to workout, walk to the grocery store...I need to be able to bathe in summer goodness.

If you haven't spent a lot of time in Door County, I'm not sure you understand why people love it so much. I'm not sure people understand why I continuously go up to Door County to work in a restaurant instead of getting my culture shock fix by doing a traineeship. I can't explain it. I don't feel like explaining it. All I know is that I am crawling through a Door County Summer Withdrawal right now. Nine days and the breathing will be easier. I wish everyone else wasn't going to be so far away though.

I got tired of linking in case you wonder why you weren't linked.

And i do appreciate you being round

Yesterday I felt 100 times better than I had the day before...I now feel about 110 times worse than I did yesterday, although the worsening began as I lounged at Katie's house last night.

Madison is amazing in the spring. Today I sat for an hour in the sun with the trees all in bloom, reading and watching a group performing African dancing and drumming.

While my friends will be heading to the Essen Haus tonight to drink beer out of boots, I will be studying and nursing my health on my own. So depressing.

I just got an email that a girl in one of my classes has mumps. Awesome.

Gets up at dawn not to see the sunrise

It's 1:00am and I'm at the library working on an oral presentation that is worth 20pts out of a semester total of about 800. No idea why I'm killing myself over this except that I don't want to look like a fool. In just a few hours this experiment and its grade will officially be out of my hands.

And samba through life with me

The sun literally began to shine as I pressed print on my Experimental Psych paper (it was a little creepy). 50 minutes later, I had the four inch thick accordion folder snapped shut with my materials inside. My apartment looks like a paper mill threw up on it. But at least I got my dishes done while my printer took its sweet time. Home stretch and then life begins anew with my move back up to the summer oasis.