Well, finally got to go grocery shopping last night!! It's amazing how rare Drew and I go grocery shopping just because it's not something that's at the forefront of my mind and we rarely have time to actually take a full on trip to the grocery store!
I finally got something else figured out for my attempt at eating healthier all the time. For the most part I have a hard time with eating meals because I'm usually so on the go that I don't have the time to make anything, so I have come up with a couple things that are great for on the go! These are things that most people already know and all that good stuff, but that I'm trying for the first time.
I was really wanting to find a good recipe for a homemade granola bar type of thing that wasn't overly packed with sugar and/or sodium or anything. It seems like almost no matter what all types of granola bars are either over packed with those, or don't taste good to me. (I really don't like any sort of almonds or peanuts or anything and most of the "healthy" ones usually have something like that in them) I never really found a good recipe, so I decided to make my own chex mix instead. I did 4 basic ingredients: corn chex mix (the cheap version), cheerioes (again, the cheap version), fat free pretzel sticks and raisins.
I have a hard time when chex mix gets over salty or something because the saltiness of peanuts or something gets all over the rest of the ingredients and it just tastes gross to me. With the things I picked they all tend to not get all jumbled together and works better for me. I know that's being extremely picky, but hey, I'm the one that has to eat it.
The other thing I figured out (which shouldn't have been so hard to think of) is pre-making salads. I don't mean the whole thing, but I like to use lettuce and spinach when I make a salad but hate the process of tearing up the lettuce (since I buy a head of lettuce, not a bag) and such, so I started putting them in ziploc bags together so I can just grab one of the bags when I want to make a salad. (Yes, I am that lazy and sometimes just that on the go that I don't have time to do this at the moment) Since I just started doing that I'm not really sure how long a bag will last before getting gross, but I'm guessing at least 5 days. Hopefully!
I also picked up a bunch of more fruits and veggies and got them all washed and prepared and put into separate containers and ziploc bags to make them more grab-able for me. Hopefully that helps keep me on track!!
It also sucks lately that I haven't had time to do my work outs I was doing. Since I get off work at 5 and usually have rehearsal right now at 6 until around 8:30-9 it doesn't leave much time to do a workout. Busy busy busy busy busy!!!!
The photography thing has been going well though!! So far I have two weddings photographed and have my 3rd one this weekend! Then some other stuff coming up later in the summer. Now all I have to do is sit my butt down at get some editing done! Learning photoshop is no easy task!!!
Hoping everyone is doing well!
Much love,
Fair XOXO
Monday, June 25, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Hello Sailor!
So...I've been re-doing my bathroom decor...I have been overly obsessed with this whole nautical theme lately!! I just can't seem to get enough and I'm not quite sure why!! So after seeing this shower curtain on eBay:
I knew I just had to do this!! I started searching for photos of nautical pin-up girls and one of them I found was this one:
Which is where I got the inspiration for the sign. This sign was the first thing (besides the shower curtain) I decided on and made for the decor change.
I'm still shocked at how well this turned out for me since I made it. Usually the ideas I have for projects are amazing in my head and then just flop while I'm doing it or just don't look right at all, but I LOVE this one!!! I'll be posting a tutorial of it soon!
(For pricing guide, the letters were $0.99 a piece but were on sale when I bought them so I get them all for $6.53, the paint was $0.99 a piece and the twine was $1.47 but I got it on sale for $0.73 and the mounting squares I used to attach it to the wall were $1.00 for the pack from the dollar store)
I tried as hard as possible to spend as little as possible with this re-do. Especially since I have been trying to decorate my house and the one room that was completely done is the one room I made a specific theme for and re-did....yup.....of course that would happen...
But all in all (as of right now and I'm pretty much done unless I find something else I "have" to have) I spent $130....a bit steeper than I wanted to spend, but....oh well....a couple of the things I already had (just a couple) so I didn't spend the money for them at this time....
Starting from where you first walk in:
I bought this captain's wheel at Hobby Lobby. I wanted to do quite a few DIY projects to try to keep the cost down, but this was one I just bought. It was originally $19.99 but it was half off.
This is the corner of the counter by the door. The thing everything is sitting on is one of those wicker place mats that's blue. I found it at a thrift store quite a while back for $0.25. The blue vase I found at another thrift store for $2. The two clear vases I already had from my previous decor in the bathroom but were only $1.00 each at Wal-Mart. In them I took some twine ($.073 at Hobby Lobby and the same stuff I used on the Hello Sailor sign) and dropped it into the vases. I just fed it in and let it all coil up as it went into the vase. Then I took another piece of the twine and tied a small charm around each, a sparrow on the shorter one and a skeleton key on the taller one. The white balls are actually cat toys I found at Pet Smart for $0.99 a piece. They have a little bell in it but thank goodness they don't make noise while sitting there! The other two tan balls I found at the thrift store for $0.25 a piece. Here's a closer look at the two clear vases.
For the soap dispenser I found this blue one at the dollar store and just used some of the twine to attach the anchor charm to it.
These two little nautical boxes I just found at the thrift store for $1.00 each. They sit on the other side of the counter.
This is the shelf that hangs above the toilet. It's actually a small cabinet that my dad made and was in the bathroom of the house I grew up in. My parents built their own house and didn't need this so they put it in my bathroom for me. The book on the left I found at the thrift store for $1.00, the glass in the middle I made using items from the dollar store: glass stones, sand, glass jar and string. The small red anchor box I found at Target in the $1.00 section before I even decided to re-do my bathroom in a nautical theme!
Here's a closer look at the glass.
The little hole to the right of the glass my dad had put in the shelf for my mom to store her hair dryer in. Pretty genius huh? ;) Yes, I'm biased and think my dad is the most amazing father of all times. The only reason I don't use it and covered it up with the anchor box is because I don't get ready in this bathroom, I get ready downstairs.
These little boxes I bought at Hobby Lobby for $1.49 a piece. They were blue and red already but not the shades I wanted, so I used the paint I had used for the letters on the Hello Sailor sign to paint them to match. I'm not sure if I want to just leave them here or do something else with them, I just thought they were cute and added to the nautical theme a bit.
When we re-did the bathroom with the shower and flooring and such, we had to build out a little bit to allow for the wider bathtub, so I ended up with this little shelf. (The two clear vases before used to sit here) I made this "Message in a Bottle" for it. I had the wine bottle already. I just rolled up a wrinkled piece of packing paper and put it in the bottle, then tied some twine around it and attached a little compass charm to jazz it up a bit.
Here's that corner of the room with the shower curtain! (The shower curtain I found on eBay for $25) I know the shower curtain is maybe a little risque....but I love it!!!! I have always loved pin-ups and it was the perfect thing for my new bathroom decor. You can also see the entire cabinet in this picture.
This white shelf I already had (purchased it from Wal-Mart for around $12). From top to bottom, the blue mirror I already had (found at The Arc thrift store for $0.50). The small red knick knack by the mirror I found at Community Blessings thrift store for $0.25. The red and white rope was actually a dog toy I found at the dollar store. The two red baskets I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby, $4.08 for the smaller one and $4.76 for the larger one. The basket in the middle was $2.00 at Community Blessings thrift store. If I remember correctly there was a third red basket in a small size, but I like the difference in the baskets. The top red basket has some rolled washcloths in it. I bought two red washcloths, two blue washcloths and a hand towel in each color from Kmart for $12.58 all together. The middle basket holds extra shower products for guests if they ever need anything, and the bottom one holds toilet paper.
The Wal-Mart bag has the rest of the things I need to hang up yet. I have a small cast iron anchor (about 6" high and 4" wide) that I got at Hobby Lobby (was $3.99 but was half off when I bought it) that I need to hang above the door, and then I made some pin-up girl prints that I need to hang yet as well, just haven't had the means or the time yet. They will hang under the Hello Sailor sign.
I also bought some netting from a gal on Bisman Online for $5 that she had used for a beach wedding and I'm going to try to hang it from the ceiling in some fashion to give it a nice look.
The last thing I want to do is make a sign for the door. I was looking around on eBay to see if there was any other fun nautical stuff I could find and I ran across one of those gold brass signs that look like it goes on a ship of some sort. It said toilet and I thought that would be cute to put on the door. But then, I ran across one that said...poop deck!!! I busted out laughing to myself! I know that the bathroom in nautical terms is not the poop deck...but it makes me giggle so much!!! I was going to buy it, but it was only about 6" long and I wanted something a bit bigger to hang on the door so I'm going to make my own sign, just not 100% sure how yet haha!
Almost the only thing I didn't buy for this re-do was new towels (body towels) and new rugs. I would much rather get new ones, but I've already spent too much as it is and the grey ones work just fine! I'll post more pictures when the rest of the pin-up girl photos are up and such!!
Hope everyone's week is going well!!!
Much love,
XOXO,
Fair
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Wedding Season
We are in the midst of that time of year again! Wedding season!!! I have only begun doing photos on my own this year, but before that I worked with another photography company for three years helping with wedding photos. This is a list of things I have learned through that process about your wedding day. I have never attempted to plan a wedding and no, I don't know everything about weddings, but these are some of the tips I have learned from just doing photos for 3 1/2 years that brides (and grooms and bridal parties) should keep in mind.
1. Be prepared. Even if you are planning a wedding in a couple months instead of a year in advance, make sure you have everything prepared. The last thing you want to be doing is finishing bouquets or favors on the morning of your wedding day.
2. Delegate. If there are tasks that cannot be done until your wedding day (i.e. decorating the church/reception, picking up the flowers and/or cake, picking someone up from the airport) make sure you delegate these tasks to someone that day so you or your bridal party or parents do not have to worry about these things. You will want your parents and bridal party with you almost the entire day for photos. Try to give these tasks out to a person or persons who will not have anything else going on before the ceremony.
3. Have a wedding survival kit. A tote bag or clutch that will have anything you may need for last minute emergencies. Some recommendations to put in the survival bag:
Safety pins, a tide stick, oil blotting sheets, lip gloss and any other makeup you may need for touch-ups, bobby pins, a comb, perfume and deodorant, powder, needle and thread, breath mints, band-aids, aspirin/ibuprofen, lint roller
These are of course just suggestions, but better to be well prepared then not at all.
4. Make sure you eat!! Even if you aren't feeling hungry, make sure you eat. And drink lots of water! Keep yourself hydrated! No one wants anyone to pass out at a wedding!
5. Make a timeline. If you print out a timeline for when everyone needs to be at the ceremony for pictures beforehand, you won't have to worry about people calling you and trying to figure out when they need to be where. It may seem silly, but it will make the day run that much smoother.
6. Don't drink before the ceremony. It's fine to do just one drink before as a toast with your bridesmaids or groomsmen or something of the like, but make sure you limit yourself to that and only that. You will have a very long night ahead of you filled probably with everyone and their mom wanting to buy you a drink. Pace yourself. Yes, your wedding is a celebration and a party, but you want to remember it.
7. Lay everything out the night before. Every thing you will need that day have lain out and set aside so you don't forget anything. If everything is already out and ready to go, you won't have to think so much about making sure you have everything the next day.
8. Talk with the people involved in your wedding before the big day. EVERYONE!!! Make sure the bridal party knows what the day will all entail. Make sure your parents and family members know their roles and what time to be there. Talk with your photographer about what kind of photos you want, where and what time you need to start photos to be finished by the time the ceremony starts with some time in between to relax before the ceremony begins. The more you talk to people and make sure they all know what is going on and when, the less stress you will have on your wedding day.
9. Have a meeting with your photographer before the wedding day. Photos are usually something very important in a wedding and usually take up a good chunk of time of your day. Make sure you get a photographer that is willing to listen to you and work with you. As much as a photographer needs to be bossy and get everyone to pay attention and in a position to make your photos look good, they should still be able to work with you and make it a fun experience. Talk to them about your locations. If it isn't a location they are familiar with, try your best to tell them about it, or possibly take them to the location so they are prepared for the backgrounds and such they will have to work with. Make sure they know of any specific shots you want and talk to them about the feel of the wedding you want. Some people like really posed, traditional pictures, some don't. Make sure you get a photographer that is willing to do the types of photos you are looking for. Listen to your photographers suggestions as well. Don't let them run your wedding, but remember that they have usually done quite a few weddings and know what they are talking about.
10. If you and your fiance would rather not see each other before the ceremony, schedule your wedding accordingly. The photos of you and your fiance, the full bridal party, and the full family photos will not be able to be done until after the ceremony so have your ceremony earlier and make sure your guests are entertained or have a good cocktail hour at your reception area to accommodate the time it will take for you to get the rest of the photos you will need after the ceremony.
11. Remember that your guests are going to be waiting on you between the ceremony and reception. You don't want to make them wait too long. Yes, it's your day so you want to have it exactly your way, which is not a bad thing, just make sure you remember that your guests will be waiting on you for dinner. Try to only have an hour to an hour and a half in between when guests arrive at the reception to when dinner actually starts.
12. Delegate how you spend your money. Know your budget before you even start planning. Make a list of the things you want incorporated in your wedding, listing them from most important, to least important, and spend your money accordingly. This will help to insure you get the things at your wedding you really want while sticking to your budget. If photos are most important to you, do your research and spend the extra money on a good photographer. If you want the dance to be the focus, make sure you have a good band or dj. You get the point...
13. Make compromises. If you and your fiance can't compromise on things with the wedding, how are you going to compromise on things in life? If your fiance wants to wear camouflage tuxes, compromise and let him have camouflage vests or ties instead of tuxes. Just as an example. It's his wedding too.
14. Do a trial on your makeup and hair. And do not try any new products on the day of your wedding. Allergic reactions are not something you want to deal with on your wedding day! And make sure you know exactly how your hair is going to look for your wedding day, including any hair pieces you want and if you're going to have a veil.
15. Make it personal. Your wedding day is supposed to be about you and your fiance joining your lives and celebrating your love for one another. Have your wedding represent the two of you. Whether that be by location, food choices, your home-made wine, a slide show, a destination wedding, whatever it is, make sure the entire day is in celebration of the two of you and that it reflects that.
16. Have fun!!! You put in all the time and money to get your wedding just how you want it, now enjoy it!!! When the big day comes, don't let the little things bother you, it's not worth stressing over. If some big emergency comes up, make sure you have someone there to fix it. There shouldn't be anything you really need to worry about on your wedding day.
I hope these bits and pieces are able to help anyone heading out to plan their wedding this year or next or in the years to come!!! If anyone wants help with anything feel free to ask me! I kind of love weddings. :)
Hoping everyone's summer is starting off well and congratulations to all the newly married or about to be newly married couples!!
XOXO
Fair
1. Be prepared. Even if you are planning a wedding in a couple months instead of a year in advance, make sure you have everything prepared. The last thing you want to be doing is finishing bouquets or favors on the morning of your wedding day.
2. Delegate. If there are tasks that cannot be done until your wedding day (i.e. decorating the church/reception, picking up the flowers and/or cake, picking someone up from the airport) make sure you delegate these tasks to someone that day so you or your bridal party or parents do not have to worry about these things. You will want your parents and bridal party with you almost the entire day for photos. Try to give these tasks out to a person or persons who will not have anything else going on before the ceremony.
3. Have a wedding survival kit. A tote bag or clutch that will have anything you may need for last minute emergencies. Some recommendations to put in the survival bag:
Safety pins, a tide stick, oil blotting sheets, lip gloss and any other makeup you may need for touch-ups, bobby pins, a comb, perfume and deodorant, powder, needle and thread, breath mints, band-aids, aspirin/ibuprofen, lint roller
These are of course just suggestions, but better to be well prepared then not at all.
4. Make sure you eat!! Even if you aren't feeling hungry, make sure you eat. And drink lots of water! Keep yourself hydrated! No one wants anyone to pass out at a wedding!
5. Make a timeline. If you print out a timeline for when everyone needs to be at the ceremony for pictures beforehand, you won't have to worry about people calling you and trying to figure out when they need to be where. It may seem silly, but it will make the day run that much smoother.
6. Don't drink before the ceremony. It's fine to do just one drink before as a toast with your bridesmaids or groomsmen or something of the like, but make sure you limit yourself to that and only that. You will have a very long night ahead of you filled probably with everyone and their mom wanting to buy you a drink. Pace yourself. Yes, your wedding is a celebration and a party, but you want to remember it.
7. Lay everything out the night before. Every thing you will need that day have lain out and set aside so you don't forget anything. If everything is already out and ready to go, you won't have to think so much about making sure you have everything the next day.
8. Talk with the people involved in your wedding before the big day. EVERYONE!!! Make sure the bridal party knows what the day will all entail. Make sure your parents and family members know their roles and what time to be there. Talk with your photographer about what kind of photos you want, where and what time you need to start photos to be finished by the time the ceremony starts with some time in between to relax before the ceremony begins. The more you talk to people and make sure they all know what is going on and when, the less stress you will have on your wedding day.
9. Have a meeting with your photographer before the wedding day. Photos are usually something very important in a wedding and usually take up a good chunk of time of your day. Make sure you get a photographer that is willing to listen to you and work with you. As much as a photographer needs to be bossy and get everyone to pay attention and in a position to make your photos look good, they should still be able to work with you and make it a fun experience. Talk to them about your locations. If it isn't a location they are familiar with, try your best to tell them about it, or possibly take them to the location so they are prepared for the backgrounds and such they will have to work with. Make sure they know of any specific shots you want and talk to them about the feel of the wedding you want. Some people like really posed, traditional pictures, some don't. Make sure you get a photographer that is willing to do the types of photos you are looking for. Listen to your photographers suggestions as well. Don't let them run your wedding, but remember that they have usually done quite a few weddings and know what they are talking about.
10. If you and your fiance would rather not see each other before the ceremony, schedule your wedding accordingly. The photos of you and your fiance, the full bridal party, and the full family photos will not be able to be done until after the ceremony so have your ceremony earlier and make sure your guests are entertained or have a good cocktail hour at your reception area to accommodate the time it will take for you to get the rest of the photos you will need after the ceremony.
11. Remember that your guests are going to be waiting on you between the ceremony and reception. You don't want to make them wait too long. Yes, it's your day so you want to have it exactly your way, which is not a bad thing, just make sure you remember that your guests will be waiting on you for dinner. Try to only have an hour to an hour and a half in between when guests arrive at the reception to when dinner actually starts.
12. Delegate how you spend your money. Know your budget before you even start planning. Make a list of the things you want incorporated in your wedding, listing them from most important, to least important, and spend your money accordingly. This will help to insure you get the things at your wedding you really want while sticking to your budget. If photos are most important to you, do your research and spend the extra money on a good photographer. If you want the dance to be the focus, make sure you have a good band or dj. You get the point...
13. Make compromises. If you and your fiance can't compromise on things with the wedding, how are you going to compromise on things in life? If your fiance wants to wear camouflage tuxes, compromise and let him have camouflage vests or ties instead of tuxes. Just as an example. It's his wedding too.
14. Do a trial on your makeup and hair. And do not try any new products on the day of your wedding. Allergic reactions are not something you want to deal with on your wedding day! And make sure you know exactly how your hair is going to look for your wedding day, including any hair pieces you want and if you're going to have a veil.
15. Make it personal. Your wedding day is supposed to be about you and your fiance joining your lives and celebrating your love for one another. Have your wedding represent the two of you. Whether that be by location, food choices, your home-made wine, a slide show, a destination wedding, whatever it is, make sure the entire day is in celebration of the two of you and that it reflects that.
16. Have fun!!! You put in all the time and money to get your wedding just how you want it, now enjoy it!!! When the big day comes, don't let the little things bother you, it's not worth stressing over. If some big emergency comes up, make sure you have someone there to fix it. There shouldn't be anything you really need to worry about on your wedding day.
I hope these bits and pieces are able to help anyone heading out to plan their wedding this year or next or in the years to come!!! If anyone wants help with anything feel free to ask me! I kind of love weddings. :)
Hoping everyone's summer is starting off well and congratulations to all the newly married or about to be newly married couples!!
XOXO
Fair
Monday, June 4, 2012
Life is crazy!!!
Life is so crazy busy for me right now I'm not even sure where to start with a new blog post!! Anyone that follows this blog probably follows my Facebook too so the life stuff is already out there, haha!
I am SOOOOO excited about my photography stuff taking off! Maybe not really fast, but it's taking off for sure!!! After doing my first two weddings I can officially say I think this is something I could make a career out of! If not a career than an amazing side job!!! It's something I definitely don't want to quit doing and want to do more and more! So now to get the word out there!! If anyone knows of anyone needing senior pictures, engagements, baby/pregnancy pictures, family photos or wedding pictures send them my way!!! My prices are reasonable and you still get some great photos!!! (At least I think so :P )
The diet and such....eh....I'm still being really cautious about what I eat and such (and still eating and drinking "bad" stuff here and there like I knew I would) but the exercise has (as I imagined) proved problematic. I just have trouble fitting it in sometimes! Yeah, I can do quick 15 minute things here and there, but that just never feels like enough and I never really remember to do them. And of course there's no way I can drag myself out of bed any early than need be...and when I do get in a work out, I feel the need to shower immediately after because I sweat so much with the workouts I do. I know you don't have to sweat to get a work out, but it just makes me feel like I get a better work out haha! Also, my knees have been giving me more problems lately and acting up and hurting and such so doing some of the workouts on the Jillian Michaels DVDs is really painful :(
Some things that have been working for dieting. The detox tea I bought was not good as hot tea, so I started taking 4 tea bags and putting them in a 1 quart pitcher of water and setting them out to make "sun tea". Then I would put it in the fridge to make a cold tea and to drink it I would fill a glass with 3/4 tea and 1/4 lemonade for "sweetener". It has a taste and is still the detoxifying tea but also isn't overly high with calories since the tea really doesn't have any calories and the little bit of lemonade doesn't add much for calories either.
I have been doing lunch at home a lot more and if I do eat fast food I do my best to eat at Subway (which can of course be just as bad for you as McDonald's or something of the like) but I have been doing my best to make a healthy supper and have leftovers or make sandwiches and such at home. Also, since it's summer fresh fruits and veggies are so much better right now!!! The fruit/veggie market that's not far from my house is now open and I've already made one trip there and plan on another one very soon!
Also, I have been getting more and more focused on getting my house actually decorated and organized to be a functioning, clean, appealing place to live. Drew and I just spent about $1300 on a new bed, box spring, frame, sheets, pillows and comforter. Worth it? YES! Oh my gosh! The sheets we got are made from bamboo and are the absolute most comfortable sheets I've ever slept in! Expensive, yes. Worth it, yes!
I have also set up a cleaning schedule for myself. I will do an entire post on that later though after having been on it for a bit to see how it actually works for me. The other thing I have been trying to focus on with the organizing portion is my business and craft room. I just can't seem to keep that dang room organized!! So I have been on the hunt for book cases and storage bins to try to help me out! If I find something that works there will be a blog on that as well.
Last but not least for right now is the decorating. I have been trying for a long time to figure out a good decor theme for my place and have narrowed it down to picking color schemes for each room and going from there. The kitchen (as of right now) is going to be pink and green, the bedroom black and teal, and the living room is to be determined. The upstairs bathroom is already teal and grey....I think I would probably do my entire house in teal but then everything would end up looking the same I think and I would probably not enjoy it much. The bedroom may go to champagne and black just because I think that would be a nice neutral scheme since the sheets we got are a dark purple and the comforter is a light teal. But they look good together so I'll either stick with that or go with other neutrals in the bedroom. Hopefully.....I always get so many thoughts going on in my head on what I would like to do and then they either never get done or never turn out how I thought they would.
Well now that this blog has become a jumble of nonsense and things that probably don't really matter...
Tootles...
XOXO
Fair
I am SOOOOO excited about my photography stuff taking off! Maybe not really fast, but it's taking off for sure!!! After doing my first two weddings I can officially say I think this is something I could make a career out of! If not a career than an amazing side job!!! It's something I definitely don't want to quit doing and want to do more and more! So now to get the word out there!! If anyone knows of anyone needing senior pictures, engagements, baby/pregnancy pictures, family photos or wedding pictures send them my way!!! My prices are reasonable and you still get some great photos!!! (At least I think so :P )
The diet and such....eh....I'm still being really cautious about what I eat and such (and still eating and drinking "bad" stuff here and there like I knew I would) but the exercise has (as I imagined) proved problematic. I just have trouble fitting it in sometimes! Yeah, I can do quick 15 minute things here and there, but that just never feels like enough and I never really remember to do them. And of course there's no way I can drag myself out of bed any early than need be...and when I do get in a work out, I feel the need to shower immediately after because I sweat so much with the workouts I do. I know you don't have to sweat to get a work out, but it just makes me feel like I get a better work out haha! Also, my knees have been giving me more problems lately and acting up and hurting and such so doing some of the workouts on the Jillian Michaels DVDs is really painful :(
Some things that have been working for dieting. The detox tea I bought was not good as hot tea, so I started taking 4 tea bags and putting them in a 1 quart pitcher of water and setting them out to make "sun tea". Then I would put it in the fridge to make a cold tea and to drink it I would fill a glass with 3/4 tea and 1/4 lemonade for "sweetener". It has a taste and is still the detoxifying tea but also isn't overly high with calories since the tea really doesn't have any calories and the little bit of lemonade doesn't add much for calories either.
I have been doing lunch at home a lot more and if I do eat fast food I do my best to eat at Subway (which can of course be just as bad for you as McDonald's or something of the like) but I have been doing my best to make a healthy supper and have leftovers or make sandwiches and such at home. Also, since it's summer fresh fruits and veggies are so much better right now!!! The fruit/veggie market that's not far from my house is now open and I've already made one trip there and plan on another one very soon!
Also, I have been getting more and more focused on getting my house actually decorated and organized to be a functioning, clean, appealing place to live. Drew and I just spent about $1300 on a new bed, box spring, frame, sheets, pillows and comforter. Worth it? YES! Oh my gosh! The sheets we got are made from bamboo and are the absolute most comfortable sheets I've ever slept in! Expensive, yes. Worth it, yes!
I have also set up a cleaning schedule for myself. I will do an entire post on that later though after having been on it for a bit to see how it actually works for me. The other thing I have been trying to focus on with the organizing portion is my business and craft room. I just can't seem to keep that dang room organized!! So I have been on the hunt for book cases and storage bins to try to help me out! If I find something that works there will be a blog on that as well.
Last but not least for right now is the decorating. I have been trying for a long time to figure out a good decor theme for my place and have narrowed it down to picking color schemes for each room and going from there. The kitchen (as of right now) is going to be pink and green, the bedroom black and teal, and the living room is to be determined. The upstairs bathroom is already teal and grey....I think I would probably do my entire house in teal but then everything would end up looking the same I think and I would probably not enjoy it much. The bedroom may go to champagne and black just because I think that would be a nice neutral scheme since the sheets we got are a dark purple and the comforter is a light teal. But they look good together so I'll either stick with that or go with other neutrals in the bedroom. Hopefully.....I always get so many thoughts going on in my head on what I would like to do and then they either never get done or never turn out how I thought they would.
Well now that this blog has become a jumble of nonsense and things that probably don't really matter...
Tootles...
XOXO
Fair
Friday, April 27, 2012
Ink me up
Tattoos....everyone has their own opinion of them. Some love them. Some hate them. Some could give a crap less.
It is interesting to me to be looked at differently for having tattoos. After just getting my 8th and 9th tattoos, I noticed it even more since they are more visible tattoos. Wearing clothing to keep the tattoos open while they heal brought stares I never expected from some people. Most of my tattoos have always been covered up completely or not very visible. This one being completely out in the open for a few days has shown me how much tattoos are still judged. Whether in a good light or bad light, they are still extremely judged for the most part.
Some people view them as destruction of the body while others view them as an expression of art on the body. Either way, most people have something to say about tattoos.
The best advise I have on tattoos, do it for yourself. NO ONE ELSE!!! You are the one that has to live with them. I know other people say "Yeah but I have to look at them" No, you don't. If you really have that much of a problem with them, I'm going to go ahead and assume you don't associate yourself with people that have them. After coming up with my most recent tattoo I had asked a few close friends/family about what I wanted to get and got multiple different responses. One of the best ones I got from a friend was "Don't ask too many people because you're going to get too many opinions and you won't be doing it for yourself anymore" (it was something close to that anyway) and she was completely right!!! A few people I asked didn't like the location in which I got my tattoos, but after just deciding it was for me and that was where I wanted them to go, I said screw it and went with the spots I wanted. They are still fully hide-able, but also easily shown. I can choose whether I let people see them or not. So after having asked people about my ideas, I tossed most of the opinions out the door and made my own decisions without really asking anyone. (My boyfriend still doesn't like the one I got on the back of my neck because he doesn't like the location, but it was my decision not his and he loves me still anyway). The only real advice I got was from my boyfriend a bit and from my best friend. She came with me on the day I got my tattoos because she wanted to watch a tattoo getting done since she is thinking about getting her first one and because my boyfriend ended up having to work and couldn't make it with me. So basically she helped me make a final decision on the font and the exact placement of the tattoo. She was completely honest with me which is what I needed.
I have yet to really regret any of my nine tattoos, of course it's only been eight years since I started getting tattoos and that could all change. But the thing I tell myself is, at one point in my life that was something extremely important in my life, important enough that I thought it was worth having on my body for the rest of my life. There is one tattoo that I got with a friend of whom I'm not friends with anymore that I may one day cover up, but right now it's still a really pretty tattoo and I'll wait quite a while before fully making that decision. Each one of my tattoos has meaning behind it, which to me is one of the most important things about tattoos. Part of them is the looks because to me, body art (tattoos, piercings, etc.) is art. Maybe not the same kind of art for all people, there are body modifications I would NEVER consider, but other people think enhance their body. To each his own. But back to my original point, each of my tattoos reminds me of a point in my life and the emotion/meaning behind it. I don't get tattoos to frivolously spend my money and be stuck with something random on my body for the rest of my life.
On to the next tattoo topic. My tattoo advice on getting a tattoo and the healing/caring for it process.
First off, pick a good tattoo artist. Make sure you've seen their work and know that they are a credible tattoo artist. I have seen some pretty horrible tattoos...I'll leave it at that. Remember that this is going to be on your body for the rest of your life (unless you are willing to pay for really painful laser removal or pay more to have it covered up later). Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into with who you decide you're going to let alter your body. Do your research!! Remember that you are going to get what you pay for. Sometimes a cheaper tattoo artist means crappier work. NOT ALWAYS MIND YOU!!! Just make sure (once again) you do your research.
If a tattoo artist is telling you that you need to alter your tattoo, know exactly why and what needs to be altered. For my most recent one I had to alter the font I wanted because my original font would have made the tattoo bigger than I wanted to allow more space so the letters wouldn't blend together and become a jumbled mess. If they are trying to get you to change your tattoo because they don't like it (which I've never had happen to me) don't let them. If they still try to change it just because they think "If you did this it would be way cooler" go elsewhere. This is on your body! They only have to tattoo it once, you have to live with it for the rest of your life!
Getting a tattoo. Obviously the no brainer, always asked question, "Does it hurt?"
Oh no, not at all, it's like rainbows and sunshine and magical unicorn kisses! YES!!! IT HURTS!!! It's a needle digging into your skin to embed ink in your skin. It's going to hurt!!!! The level of pain is what changes. Each person is different on different parts of their body. In general, the closer to bone or on bone you are, the more it will hurt. Its usually your meatier or fattier areas that are less painful. Again, this depends on the person. When I got my foot tattoo, it was one of my least painful. My wrist tattoo was my absolute most painful one! The most recent two I got on the back of my neck and the front of my shoulder by my collar bone have been my least painful. Each person is different and some people have a much higher pain tolerance than others so it will change from person to person.
When you are getting a tattoo, remember to breathe!!! I have passed out once from getting my first tattoo and almost did while getting my wrist tattoo. So BREATHE!!! The pain is temporary!
Also, eat before you get a tattoo. Not a huge meal, but make sure you have something in your system, especially if you get really nervous like I do. I always make sure to drink orange juice and have something sugary in my system before I get a tattoo since I have passed out before.
If the artist will let you, take pictures or video. I always love going back and remembering the process I went through to get my tattoos. And if later you don't want them, at least you had them just in case. Better to have them and not want them than to want them but not have them.
Taking care of a tattoo. Remember that your tattoo is a wound. Treat it as such and do as your artist advises. Do NOT soak in water for 1 month after getting a tattoo. Do NOT go tanning for 1 month after getting a tattoo unless you plan on covering it up. Do NOT pick at that scabs on the tattoo!! Your tattoo will scab and picking at the scabs will make it scar and will possibly pull the color out of your tattoo. Leave the bandages on for at least 1 hour after getting the tattoo and then wash it gently with warm water and antibacterial soap. Pat it dry and let it air dry completely before putting on a light layer of Tat Wax or Tattoo Goo. I live by those two tattoo healing substances. Some say they use unscented lotion instead, but I don't trust that. Make sure you don't but it on too heavily, dousing your tattoo in the wax or goo will not allow it to breathe at all. Be careful while your tattoo is healing. Like I said, it's a wound. It needs to breathe to heal and it needs to be left alone for the most part. The more a tattoo moves and is messed with during the healing process the more screwed up it will heal. The healing process takes about 1-2 weeks usually for the scabs to fully come off, and about another 1-2 weeks to be completely and fully healed. Plan for this!!! Do not get a tattoo and then plan to go to Mexico a week later....bad idea!
These are what I have learned from getting my tattoos over the years. I am not a tattoo guru and I don't know everything and anything there is to know about tattoos, but I do know how to take care of mine and have learned a lot through the years. I know tattoos are a really controversial thing. Just make sure when deciding to get one that you give yourself the time to think it over for a while instead of just jumping out there and doing it and possibly regretting it later.
I hope this may have been helpful to anyone thinking about getting their first tattoo or anything of the sort.
Hope everyone is doing well!! Happy Friday!!!
XOXO
Fair
It is interesting to me to be looked at differently for having tattoos. After just getting my 8th and 9th tattoos, I noticed it even more since they are more visible tattoos. Wearing clothing to keep the tattoos open while they heal brought stares I never expected from some people. Most of my tattoos have always been covered up completely or not very visible. This one being completely out in the open for a few days has shown me how much tattoos are still judged. Whether in a good light or bad light, they are still extremely judged for the most part.
Some people view them as destruction of the body while others view them as an expression of art on the body. Either way, most people have something to say about tattoos.
The best advise I have on tattoos, do it for yourself. NO ONE ELSE!!! You are the one that has to live with them. I know other people say "Yeah but I have to look at them" No, you don't. If you really have that much of a problem with them, I'm going to go ahead and assume you don't associate yourself with people that have them. After coming up with my most recent tattoo I had asked a few close friends/family about what I wanted to get and got multiple different responses. One of the best ones I got from a friend was "Don't ask too many people because you're going to get too many opinions and you won't be doing it for yourself anymore" (it was something close to that anyway) and she was completely right!!! A few people I asked didn't like the location in which I got my tattoos, but after just deciding it was for me and that was where I wanted them to go, I said screw it and went with the spots I wanted. They are still fully hide-able, but also easily shown. I can choose whether I let people see them or not. So after having asked people about my ideas, I tossed most of the opinions out the door and made my own decisions without really asking anyone. (My boyfriend still doesn't like the one I got on the back of my neck because he doesn't like the location, but it was my decision not his and he loves me still anyway). The only real advice I got was from my boyfriend a bit and from my best friend. She came with me on the day I got my tattoos because she wanted to watch a tattoo getting done since she is thinking about getting her first one and because my boyfriend ended up having to work and couldn't make it with me. So basically she helped me make a final decision on the font and the exact placement of the tattoo. She was completely honest with me which is what I needed.
I have yet to really regret any of my nine tattoos, of course it's only been eight years since I started getting tattoos and that could all change. But the thing I tell myself is, at one point in my life that was something extremely important in my life, important enough that I thought it was worth having on my body for the rest of my life. There is one tattoo that I got with a friend of whom I'm not friends with anymore that I may one day cover up, but right now it's still a really pretty tattoo and I'll wait quite a while before fully making that decision. Each one of my tattoos has meaning behind it, which to me is one of the most important things about tattoos. Part of them is the looks because to me, body art (tattoos, piercings, etc.) is art. Maybe not the same kind of art for all people, there are body modifications I would NEVER consider, but other people think enhance their body. To each his own. But back to my original point, each of my tattoos reminds me of a point in my life and the emotion/meaning behind it. I don't get tattoos to frivolously spend my money and be stuck with something random on my body for the rest of my life.
On to the next tattoo topic. My tattoo advice on getting a tattoo and the healing/caring for it process.
First off, pick a good tattoo artist. Make sure you've seen their work and know that they are a credible tattoo artist. I have seen some pretty horrible tattoos...I'll leave it at that. Remember that this is going to be on your body for the rest of your life (unless you are willing to pay for really painful laser removal or pay more to have it covered up later). Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into with who you decide you're going to let alter your body. Do your research!! Remember that you are going to get what you pay for. Sometimes a cheaper tattoo artist means crappier work. NOT ALWAYS MIND YOU!!! Just make sure (once again) you do your research.
If a tattoo artist is telling you that you need to alter your tattoo, know exactly why and what needs to be altered. For my most recent one I had to alter the font I wanted because my original font would have made the tattoo bigger than I wanted to allow more space so the letters wouldn't blend together and become a jumbled mess. If they are trying to get you to change your tattoo because they don't like it (which I've never had happen to me) don't let them. If they still try to change it just because they think "If you did this it would be way cooler" go elsewhere. This is on your body! They only have to tattoo it once, you have to live with it for the rest of your life!
Getting a tattoo. Obviously the no brainer, always asked question, "Does it hurt?"
Oh no, not at all, it's like rainbows and sunshine and magical unicorn kisses! YES!!! IT HURTS!!! It's a needle digging into your skin to embed ink in your skin. It's going to hurt!!!! The level of pain is what changes. Each person is different on different parts of their body. In general, the closer to bone or on bone you are, the more it will hurt. Its usually your meatier or fattier areas that are less painful. Again, this depends on the person. When I got my foot tattoo, it was one of my least painful. My wrist tattoo was my absolute most painful one! The most recent two I got on the back of my neck and the front of my shoulder by my collar bone have been my least painful. Each person is different and some people have a much higher pain tolerance than others so it will change from person to person.
When you are getting a tattoo, remember to breathe!!! I have passed out once from getting my first tattoo and almost did while getting my wrist tattoo. So BREATHE!!! The pain is temporary!
Also, eat before you get a tattoo. Not a huge meal, but make sure you have something in your system, especially if you get really nervous like I do. I always make sure to drink orange juice and have something sugary in my system before I get a tattoo since I have passed out before.
If the artist will let you, take pictures or video. I always love going back and remembering the process I went through to get my tattoos. And if later you don't want them, at least you had them just in case. Better to have them and not want them than to want them but not have them.
Taking care of a tattoo. Remember that your tattoo is a wound. Treat it as such and do as your artist advises. Do NOT soak in water for 1 month after getting a tattoo. Do NOT go tanning for 1 month after getting a tattoo unless you plan on covering it up. Do NOT pick at that scabs on the tattoo!! Your tattoo will scab and picking at the scabs will make it scar and will possibly pull the color out of your tattoo. Leave the bandages on for at least 1 hour after getting the tattoo and then wash it gently with warm water and antibacterial soap. Pat it dry and let it air dry completely before putting on a light layer of Tat Wax or Tattoo Goo. I live by those two tattoo healing substances. Some say they use unscented lotion instead, but I don't trust that. Make sure you don't but it on too heavily, dousing your tattoo in the wax or goo will not allow it to breathe at all. Be careful while your tattoo is healing. Like I said, it's a wound. It needs to breathe to heal and it needs to be left alone for the most part. The more a tattoo moves and is messed with during the healing process the more screwed up it will heal. The healing process takes about 1-2 weeks usually for the scabs to fully come off, and about another 1-2 weeks to be completely and fully healed. Plan for this!!! Do not get a tattoo and then plan to go to Mexico a week later....bad idea!
These are what I have learned from getting my tattoos over the years. I am not a tattoo guru and I don't know everything and anything there is to know about tattoos, but I do know how to take care of mine and have learned a lot through the years. I know tattoos are a really controversial thing. Just make sure when deciding to get one that you give yourself the time to think it over for a while instead of just jumping out there and doing it and possibly regretting it later.
I hope this may have been helpful to anyone thinking about getting their first tattoo or anything of the sort.
Hope everyone is doing well!! Happy Friday!!!
XOXO
Fair
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Well.....
I've been on this new diet/life change kick now for a couple weeks and all in all, I think it's going really well. I have been exercising pretty regularly and make it to the gym usually 3 times a week and "exercise" when I'm working at Applebee's. When I don't go to the gym I try to go for a walk or do an exercise video at home. So far that part is going alright.
The eating healthier isn't going too awful bad either. Obviously I'm not about to never eat the unhealthy stuff again. I have had cheese fries and beer and chocolate, but now its rare and in smaller quantities. I take care to try eating fruits and veggies when I'm munchy hungry instead of chips or something of the sort.
I have noticed that the best way for me to eat healthier is to make it easy for me. I'm not too keen on making meals. I love (attempting) to cook and try making meals, but most of the time I don't have the time to do it. I bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts and the best way I found for me to have it easily accessible to eat is to take and boil the entire bag and shred it and keep it in the fridge. Then it's already cooked and I can use it for salads or sandwiches and things of that sort. It makes it really easy and I still get protein without all the additives that are in pre-packaged lunch meats and such. This goes as well for fruits and veggies. If I make my little "snack packs", I'm 75% more likely to reach for those instead of something unhealthy because I can just grab and go with them instead of having to cut them or prepare them or anything. So when I go grocery shopping, I get them all set up right away so I have them readily available. It is a small change that has made a huge difference!! Probably been the biggest help for me so far.
One of the biggest challenges I have found though is having the time to make healthy meals. My life is so busy and it seems like I am always going and always have something to do or somewhere to go. When I go to Applebees I have found it's actually easy to eat healthy by ordering a plain chicken breast and a side salad with no dressing on it. I get a caesar salad so it's just the lettuce (I'm picky and don't like the cabbage or carrots and stuff that's in a house salad) and then I add the cucumbers and tomatoes and just dip it in some dressing instead of pouring the dressing over it so I use less dressing. The chicken I will dip in either dressing or buffalo wing sauce to give it a bit of flavor. While the dressing isn't exactly healthy, the rest of it is and I don't drown my food in the dressing.
I really wish I had the determination and discipline to get up early in the morning to go and do my gym workouts then, but I just don't, and I really dislike going after work because everyone and their mom is there, but I like to go before I eat. It's one of the "battles" I've been working on. It works perfect for me to go on Friday afternoons because I'm done with work at noon and usually don't have anything planned then. Sundays I have found work really well for me too since I usually have Sundays completely free. But during the week is when it gets harder for me. I've been making it work for the most part, but it's definitely one of the things I've learned I have to figure out how to change and make it stick.
The one other thing I'm wanting to figure out is healthy snacks. I have been trying to eat breakfast (usually a mini whole wheat bagel with 1/3 less fat cream cheese or peanut butter on it) around 9:00 and then eating a snack (strawberries usually) around 10:30, then another snack (usually a veggie snack pack or and orange or something) so that when meal times come I'm not starving and I eat a little less and healthier because I'm not as in a hurry to eat. It's been working rather nicely. However I want to find other things to have as snacks during the day. The fruit and veggies are great and all, but I want some more variety. So if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!!
Hope all is well with everyone!!!
XOXO
Fair
The eating healthier isn't going too awful bad either. Obviously I'm not about to never eat the unhealthy stuff again. I have had cheese fries and beer and chocolate, but now its rare and in smaller quantities. I take care to try eating fruits and veggies when I'm munchy hungry instead of chips or something of the sort.
I have noticed that the best way for me to eat healthier is to make it easy for me. I'm not too keen on making meals. I love (attempting) to cook and try making meals, but most of the time I don't have the time to do it. I bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts and the best way I found for me to have it easily accessible to eat is to take and boil the entire bag and shred it and keep it in the fridge. Then it's already cooked and I can use it for salads or sandwiches and things of that sort. It makes it really easy and I still get protein without all the additives that are in pre-packaged lunch meats and such. This goes as well for fruits and veggies. If I make my little "snack packs", I'm 75% more likely to reach for those instead of something unhealthy because I can just grab and go with them instead of having to cut them or prepare them or anything. So when I go grocery shopping, I get them all set up right away so I have them readily available. It is a small change that has made a huge difference!! Probably been the biggest help for me so far.
One of the biggest challenges I have found though is having the time to make healthy meals. My life is so busy and it seems like I am always going and always have something to do or somewhere to go. When I go to Applebees I have found it's actually easy to eat healthy by ordering a plain chicken breast and a side salad with no dressing on it. I get a caesar salad so it's just the lettuce (I'm picky and don't like the cabbage or carrots and stuff that's in a house salad) and then I add the cucumbers and tomatoes and just dip it in some dressing instead of pouring the dressing over it so I use less dressing. The chicken I will dip in either dressing or buffalo wing sauce to give it a bit of flavor. While the dressing isn't exactly healthy, the rest of it is and I don't drown my food in the dressing.
I really wish I had the determination and discipline to get up early in the morning to go and do my gym workouts then, but I just don't, and I really dislike going after work because everyone and their mom is there, but I like to go before I eat. It's one of the "battles" I've been working on. It works perfect for me to go on Friday afternoons because I'm done with work at noon and usually don't have anything planned then. Sundays I have found work really well for me too since I usually have Sundays completely free. But during the week is when it gets harder for me. I've been making it work for the most part, but it's definitely one of the things I've learned I have to figure out how to change and make it stick.
The one other thing I'm wanting to figure out is healthy snacks. I have been trying to eat breakfast (usually a mini whole wheat bagel with 1/3 less fat cream cheese or peanut butter on it) around 9:00 and then eating a snack (strawberries usually) around 10:30, then another snack (usually a veggie snack pack or and orange or something) so that when meal times come I'm not starving and I eat a little less and healthier because I'm not as in a hurry to eat. It's been working rather nicely. However I want to find other things to have as snacks during the day. The fruit and veggies are great and all, but I want some more variety. So if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!!
Hope all is well with everyone!!!
XOXO
Fair
Friday, March 30, 2012
Argh!!!
All in all this health kick has been going really well.....until last night that is....
So I worked both jobs last night...something I've done a lot in the past. I hate working at Applebees. I really do. I really enjoy about 35% of the people I work with....the other 65% I would like to shoot in the foot for being so.....argh!!!! Bring on the bitch-it-out moment. If you don't want to read my rantings, stop now. You have been warned, this is a ranting post.
#1. Serving is NOT that hard. Yes, when you get busy and everything needs to be done at once, it sucks. Especially when guests don't understand and don't see you running your butt off and only see that their fricken water isn't completely full. But, it's really not that difficult. You greet your guest, you get their drinks, you take their order and punch it in. You get refills, run their food and give them their check....but then you get the guests that you feel as though they come in just to make your life crappier....the ones who say their food is bad but won't let you do anything to fix it, and the ones that wait until the very end of the damn meal, after they have eaten most of their food, to tell you there was something wrong with it even though you checked on them more than once! ARGH!!!!! And then when something goes wrong with their food in the kitchen and it was not your fault at all, they still blame you and tip you crappy. I don't think guests realize that as a server, we don't even make $5 an hour...we work there for the tips, not the wage.
(Ok...that was a really long #1....)
#2. If you go to a sit down restaurant and have to ask how much the drinks are, don't ask and just get water like all the other cheap people. Don't go to a restaurant unless you plan on spending some money. Yeah, alcoholic drinks are expensive, you know they don't put the prices in the menu because they want to trick you into spending more money. If you are doing water for health reasons, good on you. But don't ask me how much a pepsi or a coffee is going to be....
#3. Learn how to tip appropriately. If you get your refills, your food is on time, you get checked on and the server is friendly and you have no problems, tip them well! 10% is not how we tip anymore these days!!! If your service is crappy, a bad tip is expected, but not if the service is really good. Writing on the check that it was the best service you've ever had and then leaving a $2-3 tip is not telling us that it's the best service you've ever had.... Just because I said being a server wasn't hard, doesn't mean it isn't hard work....a bit contradictory sounding, but true. Being on your feet and moving around constantly for the amount of time most of us do, just plain sucks. It's not so bad if you have "good" tables, but when you start getting the crappy tables that you just can't seem to please or that need constant attention...your night is just that much worse.
#4. If you are a server...do NOT make everyone else's job around you harder! Do your shit, do it right the first time and don't expect everyone to pick up your slack. If you're in the weeds, fine, ask for help. Don't complain about how busy you are but never ask for help from the servers that have extra time on their hands.
I think I'm better now...if you've made it this far, thanks for letting me vent!
Now because of the way my night went and the mood I was in, I completely gave in and had an extremely greasy/high-calorie supper last night.....boneless wings, mozzarella sticks and spinach and artichoke dip.....I know...I know...I almost regret it now...but last night....totally worth it!!! I'll go to the gym and work extra hard today to make up for it. And no, this will not happen all the time. Certain issues just pushed me into "emotional" eating and I gave in very easily last night. Today is all healthy though!!
Here's to hoping my next serving shift on Saturday night is better than last night was!!
Hoping all is well!
XOXO
Fair
So I worked both jobs last night...something I've done a lot in the past. I hate working at Applebees. I really do. I really enjoy about 35% of the people I work with....the other 65% I would like to shoot in the foot for being so.....argh!!!! Bring on the bitch-it-out moment. If you don't want to read my rantings, stop now. You have been warned, this is a ranting post.
#1. Serving is NOT that hard. Yes, when you get busy and everything needs to be done at once, it sucks. Especially when guests don't understand and don't see you running your butt off and only see that their fricken water isn't completely full. But, it's really not that difficult. You greet your guest, you get their drinks, you take their order and punch it in. You get refills, run their food and give them their check....but then you get the guests that you feel as though they come in just to make your life crappier....the ones who say their food is bad but won't let you do anything to fix it, and the ones that wait until the very end of the damn meal, after they have eaten most of their food, to tell you there was something wrong with it even though you checked on them more than once! ARGH!!!!! And then when something goes wrong with their food in the kitchen and it was not your fault at all, they still blame you and tip you crappy. I don't think guests realize that as a server, we don't even make $5 an hour...we work there for the tips, not the wage.
(Ok...that was a really long #1....)
#2. If you go to a sit down restaurant and have to ask how much the drinks are, don't ask and just get water like all the other cheap people. Don't go to a restaurant unless you plan on spending some money. Yeah, alcoholic drinks are expensive, you know they don't put the prices in the menu because they want to trick you into spending more money. If you are doing water for health reasons, good on you. But don't ask me how much a pepsi or a coffee is going to be....
#3. Learn how to tip appropriately. If you get your refills, your food is on time, you get checked on and the server is friendly and you have no problems, tip them well! 10% is not how we tip anymore these days!!! If your service is crappy, a bad tip is expected, but not if the service is really good. Writing on the check that it was the best service you've ever had and then leaving a $2-3 tip is not telling us that it's the best service you've ever had.... Just because I said being a server wasn't hard, doesn't mean it isn't hard work....a bit contradictory sounding, but true. Being on your feet and moving around constantly for the amount of time most of us do, just plain sucks. It's not so bad if you have "good" tables, but when you start getting the crappy tables that you just can't seem to please or that need constant attention...your night is just that much worse.
#4. If you are a server...do NOT make everyone else's job around you harder! Do your shit, do it right the first time and don't expect everyone to pick up your slack. If you're in the weeds, fine, ask for help. Don't complain about how busy you are but never ask for help from the servers that have extra time on their hands.
I think I'm better now...if you've made it this far, thanks for letting me vent!
Now because of the way my night went and the mood I was in, I completely gave in and had an extremely greasy/high-calorie supper last night.....boneless wings, mozzarella sticks and spinach and artichoke dip.....I know...I know...I almost regret it now...but last night....totally worth it!!! I'll go to the gym and work extra hard today to make up for it. And no, this will not happen all the time. Certain issues just pushed me into "emotional" eating and I gave in very easily last night. Today is all healthy though!!
Here's to hoping my next serving shift on Saturday night is better than last night was!!
Hoping all is well!
XOXO
Fair
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)