Another Update: So Fricken' Tired

Again, I apologize for lack of entries lately. I did not get to leave the hotel until Friday and while we got power back by Tuesday and water back by Wednesday night, our phones and technology are still down. We just got our cable and internet back at the apartment yesterday.

I did get a couple hours off on wednesday afternoon to go home and check on the apartment and get some more clothes for the rest of the week. I think being over tired and just disconnected from everything (being cooped up in the hotel for nearly 4 days) had really gotten to me. I completely broke down crying trying to get home. It took me over an hour to get home (usually a 20 minute drive) and I had no idea how bad things were in the area. I was overwhelmed with what I saw. How the hell will this area get back to normal anytime soon? I had to take detour after detour and they were checking IDs everywhere making sure only residents were traveling onto the barrier islands (where Ft. Lauderdale Beach and my hotel is). The lines for gas were hundreds and hundreds of cars long and people were fighting to get in line. Utility poles were knocked down like dominoes, buildings were completely destroyed, traffic lights weren't just not working, they were completely blown off, billboards were in the middle of the roads, grocery stores were like war zones with people fighting over what was left and most stores were working on cash only. So I was actually happy to return to my hotel and stay where I knew I was safe.

I am officially fed up with my job. I love what I do and I love my staff, but after working over 80 hours this week making sure every aspect of the food & beverage operation was still operating while my two "superiors" the GM of the Restaurant and the Food & Beverage Director did next to nothing and hardly worked 30 hours, I'm OVER IT. Did either of them say, "Hey Kristen, why don't you sleep in tomorrow and I will open the restaurant?" or "Hey, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, so I will take care of recording the hurricane expenses and loss, and work on the schedules for next week for you." Nope, the GM of the Restaurant came in sometime between 2pm and 3pm and closed the restaurant at 9pm due to curfew and went home. He didn't even make sure the night staff did there sidework. When I came in one morning me and my one waitress (who had been working by my side since Sunday, thank you Nicole) had to clean the mess left from the night before THEN set up for breakfast (with no water-no dishwasher, no ice, and limited supplies). I was working closely with the Chef trying to determine what we can serve and what we can't because our food vendors could not make it in because of road closures and downed power lines. I was working with HR trying to get a hold of staff to #1) Make sure they were okay and #2) See if they can get their asses into work to help us put the hotel back together. I FINALLY left yesterday about 5pm (after opening the restaurant at 6am) and still got 4 phone calls from the my "superiors" asking stupid questions they should already know the answers to.

The General Manager of the hotel is very aware of exactly what my "superiors" did and did not do and I have faith that he will remedy the situation. I think this stormed opened his eyes as to who he can count on and who he cannot.
All I have to say is , THANK GOD THE IRISH PUB TO BLOCKS DOWN OPENED ON WEDNESDAY. My ass was there once I got out of work almost every night. I think they may name a lager after me...
Sorry for the bitch session, when I get back from Tampa (yes, I am getting the fuck out of here for a couple of days) I will be in better spirits.
Love y'all!

Wilma Update

Sorry folks, I know I have not been very easy to get a hold of for those of you that have been trying to call me. Wilma turned out to be MUCH worst than expected by anybody. I am very glad that I insisted on staying at the hotel, even though I have been working nonstop since 6am Sunday. The entire area is devastated and everyone is having trouble getting anywhere. My hotel is right on Ft. Lauderdale Beach and we had front row tickets to this show. I was managing the ocean front restaurant, which remained open throughout the storm serving delicious food and witnessed port-a-toilettes flying by, airconditioning units flying by and God knows what else. It got pretty damn scary and I usually don't get scared very easily. I am grateful I did not have to ride this one out in my apartment alone. Hubby had to report to his hotel on Sunday and I believe he is still there. Because a lot of cell towers are down, I have not gotten to speak with him, but I did finally get some reception this morning and he had left a message saying the our apartment and the cats were okay but the complex and the town we live in is completely tore up. IF he wasn't ready to move up north before, he is definitely ready to move now.
I will probably be here at the hotel for another day or two. It is technically closed because we have no water (we finally got power back this morning), but we still have to take care of the guests that are already staying with us. I'm tired and I smell pretty bad, but I am doing okay.
Love you all!

Here We Go Again

Yes, another storm. This time it will suck for me though. Now that I am in an operations position (F&B) I will have to actually stay at the hotel to manage over a skeleton crew of restaurant servers. If the storm stays on its path and hits the west coast as a Cat 3, they will most likely evacuate the barrier islands in my county (which means the hotel will have to evacuate and I will be able to ride out this storm in the comfort of my home). So part of me is kind of hoping it keeps just enough strength to convince our county to evacuate. But as of the latest updates, it doesn't look like that will be the case. If we don't evacuate and we still get at least Cat 1 winds etc. the hotel will remain open and most likely be sold out and our restaurant will be packed all weekend because our hotel typically does not lose power while most of the others do. So everyone and their brother comes to the restaurant to eat because it is the only one open on the beach. Either way, I we will be taking all of the patio furniture, pool deck furniture and terrace furniture to the hotel basement (not a fun process) on Saturday and then we will have to put it ALL back after the storm.
Bring it on...

My Sister

My kid sister is not the brightest light in the chandelier. Her stupidity is totally the family's fault, as we raised her to be a complete dumbass. You see, she was what you would call the "surprise" child. My older brother, younger brother and I are all 2 - 3 years apart in age. Then there is Katie, 8 years younger than my younger brother. We all babied her because we were all so much older than her. She didn't even learn to talk until she was about 2 years old for Gods sake! Someone was always around to do the thinking for her. As a result of this, she is a clueless 19 year old. Here's a great example of her ignorance:
About a year or so ago, my father had to be rushed to the hospital because his leg mysteriously swelled up and he began to run a temperature. He was hospitalized for several days with celluitis (sorry folks, I have no idea how to spell it). Anyway, it is basically an infection of the tissue and he had let it go so far that it had begun to spread into his bllod stream and without immediate medical attention could have infected his heart and he could have died. I know it sounds really serious, but becasue we caught it in time, it wasn't and he was just stuck in a hospital for almost a week (my mom was happy about that because he was out of her hair for a few days). Anyway, my dumbass sister was going around and telling people that her dad was in the hospital with syphilis (yeah, TOTALLY different ailment). I found out that was what she was telling people because that was what she told me. When I told her that was not what dad had, she simply responded, "Syphilis, Celluitis, same thing". I hung up with her and called my mom and told her that "the talk" with Katie was long overdue...
Katie is now in her first semester in college and I thank God everday that she decided to go to community college and continue to live with my parents. The world is just not ready for her.

A Positive Side Effect

Since I have lost my mind and any sense of reason and taken this new position in F & B, one good thing has come about due to the fact that I run around most of the day and I'm always on my feet. My weight loss has sped up a little bit. I was beginning to plateau a week or so ago, but now I am back on track. I am still making sure I start off the day with breakfast, even if I have to get up at 4:30am to make sure I have time to and I still bring my lunch to keep me from eating our evil and fattening cafeteria food (if you can call it food). And, because I am usually frustrated and pissed off when I leave work and go to the gym to "work it out", I have gained stamina and now run about 3 miles and walk 1 - 2 miles a night. I started this weight loss endeavor at 187 lbs and now weigh 154. The thinnest I think I have ever been. I still need to lose 19 lbs to weigh what I am supposed to weigh according to those annoying charts at the doctors. I hope to get there before New Year's which I think is possible if I continue to lose 1 - 2 lbs a week.

He Fits in Well

I just got off the phone with my older brother and we were discussing our recent trip to see him a couple of weeks ago. He commented on how well hubby fits in with the family. Not only does he tolerate our vulgar and sometimes down right disgusting behavior, our politically incorrect conversation and appalling eating and drinking habits, I think he actually enjoys it and actively tries to take part in it.
I knew J. was the one for me when he did not go running for the hills after meeting my family for the first time just 6 months after we started dating. That first faithful introduction was during my sisters Confirmation and all of the clan was on hand for the weekend. He witnessed how we misbehave in church (and I'm actually talking about my aunt and my mother's loud and obtrusive gossiping), how we tore up a photographer's studio while getting our family portrait done and how a remote control fart machine (bought by my father) can get the entire family neary kicked out of an upscale restaurant.

On our recent visit to my brothers house in Orlando, we did what our family does best, DRINK. My parents loved the fact that my brother had a great pool and patio area and were content just sitting, swimming and drinking (while eating enough cabbage and keilbasa to alienate the entire neighborhood). Of course, by 4pm that afternoon, we were out of beer. Hubby and I offered to run to the covenient store to get more and took my brothers car. Hubby and I changed all of the presets on my brothers radio to latin and/or hip hop channel (he absolutely hates both) as well as his seat the windshield wiper setting etc. All in good fun and very immature. What I did not know hubby did, was write in the dirt on the side of the car "I am happy, ask me why". So days later, my older brother called me to tell me how stupid we were. That morning, my brother went to the bank drive thru and the lady teller kept chuckling. Finally she asked, "Why are you happy?" My brother not knowing why the hell this crazy lady is asking him replies, "Uhhh, I don't know, maybe because I am getting money" After several encounters like that throughout the day, he noticed when he got out of the car that afternoon that some asshole had written on the side of the car, "I am happy, ask me why"...

Its Been A Long Week

This week was worst than last week at work. I came in after my 2 days off, only to find out that both of the supervisors had given notice. This is just 5 days after the Beverage Manager and my strongest Room Service team member were fired. So now, not only do I have to deal with and idiot as a boss, it is down to just me and the other Restaurant Manager to run everthing and cover all the shifts and we are about to go into one of the busiest weekends of the year. Whatever. I'm so fucking over it. I realized I have made a huge mistake trying to move back into F & B at this hotel. I told hubby, who is also unhappy with his job, to look outside of Florida. We may not even resign our lease that is up soon. I don't want to start all over again somewhere else, but I don't think I can go on this unhappy with my job. Life is too short to suffer 65 hours a week. No paycheck is worth that...

Tequila

I feel like shit. Last night, I decided to go out with a couple of friends to a local Mexican Restaurant to catch up and just blow off steam. Well, one pitcher of margarita turned into 3 pitchers of margarita and next thing we knew it was 11:30pm. I can't drink like I used to. Usually a few pitchers between friends would be nothing, but I was definely feeling it and this morning was hell. Luckily, I was off today. I managed to drag my ass out of bed around 9 and eventually got to the gym. The good thing about a hangover is that you know that you will only feel better as the day goes on...

Ahhh, The Good 'Ole Days

Growing up, my older brother and I did not get along. Actually, that is putting it mildly, we hated each other. Well, I guess we got along somewhat up until I was about 8 years old, then it just went downhill from there. I have vivid memories of the knock-down-drag-out fights that we would have. My older brother was much bigger than I and very athletic. So I would use whatever I could get my hands on the hit back at him. I remember one time, my mother had sent me us to church together as a "punishment" and he threw me out of the moving car on the way! Those of you who grew up with me are very aware of how badly we fought.
Now that we are older and after we had spent many years on our own. He lived in Arizona for about 8 years and there he matured alot and claims he "found God" there (apperently he lives there or maybe has a vacation home...). As the years passed, we started to get closer and he is now the family member I talk to the most. I talk to him more than my parents sometimes. He has since moved to Orlando and is not too far away. I see him 5 - 6 times a year, which is nice. We really get along very well now.
So now, he calls me with his girl problems and when he is excited about a hockey game that his team one, or to vent about work, which is all fine and good, but sometimes he shares too much. A few months ago, he called me to ask me if I ever had hemmorroids. I never have (in case you were wondering). He then proceeded to describe his symptoms, and yes, he did, in fact, have hemmorroids. Then a couple of days later my mother calls me and asks if I had heard the news. I said, "What news?" and she said (this is totally true) "Your brother busted his asshole." In a very matter-of-fact way. So after talking to my mom, I hung up with her and called my brother. Apparently he had been doing sqats at the gym and they symptons he had described to me had gotten worst and when he bent down to do his first set of squats, he felt something "pop". He went on to tell me how he bled like hell and had to rush out of the gym and called my mom because he thought he was hemmoraging. My mom told him to go to the doctors. He did and got his very first tube of Preparation H. This incident happened on a Saturday afternoon. Well, when he woke up the next day, he was still bleeding, but he felt he had to go to church. So he stuffed a tube sock in the crack of his ass and went to church. Why he told me this, I have no idea. Why he told ANYONE, I have no idea. I can't help myself, but I feel I need to share this with y'all.
Sometimes I wish for the good 'ole days of us just calling each other names and trying our best to act like the other does not exist. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that we have grown closer and he that feels comfortable enough to share things with me. I just wish there was some kind of medium ground. I guess its either all or nothing.

So Damn Stressed

My new position is much tougher than I thought it would be. Not because of the staff, they have actually been very receptive to me and just happy to have someone that will listen and attempt to fix issues. Not because of the hours or my new duties, thats why I wanted to get back into operations. Its because I have a dumbass for a boss. I knew this going into the position and everyone thought I was crazy for even considering working for him, but I thought (as well as my GM - my boss's boss) that I would be able to get in there and do my own thing. Little did I know how difficult it is to make positive changes and try to change some of the operating procedures to make everyones life easier, with a boss who works against you and is just plain ignorant and too pig-headed to understand things. He is what people consider "old school". He has very little computer skills and little understanding of financial reports and how to manage the department to make budget. His leadership skills or extraordinarily poor (if existent at all).
He does however have an uncanny eye for detail and I give him credit for that, but he manages to drive everyone crazy with it. An great example was the other day: our room service department was hit with 7 orders at the same time (I only had one server working), we were scrambling to get everything together and people there food within a 30 minute window and I was assisting in making sure nothing was missing on the orders and everything was set up properly. The Director walks through and notices that the room service refrigerator was a little messy (we were in a rush, what can I say). He proceeds to pull me aside as well as the server to lecture us on working in a neat environment for over 5 minutes. Because of the lecture, two orders went up late and we had to comp them.
The other extremely frustrating thing is that he has no clue of what the servers do, what the supervisors do and what I do. He gives us long lists of "projects" to work on and things to fix, but offers no solutions (because he has none). I am new to the position and the existing operating procedures and everytime I have asked for his help or ask him a question, he does not know the answer and pushes me off on someone else to help me. How can someone be in charge of a department that knows so little?!?
So yesterday evening, I asked to have a meeting with our GM. I recognize that I am his pet, or "it" girl as a few people have called me, so I basically told him how I felt and did not candy coat a damn thing. I know that he knows how horrible the Director is, but I just wanted to make sure that he knew EXACTLY how bad he is. We spoke for about an hour and he basically agreed with alot of what I said. I told him that the only way our department will ever improve is to get rid of the current director. I think some changes may be happening soon, because he made it a point to speak with me again today and vow that he will help our situation and he set up meetings with my fellow managers to get their input. I told him I felt horrible coming to him after only being in the position for a month, but said that things needed to change before he lost managers (not me, but some others that are VERY unhappy and had mentioned they were thinking about leaving). So hopefully things will change. Otherwise, I am going to be a very unhappy camper for a while.
Sorry to vent like this. Its just been a very long and frustrating day.

Blog Retarded

Yup, thats me. I have no idea how to do any of the cool stuff I have seen on other peoples blogs. I don't even have a cool and creative name for my blog. If anyone can direct me to a guide ("Blogging for Dummies" or something) or give me some tips I would definitely appreciate it. I don't even know how to post pictures. I am somewhat computer literate, after all, a majority of my work has to do with reports and stuff I do on the computer, but its all on work operating systems. When it comes to the internet, I am clueless.

Please help!

Seasons

I very seldon get to talk with my dad on the phone when I call. My mom usually doesn't let him answer the phone because she thinks he talks too much and there were a couple of incidents where my dad answered the phone and bought hundreds of dollars worth of magazines from a telemarketer. The other night was an exception. I guess my dad beat my mom to the phone.

We got to talking about living in Florida versus living in New England. My mom and dad had just returned from visiting my brother in Orlando for a week (I was able to get up there and see them for a couple of days) and they felt is was way too hot. That was funny to me because I thought it was just starting to get cooler out. It was probably about 85 degrees and the humidity had finally dropped. My folks are big people and they do not fair well in the heat. They had apparently attempted to visit Epcot with my brother one day and only went to about 2 countries (just long enough to eat in Germany and shop in Canada). They claimed it was just too hot. My brother told me the trip was painful. Not because it was hot, but becasue of my parents, they did not want to walk anywhere. Anyway, my dad and I were talking about the weather and how he felt how beautiful it was to fly back home and be able to wear a light jacket. He said the temperature was about 20 degrees cooler.

We talked for a while about the differences and it really got me missing the seasons I used to experience up there. It doesn't even feel like October. Halloween is my favorite holiday because it the first holiday of the season and I used to love trick or treating. Christmas sneaks up on us down here too. I remember getting excited about the first light snow and seeing the Christmas Tree Lots. You still see the Christmas Tree Lots down here but the guy selling the trees is wearing shorts, a t-shirt and sweating his ass off. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that I can lay out at the pool on Thanksgiving or go to the beach on Christmas Day. I just miss the smell of fall leaves and seeing snow. Hubby and I have been talking about eventually moving back to South Carolina, he's originally from there, or North Carolina. I loved living in South Carolina because it reminded me of New England. The winter was a bit shorter, though, and we never got any significant snowfall which was perfect. The holidays felt like the holidays. I told hubby to tell me when I will start packing...

Sorry Its Been So Long...

Work has been extremely tiring lately. This week I opened the restaurant 4 days at 6am and still did not get out until 6pm and even 8pm on a couple of the nights. I am finally off today and I spent the entire day cleaning out apartment. I love hubby, but I gotta get his ass in gear about doing some chores when he is off. The apartment had not been cleaned since the last time I cleaned before we went away to Orlando, about two weeks! Sometimes I wonder how the hell it gets so messy, there is just the two of us and the cats.

Anyway, yesterday was our Two Year Anniversary and we went out for a nice dinner. We usually go to Key West or somewhere, but our days off are different now. Besides, we were able to go away to Tampa for 4 days in the beginning of September. We went to this Argentinian Steak House not far from us called 'The Knife". Its awesome. Its a set price, all you can eat and each person gets a bottle of wine or 2 beers/sodas. I opted for the bottle of wine while hubby had a couple of beers. I finished that bottle of wine too. Wahoo! That shit went straight to my head! My intoxication along with hubby's gift from Victoria's Secret made for a great night...

I Got Tagged...

I have no idea why this didn't post before, so here I go again...

7 Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
Have Children (at least two)
Travel to Europe, Australia & Africa
Take a Carribbean Cruise
Retire to the Florida Keys
Learn to Speak French & Spanish Fluently
Be Considered "Skinny"
Open My Own Business

7 Things I Can Do:
Multi-Task Like a Mutha F***ker
Handle Difficult People with Grace
Live Anywhere and Be Happy
Drink Almost Anyone Under the Table
Tell Great Stories, especially while drinking almost anyone under the table
Keep an Open Mind
Make a Good Kapusta (at least I think so)

7 Things I Cannot Do:
Stick Up for Myself
Give Myself the Benefit of the Doubt
Play Golf ( I really need to learn too)
Tolerate Blatant Stupidity
Do a Summersault
Quilt, Knit, Sew, Crotchet or Anything Crafty
Remember Birthdays, Anniversaries etc. (sorry folks)

7 Things That Attract Me To Another Person:
Sense of Humor
Intelligence
Kindness
Patience
Eyes
Smile
Ass

7 Celebrity Crushes:
Joey McIntyre from NKOTB (I actually met him and scared him, he accused me of stalking him!)
Eminem
50 Cent
Adam Sandler
Jimmy Fallon
Ben Affleck
Loni Anderson the local Channel 6 Weatherman

7 Bloggers To Tag:
I don't know anyone that has not been tagged...