From no money to mo’ money

* The title is © R, he said it on the phone tonight when we were discussing my salary at the day job.

I’m freaking tired, yo. The manager at the bar asked me to come in last night to brush up on my bartending skills since I haven’t done it in a while. We’re extremely short-staffed and she needs me to bartend over waitressing on really busy nights. She and I ordered pizza and laughed at some weirdos (this girl got all salty with me because she felt $3 was way too much for draft beer. How much is draft beer where y’all go? Seriously). I was beat and had to cut out about 11. I would have stayed later but I already put in 10 hours at the office earlier and plus I hate, HATE, being sleepy cube-side. The day job is working my brain in ways that have not been worked before so I need to be on top of things.

I really enjoy both my jobs, I feel extremely blessed to find 2 situations as close to as ideal as can be. Why, it’s almost easy to hustle 6 days a week. Almost. *wink* Everyone at the office and the bar are so nice and both environments are comfortable to work in. Well, the bar isn’t always comfortable when we’re packed, but, hey. More opportunity to find money on the floor when it’s crowded. Heh.

I was in such a good mood after my fruitful weekend that I neglected to inform you that I had to kick a dude out Friday. Me, personally, kick him out because the bouncer on alternating Fridays is worthless (the 2 other bouncers have our backs). A doesn’t like to have to do anything besides crossword puzzles and schmoozing of the ladies. Clue: You’re a bouncer, soooo BOUNCE.

This guy I kicked out is disgusting, y’all. The old man in the club to the fullest and so sleazy looking. He was all over me, invading my space one time that I had gotten off early and he would not take no for an answer (I’m a classy man and I need a classy woman such as yourself…) *gag* He’s the type that even if you’re being nice yet turning him down, he’ll walk away shouting, “You ain’t shit anyway!” This slimeball is always talking about what a pimp he is and how he can’t settle for just one woman but I’m telling you, the only woman that would settle for him is a hooker and he’d have to pay her double.

I noticed he was up to his old coming-on-way-too-strong tricks with one of the female regulars who I gab with and love to wait on, she’s super cool. El Slimo was making her so uncomfortable that she asked me to put a stop to it - I took her drink order (first thing’s first) and said I’d be right back, hopefully to roust the “bouncer” from his post at the door. In the meantime, I bring the drink (house martinis are the shit) back to the girl’s table. It happened to be right off the dance floor and El Slimo had grabbed some poor unsuspecting hooker, I mean, girl to get his boogie on with.

El Slimo is shooting fingers towards the girl at the table, doing that nasty flick-y thing with his tongue (never a good look), making kissy faces - ew ew ew. Goosebumps! EW! I have to say the last straw was when he practically threw his ass on the girl’s table. It was the most disgusting display I have ever witnessed and trust me, I’ve witnessed a lot of disgusting displays. I stood there staring in awe for a brief moment then I had seen ENOUGH. I swept my arm towards him (without touching him. Ew ew!) and yelled, “BACK UP!” (This is so hilarious to me, really. I’m the most UN-confrontational person there is but working at this bar is turning me into SUCH a bitch. I kinda like it, though. Anywho…) Too-old-to-be-shaking-his-ass-in-the-club-like-that-anydamnway yells back, “I ain’t doing shit but dancing!”

Me: You’re bothering the people at this table and I’m asking you nicely to control yourself.
El Slimo: I’m not bothering anyone - you need to control yourself and get out of my face.

I’m getting pissed now. The adrenaline is pumping. I thought briefly of throwing my tray at him, I was that fired up but there were 2 full martinis (for another table) on it and you can’t be going around wasting good alcohol like that.

Me: See, now you’re bothering me and you’re going to have to leave. *stern face*
El Slimo: I’m not going anywhere til this song is over. *twirl* *hop* *cha-cha*
Me: *2 inches from his yucky face* NO, you will leave NOW.

At this point, the “bouncer” shows up with this - Durrr. Which way did he go, which way did he go - look on his face. He actually had the nerve to ask, “Who did you want me to kick out?” UHHH. I don’t know. El Slimo that’s yelling in my face, maybe? *eye roll*

Dude finally leaves on his own accord. He probably even knew the “bouncer” wasn’t going to do anything but he’d cut his losses anyway and just leave. The funny part is, El Slimo comes in the very next night and said he ran out of gas outside our bar and begged to borrow $10 from the bartender for enough gas money to get home. P-i-m-p, eh? B-r-o-k-e f-u-c-k-e-r more like.

I’m going to two Christmas parties this year and I’m so excited. The first is for the bar and it’s being held at Durant’s. I’ve always wanted to go but have never been and I was even thinking of taking R for a treat his next visit. How coincidental is that? I’m glad I can check the place out before taking R there because he is one picky mofo. Except when it comes to my cooking, of course. When I cook he always says, “Mmmm… This is really good, honey.” Picky YET smart. I love that in a man.

The other party is for the office job and it is being held at Pointe Tapatio Cliffs. I’m really looking forward to this one, too. Not just ’cause I get to dress up and my man will be there with me although that is definitely the high points. Yay! I say, YAY!

READER PARTICIPATION ALERT

The bar is doing a Secret Santa gift exchange and I drew my big boss, the male manager. He’s really nice although I knew he’d be kind of hard to shop for - aren’t men usually hard to shop for? I asked N (secret? psshaw!) what she thought I should get him and she told me he’s a gourmet cook so something along those lines. *puzzled* I know he always drinks Grand Marnier but it’s pretty redundant to buy him alcohol when we all work in a bar. Any suggestions? There’s a $20 limit.

The office party is doing the White Elephant gift thing. Hmmm… I was thinking of that Jones Soda Holiday Set I saw at Target but I’m sure someone else would get it and I have to be original, dammit. Basically, I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET, KIDS! Wrack your brains!

Okay, I talked to my man. I posted. My night is complete. Time to hit the hay. Everyone have a wonderful weekend and think happy thoughts that I may win the floor lottery at the bar again! Whoo hoo! Night!

Windfalls

I had an awesome long weekend, y’all. Got some rest, cooked my ass off Thursday, pigged out with the kid, did some Christmas shopping sans kid (the only way), worked and made some money, found some money (at work), got a “new” phone - old to LaSean, new to me - check it:

It is mine! MIIIIIIIIIINE!

Can I just tell you how much I love this phone? Can I just tell you how much I love having friends that have more gadgets than most of us have undies whom are the source of such lovely hand-me-downs? With not one, but TWO batteries? Ya know, in case I mess one up and need another or decide to make some extra cash on eBay?

Back to the finding money thing. I’ve already said the bar I work at is really dark, right? Darkest bar in Phoenix is (one of) our claim(s) to fame. This lends itself to money being lost on a pretty regular enough basis and while I believe in Karma like a mofo, you can’t exactly go around asking people if they lost cash cause guess what their answer would be? YES! Knowing the only money they came in with was left with the doorman for cover charge. Lose a debit card, a phone, purse, earrings - we put those in the back but money? MINE!

Friday, I found a $150. Yes, you heard me. A Benjie and a Uly all folded up tight. It’s pretty funny because whenever I’ve found bills previously, it’s always been singles. Always. So when I grabbed what I thought was paper under one of the tables and realized it was MONEY, I thought it was probably two bucks. WRONG! I tipped the bartenders part of my “winnings” called it a night around 1 and had my shift drink early. THE LIFE.

Saturday? I had a nice table, 3 couples and right off - one dude tipped me $40. Doesn’t happen often, someone tipping that much but it’s usually people that really want to drink, really want to be taken care of and trust me, I was at that table like we were family. The party stayed for a couple of hours, had left and I went to clean the table about 10 minutes later. I was really getting my clean on, I just had a FEELING. I moved the table (which I never do) and there underneath were 3 twenty dollar bills! Are you shitting me? R says maybe stop waiting tables and sweep the floor all night. HA! HA! Not a bad idea. (Honestly, if anyone would come up to me and told me they lost some cash, I’d give it back. I’m serious about that Karma thing, but no one did. So yay! Christmas shopping! YAY!)

The girls and I stayed pretty late last night after we closed. We got some new caramel sauce in sorta like what they have Crackbux (© Golden) so we test drove some Caramel Apple Martinis. Yum, okay? YUM. I was feeling very worse for the wear this morning so I laid in bed and watched the Millions DVD I borrowed from my brother - cah-uuuute movie, I recommend it. Since I’m on a “Keeping Shit That Ain’t Exactly Mine” kick - J, you’re gonna have to get yourself a new copy because this one? MINE!

I forced myself to get up and go grocery shopping but I stopped by Zia first. My new favorite place. I had a yen for some Destiny’s Child and Michael McDonald. I know, I’m weird. See, when we clean after the bar closes we sing a bunch of random shit and M, the hottie Lance Armstrong-looking doorman, kept singing I Keep Forgettin’ and well, Writing’s on the Wall is the only Destiny album I like and I had lost it eons ago - got that used for cheap. Michael (Ultimate Collection) was new but worth the extra money because it also has some Doobie classics on there. I also nabbed Season 1 of Rescue Me, used, for twenty bucks! Good deal. All that Christmas shopping for other peeps you know I had to hook my own self up, working HARD and all. Heh.

Say My Name and Yah Mo B There (James Ingram is so my next purchase at Zia) got me so motivated, I organized my entire house - okay, except for the kid’s “wing” - I ain’t touching none of that. Everything else, though, clean as a whistle. Threw a bunch of crap out and taking a bunch more to Buffalo. Right now, I’m enjoying a Grasshopper (the bomb) and telling myself to hit the hay. The office beckons. I hope everyone had a great holiday and a wonderful weekend. HAPPY MONDAY!