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Ass Puckered In
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 691
Last night, taking tables. A 3 table section. 2 deuces and 1 four top.
There was no warning, and so I'm only rudimentarily prepared. There's still much to learn.
First table, a deuce. Muddle through it, and while "waiting" polish glasses behind the bar.
Now - here - this place - it's drenched in anxiety. No matter what you do, to the letter, following someone else's instructions, whatever transpires - it will not be good enough. Someone will come along and advise you're doing it wrong, could do it better, do it this way, and as every server/bartender/sommelier has their own particular way of doing things you'd best to find the happy medium...
Folding napkins - 1/4 inch more this way, no, wrong, 1/4 inch more that way - no, try it this way...
Glasses go here...no, they'll get bumped, put them here...
Pour the wine - no, a millimeter too much, leave it - no - top it up - no - leave it. They're big glasses, a bottle poured into one would still leave a 1 inch rim, I'm having problems with overpouring,...
...and so on and so forth. A waiter is getting shouted at by the manager - 2 bottles of white, 2 bottles of red, for a party of 19, not even 2.5 oz per guest, he didn't gauge the pour correctly, ran out of the red before it could go around the table - he's in big shit.
...The trick is to look calm, unflustered, take every bitchy-snide-remark in stride, don't take it personally, fine-dining, after all, and adjust your performance to suit whoever is in the room at the moment.
My table eats - simply, pays - $300 bill, leaves.
It was one of the first tables sat, now, a 3 hour window where I polish other glasses, attempt to help out - attempt, because many servers don't want the help, are afraid you'll fuck it up, I get that - been there - and so, do what you can, stay out of the way...
Eventually, 9:30, I get 2 more tables, a deuce, a four top. The deuce, another $300 spent - and the four top - appetizers only, bottle of wine, $800 bill. The guest gets the bill, looks - ?? - shocked, he had no hand in the ordering, probably didn't know what he was in for when he asked for the bill...
Try to keep busy - only 2 tables after all - but I'm told, repeatedly - not to help others, watch my own section - one person ran out of wine, and I wasn't there to top it up, my bad,...
And so it goes, everyone trying to look calm, everyone so tightly wound up that their ass is puckering in the back of their throat.
I've never had a job where I was expected simply to be "on-hand" - "on-call", "just in case", and their definition of fine dining could benefit a great deal from a little more cooperation, nonetheless everyone's too wound up, engrossed in their own thing, and so it goes - the place is relaxed for the customers, living terror for half the staff, and I have yet to see a proper paycheck, tip-out, probably not until January, but - if I can make it until then - maybe, just maybe, given the fullness of time, I'll be able to get another jeep and get back on the road...
Poe's Law
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 883
Poe's law is an adage of Internet culture stating that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent, every parody of extreme views can be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of the views being parodied.
Link: Wiki on Poe's Law
Climber finds a chest of Jewels on Mont Blanc
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Found
- Hits: 949
(Found this while combing through old blog notes. Just cleaning up...)
French Climber finds a Chest filled with Jewels on Mont Blanc: https://www.thelocal.fr/20130926/climber-finds-treasure-chest-on-mont-blanc-glacier/#:~:text=A%20French%20mountain%20climber%20scaling,two%20mysterious%20Indian%20plane%20crashes.&text=French%20authorities%20have%20paid%20tribute%20to%20the%20young%20man.
Update: https://www.thelocal.fr/20180212/frenchman-still-waiting-to-know-if-mont-blanc-treasure-will-be-his/
Now, wonder how many treasure hunters find things similar and are wary - for good reason - of reporting their finds to the authorities...
Notes on Addiction
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 704
This is not a comprehensive solution, but it is - something of a solution, a start, as it were, and addresses a few of the more obvious issues.
Firstly, to observe, it's beyond an "epidemic", the addiction, homelessness, mental health issues that plague central Vancouver and East Hastings districts. It is a full on Zombie-Apocalypse.
The most important thing: Free drugs. Decriminalize drugs. The government can provide these at outlets for those who want them for absolutely free. Heroin, cocaine, most of the common street drugs can be had - without the intervention of the criminal element - for pennies a dose. And by the government providing them we not only reduce the influence of organized crime as well as associated crime by junkies looking to purchase their next fix, but overdoses as well. This is a "Win-Win" no matter how you slice it.
Given the abundance of vacancies in the area - I mean completely vacant, run-down hotels, housing should be provided as well. Both permanent and transitional, for those that want to move on in their lives. Nothing in the least bit fancy, merely a place to get in out of the rain, off of the street, to get cleaned up, showered, store some personal possessions.
For those that still prefer to live on the street lockers can be provided. Lockers, positioned throughout areas with higher rates of homelessness so that they have access to the ownership of property. Property is generally considered an inalienable right. Property, in Western Culture, certainly, defines you. This needs to be addressed, for sure - but it's not the first thing we should be addressing in this regard.
Public Washroom - this should not need explaining. Public washrooms should be made accessible and available on every block - the savings of having accessible toilets - vs the public disgust of stepping over diarrhea, shit, vomit, etc - we've privatized the most basic of needs - dumping the onus on small businesses that for good reason don't want to allow homeless access. "You need to buy a grande latte to take a shit, sorry sir..." - we've commercialized the most basic of human functions. While Vancouver has more public toilets than many major urban centers, clearly it does not yet have enough.
Cash Paying Jobs - working for the city, at a fraction of the rate of contracted or unionized city workers - cleaning graffiti, picking up needles, litter, etc.
Homeless people have a community - and would police themselves. They would quickly put an end to the Graffiti and the littering of needles. They would be invested. At which point they could be put onto more challenging and rewarding projects. Beautification projects. Give them housing in the community. Give them charge of the community. Instead of Graffiti, allow them to do Murals. If they show promise in certain roles hire them on - working for the city or in other roles. You would be surprised at the reservoirs of untapped talent. And drug addiction - on it's own, especially heroin - does not mean you can't hold a job or productive role in society.
Begin enrichment programs. Partner homeless/addicts/mentally ill with sober and healthy people in the community - they need networks of people other than themselves to evolve. Find what motivates or interests them and assist them with becoming involved. Many of these problems stem from a lack of engagement - being invested and engaged is often the first step on the ladder out.
Remove the Stigma.
Addiction, Homelessness and Mental Illness - are SOCIAL Illnesses. They exist generally in and as a result of Society. In the instance of Native Peoples - who are over represented in every instance - it's a response to generational trauma - to being displaced from their lands, their reserves, to having their children taken from them - or being the children that were taken. For the rest, there are probably as many specific circumstances as there are homeless. But - they should not be blamed, they should be assisted in making better choices, when ready.
Ignoring these issues costs us far, far more than addressing them. This area, that we allow this, without assistance or intervention, it marks us as a third world country. We should be embarrassed. We can do better.
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