Quote for the day: "Beware of the inclination to dictate to God as to what you will allow to happen if you obey Him." ~Oswald Chambers

I had the absolute worst day at work today. We didn't have many people at the dining room because there was a Lake BBQ. I only had 5 tables. I walked in with 6 glasses on a tray, set down two, and then proceeded to dump the remaining 4 all over me, the floor, and the lady in the table I had just served. I got a pepsi down my right arm, a shirley temple down my front, an alisal special down my back, and the dregs of a chardoney in my hair and the woman's back. A guy at another table was kind enough to offer to help. Then he ran back to his table shouting "Dude! I saw the whole thing!" The rest of the tables all evening kept yelling "duck" as I walked past, and the bartender kept asking with every order if I wanted that in a cup with a lid. And I had to walk around all evening smelling like a brewery. blech. I'm going to go wash my hair. I'm sure this will be very funny tomorrow.

Reserved women should not date Latino men. Enough said. And "I love you" should not immediatly follow the third date.

Wow, I haven't updated in ages. Side comment, Teri, for someone who gripes enough on her own blog about no one leaving comments, you sure don't return the favor! Anyway, still working like a dog. Today we sold a thousand dollar buffet table. Out of the "other room" (aka, the room where everything goes that doesn't fit in the main room. aka -- the junk room) There's lots of old irons, and horse shoes, and old camaras, and lots of dishes. So since Larissa and I got to move it out (other side note -- very hard for two girls in backless heels to move a buffet), we decided to rearrange the room. My employer's mode of decorating can be summed up into; more! Everything that she is selling is displayed somewhere, to the effect that it's too overwhelming to actually see anything. So we're fixing it. Lynn never goes into the "other room." Since she can't see it, she won't know we're rearranging. Eventually, when those lazy people actually move their vanity set out of there, we're going to rearrange it into a parlor and a kitchen. Or maybe a country store and a living room. Something that says "Yes, you too can have a house like this -- and its all for sale!" rather than "Oh look. Stuff." I'm betting that once it's displayed beautifully, it'll all sell better. We shall see. Lynn is the third generation dealer -- so likely I'm just being cocky. I had a vision though. If I were to own a shop like that, I would arrange it like a house. Parlor, bedroom, kitchen, etc. You could display stuff in cabinets and still make it look like a private collection. That's the idea. Maybe for my next career. Anyway, we took all the random dished off the shelves, grouped them by type and color, and displayed them decoratively. Then we took an old loveseat and set it up with a sidetable to look like a tea party. Then Larissa put all of the cooking stuff into the stove. Its the best we can do until the bedroom set moves out. Tomorrow maybe!

I found what must be the only Grackle in the state of California. I went outside to eat lunch, and this hideous (as all you current Texans out there know) bird with a tail too long for its body comes hopping up next to me. "Are you LOST?" said I. "GRACK," said the grackle. "Are you hungry?" "GRACK" "Would you like a french fry?" "GRACK" So the obviously out of place grackle hopped over and took my french fry, calmly cut it into three pieces, managed to fit all three sideways in his beak, made one more gurgling "GRACK" through a mouthfull, and then flew off looking very proud of himself. The other birds who were keeping a proper distance swore at him as he flew away.

I'm reading Oswald Chambers right now. Ouch....hitting a little to close to home. Today was about fretting. He says that the only time we fret is when we take ourselves out of God's control and start planning our lives without His consideration. Also he says we work ourselves into a corner by allowing ourselves the luxury of thinking that our little sins are too much for God to handle...that he can't take it out of our lives it we let it. So we continue to wallow in them complacently, thinking that even God can't do anything about it. All of you should get this book -- My utmost for his highest -- Oswald Chambers. Aaron, get your copies back! Teri, I'm sure you have it somewhere....

I went on a date last night. It wasn't as frightening as I thought it would be (it's been a LOOOOONNG time). I was worried about having to fend off advances through the whole movie, so in the absence of Runts, I got Sweet Tarts and arranged them by color in my skirt, and at them one by one. Made them last the whole movie....quite a feat. It was a great movie -- Minority Report -- Steven Spielberg, John Williams, how can you go wrong? Then we went to Olive Garden. The waitress was obviously in a hurry to go home. We didn't get three bites of our salad before the meal came, and five bites into that she wanted to know about dessert, and then brought the bill when we said no. Since both of us are waiters, we knew all the tricks to rush people along.... All in all it was a great night! Low key, tons of fun. He likes red heads apparently -- since I'm only going to be here for six more weeks, I think I'll just dye my hair and keep my mouth shut.

I have the best second job ever! Sit around all day and learn about antiques AND get paid to do it! Could life get better? Working 11 hour double shifts might just kill me off, but it's only for 6 weeks. I can survive!

I sang last night at Mrs. Fess Parker's salon. It was mostly old lounge and vegas singers from ages ago, but Bill was playing piano and wanted me to sing. Mrs. Parker asked me to come back and sing again (whew...I was worried I would get a "that was lovely, next!). Another lady that performed came up to talk to me afterwards. She's the president of an agency in LA and wants me to send her my headshot, resume, and a recording(Marked ATTN to her office even). I spent a little bit of time imagining myself with a Tony -- and then came to my senses. There are lots of agents out there -- and lots of them are crooks. I'll ask Bill about this one..he knows everybody.

I don't understand God some days. A long time ago He called me into service, but I took it the wrong way and ran. Now I've reached the point where I'm ready (I think) to hand it all back, and He's absolutely silent. What is He waiting for -- the rhetoric says "his own perfect timing." It's so frustrating somedays asking to be shown his will so I might follow it -- and getting nothing but silence on the other end. I love the story of Joseph. He spent most of his life in the dark -- literally and figuratively. In the end his faith outlasted the hardships. I wonder if mine is as strong. Nevermind, I know it isn't. I wonder if his was as strong as we imagine. Weren't there moments in the pit when he wondered what he'd done wrong to deserve this? He must have doubted. The only thing I can think is that God uses times of apparent silence to push our faith to new levels. Beyond the warm fuzzies that are easily forgotten when the week of camp ends and you're back to the daily grind. Is it a test to see how long we'll follow on blind faith? Or have I missed the nature of God entirely?