Happy Birthday

Well, I'm 24.

For real this time.

Although in my house you can't claim your birthday until, in my case, 7:30-something tonight.

Off to shopping

I'm off to shop. Grandma is taking me out for my birthday, ending with a night at the opera...or something like it. Locals singing "Christmas Inspired Arias."

Cleaning lady

Yesterday I went to a homeowners teaparty with my Grandmother. She didn't want to go alone -- and I don't blame her. There were a lot of people there. Some of them knew me, many of them I'd waited on at the Alisal. I have to say, they are much more courteous to "Shirley's Granddaughter" than to that bartender at the golf course. Funny. I didn't change. Except for clothes.

Today I'm heading up to clean Grandma's house for money for my car payment. I forgot that my first paycheck won't be until the 20th. Rarrgh.

Putting thoughts together

I watched Peter Pan again last night. I love that movie. It always leaves me with a lump-in-my-stomach-this-is-so-beautiful-I-want-to-cry feeling. Wendy, who watched with me this time, wanted to know what I liked so much about it. I can't put my finger on it. I feel the same way about the opera "Little Women" and the end of "Lord of the Rings." And a bit in the second chapter of "Waking the Dead" by John Eldridge.

So I've been wandering around all day trying to figure it out...and it's not happening.

In Little Women the scene that gets to me is right at the end. Through the whole opera Jo has been trying to hang on to the way things were growing up. She doesn't want anyone to change, or grow up, or move away. Meg sings "things change, Jo" when she marries John Brooke. Beth sings the same thing when she's dying. Finally, Jo understands when Aunt March sings about her dusty old house, where there is no love, no affection, but everything stays "perfect as they are." And then Jo goes back to her house and sees her sisters as they were, all four, young and happy. And Jo finally is able to sing that she "understands now. You love me. Things end." And she finally is able to let them go. (That was a whole box of kleenex there.)

In "Lord of the Rings" it's at the end. The world is saved. Everyone goes back to the way things were. Sam gets married, Pip and Merry are roaming around with their new found celebrity. Frodo, the real hero, is practically forgotten. And in the end, he has to leave. Tolkien writes that the saving of middle earth involved a sacrifice. The era of men has begun. The elves must leave. And so must Frodo. He has changed too much to fit in there any longer. Sam sees Frodo off, and then goes home. Life goes on. But not the same.

And Peter Pan. The adventure is over. Wendy must grow up. She realises that never growing up means she can never experience "the greatest adventure of all." And so she goes home. And grows up. And Peter cannot come. "Peter Pan had countless joys that no other children do, but he was looking upon the one joy he could never have."

Maybe it's the lack of "they all lived happily ever after." Maybe they did, but in order to have one thing, another must be given up. Things change. Nothing can ever stay just as it was.

Anyway, that's my ramblings for today... thanks for listening... I'm going to go read Peter Pan now. And, really, read "Peter Pan and the Starcatchers." It was quite good.

epidemic

There seems to be a blogging epidemic going around the cast. Those of you who have them, let me know if you'd mind my linking to them on the sidebar down there. Jess and Ashli, I've already put yours in...

Welcome to the world of blog!

Getting a slow start

Well, work is getting to a slow start...today I went into the bar for the lunch shift and they were sending everybody home. I was allowed to stay to do some cleaning. That gave me a little over an hour of work today -- I cleaned and dusted the wine display and polished all the cordial glasses. Next week I'm on the schedule two night shifts and an on call.

I can't wait for school to let out so the vacationing can commence!

And someone remind me NOT to have second cup of coffee. I don't think I've ever typed this fast before...

Oh, and Happy Birthday Aaron!

I'm back in the saddle again

Back in the Saddle Again...

So, yesterday was my first day back to work. I was so exhausted last night I fell asleep with my clothes on, teeth unbrushed.

The first part of the day was out in the waggin' tongue. I was operating in "slow and stupid" mode. I kept hoping that muscle memory would kick in and push the right buttons for me.

Ten minutes into my shift I'd already ticked someone off. Part of set up in turning on the juke box. Someone had cranked up the volume, and I was trying to remember how to turn it down. In walks a CEO. Guess who hadn't got the memo that there was a meeting next door.

No one came in the three hours I was out there, but at least I got the bar cleaned. And decorated. Someone left some unattended poinsettias... Dale came in, looked at the set up and laughed. Leave me by myself for a few hours and I'll decorate. I only made my hourly, but after $10 a day, about the same an hour is rather nice.

That night I was supposed to cocktail waitress, but due to an oversight I was sent trucking back out to the Waggin' Tongue to bartend a private party. Good thing I'd cleaned the bar. It was a lot of fun. I prefer bartending to cocktail waitressing. If they're coming to you as a bartender, they already want a drink. You don't have to sell it to them. They almost wiped me out of beer. Always happens when you have a Country Western band.

The funniest part of the evening was when a man came in and tried to convince his wife that he needed a milkshake machine in his own home. She, of course, vetoed it as impractical. He kept admiring it all evening.

I'm here

I made it to California, and am all moved in. Blogger mainframe was down yesterday, so I couldn't update.

Grandma got to my apartment before I did, and decorated. I have swags, Christmas towels, and matching bedspread. I unpacked my suitcase (Finally!) and found places for the things I brought with me.

Yesterday I ran errands, and quilted, and made cards, and hung out with Wendy. Today I woke up for morning coffee, ran a few more errands, and printed a few pictures to put in my scrapbooks. Life is exciting as usual. I start work tomorrow.

It's an odd thing. From time to time on tour I would look forward to having time and a room to myself. Now that I have it, I sit around wondering where everyone is. And since we all had to compact our free time into a few minutes in the morning, or after the show, having hours to do whatever I want is unsettling. I don't know quite what to do with it.

On a plus note, I paid off $700 of my car loan principle with my tour money. I'm quite proud of that...