Another Year in Review

What a great year! 2005 was an interesting year for me, from my earlobe infection, to traveling the country, gaining a nephew and finally growing a beard! I can't believe it but I actually accomplished all my new years resolutions from last year! Well with the exception of killing Druntard, but that was a joke (yeah, yeah just a joke), and sure you can be all technical and say I haven't moved out of my house yet, but I signed my lease last month so I think it should count. I did a lot of emotional growing up this year as-well. I cant believe I am actually turning into an adult, which my brother Jon says "means turning into a dick!" Only one thing put a stain in my 2005 and that was the tragic loss of certain love interest. I'm not mad about how everything turned out (maybe just a little) but everything that happened was very critical for the advancement of my life this year. It gave me the nudge I needed to start me in the right direction . To quote a movie "why do we falldown? So we learn how to pick ourselves back up." And if my journey taught me anything, "with every setback, a greater opportunity awaits!"

Now for some 2006 new years resolutions. For the first time I can't really think of any. I have been making great strides over the past year to improve my life, so I guess my new years resolution will be to

1. Continue on this path of improving my life, and mainly to continue not to drink in 2006.
2. Oh and for good measure, do excellent in college!
3. Finish my travel blog!

Happy new year everyone!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even drunktard, because they all went to midnight Mass. I had to work on Christmas eve, which wasn't that bad cause I actually made a few bucks, and I'm not into the whole midnight mass thing. I hate Mass on Christmas, its always the same sermon about getting past the whole consumer yada yada yada its Christ birthday, gift of the Magi thing. I know my brother is going to say "Dude but its tradition!" I say bah humbug to that, its not a tradition I like nor do I want to be apart of anymore. Even with my new found spirituality, I feel the whole birth of our lord and savior Jesus, has become over commercialized to the mass, and its lost its impact on my life. Ok maybe that's all a load of shit, but I am still content sitting here by myself typing this. Even if I didn't have to work I still probably would have opted out of Mass.

The Best Laid Plans

Somehow never works out for me as fate always has a way of intervening......but do to one event not working out in my favor 2 more opportunities opened up. I guess that go's with the saying, everytime God closes a door, he opens a window.

Welcome Aboard

I finally finished training at my new job and I couldn't be happier that the 8 grueling days are over. I had to learn some 500 items and take multiple menu knowledge test. The funny thing is the last test we took didn't even get graded. My manger Bradly came over to all the trainees (the 4 of us left out of 10 that started) and said "welcome aboard, your all now official employees of the Stonewood Alehouse!" I must say I am a little sad that I will only be working at this place for the next couple of weeks, because its a pretty sweet gig as far as serving jobs go and its got a lot of potential. The place is basically an upscale TGI Fridays with way better food, but it wont break your bank. The work I am required to do is laughable compared to what I am used to. All I do is take orders enter them into the computer, bring out drinks and stand there with a smile; they have a whole staff in the back that makes and brings out your food for you. To quote a girl I met in Boise Idaho, "its a pretty Koshe." The rest of the staff is pretty nice although their are a few girls I know will be trouble in the future. As in all service jobs personality's clash and two girls seem particularly volatile, but I'm not to worried because like I said I'll only be there a few weeks.

I was talking with a few of the employees about how they were hired and one of the bartenders told me he had four interviews. When I told him I only had two and was hired on by the owner with no questions asked, he seemed surprised. Two other girls were surprised as well, something to do with all the bizarre questions they were asked. Apparently, or so I was told, the 17 or so of us they hired are the best of some 300 or so applications. Although I think I was the best of the best they hired, because I swear when I first filled out my application my manger Bradly was really excited about me joining their ranks, so I don't know what that says about the rest. Not to undermine the rest of the staff, but I definitely feel I have a heads up on em, then again it could just be I have an over inflated ego right now.

Do the DOO

The other day I had my brother Jon download some Xaiver Rudd CD's for myself. If you never heard of Rudd then your missing out on a truly amazingly talented musician. He jams out on his guitar, switching up between a series of Didgeridoo's he has lined up in front of him, all the wile taping on this strange bass foot peddle thing, and singing. listening to some of his songs inspired me to want to learn to play Didgeridoo for myself. God bless the internet, because after a short Google search I found the perfect beginner Didgeridoo for myself, and it arvied yesterday. I couldn't be more excited about learning how to play a new instrument. It didn't take me very long to get it to make the proper noise. Now to learn how to circle breath and I'll be jamming out like Rudd in no time.

Useless

Is pretty much how I've been feeling lately. Perhaps its the change in the weather, but I have just been a complete bum as of late. I seem to have lost interest in things that I find most interesting. The excitement that came from traveling has passed and now I find it difficult to sit still and write. Hell I find it difficult to write this. I am just so damn tired lately, and unmotivated. I just want it to be January 17th so I can start progressing towards a goal. I guess its all this waiting around and doing nothing that's got me antsy to get a move on.

On another note, I started my temporary job at the Stonewood Bar and Grill. Its just till I move out to DeKalb, then I'll have to find a new place to work. I must say the training is pretty intense, I have to learn some 500 items and their corresponding prices and origins in 8 days. I've also been driving about town like a mad man searching for a black short sleeve polo with no insignia on it for the stupid uniform. eh I better quite procrastinating and start studying,

Furniture

My roommate's been driving me nuts with his obsession over finding living room furniture. Even before we got the place, he's been "So dude ah when we going to buy a couch?" I didn't think a couch was all that important, but it is to him. So everyday for the past three weeks we been checking Craig's list for couches. Anytime your looking for something check the Craig's list you'd be amazed at all the fantastic things you can find in your area. Yesterday, we both finally found a piece of ugly furniture that we could both agree on. Its hard to tell from the picture, but the furniture is actually really tiny, but that's ok because it will fit in our tiny apartment. I know you all probably think its hideous stuff, but if you saw it in person you might think......well you would probably still thinks its hideous, but its damn nice quality. The guy who sold it to us was a Pathologist at Cook County Hospital, which for those of you that don't know is the hospital ER is based on. The reason he was selling it, was he has to move back to the UK because working at Cook county he was working in "deplorable conditions!" Something to do with the "you get what you pay for mentality," which for those of you that don't know, Cook County Hospital is free to those who can't afford health care. He then went on a long rant about how nice the state run hospitals work back in England, and he looks forward to getting back to a 9-4 shift as opposed to his 14 hour days he works here. He went on to say "I got no time to go to the bloody pub, all they got me doing is working and then they yell at me and tell me to put in more hours, I couldn't bloody take it no more, so I quite and am moving back mates. Shame too, because I bloody love the States."