Our Patience...

good-byes are never easy.

this morning i found out that one of my managers at The Cheesecake Factory passed away at a painfully young age. her name was Patience and she was just as special as her name. Patience was known for pulling the best pranks of all time on the staff of The Chz and she will be missed beyond words. although i no longer work there, Patience has been apart of The Chz for a long time and was much more than a manager to most of us . . . she was a friend, confidant, big sister, and just one of the guys . . .

i send love, comfort and strength to her family and dedicate this song to her. you will be sorely missed Patience.

Back and ready to rumble!!!

Another new beginning.

Hey buddies, pals and non-pals =)

I have been MIA the last week or so due to an early week excursion to Las Vegas - which I don't necessarily recommend. Las Vegas. Viva Las Vegas. Sin City. Man, oh man. Vegas will rob you while smiling and waving good bye on the way out. Not that I'm a gambler by any means. I'm referring to the mere act of eating. By eating I mean, buying a muffin and a juice. Unless you have limitless moula in your bank account - there are better places to go then Vegas, that won't leave you feeling like you were just hit by a bus. I experienced it to the fullest and that's all I need in this lifetime.

In other news! I was out in Larchmont Village yesterday with my Daddio, when I came across a little ad posted on a bulletin in the local Starbucks. It was for a one-bedroom guesthouse within walking distance from Larchmont (which is this adorable little street lined with cafes, shops, restaurants, and on Sundays, a great farmer's market). I thought it would be fun to drop by and check it out, so we did. I took Phil back there this morning and he loved it. It is very possible we will be moving in the next week. We'll have to see how it all comes together. I will miss our little studio though =( I have also passed (with flying colors!) my serving exam and certification! I am now a full fledged server at The Cheesecake Factory. Believe me, this is no easy task. I don't know if I've ever studied so hard in my life! Phil and I are excited to start a new chapter in our life here in LA. Change is needed and I'm filled with joy that it is finally manifesting in many forms. I will be posting a post - that sounds funny - in the near future about a fantabulous documentary we just watched by comedian Bill Maher called Religulous. Uh-mazing!!! If you take yourself too seriously, don't bother reading it...

Take your time folks...

We have to remember.

I find it interesting how impatient I am. Where does it come from? What are patience? How do you get more of them? For me, it does help to remember to breathe. I find myself wishing my life away instead of enjoying each moment. We have to remind ourselves that even once we reach our destination (the one we keep thinking we have to get too) there will somehow always be another one. 

My dad recently caught a very interesting special on ABC called, Earth 2100, that follows a fictional character born June 2nd 2009, named Lucy as she retells her life as a 91 year old. Environmentally, as most of you know, we as a world need to act very quickly (before 2015) or scientists predict absolute chaos. Check out this link to see clips from Lucy's life and other videos from different viewers who have made their own predictions on various matters (water shortages, wars in NY, wildfires in California).

Earth: 2100

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Earth2100

This is another way of reminding ourselves that we need to stop taking so many things for granted (food & water especially - we as North Americans are so fortunate to have clean water and stores full of food) I hope all of you are pursuing greatness in your lives, never limiting yourselves. None of us will be here in 2100. Please, please, please do your best to follow your heart.

"I want you to understand the subtle workings of the mind. How you orient your mind, the kind of attitude you take greatly influences both you and your environment. The Buddhist principle of 3000 realms in a single moment of life completely elucidates the true aspect of life's  inner workings. Through the power of strong inner resolve, we can transform ourselves, those around us and the land in which we live." - Daisaku Ikeda (Faith in Action, 8)

Along with my new second job - which I am enjoying very much - I have finally been promoted to a sever at The Cheese. I am very excited for this new challenge! I start the intense training June 16th - I will have to learn the largest restaurant menu I have ever seen...roughly 240 items! Yipee for more money =) I am also happy to report that Jimmy The Babe (our chihuahua) has lost a little weight, good for you Jim!

Have a good weekend everyone* 

Hello second job...good-bye life!

Finally.

After months and months (since the beginning of Feb) I have finally found a suitable second job. And I got it! It's a part time receptionist position at a holistic/wellness spa called Healing Hands, that focuses on massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture. It's super close to home (riding a bike distance) and the woman who owns it is super adorable and fun. I start training tomorrow. I think it's safe to say I will be working 7 days a week for a while until I get an agent. 

I have also been trained as a "Filler" at The Cheese. You have to be a pro at multitasking for this job, and have a thick skin as you will be blamed for almost everything that goes wrong in the restaurant. It's amazing how serious (and I mean DEAD SERIOUS) people are about where they sit to eat food. I cannot remember a single time in my life where I've gone into a restaurant and taken over the hostess's job. I mean really, give me a little credit and allow me to think I'm capable enough to lead you to your table. At times I'll be the one following the guests because they find it ok to do my job for me... "Oh yah, it's fine, I'll just follow you!" DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING? No. David Spade comes in every Sunday evening which is interesting to have worked into your week. You can imagine he's gained some weight (dining at The Cheese on a weekly basis will do that to you) his hair is always a greasy mess and most of the time he seems a little stoned. But hey, he's still David Spade. 

I will be planning my 22nd birthday party this week :) I have also purchased my birthday shoes! The wardrobe must start from the feet up. I can't wait to eat cake. Preferably grocery store birthday cake.  Mmmm mmm. The plan thus far is to dance, dance, dance the night away. I can't get enough of dancing...

Cake + new shoes + dancing = perfection.

And it begins...

My first official blog post! 

I don't even know what to say. Probably not a good thing right? Well as of right now, no one but my dad will read this but thats ok! He'll love it :) Today I am going to go hiking at Runyon Canyon (hiking in the hills of Los Angeles really reminds me how much I don't miss living in Ontario) with Phil - best friend/hubby - who has recently broken 3 ribs and punctured his lung sac grinding a big ol' double kink rail. That was a 3 weeks ago so right now he's a little better. We will bring with us our "chihuahua" and I say that in quotations because he is 17 pounds and way bigger than we ever thought a chihuahua could get. He is The Babe. Jimmy The Babe. He has the personality I did when I was 3, which means tantrums, sneakiness, talking back, and always getting what he wants. 

I had an interview yesterday with a Grassroots Campaign organization that works with other various organizations such as Amnesty International, and Save The Children - I will be going in sometime next week for my "demonstration" day! I am excited! I need a new job. I am currently working at The Cheesecake Factory, which don't get me wrong, has it's perks (the cheesecake, which I could easily argue as being a fat sentence than a perk). It leaves me feeling like a pawn in chess, paid very little money, and no tips. The job itself could be simple. I take the guests from the entrance of the restaurant to the table I have been told to go by the "Filler" (the filling of the restaurant is a very intense job) however, during those couple of minutes I am actually with the guest, I either get ignored, get blamed for not giving them the table they want, get argued with if they want to sit in a closed section, or am forced to run back and forth between the guest and the desk as a messenger. So fulfilling! It's not that bad really, the restaurant itself is beautiful, big and air conditioned! Things will change though. I am determined. Today is a my good friend Heather Sklar's birthday and we will be celebrating tonight at a spot in Hollywood called Velvet Margarita. I adore the Latin feel of the city of angels...