I applied and was accepted as a temporary sales associate at Macy's in the Northgate Mall. I will make just over minimum wage ($8/hr) and will have shifts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the next 11 weeks. Even better than the pay, I will have a 20% discount on purchases.
I will be working in Housewares, and floated to Linens as needed. I met a couple of the ladies that work in the areas I will be in and all seem kind. I have been out of retail for a very long time so hopefully all will go smoothly as I transition back into that environment.
Rick's only comment was that we will be unable to go away over Thanksgiving, as I will definitely be working. But I figure, John is away this Christmas, my regular job has cut me back to 4 days a week, and the discount will take the sting out of Christmas shopping. Liz has expensive taste and wants Chance Chanel perfume among other things...
It's funny, I think the last time I worked on a major holiday, it was Christmas day, 1991. I left the house at 6am before even the kids were awake, worked until 3:30pm, and took the 4pm Express Bus home- all the gift unwrapping was over except for me, and dinner was already underway.
And now I will get to experience "Black Friday", an event I have avoided, from the non-consumer side of things...at least it will be interesting...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
October 15, 2010
I decided to take everyone out for a family dinner to celebrate Liz turning 17. We went to the Boathouse right on the river- Liz chose as she had never been there before. That and the fact that PF Chang's had an hour + wait.
We drove down and were parked by the valet- mandatory on weekends, apparently, and headed inside.
We were seated in the high- traffic area just outside the kitchen, beside the steps, and I should have requested a different table as soon as I saw it. We sat down, drinks arrived and the waitress took our order, and that was the last we saw of her till our dinners arrived. Another server saw our drinks were empty and reported this to her, but she did not seem too bothered.
Did I mention the Boathouse is pricey and usually has amazing service? I was stunned by the server we had.
The high traffic zone was a little like trying to have fine dining in the middle of Grand Central Station. The food was, as always, delicious, but the servers, well, not a good showing, quite frankly. I said nothing about the first server who bumped my chair, accidents happen, but the second one actually moved me, without so much as a "sorry". When the server asked how things were, I told her- in no uncertain terms- in a tone and volume that got her attention...and that of the manager.
They took off my dinner from the bill, and we boxed our leftovers. I had planned on doing a Birthday dessert, but was not willing to stay. I only tipped 10%- the server was poor and didn't deserve 20%.
We go outside to get the cars and Liz takes off in the Land Rover, which arrives right away. We wait and after 10 other couples got their cars before us, even though we were the first outside, the valet came back to ask what kind of car we had, as it was mis-marked on the ticket...seriously. The valet lost my car.
Talk about bad karma on an evening.
I don't see going back to the Boathouse. The food may be excellent, but at that price, the service needs to be as well. They clearly missed the mark on what was meant to be a happy occasion.
We drove down and were parked by the valet- mandatory on weekends, apparently, and headed inside.
We were seated in the high- traffic area just outside the kitchen, beside the steps, and I should have requested a different table as soon as I saw it. We sat down, drinks arrived and the waitress took our order, and that was the last we saw of her till our dinners arrived. Another server saw our drinks were empty and reported this to her, but she did not seem too bothered.
Did I mention the Boathouse is pricey and usually has amazing service? I was stunned by the server we had.
The high traffic zone was a little like trying to have fine dining in the middle of Grand Central Station. The food was, as always, delicious, but the servers, well, not a good showing, quite frankly. I said nothing about the first server who bumped my chair, accidents happen, but the second one actually moved me, without so much as a "sorry". When the server asked how things were, I told her- in no uncertain terms- in a tone and volume that got her attention...and that of the manager.
They took off my dinner from the bill, and we boxed our leftovers. I had planned on doing a Birthday dessert, but was not willing to stay. I only tipped 10%- the server was poor and didn't deserve 20%.
We go outside to get the cars and Liz takes off in the Land Rover, which arrives right away. We wait and after 10 other couples got their cars before us, even though we were the first outside, the valet came back to ask what kind of car we had, as it was mis-marked on the ticket...seriously. The valet lost my car.
Talk about bad karma on an evening.
I don't see going back to the Boathouse. The food may be excellent, but at that price, the service needs to be as well. They clearly missed the mark on what was meant to be a happy occasion.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
October 10, 1964
On my parent's wedding day, my mother was walked down the aisle by her uncle, Brian Moore. Brian's daughter Margaret and my father's youngest sister were flower girls, and the cake was a model of St. Benedict's, with figures of the bridal party standing in front. My father's uncle Martin was his best man, and later became my Godfather. My mother's sister Etta was feeling poorly as she was expecting her first child, my cousin Billy.
My parents were in their early twenties, Dad was in the Army and Mom worked at Dollar Savings Bank on Fordham Road.
Today would have been their 46th wedding anniversary. Mom died at the end of 2002, and I still miss her.
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