it's february 13...

Wow the last couple of days have been insane.

Yesterday I worked 9-6 at the daycare...it was a long haul, but not horrible. 8 solid hours of work could hardly be deemed horrible. I got some awesome pictures of one of the most hysterically funny children ever, found out I was closing, successfully closed, and brought the time sheets to town. Then it was on to OC to spend the evening/night. It was a good night. It started out a bit strangely - we played probably the worst board game to hit the planet - The Office DVD board game. I wasn't a fan. But it got better. I went to the RSC with Katrina to hang out with Sarah and watch the Olympics, and then we locked up. At which point I mentioned that which I had been thinking all night - Perkins. You see...I like OC, but not that much haha. I'd been there for all of 4 hours and was already thinking of the outside world.

I'm so glad we went though. Perkins was rocking at 1 am on Saturday morning...and we were happy to join in. We joined in a restaurant wide rendition of Happy Birthday at least two times, laughed so hard we thought we might die, and just in general enjoyed the fact that we were hanging out with a bunch of very drunk people and, if our energy level was any indication, fit right in even though we had not consumed a drop of alcohol. I almost fell asleep driving back, but I didn't. Good thing, since I was driving. But give me a break, it was 3:15 in the morning and I had not slept much the night before.

This morning, er, afternoon, I woke up around 12:15 and packed up and headed home. I probably could have stayed longer (I didn't have to work til 5), but honestly I didn't want to have to remember my OC visit as having been boring in any way, shape, or form...and Saturday afternoons without homework in an environment where everyone else has homework can be boring. And, I'll be honest, I wanted to watch Lost...it's getting good. So I came home and watched a couple episodes before work.

Work. Was. Horrible. Saturday night, right? It's supposed to be busy on Saturday nights, but tonight, since it was snowing/blowing/generally miserable outside, business was a bit slow. To make matters worse for me, they split the restaurant into sections for the various servers instead of just alternating whoever came through the door. They, naturally of course, gave me the worst section. Even with snagging 3 tables outside my section I still managed to only serve 5-6 tables TOTAL tonight. Fortunately, those tables were (in general) kind with tipping and I managed to make $20. ALL NIGHT. I wasn't extremely pleased...That's $5 an hour in tips...with the $3.25 minus taxes that I get paid by the restaurant, I made minimum wage at best.

Other than the horrible pay, the night was actually somewhat interesting. First, I got to listen to a ton of gossip. Not exactly fun...sometimes I wonder what people say about me when I'm not around. But I had the opportunity to talk with the server whom I heard the others bad mouthing (for no reason as far as I have observed) while we were wrapping silverware together (an activity that everyone else hates but I actually really like). She is 21, married with three children with another on the way, and like me, feels entirely lonely in this town. I think I made a new friend tonight. :)

Got off work at 9 after not having a table for at least an hour, went to fill on gas because my tank was all but empty, and drove home. On the way home the dim lights stopped working on my car. JOY. Haha. It was a bad end to an otherwise bad night...coming home from a really awesome time in OC only to make all but nothing waitressing (which by the way is probably the hardest work of any job I have had so far) and have my car lights malfunction.

It's supposed to snow again tomorrow, and...what do you know...Marilee works again. This time I start at 4 and go until 8 or so. If it is dead again (which it probably will be due to weather) I am going to be so mad. I'll get over it, but waitressing is frustrating stuff sometimes.

It'd be nice if I could sub this coming week.

I wish.

It is, however, February 13. That means that in two to five days I will know my fate in regard to U of Illinois. Tonight I was talking about the possibility of grad school with my new friend (the 21 yr old waitress) and I realized just how much I want it. Every day is an exercise in giving my dreams to God and letting Him be in control.