So, yeah, this is a small town.

I am still a little under the weather, and with being off work tonight, I was just about desperate to see a movie.  Particularly, Black Swan.  I adore Natalie Portman, and am fascinated by the whole story.  I was playing around and installed a movie service application to my newish phone, and looked to see where Black Swan is playing.  Not within 50 miles of here!  Really?  I may have to drive to the next largest city, over an hour and a half away.  That would be one expensive movie, huh?  So, now I'm irritated by the commercials for the movies that say 'Now Playing Everywhere.'  No, it's not!

The people of this town ask if we have 'Eye-talian' dressing, not 'Italian.'  That's happened in other cities in which I've lived, but it seems particularly rampant here.  The people here are lovely, don't get me wrong.  I waited on a very nice table today, a party of ten celebrating their Grandpa's 75th birthday.  My coworkers were so sweet, knowing I didn't feel well, reminding me to 'grat' the table.  I don't 'grat' or add a gratuity to my tables; I sincerely believe I earn/deserve just as much, if not more, than what the restaurant might add to a ticket just because a table is over a certain size.  Well, Grandma paid and very kindly told me to keep the change.  Yes, she tipped me $15 on a $185 bill.  Oh, well.  As my Gramps always told me, 'It's more than you had when you got here.'  I didn't let it get me down, and as the table left, one of the men slipped me a twenty, just because.  Maybe he had experience with Grandma tipping in the past.  I felt much better, and as I cleared the rest of the table, there was another $10 left.  Thank you, Universe! 

The family is out of town for my nephew's hockey game, and I sit here in a very still, quiet house.  I made my spaghetti, the way I like it.  Full of onions and garlic, with the pasta I want, and garlic bread.  I've been making kid friendly spaghetti for some time.  I loved having it exactly my own way.  The dogs are lounging, and the cats haven't had any meetings.  Have I mentioned my cat stays downstairs, and their lives up here?  Mine likes to come up here, and when they meet, it gets pretty ugly pretty fast.  The other day, we all came home to find cat hair in a pile on the rug in the middle of the room.  It was hard to tell who lost what hair.

I work a double shifts for the next few days, and know I have Tuesday morning off, so I may be able to hit a matinee before work.  I'm off Thursday evening as well.  I love Thursday nights off.  It goes way back to when Friends and ER were on Thursday nights.  Remember Must See TV?  I loved those days.

Happy New Year? Eh.

I worked like crazy, both shifts, New Years Eve, and New Years Day.  Made reasonable enough money, just waiting for payday at the hotel to see if it really paid off or not.  The hotel owners keep 5% of our credit card tips to make up for the credit card charges.  (it's legal; I called the State to find out.)  I've started doing push ups, but I'm not a champ, and I'm struggling with form.  This may be the earliest in the eveing I've ever posted a blog, and since my brother is still awake, I will ask him for pointers.

I received an email from Alan the other day with new insurance information.  Short and to the point.  Whew.  He will mail new cards, as we have new providers. I have a cold.

New Year's Eve at work, I was frustrated by the lack of tables and the over abundance of servers, and overcome with being seperated, unmotivated, fat, broke, tired, etc, I started to get a little weepy while I was polishing silverware.  A nice cook came over, and he put his hand on my shoulder to ask if I was ok, and I ran crying into an empty banquet room.  I tried so hard to keep the tears from wrecking my makeup, and didn't want my eyes to turn red, but I was only minimally successful.  The chef apologized for touching me a few days later, but how in the Hell would he have known I would cry?  Mind you, I didn't cry because he touched me.  You with me ladies?  Just the warm touch when you feel weak?  He has baby mommas all over the place; you'd think he knew a little something of women.

I thought I had more for a blog tonight; maybe I will come up with more later.  I still plan on squarely kicking 2011 in the butt.  Believe it, I'm just a little behind.