Big Changes

Three more months left at my job at The Crazy House aka the world's busiest airport. It has been insanely busy and only getting busier with each and every shift. We go on a wait every single night and are balls to the walls busy from the time I walk in until the time I stagger out, drenched in sweat but my pockets stuffed full of cash.

I'm blessed to work at (hands down) the greatest place in the airport. It took me well over six months before I even felt halfway, kinda (sorta) comfortable as a server.

Actually am still learning and growing but feel I have hit my stride as a professional server. It's all thanks to Fifth Group, our parent company who teach you skills and empower you with great management and top notch quality product to sell.

As my skills have improved, so has my compensation for giving this job my all.  It's a seasonal restaurant and the menu changes for times a year. You're always learning and growing at least four times a year.

Let me put it this way, I'd never even heard of the word "Charcuterie" before working for Fifth Group. Now it's my Go To word when pitching appetizers, especially to Europeans. They love their meat and cheese boards like I love hot wings and crinkle cut fries.

I've learned to pronounce, enunciate and  describe things properly and not use the word y'all or fixin.

It ain't easy to do but I done it!

My second year there have turned out to even amaze myself. Every single paycheck gets bigger and better. I read my guests like a book. I know who wants to chat and know who wants to be left alone, yet never having to ask for one thing.

I hit another milestone just this past week. My best shift ever.

Eighteen percent is added to every check, whether charged or in  cash goes on my next paycheck. Anything extra given, I walk with the same night. So I made $334.41 going onto my next check. I made an extra $194.73 charged and another fifty extra in cash.

I'm a firm believer in taking care of my support staff which consists of bartenders, food runners and server assistants (who take excellent care of me because I take excellent care of them). I tipped out around fifty dollars but still made well over five hundred for myself. Not bad for a fifty six year old plate slinger.

Now in just three months I'll have to start all over again at a new place, and dreading it. I don't like changing jobs, this old dog finds it hard to learn new tricks. I worked for Johnny's Pizza fourteen years, then thirteen for LongHorn. Had a four year stint at a local family owned restaurant then moved to the big time a little over two years ago at the airport.

My only consolation is that after learning the ropes from Fifth Group, think I can handle any restaurant.

Guess we'll see!

I put "Five star restaurants in Orlando" into a Google search and the number one hit turned out to be a restaurant my brother took our family to one time when we visited him a few years back.

I think I'll try that one... if they'll take an old skinny broad who finds it hard to learn new tricks.


Here's my dilema. I'm leaving my fantastic job but having to transfer to the Orlando airport to keep all my insurance and benefits. The swankiest place in the Orlando airport owned by the Concessionaire  I receive my pay and benefits through is On the Border or Longhorn.

I've come too far in my chosen career to take that  big of a step back (just saying) but will have to until I can find a street side job.

Tim has insurance through his company but isn't as cheap as mine is with a world wide huge conglomerate. If I can find a job making the money I do now, will be able to add us all on to his policy and just pay the difference myself.

I'm just going to once again have faith in my skills as a server and maybe buy a new dress for an interview.

All the higher ups at Fifth Group already said they would write me excellent letters of recommendation and tell me I'll be 'Prime Pickins'. Orlando is the number one destination city for vacations and Fifth Group is largely known as a premiere restauntier in the south east.

I'll feel uncomfortable starting a new job again and most probably feel uncomfortable for another six months after taking it, but having my family all under one roof again will be worth every uncomfortable day.

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

If I've made it this far...

 Always have faith in yourself. If you don't have faith in yourself, you'll never succeed.

Til next time...COTTON