Time For A Lesson

I am working as a bartender for now. I have problem at work I am going to address tonight. My relief has been late by at least 20-30 minutes, sometimes 45, every Monday night. This has been going on since April. I have talked to him about it and I think the owner has as well but it continues. I feel this is a lack of respect for me. I also open the following day to find he hasn't done this or that when closing so I turn into his maid, picking up after him so I can do my job.

TODAY IT STOPS! I am turning the tables. I will be 1/2 hour late tonight to relieve him and will continue to do so every Wednesday until he gets the picture or I leave, whichever comes first; I actually hope it is the latter. I usually don't use these tactics but I am finally at my wits end with this stellar employee. I will post results if there are any *EG*

Angelo

Dating???????

I think things have changed in the dating world since I last tried. I won't say how long it's been since the last time I was in the dating game but it has been long enough to recognize some obvious differences.

The HUGE difference is the use of the computer incorporated into everyday living to help you find someone who is desirable to date. I still prefer the old fashioned way of meeting a live person and sending a few flirty looks their way and then meeting each other to talk and possibly go out on a dinner date. Now, you hop on the computer, look at profiles, get a little insight and then decide to meet. I don't think that works as well. My experience with it has not been too good. Guys lie about who they are and what they like and some guys even go so far as to post an older picture that is hot but then they turn out to be NOT. Why can't everyone just be honest with themselves and have a little courage to accept themselves because the more you accept yourself, the more likely you will attract someone who will like you despite the flaws you THINK you have.

I have not had a run of good luck with dating this time around. Sometimes I wonder if it is me. Are my expectations too high? Dammit!! I want the best match for me if I am going to find Mr. Right. I think the standards of the general population has been decreased to a fault. No one seems to care about REAL living anymore. It's all about material things, television, celebrities lives, status. I don't care about those things, they bore me. I want someone who cares about good food for a healthy body, true friendship, passion, living their life to the fullest possible. I'm talking about JOI DE VIVRE!!! LA DOLCE VITA!!! Think about it.

Angelo

Used and Abused=Friendship?

I suppose I will get over the feelings of being used eventually. The same friend who I have been helping in the hospital is causing these feelings of being used by him. We have been so-called friends for over a year now and there has always been more give on my part. I have a car, he doesn't. I seem to pay all my bills....even though I struggle, he is always behind and eats out a lot. He always seems to get financial assistance and I won't apply because I am proud. He works 3 nights/week, I work 5 days and nights. I am usually giving him a ride somewhere, doing an errand for him....oh and I forgot, I am also his counselor because he calls me everyday(at least 4 times) to help decide his life. Did that sound a little bitter? I think it's time for a new friend; for him.
Angelo

Compassion or No Compassion?

OH MY GOD!!!! TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY!! I know Wilmaryad will be saying "wow, I think I'm FINALLY getting through to Micky", well that's partially true O'Scallas...;-) The other part is that I am angry with a friend of mine and I need other opinions to help me realize if I am wrong to think this way. Here is the plot. I have a friend who is HIV+ and is a diabetic. He has landed in the hospital because of an abscess in his foot caused by a staph infection known as MRSA(methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) which occurs in patients with a low immune system. He is going into surgery on Tuesday and the doctor said the infection might have gotten bad enough that they will have to remove three toes. This is thoroughly depressing him. He can't believe he is going to lose three toes. He acts like it's the end of the world. I told him he is lucky not to have to lose a whole foot.
The reason I point this out is because the man does not take care of his body the way he should. He eats a lot of fast food. He doesn't like to cook even though he gets help from the government with food every month. He drinks heavily and parties all the time which includes different types of drugs. He has a viable vocation but won't use it to his ability because he owes money for his student loans and they will garnish 25% of his wages. Even if that were true, he would still have enough money to live on. So now he is behind on rent and other bills, so he has a social worker coming in today to discuss getting his rent paid and he is bitching about what he has to go through to get government help!! Am I not feeling compassion for this man as a friend? Yes, I feel bad for him because he is sick, I feel bad because he is losing a few body parts but what will it take to make him wake up and realize that there are people out there worse off than he is and yet they are determined everyday to make their life count. I get so angry with him always with the "poor me" attitude because I am one of those people who strive to overcome my limitations, not to mention the fact of the millions of other individuals FAR worse off than I am. I have been there for him and will continue to be there but sometimes I just can't take it so rather than screaming at him I will use my blog as a sounding board. I thank God I have this attitude about life and for the very few true friends I have that keep me going. Please let me know what you think! Angelo

Are You Healthy? Really?

Do you ever wonder about your health? I think about it a lot. I am a 45 year old male and I have a chronic disease but I believe that if I eat healthy, try to exercise and keep a positive attitude that I will live a relatively good life. For example I try not to use the city water supply but I am limited on how I can control that because I live in an apartment and filters on my faucets are too expensive for me. So I am at risk to the pollutants. I try to eat fresh but then I'm not totally convinced the "organic" food I am buying is truly what they say it is. So I am at risk to their chemicals and altered food. I take vitamins but I am told I should be taking whole food supplements instead. So I check them out and of course they are five times the price of regular man-made vitamins. Well I'm screwed there! Then, if that's not enough, I read that our grain supply is loaded with mold!!!!! That is in almost everything we eat! What is one supposed to do to stay even sort of healthy? The only thing I feel one can do is to own a piece of property and grow everything you need to exist. Is that feasible? In my opinion, yes, but only if there were more hours in a day or you lived with several other people that shared in the same goal. What do you think? Angelo

The Gift of Living

Yesterday I spent my day off from slavedom enjoying the peace and tranquility with 2 friends at their little slice of heaven on earth. They live in an old farmhouse out on 4 beautifully maintained acres with the white picket fence, two dogs, some chickens, a pool and best of all, the dreamy aroma of they're many "Mimosa" trees in bloom!!
What could be more relaxing than laying in the pool soaking up the sun and smelling that delicious fragrance. If you have never smelled the blossoms you are surely missing a treat that fills the nostrils with elusive pleasure and makes the mind believe they are in heaven!! This tree also goes by other names: silk tree, silky acacia, and pink siris. It's latin name is Albizia Julibrissin. It's natural habitat occurs from Iran to Japan. It was introduced in the U.S. in 1745 and has since survived in the south-east areas. My earliest recollection of this tree comes from my Italian grandmother who did not give up when she planted it on her windy, northern Ohio farm. She waited for a few years for it to flower because it kept getting killed back by the winters but she finally got to witness the tree in bloom and the love affair began! Once I saw the tree and smelled it, my love affair had also been ignited. So you can imagine my complete surprise and delight upon discovering that my friends have not only one Mimosa but many of these delicious trees. Like I said, heaven!

So, I spent the day and part of the evening with my friends cooking, conversing, reading, walking, eating, and best of all, getting to know them a little better. A VERY good day indeed. This is what I speak of when I mention "quality of life"!

ANGELO

A Heartfelt "Thank You"

Yesterday, while publishing my post, I made the error of leaving something out that is very important!!

A simple and heartfelt "thank you" to the best of friends and my brother. He is the one and only person that keeps me headed on the path towards my goal of a lifetime. If it were not for him, I would not be trying to reach it in the first place. He has given me the idea, the courage, the knowledge, and the resolve to take on such an epic move in my life. The world is definitely a BETTER place with him in it! If you would like to find out why I think that....go to HIS blog located at www.cruciblecrucified.blogspot.com. I am certain you will come to appreciate why I feel as I do about him.

Angelo