Jukebox Friday - I'm there for you

Hey, you, this is dedicated to the upcoming battle. I know you are so scared, but my outpouring and constant support is with you.


(sorry it is only pictures of the artist for the "video")

I will be the answer
At the end of the line
I will be there for you
While you take the time
In the burning of uncertainty
I will be your solid ground
I will hold the balance
If you can't look down

If it takes my whole life
I won't break, I won't bend
It will all be worth it
Worth it in the end
Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all gone out
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind
Take me to a
Place so holy
That I can wash this from my mind
The memory of choosing not to fight

If it takes my whole life
I won't break, I won't bend
It will all be worth it
Worth it in the end
'Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all burned out
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind

The "In-my-world-this-would-be-a-crime" Crime

Today I had a huge raging headache that didn't go away after I tried to unsuccessfully drug it with caffeine (since I do get caffeine-withdrawal headaches) and ibuprofen. Before resorting to a trio sampler of hard liquor, hard drugs, and cement-block-to-the-head, I calmly suggested we eat out somewhere quick so I wouldn't have to cook. In my uninspired headache mode, I mumbled seafood and we ended up at the local joint. Menu sampler seen here

Fine. I order the lobster seafood roll in my uninspired mumbled state. I am presented with an ice-cream scoop size of premade lobster/seafood/mayo and a cold hard hoagie. Oh yeah, with some shit lettuce thrown on to make up for the lack of seafood-to-bun ratio. It is immediate that I notice the roll...Yes, I can SEE the lack of distinguishing toasty/grillage marks. I then feel how cold and UNTOASTY/GRILLY it is. I poke it with my fork and it sponges back to its unsofty untoasty state. I flip through the images in my brain and know the menu states "grilled hoagie" or some sort. I mentally go to a whiney-unhappy-non grilly-non toasty-state.

Ugh.

Of course it takes the waitress a good 3/4 of the way into my scoop of seafood to drag her happy ass over to our table to ask how things are. My life companion got the most delicious fish ever for a change and blurts out an enthusiastic "GREAT!" to the waitress... (I glare jealously) ... And I squeak out a meager "Actually..." I proceeded to demonstrate how falsely prepared the roll was and my complete dissatisfaction with their product.

Now, I know how uncomfortable it is as a waitress to be presented with an unhappy client. Some people don't even complain because of that precise moment when you feel like the complete asshole for bringing up stuff that isn't really their fault. HOWEVER, there are appropriate actions for any good waitress to take.

Step 1: Offer to replace bad portion of the food. This is the knee-jerk reaction to any complaint that a portion of the food is bad. I'm not disagreeing with this step, but in my situation it's just mind-boggling how I would suddenly want them to deliver a single bun on a plate 3/4 of the way into the meal.

Step 2+: Offer any way to compensate or make the customer happy. I guess my waitress couldn't conjure up anything else in her head to satisfy my unhappiness because she just said "Oh." after I declined her step 1 offer. Not good. Now I have to conjure up in my brain a scenario that doesn't make it sound like I'm pathetic for complaining. I blurt out, "Just go tell the cook and your manager not to serve this menu item like this..." Ugh, you know all I'm thinking INSIDE my head is:
- gimme a coupon
- gimme a drink
- gimme a dollah off sistah
- gimme item for free
- gimme, gimme, gimme.

Nope, I instead witness her go tell her manager. "Cool" methinks. Wrong. I think I mouth-read those mofos taking my complaint sarcastically. There was no grovelling back to our table by any manager. They probably took my picture and will have the cooks spit in my food next time I'm there.

While you all probably think I'm thinking the crime lay in lack of customer service, I'm actually still thinking about that damn hoagie roll. You just don't serve any type of seafood roll on a dry cold bun. Crime committed. Judge Sfoofie rules 22 months of community service feeding old bread to birds.

Jukebox Friday....A greeting from my heart

This is a strange day....this entry won't have the usual overtones "le blog sfoof" normally has. As bad as things seem in Lebanon, it could all just turn around and be ok in a few days. It is very interesting the balance an entire country is in. Well, I'm not going to analyze it poorly here... just know the family is fine up in the mountains. That doesn't mean we don't worry. It's like sitting down in the most beautiful restaurant, everyone is laughing, and two of us get served something completely unsavory. Yet, everyone else is still completely enjoying the party. What do you do? Do you drag it all down, switch out dishes and pretend the unsavory parts away, or cautiously take it all in? I will be at a sort-of standstill.

Fairouz, Li Beirut



Translated
Li Beirut - To Beirut

A greeting from my heart to Beirut
kisses to the sea and to the houses
to a rock, which is like an old sailor’s face
She is made from the people’s soul..from wine
She is from his sweat…of bread and Jasmines
So how does her taste become? A taste of fire and smoke

Glory from the ashes to Beirut
My city has turned out her lamp
From the blood of a child carried upon her hand
She shut her door, and became alone in the sky
Alone with the night
You are mine, you are mine
Ah Hug me you are mine
You are my flag, tomorrow stone
And a travel’s waves
The wounds of my people have blossomed
And mothers tear
You are mine, you are mine
Ah Hug me

Blog away

I actually have a lot to blog about today. I'm kinda mixed up today. Bear with me...

I had a dream last night - a very clear and strange dream. First I went some sort of a road trip to Miami. When I drove back, I went to my parents house and walked in. My dad was there rocking a baby. He then proceeded to say, "Well, what do you think of your new baby brother?" WHA?! The baby had red hair and looked like my dad.... adorable, but WHA?! Baby had a name even! (Samuel) It was such a WEIRD dream. I like that I dream and that I can remember them and all their details, but sometimes they freak me out. It is obvious why I dreamt about a baby... Jonahbebe's mum and dad(my brother) are expecting a baby boy any day now. I'm really excited bout it and must have been on my mind. I'm hoping for a smooth birth for them and looking forward to cooing at a little one soon. Trust, nephews and nieces are great things. Secretly, I know I need to rock this baby to cure my own biological clock ticking in me! It is just weird why I would dream that my parents would be hiding a pregnancy and a birth from me... Why my mom?!? (she is so going to freak reading this!!!!)

I do remember when my little brother Zach was born quite clearly... I was 13. My dad had the cutest and proudest little smile on his face when he woke me up that morning (6am) to tell me I had a new brother. I remember that old house and my old room and exactly how my bed was in that room (behind the door) when he walked in. (Oh man, the memories of that blue floral wallpapered walls and crazy blue carpeting.) This dream sort-of reflected those moments too. I've always said that the birth of Zachary brought great happiness to our family, so I'm not sure if this dream is reflecting that this new little one will be a great addition to our fam. I know. Go ahead and say it: "Awww."


__________________________

In very very sad news, my coworker's daughter died last night. She had had lymphoma for a while, but only recently was in the hospital for the flu. They couldn't get her over the flu and she started to develop weird symptoms... Then she had a stroke and lapsed into a coma this last Saturday. Really, it would be like dying from the common flu. A body just can't fight with a weakened immune system.

Please, please. Say a prayer for my coworker Mary and her family. Her daughter was only in her 20s and I know Mary will need strength and a sense of peace to come with this.


With this news welled something inside of me. Sometimes we feel hopeless that we can't do "anything" to help someone when they are dealing with all of that. Today I really reflected that our work department would be without Mary for quite awhile... I know that once she is back there will be a lot of strain for her with the current stressors. Trust, our department is crazed out.

They already have a replacement for me lined up - A super awesome candidate from another department. However, they couldnt' get this new girl in for training until this week - and we only have her for half days.

So.

I offered to come back to work again next week to help training of the new girl more. Before you all gasp in horror, I did it for a number of reasons and I really think this was the right decision. Please follow along:

1. I really timed out my end date all wrong... February 29th is not a payday. I really wanted to end on a pay period day anyway.

2. It will ONLY be half days.

3. It will ONLY be for training. If an agent needs to get ahold of me after this Friday, I'm technically non-existent there. Tough jerky for them.

4. I know that getting my replacement trained will help the department with Mary being out for awhile.

PLUS

5. It will help once Mary is back to not stress her so much

6. My boss gave me a huge hug today and really sincerely thanked me for offering this. She told me if I ever needed a solid gold reference, she would be there.


I am technically celebrating me leaving, but I will go back next week to help out.

Isn't it hard to celebrate when there is a very sad event occurring?