Angry?

I'm not really an angry person. In my younger years - and no, I'm not saying just how many of those back I'm talking about, I had a bit of a temper. The more I used it, the lower my IQ seemed to go. Thankfully, I noticed the drop before others did most of the time - and once I calmed down, the levels replenished themselves back to the same high...well, reasonably high, numbers. Didn't take a nuclear physicist or a rocket scientist to figure out that not controlling my temper was just straight up stupid - and lucky for me, otherwise I'd still be getting pissed at the drop of a hat.

I can't speak for anyone but me, but losing my temper was never worth it - ever. No one looked worse for me losing my temper than I did - and believe me, I did some pretty stupid shit in the name of being pissed.

At home, at work - or any place in between, losing my temper could never be my best look. In my opinion it's not anyone's best look - but my temper is the only one I have control over. I also think that a flaring temper just feeds into negative mindsets, and that's not a place I like to go to. For me it's better to acknowledge what's making me feel angry and not let it control me. Might not always be so easy to do that, but it's worth the effort.

I work the kind of job where my attitude and my mood need to be good. It's not an option, and really, why would I want it to be? I consider it my responsibility to come into work in a good mood and do everything I can to stay that way throughout the day. It's better for the people I work with and for, it's better for our customers, and it's certainly better for me. Win/win at every turn.

I'm lucky that I work in places that offer up so many things to enjoy - good food, spirits, laughter...basically the kinds of things that bode well for being in a great mood. There are a lot of things worth observing in the work I do, and more than a few of my friends have said that I should write a book. Maybe - I'll admit that I've seen quite a few things in my experiences. I tend to focus on the amusement factor. A couple of friends suggested I check out two humorous pages on the blue and white that are filled with humorous posts from the business I work in - they said I'd love it. Always on the lookout for things that are amusing, I took their suggestions. But....

The two pages in question both have titles that bug me:

a) Why Bartenders and servers hate people

b) The angry bartender

Really? I'll admit that there are a few things on these pages that I found mildly amusing. Mildly. Some of them are very accurate - things I've seen many times in my own experience. What bugs me, is the negativity that festers on the walls of both of these pages. I just don't feel that kind of thing is worth hanging on to, nor do I feel it's good for me to do that.

For starters, I don't hate people. I'd suggest that if any of you out there do hate people, and you're working in the same business that I do, maybe you should find something else to do - because people make things in this business wonderful, and for all the pomp and circumstance of great food, great drinks/wine and a nice place to work in, it's people who make it all come together and it's people who make it enjoyable. Yes, there will be some people who can suck the enjoyment right out of things - but you know what? Those people can suck another thing or two as well. For every person that tries to make things difficult and nearly impossible to enjoy, there are always more people that make the overall experience of this business an enjoyable one. Always.

I'm fully aware that I work in a sales driven environment and yes, I work for tips. I run with the theory that if I focus on what I should be doing while I'm at work, the money will work out. Some days are better than others, but you gotta take the good with the bad - otherwise you won't know the flippin' difference. That's one of the many reasons I like working with certain people, particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. We don't really talk about money until the end of the night, maybe a mention of it, briefly in going about the night here and there, but not much at all. It's understood that we're there to make money, and yes, we all want to do that. The way I see it, you're working in this business - why would you want to put such a negative spin on things and how that will help you have a better night, is beyond me.

Nope, I don't hate people.

Angry? Once again, not my best look. I'm not angry - nor am I looking to get angry. I like how this guy finished one post: stay angry. 

Really? Stay angry if you want, if that's your bag. See where that gets you.

Sorry folks - I've got loads of amusing stories I could (and just might) share from this business. Even the worst of it isn't worth being angry about for long and hatred isn't worth feeding into. There's room for all of us. Look, I could sit here and piss and moan about what I do to pay the bills - and there are some who will throw age in my face, knowing the whole time that I still have some moves left in me. There is nothing I can do about my age, but for putting in the effort to be the best me that I can be in this journey. I have had desk jobs, they didn't prove high on the enjoyment scale - and for numerous reasons. Should I have a desk job at my age? Maybe, but I don't. There are things I like, no...love about the jobs I have. Say what you will about my stature, or the lack thereof, I'm going to embrace the things I love about what I do and be thankful for them.

Yes, there are times when I get flustered at work - that happens to everyone. There are times when the enjoyment factor is challenged - that also happens to everyone. But there are so many more things to like about the work I do, and as long as I am doing it, I'm going to focus on those things - because those things really are wonderful most of the time. Bam. Gotcha there.