Hashbrowns and Homefries

It was Christmas Eve night when I was waiting tables at my restaurant job, praying that it would be 5:00 as soon as possible, so I could go home and spend some QT with my family. Thats when a customer was sat at my section, ready to be a "ba humbug", complaining about his meal. He ordered one of our breakfast items, which included his choice of either Hashbrowns or Homefries. He grumbled that he wanted the hashbrowns, but not with our seasoning. Not aware that we put anything on our hashbrowns, I consulted our cook, and he said that they didnt put anything special on them--they came as they were prepared.

So minutes later, I gave him his breakfast. After running around to serve my other guests, scattered about the restaurant, he motioned me over. I stood there listening to him vent as he complained about his entree. The kicker for me though was the complaint about he hashbrowns. He said, "And I got hashbrowns, when I really wanted home fries. I know I said hashbrowns, but you should have picked up on what I meant, when I was talking about the seasoning."

Are servers supposed to read minds? Is that in our job description?

He not only got his meal for free, as our manager took care of him. But he also stiffed me because I couldn't read his mind! Of course that put me in a sour mood for Christmas Eve. I did lighten up (after a great meal at Oriental Wok with my family that night, followed by other Christmas traditions!), but I couldn't stop thinking about this predicament.

Last Thursday morning, when I was hosting. I greeted the same guy and his wife, sitting them down to their seats. I tried to make as little eye contact with him as possible. Later on when they got up to left, they talked with our manager (the same one who gave him his free meal). Then he did something that I don't think I'll ever forget. He turns to me, and hands me 2 dollars saying, "I stiffed you the other day. Here you go."

Does that mean there's hope for mankind? Are there a handful of people out there who want to do the right thing? His conscious must have been weighing heavy on him for two weeks to come back and do that. I wasn't even his server! I was just a host.

This story started out as a "bad server story", just one more reason to get out of the restaurant industry. It ended up being a story about miracles, hope, and inspiration.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Give Me a Chance!

So there it was: the perfect job at a local non-profit, in which I could build skills, and get my foot in the door. Every job requires experience, and the only way to get experience is to get a job. I thought I finally got past the vicious catch 22 cycle. It was a $10 an hour admin support job. I have my bachelors, I expressed interest through emailing the recruiter, I was well qualified for the position. I took their assessment test, and then they called me the following week seeing what my salary requirements were. I said the starting pay was fine. Surely I would get a chance to interview with them.

They never called me again. No chance for an interview.

I graduated a year and a half ago. I took a job that wasn't a good fit for me (I figured I'd give it a try. How was I supposed to know?) Now, with low confidence, and an intense frustration, I keep on trying. Not too long ago, I applied for my dream job: An admissions position at a college, in which I would be conducting tours, aiding the admissions staff etc. I not only qualified, I wrote a cover letter filled with passion, telling them that this was my dream job, and how excited I was. No chance for an interview. No response. Don't they wonder at least, "hey this guy has his bachelors in communications, and is obviously very interested. Sounds like he would be a good fit. Should we interview him and find out more about him?" Nope.

Give me a chance! I am a smart guy who has many skills, strengths, and passions. Every single one of my managers and co-workers at my restaurant job will vouch for me. Same with the non-profit agency I volunteer for. They would go on and on how great I am to work with. I get along well with everyone (even those who are hard to get along with), I have a superb attitude and work ethic, and I have impeccable character (loyalty, honesty, integrity, doing the right thing when no one is looking). I am just so tired of this! I would so love to be called for more interviews! That's all I'm asking for!

Please excuse this rant. I just need to be patient and trust in the Lord more. Plain and simple.

Hopefully I will be in a better mood next post!

Merry Christmas,

Eric

I'm Not a Thrill-Seeker...And That's Okay!

So there I was, at Kings Island. The place where I swore I was never going to go again. Not only was it Kings Island, but it was their "Halloween Haunt". I don't like roller coasters, nor do I like haunted houses. What was I doing there though? Was there a secret part of me that wanted to prove something? I ended up having a good time, as I went through 8 haunted houses. But as I was in line for one of the coasters with my friends (just to hang with them while they get on the dreaded thing, and I jump to the exit line!), they were pressuring me the ENTIRE way:

"Eric, WHY don't you want to ride it? Give me a good reason!"
"Eric, what's the worst that could happen? You arent going to die!"
"Eric, you HAVE to do this to conquer your fears!"
"This is just A KIDDIE ride!"
"(Some random guy in line) My (insert family member here) hated roller coasters, and she rode this one, now she is obsessed with them! Get on it!"
"You just have to try it once! We won't bother you again if you try it and dont like it!"
"When was the last time you have rode one? It's going to be different this time!"

I'm sure you get my point by now, I just needed some time to vent. Instead of having fun with my group, and instead of them just talking about how much they were looking forward to it, or even, talking to me about what I would like to do that night, they just kept pressuring me that I had to ride it, or (blank). Or what? I'm not a man if I dont get on this thing? I'm not living my life to the fullest? I'll regret my life if I don't get strapped down, and jerked around on a death machine? The point is, I'm not a thrill-seeker...and that's okay!

I have so many hobbies, and so many passions. I have so many things I do that is carved into the fabric of my being. I go biking for miles and miles, which some of my other friends can't keep up with me. I'm a beast at racquetball. I love God, and am not ashamed of it. I love a good cheeseburger, or a philly cheesesteak. I have managed to make ping pong not only a sport, but an art. I love hiking.. especially when we go off the beaten path into the creeks. At the YMCA, I take yoga class for an hour, followed by an hour of KICKBOXING (coming from my background in martial arts, where I am a first degree black belt). I play the trumpet, and I LOVE music, especially the classic stuff. I volunteer at the Brighton Center with retirees, and LOVE it. I love ice cream, and watching movies. I'm obsessed with coffee. I wrote a book. I'm a man.

I can say all that stuff, but then when we go to kings island, all of a sudden my manhood is at stake. I get the sense that I have to prove something. I feel embarrased that I don't want to ride this, as 50 people in line are looking at me thinking "look at that chicken!" Then it gets worse. I feel like I'm going to be single forever because I don't want to ride this ride, which translates into I don't grab the bull by the horns, which translates into I'm not wild, and adventurous, which translates into I'm not a man.

The truth of the matter is, I'd rather go to the dentist than ride a roller coaster. Plain and simple. I'm not going to pay 5,000 dollars, and take out a consumer loan, by going to this theme park, and doing stuff I don't want to do. I'll say the same for Euchre too. I'm not going to sit somewhere for 5 hours, getting yelled at by my partner, and getting frustrated that I still dont understand the game. I'd rather go for a run, or have a cup of coffee with a really close friend. That's what I enjoy. The simple things. If that means that I'll never get a girlfriend, because I'm not adventurous enough, than fine. It's their loss.

Do what you love to do. If someone pressures you into doing something you dont want to do, like swim, dance, play badmitton, or ride roller coasters, just say "Nah, that's not really my cup of tea." Period. No need to explain, and then move on. You shouldn't feel pressured, or feel like your manhood is at stake, or that you have to prove something. There are so many more things that define you than your want to ride roller coasters.

God bless!

Eric

Midnight Snack

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with the munchies? I do. Actually I don't even wake up... it's more like before I go to bed (which is sometimes in the wee hours of the night! Shame on college screwing with my sleep schedule!) Anyway, my favorite midnight snack is milk and cookies. For those who know me will attest that I am an avid milk drinker. I like 2%, and whole milk. Cold or warmed up. Yes that's right you heard me correctly. I thought that drinking warm milk would be the cure to get my sleep schedule back on track. Instead it's just another strange quirk I picked up and a great conversation starter.

I find it so eerie though when I walk down the stairs at night. Not another soul is awake. The refrigerator reveals a bright light that you never really notice any other time. I stand around in that kitchen, staring at the window. The crazy part is, I keep thinking I will see some sort of ghost boy or something. I was talking with my friends at college a year or so ago, and they had these intense ghostly encounters. And ever since then, I keep waiting until it happens to me. 

I also find it eerie, that I feel like I'm the only one up on the entire street, maybe even the entire block. I use this time often to pray to God, and just reflect on some things. That's a good time to do that too because nothing else is going on at the moment. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God". I think it's important to just take some time to literally be still and reflect on how God has control of everything, and the fast, panicky thoughts of life are wasting your energy!

I hope this food-for-thought was helpful! Enjoy this awesome month of October!

The Best Compliment I've Ever Received

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing
1 Thessalonians 5:11


I was talking to one of my favorite customers the other night. I haven't seen him all summer, so I sat down with him for 10 minutes before I clocked in. He's a retired cop, who's stuck in his ways. He doesn't have a wife to keep him company, so he always sits in a booth by himself. He told me something that night that I will never forget. He said, "Eric, I've only met about 10 people in my life who I liked right off the bat. And you're one of them." He also added, "and I'm an old man too!" I was truly honored and was almost brought to tears!

What does a compliment like that say about me? I kept on thinking about it that night and the next day. What if it means that If I'm this likeable, and I made an impact in this guys life, what if I can impact others lives? I've always wanted to just impact lives, whatever my profession may be. But now with this guys encouragement I feel like I can really meet that goal.

Encouragement is so important. Something so small as a smile I think can really impact someones day, and encouraging words can impact someones life!

This may have been a shorter post, but I just had to share this bit of information!

Have a blessed day!

Competition

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do"

John Wooden

I was never a competitive kid growing up. I played soccer for 10 years, and was only able to score 1 goal! Not that I was on defensive most of the time either. Actually my favorite part about the soccer games was the post game snack. I also tried baseball, basketball, and received my black belt in Taekwondo. While the latter was a great accomplishment, the only trophies I recieved was "competitor trophies" a nice way of saying that I participated in the tournament, but didn't win anything!

I dont know when it hit me, but sometime around college I became competitive. A couple of my favorite sports is Table Tennis, and Racquetball. Table Tennis takes a great deal of hand-eye coordination, quickness, and skill. My trainer/good friend, taught me the art of how to spin the ball, in which I used to my advantage. In my four years at college, I became one of the greatest at the Baptist Student Center. Sure, there were guys who were better than me, but I started, at least, making a name for myself.

There is nothing like Racquetball either. Not only does it have "Willy Wonka" style doors, and echoing sounds, but it's the perfect stress reliever, as you can just hit that ball as hard as you can in the enclosed room. I started playing racquetball in middle school, but actually learned how to play for real later in high school. It doesn't take much equipment, it's very easy to learn, and it's very addicting!

The larger point I wanted to make on this blog was that having a competitive spirit can be a great thing. Early on in life, my main thought was I just don't really care. Why does playing this game matter? And it is just recreational. But what if these games are one giant metaphor for overcoming obstacles, and battling your inner-demons? It's about developing effort, and a will, that if even if you loose you can say that you gave it your best and move on. It's about gaining confidence, and even gaining a passion.

Now with all that in mind, I think there are alot of people who take it too far. When sports and competition takes priority over God, then it's an unhealthy competitive spirit. When you tear others down, become very angry and out of control, then it's an unhealthy competitive spirit. When you become a sore loser, or a sore winner, then you're missing the whole point about competition. It's all about good sportsmanship, encouraging others to do their best, and doing your best.

Exercise, Meditation, and Praise

It's 11:00pm on a humid july night. I get my bike out because this was the only time I found that was actually cool enough to enjoy a ride. I test out my brand new night light, an awesome upgrade from a little reflector that cars can barely see. I ride out to my favorite spot, which has a spectacular view overlooking the river, and airport runaways. If I'm lucky, I can spot planes landing or taking off to the great beyond.

It's in this moment where I have a moment in prayer to God. Not using big fancy words, or going into a ritual or a routine, but really just talking about my problems, and barriers, and most of all just asking for guidance. After I stare at the clouds, and lay down for a moment in the grass (shortly getting up after bothersome bugs and an uncomfortable bed of grass needles!) I get up and ride back home, continuing to talk to my creator, and just trying my best to listen.

Exercise, Meditation, and Praise is the PERFECT combination. Not only is it physically healthy, but it's also emotionally and spiritually healthy. While going to the gym has it's perks, I always feel like it's a chore. Plus I never know what to do. There are so many free weights, and machines. It's an indecisive persons worst nightmare! As I alluded to before, biking is one of the activities I enjoy in which I can not only get my workout in, but I can also spend time reflecting, and praying.

Since the start of the year though, I also picked up a new obsession, which is starting to really be ingrained in my identity: Praise Moves. Praise Moves is yoga incorporated with scripture, and prayer. I met a group of girls that do this in a small dance studio in Independence. The best part about it is, I feel like it's a small life group rather than a large yoga class you would find at a gym. Its an hour where you can just not think about all the problems in life, and get that spiritual encouragement from a community of believers. The bonus of this life group is getting a good workout, and increasing your balance and flexibility!

I conclude this blog by encouraging everyone to just get out there and stay active! Find a new activity, and a new small group that will encourage you, and help you get through the week.

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20

God Bless!

Eric