I've been reading The Power of Now, which is a very interesting tome (by Eckhart Tolle, in case you want to check it out from the library).
One of the things it talks about is watching your brain as it works. This sounds kinda weird, but it's interesting to see the results. For example: A friend of mine tells me some unwelcome news, and I start to feel sad, with the resultant physical results -- weird funny feeling in pit of stomach, sluggish brain, thoughts obsessively running in a little hamster-wheel contraption (in other words, following the same path over and over without getting anywhere).
It's weird. It's very odd to have feelings and then observe the feelings, because something happens immediately -- you begin to feel detached from those feelings and the thoughts that are causing them. Like, "Why did such-and-such make me feel like THAT?"
The idea is that by observing your thoughts, you become increasingly detached until you and your brain are clearly two distinct animals. This helps you tap into the vast power of life itself. Living in the moment, so to speak. And that's helpful because life is complicated enough without our big brains complicating things further.
I'm going home now.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Setting the Bar
Today was my first bar shift at Chili's Conifer ... I loved it. I absolutely love being behind the bar. It's my own little domain, I set it up in the morning the way I like it, nobody else comes back there and everything is right where I need it. Love it!! Here are some other pros of being behind the bar:
1. When I have nothing else to do, I'm expected to stand around and chat with my customers. Which I like to do anyway as a server, but never have time for.
2. No kids. I like kids when they're well-behaved, and when the parents are well-behaved, but let's face it ... how often does that happen? Exactly. So no kids is awesome.
3. I'm never REALLY all that bored ... I mean, it wasn't super busy today, but there are always dishes to wash, fruit to cut, things to clean. Occasionally drinks to make, beer to restock, kegs to change.
4. It pays well. It wasn't busy today, like I said, but I made $27 off six people, and that doesn't even include tipout. So I made as much money today as I would have on the floor, only I did less work and had more fun.
5. I'm working in Conifer, with windows on three sides of me, and it is absolute gorgeous, especially with a dusting of snow all around. What a view to have at work.
6. Ditto for the drive.
7. The money is fantastic for the amount of work I put in. I suppose it takes an extra level of skill to be a bartender and be able to multitask ... but ... seriously. I stand around and chat and make a few drinks and make as much as I do running my ass off as a server.
So now that's my Sunday shift. Yippee!
And a random thought about technology and music: My iPod is on the fritz right now. I may just have to get a new one -- it's old. And my car is old, too, it's a '93 Volvo that has a radio and a tape deck. As in cassette tape. I love my car, it's fantastic and classy and fun, but I have no CD player, and I don't even know where to buy blank cassette tapes. So I think it's kind of interesting how my car was musically bereft in the years after CD and before MP3. Once I get an iPod figured out, I can listen to my music in my car to my heart's content. Meanwhile, I have KGNU, with its spiritual and news programs, its reggae show on Saturdays from 1 to 3 and general good listening material.
I do need to get a speaker replaced in ol' Volvy, though. One of the back speakers is blown and crackles like crazy and drives me a little bit nuts sometimes.
1. When I have nothing else to do, I'm expected to stand around and chat with my customers. Which I like to do anyway as a server, but never have time for.
2. No kids. I like kids when they're well-behaved, and when the parents are well-behaved, but let's face it ... how often does that happen? Exactly. So no kids is awesome.
3. I'm never REALLY all that bored ... I mean, it wasn't super busy today, but there are always dishes to wash, fruit to cut, things to clean. Occasionally drinks to make, beer to restock, kegs to change.
4. It pays well. It wasn't busy today, like I said, but I made $27 off six people, and that doesn't even include tipout. So I made as much money today as I would have on the floor, only I did less work and had more fun.
5. I'm working in Conifer, with windows on three sides of me, and it is absolute gorgeous, especially with a dusting of snow all around. What a view to have at work.
6. Ditto for the drive.
7. The money is fantastic for the amount of work I put in. I suppose it takes an extra level of skill to be a bartender and be able to multitask ... but ... seriously. I stand around and chat and make a few drinks and make as much as I do running my ass off as a server.
So now that's my Sunday shift. Yippee!
And a random thought about technology and music: My iPod is on the fritz right now. I may just have to get a new one -- it's old. And my car is old, too, it's a '93 Volvo that has a radio and a tape deck. As in cassette tape. I love my car, it's fantastic and classy and fun, but I have no CD player, and I don't even know where to buy blank cassette tapes. So I think it's kind of interesting how my car was musically bereft in the years after CD and before MP3. Once I get an iPod figured out, I can listen to my music in my car to my heart's content. Meanwhile, I have KGNU, with its spiritual and news programs, its reggae show on Saturdays from 1 to 3 and general good listening material.
I do need to get a speaker replaced in ol' Volvy, though. One of the back speakers is blown and crackles like crazy and drives me a little bit nuts sometimes.
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