...I serve gourmet food.

Well, I got the job.

And, this is what I've learned so far:
1. When someone says, "Excuse me, miss, do you have any cocktail sticks?" You should not misunderstand them thinking they were asking for cocktails.

"No, I'm sorry. We don't have hard liquor."

[Bemused expression on Business Man #1's face.]

"Yes, I know. Sometimes I feel the same way when you just need a cocktail! Hey, I don't care what you do on your lunch hour, youknowwhatI'msayin'?"

[Bemusement spreads to Business Man #2, #3, and #4's faces.]

"Hell, I'm from America. Anything goes! Woo!"

BM #2, "No no no, not cocktails. Cocktail sticks. You know, for teeth."

"Oh! Ohhhh...you mean toothpicks. Yes, I'll get them."

2. I'm supposed to have the preexisting knowledge of what a typical Irish breakfast entails. I have no f-ing clue.

3. When you order the side vegetable of the day with your "bangers and mash", you may get a side of potato with your mashed potatoes. True story.

4. The Irish have a funny way of pronouncing words.
Fillet = "Fill- et" versus "Fill- ay"
You try not laughing when a distinguished gentlemen with a rogue accent orders the baked salmon fill-et. It's like the President of the United States ordering the flaming yam instead of the filet mignon. Oh wait, that's another true story.

***

I enjoy waitressing. Working in a restaurant feeds off of my attention to detail and perfectionism. Knife and fork must be aligned...bottom edge of napkin must hit 1/8 mark of silverware..yes, yes...so perrrrrfect and shiny.

It also enables me to rejoice in the state of Immediate Gratification.
Polish bin of silverware. How many spoons/forks/knives can I polish at once? Goal identified. Goal reached. Bar raised. Bin empty.

Satisfaction.

Working in a restaurant is also a welcome distraction from the incessant diatribe occuring between my ears. My emotions oscillate hour to hour about what I should do. Stay in Dublin or move back to Portland.

Some say, stop thinking and start living. You overanalyze. (Guilty. Clearly.)

Others say, just stick it out. It will be worth it. Trust me.

Then there are those that say, well if you are that unhappy then just come home.

And my favorite because I think it's closest to the truth, sometimes it's the journey that provides the greatest lessons, not the destination itself.

My current (and by current I mean my thought at 17:05:43) plan of action is to ignore your advice and do what I want. Hence, the break from blogging. I wanted to spare my beloved audience the pain and suffering of listening to my inner dialogue. Day after day after day...God, Kmac, get a life!