An award

Normally on Monday's my posts are called 'Weekend highlights' and I share our weekend activities. But this past weekend we just didn't do anything. I went to real estate school on Sat & Sun. Spouse went to the ghetto gym both mornings, went to the grocery store, and just hung out at home. We ate dinner at home both nights and watched TV. That's it. Spouse said it was "too cold" to go anywhere.

So, since our weekend highlights were summed up in a single paragraph, I'll share with you a lovely award I received: "Stylish Blogger Award". Since I've devoted my life to being stylish, you can imagine perfectly giddy I was to receive this! The conditions upon which one accepts the "Stylish Blogger Award" are as follows:

1. Thank and link back to the blogger that bestowed upon you this high honor
2. Share 7 things about yourself readers may/may not know
3. Grant the award to 5 others

I received this award from my personal friend and fellow blogger Ron who's blog is entitled Retired in Delaware. Thank you, Ron!! Now for the 7 things:

1. When I was a child and teenager my hair was extremely blond. It was kind of strange because my 3 siblings and both my parents all have brown hair. I remember that when I became aware that I was the only 1 in the family with blond hair I asked my mother if I was adopted. She laughed and said 'No', but I think a lot of things would make more sense if I were adopted.
2. Although I enjoy cocktails a great deal, I rarely drink at home. The only exception is when we have weekend guests and we have cocktails at home. But when its just the 2 of us here, I rarely drink at home. Spouse doesn't drink at all and I find it sort of sad to drink at home by myself. It sure is a lot cheaper to drink at home though!
3. I feel very confident about my career change. I don't expect to be anything but successful. This is significant to me because there is usually a good bit of uncertainty and nervousness associated with changing careers. But I am so sure that this is the right direction for me I do not feel nervous. I just wish I could finish my courses more quickly and get started.
4. I do not have an iTunes account or an iPod. I have an mp3 player I loaded with music from our CD collection and I listen to it mostly at the gym.
5. When I was a kid I was given black olives and nearly gagged from the taste. I decided I hated olives of all sorts and didn't eat them for about 30 years. Then it became popular to see olive assortments at cocktail parties and I decided to try some of them. I discovered that I loved kalamata olives, green olives stuffed with garlic, and green olives stuffed with jalapenos. Now I always have a jar of kalamata olives in the fridge.
6. I've been told by more than 1 person that I'm a good kisser.
7. Sometimes I'm surprised at how well things work out when I take my own advice. If I get worried or upset about something I sometimes ask myself what would I tell someone else who was going through this. Then I follow my own advice and things usually work out well.

Now for the 5 truly stylish bloggers to whom I will bestow the "Stylish Blogger Award":

1. cb at the Mangina Monologues
2. Kevin at The Lisp
3. Marc at Deep Dish
4. David at Another Mile Marker
5. Lewis at Spirit of Saint Lewis

Too much

Sun evening when Spouse & I were having pizza with Steve & Thad we had the most overly attentive, overly familiar, waitress in the world! She was really just too much.

She must have asked to refill our drinks a dozen times. Call me cynical, but if you're a waitress and you look at someone's glass and its still 3/4 full, why would you ask if they want a refill already? Its still 3/4 full!

Seemingly 10 minutes after we began to eat she asked us if we needed a take-home box. Um, no, we're still eating. After the 2nd time she asked if we need a take-home box, Steve said to us after she left our table "Look at us. Do we look like we don't finish our meals?"

She must have asked if we were "doing okay" 2 dozen times. I wanted to say "Yes, we're still doing okay. If we need anything we'll get your attention during one of the 8,000 times you pass our table", but instead I just smiled and said "Yes, thanks." Then she said "Okay, I just wanted to make sure." Make sure??? As if maybe we really don't know if we're doing fine?

Granted the restaurant was less than 1/2 occupied so she didn't have a lot of customers requiring her services. But that doesn't give her the right to harass people who are trying to eat and talk. It seemed like every time we'd get into a conversation about something she was there to interrupt with questions about refills and take-home boxes. I felt as if I needed to talk really fast so I could finish my statement before she returned.

The clincher is when she came to our table while we were talking about Whitney Houston's new album and how she doesn't sound the same due to all that screaming "Bobbaaaaaaayyy!!". Uninvited, the 17-year old (or so) waitress says to me "Aw, you shouldn't talk that way about me" and smiled.

I had no idea what she was referring to. I just looked at her for a minute, puzzled, and said "What? I wasn't talking about you." What I really meant was "I wasn't talking TO you."

Then she had the gull to say to me "Oh, you really are a true blond. I was just joking with you!" and walked away. I cocked my head to the side, blinked a few times, and said to my dinner companions "Oh, no she betta di'nt!!!"

Obviously, there were multiple things wrong with that:

1. I was having a conversation with my friends - NOT with you!
2. We were talking about Whitney Houston. Your name is Reina, so why would you think I was talking about you?
3. It is not funny when you interject a comment that is irrelevant into a conversation you were not invited to join.
4. It is not a "joke" when you basically call a customer a dumb blond.

The crazy part about it is that I really don't think she was trying to be a smart ass. I don't think she meant to be offensive or overly familiar. I really do think she was just young and unable to determine the correct level of interaction with her customers.

One thing is for sure: if she is our waitress again some day, I will have to find a polite way to tell her to back off or else she's not getting a tip!

Crush du Jour: Ben Bilic