A Warrior Lost. A Battle To Win.

A warrior died today. A fearless, staunch, tireless warrior fell on the battlefield. A hero. An icon. We will lay to rest the body of Mrs. Coretta Scott King but, we will never cease fighting for her cause. We will pick up her valiant struggle against injustice and intolerance so often and still found in every corner of these united states. It's a hard and fierce struggle that oftentimes seems to be a lost cause. Hopeless. Un-winnable. I say it is not. No, let me say that again for I want it to be heard. THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY FOR EVERY MAN AND WOMAN IN THIS COUNTRY IS NOT A LOST CAUSE! She picked up the cause of gay rights when so many African-American leaders shunned the gay community, accusing them of co-opting the Civil Rights Movement. Mrs. King did not. She saw that civil rights are EVERYONE'S rights! That no one should be kept from the vast and plentiful table of America. She took up the cause of A.I.D.S. awareness. She saw this horrible disease was killing Americans of all races, creeds and orientations, and that was unconscionable. She saw the government stand by and do nothing. She fought to be heard. And she was. There are those who would say her message has been lost in the world today. That her methods, and the methods of her late husband, are an anachronism in today's society. I am here to say, I have heard the siren call to arms. And I have heard the message. And it is good. Rest in peace, Mrs. King. Know that your legacy is beating in the hearts and minds of everyone who takes breath within these borders. And that I will fight for the rights of EVERYONE to have their place in this great land.

Cafe Selections

The flagship Cafe has just posted this newest item: Roses On The Piano And Tulips On The Organ, Right? Get it while the gossip is fresh!

Sunday Workout. Work. Monday Workout.

I decided that I wanted to go to the gym before work (how unusual) so I arranged to work out at Little Jose's gym in his building. When I got there, he was clutching his abdomen, evidently he was being a monkey boy, as usual, and gashed himself jumping off of something in his apartment. It wasn't anything too bad but, by the look of it I could tell it was one of those cuts/scrapes that burn and hurt worse than they are. I ran through my routine, like I have said before, it's rather limited on the equipment there. I brought some WD-40 to grease up the rather old machinery and it made a great deal of difference. Before, we needed help to use the bench press area for even the lighter weight, just for the initial lift because the tracks it runs on are no longer lubricated. After I used the WD-40, I could bench almost the highest weight by myself. And I was by myself because the injured one went up to get ready for work. After I finished, I got ready and he, his cousin and I went to McDonald's. I didn't eat, although it's hard as hell not to have McDonald's French fries. I try to limit my fast food restaurant consumption to once a week. That stuff is toxic (see: Super Size Me) but, damn good. We went to work and I chatted (read: gossiped) with Miss Tene, who is still recovering from her nose/eye job and liposuction. She's doing fine, the swelling in her face went down and she is looking like her old self, only cat-eyed and with a button nose. And skinnier. Upstairs, we ended up being rather busy. I think we had some people in the club from a recent gay wedding ceremony (not that it's legal, thank you to all my straight friends for keeping the sanctity of marriage from me. That's a sincere "thank you". I read about your marriages, I am so glad that "option" is not on my horizon). On top of that, the drag performer of the evening, Claudia Dumont, brought a big group of people to cheer her on. She'll be performing once a month. I saw some people I hadn't seen in a while, Lauritza Dumont and her boytoy from New York and a few others. They didn't recognize me with my new look. The short hair, sideburns, goatee and body. I guess I have broken through a plateau because everyone was remarking on how I looked. It's nice to know that all of my efforts are beginning to pay off. Believe me, it is the hardest thing, going to the gym on a regular basis and having to eat so damn much (healthy crap, not the good stuff). The health benefits alone are worth it but, come on, I can't lie. I ain't doing it to be healthy, I wanna look good!
Why can't there be a pill. Ugh!
Anyway, we ended up touching money by the end of the night (if we can touch money in our tip box when we put it in the little slot, it usually means a very good night). Little Jose and his cousin were hungry, again, so we went to the Chelsea Pub, one of my old hangouts from the late '80's when I used to work at the Tropicana. It hasn't changed a bit. Still a dirty ol' bar. They dropped me off and I passed out.

I must have caught up on my sleep debt of the last few days because I pretty much slept till dinner time. La Chunk decided to bake some chicken, one of those dinner bake boxed things. It was good. But then again, when your flatmate makes you dinner with love, it's always good. I sat and watched bad telly until Miss Patti got off of work. She, Dorian and I went to Island Gym and we had a great workout. I am getting to the point where I am going to have to separate my routine. I do a whole body thing every time, which was recommended by a friend of mine to build myself up to this point, getting my whole body in good shape first. Now I am going to concentrate on different areas with each visit.

Oh my gods, who the hell am I and what the hell have I done with Mortimer!?!

O.K. Time for bed. Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Pictures Of Me

George and Mortimer My back, or a billboard, you decide. Looking like a farmer. By the way, I learned how to Photobucket!

It's What Time? And I Am Still Home?

I never went out. I looked in my wallet and moths flew out. Reviewing my finances is always a good way to dissuade myself from going out. Poop!

I did go to Little Jose's and used his gym. I didn't feel like walking the two miles to my gym so, I IMed him and coordinated things to use the gym in his building. He sat with me for a bit, and we caught up on the week, I hadn't seen or talked to him since last Sunday. With his work and school, I never get to see my buddy anymore. Poop!

He left (things to do) and I did an abbreviated workout, since the machines there are not much more than what they used in Roman times. Very limited. I got the major areas done, which is what I wanted to do. Just to keep things up. I took a few shots after my workout, it felt weird doing that, almost like I was doing some sort of porn (my clothes were on). I can't believe it's me in the pictures. If Miss Patti gets her errands done early today, I'll have the pictures ready to download and I will post them to both Cafes. I was chatting with Rita the other day and told her she won't recognize me when she comes back from the Philippines in April. I figure I'll send her some shots so she knows it's really me.

I chatted with Miss Tene and it seems I am off the hook about Friday. Good. I didn't need that on my plate.

I haven't been sleeping. I get a few hours in and that's it. And my dreams are very wild and vivid. I am getting a whole lot done around the penthouse, though.

I can't wait to work tonight!

There are a few things over at our original Cafe, for those on the exclusive guest list. It is our flagship location and we don't let just anyone in!

Just The Best Day!

Today was absolutly magnificent! I must say, starting with that spectacular sunrise, the day just got better and better. I decided that sitting in front of this computer was not the best option I had, even though I am dirt poor. I still have my health and my bodily functions so I got my tight white ass dressed and took a great constitutional down the famous Atlantic City boardwalk and through the city. I brought my camera along and took some great photos of the city, some shots that tourists don't normally get to see of some of my favourite buildings and a few pictures of The Walk, where a new Ruby Tuesday is about to open (on Tuesday, go figure). The boardwalk was packed, the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I haven't a clue how high the temperature climbed but, I had my motorcycle jacket open over a T-shirt and was actually getting a bit warm. This is a great town to people watch in and it was a good day for that particular sport.
I was so busy snapping pictures of The Walk, on my way to the Sheraton to see Chunkie, that I almost bumped into him, literally, on the street. We decided to walk down to Pacific Avenue to catch the jitney together and go home.
I was in a movie mood (I know La Chunk has already journaled about this) and decided to do a late fifties/early sixties double feature. I don't know what set that off but, we sat and watched some fabulous modern flicks that were compleat homages of their counterparts from the eras they covered. One very melodramatic (Far from Heaven) and one very light and fluffy (Down with Love). Like a good meal and great dessert. Then he cooked an actual dinner and we ate. I am contemplating the gym, what else is new, and maybe a stop out at the club. Guido is going to be there tonight and I just love him. Actually, this might be good, I am always working when he's there and now I can hang out with him for once. That's cool!

So, if you know of a job, let me know. I really need one. This is beginning to suck. Big time.

Time to get ready for the House Of Pain, a.k.a. Island Gym.

Movie And Movin' It!

I had made plans with Miss Patti and I just couldn't blow her off totally. I am getting very nervous about her upcoming surgery. I haven't let on to her that it is beginning to scare the living hell out of me. I know it's major surgery. It has a lot of risks. I do not know what I would do without her and this is beginning to make me very scared. She's been so cool with it and I don't want to alarm her so, I just act like nothing is wrong but, inside, I am shaking. She means the whole world to me.

Anyway, we went to the movies and saw Memoirs of a Geisha. I really had high expectations for the film and I don't want to sound as if I didn't like it but, it just didn't really flesh out the book in the manner I was expecting. My biggest impression from the book was all about the process of becoming Geisha, and the kimono. The art of making them, and the art of wearing them. I know that it would be quite hard to visualize something like that. Maybe that's why they concentrated on the rivalry of the characters instead but, when the book described the kimonos, the seasonal ones, and the special event ones, and how they wore them, the process and the reasons for why it is so structured and ceremonial, my impression was that the kimono was central to the art of geisha, and that was lost in the movie. A geisha house was nothing without it's "library" of kimonos, they are extrodinarily expensive to produce, especially from a well known artisan. Any house with a store of the finer kimonos would be a great geisha house. That was my impression from the book. The actresses were beautiful and some of the scenes were breathtaking. It was a fine movie on it's own but, I don't feel I learned as much about that secretive world as I did through the book.

Patti wanted to go out (and did, to the casino and a karaoke bar) but, I was still in my mood. I begged off and she dropped me at the gym.
That did the trick to get me out of my mood! I had a wonderful workout, I attacked the machines like nobody's business and caught a few of the girls on the treadmills checkin' me out! That's always good for the ol' ego. Nobody was really there so it was almost like having the place to myself. I really am getting bigger. I just reviewed some of the pictures from Wednesday and I was suprised at how I looked. As soon as I get them downloaded, I'll post.

I guess it's time to wind down and get some rest. I have to fix Miss Patti's toilet tomorrow. Yes, I can do such things. I have many skills, just don't tell anyone.

Oh, just because, I emailed my entry Dear Oprah, to Oprah. I figured she's not a part of J-land so she might not come across it in her daily rounds.

Nothing To Report, Yet.

I took another day off today. I laugh at that! As you all know, all I have is days off. I am seriously considering looking for another job. I really need something to tide me over since the club is probably not reopening until after St. Valentine's Day. This I found out last evening (Wednesday) at work. Hmm...work. Not really, it was more like, stand around and chat. It wasn't all that busy, thank you January, and Alana and I were jumping on every customer that came up the steps to wait on them and converse. I got a few good photos of the "festivities" but, I haven't downloaded them yet.
Work on the Studio is coming along, they stripped away some of the wall along the dance floor and unearthed some of the old wall covering, which immediately took me back to my youth when I first started going to the Studio at fifteen years old. What flashbacks! I had totally forgotten just how bad it looked back then, very tacky but, at the time, it was the height of fashion. Think Solid Gold. If I have to explain that reference to you, I will slap your young-as-hell ass! I am excited to see the finished product, I can't wait. We were discussing some of the changes and it sounds too cool for school! My GM has a fantastic idea, which I can't discuss yet, for (re)opening night. I think it is quite brilliant. When he gives me the go-ahead, I'll spill the beans in the Cafe, of course.
Today had been uneventful, all I did was eat and go to the gym. I guess that's something. We decided on the Northfield gym, just to mix up our workout routine and keep it fresh. I didn't really feel like exercising but, I did my sacrifice to the gods of pain and hope to be rewarded this summer when I work shirtless behind the bar.
That will not happen.
Well...maybe.
It's time for bed, I have so much to do tomorrow and I don't feel like doing a damn thing. I guess I should get that resume together and start pounding the pavement for a part-time job.
Good grief!

Dear Oprah,

Today I watched with bemused fascination your "apology" and raking over the coals of discredited author, Mr. James Frey, on your syndicated gab fest, Oprah. I just couldn't help but smirk at your accusation to Nan Talese, the editor of Doubleday Books taking her to task for not fact checking Mr. Frey's assertions in his book. Telling her, in effect, that she didn't ask the hard questions because so much of his book put up red flags. Now, on the one hand, if these red flags are going up now, in twenty-twenty hindsight, then it's hardly fair to reprimand Ms. Talese for not questioning the facts of his book. Hindsight is always clear and obvious but, it's not really reasonable to expect her to catch what no one else did at the time of the book's publishing and subsequent success. And if these "red flags" went up when you read the book, then why did you choose it for your show, or at least have your staff check the facts presented in the book?
Now, on the other hand, how dare you assert that Ms. Talese failed to ask the hard questions to Mr. Frey about his memoir when you are known throughout the journalistic world as the queen of the softball questions. You bring on celebrity guest after notable guest and pretty much stick to the script that their publicist gives you, never straying off the topic the guest wants to/is willing to discuss. It galls me to see you so hypocritically castigate these people about "lying" to you and embarrassing you but, Ms. Winfrey, in the name of ratings and making nice-nice, you lie to us, by omission, when you don't take opportunities with those guests that have more on their plate than their current movie/sitcom/decor project they are trying to promote.
So, don't sit there so sanctimonious, going on about how "he done me wrong" and singing the blues. You have dropped the ball numerous times over your twenty plus year career. Apologize for that, first, then deal with this.
By the way, how in the hell did you get him to come on your show? I kept imagining thugs just off camera, menacingly standing there making sure he sat quietly while you gave him a very public whipping. .

Deep Water, Wade In At Your Own Risk

I suppose, after my rather busy day yesterday, I needed this day of rest. Although I am in the midst of doing laundry, household chores are neverending, I haven't accomplished much. I just rewatched the sublime movie, Elizabeth, about the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. It begins before her ascension to the throne, when she was almost killed for heresy, being a Protestant Bastard Princess in a (under her sister Queen "Bloody" Mary) Catholic country until about a decade or so into her sixty-five year reign. It was the debut of Cate Blanchett, one of my most favourite actors. And what a debut, to play the Virgin Queen of England! She is luminous in the role, I think she was born to play this character. Her transformation from innocent pawn to Her Majesty the Queen is simply amazing. The movie is also notable for filming in the actual locations where the events took place but, the money shot is right at the end, when she is dressed in full regalia, as the bride of England, all in sumptuous white, dripping in pearls and diamonds. Breathtaking! Of all the monarchs of Britain, she stands as my personal favourite. When she took the throne, England was besieged on all sides with enemies and flat broke. When she died, it was the richest, most powerful Empire in the world. Not bad for a bastard sentenced to death by her crazy sister.
Gives you hope, in a way.
It also gives you pause. I have read a few biographies on her and of that period in time and it's astounding the amount of hatred and blood that was spilled in the name of God. The extreme lengths the Pope and his Cardinals and priests went to to eradicate, no, assassinate the Queen just because she was not Catholic and refused to accept his final authority over Her country. And that's not letting the Protestants off the hook, by no means, they weren't known for compassion when it came to torturing and killing anyone found practicing Catholicism in the privacy of their homes. It was a bloody time and religion seemed to play a big part in that bloodshed. It's a shame for two sides of the same religion, essentially, to take such measures against each other in the name of God, Jesus and Mary. It's shades seem to be in the ideological war we are waging now, between Christianity and Islam. Although, those beliefs seem to have been at odds for far longer and far bloodier.
It's a shame, that the worship of a higher being makes us act like animals.

Time for dinner and then getting ready for work. I need to clear these rather deep thoughts if I am going to deal with the crackheads at the club.

Of Red Lights And A Red Car

What a strange day Miss Patti and I had! It seemed that we spent more time in her chariot (a little red Mitzubishi) then we did doing the things we wanted to do. Well, that she wanted to do. I was just along for the ride. I think the problem started when she got her bloodwork done at the hospital for her upcoming surgery. She wasn't exactly running on a full tank. She was actually very funny. We decided to go to the ShopRite. She needed some additional supplies since she will be unable to do much for quite a while. Of course, I kept seeing things that I wanted in the aisles while she was spinning in circles. Literally. She kept losing her mind and just stood there, looking off into space. It was hysterical. So, while she spun, I shopped! I am not one to shop at a supermarket, that's La Chunk's area of expertise. We ended up buying crap, because we were hungry. I got stuff that Chunk normally doesn't get for me. Stuff I eat and he doesn't, which is fine, he's the one going. Anyway, she showed me the self-check-out. A nifty little thing except, you have to scan EVERYTHING and when someone buys thirty cans of cat food (Patti!) it can get a bit...tedious! I bought a carload of stuff and off we went to her place to refridgerate the perishables. Then it was off to Staples for some printing materials. Then we went to eat at the Phoenix diner, and ran into one of my former barbacks who now works there. Fendi is from Asia Minor, one of the skinny countries that line the lower part of the continent. Gods know which one. He's very nice. It was so good to see him. Our food was diner food, good, filling but, nothing to write about here. Then it was back to her place for the perishables and off to my penthouse to digest a bit before going to the gym. The reason why I entitled this entry with "...Red Lights..." is because Miss Patti lives off the White Horse Pike and all of the places we went were on one side or the other of the highway so, we spent so much time waiting at lights to get across the damn road. It was getting rather...tedious. It's all good, though. I got a carload of groceries and made La Chunk wonder what the hell got into me!
I was talking to Dorian on the computer and convinced him to join the gym, that way I have a gym buddy when Miss Patti is convalescing. He did well, following my routine but, with much lighter weights. I don't say that as an insult, I wouldn't let him use anything too heavy. The worse thing you can do is to overdo it when you first start working out. We got a great workout in, except for Patti. We forgot that with her lack of blood, working out wouldn't really be the best idea. She kept getting dizzy so, she just watched us.
Now I am home, Delio and I made nice and I am going to get ready for bed.

I have to work tomorrow.

Nice!

The Week-End!

Friday Miss Patti picked me up and off we went to the movies. Underworld: Evolution was our choice. It had to be, I have had the screensaver and background on my computer for a month now. It picked up right where Underworld left off, it was one hell of a long night. Actually, now that I think about it, both movies combined only cover two nights. I have had weekends like this! The movie really upped the ante with special effects and I liked the plot line about the vampires becoming even more advanced (they have wings and are bent on world domination). There were some obvious moments, like when one of the lead characters dies. You just know they really didn't but, all in all, it was a great thrill ride, and the money shot at the end wasn't the helicopter crashing through the castle and chopping someone to bits (which was really cool), it was the shot of Scott Speedman, shirtless at the end. I howled like a werewolf! Yum! We decided to do a bit of shopping, she need a rug, so a stop at Value City was in order. We wandered the mall, with rug and some really cheap (forty cents) boxes of Christmas cards in hand, and wanted to eat, deciding on T.G.I. Friday's. Wrong. Everyone else in the world decided to eat there as well, the line spilled out to the parking lot. I then recommended the Rainforest Cafe which is in town at Trump Plaza on the boardwalk. Some of my customers that work there religiously come to the club on Sundays to see me. I am so glad we went. Ron and Meredith were thrilled to death to see me and we were taken care of quite nicely! We both shared the lava nachos, which was so big, it was a meal in and of itself. Then I had a salad before our main courses came. Miss Patti broke the cardinal rule of dining out and ordered the same damn thing I ordered. It was the chicken fried steak over delicious smashed red bliss potatoes and fresh chilled veggies on the side in a tasty light vinegar dressing. We were in heaven! The portions were HUGE! Patti couldn't finish her's but, I am eating for the gym so, I made a magic plate (what my family called it when you ate everything on the plate, it's magic, it disappeared!). If you've never been, let me tell you, the decor is like being in a jungle, with the requisite animals making noises. I could NEVER work there with a hangover. The gorillas would be yanked out of the wall and thrown on the boardwalk!
So, we said our good-byes and went to my penthouse to digest and get ready for the club. I was meeting Liza of Liza's Life at Club Tru, I was so excited to get to meet yet another J-land journaler. She emailed me many times letting me know when she'd be down and how excited she was. This was going to be really cool
.
It never happened.

I put her and her sister on the guest list. I waited and waited and waited. Nothing.

So I went home. Bitch!

Saturday found me itching to work. Miss Patti and I did the gym, which was great, I am really liking how I look and the workout was just what I needed to get the jitters out. I was feeling a bit trepidatious working in the V.I.P. I had run the room a while ago (where my arch enemy was my barback and friend and I treated him so well. Now I regret every dollar I gave him, more on this in the original Cafe) and was forced out by the previous management. I vowed never to walk up those steps again. But, I needed money and I love Lexi, who runs the room now. I caved. So what!
It was looking like I had made the wrong decision. The club was, in a word, DEAD! I went downstairs to see if I knew anyone, to let them know I was upstairs but, there wasn't a soul there. Well, not that many. Enough to make Tru look busy but, not all that busy. I had gotten there at eleven and it was now six in the morning. Then it happened. Starting around six-thirty, they started coming in and it never stopped! Bottles of champagne and Ketel One and Grey Goose were flying over the bar! I never stopped making drinks, going back and forth like a machine. It was great. Everyone was there and we worked our butts off. And the Mortimer Curse was in full effect, CLUB TRU CLOSED BEFORE WE DID! That's right, yet again I was the last person out of the club! No matter what bar I work at, or what position I am in, I am always the last person out of the club. Not that I am complaining, my wallet was very full and I was very, very happy.

Thank you Lexi and Chris for letting me work on Saturday. It has been so bad for me financially, that really helped a lot. Thank you so much!

Sunday came and I got ready for work, wearing one of my tightest T-shirts (hey, I'm greedy, tight shirts mean more tips) and flying out the door to the jitney, totally forgetting to ring Little Jose. We usually coordinate our trip to work to catch the same jitney bus. He arrived shortly after I did, asking if I was angry with him. I wasn't but, I did get peeved at him later. Ron and Meredith showed up, of course, and it got nice and busy for a bit but, it slowed down shortly after the open bar ended. I was miffed because here I was, still running around like a madman, waiting on people and he was just sitting there, talking to someone who wasn't even drinking. ForEVER! I am not going to work for his ass, and I told him so. And he had the nerve to back-talk me! I was not having it! I wanted to back-hand him! The rest of the night was spent with me being a jerk to him and him being smart to me. Not good.
After we were done, I was downstairs in the Rail and rang him to come down so we could share a taxi home. I apologized for my behaviour and made nice. I was being a bitch and I knew it. I was still exhausted from the evening before and I guess I took it out on him more than I should (although he did deserve some of it). Oh well. I haven't heard from him since so, I am not sure if the apology worked.

Monday was the usual coma day.

Liza, I am still waiting...

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Drop by and get an eyeful of the juiciest gossip in Atlantic City!

Death. Food. Sleep. In That Order.

Well, the funeral was in a Catholic church with a mass. Just what I needed. Stand, sit, kneel, sit, stand, kneel! Oy vey! I kept saying to a friend of mine, let's go over to Beth Shalom and check out their funeral (there was one there as well), I'm getting awful tired of all this moving around!
Just everyone was there, Tootsie was very well known. I had a good time, even with the torrential downpour and winds, which is funny because, right now, it's beautiful outside. I have said it before, funerals are like being the guest of honor at the WORST PARTY EVER! I have been to so many, and lost so many friends, that being at a funeral is actually like a party for me. I see so many people I know and I like to honor the memory of my friend with laughter, not tears. Miss Patti, Chunkie and I were trying to make each other laugh. I am respectful of those that enjoy shrouding themselves in black and doing the whole "widow's walk" thing but, like I said, I will have a good time at your funeral. For gods sake, I had a great time when you were alive, why be all maudlin now?

A funny aside, the two altar "boys" were collectively 150 years old. Are the Catholics that worried about their priests that they have to have altar boys who need canes?

Afterward, we went to Brittany's Cafe for a little meal. I wanted to skip the official event, it wasn't at a venue I am comfortable in and wasn't where I'd always see Toots, belly up to the bar at the Brass Rail, playing the video machine and regaling me with tales of NYC and Taj Mahal. Miss Patti and I went to the mall for an errand and now I am home. As expected, I didn't get any sleep last night and now I am very tired. Even after a pot of coffee. Time for a nap and then later I'll mosey on over to the gym for a good pre-work workout!

Sleep Is A Fleeting Thing

Miss Patti and I just got back from the gym. Another successful workout! Although, here I am, looking in the mirror, lifting dumbbells, thinking I look good when some big, shredded dude comes in and starts pumping a million pounds right next to me. Suddenly, I feel a bit...inadequate. I guess it's like penis envy but, with muscles. Oh well. I don't want to be that big, anyway. I am pretty low maintenance and it's a shock that I actually have kept at this level for as long as I have. I have incorporated ab crunches and leg lifts and I added a few new machines/weights to my usual routine. I like the results and it helps keep the workouts fresh.
You know what, I am getting bigger. I am over 180lbs now. That's great. And I look skinnier than I did when I was 165lbs.

I have my friend's funeral tomorrow so, I will have to try to sleep but, I am on an endorphin rush. Plus, the fact that the funeral is in the morning is going to play on my mind and I probably won't get much sleep tonight. I will have to take a nap tomorrow, since I have to work at the club. Wow, how neat, I get to work!

I didn't really do much today. Just a bit of cleaning in my bedroom and some laundry and I cooked dinner for La Chunk and I and was on the phone all day with some people getting the gossip. Plus, I finally switched out my seasonal clothes. Little Jose is getting another bag of hand-me-downs. If I am in the mood to be generous to the little putz!

Off to bed.

So Far...So Good. Just Wait.

Sunday found me in a pickle. I really wanted to go to the gym but, we had that little blizzard the evening before which nixed those plans for both Saturday and Sunday. I was chatting with Little Jose on IM and asked to use his gym, which he agreed and said he'd work out with me (he needs it more than I, snicker). He took a nap and I did some things around the penthouse, it's my new obsession. I get a text message from the putz (after telling him I can't afford to waste my minutes, I am on a budget) around seven saying that he just woke up and could we work out around nine. Fine, I think, and ring him (from my land line) leaving a message to that effect. I go visit my Father, who clutched his chest, looked up to the sky and told his mother he's coming up to see her (real funny) since this was my fifth visit in three months. He's a laugh riot! We sat and watched the game (don't ask) and talked. It's funny, I have gone there with every hair style and colour in the rainbow and, the shaved head didn't go over so well with him. Who woulda thunk! I go back home and got my stuff together figuring that since we are working out so close to when we had to be at the club to work, I'd just get ready at his place. I packed a bag of my club gear, got the huge bag of clothes that I was giving him, and trudged to his place in the snow and ice, looking for all the world like a homeless person.

He never answered the bloody door.

To say I was...umm...aggravated would be an understatement. I banged on his door and rang his piece of shit phone to no avail. His neighbors all heard me but, did he? NO! I left the bag of clothes and trudged back through the snow and ice back home, do my home workout, get ready and go to work.
He rang me from home to say he just got up, this was after we had already opened. It was time for the guilt trip, of course. I told him I was angry that I had to walk five miles, through the snow, wind in my face, UPHILL, with a heavy bag of clothes for him only to be let down because he didn't answer the door, then I had to walk five miles back home, barefoot, through the snow up to my waist, UPHILL, with a pack on my back.
Let's just say, I didn't work for the rest of the evening.
I love guilt. I should be a Jewish mother! Oy!

Miss Patti and I went to the gym last night. At this point, I didn't want to go. It had been a few days and I just hate doing that first day back but, I know that if I want a godbod, I have to go. So we went. I am glad I did. I gave the guy that works there some more CD's from the club, he practically has an orgasm every time I give him one. He immediately played the Guido Osario CD which was great, it got me pumping in no time and I got a great workout in. I am a bit sore today, which I knew I would be since I hadn't been to the gym in a while but, it's all good. Now, I can't wait to go tonight. It's my other obsession.

I guess I'll get some more done around the penthouse. Tomorrow I have a funeral to go to and I get paid, thank the gods. I am sure I'll have some more gossip to tell. It seems every time I go to the office, there's something to chat about.

Miss Tene is back from Mexico. She had some work done so, I'll have to give the prognosis and the review of her latest round of surgeries as soon as I see her. And any gossip will, of course, be at our original location: Mortimer's Cafe.

In Memoriam (R)

Last Wednesday I found out that my friend, Tom Magill died. He was a wonderful person. He loved his bloody marys and taught me a lot about the Brass Rail and it's inner workings. He was quite the story teller and kept me company many a day in the Rail.

Last evening I found out my friend, Tootsie, died. He was a master of colourful language and a good person, always ready with a helping hand and a meal and a cocktail. His liquor bill for his home rivaled any nightclub! I will miss seeing him at his usual spot, right next to Brandie playing the video machine and demanding his vodka and soda with two lemons and asking how that fat fuck, Chunkie, is doing, lol.

Why does heaven get all the angels?

Saturday Off. What. Ever.

It's just my rotten luck. We are a bit behind on the cable bill which sucks, normally but, we're not in the danger of having our link to the outside world shut off, yet. The problem is, the remote broke. The little metal connectors that link the batteries are now floating around inside the damn thing. I can't fix it and the worse thing, I can't replace it until we are caught up with our payments. Now the problem is that being without a job means catching up on payments will be very hard to do. And, being without a job means I only have one escape, the telly! THIS SUCKS! It's not that I am lazy, by the way, and won't get up off the couch to change the channels. It's just that we have EVERY bloody channel! All of them. Every premium movie channel, all the HDTV channels, every sports channel, and it's not like Comcast puts the channels in any particular order so, scrolling through a million channels to get to the one you want (that is when you remember the number it's on) is a pain in my tuchis!

Yesterday, I got up early and had a cup of Joe. Well, there must have been rocket fuel in there because I was on a tear shortly thereafter. I don't know what got in to me but, I just started organizing everything. You know those piles of papers that collect on a table, or two. And that box over there...wait...what the hell IS in that box anyway? And that cabinet, what's in there, exactly, and why does it deserve a huge cabinet all by itself? Then there was the cooler sitting in the dining room still full of beer from the Alternate Thanksgiving. I forgot all about it since my flatmates put all this junk around it and I didn't even remember it was sitting there. So, while my other roommate, Mommie Dearest, took down the Christmas decorations, I cleaned and sorted the detrius of my life, and La Chunk's life. Oh, he was watching a movie. A John Waters flick and if you are familiar with the director, you know how sick that was. During the day, Mommie Dearest and I stopped and acted out a few of the scenes in the movie.
I was on a roll, and wanted to do more but, Miss Patti rang me up wanting to go to the mall. It seems she had a few gift certificates burning a hole one of her thousands of pocketbooks and wanted to spend! Spend! SPEND! Well, I couldn't let her spend alone, and neither could Chunkie so, we got showered (I hadn't showered since Wed and it was now Sat, shh, don't tell) and dressed and went SHOPPING! The Hamilton Mall was packed, like Christmas, ugh! Luckily, they got rid of all the holiday extras, the additional racks full of things you only see around Christmas and the fakafta decorations. So, even though it was busy, there was more room to shop. Mind you, I had exactly two dollars in my wallet so, I was at the mercy of my friends. I was simply brought along as the donkey, to carry the goods back to the chariot. That's fine. I got a meal out of it at Ruby Tuesdays. I bumped into a few of my customers from the club, working there.That was fun. When we got our check, we noticed that we didn't pay for a few things, which always makes my day. I love connections. The food was scrumptious! We got the burgers, which are always good. I opted for the "Macho Nacho Burger". Big, beefy and spicy, just like me! And let me just say, their bloody Marys are t-a-s-t-y! After a bit of shopping at Hot Topic, where I got a cute fitted pinstriped shirt, and Macy*s, where Miss Patti got a chair back massager that, frankly, is better than sex, we went on our way. Oh, she also had a gift card for one of those, what I call, Smelly Stores. Bath beads and candles and such. I didn't go in. With my nose, I go into olfactory overload and want to die.

We had plans to go to the movies to see the flick, The Chronicles of Narnia and identify the religious passages used throughout the film but, Chunk had to go to work. Miss Patti and I came to the penthouse and played on the computer (she got advance tickets for the upcoming King Tut exhibition that will be in Philadelphia in 2007) and then we sat down and watched, with the lights off and in surround sound, Underworld, the ultra cool and stylish vampire/werewolf flick. She had never seen it and I just LOVE that movie. The bonus was, they had previews sprinkled throughout the showing of the upcoming sequel Underworld: Evolution, opening next Friday! Woohoo! I loves me some vampire movies. I mean, they are about my kith and kin!

We decided to go to the gym after the movie, which ended at 10:30p. Well, when we looked outside, there was a few inches of SNOW on the ground! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN! Just a few hours before, I was walking around outside in a T-shirt and light jacket and now I am in a blizzard! My father always said, "If you live in New Jersey, you can live anywhere. We have ALL the weather!". Well, he's right. Needless to say, I walked Miss Patti down to her car, scraped the three inches of snow off the damn thing and sent her on her way before it got too bad. The rest of the evening was spent having to get up and put the channel back on that I was watching because the power kept going out and the telly kept going off and reseting to the Comcast channel. Not to mention that I wrote this whole entry last night and lost it in a power outage! Ugh!

Today, it seems my options are...well...rather limited. There are hellacious wind gusts outside and it's 29F/-1C degrees out. I ain't goin' nowhere! Except the gym with Little Jose, later, then work. Which, I have an inkling, will SUCK tonight.

Life, from one painful moment...to the next!

The Last Shot

Frank and I on New Year's Eve! The last photo.

Playing Catch-Up

I got called into work on Tuesday! Woohoo!
They had a hip-hop party scheduled for the evening, someone named The Jersey Devil was performing, he is supposed to have worked with Fifty Cent or something, I haven't a clue. They rang me up because they thought it was going to be very busy. I was working the side bar in Club Tru with another bartender but, it really wasn't getting all that busy. I asked the Asst. Manager if I could go, since it wouldn't be worth it having to share the little amount of tips we were getting and he said yes. I was waiting for my barpartner to take a quick break when a huge group of people started going up the stairs to the V.I.P. room. They came and got me and asked me to go up to help out, since there was only one bartender up there. It was quite busy upt there. Unfortunately, the club and the bar staff made no money. You see, our door staff didn't check the customers coming in (thankfully there were no guns. I guess the idiots at the door don't care if the club makes money or any of us get killed), and the customers came with their own alcohol. When we closed, I found out that the floor of the club was littered with bottles of liquor. Which explains why the liquor sales were not really that good and we as bartenders made no money. The party lasted until four in the morning and they were prompt in throwing everyone out. I went in to work on Wednesday. I wasn't on the schedule but, my GM told me I was working. When I asked if I was working on the side bar, he said no, you are on the main bar. That means I was replacing someone. Oops. He also told me it was my permanent shift, which came just in time, since I just found out that I lost my Babes shift. That's right, no more strippers for the near future. Damn! Alana and I had a ball working together, we've known each other for years, and I ended up breaking my cardinal rule and was in the Brass Rail until the gods know when. It was broad daylight and this vampire was without his sunglasses. When I finally got home, I passed out and slept right through until today. I am so mad, I missed the live Will & Grace. I heard it was hysterical. And the west coast version (live as well) had a huge gaff when the prop guy missed his cue. Damn Alana for keeping me out so late! So, now it's Friday and I have off. My gods, a Friday and Saturday off! I don't know what to do with myself. I am so upset that I didn't get the job at the club that I wanted. It really would have have been a great opportunity for me. They decided to go with someone else (more on this later in the original Mortimer's Cafe). So, if you hear of a job, let me know. I need something, bad!

Cute Waiters And Great Food

As I stated in the original Cafe entry From A View To The View, Miss Patti and I went gallivanting today, as predicted. And what a beautiful day to do so. It's positively wonderful outside. If this is winter, I'll take it year round! First we went to pick up her monies for the work she does for the club, there was something going in the office, a meeting or something so, we decided to do our next scheduled event, which was picking up the tickets for Heart/Alice In Chains/Dave Navarro at Trump Taj Mahal. We had to laugh, both Patti and I have a certain...umm...affection for Dave Navarro and the cashier at the box office was overjoyed to tell us that he had just been added to the bill. Extolling his rather sexier "virtues", we all ended up giggling like school girls at the ticket window. Then, to insure we weren't in a time crunch, we went immediately to the Hard Rock Cafe where I was able to drink but, alas, Miss Patti had to settle for coffee since she had to work soon after lunch. Our waiter was right up my alley, short, dark hair and cute. I am beginning to think I have a fetish. Give me a northern Irish midget and I am good to go, lol (Dan Harris from ABC News would be a perfect pocket boyfriend for me). We both had burgers, they are rather famous for them. Patti's had bacon, cheddar, fried onions and barbecue sauce, mine had bleu cheese crumbles and was well done, I don't like my burgers mooing when I eat them. The horseradish dipping sauce was to die for and really cleared out my sinuses! We sat and chatted, looking at all the rock memorabilia. Afterwards, we decided we had a little extra time so we took a tour through Taj Mahal. We both worked there and she hadn't been back since leaving for the Borgata several years ago and I hadn't been by since early summer '04. It looks pretty much the same except for anything to do with our former department. The coin departments have been phased out from the casino industry (they use cash and coupons to redeem your winnings) and it was strange to see the old coin redemptions walled up or being used for other purposes. Talk about feeling like relics. It was kind of a reflection of my current job ills, I feel like I am being phased out and there's nothing I can do about it. She had to go to work so we stopped by the office and the check wasn't ready, of course (more on this in the AOL Cafe). She left and I did my stroll home down the boardwalk, soaking in the sun and surf. How strange to be saying that in January! I got home and promptly fell asleep. I guess the full belly and the fresh air worked their magic spell and took me to slumber land.
Tonight, I have another gym date. It's all I do now. Work out. Then it's off to the club to chat with my GM once more. It seems I am down to one day a week at work. I really need something more if I am going to stay afloat until Valentine's Day.

Horriblescope

Taurus
April 19 - May 19
You have an unusual gift for making a situation seem less dramatic, dear Taurus. Today, you will witness crises of all kinds. You will be the one who reassures people and who is able to sum up the situation objectively, without panicking or exaggerating. This, coupled with the legendary calm of a Taurus, makes for a great combination!

Lies. All lies. They didn't factor in my dramatic skills found commonly in most people of my ilk. I do "sum up the situation objectively" and can boil things down to the nitty gritty, which somehow still gets me in trouble but, I am very prone to exaggeration.

Work last evening was quite fun. I was almost late, I had walked to the gym, worked out and was in the zone when I realized I had to leave and book it home if I was going to get back in enough time and get ready for work. I had waited and waited to go to the gym, since I had a previously scheduled meeting but, I never received a text message that it was on so I just went and worked out. Most people hate my hair. I love that everyone is so honest. I think? It's kind of hard to accept so much negativity but, I'll live. Little Jose and I had fun at the club, it was rather busy in the beginning and we made some money. Not as much as last week but, it wasn't too bad for the middle of winter.
Speaking of winter, where is it? It was sixty-two today and will hover around sixty for the week. I AM LOVING IT!
Miss Patti is picking me up around eleven for a return engagement at the house of pain, also known as Island Gym. I actually can't wait. I am getting back into the routine of working out but, I am at a plateau again, and it's frustrating. I want to be a little bigger, and I think I should be bigger by now but, I just seem to be staying at the same level. I did raise the weights again but, I just seem to be getting stronger, not bigger. Oh well.
I made dinner for the flatmate, pasta and a salad. This is two days in a row that I made dinner. How the hell did I get so domesticated? Oh, by the way, the pot roast came out fabulous! I put some whole peppercorns in there while it was cooking and it came out peppery and spicy. YUM!
The telly sucks tonight. I think I will clean something before I go to the gym.
I am getting domesticated! UGH!

What Day Is This, Part II

I put a roast for beef stew with vegtables in the crock pot earlier today and let me tell you, the penthouse is smelling delicious! My constitutional down the boardwalk was quite nice. The weather was a perfect combination of chill and warmth. Just enough to let you know it's winter but, nice enough not to warrant a parka and battery-operated socks. I traveled my usual route and ended up right outside the club, where I bumped into Miss Tene. Don't worry, with all of her padding, I was unharmed. We chatted about the usual gossip concerning the club last night, and I got a further report from my other sources a short time ago. Go to my other Cafe location for all the juicy details! With all the uncertainty going on, like the rumour of a hit list, I have not been sleeping well. Tossing and turning and mulling over everything going on at the club. I would say that I have no fear of losing my job because I am very good at what I do. It's just that no job is safe and secure in these times and in this industry and with people betraying you at every turn, I am unsure of my standing anymore and I don't see anyway out of it. Just keeping hunkered down and doing the best job possible is not enough. And I just don't know what is. Everything happens for a reason and I have survived before it's just, I love working there and I don't want to lose that. Maybe the new position will bring better things, who knows. That is, if I get it.
Well, it's time for dinner, I can't wait. It's my first pot roast so I am eager to see how I did with my new found Betty Crocker skills.
Then it's off to the gym and then work.

Gods, it's weird being off on Saturdays.

What Day Is This?

How weird. To be off on Saturday night. I am beside myself. Except for this past Christmas (which really doesn't count), I haven't had a Saturday night off in years. So what did I do? I watched movies and then slept. The last of the big time party boys, right? It's unbelievable.
I have to work tonight, yippie! I never thought I would say that. Friday was a non-event. It was so slow at Babes, they let me go at four in the morning, I think I made $10. That's rounding up. What a difference a week makes. Now, with the club being closed, I am really re-thinking this whole "depending on the kindness of strangers" crap. There is an opportunity to get a regular job, within our company, that would mean a salary which, although boring, would solve a lot of the stress that I have around the winter time when the pickings are slim. I have typed up my resume and I am going to turn it in tonight. Wish me luck!
I think I am going to go take a walk, it's almost fifty degrees at one in the afternoon and I haven't done a Sunday stroll in ages! Hell, usually, I am just getting home right now, lol, ready to die.
See you on the boards!

A Case For War (R)

I love where I live (the United States) and the time I live in. You can't beat it. We all have charmed lives. We all live in quite possibly the best place and time you could possibly live. Yes, it's romantic to think about living in ancient Rome or Victorian England but, when you factor in the daily living chores, the travel expense (just the time expense alone would be prohibitive), and medical care, you just can't beat living in this day and age. Most people in the past (a hundred years ago and further) never left the few miles surrounding their home. Be it city or farm, the few miles radius around their home encompassed their whole world. Unless you were a soldier or merchant trader, you really didn't get to do or see much. Now, we call half a state our "home" and travel the world (rather cheaply, comparatively), and even if we don't travel, we have television and the Internet. The former gives us wonderful visuals of the world around us, through drama and comedy and PBS and the latter contains the sum total of human knowledge, more being added every day! We have heat and air conditioning in our homes, to keep the temperature "just right" and we have refrigerator to keep our exotic foods fresh that we got in the middle of winter at the local grocery store. Which routinely stocks fresh vegetables and tropical citrus fruits and all manner of foodstuffs galore every day, year round. There are warehouses posing as stores (WalMart, Sam's Club) full of everything you'd ever need, for a small fee.
Life is good. And it only gets better. Just think how far we have progressed since the fifties. The sixties. The seventies (just in fashion sense alone, lol). We, as a culture, are way better off than before, and getting better. Now, for all the naysayers, who will start with the homeless problem and poverty and hunger within our own country I say this, we have government sponsored programs and private organizations that address those ills. Money to spend on our poor and money well spent. In no time throughout history can you be considered poor and hungry when you have a running car, a roof over your head and a job. Except now. We have no real concept of what "poor" is. Of what "hungry" is. Our biggest gripes seem to be over the fact that the cable went out and I wanted to watch telly. Yes, there is poverty here but, it's not the poverty that can be found elsewhere and throughout time.
But, all of this wonder, all of this wealth, all of this comfort comes at a price. Everything we have done as a species, all the advances we have leaped and jumped to have all been brought about when we harnessed the power of fossil fuels.
Yes, oil.
That stuff the dinosaurs and plant life from millions and millions of years ago that decayed and pressurized and underwent a mystical change to lie underground waiting to be found. Black gold. Texas Tea. It revolutionized the world. Everything changed once the applications of it's uses could be exploited. Petrol for our cars. Plastics from petroleum by-products for our products. Rocket fuels for our rockets. Oil. That wonder from the deepest recesses of Mother Earth, that black milk that feeds our societies. Nourishes our cultures. Fuels our economies and our very way of life.
Nothing you do, nothing you have, could be possible today without somehow being affected by the production and use of oil.
It means everything. Everything. EVERYTHING! It is the life giver (and now, through war, the life taker as well). Our lives are so enriched by what oil does for us. And it's uses have aided in every advance to make our lives better. Imagine, if you will, how much better our grandchildren's and our grandchildren's children will be if the advances keep coming. And to fuel these advances, we need...well...fuel.
There are other sources out there. Solar. Nuclear. Wind. Viable sources, to be sure. But right now, they don't have the potential that oil has shown us. And we have no need to find their potential uses while oil is just lying about in the ground waiting to be sucked out and put to use. And they don't have the infrastructure that has been in place for the gathering, distribution and use of oil.
But there lies the problem.
How much oil is left?
The answer is, no one has a clue. Oh, you can show me studies that say the oil reserves are seriously depleted and I can show you studies that say we have more than enough. There are just too many variables to be absolutely sure about how much is down there and how long it will last. But, you can be sure of one thing, it is a finite resource. It will run out.
Eventually.
China. India. I think we can all agree, they have HUGE populations. These are countries on the brink of revolution. Not like our Revolution, I mean a revolution in their society and culture. You see, they like what we have. They have tasted the good life, and they want more. More. MORE! Our great American companies have awakened a giant (or two). By sending jobs overseas to reap huge profits while raping employees of their wages, they have caused an unexpected shift in the global outlook. While these people in foreign lands are making crappy pay, they are learning what that crappy pay can pay for which, in their current economy, is quite a lot. But, they are also getting something else for their crappy wages, knowledge. Knowledge is a dangerous thing. Because now, they know what they were missing. And now, they have the keys to get what they have been denied all this time. Capitalism, the want and greed of the almighty dollar has toppled all societies. Not Democracy. That was just a means to an end, clearing the way to let capitalism run rampant and unchecked to give us all the riches we could possible want. And exploit.
And now "they" have it. They have been infected by it. And it's a dangerous thing. Because what fuels that avarice and greed? What increases your potential to gain and reap? What means do you have to buy, Buy, BUY!
Oil.
And there is a whole lot of it still sitting under the deserts in the middle east. We aren't there fighting the terrorists, they are but an unfortunate nuisance because. now we will have to contend and compete with the giant China for these finite resources. Maybe not right now and maybe not in the near future but, we will. And it won't be pretty.
That's why we are in Iraq. And that's why we should be. We need a foothold, hell, a strong military presence over the teat of Mother Earth and her precious black milk. Because we will be fighting a larger battle with the giants that have awoke and are hungry. Hungry for the fuel that will feed their countries. Their greed. Their "revolutions". The price we are paying right now in Iraq with American lives is dear and steep. One life, one dead soldier is a horrible price to pay but, we will be in a much larger battle and spending a far greater price in life when we are competing for oil.
Because it will come to that.
And now, we are fighting for possession of that finite resource and we have to. And it's better to fight now, against a weaker and smaller enemy than against a strong and powerful and huge enemy. Everything we are as a people and as a society demands that we keep the oil flowing. TO US. Because if we do not, we will have a whole lot more to complain about than losing our cable for the day. Or getting bumped off of AOL. We will learn what is is to really be hungry. To really be poor. And we will be living in those "romantic" times of yesteryear, when there was no oil. And death and disease and hunger and the wolves, were literally at your door.
That's what changed my mind. Our future.

More Subjects From A Scattered Mind

Well, I went to the gym. I will know tomorrow if it was a good idea. All day, my rib felt better but, right before it was time to go, it started to bother me. I couldn't do a lot of my routine because it just kept getting worse. It feels fine now but, I fear that tomorrow I will wake up in pain.

I chatted with Little Jose and he is willing to work on Saturdays when we reopen if they don't hire Johanna back. That's good, I would rather work with someone I know even though I would rather have a woman. It's just better for business to have male and female behind the bar.

I have gotten mixed reactions to my hair, of course. It doesn't matter since I can't afford the salon right now, it's the cheapest course of action. Now I don't have the salon fees and have to buy hair product.

Going to bed. There's nothing else to do.

Crazy He Calls Me!

Cubby tagged me. Bitch!

These are the rules of the game: You must write a journal entry listing the 5 things that drive you CRAZY ~ as well as the rules of the game... Then, you select five people to tag and link their names/blogs in your entry... Go to their journals and leave a comment informing them they have been tagged by you and to read your journal to see in what way they have been nailed...! Those five then MUST write an entry listing What drives them crazy and tag an additional five people...

What Drives Me Crazy!!!!
1.) People who talk on mobile phones in public and make sure everyone is hearing their inane conversation, "Yo, I'm on the jitney...yea...yea...uh huh...yea...what?...What?...WHAT?...oh...yea...yea...I told you, I'm on the jitney...yea...". I just want to take the bloody thing and cram it right up their unimportant ass!
2.) When people justify how open minded they are with the phrase, "I have black/gay/Asian/whatever friends!". So what. Saying something prejudicial about a group of people and then trying to justify yourself by claiming to have friends of that group means you are NOT their friend.
3.) Bad fashion. People, just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it. It's like putting toothpaste back into the tube.
4.) Bad manners. I cannot abide rudeness. It only takes a second to say "please" or "thank you" or "may I" or "excuse me". I hate being told to give something. And then they wonder why I say, "Fuck you!"
5.) Narrowmindedness. It boggles my open mind that people just WILL NOT listen to another point of view. They will not entertain that they may be wrong, or that two people can be right about the same thing, just different. I can't fathom how they get through life. I can be stubborn but, I do listen and I do think about things, and I have changed my mind on many subjects (case in point, the Iraqi War. I actually think it's necessary, now).

I am not tagging anyone.

Oops, I Did It Again!

Pick A Subject, Here's Several Choices

Oh, goodie! We have another computer security warning to be afraid of. This is just faboo. Like I need this on my plate right now. Thankfully (I can't believe I am about to say this but) the AOL Overlords have deemed to get off their asses and update things for me. How nice for me. How nice for everybody.

I am still reeling about the news of Johanna getting fired. I am really not having a great 2006 and it's only six bloody days into the new year. I would ask "what next?" but I am afraid of the answer!

I have done nothing for days now. That is not good. I now feel well enough (read: my rib isn't throbbing, just a dull ache) to go back to the gym. It seems that everytime I get back into the swing of the gym, something comes up to stop me (read: Little Jose sneaks up and bear hugs me again). I am determined to have a god-bod by summer. That way, I can break a rib or arm or something on that little putz. I am just joking, he's my buddy and he's so afraid of me it's not even funny. That's why he jumps me, he knows I can kick his ass.

The mining tragedy has really upset me. I went to the club on Tuesday thinking that everything was great, they found them alive! When I came home, several hours later, I was stunned at the news. It's such a shame and horrible for these poor people to have to be sent on that emotional roller coaster. I can not imagine how they feel. My heart goes out to them. I hope the survivor pulls through and can tell us what happened.

The weather here has been nice, in the fifties which is great for January. They keep saying it's gonna get cold and then we have another warm front. I am not complaining.

I am trying to find our clippers, I am going to shave my head, again. With my newly found unemployment, I can't afford the salon treatment, like I am want, so I am opting for the military/cheap look. It sucks being poor, I can't wait until the club reopens and then the season kicks in.

My second year anniversary is coming up for our other Mortimer's Cafe location on 28 January. I am thinking of doing a compendium of my favourite entries from over the years, or maybe the silliest. I haven't decided. Now that I have so much free time, I can sift through all that treacle and put something together for everyone to enjoy. Or ignore. Whatever.

Well, I would say it's time for dinner but, that ain't gonna happen. The cupboards are bare and I am in no mood to go hunting.
Just joking, I have been eating like a maniac. And what the hell am I going to hunt in Atlantic City?

Jitneys?

Amateur Night (Edited)

That is what I call New Year's Eve. People who don't (or shouldn't) normally go out, do.

Now to begin, at the beginning. I was late for work, making my GM a little unhappy. First, I woke up with intense pain in my rib. Right where Little Jose bear hugged me a week ago and bruised and/or cracked my rib. It took me forever to get ready. Not the best way to start off the "new year". And it's not that I was really late, I was there before ten but, he wanted us there early for a preshift meeting. I got there exactly at ten. There was also an accident on Pacific Avenue which blocked up the Jitneys, I don't think that he wholly accepted my legitimate excuse.

Then, I realized my bar backs must have also been late considering that my bar was not compleatly set up, yet. And, the one register was down, the one I prefer to use since it is right next to me. On top of that, I didn't get a chance to rearrange my bar to the way I like it before we got hit. And we got hit! They came streaming in like a tsumani and it never stopped. Never. During the photo in the last entry, whilst we were taking the picture people were screaming for cocktails. We ran around and around and around, making everything under the sun. But one thing I just can't understand, when a bar has open bar, do you really think we are giving away the expensive hooch? Honestly! These people were so demanding. Everyone wanted the good stuff, and thought I would provide it for them with a simple "come on dude, it's a holiday". Bite me. I think I said that all night.

All of this was a blur. I remember it suddenly being midnight and we did the usual celebrations/random kissing thing. I never had the free champagne, damn. My rib felt much better since I was feeling no pain by the time Little Jose came to break me (the shots the lovely patrons bought for me were a great help). And he did. And not in the way I needed to be...well...broken. He jumped over the bar, and proceeded to bear hug me AGAIN! Stupid child. I spent my entire break in a great deal of pain.

The rest of the night was, of course, a total blur.

We have a thing; if we feel money by five or six in the morning when we put money through the hole in the top of our tip box, it will be a good night. We felt money before midnight. KaChing!

Now, we were rolling right along, non stop when they shut the Club Tru side around 8:45am. We got double slammed with those revelers. I wanted to die. Suddenly, I hear something wrong with the music. It sounded like we were under water. Then the announcement comes over the sound system. We are experiencing technical difficulties. The party is moving over to Club Tru side.

Oh! My! God!

We had to shut down our registers, grab everything and dash over to Tru, re-open the registers there and begin working behind the bars over there. It was insane. But I will say one thing, we didn't miss a techno beat! The party raged on and on until one-thirty in the afternoon. Thankfully, mercifully, we shut down and began the long process of counting out and cleaning up.

As a celebratory thing at the end, I asked Dorian to cut open my coconut that I got from Ft. Lauderdale to drink. He hacked and cut and hacked at it. By the time he got it open, I didn't really want it anymore but, I felt bad that he expended so much effort for my expense, I had to drink the foul liquid that came out of it. Coy informed me that they used a cyanide based inoculation for the yellowing disease, obviously all the alcohol I consumed killed the poison, lol! Hell, nothing at that club has killed me in fifteen years of working there, a little cyanide ain't gonna make a bit of difference.

We VERY well paid our barbacks for a job VERY well done, rang the Brinks truck to come get us while we crammed the money from our drawers into the bank bags, turned them in and went home to pass the hell out.

Then, I had to get up and go to work on Sunday.