Battle Wounds (some language)

Not all nights will be like this, right?

Worked at the restaurant tonight.  Mental note: don't work at the restaurant Saturday nights. It was crazy-busy.. we were full up for a continuous 3-4 hours and I was working a *bit* slower than I usually do.  Not sure why.  Maybe because I had a lazy day at home?  I get most of my energy at/after 4pm, so I should have kicked it into high gear.  I did a bit, but apparently not enough.  I was caught up the majority of the night until the end when they clean the entire kitchen of food (the restaurant is closed the next two days, so don't want food lying around)... so that means extra dishes.  I got a bit of help, but keep in mind the help comes at a bit of a.. how can I say.. price.  They shouldn't have to help me and I should be able to man my station on my own and I don't want to ask for help.  Working in a kitchen is a very independent thing; everyone's got their own shit to do.  I get told to hightail it because the dishes keep piling up.  Then it goes like this....

"Can you please plate 4 granitas?" Oh sure, I'll just stop doing my 3 sinks of dishes
"When you have a moment, can you also clean under here?" A moment?  A MOMENT?!?!?
Oh wait, I just burned myself, run your arm under hot water while you attempt to work on said 3 sinks of dishes.
I just sliced my index finger open on a metal pan and I shouldn't get it wet or it'll never close. Suuuuure.  
"Sorry for getting on you Jody, but can you try not letting the dishes pile up?" THEN STOP MAKING FUCKING DISHES FOR ME TO WASH!!


Said burn...

I gotta tell ya, I hate burns more than anything on this planet.  Hate 'em.  I have no tolerance for them.  For many, many other things... but burns.  And getting burns in a kitchen is the worst place to have them, because you're always surrounded by hot stoves, ovens etc. and that just makes it worse.  I feel for my coworkers; one of them had a real bad one tonight (from previous) and I've seen all their wounds.  My sous chef said, "You're a real chef now" and gives me a nudge and a smile.. lol.  She's cute.  Yeah, I'll say I've made my initiation now.  This was nothing; it was a light burn and nothing compared to what some of them have (but it's always the small ones that hurt the most!).  So I can't complain.


So... I have to wash dishes for up to 3 active cooks, wait staff, and the full dining room of customers... and everyone needs everything at once (frying pans, covers for said pans, cutlery, dishes, glasses, pots and pans, etc etc ad nauseum).  Then at the end of the night when everyone's gone home (except one front end staff who's finishing their night and usually waiting for me, to close up) I have to clean up after my own mess; scrub out the sinks, mop the floor, take out garbage, put last of odds & ends away, what have you.  I'm sweating my ass off at this point because I can't doddle.  As it was, I got out at midnight (not a bad time, considering).

But you know what?  I can't really complain.  I'm in the industry I want to be in and I have to earn my way.  I know that.  And I know there will be bad nights (I just didn't think it'd be so soon.. heh).  I just wanted to vent a bit (so thanks for listening).  ... and I might have put some vodka in my iced tea, as I sit here.  Winding down at the end of the night is difficult and even taking a bath doesn't help (so I'm blogging to you peeps).  Every bone in my body is aching, but it only proves I've worked an honest days' worth, and I'm okay with that.  Shit, I'm telling you, I work half as much at the hospital and make twice as much.  My perspective is suddenly changing.  My PMS doesn't help; there was a point tonight I was crying on the inside.  I just had a hard time with everything.  Oh but hey!  I tried a watermelon (cold) gazpacho soup...and I'm'a'gonna make it :)  It was fabulous.

Anyways, it's 01:00 now and I'm tired as hell.  I think I'm going to attempt sleep and hope I wake up in time for Mass tomorrow.  If not, the good Lord will have to forgive me.