new job :(

[juliagulia]

So, I posted a few months ago how I love my job and whatnot and how Baltimore is amazing and I love my coworkers and meeting new people and etc. etc. etc. Well, now, after a year and four months, I finally decided that driving 30-40 minutes and spending six dollars on parking each shift really isn't worth it anymore, expecially when almost 25% of what I make goes to gas alone.

I had done some applications a few weeks ago, and was calling in to check back pretty regularly, and finally I spoke to a manager at The Tomato Palace (same company as Clyde's). It's a smaller restaurant in the middle of Columbia at lakefront, so their busy days are Sundays, and "busy" is a 45 minute wait, versus Phillips where 45 minutes is what you get if you're lucky on a Saturday morning.

I really had a hard time giving my two weeks notice, but my bosses are grateful that I didn't just up and quit, and that I'm going to all my scheduled shifts. I'm just one of those weird people who likes her coworkers.

Hopefully, things at Tomato Palace will go alright. I'm going to be the youngest (again), which will be interesting, but I met two of the managers and they're both really funny.

I'm just nervous for work (at Phillips) tonight because I don't think my favorite manager knows yet, and I know he'll give me crap about it if Chris told him last night.

Has anyone read "Who moved my cheese?" or something to that effect? I read it for some light reading when my mom had it a few years back, and now I feel like I should read it again. Haha.

Ohh well. C'est la vie.

[Esterina]

Congrats on taking the decision, and finding the new jobs ! Changing job places is always stressful, but seeing how little pressure you'll be working under, it shouldn't last too long (the stress) !

Hope the coworkers will be as great as the current ones.

[hurr111]

Congrats on the job decision Julia, just think of all the extra money you will be saving for your next trip.

I have been a manager in the retail world and have read who moved my cheese many times...interesting book, really makes ya think.

Good luck with the new job, I am excited for you.

[The Monsignor]

It's a smart decision you've made, however much you feel bad about leaving your old gig. Most people will change jobs an average of 7 times in their lifetime (old statistic, I'm sure that number's going up) so you're probably not gonna do this for the last time.

You have to balance the job with your quality of life, and frankly, your time is really valuable, and little things like that eat away at the time you have to do other things - remember that work is a means to an end, not the end itself!

You'll do just fine, trust me!

[marc873]

I spent about 10 years in the restaurnt business, and probably worked at 15 diffrent restaurants in that time period. The first week or so is always a break-in period, but it always seemed to end up being a nice change of scenery new people, new surroundings etc... Don't sweat it. You did the right thing working a notice, and now you will just be able to pump the travel fund with out the excess spending to go to the last job. Rock it out and dive into the new job

[Brookers13]

Yay for new jobs!!

I just got a job this week in Arizona...exactly what I was looking for!!!

I'm going to be teaching kids who miss the kindergarten cut off date for public school...so they'll be 5, just not in time for the start of kindergarten. Sooooo..it's my job to pretty much teach them everything they need for kindergarten! Lots of responsibility and excitement! I can't wait!! I'm moving in 9 days!!!

[aliz]

aww I wanna go to The Tomato Palace, it sounds like a fun place... I love tomatos.... congrats on the new job!

[lauren313]

Congratulations, it sounds like you made the right choice.

[expatben]

Congratulations on the new job and also for being really cool and not just bailing on your old one.

[Joker]

Tomato Palace is good eats, Julia. Haven't been in a number of years, but that doesn't mean anything... Good outfit to work for. And in the job front, I'm being courted by a few places around as well... always makes things fun...

[juliagulia]

Thanks, guys. I've been to orientation and I'm now hired at two locations. Basically, whenever I'm not working at Phillips, I'll be at TP. I'm just trying to cherish, I guess, time at Phillips. It really sucks cause I'm leaving, but at least I'm having good times. Since I gave a two weeks, I'm also deemed as "rehirable," so if I ever come back as a server, I can, but I can't really see that happening.

I'm kind of seeing this as a new chapter. I've never worked anywhere that is my own. That sounds weird. But at Phillips, my mother works for the company, has worked with my boss. My uncle was my current boss's boss once upon a time, and is like a freakin' Phillips legend. My sister was pretty much the best hostess they had a few years ago and is now a server.

At Tomato Palace, no one knows me, there are no connections. I wasn't hired because of my mother, who got a leg up from an uncle, so I kind of feel like in a completely new world. It's scary, but it's pretty cool.

[juliagulia]

My last day was yesterday, and it was hilarious.

I opened, and opening hostess on a Sunday leaves at 2 PM. I never asked to leave, and my boss didn't insist. I ended up staying on the clock till 4:30, but stayed on the floor till 5:15.

I cried when I punched out, hugged everyone about thrice, got a ridiculous looking card (they got everyone to sign it, then the hostesses proceeded to tape on everything I needed at Phillips as a hostess--mints, toothpicks, business cards we restock, wet naps, napkins, a straw. They even managed to steal my card and took my name tag later on. Then they tied a balloon onto it. It was amazing). Then both my managers gave me business cards and assured me that if I ever wanted to come back, I had a job either as a host or server with my name on it, and that if I needed them as references it's cool.

It was pretty much terribly depressing.

But then one of the servers came up to me in the middle of the floor and pied me (a tradition my mother apparantly started in D.C. where my boss used to work with her).

Today was my first day at Tomato Palace and it was really, very odd. It was a lot slower than Phillips, and they get a LOT of regulars (five or so that I can remember, right now; and that's just for a monday night). Everytime someone came in, I'd catch myself about to ask "For the buffet?" instead of "Would you like inside or outside?" The fact that we had a five minute wait for outside and NOTHING for inside messed with my head.

The people were really nice, though, so hopefully that'll make it easier to get used to it. I felt like an imposter the whole time though. I haven't had a "first day" ANYWHERE in years (I'm including school, not just work).

This is really frustrating. I miss my coworkers

[florencia9699]

I know exactly how you feel!! This Friday I'm starting my new jooob!!!

All I can say is, take what you've learnt before, and whenever it get's tough, just remember the impact you caused in your previous workers!! I'm sure the new people where you're at now will love you just the same.

After all, you're Juliagulia!!