I'm a Republican. I'm allowed to think this is funny.

An old friend of mine had this posted on his blog and I thought it was funny:

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the President his daily briefing. At the end he concludes, "Finally, yesterday 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed in an accident."
"OH DEAR GOD, NO!" the President exclaims. "That's horrible." The President's staff sits stunned at the display of emotion, nervously watching the President sit with his head in his hands.

Finally, the President looks up, devestated, and asks, "How many is a Brazillion?"

Blessings in Disguise.

I have found that the loss of my car has been a pleasant experience. I happily told my manager I would no longer be able to work at El Chico because I have no means of getting there. And without a job, I'm remembering this pleasant concept: A weekend. ::smiles::

Now, this week has been busy because I'm trying to return to my correct position of Hermione in all of my classes. With a job, all my activities, and friends, my school was beginning to hurt. I feel a little on top of things now. What will I do?

Well, I have some business on here to get done...

1) Zach has inquired more about my position on my I believe in a God. My response on atheism is forthcoming.
2) A stranger e-mailed me to ask how a Christian could be an objectivist. He knows someones who uses objectivism to bash Christianity. This might be conveniently wrapped up with the atheism response. I'm not sure yet.
3) Have you ever eaten at Victoria's Pasta Shop in Norman? Oh my God, it is amazing! Wait, this has nothing to do with my list.
4) Are we done with Iraq, my friends? I've been taking a class about it, and I'm curious if you would like to discuss this as well.
5) There is a student in my Economics class that came across my blog. I'm a very polite and discreet person in public, and I was slightly shocked that he suddenly mentioned my views on objectivism in a very public place. But he said that he liked the discussion we had. I do wish he would elaborate what it is about this conversation that was better than others before.
6) I need to finish the "One Day" story.

Maybe I'll start reading those books my mother gave me. Maybe I'll read the Goblet of Fire again before I see the movie. Maybe I'll work on that story that Josh kept begging me to let him read. Maybe I'll buy a bike. Maybe I'll finish that book that Andrew lent me. Maybe I'll take some more pictures. Maybe...

My mind is cleared of men, work, alcohol, and drugs. The world is so bright.

But maybe it's just because it's a nice day outside.

Yeah, so my last 24 hours sucked ass.

It was around this time yesterday that I made my way to work. I have been sick the last few days and called my manager to see if he needed me. He said that he did and so I went into work with Asprin in hand. After an hour, he found a way to send me home. I was planning on going to my parents house to eat dinner with my aunt, uncle, and cousins, so I decided I would skip Friday's only class (French, which I'm getting a Super 'A' in anyway) and go straight to my parents house. This way if I started feeling worse, my mom could take us to my doctor.

Well, my car has been having problems. At the corner outside of the Mustang Wal-Mart, it died on my. The transmission finally gave way. I stood in the cold, still not feel very well, waiting for my parents to come and pick me up. I know how much it costs to fix a transmission. I'm planning on not working next semester and spending it knocking out a few last courses before I leave the country. I'm going to Turkey in July and then I'll be in France until the Summer of '07. To invest in a new car now would be foolishness.

There are really only two things I use my car for. Getting to work and getting to my parents house. I walk or take the bus to school. Without the car, my parents can plan on coming to get us to visit them. But my job? Yeah, I can't get there without a car. Well, I could take a bus there if I leave and hour and a half early. ::laughs:: So, I get to tell my manager tomorrow that he is losing a worker.

Beyond that, my brother just started working there and as we share the same car, he's out of a job as well. Neither of us have to work, but we'd rather have a little income.

Then this morning my cat crawled up on my lap. While I was petting her, I noticed some weird slimy substance on the side of her head. She gets into fights a lot and there was an open wound that had become infected. The wound wasn't there last night when she went out. It was oozing blood and puss. We called my Aunt who works at a Veternarian's office and she told us that I would be at least a couple hundred dollars to treat her and there was no guarantee that she would get better. She's been sick a lot lately, throwing up a lot and defecating on my father's motor cycle. So, after talking with my dad, my mom and I took her to the vet and we had to put her to sleep. I can't express how painful this is. She trusted me so much. I just wrapped her in a towel on the way to the vet. She normal complains in the car and every trip I would always say, "It's okay, it's gunna be fine." But this time I couldn't. I just held her while I cried, listened to her desparate meows, realized this trip we were going to kill her.

My only thought was that if I had not been at home, my mother would have discovered the injury and she would have taken Reta (my cat). And if that had happened, perhaps the distance between me and my cat would have made it easier. But I had to hold her and it was at my command that they took her away. I know it was the right decision, but it doesn't change the fact that I held my cat this morning alive and now she is dead.

I've had better days.

Loneliness.

My communication class in Non-Western culture has been interesting because it makes me acutely aware of the assumptions accepted in all of my western classes. In my American History class, we discussed "Babbitt" today and my professor was discussing how the classic storyline in the book was that men will do anything to be a part of the group. Ultimately, men are afraid to be the only one left out. He then concluded, "A great lesson in life is that it's okay to be lonely."

The certainty in which he made that final judgment astounded me. How does he know that is true? I instantaneously thought of my Comm course where my professor said, "Western society enjoys the benefits of individual freedom, progress, open debate, and so forth, but we suffer from loneliness." Every Western hero has abandoned large portions of the surrounding society, at the risk of losing every one of their friends and family, to pursue and idea or abstract goal. From Jesus to Henry Thoreau, these men and women abandoned societal norms, rebeled, and withdrew from "good society." We tolerate this behavior, because we believe people will be successful on their own merits. If they are right, they will reap the benefits. If they are wrong, well, they'll suffer the consequences. And we are sure that they suffer the consequences. You're on your own. You're alone, sucker. There is a reason why suicide is so prevalent in western society.

In Eastern culture, there is more acceptance of conformity and rebellion is seriously questioned. However, there is a much wider spread of support from each person. There is always your family, your extended family, your friends, their families, the family you didn't even know about, and so on there to help you. Just don't question anything and anyone and you will always have friends. In my History and Society in Iraq course, my professor has been trying to convey the concept of Assabiyya (which can be spelled many ways), but he can't fully communicate it. It's a community system, made up of friends and family, that exhists in Iraq to protect each other.

I believe in my values, my political beliefs, my religious beliefs, etc. just as strongely as any other westerner. I've lost friends and scared off potential friends for them enough to make me cry. At some point we find a balance. There has to be. At some point I do not concern myself with the fact that my mother believes so strongly in creation and I believe to strongly in evolution. One of my friends is certain that women should always submit to men, and another is so certain that men are too stupid to make any independent decision. I smile discreet, express my opinion clearly, and refuse to become emotional about it. Last night my friend said, "It's so funny to watch you talk, Jesi, because when you start off, you have this pleasant look on your face and then say, 'Yes, but this is why they're evil...'" I enjoy my ideas, but they have a place in the world, and frequently their value is below the value of my friends.

So which is better? To be lonely or not to be lonely? My professor was so sure, but I'm not sure I would agree with him that the answer is clearly to be lonely.

Understanding Tips.

Waiting tables has been an educational experience. I'm trying not to become too jaded by it, but I find myself becoming increasing discriminatory the longer I'm a waitress.

Leaving tips is a tricky issue. Generally, I would say 10% for bad service, 15% for fair service, and 20% (or more, if you are someone who wants to make their day... how? leave an extra dollar. If you have a $30 tab and I gave you great service, if you leave me $7, I'm ecstatic. $1 for you isn't a big deal, but for me, it adds up over time) for good service. But I give a few caveats to this concept.

1) If you are a pissy ass bitch, please leave more. When you are demanding and then you leave a shitty tip, I guarantee you will not have a pleasant experience if you ever return to that restaurant.

2) If your children make a mess of my section, scream at me, or find some other creative way of making my life a nightmare, you had better leave me a better tip. I can't tell you how many times I wish we would gas all the children in the world because a family of 5 comes in, the parents share a cheap entree and order all the kids 99 cent meals and leave me a two dollar tip. If 5 adults come in, it takes me half the time to clean up afterwards, takes less of my patience waiting on them, and they'll probably tip me $10 on the whole table.

3) Parents, you need to teach your children how to tip before you allow them to walk around by themselves. I don't want to talk about how many 12 year olds have walked into El Chico from the mall and said, "Oh, we just want the chips and queso." They are so shocked that we charge for that and then they magically forget to tip me.

4) If you use a coupon, tip based on the amount before the coupon. If you order $50 of food, that is $50 of work for me. Just because you are only being charged for part of that does not mean I worked any less. If you ge 50% off $50, your ticket may only be 25%, but I gave you great service, it's reasonable to expect a $10 tip.

5) If you come in by yourself for dinner (at lunch we expect 1 or 2 people to a table) and you order on $10 worth of food (or less) it is not acceptable to leave a $1-$2 tip. My average tab at dinner is $35. As long as you and your single self are sitting at my table that could hold 4, I cannot serve anyone else. So, were I could easily make $5 or $6 at this table, and you only leave me $2, that it not cool. $2 for bad service, $3 for fair service, and $3.50 or more for good service MINIMUM!

6) If you decide you are going to camp out at one of my tables (eat and stay for 30 or more after you've finished), you had better compensate for it. While you're sitting at that table, I cannot help anyone else. I would say a $1 for each addition half an hour you sit there, because if you're table was clear, I could make another $3-$6 in that half an hour, easy.

7) Watch the restaurant. If the whole place is packed, it's not bad service if it takes a little longer on your food or a little longer on your drinks. In fact, if you're getting everything out exactly on time and they are busy, I would say your server is slackin' some place else, making the other wait staffs' job miserable. When it busy, be patient.

8) If you have bad service, say something about it. Leaving a bad tip doesn't mean I'll know your were dissatisfied. I may just think you're a dumb ass. Frequently, it's not the server's fault! And complaining usualy gets you something: free dessert, replaced meals, etc. Usually it's just that the server is new, managements new, side staff (like bussers, hostesses, chippers, etc) are not keeping up, there was an accident in the kitchen, or that the server is dumb, but no one was bold enough to tell management.

So there you go.

Not Another Soda Pop Incident!

I try to respect the serious nature of law enforcement dealing with terrorist threats, but I just jumped on CNN. This is the headline: Penn Station back to normal after soda scare. ... hehe... Everyone, have no fear! The NYPD is out there protecting us from soda.

Hm... I need to find better things to do with my time.

One Day. - Part IV

I waited in that house the hour he asked me. But within that hour, my mind raced for an eternity. The desire to belong somewhere was holding me to this tiny town. Ambition, however, was driving me out of it. At the end of eternity, I decided I would find "the center of the world" and my journey their would determine if I could ignore the visitor in the hotel and stay with Andey.

I checked my watch confident that an hour had passed and began walking down the streets of the town. I had grown up in a city and had no knowledge of small town life. It mystified me. Everything was empty, even in the middle of the afternoon. I could literally stand in the middle of the street, take a picture of an old street post in the center of the road, and no one knew.



It was beautiful, just as Andey had promised. But beauty can be silent, lonely, and unwelcoming. Every corner I turned, the buildings cried out for me to heal the years of negligence.



And then I saw it. The center of the world.