Day Thirteen: Going Above and Beyond

So, I’ve mentioned it once or twice on this blog (and I’m positive that if you know me in real life I’ve mentioned this in conversation several times) but on the 9^th, my birthday, I got promoted from hostess to waitress at the restaurant I work at.

Now, I’m a very good hostess.  (I’ve been a hostess for about a year and a half- I should hope I have my job down by now!)  In fact, I’m so good at my job my manager was pretty hesitant about promoting me.  I’m the best at running the front, seating people and directing my bussers where to go next.  (There is a science dedicated to seating people in a restaurant, I swear.  Only people who have worked as a restaurant greeter for an extended period of time will get where I’m coming from when I say that.)

Anyway, I’m a server (currently in training), but I still play the role of a greeter when they need me.  (Which, might I add, is awesome.  It makes me feel needed and valuable!)  Today was one of those days that they needed me to be a greeter.

It started off as a normal, steady day.  I came in at noon and we had a good three hours.  Then, just as we cut most of our servers to go home for the day while we waited for the nighttime crew to come in, a HUGE rush of people came in.

If you aren’t aware, a greeter’s main duties are as follows: seat people at tables when they arrive and bus the tables when the people leave.That’s it.But today, I went above and beyond my job description.

When the rush came in, my coworker and I took on thirteen tables together.

THIRTEEN!

Just to put this into feasible terms, we have thirty one tables in our whole restaurant.  That means the two of us handled 41% of the restaurant.  And, not to be conceded here, but we rocked it.  Totally and completely rocked it.

Remember what I said my duties as a hostess where?  Well today I added getting drink orders, making salads, putting in orders, tracking down dishes, giving out bread and peanuts…all with a great big smile.

YES.

Today was crazy!

And it doesn’t end there.  When that rush of people left, it was probably 5 o’clock.  When 6 o’clock hit ANOTHER huge rush came in.  Only this time, I had many more servers and my fellow greeters to help me out. 

I stayed up front taking reservations, answering phone calls, talking to servers about their tables, and telling my co-worker what I needed done for another three hours.  And boy!  Was it fun!

I left today with nine hours of work completed, instead of the set eight hours I thought I was going to complete.  It felt great! I put my entire heart into doing a good job, when I could’ve so easily said, “Nah.  That’s not MY job.”

This is my positive act for the day because it made me realize that my positive attitude is what helps make things work. 

Just IMAGINE what this world would be like if everyone, ever day experienced such a positive mentality!

Go above and beyond what you are called to do.  And do it with a smile.

J

Day Twelve: Team Clean-Up!

Aren’t Friday night football games the best part about the beginning of the school year?  I think so!  The food, the fun, the fans…But have you ever stayed after the light went out?

Today, for my positive act, I cleaned up the bleachers.  And boy!  Where they bad!  I even got my friend to help me.  And I’m so glad I did.  It was such a big job for just one person!

We started at half time, picking up little things here and there.  Then, we scanned the bleachers for anything we missed when the fourth quarter ended.  After running to the other side of the field, my friend and I picked up our opponent’s side too.  Which, I would like to add, wasn’t that bad!  The fans were very respectful of our field.

Thinking we were done, my friend and I started walking to the parking lot, when we realized that the SIDES of the football field were disastrous too! We spend awhile cleaning both of those up.

And just when we thought all of our work was done, I saw the opposing team’s water bottles still on the football field.  I grabbed it and my friend and I ran to the buses to catch the team before they left.

They had just started to move when I yelled, “FOOTBALL PLAYERS!”  I thought, at first, that the bus didn’t notice.  But all of a sudden, they stopped and I gave them back their water bottles with a smile and a “good game!”

Today’s positive act really made me feel good!

Today’s question of the day:

What could YOU do to help your community?

And a bonus question of the day…

What OTHER acts of kindness and positivity could I do to help my local and/or world community?

Day Eleven: Puppy Love!

Name: Neo

Gender: Male

My nickname for him: Buhbuh!

Breed: Boxer Lab

Age: 10

Adopted from the Humane Society at 4 months old

Name: Brody

Gender: Male

My nickname for him: Bro-bro!

Breed: Boxer

Age: 11

Adopted...mostly from the Humane Society (the way we got Brody is an interesting tale for another day) at one year old. 

 

I LOVE my dogs.  They cuddle up nice and close to me when I’m trying to sleep, find my bras and run around the house with them like they are squeaky toys, and lick my tears away when I’m sad.  And what’s really sad is that when I’m gone for extended periods of time, I don’t really miss “home”- I miss my puppies. 

I don’t think my life would be the same without my dogs. 

But sometimes, life gets in the way from me showing them how much I care about them.  A school assignment takes priority over playing fetch with them, or I have to go to work instead of going for a long walk with them. 

So today, I made an effort to put all that extra stuff aside and play with them.

I know, it doesn’t sound like much.  What’s the big deal about throwing a ball a few times?  But think!  Pets are part of our family.  Doesn’t that automatically mean that they are part of our community too?  And it’s in a dog’s blood to run around and play!  It's what makes THEM happy!  THAT'S what this project is about- benefiting the community, making people (or family members of another species!) happy!

The best part about playing with Brody and Neo is that not only were THEY happy, I was too.  It made me feel good, seeing them romp around.  And you need to realize that pets are incredible creatures that protect you and love you no matter what- but they aren’t going to be around forever.

We need to love them while we have them.

 

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms." -George Eliot

Day Ten: Reading Matters!

In health class, we’ve talked about reading to kids when they are young.  Reading to a kid encourages them to read.  And when a child is excited to read, they read more.  This leads to a higher aptitude for learning- not just in reading, but overall.  It also teaches a child good communication and thinking skills and improved concentration.

My favorite childhood memories involve good books.

So today for my positive act, I read to my FCCLA advisor’s child.  And it was fun!  Which doesn’t surprise me- my all time favorite time of the day is when I get to read with the fifth graders for mentoring!  It makes sense that reading picture books that rhyme also make me happy.

I hope that the kids I’ve read with develop a passion for reading.  Most importantly, I hope that the kids I’ve read with learn that they need to make time to read.  In high school it seems like I barely have time to sleep let alone sit down and retain 500 pages of a novel.  Which is really upsetting- I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I finish an amazing read.

Reading to your child, niece, younger cousin, boyfriend’s younger sister, WHOEVER…makes that person feel loved and cared for.  So, I ask you:

Who will YOU read to today?