You guys,
I’ve been having flashbacks to my 18 years in the service industry.
It’s a typical Saturday night at the restaurant. I’m bored, staring at SportsCenter while I mindlessly roll forks and knives in black linen. And then, customers file in and it starts to get busy.
Suddenly I’m running from one thing to the next in an attempt to stay ahead of the rush. Put that appetizer order in, refill those water glasses, set silverware and share plates on that table, greet those newbies and get their drink order. I got this. I’m gonna make money tonight!
Everything’s great until it’s not. One more table just sat in my section as I’m in the middle of taking a dinner order from an 8-top and now my eyes are darting around the restaurant. Where’s the busboy? What is taking the bartenders so long to make my drinks? Why does the chef hate me?? And now I’m avoiding eye contact with the customers whose eyes I can feel bore into me.
A fellow server asks if I need anything. And instead of saying, “Yes, I could really use some help. Can you grab waters for Table 7?” I say, “I don’t know.”
There’s a phrase in the restaurant industry when you’re so busy you can’t even ask for help:
In the weeds.
I’ve been thinking about that phrase a lot this week as Write of Passage Cohort 6 kicked off.
I started off busy, excited, my adrenaline carrying me from one thing to the next. Suddenly, my desk was littered with ripped pieces of paper covered in names and questions linked with arrows and shapes and none of it made any sense. I had written all of my notes longhand instead of typing them directly into the computer.
This. was. a. mistake.
My brain is foggy. I’m realizing I’m not organized and I don’t have systems. But I can’t get organized and make systems RIGHT NOW. In the thick of it. It’s too late to make systems. I’m in the weeds.
Thankfully, mentoring is not the same as waitressing. I never cared about investing the time to create a better system waiting tables because it was just a stopgap, a necessary means to pay bills.
But Write of Passage brings me joy and purpose. Taking the long way to do things is just part of my process. So I may be in the weeds. But I’m also learning.
Essay of the Week
George’s first reaction to real food was whimpering and wanting to get the hell out of his high chair. But only a week later he has fed himself an array of different foods and makes lots of happy sigh noises during lunchtime.
I wrote an essay about baby-led weaning - namely the strategic gagging it presents - and our experience during the first week.
It’s Always Something
With the introduction of real food came five whole days of constipation for George. I can’t explain how horrible it feels to watch your son struggle and be uncomfortable for such a long time. I could barely think about anything else!
But then, on the fifth day, he pooped. A lot. I couldn’t stop yelling, “Yay!!!! You did it! You pooped!” My elation scared the poor babe and he cried.
Way to go, Mama.
After that, we were going through the process of introducing high-risk allergy foods and offered him peanut butter spread thinly on banana. Hours laters he broke out in a rash all over his mouth, chin, and neck. He kept trying to rub his face on me to relieve the itchiness. We gave him his first dose of Benadryl per the doctor’s instructions and Sam slept on the floor next to his crib - just in case.
We took George to the doctor and he’s doing much better. Might not be a peanut allergy and we’re clear to keep introducing allergenic foods as we please.
Maybe we’ll hold off for a bit.
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Until next week,
Charlie
This is good master piece for a fresher.I like it.👍