Showing posts with label the job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the job. Show all posts

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Realized that if I did my job perfectly, there'd only be a handful of people in here on a normal basis.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Front or Back...

Have you ever noticed the difference a position at work changes the way people look at you? I have.

Between working the door and working behind the bar people look at you much differently. Recently I was offered a shift that I've had before at a different venue. I believe it was offered to me in order to keep me quiet and secure. In hopes that I wouldn't get pissed off and just up and leave.

Over the years of talking with Paulie I've made it clear the jobs that I didn't want and the jobs that I wanted. I've said that management was an interest. I've said that a slow bartending night was of interest. I've said that a barback position was never an interest.

Why wouldn't I want a barback position? Well, from my point of view the barback is actually the bartender that stocks the shelves and cooler at the end of the night. Your the bartender that does all the heavy work. Technically, the bartender that doesn't do the stocking is the senior person and only has to tip you out 27% of the tips. Usually on a slow night it's a 46 - 54 split because the barback does get tipped out by the waitress as well.

So of course, the position that was offered to me was the barback position. Which is typical of most clubs that I've worked with. You start out as security, go to barback and if you stick around long enough you get a bartending position. This would all be fine with me if not for one thing. I was promised a management position. Instead it was given to a different person. I was told that the position was given to the other person due to a lack of bartending experience on my part.

My argument is this.

How hard is it to walk up to a person sitting at a bar, ask them what they'd like, serve them, and then put the money in the register. It's not a complicated thing. I'd dare say a person could do this job without as much as a GED. Besides, I've worked in bars and I've worked behind them. Politics corrupt even the venue.

Despite my disapproval, I decided to take the barback position that was offered me. It was easy enough. I walked up to people, asked them what they wanted to drink, served them and put the money in the register. Strange that I could do that so well as a barback but not as a bartender. Throughout the night I stocked the booze and beer.

I did this for a very limited time. I ended up giving up the position on the simple facts that I didn't want to spend more time in the establishment. This shift was added on to all the shifts that I already had there working the door and I didn't want to be there any more than needed. Even though the extra $50 was nice, it wasn't worth being there.

After I gave up the shift I noticed other things. It's strange the amount of attention you get when you're behind the bar. I received phone numbers from women that are still regulars that never paid any attention to me before when I worked the door. Was I really that much different when I worked behind the bar as compared to working the door?

A couple weeks after giving up the bar shift I started getting questions from these same women.

"When do you work behind the bar again?"

"I gave up that shift. It just wasn't worth being here that extra night."

"Oh... ok."

After that I'd see them come in and I'd say hello but they wouldn't have anything to say. I even called one after she had given me her number while I was working behind the bar. She wasn't interested any more.

It's funny, a lot of people seem to think that working the door is the lowest position you can have at a venue. I don't really know why they think that.

The guy at the door talks to every person that walks in. He's the first person that every person sees when they walk in and a lot of time he's the one that will determine if you decide to come in. If he's nice and friendly then you'd come in. If he's pissy then you'll probably decide to go somewhere else. On a busy night, he's the one that determines if you'll be waiting in the line or skipping the line. If you're involved in an argument he can help determine if you leave or stay. He can use some influence in getting you cheap drinks at times.

In my opinion, it's a down grade to take a position where you might make $4 an hour and depend on tips. Especially with the economy in a rut the way it is now. I don't think my landlord or utilities would understand when I don't make enough tips to pay my bills.

Not to say that bartenders don't make decent money. I know some that make $300 - $400 in a 4 hour shift. They're the ones that have the weekend shifts when it's busy. The guys on the slow weeknights usually make between $100 - $200. So sure, if you have a few shifts spread out amongst a few different places there's an opportunity to make some cash.

For me, it's not worth my time to give up a door shift to take a shift where I could make between $50 - $100. Not to forget my $5 hourly... which comes out to be about $15 after taxes if I'm lucky.
Honestly, how many bartenders take any one that hits on them seriously? The bartenders probably get hit on by dozens of people a night. I'm sure there are a few exceptions out there but I'm sure most of the time it's a one nighter and that's it. Not too bad of a trade, sex for cheap drinks.

I found it funny how uninteresting I became after I gave up the shift. I also noticed how many more people wait in line to get in now.

Man, I'm an asshole.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Things change. People don't...

If you've been reading for a while you'll remember some posts about me wanting to change paths. Doing this type of work for a long period of time will tend to do that to you.

I have ideas about the future. It entails me owning my own establishment. In order to do that I've been working in this industry for a long time so that I can get the experience that I want to have. The experience is essential when pursuing this type of an endeavor.

So there's my reasoning for wanting to do more and different positions.

In my opinion, I don't need to know how to bartend in order to open a bar. Granted, it's a good thing to know but I don't see it as a necessity. I figure that I'll hire bartenders when the time comes to open my own place. After all, who's going to bring more money into a bar, the big scary brute or the cute little lady?

Cute little ladies will always bring more money into a bar or club faster than any man will. Unless it's a gay bar or a male strip club. Neither of which I plan on running or opening.

So the experience that I'm truly looking for is actual bar management. Purchasing, paperwork, shift managing, problem solving and all the rest. All of which I have from previous and present jobs but none of the previous jobs were in the bar industry.

I'm putting a time limit of ten years on my goal of ownership. Basically, I want to have my own place up and running before that ten years is up. Maybe this blog can help with that, maybe it won't. Either way I plan on it happening through the many different contacts that I've already made.

I've had some positive interests already. All I need to do now is get the ball rolling. Scout locations and get the proper legal information. Which I'll gladly do once I have the ability to take a little time off.

Money is also a huge factor in opening such a business. Which is another reason behind working so much and not having the proper time to update here. I'm working on that and getting posts up and ready.

The scheduling option on this blog is great for that. I can put together some posts and schedule them to post on certain dates. This will work great for the D.I.C.K. posts. I have a few up and ready to publish for the next few Fridays.

Summer time is always a busy time. I'll try to keep you all informed of what's going on the best I can. Until then...

Be Safe.

Monday, June 09, 2008

The Incoherent Mind...

I don't understand a lot of people. I guess that's just how I work. I see things, a lot of things. It's what I do. I watch and talk to a lot of people. I see the things they do and I notice a lot about people. I paste the events together and I get to see a lot of the darker side of them. I see a lot of the bad and not a lot of the good. I also see a few people in the opposite way and even fewer in both.

A friend of mine just went through a rough time. She had to kick her boyfriend out of their apartment. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later and I'm glad it did. He was a slacker and very much still a 12 year old.

He would come into the establishment on some of her nights. He would complain if she didn't pay enough attention to him. He would follow her from table to table as she waitressed and hang on her. He even dry humped her as she was trying to take orders on occasion. I tried to talk to her about it but she was overcome by the attention and was actually happy about it.

As time went on he got worse. His drinking got heavier and he became even more childish with every drink. Next thing you know he's taking his shirt off and acting like a monkey.

One night I pulled him out and around the side of the establishment. I had flashbacks of my father as I had one hand on his shoulder and my right index finger about a half an inch away from his eyeball.

"Listen to me. Quit fucking up in here."

"What? I'm just having a good time, people are laughing."

"I don't give a fuck who's laughing and who's trying to have a good time. I'm telling you to straighten the fuck up."

"Mike... listen man, we're just having a good time.."

At this point I squeezed his shoulder and dug my thumb in to hit the pressure point right in the area of where his shoulder meets his neck.

"Good time? At who's expense??" He started to talk and I squeezed that pressure point more and his knees started to buckle. "Listen to me now. Shut your fuckin mouth and listen. You take your shirt off one more time, you follow her around all night, or even think about dry humping her in front of customers and your ass will be out here faster than you've ever imagined it could be. You've only been allowed to slide this far because of her. Your sliding days are over. I don't give a shit who you are anymore. Now your just another piece of shit."

"But she likes the attention... she said it makes her feel better when I'm here..."

"You really fuckin believe that by degrading her it's a good thing? Are you fuckin stupid? I don't care what she says. Do that shit at home, don't ever do it here again. I'll lay your ass down on this sidewalk."

A month or two later I found out that he wasn't paying his bills or his part of the rent. I didn't hear it from Maria, I heard it from other staff members. I guess after I treated her boyfriend like a 6 year old she didn't want to talk to me about him anymore. She was afraid I might have another talk with him on a more serious matter, so I waited.

A couple more months went by and I heard about it again. He still wasn't paying his bills or his half of the rent. He works in the industry as well and he works at a fairly busy place. I kept wondering why he couldn't pay his share. It started to bother me even more when I kept hearing Maria say she couldn't do certain things because she was juggling bills. I've known Maria for a few years now and she never once had a problem with bills and such. I could also tell when she was upset.

One night her boyfriend came walking up with a few co-workers. He was all smiles as they walked up. I said hello to most of the co-workers and then it was his turn to walk in. He put his hand out for me to shake. I took a good look at him and said, "You need to make sure you scrub your face after work." Either he didn't hear me or he didn't care, under his nose was a white powdery substance.

That's when a lot more things started to come to light. I always figured he was either hyper active or a coke head but now I knew for sure. The little bastard wasn't paying his bills because he was snorting it all away.

As time went on he'd be quiet and every once in a while I'd have to set him off to the side. Information on what was going on was becoming more scarce as Maria quit talking to certain people. As information became less available I had to start interpreting things.

Maria started to become more lax at work. She was never a drinker or a drug user the whole time I've known her. Now all of a sudden she was drinking more and she was even smoking weed. It started to draw even more attention to her. I tried to talk to her about it and her answer usually entailed trying to fit in with her boyfriend and his friends. This just blew my mind. I can fully understand doing new things to fit in with your significant other. I can't understand drinking or doing drugs to fit in. To me that's just a sign of a weakness.

Finally a night came when there was a foul smell in the air. With the smoking ban it's very easy to smell cigarettes or any other funky smelling fumes. Low and behold, in the back of the establishment at one of the tables, the boy had a one hitter and was smoking weed. He was automatically ejected from the establishment. When I asked why I was told that Maria asked Casper not to tell me why. I told Casper to tell me because I'd find out anyways.

The next night he came by and I pulled him to the side again. He tried to apologize and I interrupted.

"Shut up. I don't ever want to hear the words I'm sorry come out of your mouth again. You wouldn't be doing this shit if you were. Don't you understand that when you fuck up in here, you don't just make you look bad, you make Maria look bad too?"

"But.. what?"

"Your her fuckin boyfriend. Your the one she chooses to be with and you make her look like a fuckin idiot for being with you. Your actions make people think less of her."

"No.. listen man, I was really fucked up that night..."

"Is that your fuckin excuse for not paying your bills? Is it your excuse for walking up here with coke all over your face? For taking your clothes off? For being a fuckin dirtbag? You know you can't be smoking weed in here. You know you can't be fuckin around. This is the last time I'm talking to you about any of this."

"Ok, ok... can I go inside?"

He went inside and ten minutes later he and Maria are outside arguing for a few minutes and he left. Maria didn't talk to me for a few days after that. Paulie and I had several talks about him and about how the next time would be the last time we'd put up with his bullshit. Boyfriend or not some one has to draw a line and since this is a work place we were ready to do that.

A few weeks later another incident occurred. This time it involved a regular punching the boy. Seems he was trying to push the regulars buttons and pushed it well enough that the regular pushed back, with his fist. The boy was removed and told not to come back.

Maria seemed much happier at work after that. She even started smiling and laughing more than she had been in the past month or two. Next thing you know, she's telling me about how she's kicking the boy out of the apartment and that they're broken up. I told her that it was the right thing to do and if she needed any help dealing with him to let me know.

She told me about the money he owed her. I told her to keep certain things of his until he paid up or to just keep enough of his things to kind of settle the debt. Conveniently he doesn't own anything of value.

Hopefully he starts paying back some of this money he owes her. Then again, I wouldn't mind having another talk with him. Maybe drive a few more points home and instill them into his head.

Friday, June 06, 2008

You want my job?...

A lot of people have said that they'd love to have my job. They walk up and see all the people greeting me and being cordial. They see the numerous ladies that give me a hug or a kiss and a few of the men that come in that shake my hand or say hello. They see all the good things that happen and the occasional incident inside the establishment.

Once they get inside they don't see the people outside that get in my face because I won't let their underage girlfriend in. They don't see the drunk that runs up and tackles me (or tries to). They don't see the group of people that try to rush past me. Or the people that call me a racist because I won't let them in due to their oversized clothing that goes against the dress code.

They also don't realize that, in order to make things meet, I work this job 5 or more days a week.

I deal with so many stupid situations that if I wrote about everyone of them you'd think I was repeating them and just changing the names of the people involved. I'm not, it's just that repetitive. Which confirms the notion that there are a lot of stupid people in the world.

I work this job so many days a week for a couple reasons.
  • I'm not the type of person to have multiple jobs. I was brought up to believe that if you can't survive on one job, then it's time to find another job. Sure, the concept is a little flawed in this day and age but it's worked so far for me. By keeping with this idea I've become very good at this job. Experience and time are what helps you the most.

  • After I reached the Head Doorman spot there wasn't any other way to work. People under you can't work more days than you. You have to be there to know what's going on.
So now I wonder if these same people would still want my job. If they knew that I was at the establishment 6 or more hours a day, 5 or more days a week. All this on an hourly pay without benefits. That's right. No health insurance, no dental insurance, no 401k, and no vacation pay. Just straight hourly pay and time and a half if I actually get over 40 hours a week. Which rarely happens.

So why do I do this job? That's one of the best questions. Some would think that it's because of the perks. Discounts on many different things, auto work, food, drinks, and just about anything else. I'm nice to certain people and if they appreciate that they return the favor when they can. When you need over $1,000 worth of car work done and the guy only charges you $300 you remember that and help him. This might mean letting him skip the line or getting him a discount on his drinks for the night. But if I had a higher paying job would I need the discounts?

Maybe it's the notoriety? Sure, if you like the idea that there are a lot of pissed off people out there that you could run into. No matter how big of a city you live in, people remember your face when you throw them out of somewhere. Notoriety also has the opposite effect. A lot of people remember you and try to be super nice to you when your at their establishment. Hoping that you'll remember them when they come to yours. Which usually gives off that creepy, sticky, false sense of nice.

Maybe it's just as simple as this. I don't feel the need to work 2 jobs. I don't want to work 12 or 16 hour days. Maybe with age came lethargy.

That's the best I can tell you. If it made any sense. If I ever come up with a better answer I'll let you know. Until then, just know that I'm still here and there's more to come.

-Be Safe

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Fake ID V: They're Crafty...

I get a lot of fake i.d.'s. Some of them are really good quality, some of them aren't. But no matter what they're always missing something. Whether it's UV ink, a hologram or a signature, they're missing something.

For instance. I've received a lot of fakes from Kentucky lately. They're missing the UV ink and they're usually pressed paper. Pressed paper is just that, it's two pieces of heavier stock paper pressed together to make it feel like a real i.d. It can be pulled apart after a little wear and tear. It's a dead give away.

A lot of these kids put their real name and information on these fakes. I've even taken away i.d.'s from kids that put their real address on them. It's a no brainer when you look at a Kentucky i.d. and they have a Michigan address. People are that stupid.

It's rare anymore that people argue about getting it back. I guess after a few years the reputation of the doormen proceeds them. Word gets around that a certain place won't give back the i.d.'s so people quit trying to go there. Which can be good and it can be bad.

I would say that any popular club has a few underage kids in it. Some doormen don't card people if they're with certain patrons. Some will let you in if you have that certain look. Others will let you in if the picture looks enough like you and the age is good. Which is why so many kids still get fake i.d.'s.

I've even taken an i.d. away from a girl that walked up with a doorman from another bar. He said she was good but I carded her because I didn't know her. Turns out she had a fake and was in his bar all night. The picture looked like her, the age was right but there was no UV ink on the license. I asked for a second proof and, even though she had plenty of cards in her wallet, she didn't have anything with her name on it. So I kept it. The doorman from the other bar apologized and said that they don't use UV lights on i.d.'s so he didn't know. Understandable.

In a situation like that, now he has to wonder about her friends. Are they legit? Do they all have fakes? He said her friends all had the same kind of i.d.'s. I suggested he get a UV light. He said he'd have to talk to the manager about it. So he's not too worried about it. He more than likely knew she was underage.

This has happened a few times. Regulars walking up with friends thinking they'll get everyone in without having to show i.d.'s. That only works for you, not your whole clan. If I don't know them, they better have i.d.'s.

I take the job more serious than others. If you don't want me to, then pay me even more money. I can forget a lot of things when the moneys right. Things can be cleared up that way too.

But until the day comes when I'm paid to let in the "right" people I'm still the same old me. The asshole.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Contemplations....

At a certain point any job gets to be painful. You wonder how much longer you can do it. You think about what else you could be doing. You just plainly get tired of doing the same thing over and over. How many times do you have to tell the same people the same things. This job is like that.

The only way to really keep the job fresh is to either change jobs or change venues. It does tend to prove difficult when your the head man. The pay is good and there aren't many venues that will match your pay. After all, you become the new guy all over again. No venue wants to pay the new guy close to what the head man makes.

So every night becomes a repetitive cycle. You go through the checklist before leaving for work. Vest. check. Flashlight. check. Phone. check. Keys. check. Tazer... I wish.

Then you get to work. You do a quick walk through and take inventory of the people already there. Get a good visual and check any suspicious people for i.d.'s or anything else.

Then the night begins. Standing at post and reminding the same people through out the night to step down the sidewalk to enjoy their cigarettes. That they can't take their drinks outside. To keep the noise down because our neighbors are trying to sleep.

Then refusing entrance to inebriated people that walk up. Explaining that they were stumbling around or just too drunk to come in. Expecting a fight or argument with every refusal.

On some nights I'm the angry father figure. I have to remind kids that banging beer bottles on top of each other is something they can do at home and not here. Telling them to keep the noise down and to quit annoying me.

Most nights I get an offering or two. Either monetarily or physical. Money I will accept. Why? Because no matter how much you give me, I'll still throw you out within minutes if you need to be. Physical offerings normally go in one ear and out the other. Your wasted and I'm sober, it's just not a good idea on my part.

Then comes the end of the night. The lights are on, the music is off and I'm yelling for you to leave. Your looking at me like I'm being rude for interrupting your conversation. I'm looking at you like an asshole because your not leaving yet. Believe it or not, I want to leave because I have to be here the following night and do it all over again. Soberly.

Finally get all the people out and all the duties are done. The waitresses are put into cabs or cars and everything is done for the night. Then the walk to my car through the alley and down the streets. Morning is here and it's time for bed.

I like to think that tomorrow is a different day. In reality it's about the same as all the rest. It changes occasionally but not enough. It's usually the same people at the same times. Which isn't always bad. It's good to see familiar faces but those faces are usually wasted every time they're seen.

I've been wondering a lot lately. What it would be like to have that office job again. It'd probably be just as boring after a time. I've always had that travel bug but it's never bitten hard enough.

Change would be nice. Either in job terms or positions.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Disposition of Servitude (Work Ethics)...

One of the hardest things to adjust to is everyone else's work habits. Some people have the ability to work and do it right all the time. They know the game and they stick to it. Some people have the ability to just get by. They know the game and do just enough to stay around.

In the nightlife you'll find both types of people. Which at times makes it interesting to listen to everyone complain. This person doesn't wash their dishes, this person didn't check those people's i.d.'s or many other things. I get to hear about it all as if I have some mystical power to change the way people are.

Granted, everyone gets burnt out on their job at some point. It's bound to happen after you've done the same job for years. That's why I usually have a time limit on jobs. I work long enough doing something and either I move on to a different position or I move on to a different job. That's just how I work things. After a certain age you either have to get your shit together and save for the future or be prepared to die at some job that you don't like.

Even though I might get burnt out on a job it doesn't give me the ability to let myself go. I don't like being fired from jobs. So I keep doing it until I find something new or better. I don't decide that it's cool for me to break the rules and smoke weed at work, or just decide not to go to work. People depend on me to be there and do my job so that's what I do until I don't need to.

On the other side, a lot of people take jobs in the nightlife because it seems fun. People are drinking, having fun and doing all kinds of weird shit. You get the opportunity to meet lots of different people. If you partake in drugs then your guaranteed to meet even more people of the same kind. Yes, I said it, there are a lot of drug users that work in clubs and bars. Have you ever heard of a club or bar that makes their employees do random drug tests? If you have let me know where this place is. I might just apply.

There are a lot of slackers that work in the industry too. People that don't want to punch a time card and want to show up when they want to. They won't get in trouble for being 20 minutes late or not being the nicest person in the world. It's an easy job and you make easy money. Plus, there's not a lot of actual work involved. By that I mean your not going to be lugging around 100lbs of weight all the time or trying to sell enough merch to make good commissions. You sell booze, everyone that walks in the door wants it.

Which reminds me of an ad I saw in the classifieds once for a job.

Everyone buys it. It's only a matter of time. High Commission Sales Position xxx-xxx-xxxx

I actually called about this ad. I figured if everyone bought it then it'd be an easy job. There's no way I'd ever work in a funeral home though. That's just having work and death too close to each other.

So getting used to the different aspects of work is something I've had to deal with. There are only a few people here that I'd deem as slackers. Those are the ones that are getting on my nerves. I'm learning how to deal with those nerves.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

On the outs...

"Your killin me here..." Paulie's elbows rest on the desk while his head rests in his hands.

"I'm just tired man."

"Tired? Of what?"

"The life. Nothing changes. It's constantly the same shit every night."

"Every job gets that way."

"Not like this. It's the same faces day in and out. The same problems that won't change."

"What can we do to change this?"

"I've made suggestions. You know they're good ones. The owners just don't want to do any of it."

"Listen, give me some time, I'll talk to them and see what I can do to keep you around."

"I think your words will just fall on silent ears."

"Let's take that chance."

Thursday, February 14, 2008

More History and a Response...

This post is a response to "Anonymous" comment to the Expired I.D. II post.

I've worked in several places where the owners or managers have not had my back. They've ok'ed several underage people and people without i.d.'s or with horribly fake i.d.'s. I hated these jobs.

Why? Because I get hired due to my experience and the type of job I have done at other places. I don't get paid to turn my eyes and let shit happen. Guess what? Who's going to get fired if that establishment gets fined or closed down because of these things. The doorman that let them in.

Now it might be different if you have some kind of contract with the place you work at. Or if there are numerous guys at the door then you can probably pawn the blame off on someone else, then live with the fact that you got someone fired for something you did.

I have a different way of looking at things.

If for what ever reason I decide I've had enough of a job or I'm let go for something, I don't care. I walk. I know I can find another job within a month. Sure, it might knock me back financially but if you've never lived like that before then you've never lived.

I have had meetings with owners and management before on this topic. I've told them straight out that this kind of shit doesn't happen or I walk.

I explain that no one should waste anyone's time. I do things my way or not at all.

I can understand letting a few things go if the people are actual friends of management or if the person is obviously of age. But when little Sally comes walking up and she looks all of 15 years old she doesn't come in. Not even if it's management. And I'll tell them right there and then that they can have fun doing my job until they hire someone else because I'll walk.

Now some people might think I'm crazy. In fact, I do myself at times, but this isn't just a part time job so I can have some extra cash. This is a full time job and it's getting very close to being a career. When it's a career type of situation it's more about your track record than it is about having the extra dough to get a PS3 or paying rent.

I live by standards and morals and that's reflected by my work. This is why I have a strict no drinking policy for myself and the other staff. How can the drunk police the drunk?

I can say that I've caused business to go down at certain places I've worked. That's happened due to the piss poor job the doorstaff before me did. So I had to take away a lot of fake i.d.'s, refuse a lot of drunks and ban a lot of previous regulars for selling or doing drugs in the bar.

So a bar can definitely change a lot just due to a new doorstaff. But bars change every few years due to many other things as well.

As for the interaction with the cops, it's much different here. The cops understand that it's our license on the line, they understand the amount of situations I've been through, they know I'm always sober, and I know a lot of them. They also understand that I have the right to refuse service to anyone at any time for any reason. So they always have my back.

Depending on what type of area you work in Anonymous you might want to be a little more vocal with the local police. Keep an eye for them and let them know about a few things here an there. Make friends with them. Even offer them bottled water or a Red Bull from time to time. Being friendly will get their attention and it will open their eyes up a little more to the type of person you are and the type of work you do.

You might want to keep up to date on new procedures that effect them. Talk to them and ask them their opinions. Tell them stories about situations that have been handled without their necessity. If they know your doing things in a way that they don't need to be there for they'll see how much less of a work load they have due to you. When they feel like they're on a common ground they'll respect you more.

So here's what I would do in your situation. Take it with a grain of salt since your not me and I don't know the type of relationship you have with your club's owners and management.

In other words, don't try and blame me if you do any of this and it doesn't work. Your responsible for your own actions.

You can go to the owner and tell him that the door is yours. The decisions you make are final and that's how it is. If that's not acceptable then your walking. However, don't say these things unless your ready to walk. If you don't walk when you say you will the owner will know your full of shit and need the job.

If this is just a part time job for you then let the shit happen. You don't have to put all your jobs down on a resume. If you get fired, you get fired. No biggy, you can still rely on your full time job. I don't know how things work where you are but it should end up costing the owners even more than the amount of money they make off the underage by letting it happen, if they ever get busted.

Do with this as you want. It's only my opinion.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Nice vs Not So Nice...

Within the past few years I learned what it means to dislike people. In the beginning I hated the world. Then over the years my old self has slowly started to resurface. Let's say the softer side is starting to come back to the battleground. Which isn't always a good thing in this line of work.

You don't want to be soft but you do in certain situations. You can't be an asshole all the time, just at the times you need to.

Over the past month I've been punched, tackled and insulted in many ways. (I'll post these stories in time) Most of which have happened because I was being soft and polite. Strange that people are such assholes. If I had been rude and forceful it more than likely wouldn't have happened.

Time wears a person down and after being an asshole long enough I was getting tired of it. So I decided to be a little nicer. Of course that paid off well... Luckily, no stitches, guns or knives involved as of yet.

There are a few other things I'm trying to change as well that have nothing to do with work. I'm going to try and get back to a gym. It's been a long time since I've been in a gym at all. I've always had that second labor induced job to keep me fit. I haven't had that in a while so it's time to get one or get to a gym. I'd rather have the second job so at least I'm getting paid to bust my ass and not paying for it. Especially since I'm the type to use a personal trainer. Yea, I'm that lazy.

I've never been a fan of working out or going to a gym. I also don't have a clue as to what to do or which machines to use. I never had to use that stuff even when playing football back in the day. I'm just a big country boy that has worked labor jobs his whole life.

So I think the second job option is the better one, once spring hits. Ahh.. back to shoveling ditches and tossing tons of weight all day. Part of me thinks it will actually be fun.

As for being nice to people. I'm done with that. It's back to being the asshole at the door. I'm not a fan of being punched or tackled and I don't want to waste anymore time going to court for people I've had arrested. The judges are starting to know me by face.

A few of the cops have even joked that I should get a badge. Maybe in the future, but not right now. I like dealing with the problems of a confined area rather than an entire town. Besides, most of the cops wish they were me. Since things can happen here and not there. Legalities...

Ok, I'll be back soon with more posts. Until then...

Be Safe.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

End of Night Round Up...

At the end of the night I like to keep up to date with my staff. If something happened I like to know what happened, how it happened and who it happened with. Just a little way to keep a step ahead of anyone that tries to come back and cause shit.

I heard about an argument between Mark and a patron that ended up in Mark screaming at the man and removing him.

"So what happened man?"

"Well, this guy just wouldn't be quiet. He kept talking back to me and he just wouldn't listen to what I was sayin."

"What'd he do?"

"Well, I got a complaint from a couple of girls that he kept just staring at them. They asked that I ask him not to anymore." Mark stood there for a minute and started again. "I went over to talk to him and he just wouldn't listen. Every time I tried to talk to him he'd turn away. When I tried to turn him towards me he started yelling at me and I started yelling at him."

"What brought it up to him being kicked out?"

"He shoved me away from him after I was done tellin him he had to leave the girls alone."

"Next time, get rid of the guy after the first time. If anyone gives you any shit get rid of them from the start. Don't get pulled into the shouting game cause that turns into an argument and then it turns into a fight. Resolve the situation before it starts."

"Well, I was trying to.."

"Listen kid, your new to the game. Remember, your right and they're wrong. What ever stance you take, you keep. You don't change your stance unless management tells you to. And you can argue with them after work."

"So I should have just thrown him out for staring at the girls?"

"No... For not listening to you and ignoring you. People that disrespect the door staff will disrespect everyone else. Fuck 'em, they can leave and someone else can take their spot. Quiet night otherwise?"

"Yea, pretty quiet."

"How you getting home?"

"My bike's outside."

"Ok, be safe and keep your eyes open."

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Here We Go...

Sorry about the lack of posting as of late. With the new year starting things have been a little hectic. New procedures have been put together at work and its been interesting to see how they've worked out.

A few years ago the city of Chicago almost passed a smoking ban. I was weary about them passing the ban because if they passed the ban then I figured we'd be next. Well, Chicago didn't pass the smoking ban but it wasn't necessarily because they didn't want to. It was because the whole state of Illinois decided to go non-smoking.

The state of Illinois has passed, what many have called, the most stringent smoking ban to date. Which goes along with Illinois being known as a Police State.

The major difference between Illinois' smoking ban and that of other states is that it's focused primarily on the employees health rather than the patrons. Which is fun to explain to the non-smoking patrons that come to the establishment and think the state loves them. It's not about you, it's about the waitress that doesn't smoke and you don't tip.

One thing about Illinois ban is the fresh air clause. According to rumor there isn't an air recycling unit that can work fast enough to keep up with the state's mandate. When I look over the Act online there are a lot of Sections missing to it so there's no way to tell.

There are also a lot of businesses that are already being hurt by the ban. There are smoke shops that are slowly closing down. If the business is a tobacco shop then you can't sell beverage or food. In fact, you have to give up those licenses completely. I've even seen a few restaurant's that have shut down their kitchens just so the regulars in the neighborhood can keep on smoking. They think they have a way around it. Wait until it's time to pay bills, they'll wish they had kept it open.

A big state ban is strange. People feel like their Rights are being taken away from them. In part, they are. It's the right to choose. The right to your own choice. If things were done a little differently then it wouldn't be so bad.

I don't want to get into all the little schematical issues over it.

This just makes work a lot more difficult. Now instead of just making sure everyone plays nice we have to make sure the kids aren't smoking inside the building. Anyone caught gets tossed for doing something that we've all done for years. So there should be some interesting reactions in the near future.

I've been telling myself that now is a good time to quit. The rebellious side of me just keeps winning the argument. When you keep the law for so long you let the rebellious side win at times. Maybe in a few months...

Be safe.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Job...

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