Pay it Forward

I can't exactly say that this is the most financially sound Christmas I've ever had. The economy has been in dire shits as of late and its really taking its toll on the restaurant and my pocket. I'm glad I don't have an ark full of friends because I sure can't afford them. Hell, I don't think I can afford a single friend for the holidays hahahaha.

So instead of blowing my already maxed out credit cards on my friends and total strangers that I choose to treat with a random act of kindness, I've decided to do little things to make their lives a little better. (This is only for the month of December- after which I will revert to being an asshole.)

First up is my plan to help feed the poor and homeless on Christmas. My friend Brendan came up with the idea and I thought it would be nice to return to my catholic school boy days of reaching out to the impoverished.

I cleared out some of my wardrobe and donated some sweaters and jackets to the poor... I figure some people need the clothes more than I do.

And for the people I work with... I found a unique way of extending some yule tide generosity- by working for free... For the past couple of shifts I've picked someone to give all my tips to. I first got the idea to work for free when I gave Kate a bunch of tables one afternoon and decided to just go ahead and give her all my tables... Why work for free? I don't know but it felt good. Serving others without any desire for compensation can be so liberating. I had so much fun. I didn't care about how much people spent, I wasn't trying to win their favors, I just did my job and had my fun doing it. By knowing that I wasn't working for money, I automatically decided that I'd enjoy myself. I began to talk more freely with guests, I stopped looking at them as paychecks and started seeing them as equals. Funny noh? What was most satisfying was seeing Kate and Molly's face light up in either thanks or disbelief at what I had done. I'm sure Kate thinks I'm a real idiot, but that would be her loss. I'm doing my good deed for the week, and I just hope it gets passed on...

Good deed number four... I'm dog sitting for Angela. Its a feat all in itself considering that Penny is as hyper as a toddler on crack. I swear to god, I already have pictures of her to put up on milk cartons just in case I lose it and bury her alive. Or maybe I'll be nice and use that last booklet of stamps I have to mail her to Abu-dabi. Hahahaha. Strangely enough I seemed to have grown attached to the little teacup yorkshire terrier. I kinda find it cute how she tries to wriggle in between the sheets to cuddle with me and she's not a bad movie date... She never bugs me to read the subtitles or repeat a line she didn't hear or understand. So maybe my picking up warm nuggets of turd off the cold concrete sidewalks of Queens isn't a good deed towards Angela but more of a kind deed towards myself... Its bringing out the more domesticated, more nurturing side of me. I feel like I should whip out a nipple and breast feed someone... Any takers? hahahaha