On fall, colds and Christmas hysterics in September

One of the Thai women who work in the kitchen cracks me up. There had been a woman in to apply for a chef job, and we talked a little about it afterwards, to which she says: "You know, in the beginning, everything's good. Even when things are shit, they're good. Then after a while, you start seeing the flaws and start feeling like everything's wrong and sucks. Just like having a boyfriend!" But yeah, while I'm happy to have a job, I was less happy with the fact that a million people all seemed to want to invade the restaurant today. It's like they all got their calendars mixed up and thought it was Thursday or something - it's never that busy on a Monday. At least 60% of the people came all at once, which led to a slight chaos in who was having what and when, and I probably lost out on some tips by being a little slow and a lot stressed, like juggling under water when you know there's a shark around. Still, I didn't do bad, but it wasn't one of my better days. I do a lot better when I have the opportunity to make small talk and seem charming, as opposed to rushing and looking apologetic.

...or me, because you know, polite Canadian and all that. Also it's an effective way to defuse situations - look horrified and apologize profusely and people will feel bad and go easy on you, feeling like they're the ones who caused a ruckus. Win-win.

I felt really slow and sluggish at work yesterday, possibly because I had to get up at 7 a.m. to do laundry in time for work. I can't understand people who can get up that early in the morning on a regular basis. Even if I went to bed at 11 p.m. the night before and that gives me eight full hours, I still felt like someone had run me over with a truck when I woke up. Mornings just aren't my thing.

I think I'm getting a bit of a cold, and I'm not sure I've worked for long enough to know the magical limit where I get to stay at home. I asked G about it, and he said he'd draw the line at a fever, and obviously if I were to get the stomach flu or something, but I'm kinda losing my voice a little. I'm wondering if my desire to stay home is derived from laziness or if it would count as really being sick. I'll just keep pushing through the week, see how it goes. For now, tea and TEFL.

With the season having changed to fall in a way that meant icy winds and for me the start of a season of cold hands and feet until maybe March or so, I'm kinda coming to peace with the fact that summer is over. What I'm not coming to peace with is how as soon as the weather hits below 15 degrees, everyone starts hyping about Christmas. Shit, people, calm your tits. My sister K is probably one of the worst offenders, posting on facebook about it 'soon being gingerbread time!'. No. No, it's not soon ginger bread time, because it's not even fucking October yet. Sheesh. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before the stores are all flooded with a disgusting amount of Christmas decorations and carols.

Why do people keep doing this?

Can we at least wait until the leaves fall off the trees? Maybe revel some in the fact that it's knitwear season? Eat scones with jam and tea while listening to the rain against the window? I don't feel like dealing with snow, dark days or stressed Christmas shoppers panicking about not being able to plan a perfect Christmas that makes them look accomplished. If people could just learn to relax a little and stop trying to find perfection for their facebook posts and pictures so as to rub it in the faces of others, I think everyone would be happier. Not to mention me, since I'd be spared countless pictures of food or toddlers dressed up to ridiculousness.