This week I was hired at Red Robin, as a server. Now, I will say that Red Robin seems like a great place to work and is a very fun work environment. Having said that, I started my training week on Monday. The training process is actually pretty difficult. There are quizzes, memorizing drinks, all menu items, taking orders fast and efficiently, etc. I have no problem with hard work, however, after working two jobs this week, and being told to study for tests for a job that pays me less than I have ever been paid, which, quite frankly is just not going to happen, I realized I had forgotten why I came to Tennessee. The last month has been crazy hard for me personally, everything I know and everyone I love is over 2000 miles away and I am not playing music any more than I could have in California or Washington. But there has been one thing that has felt great down south in the Bible belt, Church. Since working at Old Navy part time, I have had the opportunity to be at Church every Sunday with out fail. I have also been able to go to another service on Tuesday nights. With this new job and the old one, I would be working a lot and putting Church and Music in the back seat, I’ve done that before, it didn’t work out. So after a week of training to be a server, I drove up to Nashville Thursday night after playing music with a new friend, which was a blast. I ended up out side the Opry House, home of the Grand Ole Opry. It was about 32 degrees out and no one was around, I sat in my car for a little while, then I walked up to the Opry House. They had Christmas music playing already, and it was a steel guitar version of “Silent Night” it was this moment that I realized and remembered why I drove 2053 miles, and it was not to be a server at Red Robin. So, Friday morning, I turned in my apron and name tag and thanked them for the opportunity and the free food all week, but it wasn’t going to work out. This was the second time in 3 months and in my life I quit a job, and quitting a job feels great! Johnny Paycheck was defiantly on to something there.
I also talked to my manager at Old Navy and committed to him, that I’m all theirs over the holidays. I realized although Old Navy might not be my ideal career, I’m good at it, and I can do a great job with out a lot of effort. I also have the advantage of pursuing music and continuing Church. It’s funny, how as soon as you start to figure things out and get closer to Jesus, distractions come flying at you non-stop. This time last year I had never heard of Murfreesboro Tennessee, now I live here, and while I may have came for my banjo career, I know I am here for bigger reasons and I need to trust in the Lord to get me there.
Country Music and God mean so much to me, and this week, I lost sight of that for the first time in a while, but I did get back on track and for that, I feel great. I know challenges and temptations, will not stop, but now I am better prepared and I may not know where I am going, or how I’m getting there, but I do have faith and know trust that I will get there.
On a side note, I have been a Service and Training Manager for over three years, and in that time, I tried my best to keep it professional, wear collared shirts, nice shoes. I didn’t hang out with my associates, or text them, or anything like that. I was the manager and they were employees, in a corporate business like Old Navy or Red Robin, there is a separation. One’s not better than the other; there is just a professional separation. So, when my new training manager (from Red Robin) texts me one evening and asks what I’m doing, I thought it was weird, but no big deal. Then she asks if she can ask me a personal question. I say “Sure.” Expecting her to ask about my love life, but she comes out of left field, and asks if I smoke weed!? Because she is looking for someone to get high with. I don’t even no how to reply to that, I can kind of understand if maybe you’re at a party and someone asks, but my new training manager?! Really?! I reply with no, she says, “Oh ok, I just wanted someone to smoke with, no pressure but if you ever want to, let me know.” What is going on?
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