I will start at the beginning of my employment journey. High school. McEachern High school to be exact.
- Publix Supermarkets: My first job, forced upon me, in every literal sense by my Mimi, who not only believed in strong work ethic, but not able to spoil me, pushed me to apply as soon as legally possible, "or else". Mind you, "or else" in Mimi-talk meant horrific devastation on my part, including but not limited to: Groundation, Cell-phone confiscation, Sunday-morning-orange-rolls-depravation, good-cooking-depravation, constant nagging as well as phone nagging, and removing the door to my room, followed by my bathroom, if I did not comply, if none of these worked (and they usually did, despite my strong will to have a ferris buller-style summer) Mimi could always threaten to ship me back to California, although, those threats were usually saved for special occasions (like buying an eyebrow ring, skipping school, and hiding my boyfriend in the closet). But, we can laugh about it now! (I hope....) This was my longest job to date, spanning 3 years of my young life. I worked as a Cashier, Stock-girl (the only one, which was perfectly fine by me, seeing as I got spoiled and never had to show up on time or lift heavy things.) Dairy-girl* (*worst job ever, loading and unloading milk pallets that constantly broke and spoiled. Spent my entire shift in a feezer or fridge, pushing dairy around. ) and last but not least, the Bakery! I loved my job at the bakery even though by the time I finally got to the position I wanted ever since I started (decorating pastries and cakes) I had one month before I moved to California.
- Bruster's Ice Cream: My first "second" job. I got this job after convincing Mimi this had the best benefits (free ice cream) by bringing her home our favorite "double chocolate chip" ice cream everyday. I worked this a few days a week, for a couple hours, mostly cleaning, gossiping to my openly gay theater friend/manager, Jay and "sampling" every flavor. One of the most fun jobs I've had. Carefree, silly and ice-cream and hot fudge everyday... mmmm.... Oh, and I instantly became more popular when my friends realized I was a free-ice cream giving Goddess. That doesnt hurt, either.
- Forever 21: the second day I landed in california, I went job hunting. I didn't know anyone out here but my family, and I certainly couldnt stay up till 3 in the morning watching Zoolander in my undies, eating leftover pizza with my uncle, (trust me) so I went in search of fun loving girls like me. Enter Forever 21 asian chicks. I got hired the day of my interview and started working a couple days a week, seeing employees come and go like hot cakes. I worked there for a month before I realized 2 things about retail: 1. The girls that work here are fake. 2. Retail SUCKS. (especially the pay)
- Johnny Carino's Italian: I quickly applied here, mostly out of the love for their garlic bread. It also had a huge NOW HIRING sign over its newly constructed building. I worked at Forever 21 and here for a while before sticking to real money. I eventually worked my way up to server, and met my first friend, Hannah. Hannah had sparkly eyeshadow and a cute blonde, emo hair cut. I knew we would be friends immediately. (Mostly out of missing my cute emo-haircutting friend Erin, back home). Hannah also cut hair and soon adopted my short pixie cut of 06. I made lots of money serving here and loved Carino's very much. My British friend Jane and I played several pranks on each other and I finally understood how people could love the place they worked. Sometimes we made fun of a fat angry woman called Kristen to ourselves. The evil Kristen eventually became a manager somehow. Then the Evil Kristen made my life a living hell, and after several servers threw in the towel and quit, I put in my two-weeks notice, convinced I would go to a better restaurant, one where GM's and managers were nice, and patient beings who didnt snap all the time, and micro-manage you. I've never quite found that restaurant...
- Red Robin: I applied here mostly, again, out of the love for their steak fries. I got hired as a server, yet after training they made me host for 4 months. I made several friends here that have come and gone but most might remember Alli Byer. She was a server at the time and a friend of ours, Ashley, invited me over to her house for a post-halloween party. I had no friends and hated boys, having just broken up with my ex of 2 and a half years, so I obliged and made all of my current great friends there around her bonfire (Michaela, Brenda and Mike). I eventually made it to expo, with promise of becoming a server. After 6 months of barely being able to make rent off of a host/expo wage, I had to quit.
- Life's A Beach: I'm not kidding. I worked here and Red Robin around the same time. I was desperate for a job, so I got a job somewhere I swore I would never step foot in, a tanning salon. I worked here for almost a year making many fun girl friends, meeting a girl named Michelle who ended up being a whole lot of fun. too much fun. That girl got me in way too much trouble (i.e: Nate, Vinnie) I eventually got so burnt out working every waking hour, I kept coming in late for work, and got fired for the first time in my life. (boo.) It was actually a pretty scary and dumb experience, and if you know me, you've heard the story...
- Famous Dave's BBQ: Oh, Famous Dave's. I applied here out of no reason whatsoever! On a complete whim, I drove by and applied. I had orientation and training with the most handsome man I've ever laid my eyes on. He was thin (just the way I like 'em), with dark brown hair and impossibly blue eyes. We ended up in the same training groups and after explaining to me that he also was into acting and was a Christian, I was sold. I also became great friends with Michaela who was a host there and is one of my best friends today. I ended up quitting after Mother's From Hell, and I lost it, walking out of the restaurant with several other servers, after a manager accused me of drinking on the clock (I didnt even drink off the dang clock!) and several orders went missing all day. Ryan and I have been dating for a year and a half now :)
- Starbuck's Coffee: I got this job out of desperation of not having a job all summer, after quitting Famous Dave's and almost giving up on the restaurant business altogether. I worked in the Simi Valley Mall, serving caramel frappucinos to 8th graders all day and making near minimum wage. I made several nice, optimistic friends there, who I was very sad to leave, when Quitting time came. I had started Extra work, or background work. I was working on real TV shows and movies. I was hopeful to become SAG soon and realized if I got a call in service to book me everyday, I could make more doing extra work than I could at Starbucks, so I quit Starbucks, walking blindly into the glamourous world of non-union extra work with nothing but my film experience to go on....... (which was none.)
- Extra work: Basically being herded and treated like dumb, annoying cattle all day (literally over 12 hours a day) in different locations through out southern california, starting at 6am. I never saw my friends and put many miles on my car before realizing this wasn't going to cut it. The great part about extra work is that you get to meet all kinds of new people (actors, writers, models, etc) and get ideas and connections from that. You learn what to do (AND what NOT to do) very quickly doing extra work if you are observant. I have met one of my bestest friends on the set of "Caveman" (Show based off of Geico caveman commercials, now cancelled), Cassie. I eventually cancelled my call-in service because it wasnt very good and I wasnt getting enough work after the writer's strike, and my rent being raised, for not being in college. hoo-ray.
- Redfish: I applied here, hoping for a good, fine-dining restaurant to work in, but since I had Maverick's call me back first, and training interfered with Mavrick's WORK schedule (where I could make money right away), I quit after 1 day, regretfully, hoping I made the right decision. (I was wrong.)
- Maverick's Steakhouse: I worked here at the beginning of the year. At first I thought this was the coolest restaurant to work in yet, non-corporate! Our Christmas party was consisted of closing down the restaurant early, having homemade mexican food carne-asda and guacamole, as well as shots of Patron Silver for everyone and an open bar. But at the time I was not 21, so I did not indulge, lest my new boss think me a lush. Eventually Days got slow and business came to a lull. I trained a new girl who started gossip and drama no body wanted and pretty much got phased off the schedule over a misunderstanding. The misunderstanding being that, I have no idea what happened. One day my boss was buying me dinner and asking my opinion on the new lights/paint job, and the next, he was telling me if I didn't stop behaving poorly, I could just leave. whaaaaaat? *sigh* I wont even go into it....
- The Secret Garden/Coco D' Amour: These 2 fine dining restaurants I almost forgot because I worked for them so briefly. I only worked there for my good British friend, Jane (See Johnny Carino's). She was a manager at both places, and you can even see what she is like when she is forced to be very serious on camera, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw3BWxJ8cGs and just fast forward to 00:23 or 06:45 seconds for Jane :) I also Worked for Coco D' Amour, a fun, tropical little restaurant in Simi Valley that unfortunately didnt get enough business.
- Sooki's Japanese Grille: This delicious, small version on Panda Express is located in the middle of nowhere (also know as a small part of T.O. called Newbury Park.) I work for a KOREAN man, who now owns the place, who makes sushi and shuffles in and out of the kitchen smiling and mumbling in half-korean-half-english, giving me gifts of fig-newtons or egg rolls when he likes me, and accuses me of stealing change from the tip jar. (we're talking nickels and dimes, here.) I make barely above minimum wage (which I understand, in california, its nothing, but in georgia, it would be enough per hour to get a two story home in Hiram complete with paved driveway and in ground swimming pool, but still. its minimum wage in california for a reason, its EXPENSIVE to live here!) I am currently weighing other employment options, as the last post suggests.
I really don't know how I've survived out here so far and it will be a miracle when I can pay another bill, much less rent anytime soon, but I'd still rather be here than anywhere else in the world. I love California. It's beautiful and full of the most interesting, driven people on the planet. Not to mention Ryan :)
I do hope you have enjoyed Amber's work history, in cliffnotes.
