Hey everyone!

Normally I don't bring work up in my blog posts, nor do I usually rant about things anymore but today I'm making an exception. After working in the food service industry for about 6 months now, my eyes have been opened to...well a lot of things. And I feel that other people really need to know some of this stuff.

So, for someone on the other side, here are 8 things to make your waitress's life easier.


1. Keep the Change

I know there are some people out there who like to give the exact 15% tip, and there are some that don't have bills on them, and there are some that just do it for the kicks. But we waitresses HATE change.

To put it simply, it's easy to loose it. It makes our aprons heavy and it's noisy. And then there is the question of where to put it. I finally had to get coin rolls because I would have so much change rolling around in my tip jar.

So please, round up to the nearest dollar. Make it easy on the poor girl.


2. Gently Remind Us about Stuff We Forget

We may be there to serve you, but there are other things we're responsible for too. Like stocking dishes, salad bar, and other food items, for example. If we don't keep up with that, things get fouled up because then someone needs it and it's not there and then you gotta play the game of "let's go get it and hope the food stays warm".

And it's very easy to get sidetracked as a waitress between people flagging us, people needing this, or what-have-you. And if we're understaffed, sometimes we get pulled to do a host or a KP's duty to help keep things moving. We get pulled in a lot of directions and so it's no wonder that a little thing like extra salad dressing or refills might slip the mind every once in a while.


3. Stack the Dishes

Most waitresses have to bus their own tables, and bussing is usually the one thing that a waitress will get behind on.

So, if you stack dishes by size and put them towards the end of the table, it actually saves the waitress a lot of time - she can just throw them on the tray or bus bin and go rather than stand there and gather everything.

And if you really want brownie points - scrap the food scraps into one plate. We're required to do as much as we can before sending the dishes to Tank. Dishwashers tend to get mad when we don't.




4. Be Mindful of the Time Spent

Restaurants are great places to talk, but do be careful. We're not allowed to actually kick anyone out due to closing, surprisingly. I've had customers stay a full hour past close simply because they lost track of time. It really puts us in a bind because we'd like to clean up and cash out and go home ourselves.

And there'll be sometimes when customers hang around and their waitress is getting ready to go off the clock. Since in our system she can't check out until her last table is cleared, it really puts the waitress in a bind because she's stuck with the choice of waiting around, or transferring it to another person and losing the tip.

Not that I don't want to discourage talking and socializing in a restaurant, because I've done it. Most of the time, it's not a problem if you do. But a little courtesy never hurt.


5. Be Generous

Not many people are aware of this, but 80% of our earnings comes from what you leave on the table or credit card. The standard base salary is $2.83/hr, which is just enough to cover the taxes from the declared tips (which, by the way, are taxed at 8%).

Now, I do understand those people like seniors and college kids that leave lesser tips because of their financial situation. But what really irritates me are those big tables (like 6+) that leave $5 for a tip. I mean come on! I know those bills can get large, but please don't skimp on us. We get the short end enough, especially on slow nights.


6. Go the Extra Mile to Ensure We Got Our Tip

I'm not like some waitresses where they'll find out how much people tipped them on the system, but I personally find it a relief when people tell me the tip is on the credit card. It seems trivial, but as someone who has been skiffed before, it makes a HUGE difference.

I also love those people who will seek me out and give me their cash tips before they leave. Believe it or not, there have been multiple cases of people (customers AND other employees!) stealing cash tips. Remember how I said that bussing can get behind? Yeah. Even though I try to make sure I pick up the tips as soon as I can, sometimes money sits there. Not good.




7. If You Need Multiple Things - Tell All at Once

Okay, I know people sometimes forget about the stupid things (remember #2?), but it is kinda a little annoying to be making multiple trips back and forth to the serving line and back. And me personally, I remember it better when there is multiple things to get.


8. Don't Shoot Us if Something Goes Wrong

The expression is "don't shoot the messenger" but it should be "don't shoot the waitress". Unfortunately, a lot of customer anger gets directed at the waitress whenever they are forced to wait a long while or something doesn't turn out right. And usually, these things happen on a busy night, when the kitchen is overwhelmed with orders (one cook often has to feed 30 people at a time, do you have any idea how stressful that is??). So on top of dealing with angry customers, we get to deal with short-tempered cooks too. And heaven help us if the manager has to get involved.

A waitress's favorite customers are those who can keep their composure and sweetness even if the entire restaurant is crumbling around them. It really gives a whole 'nother meaning to "Blessed are the meek." While we DO make mistakes in placing orders, not everything going wrong is our fault.

On that note, a little reassurance is a godsend to a harried waitress. Kind words really are worth gold to us. So is a sense of humor. Some really good stories can come out of funny mistakes like accidentally sending a burger out without the patty. (that happened recently, LOL).


Okay, that's enough ranting from me. What about you? What are somethings that you wish people knew about your work? Feel free to chat (or rant!) in the comments below! 

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

In terms of the pro-life movement, there have been many ups and downs. Between the Daleiden case, the movie Unplanned, and the recent pro-life cases that are challenging the precedents, abortion has remained a central issue.

In my last "Roe v. Wade" post, I wrote this paragraph:

"There is no doubt, since the appointing of conservative judge Brett Kavanagh to the Supreme Court, that the fight surrounding the issue of abortion has become increasingly polarized. Each side is offering more and more resistance to the other's tactics. Like most political fights, moderates are increasingly disappearing."

In recent weeks, this has been proved twice over by two opposing amicus briefs filed in Congress: one signed by 200 congressmen in support of overturning Roe (mostly Republicans), and one signed by 197 congressmen against such a measure (mostly Democrats). For more on this, please see the LifeSiteNews article HERE.

The hints that Roe v. Wade is going to be challenged in the courts have grown stronger. A recent bill being proposed by Louisana holds promise to render a death blow to it. All the while, ultra-liberal states such as Virginia and New York are furiously trying to enshrine abortion in their state constitutions.

It is only through increased persistence of Christians, with encouragement from political leaders such as Donald Trump, that will bring about success. Only repeated punches will bring this diabolical enemy down.

We, as citizens of this nation, have a duty to further the just interests of it. Because we have a natural love for our nation, we wish to see it continue. Our country cannot improve, nor grow, nor even sustain itself, if we do not protect the weakest and most innocent of it's members - unborn children.

Our voices need to become louder now. If we are not doing anything to help the pro-life movement right now, we need to start. Go down and march in DC, if you are able. Pick up a pro-life car sticker. Support LifeSiteNews and Students for Life. Participate in a Rosary Rally. 

To my fellow Catholics, I strongly encourage you in charity to remember that January 22 is a mandatory day of penance instituted by the bishops of this country in response to Roe v. Wade. We are called to increased penitential prayers, to fast and to alms-give as we are able this day. Much good has already occurred because of such practices, let us redouble our efforts!


We pray in reparation for all the "slaps" to the Creator's Face.

We pray today in memoriam for all the bleeding hearts that have been sacrificed to the idols of
personal irresponsibility, racial and economic purity, and the false idea of "choice".

We pray that America may be a nation that lives up to it's first principle as declared in 1776 that all persons have the right to LIFE.

We pray for all the women who have been harmed by abortion, and for their continued healing.

And we pray for all unborn children, that they may be born healthy and their souls may be saved.

Our Lady, Protectoress of the Unborn, PRAY FOR US!!


Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Last year on this day, I published a post called "45 Years and 65 Million Slaps to the Creators Face". For a time, it was one of my most-viewed posts.

I have now decided that I shall make a abortion post on an annual (if not more) basis for every anniversary that passes for Roe. v. Wade. And this year is a particularly interesting year to start with.

There is no doubt, since the appointing of conservative judge Brett Kavanagh to the Supreme Court, that the fight surrounding the issue of abortion has become increasingly polarized. Each side is offering more and more resistance to the other's tactics. Like most political fights, moderates are increasingly disappearing.

Crowd-funded films such as "Gosnell" and the upcoming Roe v. Wade movie have already reached national attention and for the former, record sales on Amazon, a very good rating on Rotten Tomatoes and decent box office returns. This is in spite of suppressed showings, little media coverage, and other leftist activity (LifeSiteNews).

Already, personal testimonies from actresses, political figures and former abortionists are making an impact on others. Encouraged by the increasingly positive direction that the pro-life movement is making, more and more are speaking out....and showing up to pro-life events such as the March for Life.

There are even hints that Roe v. Wade could be at least questioned in court if not overturned. It wouldn't be the first time that the Supreme Court could re-interpret a law to reflect the truth. It was seen in 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education effectively overturned a 58 year old court precedent known as Plessy v. Ferguson, the latter of which allowed racial segregation, another gravely immoral wrong.

Yes, the liberals are not going to give up without a fight. In fact, it would be wise to note their desperation, which is now extending to children indoctrination via fiction and slanderous attacks on minors; besides the usual tactics of suppression, discrimination, and agenda-pushing. Oh yes, and increased "protections" of abortion up to birth, non-medical abortion, and other such atrocities - atrocities that would have been unthinkable to most moderate liberals of decades past. They will use illogical emotion and ignorance as their main prongs of attack.

But, we cannot be discouraged by this.

The face of the pro-life movement is growing younger and younger as years go on. As each year passes, the March for Life increases in attendance while the Woman's March decreases.

I mentioned last year that the Silent Majority had found it's voice. Now it's using it, with great effect. And not by the traditional way of media either - which has a history of botching up stories.

No, the Silent Majority fights to go to the source and learn the truth. No botched secondhand accounts for them. And I believe that this is why the pro-life movement is growing so much - people have discovered that the truth is irreconcilable to what the Left promotes.


To my fellow Catholics, I strongly encourage you in charity to remember that today is a mandatory day of penance instituted by the bishops of this country in response to Roe v. Wade. We are called to increased penitential prayers, to fast and to alms-give as we are able this day. Much good has already occurred because of such practices, let us redouble our efforts!


We pray in reparation for all the "slaps" to the Creator's Face.

We pray today in memoriam for all the bleeding hearts that have been sacrificed to the idols of
personal irresponsibility, racial and economic purity, and the false idea of "choice".

We pray that America may be a nation that lives up to it's first principle as declared in 1776 that all persons have the right to LIFE.

We pray for all the women who have been harmed by abortion, and for their continued healing.

And we pray for all unborn children, that they may be born healthy and their souls may be saved.

Our Lady, Protectoress of the Unborn, PRAY FOR US!!


Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Source: Family Live Council Inc.

As you can see, this post is rather somber, in view of the fact that today is the 45th anniversary of one of the most heinous Supreme Court decisions ever decided.


A priest that I knew likened every abortion to a slap in the Creator's Face. With good reason.

Each abortion is a deliberate destruction of life, an innocent life. A sin that is not only classified as mortal, but also classified by the Catholic Church as a "sin that cries to Heaven for Vengeance."

So, with each abortion, we reject and destroy a great gift and blessing - a human being created in the image and likeness of God Himself.

And, their soul - that soul that He labored and crafted over - is denied the privilege of even seeing Him. Because that soul was unable to receive Baptism, they face the consequences of Original Sin. To say that this saddens the Creator would be putting it mildly....very mildly.

If you are an artist or a writer or have created anything, you know what kind of pride and joy you had when you created that original, unreplacable creation. Now imagine it torn to pieces, irrepairably damaged. You feel sorrowful, don't you? Now take that sorrow and magnify it 100 million times, and you might come close to what God feels after an abortion.

Could you imagine being slapped in the face 60 million times over 45 years????    

Our nation is the one that started this whole mess of legalized abortions. We can and SHOULD be the first to put a stop to it.

And I believe that we are on the road to doing so.

President Trump made history on January 19 at the March for Life when he made a public speech in support of the pro-life movement....something that no other president has done since Roe v. Wade was put into practice. They say that actions speak louder than words. In the latter half of this article is a list of all the pro-life actions that President Trump has done in the past year alone.

To see the full speech, please click here.

Pro-life legislature is also making it's way through D.C. As the March for Life was passing along the streets of Washington, House representatives passed H.R. 4712 - The Born Alive Infant Protection Act. As soon as this bill is signed into law, it will be illegal to kill a baby that survived an attempted abortion.

There have been some naysayers and some unbelief that such actions have been taking place, especially of the people that are pushing the legislature through.

I think those same people forgot that JANE ROE HERSELF became a PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE.

You think I'm crazy right? If you don't believe me, just look her up under her true name, Norma McCorvey. This woman went from being a lesbian, pro-abortion non-Christian to a Catholic who spoke before Congress multiple times to advocate for pro-life legislature.

She died almost a year ago, still active in the political fight. She never aborted that baby that she was pregnant with at the time of the case.

From Jane Roe's story, I think we can all take hope and marvel at the workings of God. If she was brave enough to stand up to all of her former supporters and denounce them, we have no excuse not to use our own voices.

Outside the political arena, Christians are also speaking out in other ways. Sidewalk counseling, pro-life rallies, contributing to pregnancy centers are all ways that many people use to help the unborn.

There are also more unconventional ways of supporting this movement.

There is a young lady that I met through Goodreads that is currently writing a story that I believe needs to be told. It is set in a future America - which has turned into a left-wing woman's paradise. We follow a typical young woman named Ember as she becomes a Caretaker - a person who takes care of the unborn ward....which includes aborting the weak ones. After being forced to kill a baby that she tried to save, Ember realizes that she can't condone abortion, or the society that raised her, anymore. You can view the ongoing story via the Wattpad Link.

The silent majority has finally found it's voice and defending the defenseless.

We pray in reparation for all the "slaps" to the Creator's Face.

We pray today in memoriam for all the bleeding hearts that have been sacrificed to the idols of personal irresponsibility, racial and economic purity, and the false idea of "choice".

We pray that America may be a nation that lives up to it's first principle as declared in 1776 that all persons have the right to LIFE.

We pray for all the women who have been harmed by abortion, and for their continued healing.

And we pray for all unborn children, that they may be born healthy and their souls may be saved.

Our Lady, Protectoress of the Unborn, PRAY FOR US!!

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Hey y'all,

So...I apologize in advance, but I really need to get this off my chest and combat some evil with some good.

I just sat through one of the most sickening classes that I've ever been in my life.

I made the mistake of taking a class on Utopias for my senior global that I'm required to take. Literally, my other options were a Hiroshima class (which from my roommate's comments is really bad) and a class on the Middle East (in which I would be required to visit a mosque.) What the heck is education coming to????

And since the impression I got was that the class was based on mostly traditional texts like St. Thomas More and Plato, I figured why not?

By the way....those works were in there but it was only a third of the class. The rest of the class literally is all Marxist/Communist and all the CRAPPY BAD IDEAS FROM IT.

By that, I mean crappy bad ideas like eugenics, environmentalism and the bane of my existence, feminism. I'll talk more about utopias later on in the post, but I really need to say a few things about feminism.

I am not feminist. I am feminine.

Believe me, there is a major difference.

Feminism really wants to destroy the following:
Traditional marriage and nuclear family (no procreation)
The idea of gender and sex itself (one gender)
Sexual taboos (including incest and sex with children)
Pregnancy and motherhood (reproducing asexually)


All by eliminating the need for men and their influence on society. Feminists act as usurpers, taking what is rightfully the man's role. Women nurture not just bodies but minds too. But we need men to balance us out and make us stand up straight. There is a universal truth that fathers have a big role in their daughter's emotional development rather than the mother. This is especially true when it comes to the daughter's confidence levels.

Suddenly, after re-learning all this feminism crap, it makes total sense why we have such a crappy society.

I know that this is probably a rehash of what you have heard before. But trust me ladies, I'm not suggesting that you actually look this stuff up. It is so sickening, I can't even begin to describe it. I literally was fighting the urge to scream in total rage.

Basically, feminism is the Woman's version of non servam. 

Non servam is Latin for "I will not serve."

This is the critical phrase that cast Lucifer and his confederates down to Hell.

The church fathers have been clear for centuries that Woman was especially called to be a mother. Whether it physically happens or not. It is her uniquely defined role that she must fulfill. Shame on these feminists who call for such a gross dereliction of duty among our young women!!!!!!!!

Ok, now I'll climb onto my other soap box: utopias.

I have heard (of course AFTER I decided to take this class) that Catholics reject utopianism. I wondered why, especially since I knew about Saint Thomas' More's work called Utopia and had read part of it already.

Well, I know NOW why.

Here's the thing: utopianism is the idea of a perfect world on Earth. Something that most of us know that will never happen.

Saint Thomas More has the credit of creating the word "utopia" (oddly enough, it's Greek for either Good Place or No Place, depending on which Greek word the translation is based off of).

Saint Thomas' work Utopia is about a fictional world that he is (supposedly) told about. He never claims it as a perfect world though.
In this world, the vices seem to be toned down or removed from society. Correcting abuses of human nature in a way while expanding the virtues. Some of the ideas that he introduces throw me a little such as the introduction of religious freedom, which seems to be a defense of the idea of out of free will choosing the True Faith. From reading Utopia, it seems to be a society orientated towards attaining Heaven. Which is good.

Then Marxists got a hold of this idea. And turned it into a hellish concept. Errors being upheld as virtue and perpetuated. No thought of an afterlife ever enters in, just enjoying the pleasures of this society here on Earth. Some of these utopian ideas (such as racial utopias and gender utopias) are so full of contradictions, errors and evil that I just want to throw up.

And since everyone has their own concept of what a perfect world on Earth is like, how can such an idea succeed?

It can't. Pure and simple.

If utopian ideals had remained under a Catholic definition (which is a good society totally bent on the salvation of souls and one that eliminates evil over time), the concept is airtight and the foundation of a good society. Besides Utopia, a couple of other works have operated under this definition, including Dr. Walter's novel Russian Sunrise. A Protestant version would be Addison Russel Peale's work Sub-Coelum.  

Let in one error, and the concept springs a leak, sinking it into the depths of Hell. Quite literally in some cases.

Phew....ok, I feel better. I'll get off my soap box now.

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Hey y'all,

(I apologize in advance for all the puns I may slip in. The image below is a yellowfin tuna courtesy of the public domain.)


Ah, the joys of defending my Faith....

Recently I have heard a very...ummm....interesting explanation for the Catholic tradition of eating fish on Friday from a non-Catholic relative of mine.

Supposedly there was a pope that noticed that the fishing industry was in decline. So in order to bring it up again the pope (no idea which one) mandated, without any religious reason whatsoever, that the people should eat fish on Friday.

Now, it's pretty obvious to any educated Catholic that this is a myth, on many different levels. Even secular scholars agree on that. Like all myths though, this one has as some grains of truth. The fishing industry in medieval times was looked on favorably by the Church because of the fasting and abstinence laws of the time. Medieval fasting and abstinence laws required 3 days of abstinence instead of just one. Sure, fish was not the only food that would have satisfied the requirements, but it was the most popular. Therefore, consumer demand forced the growth of the fishing industry. (On a side note, consumer demand struck again in the 20th century, forcing fast food chains to create a fish sandwich option. Never underestimate the power of your dollars).

While there was no proof that a Roman pontiff made dealings with fishers of fish, there is a king who bargained with the fishermen. King Henry VIII of England, to be exact. To make a long story short, after the break with Rome, fish was considered a Catholic dish (because of the three days of fasting and abstinence). Therefore fishing declined and the king was forced to do something about it otherwise he would to had to deal with large numbers of unemployed fishermen. Never a good thing.

(Note: Most of the story behind the myth was paraphrased from an NPR article: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/04/05/150061991/lust-lies-and-empire-the-fishy-tale-behind-eating-fish-on-friday)

With that myth safely blown out of water, here are multiple different traditional and religious reasons why this practice was put into place:

1. Our Lord died on a Friday. Therefore, as a sacrifice, Catholics observe full abstinence (i.e. no meat at all). This is true even in the early days of the Church. 

2. Fish are a cold-blooded species, so they are not considered a flesh meat.
 There are various reasons why flesh meat is to be avoided, most having to do with the abolishment of animal sacrifice by early Church fathers.

3. There is heavy symbolism of fish in both the Old and New Testament. The creation of fish was on the fifth day, fish eyes were symbols of God's watchful Eye, fish as symbols for Baptism and Our Lord, as well as countless stories and miracles surrounding fish provide countless traditional reasons why this practice is just.

(Note: These last few paragraphs are paraphrased from the following website: https://www.catholicvote.org/five-reasons-we-should-always-eat-fish-on-fridays/ as well as some input from the NPR article.)

One final one from me:
4. If it's good enough for Our Lord and His Apostles, it's good enough for us!

Speaking of which, I'll get off my soap box and open up my secret recipes files....

A Simple Tuna Casserole

This is a great recipe for a quick and easy Friday meal and one of my favorites. 4 large servings.

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta (macaroni, rotelle, or rigatoni are best)
1 15oz can of Campbell's Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 20 oz can of Starkist tuna in water, drained.
Frozen Vegetables (My favorites are corn, celery, green pepper, onion and carrots.)
Bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Make pasta as directed. Preheat oven to 365 degrees
2. While draining pasta, combine soup and milk in the pasta pot. Add pasta back into pot. Mix well.
3. Add tuna and vegetables. Mix well.
4. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, enough to fill a small bowl. Spread enough crumb mixture to cover the bottom of a large casserole dish. Fill the casserole dish with the tuna mixture and top with remaining crumb mixture.
5. Place in oven for 30-60 minutes until it bubbles and the bread coating on top is somewhat crispy. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Hope you guys enjoy the New Year!

Old-fashionedly yours,

Catherine