20% please...

So, my friend's Mom found this article and I have to say - it's about time!! I don't think people realize (especially people in Utah!) that server's don't get to keep the full tip you left. Yes, it may seem like a lot, but its our entire wage. The restaurant pays us nothing. And what we make from our tables we split with our bussers and the expediters. So please - be kind, tip the full 20% :) If you can't do that, please eat at Cafe Rio or somewhere where you don't need to tip. Times are hard for servers too.

As America - and Utah - cinches the proverbial belt tighter this year and looks for ways to cut back, I have one helpful suggestion: If you can't afford to tip well, don't go out to eat in a restaurant with a server.
I fear that many labor under the illusion that food servers lead a singular life of luxuriously high wages because of the short-sighted arithmetic employed.
"What? Twenty percent of $70 is $14? I've only been here an hour and she has four tables! Plus, she's getting paid hourly! That's more than I make at a real job!"
WRONG!
Servers in Utah make $2.13 an hour. Not a typo. Two dollars and change. That sort of covers taxes. As a server, my paychecks were somewhere between $5 and $20.
Servers come in to an empty restaurant and stay behind in an empty restaurant long past the time you are there. They earn virtually nothing for most of the night while waiting for the dinner crowd to arrive, then work like crazy for a couple of hours, when hopefully, but not usually, their section will be full. After the rush is over, they clean and wait for patrons to leave and make very little money for the rest of the evening.
Servers share their tips with the bussers and bartenders [and sometimes expediters or hostesses] . This is usually a set percentage of their gross sales. You could safely assume that if you leave a 20 percent tip, your server actually is netting about a 15 percent tip. If you leave a 15 percent tip, your server is getting around 10 percent.
And finally, let's not forget the campers - hanging around and chatting for hours. If a server has four tables in his section, and you decide to hang out all night, you personally monopolized 25 percent of his earning potential. Did you leave extra? Didn't think so.
Times are tough. People need to conserve. I agree. Go ahead and conserve at upscale fast food or at home.
And finally, if you harbor under the ridiculous notion that being cheap is a virtue, shame on you."
By: Greg Rockwell

My Family Christmas!

My wonderful family! Walker was so mad I was trying to kiss him :)

Ya Christmas!! I seriously love this time of year. Especially cuz I get to go home and see my AMAZING family! I got a whole week off and I definately needed it! :)

Well, I got down here last Saturday night (thanks to Katie for taking my Saturday night shift!) I spent Sunday with my family at chuch (I got to go to nursery with my parents - I totally made best friends with the cutest 18 month old you've ever seen. His name is Evan and I'm totally going to marry with him one day), we had a big roast beef, potatoes and gravy, and candy carrots dinner (the BEST!) and took family pictures. I spent the next few days helping my Mum out with preparations and finished my gifts for Kat and Jaynie.

Christmas Eve I spent cooking with my Mum, and then we had our Christmas dinner. Afterwards we opened our pajamas (the girls got Zebra striped ones this year!) and then I was forced into the only tradition I do not like - all the siblings sleeping together in the same room. Ug, its always hot and they're always noisy!! But this year wasn't as bad. :)

Squirt woke us up at 5:00am, and after the usual bugging and pestering of my father to get out of bed, we headed out (youngest to oldest) to see our presents. It was a great Christmas! My parents gave me a digital camera (prepare to see LOTS more pictures on my blog and Facebook - because now I don't have to wait for somebody else to post them!), a new cookbook (oh ya!!), a new porcelin doll (I collect them), and photo paper. My siblings gave me a watch, bath soaps, a calendar (Michael Phelps! Woot woot!) and Beedle the Bard! (I'd SOOO been wanting it!). We had a nice lazy Christmas day and I loved it. I cooked LOTS of food, and also watched Mamma Mia with my Mum - and it is TOTALLY my new favorite movie. Ah, I just love silly fun!

My newest porcelin doll. I've never gotten an Indian one before. Isn't she gorgeous?!

Mum and Squirt putting together his new legos


Walker spends most of his time trying to ignore me. :) And yes, sadly he really is that much taller than me...

This is our new puppy Jasmine. She kept trying to snitch food...

Anywho, that was my Christmas. I hope you all had a blast as well and enjoyed being with your families and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Love you all!!

It's a Very Merry Roommate Christmas Photoshoot!

My roommate Liahona had the idea for us all to have roommate Christmas pictures taken. I was thinking "Ok, so have someone snap one of us in front of our Christmas tree - which is very cute!). But her dance friend just got a professional camera, and he wants experience in using it and trying his hand at photography. So he volunteered to take a photoshoot of us! Oh my... he is SOOO amazing! They all turned out so very very good. He let us just do what we wanted, with minimal direction from him. He spent over and hour with us, and then took a couple of days (during finals week!) to play with the color and make them look very professional. He is so amazing! Thanks so much!!! Here's a sample of them... (Just click on the picture to enlarge them. I know they're small)

LOVE YOU ROOMMIES!!!!

25 tags of Christmas...

Jeni Christmas tagged me! Yahoo!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

• Wrapping paper. Gift bags are too easily peaked into. And where's the fun in knowning your gifts?!

2. Real tree or Artificial?

• I'd like to say real (they do smell quite good!), but putting lights on them is a pain. I love our pre-lighted tree that we just pop together and plug in. :) Plus, no constant sweeping and watering!

3. When do you put up the tree?

• Kat puts it up the day after Thanksgiving (though last year she was not living at home and I was, so my Mum and I put it up)

4. When do you take the tree down?

• I don't know. I'm never around for that part. Sometime around the New Year

5. Do you like eggnog?

• MMM Yes! I don't really have a favorite brand, though I've been told I need to try Southern eggnog (non-alcoholic of course)

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

• Hmmm.... I don't know. I know one I stil cherish to this day are my copies of Robin McKinley's Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. They're falling apart I read them so much. Oh, and my porcelin dolls!!!

7. Hardest person to buy for?

• My dad. Ah, he just buys stuff for himself so I never know what to get him!

8. Easiest person to buy for?

• Walker and Isaac. Brothers are nice and simple. :)

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

• Yep! My Mum has a big gorgeous one at home, and my roommates and I have a small one on our kitchen table! So cute.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

• Oh, totally Christmas cards. Be traditional, show you care.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

• I don't think I've ever had a bad gift.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

• Elf. :) and The Grinch. Oh, and Santa Claus is Coming to Towne.

13. When do you start shopping?

• Well... seeing as I haven't started yet... mid-December? :)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

• For White Elephants only

15. Favorite thing to eat or drink at Christmas?

• All the fun things I get to cook. My daddy gives me free reign on Christmas :)

16. Lights on the tree?

• Oh yes. I like white - more classy.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

• "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" - I think that's the official title. Anywho, I love it!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

• Well, since my family up and moved away, I travel now. But I get to be warm, so I can't complain. :)

19. Can you name all of Santa 's reindeer?

• Yes. Would you like proof?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

• In my apartment we have a star, but at home we have a Santa Claus! Way cool...

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

• Actually, my family opens them the whole week of Christmas. We open our brother and sisters gifts (one each night) the week of Christmas so we can concentrate on each one specifically. Then we open our pajamas (and my parents deny that they actually bought us pajamas every year, right up until we open them). And then everything else Christmas day.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

• That people start celebrating Christmas before we've celebrated Thanksgiving. Appreciate each holiday for its own people!!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?

• Um... green?

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

• We usually have ham, potatoes, and all sorts of scrumptious things... MMM!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

• No idea. It's gonna be a surprise for me! :)

Now, I tag Heather, Bryn, and Katie.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

It's a BO Christmas PARTY!!

Heather, Me and Chris

So, today was our super awesome Brick Oven Christmas party! Oh my, so fun. They rented out Miracle Bowl for us and we got to bowl, and eat good food, and win great prizes! I actually had a pretty good bowling day - I beat James anyway. :) And I won a prize! (I never win drawings!) I won two (ugly) Brick Oven t-shirts, $20 to McDonald's (um... gross?) and a ... interesting BO hat (which Brett kindly took of my hands!). I REALLY wanted the Crockpot, but someone else won it. However, Chris won the set of Pyrex bowls, and she traded me. Ah, what a good friend! So now I have some awesome bowls - with colorful lids!

Some of our awesome bowling team...

Then they announced Employee of the Year. And ... I won!!! Ah. I was so scared/embarrassed/excited/nauseous/thrilled/terrified. :) But I got a plaque, $100, and a book! (My manager Lee decided we should be given something else, so he bought us extra gifts today. What a guy!) Thanks to all my BO fellow employees who voted for me. I'm grateful and I love you ALL!!

BO-ers chowing down on some foods :)


My wonderful friend Chris who traded me the bowls :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Tag from Beth

I kinda like being tagged. It's almost like saying "I love you" in the blogging world. :) Haha! Here's a tag I got from my friend Beth (Love ya dear!)

8 TV Shows I Like....
1 - The Office. Die-hard fan for LIFE! ... That's what she said. :)
2- House! Yes, I know he's a bit.... well, no word really describes House. But I LOVE this show!
3- Iron Chef America! Come on, the world's greatest chef's battling it out in a food war? How could this show NOT rock?!
4- Friends. Yes, I know it's off the air. But its still the BEST.
5- 30 Rock. I started watching it only because it came on right after The Office, but its actually really really good! I'm a fan.
6, 7, and 8 - Anything on Food Network. If the TV is on, its usually on Food Network.

8 Things I Did Yesterday...
1 - Did my laundry. Finally.
2- Made some Rice-a-roni with chicken and peas. It's a college staple. :)
3- Went to work!
4- Saw the Doel's! It's been FAR too long. (They are my very first "boyfriend's" family)
5- Went to Albertson's with Chris. Thanks babe!
6- Gave Greg his cheesecake with Chris. She makes some goooood cheesecake!
7- Read Eclipse (I saw the movie, and then I had to re-read them!)
8- Made Kristina jump up in her sleep. She does this every night when I walk in the room. It's quite hilarious. Apparently last night she thought I looked like an octapus because I had a towel around my wet hair. (Ya, I don't see the resemblance either, but to each her own...)

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To...
1- Statistics to be OVER!!!! Two more weeks and one rotten final away!!!
2- My missionaries to come home!!!!! (This seems to be a reaccuring theme in my blog posts - can you tell I'm excited?!?!)
3- The B.O. Employee Party this Sunday. I find out if I got Employee of the Year. Scary. (I really wouldn't care, except that I get a $100 if I win. And that would be greatly appreciated this time of year...)
4- Heather's and my Gingerbread House party!!! It's gonna be a BLAST.
5- Going home for Christmas! For a FULL week! :)
6- My 21st Birthday. January 2nd. ONE MONTH from today!!!! (Are you all preparing? Haha!)
7- Going to see Australia. It looks SUPER good.
8- The 6th Harry Potter movie. (Yes, I know its like a year away. I'm still excited!!!)

8 Of My Favorite Restaurants...
1- Biaggi's. Delish!
2- Ottavio's. YUM!
3- Olive Garden (I don't care what you say. There soup and salad lunch is DIVINE.)
4- The Foundry Grill (up at Sundance). I went there on a date a few weeks ago. Oh my, expensive but AWESOME food!!!!!!
5- El Jefe's. I miss Vegas.
6- Panera. I REALLY miss Vegas.
7- Bahama Breeze. Ah, why can't I still live in VEGAS! Such good food.
8- The Yogurt Parlor. Oh wait, this doesn't exist anymore. I don't care. It's still a favorite.

8 Things I Wish For...
1- A D- at least in Statstics. Please.
2- A scooter or car. I'm not picky. Just a way to get around.
3- My missionaries to be safe.
4- My family to be safe.
5- To be better at depositing my tips in the bank.
6- To be a better, kinder, friendlier person.
7- To continue to learn how to cook.
8- Time to work on my novel.

8 People I Tag...
Dani Emmy
Mams (This is the second time Amy. Update your blog!!!)
Kristie
Bryn (Auntie Bryn)
Brynn (Oldest friend, like, ever! Brynn)
Mum (You can do it Mommy!)
Marnie
Trisha Jo

LOVE YOU ALL!!!