It gets tough

more and more... every day it seems.

Right now I'm working 6 days a week, 8 hours a day, up at 5 every morning to make my 6am shift. The hotel's numbers are very high right now, so our numbers for breakfast in the morning are also very high. I say good morning and ask approximate 500-700 people a morning, what their last name is. On top of just being the door hostess, there are a million other things that I have to take care of that I didn't quite expect to be part of the job description--but its okay.

I'm continuously being challenged day to day with this position, some days being more durable than others. I'm making a whole lot of mistakes, but working very hard to only make them once. Since our shifts start so early in the morning, its very likely for colleagues to not always show up on time or even miss a shift (which in the Fairmont world, is incredibly unacceptable). Therefore, it is my responsibility to document them accordingly. This is one thing I'm trying to get used to, its not incredibly easy to remember who is where doing what and how and when they should stop... who didn't show, who's missing, are they on a suspension now or not? Especially once breakfast starts, because its very difficult for me to leave the door--in fact I'm not really supposed to.

However, like I said, I'm learning and really doing my absolute best.

There are so many outside circumstances that will sometimes distract me from remembering certain things, or even just the stress and business of the restaurant can deter me from following through with something. It's HARD to keep up with everything, when you have to focus on colleague audits, performance reviews, personal development interviews etc... and when you have 600 guests coming through the door all wanting a window table, and then your 25 colleagues all want or need to leave early because of this and that.

Some people I work with can be discouraging, especially when it seems the only things they see me doing are the mistakes I'm making. How does that motivate me at all to want to stick around? I would rather positive recognition, than negative. Ah well.

The pretty pictures are of the surrounding area: One night there was a storm and the sky looked pretty awesome... The river is an sweet colour... Lake Minnewanka is nice around dusk... And Norquay looks so snow barren, HOLY MOLY I can not wait for it to be COVERED.

It's been awhile...

WOWWWW.

Has it really been over 2 months since I last posted?? How very un-awesome of me!

I do apologize! I know my few readers have contacted me and asked me whats up, and why i haven't been posting--I can attribute most of it, to life stress in general haha.

How about a brief update to get us all caught up!

Since the end of May, I've continued with my new position as Door Supervisor, it becoming ever so difficult and challenging along the way. I flew home for a week at the end of June, and flew back in tears and heartache over leaving home/David. I almost made the decision to stay in Banff for only a month longer, at least until David visited me one more time (which we had planned to be for the end of July). Every day was a teary one, and not very good for blog writing to say the least!

My good highschool friend Kendra had moved with her boyfriend Brett, to Calgary during this time, and we've gotten together and visited a few times since. She is a blessing in my life--we're quite opposite in some areas, personality wise, yet, we've seem to grown into thinking on the same level in terms of life morals, and dreams and goals for ourselves. We're both over the partying and irresponsibility, we both want to focus on our relationships and our current/future careers. I'm really thankful for her and stoked she lives in Calgary now!

I've also acquired some new dreams and goals for myself over the past few months: I can't stop thinking about being a flight attendant for WestJet, and how beneficial it would be for me and where I am in my life right now!

Let's look at the pro's:

• I would live in Calgary, rather then Banff (which I have unfortunately grown to dislike very much this summer, due to all of the raging party kids who I happen to have absolutely nothing in common with--for the most part), which is amazing because I need a city again! Calgary is a growing community with hard workers and a minimal party scene--unless you're looking for it.
• I would still be independently living out west, but have the opportunity to experience other cities all over North America at no cost.
• I'm not the most stable of people, and I think being a flight attendant isn't the most stable career--hopping around from city to city and never working with the same person twice (at least not often)!
• I could fly home to see my family at no cost
  
• I could fly to Vancouver to be with David at no cost
• I could fly my family/friends out here, at a minimal cost
  
• I would be working with people, and serving people--one of my passions.
  

I believe I am fully capable of being one of their best employees. However, I know that in order to get this current dream job of mine, I need to put my time in at the Fairmont and finish up with them on good terms. Sure, almost everyday I want to pack up and leave, go home and/or follow David around... but that is the easy/irresponsible/short-term-pleasure way. I know that if I want what my heart REALLY wants for myself in the future, then honoring my contracts, and continuing to get through this challenge without quitting, is the only way to go.

I mentioned earlier that David will be in Vancouver--it's true, he's moving there at the end of August to take part in a college program for cinematography. His passions are filming and snowboarding, so he really doesn't need to be anywhere BUT Vancouver I think! I'm happy that he'll technically only be just over an hour away... by plane.

I'll leave you now with the link to my Dad's new blog, 'Finding Freedom'. Take a look and bookmark it, cause I guarantee it will only be beneficial to your life!

tonyten.blogspot.com

Oh, and that's a picture (kind of dark) of me hard at work!