Oh, the Mac

On Friday, July 9, 2010, I will "celebrate" working a year at Taco Mac. Yes, a year. It sometimes feels as if I've been there for a few weeks, and that this year has flown by, and other times I feel like I've been there for a century, or way too long for my own good.

For those of you who don't know, Taco Mac is a sports bar/restaurant that has many different locations in the greater-Atlanta area. It is known for its huge selection of draft and bottled beers, and of course, the buffalo wings.

Last July, I had just come back from a vacation to Florida with my mom and my boyfriend, at the time. I had been unemployed for about six months and my parents were nagging me to get a job. There is a Taco Mac located within a mile from where I live, so I decided that would be a great place to work. It's close, it seemed like a fun atmosphere, I would make good money AND be able to watch baseball on the big screens. It couldn't get much more perfect than that, right?

Well, I was right... and wrong.

I can't even begin to explain, in limited time and space, how my life has changed in this past year, but I'll do my best to keep it somewhat short.

Last fall, I was working an average of seventy hours a week, a few weeks I was up to almost ninety hours. We were short-staffed and I had completely opened my availability up to help out. They took full advantage of that, and used me as much as physically possible. In a way, it was good, because it kept me busy and kept my mind off of my break up with my ex boyfriend. However, on the other hand, I spent so much time there, that I would eat lunch and dinner there almost every day and I ended up gaining twenty-five pounds in a matter of nine months. I was depressed, lonely and absolutely miserable.

But, enough with all the negativity. I've had enough of that lately. I need to tell you about why this place has been a blessing to me.

I don't have time to go into great detail about everything, but I do want to talk about some of the people I've met. I understand the hostility I showed a few weeks ago when I was talking about all those selfish customers I serve on a daily basis. I was just angry that day. Don't get me wrong, though, I do deal with those customers regularly, but I also have the joy of meeting wonderful people too. Like Mike and Pam, who are regulars (from Boston, I might add), that I get to talk to about baseball and the Red Sox, and all my personal issues, and they are always willing to listen and give me advice. They have become like second parents to me and I look forward to seeing them walk through those doors every week! But, even random people I get to meet every day, and talk to about my future, and where I want to take my life after I leave this place. I have met so many amazing people in this short time who have truly changed my view on life and gotten me to step out of my shell and open up.

I've been through so much with my fellow co-workers. One being Jess, who is my best friend. I would have never met her if I wouldn't have started working here and I thank God every day for putting her in my life! I have learned a lot from the people I work with. I have spent so much time with them, from working with them, to hanging out with them after we get off, or going out on our day's off. I've realized, recently, that I am over it, though, and I definitely need my space. Too much time together is turning out to be unhealthy for me. But, nevertheless, I've learned so many positives and negatives to having friendships and relationships in the workplace.

So, yeah, there's been some tough times and some crazy changes in my life that I could completely blame on this job. Problems in my life that absolutely, without-a-doubt, coincide with this place and plenty of reasons to connect my times of depression with the people I'm around constantly. And I could probably talk longer about those issues than I could about the positive points, but where's the optimism? I should be completely grateful for this place. Only God knows where I would be if this job never came into my life.

Who knows how long I will work here. Who knows where I'll be in another year. But, for now, I will go to school in the mornings, work at nights and on the weekends, somehow manage to get some sleep in every now and then, and attempt a social life all while trying to keep my sanity (and fit the Red Sox in, which is extremely important, obviously). This is definitely not how I had expected my life to be like when I looked at my future a year ago. But, I guess, the uncertainty of the future is what makes this life beautiful and I would not have changed the last year for anything in the world (well, I think I could have managed without the extra twenty-five pounds).

Until next time,
Jenn