Re: sheila - education

[Guest guest]

<<It's a crazy world in which we live, huh...where college grads have

to continue to work in a restaurant.>>

That is crazy Sheila! Such a shame! I thought they were paying nurses much

better now -- wonder if it's mainly in New England. Around here there's a

shortage of nurses.

I definitely won't count on the kids being able to " leave the nest " once they

are out of college! At least they won't be loaded up with loans, & that'll help

them get a start not having to worry about making payments. The other problem

is health insurance for the college grads -- if you're out of school your not

eligible to be on parents policy & have to pay for COBRA -- such a vicious

cycle!!!!

take care,

Chuck - education

Hi Chuck, I LOVE your mother's saying!!!! It makes a lot of sense!!!

Actually, I don't feel like I've given up (even though I have...if

that makes sense). I'm just taking a 25-year rest...

Seriously though, there's a lot of wisdom in that saying. I CAN

always change my mind. If I decide to go back to school again in a

year, well I can. For now, I do need to rest.

Thanks for your kind words and support. I've always been someone who

is very determined and driven in everything I do. Now I'm driven and

determined to make my health my #1 priority. I say that and yet I've

worked 25 hours in the past two days alone...not good, I know, but

the rest of the week will be okay.

Anyway, seven years ago, I was so proud of my GPA, all my academic

awards and achievements, but now it doesn't mean that much. I

actually ripped up the award I won this semester and threw it in the

garbage; it just didn't mean anything. I guess I feel like if they

want to recognize me that's fine. What i need now though is

money...not academic awards...to continue in school.

I would have been THRILLED with a C in this algebra class. The thing

is that I don't know how to do anything other than do my absolute

very best. With my memory problems I have now, I'm not so sure I'd

be able to make those A's anyway.

Well, I've babbled enough. But before I go, I just wanted to tell

you about a couple other employees at the restaurant I work at.

There's one young woman who waits tables 3-4 nights a week to

supplement her income. She's a social

worker...graduated...certified...professional...gotta wait

tables 'cause her job as a clinical pays crap.

another marketing graduate is working at the restaurant 2 days a

week as a bartender...to supplement his income.

We just had three servers recently graduate. Two just completed the

nursing program and have jobs at local hospital. they make more

money waiting tables, believe it or not. One will stay on and work

one day a week to supplement her income, while the other will work 3

days a week in addition to the job at the hospital.

another girl just got her degree in nuclear medicine. She also has a

job at one of the local hosptials, and guess where's she's

continuing to work part...yep..that's right!

It's a crazy world in which we live, huh...where college grads have

to continue to work in a restaurant.

well, chuck, take it easy & I'll talk to you later! Thanks again for

your kind words and advice. Best, Sheila

[Guest guest]

Hey All:

I just had to respond! I now work in a restaurant too! We left So Cal about

a year ago to move back to Park City, UT - where we lived for many years

during college. I'll admit, I never thought I'd ever wait tables again- I have

an

education, I had a really stressfull job in CA- but made the $$. I now

bartend, wait tables, manage and right now I have to hostess/manage until my

broken

shoulder is healed.

As far as taxes/claiming tips- here (UT) if you wait tables you make

$2.25/hr. All restaurants are required by the IRS to report 8% of your gross

sales

or your total charge (credit card tips). What happens when you get a really

crappy tip- you still have to pay that 8%, even if it costs you money. Also,

don't you have to tip out your bussers, bartenders and hosts- thats another

25-30% of your money that you are paying taxes on! So, don't feel bad if you

make

a 20% tip, cause the table next door might be the little old couple that

leaves you $2 on a $50 check!! Personally, I think it's a pretty good balance.

I know many people that wait tables that are educated (I work with several

that have masters), attending school, starting thier own business, extra cash

for Moms. Don't ever feel bad about waiting tables. I know it's not for

everyone, you have to put up with ALOT of crap, but the flexibility to look for

that

dream job, attend college, spend time with your kids and still pay the bills

is priceless...

[Guest guest]

Hi ! There had been a really bad shortage of nurses here too,

but I think it's better. The pay for nurses here is also great...I

believe RN's start out at $20 an hour...of course many make

more...I've seen up to $35 an hour. I guess it just depends on years

experience and varies from place to place.

The money being made waiting tables is sometimes unbelievable. Many

servers at our restaurant make over $20 an hour. Not all do, but a

significant number do.

Cocktail servers, especially if one is attractive and flirty, are

making bank.

Even one guy who worked in the kitchen with me full time was telling

me about this bar he was working at part-time. He was working as a

bar-back...making sometimes over $300 a night. He's an engineering

major, and he eventually left our store to work at that bar full-

time.

The other thing that's so appealing to many folks working in the

restaurant is that the majority of them are NOT claiming their cash

tips. I always did because I can't live with the guilt if I lie or

cheat. If I live the straight and narrow I'm fine.

Anyway, when servers don't claim much of their cash tips, it puts

them in a very low earning level...makes them eligible for student

financial aid. Most of them end up getting 100% of their tuition

paid for because they " qualify " because of " low income. "

Waiting tables is appealing to many of them because they can earn in

2 or 3 shifts what many of us earn in a week...and when much of what

they earn isn't taxed because they're not claiming all their

tips...well you see how it is.

I just don't work that way. I have to live an honest life. You have

no idea how many times I've found hundreds of dollars at the

restaurant...always turn it in. Of course, my crewmates and managers

are grateful (once a manager lost a $100 bill), but my all of my

crewmates say there is no way they'd ever turn the money in. Finders

keepers is their motto.

Well, i can't live with myself. When these guys get home and find

they've lost their money, they are terribly upset...of course. One

guy left his entire earnings for one day...almost enough to make my

car payment. I turned it in, of course.

Anyway, I guess many of them have found a way to " beat the system, "

but I have no intention of compromising my values. I refuse to do

that.

Well, take it easy, ! I'll talk to you later! {{Hugs,}} Sheila

> <<It's a crazy world in which we live, huh...where college grads

have

> to continue to work in a restaurant.>>

>

> That is crazy Sheila! Such a shame! I thought they were paying

nurses much better now -- wonder if it's mainly in New England.

Around here there's a shortage of nurses.

>

> I definitely won't count on the kids being able to " leave the

nest " once they are out of college! At least they won't be loaded

up with loans, & that'll help them get a start not having to worry

about making payments. The other problem is health insurance for

the college grads -- if you're out of school your not eligible to be

on parents policy & have to pay for COBRA -- such a vicious

cycle!!!!

>

> take care,

>

> Chuck - education

>

>

> Hi Chuck, I LOVE your mother's saying!!!! It makes a lot of

sense!!!

> Actually, I don't feel like I've given up (even though I

have...if

> that makes sense). I'm just taking a 25-year rest...

>

> Seriously though, there's a lot of wisdom in that saying. I CAN

> always change my mind. If I decide to go back to school again in

a

> year, well I can. For now, I do need to rest.

>

> Thanks for your kind words and support. I've always been someone

who

> is very determined and driven in everything I do. Now I'm driven

and

> determined to make my health my #1 priority. I say that and yet

I've

> worked 25 hours in the past two days alone...not good, I know,

but

> the rest of the week will be okay.

>

> Anyway, seven years ago, I was so proud of my GPA, all my

academic

> awards and achievements, but now it doesn't mean that much. I

> actually ripped up the award I won this semester and threw it in

the

> garbage; it just didn't mean anything. I guess I feel like if

they

> want to recognize me that's fine. What i need now though is

> money...not academic awards...to continue in school.

>

> I would have been THRILLED with a C in this algebra class. The

thing

> is that I don't know how to do anything other than do my

absolute

> very best. With my memory problems I have now, I'm not so sure

I'd

> be able to make those A's anyway.

>

> Well, I've babbled enough. But before I go, I just wanted to

tell

> you about a couple other employees at the restaurant I work at.

> There's one young woman who waits tables 3-4 nights a week to

> supplement her income. She's a social

> worker...graduated...certified...professional...gotta wait

> tables 'cause her job as a clinical pays crap.

>

> another marketing graduate is working at the restaurant 2 days a

> week as a bartender...to supplement his income.

>

> We just had three servers recently graduate. Two just completed

the

> nursing program and have jobs at local hospital. they make more

> money waiting tables, believe it or not. One will stay on and

work

> one day a week to supplement her income, while the other will

work 3

> days a week in addition to the job at the hospital.

>

> another girl just got her degree in nuclear medicine. She also

has a

> job at one of the local hosptials, and guess where's she's

> continuing to work part...yep..that's right!

>

> It's a crazy world in which we live, huh...where college grads

have

> to continue to work in a restaurant.

>

> well, chuck, take it easy & I'll talk to you later! Thanks again

for

> your kind words and advice. Best, Sheila

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

hi cindy and thanks for your reply. things are almost the same here

in KY.

I got to the point where I couldn't stand to be around the

customers. Looking back, I wonder if I might have been having

thyroid problems then and didn't know it.

I've always loved being around people, but it just got to the point

where I had to force myself to smile. Everything the guests did

irritated me so badly. I'm not the kind of person who gets mad

easily, but I just had to stop waiting tables and get back to the

culinary side because I was blowing up every day. I would come back

into the kitchen and just throw a fit because I was so irate with

the guests.

i thought about going back to waiting tables, but no way! It's too

demanding physically besides everything else.

Glad you're in a good place now and that you enjoy your job and it's

less stressful for you. You'll feel better overall! Hugs, sheila

> Hey All:

>

> I just had to respond! I now work in a restaurant too! We left

So Cal about

> a year ago to move back to Park City, UT - where we lived for many

years

> during college. I'll admit, I never thought I'd ever wait tables

again- I have an

> education, I had a really stressfull job in CA- but made the $$.

I now

> bartend, wait tables, manage and right now I have to

hostess/manage until my broken

> shoulder is healed.

>

> As far as taxes/claiming tips- here (UT) if you wait tables you

make

> $2.25/hr. All restaurants are required by the IRS to report 8%

of your gross sales

> or your total charge (credit card tips). What happens when you

get a really

> crappy tip- you still have to pay that 8%, even if it costs you

money. Also,

> don't you have to tip out your bussers, bartenders and hosts-

thats another

> 25-30% of your money that you are paying taxes on! So, don't feel

bad if you make

> a 20% tip, cause the table next door might be the little old

couple that

> leaves you $2 on a $50 check!! Personally, I think it's a pretty

good balance.

>

> I know many people that wait tables that are educated (I work with

several

> that have masters), attending school, starting thier own business,

extra cash

> for Moms. Don't ever feel bad about waiting tables. I know it's

not for

> everyone, you have to put up with ALOT of crap, but the

flexibility to look for that

> dream job, attend college, spend time with your kids and still pay

the bills

> is priceless...

>

>

>

>

>