Jaeger Bombs and Broken Bones

I began a new job as a bartender last weekend at a bar/restaurant near our apartment, The 19th Hole. I'll be working a couple of days every other weekend or so, just making some extra cash, getting some exercise, and meeting people.

My first full night, Friday, was INSANE! A young, local band, Around 21, played, and it was a mad house. I lost track of how many Jaeger bombs I made after about 20. It seems to be the local drink around here.

The night was riddled with injuries -- I slipped and landed full force on my bad knee. My fellow bartender, Anne, broke the tip of her finger and chipped a tooth (on a piece of ice). My hands were raw and bleeding by the end of the night from opening hundreds of beer bottles.

I had a good time, though. (Except for one obnoxious waitress who kept snapping her fingers at us. Thankfully, she's given her 2 weeks notice!) It was exhausting, but I loved the energy and the promise of taking home tip money kept me going.

Unfortunately, I was still technically "training," (even though I worked the bar without help all night) so I only got a small cut of the tips. But the ridiculous and discouraging thing I discovered was, unlike every other bar I've worked in, the servers don't share tips with the bartenders. So, basically, we do all the work, and they make money for carrying a drink (there were no food orders Friday night).

NOT GOOD.

At the end of the night, I chalked it up as a 9-hour workout with a small cash bonus. But, the moral of the story is: Be sure to tip your bartenders!