The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

Is it just me, or does it seem like, after a certain point, birthdays become progressively more depressing? On our 16th birthday, we can celebrate getting a driver's license. On our 18th birthday, we can celebrate being able to vote (and smoke, I suppose). On our 21st birthday, we can celebrate being able to drink alcohol (well, legally). After that, there aren't too many birthdays where we can say, "We're now even more of a legal adult today!" When I hit 30, I thought to myself, "Where in the world did my 20s go?" Not much changed when I turned 31, 32, and 33, respectively. When I turned 34, however, I was officially in my mid-30s, and due to that, started feeling like I couldn't pass for being in college anymore (even though I do still occasionally get carded). My 35th birthday was significant, in that it was the midpoint between 30 and 40, the age which many label as being "over the hill." Now that I turned 36 just yesterday, I'm in ...

Ever go to a bar for a bit, observe a bartender, interact with him or her, and walk out wondering why they're a bartender? I've run into this scenario on three occasions. One bartender was just extremely rude and after receiving several complaints, she got fired for that very reason. Another bartender just wasn't very social - he lacked the bartender personality, and even though he tried, the job just didn't seem to suit him well. Unsurprisingly, last I heard, he was doing something completely different with his life. That brings me to the third bartender - the one I know the best of all three, largely due to the fact I attend this pub about once every 2-3 weeks. While I'll admit that for the most part, the guy does work hard, he simply comes across as the anti-bartender bartender.  Almost any "expert" in the field of bartending will say the five most important qualities for a great bartender to possess are: Multitasking, communication, organization...

Ever known someone who just didn't seem to like you from the start? You have no idea what you said or did to bother them, but they just have a certain attitude about them around you that they don't contain around others? I've run into this with someone. It kind of reached a peak last week, but looking back on things, I have to say it's been rolling in this direction for quite some time. The crazy thing is, I don't see him act this way around anyone else. It is entirely possible that he does, but if so, I haven't been aware of it. He just likes to pick fights and sometimes over the silliest of things. He'll also make comments which signify a certain disapproval of me. For most of 2009 and 2010 I was ill and due to my symptoms, was unable to drive. After I was able to walk a bit again, I was able to get a ride out to a pub on a Friday or Saturday during the weekends. It was nice. It kept me sane, as I was stuck inside the house for the week, unable to move...