Veterans

So today I had some people come in who were veterans.  Today is not going to be a rant or rave about how veterans suck (I am one, and that would just be retarded on my part), instead I am going to give a bit of a heart felt talk about being a veteran, well kind of heart felt, and now that I think of it I guess I really am going to rant and rave.
If you know someone who is a veteran thank them for their service.  I don't care if you agree with your country having a military or not, or if you are some peace loving hippie, it just doesn't matter, thank them.  If in the case that you don't agree with having a military, guess who was out living out hardships for you and your view, that's right a veteran.  If you are on the opposing view, same applies for you too.  When I got out and was chilling out with my brother one of his friends was all about giving me a hard time for being a "baby killer."  Guess what ladies and gentlemen, do you think that I was strolling around in the Middle East looking for people to kill?  No!  Do you actually think that I got enjoyment and pleasure from being there?  No!  If you think that I did then man all I gotta say is look down the barrel of a shotty and pull the trigger.  If that is seriously your view of the military and its personnel then I suggest you actually talk to one of us.  I can guarantee you that most of the answers you will find will be: "I was just following orders."  I have had so many "conversations" (I put this in quotes because it was more like the other party just attacked me while I tried to defend myself while holding back the increasing urge to give the person a nice old fashioned beating), people ask well if I gave you an order to jump off a cliff would you follow it?  Let me enlighten you a little here about how orders work:
Outranking officer gives you an order, you have two choices: 1.) you follow it, 2.) you refuse and life has just become exponentially harder for you and the rest of your enlistment (worst case you get booted with a Dishonorable Discharge and McDonald's won't even hire you as a burger flipper, best case, you get a little EMI (Extra Military Instruction) which includes scrubbing crappers for a month or two all day)
So, with that break down in mind 100% you follow the orders, because we all like life the way it is, not harder.  So, no matter your view on the military, how it operates, what actions it has taken, remember it wasn't our decision to be there.  Besides, without us who knows what freedoms we would enjoy.  If we weren't there then maybe you would be beheaded for your outcries, then where would you really be?  Up a creek without a paddle, that's where.
So, after I took them the bill we got to chatting and come to find out they happened to be in the same theater of operations that I was in just after I went.  Who knows what will happen if you just take the time out to talk to us, we aren't scarey people, although we may be covered in tattoos doesn't mean that we aren't people.
And as usual something nice for us to think about!

What is so hard about tipping?

So, a little background, I am a server, done.  Today I was at work and a lovely elderly couple came in and said they had a wonderful time, and as I looked at the finished bill it contained a single dollar, their bill came to almost forty dollars...  One thing that pisses servers off more than anything is people who compliment our service, then tip us less than 10%. Is it really that hard to dig deep down into your pockets and pull out 20%?  This is how it works, for those of the general public that is to F&^%ing retarded to figure this one out...:
1%: Absolutely horrid service.  No drinks were refilled, the only time you saw your server was to take your drink order, food order, bring out the food, and present the bill.  And the time between the order taken and the food presented was about an hour.  Basically minimal service was given, and time between each of these steps was retardedly long.
10%-15%: Basic service given.  Drinks are refilled, but are drained before the server notices, or at 25% full, food delivery did not take forever to come out, server said some things to the party, had a good time, but more on the lines of Denny's good.
20%+: Service was everything you wanted, making the stay enjoyable, drinks were refilled every time (or close to it) you took a sip, server held an actual conversation with you while you waited for your food, helped with directions for out of town people, other little things that made your stay great.
Ok, now that the break down is done, let us think about possible reasons why people are so cheap.
1.) You're just a cheap bastard.  These are the worst, if you know you are cheap, just stay home, plain and simple, we don't want you just as much as you don't want to shell out the money, go back home!
2.) You're old.  Listen, I know that back in the '20's and 30's you could get a hand full of candy for a penny and that when you tipped a dollar that server was set for the next month to two.  Guess what!?  It's not like that anymore!  I know, imagine that!  A dollar doesn't even buy you a candy bar anymore, and inflation has set in royally, just like the song that your kids listened to that you thought was the devil's work, Times Are a Changing!

3.) You can't afford it.  Listen, I know that we all like to have a good eat out, but if you can barely afford the tab, either don't go to "upper" restaurants, or just stay home.  I see this so many times, a young couple with a kid screaming their heads off, makes a H-U-G-E mess of what was set in front of them, bill comes to about 40 bucks and they leave 2 to 4 dollars.  This crap pisses me off so much!  Not only did I have to deal with your kid screaming the whole time you were hear, giving me one gigantic migraine, but now I have to clean the area they were in because all the food, plus some crap that I don't even think we serve here, had wound up on the floor, in the chair, and 2 miles down the road, bare minimum tip on ANY kid related party, 20%.
Now, I understand that when crappy service is given, a crappy tip is justified, but when a server is tipped crappy and wined and dined you thoroughly, there is a memory of you imprinted on their mind, and trust me, we don't forget, so the next time you come in trying to show off how great you are with that special someone, we are going to let you know what kind of service a 10% tip is to be expected, don't expect us to refill your drink, or care about you, but we will care about the little lady, throw in some flirting and wait, how did you get my phone number, who cares just call me babe!
Well I do believe that we have covered all bases, lemme know if I forgot one!  I will have to leave you with something special!