Bartending | Hit me with your best shot!

Last weekend was a good example of how I love and hate my work. Bartending can be both; dancing on rose pedals and walking on needles. None of the nights are alike and customers give the job a good kick; but to remember, you can't take any of it personally. In the end it's like any other customer servise; some of the customers are happy, some aren't.

I love it. In a busy night you move fastly and forget the time. You make drinks and pour beers, you collect empty glasses from the tables and talk with the customers. It's social job, but more like you are on stage; someone is always watching you. That's what we sell more than booze; good, fun time. We sell an illosion of how alcohol, friends and music is fun and all you need in a friday night. We sell a shallow idea of a fun world. And we sell it really well.

Behind a smile there is a person. Living, breathing and sober person. Sometimes when a person is drunk they don't think things throught. That's why it's a good thing they are in a bar where sober adults are watching over like guardians. Securety by the door. Bars are like kindergardes for adults. Someone is always making sure you are okay and able to walk out by yourself, if your friends don't.

Altought it's pretty amazing seeing oung people at the bar, taking care of eachother, when someone had that one too many. It's not the same with people older by a decade or two; they trust that everyone knows their limits... or something like that. They don't believe in keeping an eye on someone, since "handeling it on your own" is their way of living; altought they get involved when things get out of hand.

What makes bartending so much fun?

Rush. You have to be fast but still make sure that you heard the order right and you poured every drink right. You have to be sure of yourself, if you hesitate, customers spot it and they start loking at you critically. Sharp, even tought it's almost impossble to know every drink in world, there are few basic drinks that you have to know with your muscles, making it an automatic reaction.

You are like a machine, with small-talk, smiling, always doing your best. Smoother you are at the way you make your drinks and talking, better you are. It's a little bit harsh, since not that many of the customers know what you really think or who you are outside a bar. I usually don't enjoy going out anymore on my free nights, since people regonize me, but I don't always remember them. So it can be awkward. Also some people missunderstand me when I am trying to sell for flirting. It's really annoying from time to time, but usually everything is back to normal the next day.

So being in love in a job that I hate sometimes can be rough. But that's about to change, which feels good. But I'm going to miss this so much.