Today

Today did my online filings of Kaiser health insurance in the morning. It's an unpleasant procedure because I had to check and dig up details of past doctor visits and illnesses. As some of my friends know, they are not pleasant things to think about.

My mom made deep-fry breaded eggplant+cheese+egg+mint balls. It was good, better than expected. New recipe.

Met Ming in the afternoon. We had lunch, I brought some of the eggplant balls out so he tried it. We talked about film ideas. I don't want to think of anything, no big interest at the moment, but I'd be glad to jump onto a project if someone develops it. He's going back to Taiwan for 3 weeks vacation on monday. He's gonna meet Peter. I dunno how I could meet up with peter or yuzo (japan). Ryo could meet yuzo easily. I could only meet them if I go taiwan or japan for vacation purposely but they could meet while they visit their own relatives.

We played drums at Guitar Center. I'm gonna get into drums for sure. Hunting for a studio to jam. Went to Barnes & Nobles. Ming found so many books on offer, and they are wonderful books, big bargain. Met Andrew after that, accompanied him for his meal, I dunno what to call it, lunch or dinner or branchner. That's his first meal of the day at 5pm. I figured since we might do a film together in the future, it's good that Ming and Andrew meet today.

So at Thai Delight, I asked the waitress, "What is Tod?" (shrimp mousse ball) And she instantly writes on her check, "Tod? Okay." This is the fourth time a waiter thinks I'm ordering the dish when I'm asking what it is.

Me: "What is country fried potatoes? How is it coo..."

Waiter: (writing on his check) "Okay, country fried potatoes."

*slaps forehead"

Language? Maybe. Most of the waiters who has this problem are foreigners, some have higher level in english than others. But there were incidents at Denny's. They have waiters with better english but they have the same problem. So I thought maybe because of my speaking (as I have random stutter) but still...not just that and it isn't everytime.

So both Andrew and I came to the conclusion that these waiters have a mentality, a thinking, that customers never ask how the dish is made. Also the hand gesture. When you point to a dish on the menu, they instantly think you are ordering it. It's not bad service, but bad..waiter skills?

A waiter should be open to questions, and expect anything from customers. That's what waiters at Cheesecake Factory, Red Robin or Apple Bees do. American (as in white/black/asian american) waiters at these restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Red Robin or Italian outlets are really impressive. They know everything a customer might want. You can ask them anything. They know that you are saying "What is hamburger?" and not "I want hamburger". They don't have a "Customer come, sit, only order, I take order." mentality. They provide assistance at all levels.

It's not about age, although most american waiter/waitresses at these restaurants are late teens, young adults, and most often females, but elder waiters are very good too. It's so different from the ones at asian restaurants and places like Denny's.