I hope that you smile tonight

Today at work was like really terrible. Not one of the worst days, but just...it was raining, and everyone in the restaurant was miserable! No one was happy! And they were all so mean! I was outside (which I love, even when it's raining, because I like the fresh air and it's quieter out there), so there weren't many people. But the rest of the place was packed. And people were just mean! One lady came in because her kid spilled something? I don't know. So she wanted napkins so I gave her like 4 folded ones and she was like, "I'm going to need a lot more" so I said I would bring more out because the rest were across the restaurant and then she could go out with the ones she had, and she was like, "Could you just give them to me!" and then her husband was an asshole about having to wait, and accused us of losing the order (like, you know that table RIGHT NEXT TO YOURS? The one that ordered before you and still doesn't have their food yet? Think about it, jackass). Also they made a huge mess (first they opened toys for the kids at a table that wasn't even theirs, then left them there. Then some of the kids got KFC, which they helpfully scattered all over the table. Then when they ate they managed to get stuff everywhere). And the 2 older boys were very polite, and I thought that it was a good thing that somehow their parents' rudeness had not rubbed off on them, but then the oldest girl was a spoiled brat, so I guess she's going to grow up to be just like her bitch of a mother. Anyway, they were jerks. And other people were slightly less openly hostile about having to wait for their food. Like, I know that it's annoying when food takes a while. But if you want fast food, McDonald's is right around the corner, you know? Don't be an asshole about it because you're impatient. I'm trying to be nice! I'm at work, being cheery makes it bearable, my default position is nice. I start off liking you. Never ever do I start off disliking you, unless you have like a swastika on your t-shirt or whatever. I start off liking you, and you take it from there.
So, yeah. People were just MEAN. Like, I was wiping tables just stunned because they just weren't nice. Why were they so miserable? You're out to breakfast/lunch! It's an enjoyable occasion! Why not enjoy yourself? Why be such a pill?
Then, luckily, the greatest country on earth intervened and I had some lovely Missourians who were so pleased with their toasties. It's a toastie! You're so sweet, little St. Louis couple. You got a panini and a toastie and you were happy and lovely and pleasant and even when you were confused by my saying "Cab Merlot" instead of "Cabernet Merlot," you didn't act all rude about it, and you made me feel bad for speaking in kiwi, but mostly 'cause I felt like I was showing off or something. And then there were some lovely British ladies who had me take their picture eating scones and I love it when people have me do it because they're really enjoying themselves. So there were nice people.
And then Andie was fake-mean to me because we're fake-mean to each other, and I acted all fake-upset and she gave me a hug because all the customers are for-real mean. And then I was eating french fries with Ruth and I said that it was a crappy day and I told her that I currently had nice customers, but all the other tables before were just mean, mean people. And then when I came back for my evening shift, she put me on bar. She put me on bar! I'm never on bar! I've never been on bar before! It was great! I got to make drinks all night and sometimes coffees and I had little to no interaction with customers at all! They couldn't be mean to me! I couldn't fuck anything up! It was great! And only later did I think about how I'd told her about the mean people before and maybe she was doing it to be kind because my customers were mean. She is very nice. And Michael said he talked to his friend on the South Island and told him that he'd better have a job for me when I get there. And Pia told me to try the chocolate cheesecake, and it's so chocolatey I can hardly finish it, but it's so good that I absolutely have to. It's made (like almost everything) on-site.
And last night I came home and Reno made me eat apple spice cake that was great and this morning Simon and Jenna gave me a ride to work because it was raining and then Nat and her friend had breakfast at Dixie's because they wanted to visit me. There are some nice people in this world and I know a lot of them.

And Nich sent me a beautiful CD and a package and a postcard and I love her more than words. And you know how when you send an international package, you have to fill out a customs form? I try to be as vague as possible to not ruin the surprise, and I think they really want to see if you have, like, "prescription drugs" or "exotic plants" or something in there. But she wrote "toy gnome, fireman" and stuff. She was adorably specific and I love her.

A little giving back to the lovely people in the world: A few fresh pictures for you. Just a few, though, because flickr wouldn't upload things when I tried again and again. So just a few I took when I first returned to Taupo and hiked up to Huka Falls.

ETA: Now featuring more pictures! Start at the bottom (with this one) and work your way up through the "Next Picture" feature. Because that's the order I uploaded them in.