ny 25
I just woke up, it's 4 am. I read in the news that beginning March 1st every bar, brewery and restaurant in Anchorage will be required to check ID before any alcohol purchase, to reduce the risk of selling to someone with a red stripe and hopefully reduce DUIs. Currently only liquor stores are required to do this. There's 2000 people in Anchorage with a red stripe. Currently we're not required to ask if they look over the age of 35.
I wonder how this is going to go at the restaurant I work at. People get offended if I ask for their ID and they look a day over 30. Also, I have had a couple incidents where I asked for someone's ID and they didn't have it, even though they looked old enough. If i decide to ask them, and they don't have it on their person, I can't sell them alcohol, regardless of their age. It was a first snow fall last year and I asked someone if they had their ID and they said no, and that the other guy they were with was driving. He seemed nice, and I probably hadn't even needed to ask him because he looked older but I was more concerned that day because of the weather. I was stressing a little because I wanted to serve him but I'd asked for his ID, which he couldn't provide... and then the straw on the camel's back was my manager saying no. It's a liability issue for me and the restaurant. That's why I generally don't ask unless they look young. Even if they have a small child and they look young, and don't have their ID, I don't serve them. I did feel really bad, but I do think if you're an older adult and you don't have your ID on you it makes you look a little suspicious. Take that how you will.
I'm not supposed to but once in a while I will accept picture IDs. Last time I did that it was three guys, two were born in 98 and had their ID. the other didn't have his but had a picture, and I did serve him. It really just depends what drink they're ordering (we sell beer, besides the 3 cocktails on tap and one canned cider), who they're with, their countenance, and my intuition. Also, just how I'm feeling that day to be honest. I even think about the weather. On the first snow fall of the year or any particular bad snow falls or icy days I'm more strict about asking for ID, and if they don't have it i'm wary because I don't know if they're driving or not. The first snow fall of 24 we had over 70 car crashes in Anchorage alone (a population of only 286,075 people.) that's not uncommon though.
Some people just don't get it, too. There was a guy who had turned 21 four months prior and had a vertical ID (which I can accept) but it was expired so I told him no. He said, "but you can see that I'm old enough." I said, unfortunately if an ID is expired it's not valid for anything.
The other day someone only had a temporary ID, which we can't accept without a physical copy of the old ID, but she had a picture on hers so I did accept it. I asked my manager before too. I was a little cautious because she was a little rowdy and her husband said the previous place they had been at hadn't accepted it but, my manager agreed that it was ok, and everything looked fine on the temporary ID. she was also with her child and her husband, and an older lady. her husband was a little more chill than her. Maybe next time I'll ask for the old ID as well regardless...
Last night, on new year's eve, we closed an hour early. Yes, even though my shift was 7 bours I was exhausted after, and I hadn't really even been that busy until the end. I think I'm getting sick again actually.
We were more strict about last calls last night than usual, because we wanted to make sure all the support staff, bartender, and boh were able to stop working before midnight. We still did last calls for the kitchen 5 minutes before we closed, but we also did last calls for the bar, which generally I am more relaxed about. Sometimes I still serve people alcohol 30 minutes after we close, depending if I still have a lot of work to do or not and if they seem like they're going to pay for it right away. The bartender just expects me to pour the drinks though.
My last tables were a six top, who came in 30 minutes before we closed (a group of friends who were really nice), and an eight top that had to sit separately who came in 15 minutes before we closed (a native family), because the restaurant was still pretty full (we got really busy at the end.) I have to rush orders if someone comes in late, and I feel like sometimes people don't get that they can't take their time ordering and things like that if they don't check our hours or if they know, regardless, and still come in 20 or 10 minutes before we need to close.
A person a part of the 8 top tried to order a beer at 10:02, and said "can I order an arctic apple with my wristband?" and he gestured with his wrist which was bearing a paper wristband (it almost looked like a hospital one) with a qr code and some writing. I said, "no, I'm so sorry. It's just because I already did last calls and the restaurant is closed now." generally I would say yes, but even if it wasn't a holiday I would have said no, because I have no idea what the wristband thing is about? and he was old too, so I would have just sold it to him if he didn't mention his ID, but now, I wouldn't.
so it turns out that Eli's flight got delayed because of the Jeju Air crash, while he was in korea. we weren't going to tell him until after he landed but he found out anyway. he did make it safely to the Philippines in the end, but it took him like two days to get there. A whole day after his family arrived.
8 am: I just posted this to my instagram;
I was out driving because I like to look at people's Christmas lights when I can't sleep (shoutout to the person with the multi colored lanterns in the tree in their front yard... it was really enchanting...)
BUT then....
I decided to go into the UAA parking lot and was momentarily distracted as I forgot there was a stop sign. as I slammed on my brakes, a foxlike form loped across the road in a very undomesticated manner. my attention was immediately caught.
I deduced under the LED street lamps that it was a.. what? a wolf? a dog? I decided that its' body was too small and face too narrow for a wolf; it's demeanor too self-possessed and composed to be a dog.
he sat down, so still, and gazed into the distance.
he was probably pondering as he sat there, 'how did I end up in such an awful place?' and also, 'where are all the feral rabbits at in this city?'
long story, short - i saw a coyote I think?
I'm too tired to post a photo right now but it was cool. I've seen coyotes at the zoo but never outside. I was mostly surprised, but I'm usually not out at that time of the morning so perhaps that is why I've never encountered one before.