Apparently Parents DO Have Wisdom...

My dad has a theory that children don't start seeing their parents' logic until after age 25. While I don't think I had to reach that magical milestone in my life before I started seeing the wisdom in their advice, I do continue to see it in various areas as my life progresses.

Take, for instance, a job. I started at Starbucks about 6 weeks ago. (Its going much better, by the way, thanks for asking.) When I was interviewed, I was asked questions such as, "What would you do (and what have you done in the past) when you are sick or unable to make it to work?" and "How many times were you late in your previous job?" I thought they were kind of weird questions to be asking--I just take it for granted that if I can't work, I need to find a replacement and if I'm scheduled at a certain time, I'm needed and counted upon to be there. I'm finding out that not everyone has those foundational understandings when it comes to a job. After responding to these questions, my interviewer mentioned that I would make an excellent candidate for shift manager (Really? Is it that hard to find a reliable person?)

My dad always said that all you have to do is show up on time and do your job and people will like you. I used to think it was bogus, but its becoming more clear to me that this is so true! I work the 4a.m. shift most mornings. When I started working at this hour, the management (both the Manager and the Assistant Manager) made the comment to me that they enjoyed opening the store with me...it took me awhile to find out that they didn't like opening with the other person available at that hour because she (direct quote) "lacks a sense of urgency". Basically, all I had to do was show up and they were happy! :) It was an interesting situation because at first, it wasn't even that they liked me all that much--I just wasn't the other person.

The other thing about this person is that she talks. A lot. Most of the time, working takes the back burner to talking. So again, all I have to do is show up and work and the management likes me. Now, this is not to say that this one person in particular is the only person with issues at Starbucks. One of our employees relies solely on public transportation, but often misses the bus. Again, it goes back to the principle that the reason a person is scheduled at a certain time is because they're needed at that time. She is now viewed as an unreliable employee--last week, of the four days I was to work with her, she was late 2 and didn't show up for 1 (quick mental math reveals that she only put in 1 full day of work at her scheduled time). Again, she's not the only one, but, wow! I can't imagine myself doing that...

I was discussing this with my sister Joy and I came to the conclusion that I am going to become unreliable and unresponsible. She doesn't think I can do it. She's right, you know, because it would go against everything my parents taught me. So, I guess I'm saying thank you to my dad, who cared enough to instill occupational responsibility in me at a young age.

One of Those Days....

Have you ever had "one of those days"? You know the ones...nothing seems to go right and instead of thinking of each incident as isolated, you start to wonder what else is going to happen. Today is one of those days for me.

Last year, I started to develop a kind of dislike toward Mondays. My student library assistant helped me out during 1st period and Mondays became a running joke between us, in that I seem more disoriented than other days (if you can believe it!). I had hoped that I was going to leave that trend behind in Nebraska, but it seems to have followed me to Illinois.

This morning I started working at 5am, which wasn't the problem--I was awake, or so I thought. I tripped over something on the floor and landed square on my behind, catching myself with my left hand. I was okay at the time, but am now starting to feel the effects in full...achy back, neck, wrist...ugh.

I am kind of still training, as well. I have the register pretty much down, but today I kept hearing orders that weren't really orders. It was really frustrating because I am actually a lot better at my job than I exhibited today. In my defense, though, that one lady told two of us that she wanted her maple scone warmed...how was I supposed to know she wanted it cold?

It also seemed that anything liquid lept out of its respective container to make a mess on the counter, the floor, or the wall.

At this point in the day, I thought that the incidents were isolated, but I was soon to change my mind. Starbucks makes their own whipped cream. (I'd tell you the recipe, but then I'd have to kill you.) The special recipe is put in a metal container and then pressurized (charged) to mix the ingredients together when it comes out. I found out what happens when one opens a pressurized container of whipped cream that isn't quite empty....it got ALL over the place. It was a good thing it happened in the back room and the managers weren't there, but, my goodness! The sink, the walls, the purses, me...it was a good thing I was standing there, or the computer would have been splattered too. That happened around 10am and I wasn't scheduled to be off until 11am. My goal after that: be cognizent that its Monday--be EXTRA careful! Of course, I still dripped hot coffee on my foot and spilled it on my hand, but at least I got out of there without doing anything else that falls in the major catastrophe category.

So Mondays aren't really my thing, I guess. One thing's for sure...I have developed a rueful sense of humor about it....too bad my managers don't see the same humor that I do. One of my co-workers does, though....she said that she was going to request to work every Monday with me because they're so entertaining! :)