Today after I had picked Brian up from the max station we were on our merry way home when....
Our happy conversation was rudely interrupted by the sound of shattering window glass.... shanoobie!!!!!!
The front passenger window shanoobied into the back of my head ( had turned my head at the right moment to look at Brian) and the inside of our little green golf. What in all the world of goodness happened?
Well, and few months ago... Well actually....quite a few months ago, the pulley-mechanism thingy (yes, that is the technical term...in Renee's dictionary. I knew what it was called long enough to find the part.lol) broke causing us some dismay over where to find the money to fix said problem. So we (I mean Brian) jury-rigged the window to stay up. This worked fine until...well...two hours ago. When it shattered...
Yes, the world will be glad to know that your Batista will be fine and at work tomorrow. No Batista was harmed in the making of this blog event.... And the world will be even happier to know the window fragments completely missed my "beautiful" face. With that disclaimer out of the way (*whew*), I can continue my story.
Brian, driving at the time, freaked-out as the glass shanoobied into the car. "Renee what happened are you okay!!?!!?????" Me: "............(speechless/searching for the answer myself)......" Racing thoughts of did I get shot...am I hurt...what the...just happened....what the...just happened???!!!?? Brian, a "bit" (A LOT) more urgent, "RENEE ARE YOU OK!!!?" Me: "Ummmm....yeah I think sooo..." As I turned frantically to look over my shoulder to see if I was impaled by something or shot dead... "yeah...yeah...I'm ok..." Brian: "Did something hit you, or the window...." He's rushing to stop the car "safely". I was still flustered, and not really even sure that I wasn't actually hurt... Me: "I don't know..."
So we stopped the car (This did not happen on the freeway, thank goodness!!), I quickly jumped out of the car, amongst hearing Brian declaring my need to be careful...
I started to inspect the window and move the pieces of glass still in the window frame out... as Brian wandered up the street to where the window shanoobied to see if something did hit the window...or anything else that may have happened.
I was still working on the glass thinking and grumbling to myself about what we were going to do...when suddenly I broke out into song.... "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there...." and poof Paul Jefferies from State Farm appeared beside me...
Ok ok ok I didn't sing and he didn't appear... But I took out my phone and dialed (503) 614-8564 (yes the actual number)... And guess what happened... HE ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE! :-)
I didn't expect it to be him, although he doesn't have a massive office, he does have a few friendly people who answer his phones, man the front desk, and other really important things...
So I started off... Chipper of course, and laughing a little (no really...I was!)
Paul: "Thank you for calling State Farm. My name is Paul, how can I help you?"
"Hi, this is Rene'e, my husband and I have insurance through your office and I have a funny story for you... and uhhh...wait is this Paul Jefferies? You actually answered your own phone? *laugh*"
"blah blah blah window shanoobied blah blah blah...what should I do?"
Paul: (Something to the effect of... ) "Wow, let me look at your insurance coverage...Well...Rene'e it looks like your insurance will cover the cost of the window replacement without a deductible..."
Me: *Life-saving-enormous sigh of relief...* and 20 other questions involving the window fixing and the mechanism... and a shop that could do both at the same time... and answering yes, I understand we have to pay for the mechanism fixing ourselves... Then asking so what do I do with the window in the meantime....? And finally an question more rhetorical then anything...how the heck do I get all the glass out of the car?"
And he had answers for all of them! I could not be more impressed. The window will be replaced tomorrow at the cost of our insurance...we found a replacement part for the window thingy, and SpeedyGlass will put that part into the window at a reduced cost because they will already be in there. :-)
Our StateFarm agent, Paul Jefferies, has saved our car lives many times! We have had multiple car accidents, a stolen car, a car that ended up propped-up on a rock (another-story, another-time), and now an act-of-God shanoobie-ing our window. They have consistently taken good care of us... They are really a company I am glad to have on my side!
If you are in the Beaverton/Hillsboro/Tigard area or really anywhere in Oregon check out my insurance guy!
Paul Jefferies
(503) 614-8564
3000 NW Stucki Pl
Suite 170
Hillsboro, OR 97124-7272
*This blog has not been paid for or endorsed by State Farm Insurance or anyone affiliated through employment by the company. The opinions expressed here are solely the thoughts of the consumer.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Inconsistency
I always want to find myself as someone who is conscientious in every aspect of my life. But, a few weeks ago, I blew it. I knew that I had blown it and it was going to stay under my skin and broil itself there. Unless I did something about it.
For Operation Christmas Glory, we had just finished our first fundraiser which turned out to be more successful than we had thought it would be. We spent two days outside an Alberton's talking about what we have been doing. We were doing a fundraiser at Panda Express, so we had expected to be handing out fliers for it and inviting people to go eat there. Well, as we were out there talking about what we were doing, people didn't want to go to Panda and eat they just wanted to donate for us to be able to get our boxes sent out. The main goal of the "Panda Express" fundraiser was to get our name out, and rally up some local knowledge for fundraising ideas and the like. We never expected to get such a great response for our efforts. It was exhasting, but amazing!
So after having such a success, we went our separate ways... Jenny went home with Dadu and Leanna, and Brian and I headed to grab some sandwiches from the Safeway deli. On the two block drive to Safeway, both Brian and I were irritable. A snippy word was said, we got even more grouchy, and then our attitudes were toast. Or well, mine was.
We were walking down the laundry isle, I was looking for salad area. But, I was also angry and frustrated, and mostly growling inside myself. As we walked down the isle, (I think) I made eye contact, and slightly smiled. The lady stopped, looked at me, and said, "Thank you for your smile, that's exactly what I needed!" I didn't even stop and wonder until I had walked away. I just looked at her as I stomped by and said, "Your welcome!", and continued to walk away with an enormous grumpy storm cloud over my head. I got half way down the next isle, and suddenly it dawned on me how much energy I had put into being angry.
Then I started to analyze my reaction to the situation. How on earth could my angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile be something that made someone's day! How awful her day must have been! Why did I have to be so stuck into myself and not stop to ask how a fellow person was!
I had to go back and find her! I had to go and find out if there was possibly something, somehow that I could make her day better than what it was! My heart was so upset about the situation that I just hoped...that there was a way she could possibly still be in the store!
After much time agonizing over the situation...I found her in the check out lane. I just had to be sure she was actually ok. She was. And somehow she really was blessed by my "angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile".
Although I may have agonized over this situation too much. But, what if someone else just needed some kind of extra-loving human contact. Just someone to stop and really ask them how they really are.... I want to be that person. I want to be the one who is conscientious about reacting to others. Next time I will try to be more aware.
For Operation Christmas Glory, we had just finished our first fundraiser which turned out to be more successful than we had thought it would be. We spent two days outside an Alberton's talking about what we have been doing. We were doing a fundraiser at Panda Express, so we had expected to be handing out fliers for it and inviting people to go eat there. Well, as we were out there talking about what we were doing, people didn't want to go to Panda and eat they just wanted to donate for us to be able to get our boxes sent out. The main goal of the "Panda Express" fundraiser was to get our name out, and rally up some local knowledge for fundraising ideas and the like. We never expected to get such a great response for our efforts. It was exhasting, but amazing!
So after having such a success, we went our separate ways... Jenny went home with Dadu and Leanna, and Brian and I headed to grab some sandwiches from the Safeway deli. On the two block drive to Safeway, both Brian and I were irritable. A snippy word was said, we got even more grouchy, and then our attitudes were toast. Or well, mine was.
We were walking down the laundry isle, I was looking for salad area. But, I was also angry and frustrated, and mostly growling inside myself. As we walked down the isle, (I think) I made eye contact, and slightly smiled. The lady stopped, looked at me, and said, "Thank you for your smile, that's exactly what I needed!" I didn't even stop and wonder until I had walked away. I just looked at her as I stomped by and said, "Your welcome!", and continued to walk away with an enormous grumpy storm cloud over my head. I got half way down the next isle, and suddenly it dawned on me how much energy I had put into being angry.
Then I started to analyze my reaction to the situation. How on earth could my angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile be something that made someone's day! How awful her day must have been! Why did I have to be so stuck into myself and not stop to ask how a fellow person was!
I had to go back and find her! I had to go and find out if there was possibly something, somehow that I could make her day better than what it was! My heart was so upset about the situation that I just hoped...that there was a way she could possibly still be in the store!
After much time agonizing over the situation...I found her in the check out lane. I just had to be sure she was actually ok. She was. And somehow she really was blessed by my "angry, half-way, crooked, smirk of a smile".
Although I may have agonized over this situation too much. But, what if someone else just needed some kind of extra-loving human contact. Just someone to stop and really ask them how they really are.... I want to be that person. I want to be the one who is conscientious about reacting to others. Next time I will try to be more aware.
Friday, March 25, 2011
A Baking Blunder
A few months ago, my husby decided that he wanted to take some treats into work. So he decided he wanted to take in brownies and I suggested rice crispy treats as well. I told Brian that he would have to make the brownies by himself, and I would make the rice crispies. Everything went fine, the rice crispies came off the oven just in time for the brownies to come out.
So Brian placed the brownies on top of the stove. Between the front burner and the back one, everything seemed to be fine. A few minutes later, out of the spot where we had checked for the peak of perfection of the brownies, a billow of smoke came exploding out. It was like watching smoke come out of a volcano, rapid and leaving me wondering if it would suddenly explode. My heart started to pound out of my chest, and my mind raced trying to figure out what on earth was happening. The smoke alarm started blaring in the background, and I examined the brownies in a state of confusion. Staring at the stove, for just a little too long. Suddenly my brain clicks and realizes that I need to get the brownies outside (yes, my brain reacted just a little too slowly.). I grabbed some kitchen towels and rush toward the balcony door.
When I returned inside, I once again examined what had just happened on the stove. Brian and I had both made a baking blunder. When I took the rice crispys off of the stove, I forgot to turn the burner off! Brian when he set the brownies down on the burners, the back half of them were over the oven vent and the front on the hot burner. In effect, we both burnt the perfect, beautiful, fudgy brownies. With the apartment fire alarm crisis behind us, we brought the smoldering brownies back inside the house. I was ready to trash them, but Brian said, "Wait maybe they're still o.k..." At this point it is like a chocolate brick, and he took a crunchy bite out of one. He looks at me with as much of a serious tone as he can muster and chokes out, "Their o.k...." At this proclamation I decide what the heck, and take a little taste of my own... It was very...smokey... crunchy... with a side of charcoal. Brian still wanted to take them to work. I told him he couldn't. He then of course demanded to know why... I told him that everyone at his work was going to think that I have made this atrocity that we were going to call brownies. I couldn't have that! I couldn't stand that embarrassment! And to his dismay half of the treats that he wanted to take to work went into the garbage.
For one thing, it is of course always the brain dead, easy things that I can't seem to make. But, of course things that have a gazillion steps to making, no problem, it turns out every-time. However, this was my first box brownie mishap. I still can't make rice on the stove. I haven't even been able to master brown rice even in my rice cooker. I have never been able to make no-bake chocolate cookies.There is one other thing that I can't make, but I don't remember.
But I am glad to say the brownies that I made last night have turned out to be fantastic.
So Brian placed the brownies on top of the stove. Between the front burner and the back one, everything seemed to be fine. A few minutes later, out of the spot where we had checked for the peak of perfection of the brownies, a billow of smoke came exploding out. It was like watching smoke come out of a volcano, rapid and leaving me wondering if it would suddenly explode. My heart started to pound out of my chest, and my mind raced trying to figure out what on earth was happening. The smoke alarm started blaring in the background, and I examined the brownies in a state of confusion. Staring at the stove, for just a little too long. Suddenly my brain clicks and realizes that I need to get the brownies outside (yes, my brain reacted just a little too slowly.). I grabbed some kitchen towels and rush toward the balcony door.
When I returned inside, I once again examined what had just happened on the stove. Brian and I had both made a baking blunder. When I took the rice crispys off of the stove, I forgot to turn the burner off! Brian when he set the brownies down on the burners, the back half of them were over the oven vent and the front on the hot burner. In effect, we both burnt the perfect, beautiful, fudgy brownies. With the apartment fire alarm crisis behind us, we brought the smoldering brownies back inside the house. I was ready to trash them, but Brian said, "Wait maybe they're still o.k..." At this point it is like a chocolate brick, and he took a crunchy bite out of one. He looks at me with as much of a serious tone as he can muster and chokes out, "Their o.k...." At this proclamation I decide what the heck, and take a little taste of my own... It was very...smokey... crunchy... with a side of charcoal. Brian still wanted to take them to work. I told him he couldn't. He then of course demanded to know why... I told him that everyone at his work was going to think that I have made this atrocity that we were going to call brownies. I couldn't have that! I couldn't stand that embarrassment! And to his dismay half of the treats that he wanted to take to work went into the garbage.
For one thing, it is of course always the brain dead, easy things that I can't seem to make. But, of course things that have a gazillion steps to making, no problem, it turns out every-time. However, this was my first box brownie mishap. I still can't make rice on the stove. I haven't even been able to master brown rice even in my rice cooker. I have never been able to make no-bake chocolate cookies.There is one other thing that I can't make, but I don't remember.
But I am glad to say the brownies that I made last night have turned out to be fantastic.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My Current Adventure 3
As Jenny's room started becoming filled to the ceiling of name brand products of shampoo, conditioners, deodorants, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and the big and most amazing deal was the laundry soap. She and I sat down one Sunday and chatted, we had to do something with all of the product. There was no way we could use it all ourselves! So we brain stormed about what we could do. We started talking about finding somewhere to donate it, and we left it at that for the day.
The next week, I see her and she is extremely excited, she had discovered where it all was going to go. She had discovered a website: www.anysoldier.com Not only had she found the website, but she had already found contacts with the soldiers in need, and taken ALL of the large flat rate boxes from our local post office. She had begun filling the boxes; and the boxes were stuffed full to the brim. Our goal is to fill the boxes full of everything we can. Why waste money on shipping costs, when it costs the same amount if we put in two products, or 50?
Currently we have over 30 contacts! What do I mean by contacts... What it means is, each contact is a troop leader or Chaplin, who we send boxes to and they distribute the products to people within the troop. Our 30 contacts that we have reach a total of 1,700 troops. So we are attempting to send as much as we can to support them.
The boxes that we are sending out are going to our troops who are in the middle of the desert. These troops are far from the PX's (basically a grocery store of supplies). So our soldiers in these places are going without the basics which we take for granted. The people whom are out there giving of their lives to keep ours comfortable, and also working for the greater good of helping other countries are going without? That is simply wrong! The way we see it is that it is the least we can do to reach out to them and support them in whatever way we can.
It doesn't matter if you support the wars, or support what our government is doing. This isn't about that. It is about giving our "neighbors" aid. They enlisted to the different branches of the military for many different reasons, but in the end it is all for the same cause, serving US! No matter how I look at it, it is more than the right thing to do!
Currently, we are sending out about 30 boxes a month, with still 30 or more just sitting and waiting to be shipped. Our goal is by 2012 to be sending out at least 300 boxes a month! Still just as full as we have been! It is going to be amazing to see how God blesses this and continues to move it forward! I will keep you all "posted" about what is going on!
The next week, I see her and she is extremely excited, she had discovered where it all was going to go. She had discovered a website: www.anysoldier.com Not only had she found the website, but she had already found contacts with the soldiers in need, and taken ALL of the large flat rate boxes from our local post office. She had begun filling the boxes; and the boxes were stuffed full to the brim. Our goal is to fill the boxes full of everything we can. Why waste money on shipping costs, when it costs the same amount if we put in two products, or 50?
Currently we have over 30 contacts! What do I mean by contacts... What it means is, each contact is a troop leader or Chaplin, who we send boxes to and they distribute the products to people within the troop. Our 30 contacts that we have reach a total of 1,700 troops. So we are attempting to send as much as we can to support them.
The boxes that we are sending out are going to our troops who are in the middle of the desert. These troops are far from the PX's (basically a grocery store of supplies). So our soldiers in these places are going without the basics which we take for granted. The people whom are out there giving of their lives to keep ours comfortable, and also working for the greater good of helping other countries are going without? That is simply wrong! The way we see it is that it is the least we can do to reach out to them and support them in whatever way we can.
It doesn't matter if you support the wars, or support what our government is doing. This isn't about that. It is about giving our "neighbors" aid. They enlisted to the different branches of the military for many different reasons, but in the end it is all for the same cause, serving US! No matter how I look at it, it is more than the right thing to do!
Currently, we are sending out about 30 boxes a month, with still 30 or more just sitting and waiting to be shipped. Our goal is by 2012 to be sending out at least 300 boxes a month! Still just as full as we have been! It is going to be amazing to see how God blesses this and continues to move it forward! I will keep you all "posted" about what is going on!
My Current Adventure 2
I did not want to overload any of my readers about my current adventure all in one post so in effect this is part two of "My Current Adventure".
To recap for anyone randomly picking up this blog: I have found myself involved in the beginnings of making a non-profit with my best friend, Jenny. She is clearly the brains of the operation. She is the one who got this all started.
Here is the "short version".
Jenny is the world biggest Coupon Queen when it comes to figuring out how to get hygiene type products for practically nothing. I am still not sure how she does it. But she makes me look silly for getting excited about saving 40 cents off my laundry soap. Instead of saving 40 cents on a product she is more likely to pay only 40 cents on a product, and most often she is grumbling about paying the 40 cents. Most of the products we purchase, it is more likely that we will be paid back for the product. If any of you are as bad at math as I am, you can still imagine this a really good deal.
Just for example. This morning she sent me a text message telling me that in her Sunday morning shopping she was able to get a ton of toothbrushes for nothing, and in return was basically paid $200 by RiteAid for her purchase. We do all of our shopping at RiteAid. Until she started doing the couponing I NEVER purchased anything from RiteAid except my occasional prescription and maybe a candy bar as an impulse item on my way out. But, somehow with her amazing super-human couponing skills, the Plus-Up rewards program, and rebates, our products come out to being nearly nothing. It makes it possible for us to spend $100 out of pocket on any given Sunday, and get over $1000 (sometimes it is closer to $2000) worth of product. Jenny is someone who cannot resist a good deal, and especially when the manufacturer is going to essentially pay you for your purchase. Who would not take advantage of it.
So as you can imagine with taking advantage of these amazing deals, it quickly became a problem finding something to do with it all. So what do we do with all this product? Well, that is what we all started asking ourselves once Jenny, the mastermind of the operation, figured out this system.
To recap for anyone randomly picking up this blog: I have found myself involved in the beginnings of making a non-profit with my best friend, Jenny. She is clearly the brains of the operation. She is the one who got this all started.
Here is the "short version".
Jenny is the world biggest Coupon Queen when it comes to figuring out how to get hygiene type products for practically nothing. I am still not sure how she does it. But she makes me look silly for getting excited about saving 40 cents off my laundry soap. Instead of saving 40 cents on a product she is more likely to pay only 40 cents on a product, and most often she is grumbling about paying the 40 cents. Most of the products we purchase, it is more likely that we will be paid back for the product. If any of you are as bad at math as I am, you can still imagine this a really good deal.
Just for example. This morning she sent me a text message telling me that in her Sunday morning shopping she was able to get a ton of toothbrushes for nothing, and in return was basically paid $200 by RiteAid for her purchase. We do all of our shopping at RiteAid. Until she started doing the couponing I NEVER purchased anything from RiteAid except my occasional prescription and maybe a candy bar as an impulse item on my way out. But, somehow with her amazing super-human couponing skills, the Plus-Up rewards program, and rebates, our products come out to being nearly nothing. It makes it possible for us to spend $100 out of pocket on any given Sunday, and get over $1000 (sometimes it is closer to $2000) worth of product. Jenny is someone who cannot resist a good deal, and especially when the manufacturer is going to essentially pay you for your purchase. Who would not take advantage of it.
So as you can imagine with taking advantage of these amazing deals, it quickly became a problem finding something to do with it all. So what do we do with all this product? Well, that is what we all started asking ourselves once Jenny, the mastermind of the operation, figured out this system.
My Current Adventure
Sometimes adventures are planned out like a trip taking you through the mountain passes. Planning every place you will stop and stay for the night, or planning where you are going to stop and play. Carefully planning things out to be sure that it all goes smoothly.
Yet again, sometimes adventures take you by surprise. Like in the Pixar movie "UP", one of the kids, Ellie says loudly with a child-like boldness, "Adventure is OUT-THERE!" Finding adventure can simply be, being open to the possibilities that come your way. It is the kind of adventures that you are not even aware of until you are already heading down that road. These are the kind of adventures which I find the most fascinating!
Well, without me even being aware of what was happening, I seem to be involved in something bigger than I had ever imagined. For months now, I thought I was simply helping my best friend assemble boxes and sending them to the troops.
Now, without me completely being aware of it, I am apart of something that is so much bigger than I had ever anticipated. My best friend and I are starting a non-profit! I am even getting a big title! And I need to have business cards made. None of which are anything that I had ever thought of. Becoming someone with a big-ish title had never crossed my mind. I don't even know exactly what I want to be when I "grow up". But how did this happen?
I suppose it all happened because I was open to what the Lord had for me. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention and I fell down the bunny hole. Does this mean I get to go on a wild adventure lead by Johnny Depp like Alice in Wonderland? No, I don't think Johnny Depp will be making any guest appearances in this portion of my life story.
But, as we are working on our research for what we need to fill out and the requirements we need to fulfill, we are beginning to see just how big of an operation we are looking at. It is becoming apparent that the possibilities are nearly endless. I am amazed... excited... and humbled.
Yet again, sometimes adventures take you by surprise. Like in the Pixar movie "UP", one of the kids, Ellie says loudly with a child-like boldness, "Adventure is OUT-THERE!" Finding adventure can simply be, being open to the possibilities that come your way. It is the kind of adventures that you are not even aware of until you are already heading down that road. These are the kind of adventures which I find the most fascinating!
Well, without me even being aware of what was happening, I seem to be involved in something bigger than I had ever imagined. For months now, I thought I was simply helping my best friend assemble boxes and sending them to the troops.
Now, without me completely being aware of it, I am apart of something that is so much bigger than I had ever anticipated. My best friend and I are starting a non-profit! I am even getting a big title! And I need to have business cards made. None of which are anything that I had ever thought of. Becoming someone with a big-ish title had never crossed my mind. I don't even know exactly what I want to be when I "grow up". But how did this happen?
I suppose it all happened because I was open to what the Lord had for me. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention and I fell down the bunny hole. Does this mean I get to go on a wild adventure lead by Johnny Depp like Alice in Wonderland? No, I don't think Johnny Depp will be making any guest appearances in this portion of my life story.
But, as we are working on our research for what we need to fill out and the requirements we need to fulfill, we are beginning to see just how big of an operation we are looking at. It is becoming apparent that the possibilities are nearly endless. I am amazed... excited... and humbled.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Friendship
Friendship is sometimes, something that is indescribable. There is an aspect that leave avenues open for anything to happen. There are amazing friendships where, even if you haven't seen each other in a long-time, you can pick up again like no time has passed at all. There are other friendships that as some would say "Were only meant for a short while".
There are at least two kinds of friendships that are rare to find. First, being the friendship I said just above, a friend that no matter where you have been, done, or gone... You can pick up again as if no time has passed at all. The second, which is almost just as rare, are friends who once they become your friend they stick close to your side for years and years.
Recently a close and dear mentor of mine went on a trip to California with some girlfriends of hers that she has known since she was little. She was gone for a week, and had a blast. We are still hearing stories of the fun trips they went on and the hours of talking and giggling they shared. What has amazed me from listening to these stories is how they lived through: bad relationships, divorces, children, bad times, good times, losses... Everything that life brought their way. It blows me away.
I have had lots of friends, and still consider myself to be someone who has many friends. Life has already taken me through lots of twists, turns, ups, downs, scares, and joys.... I have had many close friends, best friends, and the like. Life has seemed to weave these people through my life and they have been there for key parts, and many have faded to the background for now. Not gone, not forgotten, just not in the forefront at the moment.The stranger part is that I'm not old at all! The more time that continues to go by and all the friends that I have or had are adding up. The numbers can simply become outrageous!
A year ago, today, my best friend moved up to Oregon from California. She had been down there for many years, and found herself in need to leave. She moved up here because this is where she felt that the Lord needed her to be. She is the daughter of my mentors, whom I consider family. I had not met her until a year ago, and when she came she found me to be in the worst state that I had been in ever. I was going through a rough time in my life, and there she was, she jumped right in and helped me in whatever way I needed. The first time I met her, Dadu brought her over to help us move out of our apartment and into a new one. So she and I met, and from the second she has been here helping me. It has been amazing being able to share life with her. The love that she has shown me has blown my socks off. I, in and of myself, of course, wish I could claim being the sole reason why she felt God wanted her to come up here, but I know for a fact that there is so much more of the horizon for her. She is a beautiful woman, with an enormous heart... It has been amazing to get the opportunity to see her adjust to Oregon and discover all the fun things that are here. And we are still exploring. :-)
There are at least two kinds of friendships that are rare to find. First, being the friendship I said just above, a friend that no matter where you have been, done, or gone... You can pick up again as if no time has passed at all. The second, which is almost just as rare, are friends who once they become your friend they stick close to your side for years and years.
Recently a close and dear mentor of mine went on a trip to California with some girlfriends of hers that she has known since she was little. She was gone for a week, and had a blast. We are still hearing stories of the fun trips they went on and the hours of talking and giggling they shared. What has amazed me from listening to these stories is how they lived through: bad relationships, divorces, children, bad times, good times, losses... Everything that life brought their way. It blows me away.
I have had lots of friends, and still consider myself to be someone who has many friends. Life has already taken me through lots of twists, turns, ups, downs, scares, and joys.... I have had many close friends, best friends, and the like. Life has seemed to weave these people through my life and they have been there for key parts, and many have faded to the background for now. Not gone, not forgotten, just not in the forefront at the moment.The stranger part is that I'm not old at all! The more time that continues to go by and all the friends that I have or had are adding up. The numbers can simply become outrageous!
A year ago, today, my best friend moved up to Oregon from California. She had been down there for many years, and found herself in need to leave. She moved up here because this is where she felt that the Lord needed her to be. She is the daughter of my mentors, whom I consider family. I had not met her until a year ago, and when she came she found me to be in the worst state that I had been in ever. I was going through a rough time in my life, and there she was, she jumped right in and helped me in whatever way I needed. The first time I met her, Dadu brought her over to help us move out of our apartment and into a new one. So she and I met, and from the second she has been here helping me. It has been amazing being able to share life with her. The love that she has shown me has blown my socks off. I, in and of myself, of course, wish I could claim being the sole reason why she felt God wanted her to come up here, but I know for a fact that there is so much more of the horizon for her. She is a beautiful woman, with an enormous heart... It has been amazing to get the opportunity to see her adjust to Oregon and discover all the fun things that are here. And we are still exploring. :-)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Yet another reason why my husband is the best!
This morning Brian (my husband) had to get up for a meeting with a couple of guys. He is working on learning how to make websites and other computer things. He wants to one day own his own business making websites and helping people with their computers. So he is out helping others learn at the same time. This will be good to help him learn even more about what he wants to do! :-)Anyways he made me coffee before he left this morning. He didn't tell me when he came in to say goodbye. So I slept and just relaxed in bed for 2 more hours. Waking up here and there smelling coffee, and being jealous of which ever neighbor of mine who was having coffee. When I finally rolled out of bed, I walked down the hall and the smell of coffee got stronger. Once I enter the living-room there is a note laying on the corner of the couch telling me he had made coffee for me! It is really sweet in and of itself. But we also almost never brew coffee at home. When we brew its always me who does it. Who knew he had the powers to make AMAZING coffee! I suppose he must be making coffee at work and has perfected his art.
He does a lot of things that simply make him even more dear to my heart. He will do random things that are thoughtful, or really sweet. He will do things like clean the kitchen or vacuum or laundry. He's not perfect by any means, but he is continually making efforts to be better. Two weeks ago on his walk home from the bus, he stopped at the store and picked me up flowers. He knows that I like flowers other than roses, so he picked up some purple roses with white carnations mixed in. A beautiful mix of vibrant color! I of course immediately put the flowers into a beautiful vase that my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas! All of the little things that he does adds up to make him even more wonderful in my eyes. It also makes me feel cherished. We have been married for over 4 years now, and everyday I fall deeper in love with him. Never once have I regretted the decision we made. I am so thankful for him, and grateful to have found someone so special. He has a big heart, and he loves the Lord. There are many who are not a lucky as I am. It truly is a blessing to be loves so much. <3I have now had two cups of coffee, and it is time for me to go on a long walk to get rid of the gitters. But, maybe I'll have another cup before I go.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Spicy Chicken with Dates & Butternut Squash
Hello all.
I thought today I would share a short story and a recipe to go along with it.
It must have been 2 years ago in September. A good and long-time friend was in town for a short while, and we got to spend some good-times together. Amongst that was our birthdays, and for them we got together and went out for a night in downtown P-town. Don't get me wrong, I don't normally do such things, but it was necessary this time (circumstances allowed the exception.). Anyways, we went out for some delicious Mediterranean food first. I don't believe the restaurant is still there. I've gone to find this Aaamazing place, and couldn't. It is right off of Burnside... But the night was full of tons of fun (of course Brian was there as our body guard). One place we went to was Darcell's, there are not words to describe this place. Most of you wouldn't be interested in visiting it anyways. I don't think I would return myself... lol
Moving on!
I enjoyed the food at the before said restaurant and thought I would branch out in my cooking a little more. So this is what I found, and we have been in love with it since! And every time I make this dish it reminds me of her and I think of our fun night in P-town.
Spicy Chicken with Dates & Butternut Squash Recipe
Cut squash into cubes, place in baking dish, and drizzle EVOO over it. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
place in oven for about 30-45 mins. or until tender.
Cook chicken in EVOO with salt & pepper.
Add onions, dates, spices, bay leaf, & Cinnamon stick into pan. When onion is tender add flour, cook about 1 min.
Add stock, bring to a bubble. Simmer until curry thickens and dates plump. (5-6 mins)
Remove bay leaf and Cinnamon stick
stir in roasted squash
Serve with rice or couscous
Number of Servings: 6 (round about-ed this number)
*it would really be 6 large servings, I don't think the calories are about that much. It makes a lot, esp. with rice!
For those of you curious about calories and such I entered this into a recipe nutrition calculator and this is what it says:
I thought today I would share a short story and a recipe to go along with it.
It must have been 2 years ago in September. A good and long-time friend was in town for a short while, and we got to spend some good-times together. Amongst that was our birthdays, and for them we got together and went out for a night in downtown P-town. Don't get me wrong, I don't normally do such things, but it was necessary this time (circumstances allowed the exception.). Anyways, we went out for some delicious Mediterranean food first. I don't believe the restaurant is still there. I've gone to find this Aaamazing place, and couldn't. It is right off of Burnside... But the night was full of tons of fun (of course Brian was there as our body guard). One place we went to was Darcell's, there are not words to describe this place. Most of you wouldn't be interested in visiting it anyways. I don't think I would return myself... lol
Moving on!
I enjoyed the food at the before said restaurant and thought I would branch out in my cooking a little more. So this is what I found, and we have been in love with it since! And every time I make this dish it reminds me of her and I think of our fun night in P-town.
Spicy Chicken with Dates & Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut squash
- 4 TBS EVOO
- 2 1/2 lbs Chicken (breast or thigh)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 lg onion
- 12 dry pitted dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 Tbs ground Cumin
- 1 Tbs ground Coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Tbs Flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped
Directions
Preheat Oven 400 FCut squash into cubes, place in baking dish, and drizzle EVOO over it. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
place in oven for about 30-45 mins. or until tender.
Cook chicken in EVOO with salt & pepper.
Add onions, dates, spices, bay leaf, & Cinnamon stick into pan. When onion is tender add flour, cook about 1 min.
Add stock, bring to a bubble. Simmer until curry thickens and dates plump. (5-6 mins)
Remove bay leaf and Cinnamon stick
stir in roasted squash
Serve with rice or couscous
Number of Servings: 6 (round about-ed this number)
*it would really be 6 large servings, I don't think the calories are about that much. It makes a lot, esp. with rice!
For those of you curious about calories and such I entered this into a recipe nutrition calculator and this is what it says:
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 304.1
- Total Fat: 13.7 g
- Cholesterol: 17.3 mg
- Sodium: 196.5 mg
- Total Carbs: 37.8 g
- Dietary Fiber: 6.6 g
- Protein: 11.2 g
Friday, February 25, 2011
The mornings that came to early.
A couple of weeks ago the oddest thing happened. I crawled into bed at 10pm ready to get a good nights sleep and be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work in the morning. I had a dream that I was late for work and my alarm didn't go off... I wake up instantly (I don't even know that the first part was even a dream), and start running around the house. Checking all of the clocks and declaring them ALL wrong. And sadly enough...yes even the clock on my cell phone was declared to be wrong! Oh-so-wrong! I shake Brian and tell him its time to wake up. I was in the bathroom frantically washing my face and brushing my teeth.
My wonderfully groggy, grouchy in the morning, husby stumbles into the bathroom and says, "...what are you doing? ...its only 3am...we dont even have to start thinking about being awake for an hour..."
Me: No! The clocks are wrong we are going to be late.
Him: No, the clocks are right. Your coming back to bed.
He then takes me by the hand and pulls me back into bed. Resets the alarm and goes to sleep. For the next hour I laid there intently listening for my phone, because indeed I was going to be late, and it was going to be all Brian's fault. They never called... He happily slept for the next hour, and I stared at the ceiling.
So I thought this was going to be a one time freak experience. Until...
This morning...I wake up in a cold sweat look at the clock clearly its time to get ready for work...so I get up, turn on all the lights in the house...check the clocks (yes I did)...and went to the bathroom. I was sitting there, sleepily and thinking about what I needed to do. My clean pants and apron are in the dryer...I need to fix my hair cuz I went to bed with it wet (someone call the president because my hair is going to be the next natural disaster)....
Then the thought hit me... wait....what time is it....? I walk back into the living-room and stare at the big clock...wait...does it really say....midnight!? Dangit....
So I crawl back into bed, reset the alarm clock and fitfully sleep the rest of the night.
Two bright sides:
1. Brian didn't wake up this time. A little less embarrassing...
2. At least I didn't run around getting ready this time...
My wonderfully groggy, grouchy in the morning, husby stumbles into the bathroom and says, "...what are you doing? ...its only 3am...we dont even have to start thinking about being awake for an hour..."
Me: No! The clocks are wrong we are going to be late.
Him: No, the clocks are right. Your coming back to bed.
He then takes me by the hand and pulls me back into bed. Resets the alarm and goes to sleep. For the next hour I laid there intently listening for my phone, because indeed I was going to be late, and it was going to be all Brian's fault. They never called... He happily slept for the next hour, and I stared at the ceiling.
So I thought this was going to be a one time freak experience. Until...
This morning...I wake up in a cold sweat look at the clock clearly its time to get ready for work...so I get up, turn on all the lights in the house...check the clocks (yes I did)...and went to the bathroom. I was sitting there, sleepily and thinking about what I needed to do. My clean pants and apron are in the dryer...I need to fix my hair cuz I went to bed with it wet (someone call the president because my hair is going to be the next natural disaster)....
Then the thought hit me... wait....what time is it....? I walk back into the living-room and stare at the big clock...wait...does it really say....midnight!? Dangit....
So I crawl back into bed, reset the alarm clock and fitfully sleep the rest of the night.
Two bright sides:
1. Brian didn't wake up this time. A little less embarrassing...
2. At least I didn't run around getting ready this time...
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Really?
Sorry for talking about work again, but well...sometimes people say and do things that just make you say really...?? Or sometimes I just want to smack them. I'm told I am not allowed to hit anymore customers. huh...well I suppose if they don't catch me its ok.
So todays highlighted tidbit....
Her: Are you going to school (because of course everyone working at Sbux is going to school or an artist)
Me: oh yeah I'm going to school...
Her: Where? and what for?
Me: University of Phoenix...blah blah blah. I was going to study psychology..now I'm not so sure. Might major in literature and get my masters in teaching and teach at a community college. Or something...
Her: oh that sounds nice...
She walks away and goes to the condiment bar for some cream...turns around and says: "Or you can stay here and keep making coffee..
Me: ha...ha... (whimper)...
Really?? Yes I truly enjoy my job. Starbucks is a good company to work for. But... staying and working at sbux for the rest of my life...yeah no...it sounds like a nightmare. I want to do so much more (Thanks 'Little Mermaid')! I want to be teaching or doing something that makes a difference in someone's life. More than making a latte and shooting the breeze with someone. I enjoy talking, but you get the idea. Life outside of Starbucks.
In fact in one of my writing classes I wrote a personal narrative. I think you all might enjoy it! :-) Sorry that it is once again lengthy and wordy. But I had a ton of fun writing it.
Most Starbucks customers do not know what it takes for this barista to arrive at work and set up in the morning before the customers arrive. The alarm goes blaring at 3:45 a.m. I wake up in a blur of shock and frenzy. The world appears blurry as I glare at my clock saying, "It couldn't be time to wake up... I just went to bed!" At this point my snooze button becomes my best friend and worst enemy. It remains my friend when I can hit the snooze button. Seven minutes later, it becomes my worst enemy when the alarm goes off again; reminding me it is time to wake up. Sometimes, in my sleepy fog, I wake up, and tremor in fear that I could have turned-off the alarm, and I am in fact, late for work.
Finally dragging myself out of the comfortable warmth of my bed I stumble down the hall, trip over the cat and go blind as I flip the light switch on. Once I pull myself back to the reality of getting ready for work, the true work begins. Somehow, in the short time I was asleep my hair became frizzy and squished off to one side of my head. Having to tame such a mess down at such an early hour is a task in itself; not to mention pulling myself together to "look awake" before I get to have my coffee.
I rush around the house for the last few things, all the while, counting down to the last minute that I can leave without being late. Once I leap into the car and begin my drive to work the challenge is keeping my eyes on the road, and keeping my mind alert. With the tires screeching into the parking lot at work, I secretly hope that my clock is wrong and that there still is a minute or two left before 5:00 a.m. I find it frightening how often I arrive to work and remember nothing of the drive there. I find it stranger still that when no one is sitting at the opposite light, if I am in a hurry, it is inevitable that the light will be red.
Arriving to the store, the major task is getting all the pastries into the case and making them look tasty before we unlock the door. This sounds easy enough, but it takes a long time to accomplish and more effort than it should. After the pastry case is assembled, coffee and teas must be brewed, espresso machines need to be warmed up, and donning a bright and bushy tailed smile is a requirement. There are many things that need to be remembered and accomplished while running around serving the first customers of the morning.
Although I am still suffering from a severe caffeine deficit, I must begin to serve the customers who have been standing outside our door waiting for us to open. As they begin to file into the store, many of them are not in a kind mood. They are often demanding and are not willing to wait their turn in line. The line begins to look like the lunch line in an elementary school: people cut in line, complain about the wait, and are not nice to others. All of this happens before it is six in the morning.
After I have had a chance to gulp down my iced coffee around six, the world begins to feel a little more tolerable. The regular customers who I enjoy seeing start coming into the store. They are actually interested in how I am doing and in my life outside of Starbucks. Few customers who I see throughout the day care about how my day is going. They even seem to doubt that I have a life outside of those doors. Often when I am standing in line waiting for my drink order a customer will see me and inform me (jokingly) that I am on the wrong side of the counter. I smile, say something nice, and silently grumble to myself out of frustration.
Around seven in the morning our first nightmare of a regular customer arrives. It does not matter how long I have worked in the store, or how many times I have made her drink the correct way, she still tells me exactly how she wants her drink made. Even worse than being told everyday how someone likes their drink is having the person gawking at me ensuring that I am making it exactly correct. Over the hand-off counter I hear, "That's too much soy!"; "Not so much ice!"; "Make sure you put the shots over the Sweet N' Low!" or "Don't put the soy in first!" Everyone in my store is afraid that today will be the day that she yells at us again.
One day with this nightmare customer I was at the register ringing people up. She walked up and I greeted her, "Good morning. How are you?" She replied, "It is my rule that no one can ask me any questions before I have had my coffee. Just so you know I don't even care about how you are." Having left me in shock at the register she walked to the bar and began to complain to my manager about me. She was livid and could not understand how someone could ever ask another person such a personal question. As my eyes welled up with tears, I tried to stifle them as I called out, "I can help you over here..."
Around eight our resident homeless lady comes in. I never know if it will be a psychotic day; or the odd day that she comes in, gets her coffee, and quietly sits reading the newspaper. On one of her psychotic days she yells random statements out into the room at people only she can see, or I could hear about how she used to be in the Pentagon. Sometimes as I wait for her to order (with a forced smile on my face), she may tell me, "You'd be smiling too if you found your mom with her throat slit!" She has also been in my store during our morning rush, weaving her way through the line with her sleeping bag on her head.
As the day goes by I rotate between making drinks, being at the register and taking orders from the people as they stand in line. While I am making drinks I spend the day having many different kinds of on-lookers. The worst kinds are those who are impatient, glaring, sighing, or complaining about how long it is taking for their drinks to be made. The ones who are not bad are amazed about how I can keep their drinks straight and wonder at the complexity of the drinks I am making. It is nice to have the appreciation for the art of latte making. During the day at least 10 people take the wrong drink from my bar, causing the owner of the stolen drink to be angry with me. The problems do not stop there. The person who took the wrong drink is most likely to return to the store and be angry at me for making the wrong drink. With all of these issues and more happening around me frequently I spill an entire pitcher of hot milk down the front of me. Without someone who can replace me on bar I must continue to make drinks as though nothing happened.
Moving away from bar I begin calling drinks down the line. This is our effort during the busiest times of day to assist our customers in getting out of the store in a timely manner. This position is called the "expeditor", the role I play includes taking drink orders, getting and warming pastries, helping the person on bar, and working as the second person on register. Putting the job into the most basic terms I am the person who has to be everywhere at the same time.
As I am calling drinks down the line, there are many challenges that the customers create. One of the biggest challenges is the customers who simply ignore everything that is going on around them. I try to get their attention multiple times, after a while I contemplate tossing sugar-in-the-raw at their heads, instead I continue to attempt to verbally catch their attention. Worse than those who ignore me are the people who are talking on their phone. These people often become upset that I even have the audacity to interrupt their call. Once they get to the register they, make the person who is ringing wait for their attention. They become upset again that they have to speak to us. I am also greeted by customers who cannot decide on a drink, or change the drink five times after you have already written it down. I along my way I also meet complainers, parents with out-of-control screaming children, sexual harassers and eye-rollers.
Once at the register to assist in ringing people up, it becomes my job to aid customers in deciding on drinks, pastries and attempting to force them to purchase VIA. VIA, Starbucks' attempt at instant coffee has become our most pushed retail product. It is the current focus of our corporate world. Everyone's job depends on how much we sell. Daily we have to sell a certain amount. If we meet the amount: good. If we fail to sell enough: there is much trouble when we call in our daily numbers to our District Manager. As the person at the register I try to sample to everyone who comes through the line, hoping that someone will like the product enough to buy it. I am not paid by commission and likely that is for the best because it is terribly hard to sell products that few people are interested in. As for our "New Flavored VIA" it is hard to sell a product that I do not enjoy myself. It is even harder to sell a product that once tasted, most people detest. When customers first try the product most try hard to find something they enjoy about it. After a while I begin to feel bad for making people try it.
Sometimes a customer will develop a curiosity about the secret life of a barista. They begin to ask questions about what time I wake up, when I arrive to work and even sometimes what time I go to bed. These people begin to become aware of the customers around them. Once people understand the time I wake up, the customers I encounter throughout the day and the pressures of working in a "fast food" industry (that is secretly focusing on the retail aspect of business), they become a little more compassionate. As you can now see, the world of Starbucks looks different behind the counter then in front.
Many days I have spent dreaming of the day that I will finally be only a customer in a sea of faces, rather than a single face being bombarded by flocks of people who demand his or her drink now. Even more days have been spent in frustration daydreaming of ripping my apron off, throwing it on the floor and stomping out. I dream of leaving, screaming obscenities at the customers, other partners and the world in general; but that would burn the "Starbucks Bridge" forever. If I did such a thing having worked at Starbucks becomes a dreaded blemish on my resume. No wise employer will hire an ex-Starbucks employee that has been fired from Starbucks for any reason.
In truth, despite all the setbacks, all the frustrations and all of the complaining from a disgruntled partner, Starbucks is truly an amazing company to work for. If you take all the benefits and the customers who are actually nice the good outweighs the bad. I have been at Starbucks now for a total of five years, having left and then returned. I have seen what other companies have to offer and they pale in comparison.
Please allow me to leave you with a few suggestions that will make you into one of the "good customers". Do not take someone else's drink; ensure that you are taking your specific order. Do not stand at the hand-off counter and complain. At the register, do not mumble and become angry when we confirm your drink. It is not that we do not understand or are not smart enough to get your order correct, but that we want to get your complicated drink correct (the first time). Understand that your drink will not be the first one out; many other customers inhabit the store and may possibly have ordered the same drink as you. Say "thank you", and ask how I am before you spout off your drink order. Finally, please remember the barista you are ordering from is a real person and not a machine.
So todays highlighted tidbit....
Her: Are you going to school (because of course everyone working at Sbux is going to school or an artist)
Me: oh yeah I'm going to school...
Her: Where? and what for?
Me: University of Phoenix...blah blah blah. I was going to study psychology..now I'm not so sure. Might major in literature and get my masters in teaching and teach at a community college. Or something...
Her: oh that sounds nice...
She walks away and goes to the condiment bar for some cream...turns around and says: "Or you can stay here and keep making coffee..
Me: ha...ha... (whimper)...
Really?? Yes I truly enjoy my job. Starbucks is a good company to work for. But... staying and working at sbux for the rest of my life...yeah no...it sounds like a nightmare. I want to do so much more (Thanks 'Little Mermaid')! I want to be teaching or doing something that makes a difference in someone's life. More than making a latte and shooting the breeze with someone. I enjoy talking, but you get the idea. Life outside of Starbucks.
In fact in one of my writing classes I wrote a personal narrative. I think you all might enjoy it! :-) Sorry that it is once again lengthy and wordy. But I had a ton of fun writing it.
Most Starbucks customers do not know what it takes for this barista to arrive at work and set up in the morning before the customers arrive. The alarm goes blaring at 3:45 a.m. I wake up in a blur of shock and frenzy. The world appears blurry as I glare at my clock saying, "It couldn't be time to wake up... I just went to bed!" At this point my snooze button becomes my best friend and worst enemy. It remains my friend when I can hit the snooze button. Seven minutes later, it becomes my worst enemy when the alarm goes off again; reminding me it is time to wake up. Sometimes, in my sleepy fog, I wake up, and tremor in fear that I could have turned-off the alarm, and I am in fact, late for work.
Finally dragging myself out of the comfortable warmth of my bed I stumble down the hall, trip over the cat and go blind as I flip the light switch on. Once I pull myself back to the reality of getting ready for work, the true work begins. Somehow, in the short time I was asleep my hair became frizzy and squished off to one side of my head. Having to tame such a mess down at such an early hour is a task in itself; not to mention pulling myself together to "look awake" before I get to have my coffee.
I rush around the house for the last few things, all the while, counting down to the last minute that I can leave without being late. Once I leap into the car and begin my drive to work the challenge is keeping my eyes on the road, and keeping my mind alert. With the tires screeching into the parking lot at work, I secretly hope that my clock is wrong and that there still is a minute or two left before 5:00 a.m. I find it frightening how often I arrive to work and remember nothing of the drive there. I find it stranger still that when no one is sitting at the opposite light, if I am in a hurry, it is inevitable that the light will be red.
Arriving to the store, the major task is getting all the pastries into the case and making them look tasty before we unlock the door. This sounds easy enough, but it takes a long time to accomplish and more effort than it should. After the pastry case is assembled, coffee and teas must be brewed, espresso machines need to be warmed up, and donning a bright and bushy tailed smile is a requirement. There are many things that need to be remembered and accomplished while running around serving the first customers of the morning.
Although I am still suffering from a severe caffeine deficit, I must begin to serve the customers who have been standing outside our door waiting for us to open. As they begin to file into the store, many of them are not in a kind mood. They are often demanding and are not willing to wait their turn in line. The line begins to look like the lunch line in an elementary school: people cut in line, complain about the wait, and are not nice to others. All of this happens before it is six in the morning.
After I have had a chance to gulp down my iced coffee around six, the world begins to feel a little more tolerable. The regular customers who I enjoy seeing start coming into the store. They are actually interested in how I am doing and in my life outside of Starbucks. Few customers who I see throughout the day care about how my day is going. They even seem to doubt that I have a life outside of those doors. Often when I am standing in line waiting for my drink order a customer will see me and inform me (jokingly) that I am on the wrong side of the counter. I smile, say something nice, and silently grumble to myself out of frustration.
Around seven in the morning our first nightmare of a regular customer arrives. It does not matter how long I have worked in the store, or how many times I have made her drink the correct way, she still tells me exactly how she wants her drink made. Even worse than being told everyday how someone likes their drink is having the person gawking at me ensuring that I am making it exactly correct. Over the hand-off counter I hear, "That's too much soy!"; "Not so much ice!"; "Make sure you put the shots over the Sweet N' Low!" or "Don't put the soy in first!" Everyone in my store is afraid that today will be the day that she yells at us again.
One day with this nightmare customer I was at the register ringing people up. She walked up and I greeted her, "Good morning. How are you?" She replied, "It is my rule that no one can ask me any questions before I have had my coffee. Just so you know I don't even care about how you are." Having left me in shock at the register she walked to the bar and began to complain to my manager about me. She was livid and could not understand how someone could ever ask another person such a personal question. As my eyes welled up with tears, I tried to stifle them as I called out, "I can help you over here..."
Around eight our resident homeless lady comes in. I never know if it will be a psychotic day; or the odd day that she comes in, gets her coffee, and quietly sits reading the newspaper. On one of her psychotic days she yells random statements out into the room at people only she can see, or I could hear about how she used to be in the Pentagon. Sometimes as I wait for her to order (with a forced smile on my face), she may tell me, "You'd be smiling too if you found your mom with her throat slit!" She has also been in my store during our morning rush, weaving her way through the line with her sleeping bag on her head.
As the day goes by I rotate between making drinks, being at the register and taking orders from the people as they stand in line. While I am making drinks I spend the day having many different kinds of on-lookers. The worst kinds are those who are impatient, glaring, sighing, or complaining about how long it is taking for their drinks to be made. The ones who are not bad are amazed about how I can keep their drinks straight and wonder at the complexity of the drinks I am making. It is nice to have the appreciation for the art of latte making. During the day at least 10 people take the wrong drink from my bar, causing the owner of the stolen drink to be angry with me. The problems do not stop there. The person who took the wrong drink is most likely to return to the store and be angry at me for making the wrong drink. With all of these issues and more happening around me frequently I spill an entire pitcher of hot milk down the front of me. Without someone who can replace me on bar I must continue to make drinks as though nothing happened.
Moving away from bar I begin calling drinks down the line. This is our effort during the busiest times of day to assist our customers in getting out of the store in a timely manner. This position is called the "expeditor", the role I play includes taking drink orders, getting and warming pastries, helping the person on bar, and working as the second person on register. Putting the job into the most basic terms I am the person who has to be everywhere at the same time.
As I am calling drinks down the line, there are many challenges that the customers create. One of the biggest challenges is the customers who simply ignore everything that is going on around them. I try to get their attention multiple times, after a while I contemplate tossing sugar-in-the-raw at their heads, instead I continue to attempt to verbally catch their attention. Worse than those who ignore me are the people who are talking on their phone. These people often become upset that I even have the audacity to interrupt their call. Once they get to the register they, make the person who is ringing wait for their attention. They become upset again that they have to speak to us. I am also greeted by customers who cannot decide on a drink, or change the drink five times after you have already written it down. I along my way I also meet complainers, parents with out-of-control screaming children, sexual harassers and eye-rollers.
Once at the register to assist in ringing people up, it becomes my job to aid customers in deciding on drinks, pastries and attempting to force them to purchase VIA. VIA, Starbucks' attempt at instant coffee has become our most pushed retail product. It is the current focus of our corporate world. Everyone's job depends on how much we sell. Daily we have to sell a certain amount. If we meet the amount: good. If we fail to sell enough: there is much trouble when we call in our daily numbers to our District Manager. As the person at the register I try to sample to everyone who comes through the line, hoping that someone will like the product enough to buy it. I am not paid by commission and likely that is for the best because it is terribly hard to sell products that few people are interested in. As for our "New Flavored VIA" it is hard to sell a product that I do not enjoy myself. It is even harder to sell a product that once tasted, most people detest. When customers first try the product most try hard to find something they enjoy about it. After a while I begin to feel bad for making people try it.
Sometimes a customer will develop a curiosity about the secret life of a barista. They begin to ask questions about what time I wake up, when I arrive to work and even sometimes what time I go to bed. These people begin to become aware of the customers around them. Once people understand the time I wake up, the customers I encounter throughout the day and the pressures of working in a "fast food" industry (that is secretly focusing on the retail aspect of business), they become a little more compassionate. As you can now see, the world of Starbucks looks different behind the counter then in front.
Many days I have spent dreaming of the day that I will finally be only a customer in a sea of faces, rather than a single face being bombarded by flocks of people who demand his or her drink now. Even more days have been spent in frustration daydreaming of ripping my apron off, throwing it on the floor and stomping out. I dream of leaving, screaming obscenities at the customers, other partners and the world in general; but that would burn the "Starbucks Bridge" forever. If I did such a thing having worked at Starbucks becomes a dreaded blemish on my resume. No wise employer will hire an ex-Starbucks employee that has been fired from Starbucks for any reason.
In truth, despite all the setbacks, all the frustrations and all of the complaining from a disgruntled partner, Starbucks is truly an amazing company to work for. If you take all the benefits and the customers who are actually nice the good outweighs the bad. I have been at Starbucks now for a total of five years, having left and then returned. I have seen what other companies have to offer and they pale in comparison.
Please allow me to leave you with a few suggestions that will make you into one of the "good customers". Do not take someone else's drink; ensure that you are taking your specific order. Do not stand at the hand-off counter and complain. At the register, do not mumble and become angry when we confirm your drink. It is not that we do not understand or are not smart enough to get your order correct, but that we want to get your complicated drink correct (the first time). Understand that your drink will not be the first one out; many other customers inhabit the store and may possibly have ordered the same drink as you. Say "thank you", and ask how I am before you spout off your drink order. Finally, please remember the barista you are ordering from is a real person and not a machine.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Oh the day I started blogging again...
So several years ago, I had a blog, and then decided to stop posting to it. Well, recently I've been reconsidering my actions of deleting my account. I truly enjoy writing, and not necessarily do I write well, but I like to anyways..Oh yes I am at it again. Sometimes...well most of the time, I have a lot to say.
I work at Starbucks and live a somewhat boring life. Boring meaning that as of right now things are great! My life is full of laughter, some crying, but a lot of good things. Not that I am wanting this to change. But I want to fully soak in the 30 minutes of drama free time I might be able to achieve! Shhh!
During the many days that I am at work I have the opportunity to meet many interesting characters. Often they either love or really hate me. It must be something about my being happy. Happy people like me....and well the "unhappy" really hate me. But then again, I seem to have a large flashing neon sign above my head that says, "creepers welcome". I can't seem to get the damn sign to turn off! I think I just got rid of my everyday stalker. Knock on all the wood in the world that he doesn't come back! I haven't seen him since the end of December, and I don't miss him! But today's runner up for creeper of the month award is....drum roll please...why gentleman with the scraggly red beard, oh yes, you with it parted in the middle! You are the creeper winner! You qualified by saying "Do you like your daddy?" Hmmmm...well. Creep!
I work at Starbucks and live a somewhat boring life. Boring meaning that as of right now things are great! My life is full of laughter, some crying, but a lot of good things. Not that I am wanting this to change. But I want to fully soak in the 30 minutes of drama free time I might be able to achieve! Shhh!
During the many days that I am at work I have the opportunity to meet many interesting characters. Often they either love or really hate me. It must be something about my being happy. Happy people like me....and well the "unhappy" really hate me. But then again, I seem to have a large flashing neon sign above my head that says, "creepers welcome". I can't seem to get the damn sign to turn off! I think I just got rid of my everyday stalker. Knock on all the wood in the world that he doesn't come back! I haven't seen him since the end of December, and I don't miss him! But today's runner up for creeper of the month award is....drum roll please...why gentleman with the scraggly red beard, oh yes, you with it parted in the middle! You are the creeper winner! You qualified by saying "Do you like your daddy?" Hmmmm...well. Creep!
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