REVISED: A BIG and BELATED shout-out to Amy Darnall (a.k.a. DirtyBird)! She's a good friend that talks me down from youth staff suicide when students get to me. While I'm at it then, I'll add shout-outs to Larissa Reusch and David Ridings for doing the same.
I got back from youth camp last Friday.
High points: Seeing little Jeffrey Johnson laying on the floor all by hisself talking to Jesus and junior higher Blake Ridings biting senior Jarod Harper's arm on the bus ride home cuz he was so hungry...well, that and I dared him to do it. Naturally, Jarod bit him back, only harder. (I never promised Blake that there wouldn't be retribution.)
Low points: Having some of my kids sass back to me. They apologized and we made up but it made me wonder if I acted like that as a teenager. I know I used to sass back as a kid but Mom certainly washed my mouth out with enough Ivory Liquid dish detergent to teach me a lesson. I decided that I might not sass back anymore...it's just turned to sarcasm.
So, camp was great. Hot, but fun! And there were plenty of Starbucks in the vicinity to keep us all going. I think quite a few kids became addicted to the Double Chocolate Chip Blended Creme Frappuccino...poor kids, no taste. The beach, even with all the seaweed washed up by Dennis, was good. The sun toasted my skin...no real sunburns here though. Overall, a good week...well worth the trip.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
The Anecdotes From Starbucks Are the Antidote to Working at Starbucks
It's true that some days serving coffee can be a drag...especially when you have to get up at 4 a.m. to open the store at 5:00. Try doing that three mornings in a row. Sad to say that no amount of coffee can relieve the effects of such scheduling.
I was recently reminded of a funny Starbucks story that happened this past winter, and this one always brings a smile to my face:
An older couple pulls up to the menu/drive-thru speaker. The lady is driving, the man is the passenger. It becomes apparent to the barista on drive-thru, as he watches them on the video screen, that they are new to Starbucks. The man leans over, both are looking over the menu, reading words aloud..."Venti, Caffe, Americano...." At this point, the barista hears the man say, "Are we in America anymore?"
A note for those of you in the Nashville area, especially the Hermitage area...the new Starbucks (#9805) will be opening at the end of September near the intersection of Lebanon Pike and Andrew Jackson Parkway. Yours truly will be transferring to that store as it's only six miles from my house instead of 12 like the Hendersonville store. The two sad parts about the transfer is that a) I'll be sleeping in my own bed on nights before I open rather than camping out on the Allisons' couch and b) I'll miss seeing all my church friends that pass through ordering bad drinks like Frappuccinos or white chocolate mochas. Although I know that I'll be seeing more of Sharon Caputo at the new Starbucks...
I was recently reminded of a funny Starbucks story that happened this past winter, and this one always brings a smile to my face:
An older couple pulls up to the menu/drive-thru speaker. The lady is driving, the man is the passenger. It becomes apparent to the barista on drive-thru, as he watches them on the video screen, that they are new to Starbucks. The man leans over, both are looking over the menu, reading words aloud..."Venti, Caffe, Americano...." At this point, the barista hears the man say, "Are we in America anymore?"
A note for those of you in the Nashville area, especially the Hermitage area...the new Starbucks (#9805) will be opening at the end of September near the intersection of Lebanon Pike and Andrew Jackson Parkway. Yours truly will be transferring to that store as it's only six miles from my house instead of 12 like the Hendersonville store. The two sad parts about the transfer is that a) I'll be sleeping in my own bed on nights before I open rather than camping out on the Allisons' couch and b) I'll miss seeing all my church friends that pass through ordering bad drinks like Frappuccinos or white chocolate mochas. Although I know that I'll be seeing more of Sharon Caputo at the new Starbucks...
Thursday, July 7, 2005
The 4th of July in the South
After seven years in Nashville, I don't remember celebrating all that many 4th of July's here. Last year I was stepping off a plane into a blast of heat like nothing else in Khartoum, Sudan, visiting my family. Well, this year I was home in Nashville and I noticed some things....
The "big" fireworks are not sold in Michigan so moving to the South has been interesting. Shooting off such fireworks starts a couple days before the 4th...on a regular basis on my street...usually around midnight. "I'm glad that you're into celebrating Independence Day and all, but come on...sleep already!"
Because these fireworks are readily available, you can see multiple shows while waiting for the BIG show downtown. Sitting atop the parking ramp at Belmont University, my old roommate Jeannie and I enjoyed our Pizza Hut large one-topping pizza (for $6.99) while watching fireworks pop up all around us as we waited for 9 p.m. to roll around.
The main show on the river downtown was really good...especially with the radio feed of the symphony over the loud speaker that someone was blaring behind us. My favorite fireworks were the stars and smiley faces. *Grin* Apparently, Nashville has the third best fireworks show in the country, according to statistics that Jeannie quoted.
So, after the main show, I dropped Jeannie off at her house and headed home myself. But even then the fireworks display was not over...because I am in the South. All the way home, along Interstate 65 North between Trinity Lane and Old Hickory Boulevard, random, colorful fireworks shot up left and right.
My favorite ones were the ones being set off in Old Hickory Village, of course. All things are better in the Village. In the parking lot of the burned-down Old Hickory Shopping Center were three guys and their pick-up truck with fireworks. One after another, they shot "big" fireworks off for the Villagers. Ah, I was home!
And now, another year of falling asleep to firecrackers is behind me....
The "big" fireworks are not sold in Michigan so moving to the South has been interesting. Shooting off such fireworks starts a couple days before the 4th...on a regular basis on my street...usually around midnight. "I'm glad that you're into celebrating Independence Day and all, but come on...sleep already!"
Because these fireworks are readily available, you can see multiple shows while waiting for the BIG show downtown. Sitting atop the parking ramp at Belmont University, my old roommate Jeannie and I enjoyed our Pizza Hut large one-topping pizza (for $6.99) while watching fireworks pop up all around us as we waited for 9 p.m. to roll around.
The main show on the river downtown was really good...especially with the radio feed of the symphony over the loud speaker that someone was blaring behind us. My favorite fireworks were the stars and smiley faces. *Grin* Apparently, Nashville has the third best fireworks show in the country, according to statistics that Jeannie quoted.
So, after the main show, I dropped Jeannie off at her house and headed home myself. But even then the fireworks display was not over...because I am in the South. All the way home, along Interstate 65 North between Trinity Lane and Old Hickory Boulevard, random, colorful fireworks shot up left and right.
My favorite ones were the ones being set off in Old Hickory Village, of course. All things are better in the Village. In the parking lot of the burned-down Old Hickory Shopping Center were three guys and their pick-up truck with fireworks. One after another, they shot "big" fireworks off for the Villagers. Ah, I was home!
And now, another year of falling asleep to firecrackers is behind me....
Monday, June 20, 2005
Life as a Barista
I'm hoping to collect my funny anecdotes from Starbucks for a book one day. Let's start here...
Heard over the drive-thru headset:
Barista: "...What can I get for you today?"
Man's voice: (strong Southern accent) "Uh, I think I'll try the Caramel Manicotti..."
Last time I checked Starbucks didn't serve Italian food. Our customer was trying to order a Caramel Macchiato (pronounced mach-e-ah-toe). Macchiato means "marked with" in Italian. The drink is a latte made with vanilla syrup; the foam of the latte is "marked with" espresso and caramel syrup. Most everyone who orders that drink for the first time (or second or third time) mispronounces it. One of my other favorite mispronunciations was "Caramel Machete...." Oh, dear! That would be one violent drink.
p.s. I just heard another story about the word "machete." My dear friend Beth just told me a story from when she and Aaron were dating. He was trying to make a good impression with her mother while they and some friends went to a Barry Manilow concert at (then) Starwood Amphitheatre here in Nashville. After the show, as they were leaving the parking lot, they passed some large rocks used to keep cars out of the grass. Aaron, trying to impress, commented, "I wonder if those are real rocks or if they're paper machete." Good try, Aaron. Try Paper Mache.
Heard over the drive-thru headset:
Barista: "...What can I get for you today?"
Man's voice: (strong Southern accent) "Uh, I think I'll try the Caramel Manicotti..."
Last time I checked Starbucks didn't serve Italian food. Our customer was trying to order a Caramel Macchiato (pronounced mach-e-ah-toe). Macchiato means "marked with" in Italian. The drink is a latte made with vanilla syrup; the foam of the latte is "marked with" espresso and caramel syrup. Most everyone who orders that drink for the first time (or second or third time) mispronounces it. One of my other favorite mispronunciations was "Caramel Machete...." Oh, dear! That would be one violent drink.
p.s. I just heard another story about the word "machete." My dear friend Beth just told me a story from when she and Aaron were dating. He was trying to make a good impression with her mother while they and some friends went to a Barry Manilow concert at (then) Starwood Amphitheatre here in Nashville. After the show, as they were leaving the parking lot, they passed some large rocks used to keep cars out of the grass. Aaron, trying to impress, commented, "I wonder if those are real rocks or if they're paper machete." Good try, Aaron. Try Paper Mache.
Old Hickory Village Sighting
Saturday morning I saw an interesting sight on my way back into the Village. Out in the middle of a large, empty parking lot was a man stretched out on the blacktop working under his...moped.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Friday, May 27, 2005
U2, Mickey and Capitalism Gone Wrong
Yesterday, Thursday, May 26, marked two weeks since I saw U2 in Chicago. What a night! Just a night of pure music – over 2.5 hours! That means each minute was worth about $0.65…give or take a nickel. I’d try to tell you more about the show, but it’s an experience beyond words. Those guys are amazing. (For those who’ve seen the show, perhaps you can come up with a word or two.)
Chicago was chilly, too. Certainly wasn’t enjoying that. But I did enjoy the company…seeing my sister, brother-in-law and nephews for the first time in almost a year. Jennifer and I did lots of shopping…and stopping at Starbucks (had to catch her up on her mocha intake).
The next week saw us meeting Mom and Dad and aunts and uncles in Orlando for a week. We visited Mickey and assorted Disney princesses at the Magic Kingdom, got some sun and surf at Typhoon Lagoon and caught up from those two days with some lying around. While the others went to Gatorland on Thursday, I went to a Panera Bread for about five hours to do some work (gotta make freelance money when ya can). I missed all the gator glory but I think I’m OK with that.
Friday was Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure – perhaps one of the greatest rip-offs in Orlando. At least in this family’s opinion. After paying $70 per adult and $60 per kid, Jennifer, Dick and the boys and I started our day at the theme park, and things seemed to be OK. It wasn’t until we waited 60 (or more?) minutes at the Dudley Do-Right waterlog ride, that things started to go downhill. (One highpoint in there was the Spiderman ride.)
It seems the Express Pass you can buy at Universal for an extra $16 will get you to the front of the line automatically. Which for us poor folk, or not so extravagant folk, means that you can wait for an hour or more, only to be cut off right in the front by 20, 30, 50 or however many Express Passers show up when you get there. Money talks…especially at Universal. At least in Disney World if you want an express pass you have to make a point to pick one up and come back at a certain time to ride. And even then, they let a certain number of people on before continuing with those who are waiting.
Anyways, we about lost our slightly heat-soaked minds at Bluto’s Something Barges, when after waiting for over an hour with two small, tiring young men, a throng of Universal Express Passers waltzed into the front without having to wait even 10 or 15 minutes. How is it that those of us who choose to save our money and wait patiently get cut-off like that? Just didn’t and doesn’t see quite right. That’s where we saw “capitalism gone wrong.”
The park was kind of a rip-off anyways. There were more food places than any interesting rides at Islands of Adventure, and when you buy a combo meal at one of these joints, you get the sandwich and fries only – drink is extra.
But, hats off to my nephews, Luke and Zack, 6 and 5 respectively. Those guys were quite the troopers waiting in those long lines. Only one or two fistfights broke out. [Smile]
All in all though, the week in Florida with family was worth it. It was nice to be away from stress here. Plus, I was very blessed that my family took such good care of me. They are amazing, loving people. And lovely, too. It was nice to get home and not live out of a suitcase anymore though.
I didn’t have to work at Starbucks until today; I’d been away for over two weeks. Seemed a bit strange to don the black apron again and make some coffee drinks. Won’t take long to get back into the swing of things. I should be cured of the newness after three consecutive eight-hour days opening the store. [Sigh]
P.S. Saw "Star Wars Episode III" yesterday. Great effects and fight scenes as expected. But I think the 5-year-olds in my life could have written a more interesting script.
P.P.S. There was a question about making comments to these ramblings. You don't have to go through the motions of joining "Blogger" to do so. Just choose "other" or "anonymous" when you click on the "comments" link below my words. Comment away!
Chicago was chilly, too. Certainly wasn’t enjoying that. But I did enjoy the company…seeing my sister, brother-in-law and nephews for the first time in almost a year. Jennifer and I did lots of shopping…and stopping at Starbucks (had to catch her up on her mocha intake).
The next week saw us meeting Mom and Dad and aunts and uncles in Orlando for a week. We visited Mickey and assorted Disney princesses at the Magic Kingdom, got some sun and surf at Typhoon Lagoon and caught up from those two days with some lying around. While the others went to Gatorland on Thursday, I went to a Panera Bread for about five hours to do some work (gotta make freelance money when ya can). I missed all the gator glory but I think I’m OK with that.
Friday was Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure – perhaps one of the greatest rip-offs in Orlando. At least in this family’s opinion. After paying $70 per adult and $60 per kid, Jennifer, Dick and the boys and I started our day at the theme park, and things seemed to be OK. It wasn’t until we waited 60 (or more?) minutes at the Dudley Do-Right waterlog ride, that things started to go downhill. (One highpoint in there was the Spiderman ride.)
It seems the Express Pass you can buy at Universal for an extra $16 will get you to the front of the line automatically. Which for us poor folk, or not so extravagant folk, means that you can wait for an hour or more, only to be cut off right in the front by 20, 30, 50 or however many Express Passers show up when you get there. Money talks…especially at Universal. At least in Disney World if you want an express pass you have to make a point to pick one up and come back at a certain time to ride. And even then, they let a certain number of people on before continuing with those who are waiting.
Anyways, we about lost our slightly heat-soaked minds at Bluto’s Something Barges, when after waiting for over an hour with two small, tiring young men, a throng of Universal Express Passers waltzed into the front without having to wait even 10 or 15 minutes. How is it that those of us who choose to save our money and wait patiently get cut-off like that? Just didn’t and doesn’t see quite right. That’s where we saw “capitalism gone wrong.”
The park was kind of a rip-off anyways. There were more food places than any interesting rides at Islands of Adventure, and when you buy a combo meal at one of these joints, you get the sandwich and fries only – drink is extra.
But, hats off to my nephews, Luke and Zack, 6 and 5 respectively. Those guys were quite the troopers waiting in those long lines. Only one or two fistfights broke out. [Smile]
All in all though, the week in Florida with family was worth it. It was nice to be away from stress here. Plus, I was very blessed that my family took such good care of me. They are amazing, loving people. And lovely, too. It was nice to get home and not live out of a suitcase anymore though.
I didn’t have to work at Starbucks until today; I’d been away for over two weeks. Seemed a bit strange to don the black apron again and make some coffee drinks. Won’t take long to get back into the swing of things. I should be cured of the newness after three consecutive eight-hour days opening the store. [Sigh]
P.S. Saw "Star Wars Episode III" yesterday. Great effects and fight scenes as expected. But I think the 5-year-olds in my life could have written a more interesting script.
P.P.S. There was a question about making comments to these ramblings. You don't have to go through the motions of joining "Blogger" to do so. Just choose "other" or "anonymous" when you click on the "comments" link below my words. Comment away!
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