Here's to Lion Video. The dumbest people on the planet, and their ample DVD selection...
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Sorry for the gap in posts...
Alot's been happening lately. Sarah had her graduation ceremony on Saturday, and her party on Sunday. My family came out for the weekend, and went home yesterday.
Last week went real well. I had some difficulties at work with a no-call/no-show. Which I take very seriously... I also got to work with Hinsdale's Laura for the first time. Laura is a professional barista. I think that's the best way to put it. Easily the most structured shift manager I've ever met, and I was a bit nervous working with her, but it turned out great. Just do everything she says, and you'll be good. It sounds bad, but she makes it really easy. You don't have to worry about what's going on, or what you should be doing... it was a really nice break, as I have been the shift on duty every shift I've worked for the past several weeks. It was pretty relaxing actually, even though we were swamped. I hope that at some point I can measure up with these great people that I am learning from.
Sarah's graduation ceremony was really cool. It was SO good to see her cross that stage. She wore a black cap and gown, a gold sash for her title of "Summa Cum Laude" (Which is awesome!!! That means "with highest honor" in latin) and black and red sashes for her participation in Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society). Afterwards, we went to a really nice reception where she was congratulated by her professors and coworkers from the school. We took some really good pictures there, which I will post later, and then we stopped at a local hotdog place (not Portillo's, Erina... I wouldn't do that to you...) and headed home.
Sunday was the party for Sarah at her parent's house in Midlothian. We went to church in the morning, and then headed over to start decorating. The night went great, and Sarah got a ton of really nice gifts. The most complex of which was a vacation for us in October. She got airfare, and a weeks stay in a relative's condo on South Padre Island off the coast of Texas. Other family members donated certificates to restaurants, and Sarah's parents set us up with parasailing tickets... It's going to be wonderful. Sarah needs a break so bad. There were lots of other great gifts all around. From my parents and brothers, and Sarah's close friends... It was a great time. The food was really diverse and delicious, and the weather couldn't have been better.
My family hung out until yesterday afternoon when they headed back to Ohia. After they left, Sarah and I watched "West Side Story" and then went for a nice long walk. She is so nice to live with... the best partner I could hope for. Life is so nice... I look forward in anticipation of what the future holds.
Well, that's it for now. I am going to work on some projects I have lying around. I think that Sar and I have our date night tonight, so that should be fun.
Peace out.
Jim
Word to your mother.
Last week went real well. I had some difficulties at work with a no-call/no-show. Which I take very seriously... I also got to work with Hinsdale's Laura for the first time. Laura is a professional barista. I think that's the best way to put it. Easily the most structured shift manager I've ever met, and I was a bit nervous working with her, but it turned out great. Just do everything she says, and you'll be good. It sounds bad, but she makes it really easy. You don't have to worry about what's going on, or what you should be doing... it was a really nice break, as I have been the shift on duty every shift I've worked for the past several weeks. It was pretty relaxing actually, even though we were swamped. I hope that at some point I can measure up with these great people that I am learning from.
Sarah's graduation ceremony was really cool. It was SO good to see her cross that stage. She wore a black cap and gown, a gold sash for her title of "Summa Cum Laude" (Which is awesome!!! That means "with highest honor" in latin) and black and red sashes for her participation in Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society). Afterwards, we went to a really nice reception where she was congratulated by her professors and coworkers from the school. We took some really good pictures there, which I will post later, and then we stopped at a local hotdog place (not Portillo's, Erina... I wouldn't do that to you...) and headed home.
Sunday was the party for Sarah at her parent's house in Midlothian. We went to church in the morning, and then headed over to start decorating. The night went great, and Sarah got a ton of really nice gifts. The most complex of which was a vacation for us in October. She got airfare, and a weeks stay in a relative's condo on South Padre Island off the coast of Texas. Other family members donated certificates to restaurants, and Sarah's parents set us up with parasailing tickets... It's going to be wonderful. Sarah needs a break so bad. There were lots of other great gifts all around. From my parents and brothers, and Sarah's close friends... It was a great time. The food was really diverse and delicious, and the weather couldn't have been better.
My family hung out until yesterday afternoon when they headed back to Ohia. After they left, Sarah and I watched "West Side Story" and then went for a nice long walk. She is so nice to live with... the best partner I could hope for. Life is so nice... I look forward in anticipation of what the future holds.
Well, that's it for now. I am going to work on some projects I have lying around. I think that Sar and I have our date night tonight, so that should be fun.
Peace out.
Jim
Word to your mother.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Channeling Grampa Hutchins...
So I made a total tribute to my Grandpa Hutchins this morning. I ate pie for breakfast. He was a fan.
I'm taking Sarah downtown to the Art Institute today. It'll be a good time. She doesn't know yet.
I mean, she probably figures it'll be a good time... she just doesn't know where.
Sarah discovered a really good band this week. They're called Eisley. Young band, with one to three female vocalists. The two boys in the band apparently just play instruments. Their sound reminds me of a young Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer. Really good. Check em out.
Well, I gotta get moving... bye for now!
I'm taking Sarah downtown to the Art Institute today. It'll be a good time. She doesn't know yet.
I mean, she probably figures it'll be a good time... she just doesn't know where.
Sarah discovered a really good band this week. They're called Eisley. Young band, with one to three female vocalists. The two boys in the band apparently just play instruments. Their sound reminds me of a young Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer. Really good. Check em out.
Well, I gotta get moving... bye for now!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Dreamin... Dreamin is free...
We just had a great night! Very restful sleep... thunderstorms early this morning helped that even more. Although, I had some weird dreams... the last of which I won a piano in a contest, by outsmarting baby Daffy duck and baby Bugs bunny in a maze. The piano was an upright that looked like an oblong blue "church shape" building. The hard part was pushing it through the giant building I was in, to an exit where I was going to try and fit it into the Civic. Apparently, this whole contest was sponsored by a southern televangelist, whose wife was trying to record her incredibly bad music video when I pushed the piano through the room they were in. Her dress had gotten caught in the back and the recording studio audience (that all music videos have... duh!) thought it was very funny. This embarrased the wife of the televangelist, and she ran out of the room. The dream ended with me finally finding the exit of the building, only to discover that the parking lot and outside world was being rampaged by giant mammoths. (Possibly due to me reading the Silmarillion lately.)
Now, on to a weird story... last night I closed Hinsdale with a summer barista named Catherine. We had a decent close and were on our way out, when the alarm got tripped. So sirens blaring, lights flashing, I tried to disable the alarm, to no avail... When the cops showed, all he wanted was my ID, and then he left. Never even spit out his chewing tobacco. Nice guy.
So I ended up on the phone with ADT for the next half hour. Disconnected three times, and I called THEM back! Not THEM calling ME back. If I worked for a security company, and I got disconnected, I'd call the client back... might, by some stretch of the imagination, be a security issue! Anyway, after my third tech support person... pause... TECH SUPPORT!!! (yelled in Tom Cruise voice)... I finally got the alarm disabled. And we drove off our separate ways.
I think that the readership of the blog is increasing, and that's a good thing. I've found myself giving out the address to more people lately. I hope this entertains you, and brightens your day. Establishing that you indeed are not crazy... not if there's someone like me out there.
To the loyal "old school" readers, thanks again for supporting this... uh... project. You rock!
Peace, yo.
Now, on to a weird story... last night I closed Hinsdale with a summer barista named Catherine. We had a decent close and were on our way out, when the alarm got tripped. So sirens blaring, lights flashing, I tried to disable the alarm, to no avail... When the cops showed, all he wanted was my ID, and then he left. Never even spit out his chewing tobacco. Nice guy.
So I ended up on the phone with ADT for the next half hour. Disconnected three times, and I called THEM back! Not THEM calling ME back. If I worked for a security company, and I got disconnected, I'd call the client back... might, by some stretch of the imagination, be a security issue! Anyway, after my third tech support person... pause... TECH SUPPORT!!! (yelled in Tom Cruise voice)... I finally got the alarm disabled. And we drove off our separate ways.
I think that the readership of the blog is increasing, and that's a good thing. I've found myself giving out the address to more people lately. I hope this entertains you, and brightens your day. Establishing that you indeed are not crazy... not if there's someone like me out there.
To the loyal "old school" readers, thanks again for supporting this... uh... project. You rock!
Peace, yo.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Remember the 80's???
Ok. Today, my lovely wife was looking through a catalogue when she shuddered uncontrollably. I quickly rushed to her side... and FOUND THIS!!!!! This is the latest in the signs of the end times! As it says in the book of Revelation, "After this, I looked and behold, a great multitude were drowning in layers of spandex and leg warmers. 'This' the angel cried in a loud voice 'is the punishment of those who would dare to wear such material after the year of nineteen hundred eighty-four!!! For great is God's anger with the material spandex!'"
I think that's in there at least... and if it's not, it should be.
Anyway, on to bad things that I like...
I was introduced, via that fantastic invention Al Gore likes to call the "information superhighway" to a band that no longer exists, but did for a short time in the faraway land of Norway. (Which, as everyone knows, is a make-believe place that Peter Pan is from...)
Annnnnyway... This band broke up in the late nineties, but not before releasing what is quite possibly the best and worst thing these old eyes have ever seen: their cover of Bonnie Tyler's classic hit "Total eclipse of the heart." Their name... "Hurra Torpedo."
It is astoundingly bad, and not just because the band consists of a lead guitarist and two percussionists... nor simply because those percussionists are playing nothing but kitchen appliances... nor simply because the guitarist sings monotone... ok, the main reason is that their pants are sortof falling down in the back while they play, and THAT is indeed badong.
If you have the time, the interest, and no impressionable children around, email me and request the video, and I promise you entertainment galore!
Well, that's it for now... Oh, except that I just got a call from my store manager in Woodridge to say that a secret shopper or "snapshot" as we call it, came in on my shift a few weeks ago. Massa, one of my favorite coworkers, and a reader of this blog, was on shift as well, and we got a five star rating on service!!! Awesome! Our store can get high percentages of excellence in the store, but that star rating always seems to hit the ceiling at 4. Very cool stuff.
Bye for now
I think that's in there at least... and if it's not, it should be.
Anyway, on to bad things that I like...
I was introduced, via that fantastic invention Al Gore likes to call the "information superhighway" to a band that no longer exists, but did for a short time in the faraway land of Norway. (Which, as everyone knows, is a make-believe place that Peter Pan is from...)
Annnnnyway... This band broke up in the late nineties, but not before releasing what is quite possibly the best and worst thing these old eyes have ever seen: their cover of Bonnie Tyler's classic hit "Total eclipse of the heart." Their name... "Hurra Torpedo."
It is astoundingly bad, and not just because the band consists of a lead guitarist and two percussionists... nor simply because those percussionists are playing nothing but kitchen appliances... nor simply because the guitarist sings monotone... ok, the main reason is that their pants are sortof falling down in the back while they play, and THAT is indeed badong.
If you have the time, the interest, and no impressionable children around, email me and request the video, and I promise you entertainment galore!
Well, that's it for now... Oh, except that I just got a call from my store manager in Woodridge to say that a secret shopper or "snapshot" as we call it, came in on my shift a few weeks ago. Massa, one of my favorite coworkers, and a reader of this blog, was on shift as well, and we got a five star rating on service!!! Awesome! Our store can get high percentages of excellence in the store, but that star rating always seems to hit the ceiling at 4. Very cool stuff.
Bye for now
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Left and Leaving
Ahhh... home.
I thought this week was going to be a breeze, but it has turned into a tropical storm.
Yesterday my manager approached me with an odd question, but before I go on, I need a bit of a backdrop to our conversation...
Several weeks ago, our store started cutting the hours of the shift managers, due to low sales, and too many managers... We all started seeing 24 hour workweeks and the like, and while I filled the other hours by working at other stores, I wasn't getting what I wanted which is a 40 hour week in my store. Several weeks later, I was offered 16 hours a week at a nearby store, and it made sense to do, so I went with it. In the time since then, I have enjoyed working at this other Starbucks, but I have had mostly closing shifts, and it is a bit of a drive. I was anticipating going back to full time at my Woodridge store soon, but yesterday's conversation with Dave, my store manager, changed that.
Dave approached me with the question of how I would feel going to Hinsdale, the other store, full time for 1-2 months. I was stunned. And frustrated. And I felt a bit alienated... However, as he explained my store's situation, I realized how much sense it made for me to be the one to go, and I agreed with him, and agreed to do it. Hopefully, at the end of the 2 months, I will be able to return to a 40 hour a week schedule at Woodridge, but for the time being, I get to work with some really great people in Hinsdale, and I will be seeing some much welcomed 40 hour workweeks... all at one store, to boot! So I go, partially happy, and partially sad, to Hinsdale for the next month or two. I hope it goes well.
Other than that, not much has been going on. Sarah is heading into her final weeks of school before she graduates later this month!!! I am SOOOOOOO proud of her! She has been such an amazing student, and deserves this degree so much! Emails of congratulations can be sent to saremil@yahoo.com.
For now... I'm done.
Jim
I thought this week was going to be a breeze, but it has turned into a tropical storm.
Yesterday my manager approached me with an odd question, but before I go on, I need a bit of a backdrop to our conversation...
Several weeks ago, our store started cutting the hours of the shift managers, due to low sales, and too many managers... We all started seeing 24 hour workweeks and the like, and while I filled the other hours by working at other stores, I wasn't getting what I wanted which is a 40 hour week in my store. Several weeks later, I was offered 16 hours a week at a nearby store, and it made sense to do, so I went with it. In the time since then, I have enjoyed working at this other Starbucks, but I have had mostly closing shifts, and it is a bit of a drive. I was anticipating going back to full time at my Woodridge store soon, but yesterday's conversation with Dave, my store manager, changed that.
Dave approached me with the question of how I would feel going to Hinsdale, the other store, full time for 1-2 months. I was stunned. And frustrated. And I felt a bit alienated... However, as he explained my store's situation, I realized how much sense it made for me to be the one to go, and I agreed with him, and agreed to do it. Hopefully, at the end of the 2 months, I will be able to return to a 40 hour a week schedule at Woodridge, but for the time being, I get to work with some really great people in Hinsdale, and I will be seeing some much welcomed 40 hour workweeks... all at one store, to boot! So I go, partially happy, and partially sad, to Hinsdale for the next month or two. I hope it goes well.
Other than that, not much has been going on. Sarah is heading into her final weeks of school before she graduates later this month!!! I am SOOOOOOO proud of her! She has been such an amazing student, and deserves this degree so much! Emails of congratulations can be sent to saremil@yahoo.com.
For now... I'm done.
Jim
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