I originally posted this on the Caribou Coffee message board on Myspace but I felt the need to post this in my blog too. It's something that's been upsetting me all week.


I don't believe that the customer is always right. As someone who has worked in retail for a long time I've come across quite a few bad customers. They're the people that seem like they're out to make your job difficult. It's sad because there's not a thing you can do about it but smile and pretend like everything is hunky dory when inside you know they're wrong and you wish so much there was something you could do about it.

When I'm a customer in a store or restaurant I treat whoever is at the register or serving me with respect. I say please and thank you and am kind even if it's not the world's best service. I know how it feels to be having an off day and have someone treat me like I'm not even a human being because of it.

Here's the deal. I came back from a GREAT vacation and was all pumped to come back to work. My first night back I had a customer that pretty much brought my week down. My first day I got a raise AND found out one of my co-workers and I had scored 100% on a secret shop. I was flying high.

There's this woman in the store that has been there all day. She ordered a cappucino and I made her a perfect one. She then came back for a "refill" and I explained we don't give free refills on capps. She had a little bit of an attitude with me but eventually relented and bought a coffee instead. She sat there the whole night. My shift was 3 to close. During the night she came up to my co-worker and I were chatting as we worked. I was telling her how I'd been schedule 11 days in a row. I wasn't complaining about it, just stating a fact. Also that night I made a comment about how our mop felt heavier than usual. It was one of those things where I hadn't been there in awhile and stuff was just DIFFERENT. Anyway, the woman at one point came up to us and told us to be quiet. She was not polite about it, she practically told us to shut up. I apologized and we kept it down after that. When we close at our store I always give our customers a 15 minute heads up and then as I'm closing up I let everyone know it's time to head out. I did that and I went to lock the doors. This woman proceeded to sit on her phone and shoot me looks as I waited for her to leave. She finally waltzed out 10 minutes later.

Fine. So the next night I come in and my boss informs me that this woman (who was in our store AGAIN and had been there ALL DAY) complained to her about me. Said that I was complaining about my hours (which I did not, I simply said I was working a lot) and about mopping (again, I did NOT, I just said the mop felt heavier than it usually did). She said I was rude to other customers (ridiculous, 90% of our night customers are regulars and I adore them) and that I mopped over her shoes (do I even need to comment on how dumb that is). I explained to my boss what happened and she said she didn't take what the woman said to heart anyway because that woman had a HUGE chip on her shoulder and a horrible attitude. So my boss blew it off.

So the woman is in our store for the second day in a row. She tried to be all sweet and nice to me. My co-worker than night was helping her and I was in the middle of cleaning something so I didn't think there was any reason for me to speak to her. She tried to be all nice to me and I smiled and said hello. This woman tried to tell one of our regulars to be quiet (again she was rude about it) and this regular pretty much told her where to stuff it. I frankly couldn't see how this bad customer could have had any problem with me that night.

Now, days later, I come into work to find out that this b*itch (sorry, it's the only word I can think of to describe her) had written to corporate. Our DM sent the e-mail to my boss and then called her. My boss didn't read the e-mail because she already knew what had happened but the e-mail (which my boss let me read) pretty much painted this woman as Miss Perfect Customer and me as Miss B*tchy Barista. Our DM, not knowing any other info on the situation, suggested that my boss write me up. My boss explained that that is not the way things happened and that she wouldn't write me up.

Thank God my boss has faith in me and knows I wouldn't do the things that that woman said I did. But seriously, that letter made me feel horrible. I pride myself on my customer service but I also don't think it's fair for someone to be rude and mean to me. It also hurts because my DM has always liked me and now I feel like she thinks I'm not so great. I almost want to call her and explain things myself because I do not want her to think that I'm making the company look bad, I wouldn't do that.

This customer hasn't been in since but she's had a big impact on my life, sadly. I watch everything I do or say at work and I feel constantly on guard. And truly I don't think there's anything I could have done short of kissing her butt to have made things turn out any differently. She just had it out for me and because of that I now look bad.

Okay so I'll write an entry even though there's not a whole lot to write about. Today is day six out of eleven days in a row that I'm working so it's not like anything else is really going on right now. It actually hasn't been horrible, partly because I'm not working all closes and partly because it just hasn't been too crazy at work. However, I'm still not all that thrilled that I'm working so much. It's Jake's fault since he's the one that made the last couple of schedules. I wasn't angry when this week's schedule came out and my only day off was Monday because I'd been on vacation for 10 days and whatever. But how fair is it to then only give me one day off NEXT week. Grr.

Plus I'm still bumming about Tracy leaving. I'm just so worried!!! When Tracy started as our manager things were pretty screwed up for awhile. And yeah, it could turn out the way it did with Tracy and we could end up loving this new person. But still, it's those months in the beginning that will suck and that's what's stressing me out. It will be different. And I don't like that kind of change. Bah! I know I just have to deal with it but I'm kind of in denial.

At least I have some awesome things to look forward to though. On the 5th Mom's coming to stay with us for the night so she can drive with us the next day to Illinois. I am SO psyched, lol. Neither Mom or Dad has seen our place since we moved in here PLUS it'll be some time that I can spend with just Mom. So it'll be good. And that weekend we're going to Illinois for my cousin Amanda's wedding. Dad got us a couple of hotel rooms which'll be nice so that we're not all sleeping on top of each other. Plus it's a family wedding which are ALWAYS fun, hehe.

The next weekend Nina and Rich are coming out here and we're going out drinking. It is going to be such bad news, lol, we're all going to be wasted. Hopefully some other people will come out too and it'll just be one big huge party. I've been looking forward to it since Nina and I came up with the idea. I took off the night that we're going out and then the whole next day because I'll probably be hungover.

And the last weekend in April we're hanging out with Amber and Jono. Amber will FINALLY be done with tax season and she'll finally have a life again. So we're going to celebrate! Yay to having my best friend back AND she lives closer.

So despite the few bad things going on in my life there are definitely some good things going on too!

Anyway, the weather is freakin' beautiful today so I'm going to go enjoy it! More soon!

So......

There's good news and bad news.

The good news is that I came into work today an hour early (on accident and that's not part of the good news) and Tracy decided to give me my year review (which is how I get a raise). There's three parts to it: the first part is Tracy asking me certain questions such as describing the perfect espresso shot, the 4 rules of resteaming milk, etc. The second part is hands on, me making three drinks for Tracy. And the 3rd part is just Tracy's opinion of how I'm doing. I scored SO well and ended up getting the biggest raise that I can get! It makes me feel SO good and happy to know I'm appreciated.

Plus, we got secret shopped on my last day before I went on vacation. I actually happened to be there and I ended up being on the secret shop MY FIRST TIME. I've always been scared to be on one because I'm scared that I'll score low and everyone will hate me. BUT Ellie and I got 100%! So yay to us, that just added to my good day.

The bad news is really bad, though. Tracy put in her two weeks. It's great for her because she's going to be starting her own business but I am SO SAD. Tracy is the best boss I've ever had and our store is so great partly because of her. I'm going to miss her so much because she's become a friend to me. Plus I'm scared about the new manager that will be coming into the store. I just have this bad feeling it's going to be an idiot or a jerk or just something bad. I know people have told me to try to be positive but it's hard for me. I feel like life as I know it at work is going downhill.

Hopefully UWRF will accept me back and I can transfer or something.

Anyway, off to bed. More soon!

So right this minute I am sitting in the world's COOLEST apartment in Richmond, VA. Well, maybe it's not the world's coolest apartment but it certainly is the coolest apartment I've ever been in (followed closely by Amber and Jono's). It's all hard wood floors, high ceilings and with a fireplace in every room. Amazing. I so wish I could steal it and bring it back with me, lol.

The trip so far has been okay. I don't want to go into the things that made me unhappy about it right off the bat because that would make it seem like I had no fun and I did. There were just a few things that were kinda lame. So I'm going to list them now and I'll get them out of the way and it'll be over with.

• Shawn is starting to drive me crazy. I think it's the brother/sister kinda feeling but I'm going nuts. It bums me out a little because this originally was supposed to be my trip with Dustin and I kind of feel overwhelmed by boys.
• Which brings me to my next point... we're staying with Dustin and Shawn's cousin Sean and HE'S driving me crazy. I just kinda don't like him. I don't know why but he's one of those guys that just BUGS me. I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm a total bitch too but whatever.
• We have been to so many freakin' bars (because of Sean, one of the reasons he bugs me). I didn't come here to get a tour of bars.

Now that wasn't too bad, right?

The trip down here was actually okay. I bought a portable DVD player so it went by fast because I watched movies and season 1 of Party of Five. Plus I slept in the back of the van and what not. So not too bad.

On Sunday after we got here we went on a little tour and then to a few bars. Whatev.

Monday I got to watch the boys hit golf balls, then we played mini golf. By that time it was evening and we went to the bars. The first one we went to was kinda cool and it was fun. The second one we went to had pitchers of mimosas and I ended up getting a bit drunk. Ah well.

Tuesday was DC. Amazing. We drove by the Pentagon and I got to see the Washington Monument, The Capitol Building, The White House... plus many others. It was amazing. Afterwards we went to SURPRISE SURPRISE some bars and then into Georgetown, which is SO cool looking. We ended up at a bar called The Rhino which was actually sorta cool because that was the name of Dustin's old house, hehe. Plus the inside was sorta cool.

Yesterday we drove down to Virginia Beach. Beautiful. I put my feet in the water even though it was a tad cold and it was just cool... reminded me of being down in Florida when I was younger. I miss that. We ended up at a bar *rolls eyes* and then over to Dustin's cousin Kaycee's house (not sure how she spells her name but whatev).

And today just D, Shawn and I went into DC. Sean had to work which was sorta nice because I got to be away from him for a day. I do feel bad that he annoys me and I wish I knew what it was. I love the rest of D's family! I dunno. Anyway, we went to the National Museum of Natural History and saw the Hope Diamond. AMAZING! Afterwards we went to the National Archives. So creepy. It's just so totally weird to be looking at these documents that are so old and that are so important for our country. To see all those signatures on the Constitution. Crazy. Surreal. When we were done there we went to the Smithsonian Aviation Museum which was pretty cool. I'm not huge into airplanes or aviation but it was pretty exciting to see everything in there.

Tomorrow we're going to a museum here in Richmond and then out to the bars for an early St. Patrick's Day. And finally on Saturday we're heading home. It's been a very good vacation despite a few of the downs. However, I'm excited to be going home. I miss my home and my kitty and my friends. I even miss the 'Bou a smidge (mostly my co-workers, hehe).

ANYWAY! Must go, time for dinner. More soon!

Love from Virginia!

Okay this is going to be a totally random post because I'm hyper/tired (seriously, I am) and I'm just in this totally amazing mood which causes me to not have totally stable thoughts.

I had the BEST night tonight! And I've come to the conclusion that I truly have the best friends in the world. After the kind of hell I've been through with friends it's good to know that there are still some amazing people in the world.

I picked Jill up at her place because she's getting over foot surgery (the battle wounds are pretty awesome though). We met up with Nina and then Elisa at Maplewood. It was hysterical, I seriously felt like I was in junior high again (the good parts, not the awkward parts). We probably completely annoyed some of the salepeople but whatever, it was good times.

THEN we went to the Olive Garden where I'm pretty sure our server was having a not so fabulous night (but whatev, I forgive here). Oh it was fun, trying to plot all the things we were going to steal (wine, the salt and pepper shakers, plates, the ceiling). And, of course, the food was amazing as always! How can you go wrong at that place?

Finally we made a stop at McDonalds because shocker of shockers ELISA HAS NEVER HAD A SHAMROCK SHAKE. In fact ELISA HAS NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SHAMROCK SHAKES. I know, right? So we all got shamrock shakes and sat in the kiddie area and goofed around. Jill, of course, had to go climbing around in the tunnels and it was just a good time, plotting on what we were going to steal there and claiming that it was allowed because of Jill's handicap.

Oh it was just absolutely amazing! Elisa and Jill I've missed so much (especially Jill, I am SO SO glad we got back in touch) and Nina is such a fabulous person! I am SO so so happy with the friends I have right now and it just adds to all the good things I have in my life right now. I know I complain a lot and it's generally just because I'm stressed out but I know I'm damn lucky to have what I do in my life and I truly am grateful. These girls just help me to realize that and I'm really, really luckly to have so many people that I can count on.

ANYWAY! It's now 11:30 and I've been up since 5AM so I'm thinking it's about time for bed! We leave in 3 days and I still have TONS to do between now and then so I'll need lots of rest.

More soon!

The things that happen after you stop being friends with someone.

You share all of each other secrets and as soon as the friendship goes sour suddenly those secrets are used against you. Suddenly the person you thought would be there forever isn't there anymore and all you can do is think of the next slam against them so that you come out on top.

I don't beat around the bush when it comes to ending friendships anymore. I've had friendships come to an end in the past that have totally killed me so I've come to realize that just snipping it off in one clean swipe is a lot easier than trying to slowly rip off a band aid.

However, I tend to live in the past. And when I relive the good times I sometimes wish that things hadn't gone down the way they did. True, there are some people that I never want to speak to again. They hurt me WAY too much and I see no goodness in the anymore. It's like the people they used to be disappeared and with it our friendship disappeared too.

Then there are the people where things just went wrong. I said the wrong thing at the wrong time. They did some things just to be hurtful. And suddenly we aren't in each other's lives anymore and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Because I tend to live in the past I remember when we were the best of friends. And it makes me sad. I kind of miss those times. And even though I will never admit it to these people I wish they knew that I miss who they used to be and who I used to be. Yes, I am proud of the woman I am today. But sometimes I miss certain things about the naive girl that I used to be.

More soon.

So I'm a little sick right now which is SO not good because I have way too much to do to let being sick stop me. I have a lot to get done before we leave for our trip (which happens a week from today).

I work every day from yesterday to Friday. Granted some of them are puff shifts (I work 7 to 12 one day and 12 to 5 another) it still means WORK. And on top of that work I still have to:

• Finish getting the apartment clean
• Get my hair trimmed
• Dye my hair
• PACK
• Go to the bank
• LAUNDRY!
  
• Get a few new outfits for the trip
• Major Target run

Not to mention that on Wednesday I'm having a little girls night... I'm hoping before we get together that night I'll be able to knock a few things off my list though.

I can't believe vacation is almost here! It seems we've been talking about it for so long and now it's actually going to happen. Jake made the schedule yesterday and my name isn't on it... so it's pretty much a reality now. I'm so excited! I am so so excited to go to DC and I am SO SO excited to just have time off to enjoy myself and enjoy being with Dustin. I am so hopeful that this will just be a totally fabulous trip!

But until then I have lots of work to do and I want it all done. So... less typing, more.... of everything else!

More soon!

I love how I can have a perfectly good night at work and then the drive home is SHEER HELL.

Now, I knew that the snow storm was coming tonight but I had to work! And considering we weren't supposed to get THAT much snow I figured that it would be okay. And it was okay for a little bit. But suddenly the snow was coming right at my car. I'm driving and I'm dizzy from the snow because I can't even figure out where I'm going. I didn't know where I was, where on the road I was.... it was hard to even tell if I was moving forward! And the SUVs were not any help. They come right up on your ass and act like they have every right to bully everyone around. It's BULLSHIT.

So the drive was bad enough. I finally get back into town and I'm thinking, "I'm home free!" I get to be RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER from home when my car stops running. I truly thought at first that the traction on my car was having issues and it was no problem. I barely even got to the side of the road.

Now I don't know what's wrong. It didn't run out of gas, it wasn't the battery and it's not the alternator. The boys (who were nice enough to come and help me) think it's the fuel filter. Frankly, I don't care. I am so tired of all the crap that happens with my car! If it's not the fuel filter it's the battery, if it's not the battery it's the brakes.... I'm just tired of it. It's got me so stressed out. This weather and my car have me SO STRESSED OUT.

I don't mean to complain so much. I just feel like every time I think life is good something bad happens. And I know other people have it worse than me but I just want things to be okay for once. Grr.

A few thank you's:

Dustin, thank you for coming to get me and dealing with me when I was super upset and taking it out on you.
Shawn, thanks for helping to push my car and continually helping me with my car drama.
Nina, thanks for being concerned and for chatting with me on the phone.
Rich, thanks for calling to check and make sure I'm okay.

Thanks all.