It's nearing mid-week, and I have to say that I am happy, happy, happy! I hate Wednesdays. They are neither close to the beginning of a fresh new week, nor close to the exciting weekend. That kills me because I can't ask my customers 'How was your weekend?' like I can Monday an Tuesday. And I can't ask, 'So, big plans for your weekend?' on Thursday and Friday. For most of you that may seem like a simple dilemma, but to me it is horrific. But, the sun has smiled my way, for I have a new inspiration to smile on my Wednesday. Amidst the fabulous 65 degree weather due tomorrow, McDonalds' is giving out different free drinks on Mon-Wed. Monday offers a free sampler coffee, Tuesday supplies a sweet southern tea sampler (hint: a bit too sweet), and Wednesday is my favorite; an Iced Coffee sampler. So tomorrow I plan to trudge over to a nice friendly McD's and ask for Iced Coffee. So the thought of such ice-cold deliciousnes mellows out the horridness of Wednesday.
While the previous paragraph may appear pointless, it has a reason. Everything I say has a point - it's just not always obvious. I wrote that about Wednesdays, because I am discovering more and more that how one's day/life goes depends almost entirely on ones' attitude to it. As a result, I find myself wincing more and more when I meet people who are determined to be pecimistic.
Example: A few short weeks ago, it was mentioned that it would just be so nice to see grass. There was so much snow, that even a blade of brown grass would be pleasant. If it could be more like spring, it would be easier to have a nice day.
Today I realized that some people in this world are just whiners. No matter WHAT, they WANT to be pecimistic. (I have been guilty of this before, so I am not speaking from lack of experience.) This is dangerous, my friends, because a dark cloud often spreads. Later, as I thought back on the balmy 63 degree weather, I remembered some of what people had to say about it today.
One pleasant gentleman: It's too hot.
One woman: I hear it's windy.
Another man: I feel a chill. It's too chilly.
One customer (no joke): I am doing well, in relation to the current barometric pressure and changing of wind patterns.
Imagine my chagrin when I realized how much stock even I put in the weather! With each customer, I felt like I was being deflated about the weather, and I had to come to its' defense. (That's what makes Global Warming so laughable. We couldn't even change the weather if we wanted to!) How ridiculous! I must be dedicated to NOT letting the weather affect me so much, because while I cannot control the weather, I CAN control my attitude to it. It works the same way with the day of the week, be it Monday or Wednesday or Friday. For those of you techincal people who want a point to everything, this concept also applies to your environment and your work situation. Now I REALIZE that many jobs are difficult and completely mind-absorbing. But a good attitude goes a long way. Like today I went to McDonalds for the sweet tea sampler (ick), and the cashier was kindly asked how she liked her job. "It's horrible." "You... you don't like it?" her customer asked a bit taken back. "No, I don't like it. It's sometimes good, but it's alot bad." Then she said, "How can I help you?" lol! If I tried that I would have to just sit down and laugh at myself. La... people are funny. They amuse me. Life is amusing. This blog is amusing. I've been accused of turning it into a diary, but I don't care. If an issue presents itself, I will research and dash it out upon the rocks of commentators. But if I just want to write... well, I'll write. Thank God for real life experiences, no? ;) And... to be honest, I love the lush carpets of bright-green lawns. It does perk me up a bit to wake up to sunlight and birds in the still of the morning.
Every season has its' benefits. Good is so often over-looked. One merely must choose to be thankful for every pleasant thing that comes along. After all, life is full of surprises...
Showing posts with label McDonalds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McDonalds. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Brilliant Tuesday Concepts
Right now I am sitting at my computer, glaring holes into the screen. My brother is watching a loud film (where someone with amnesia is constantly having loud 'flashbacks') and rustling bags of 'sugar-free' candy. About 5 minutes ago he happened to look over at his dormant little sister and made a face. "Why are there Q-tips sticking out of your ears?" See, that's the thing about men that I've learned. They see the surface problem and think 'uh, how wierd'. But they don't understand that what they see is just a symptom of the real problem. In fact, I can't concentrate on writing this blog while all of his noise is echoing about. So I am muting out that noise, while also cleaning out my ears. It serves a dual purpose, that on first glance, most men would not pick up on.
Earlier this afternoon, I was lounging blissfully in my lazyboy, meditating on school, when a rather profound concept hit me. What people know the most about, they want to talk the most about. Simple enough, but often forgotten. Really, if one gets this concept down, one is helped immensely when trying to understand people. Think about it. Why else do so many people love to talk about themselves at first opportunity? Why does someone knowledgeable about nutrition tend to sneak a nutritional fact into every meal-time? Why do writers love to go to writers conferences and talk to other writers about their writing? I told this to the woman from which I off-springed from and she said, "So what do you like to talk about?"
I had to think about that. Hmm. I replied, "I guess I like to talk about everything. I have alot of interests in alot of things. I like to hear what alot of people have to say. I like to soak up as much knowledge as possible."
"So does that mean you know it all?" My mother's brow furrowed. "Andria, you need to watch how you come across."
I laughed with delight. People pleasure in accusing me of being a know-it-all, but I've found that I'm most often accused only when I insert an opinion that didn't promote their own knowledge. Hah, see it's all in how you look at it. I don't feel a need to defend myself. I'm pleased that I don't really know it all, because that leaves me room for learning more brilliant things in this old life I am presently subjected to.
Another thing I realized starkly tonight, is that I really appreciate good customer service. There is such a thing as a 'friendly atmosphere'. I've walked into some department stores, and I feel immediately like the employees there are telling me with their eyes, "Leave. Make my job easier and leeeeave." Tonight I experienced such at the TJ Max department store. Some kids about my age were wearing little TJ Max shirts and were putting clothes on racks at the rate of molasses. When I went to the fitting room, accusing glittery eyes flitted over me and a terse voice said, "Put the clothes on the rack." The girl then counted the clothes, and I felt instantly like I was being searched for some indescrepancy. When there was no indescrepancy found she handed me a number briskly and then went back to sitting in her roller chair and staring at her long fingernails. I was like 'okay?', but said 'Thank you' politely. She grunted. I felt like grunting back, but refrained. I just didn't get it. She could have at least pretended to be nice. I felt like I was in an environment that did not want me, the customer, to enjoy liesurely bargain shopping. It was TJ Max's good fortune that I found something half-way agreeable and decided to purchase it. I walked to the counter and the boss of the employed TJ Max children smiled at me somewhat like an obliging school-marm. "What can I do for you?" she asked crisply, and I felt it was pretty obvious that I was in line because I wanted to purchase something. I put some pants on the counter and still could not shake this feeling that I was a bother at that counter. It was so wierd. It wasn't until I donated a dollar to 'autism' that she actually smiled at me and seemed sincere in helping me. Walking into places like that, I am just so thankful for fun places like PotBelly and Grace's where I can have fun doing work and can actually delight in seeing customers walk into my restaurants. But maybe it's all different at clothing stores. I suppose no regulars go to Kohls to get clothes every morning before they head off to work. That's why I love food stores. I remember as a child when I would stay home 'sick' from kindergarten. My mom would read Berenstein bears books to me, I would watch 'Whinnie the Pooh', and then if macaroni and cheese wasn't on the menu, my mother would take me out to McDonalds for lunch. That was extremely exciting for me, and my mother warned that I shouldn't tell my brother or he would get jealous. Of course, I waited a few days, and then got mad at my brother for something and told him in anticipation of that jealousy. La, such a wicked child. But even in all that wickedness, I found pure unadultrated delight in getting a simple chicken mcnuggets, fries, and coke. Food is exciting; temperal, but then again - all pleasure is. That decides it. My place is among food.
What brilliance I stumble on while I am writing to you! What would I do without words, people, food, Q-tips and the ability to love...
Earlier this afternoon, I was lounging blissfully in my lazyboy, meditating on school, when a rather profound concept hit me. What people know the most about, they want to talk the most about. Simple enough, but often forgotten. Really, if one gets this concept down, one is helped immensely when trying to understand people. Think about it. Why else do so many people love to talk about themselves at first opportunity? Why does someone knowledgeable about nutrition tend to sneak a nutritional fact into every meal-time? Why do writers love to go to writers conferences and talk to other writers about their writing? I told this to the woman from which I off-springed from and she said, "So what do you like to talk about?"
I had to think about that. Hmm. I replied, "I guess I like to talk about everything. I have alot of interests in alot of things. I like to hear what alot of people have to say. I like to soak up as much knowledge as possible."
"So does that mean you know it all?" My mother's brow furrowed. "Andria, you need to watch how you come across."
I laughed with delight. People pleasure in accusing me of being a know-it-all, but I've found that I'm most often accused only when I insert an opinion that didn't promote their own knowledge. Hah, see it's all in how you look at it. I don't feel a need to defend myself. I'm pleased that I don't really know it all, because that leaves me room for learning more brilliant things in this old life I am presently subjected to.
Another thing I realized starkly tonight, is that I really appreciate good customer service. There is such a thing as a 'friendly atmosphere'. I've walked into some department stores, and I feel immediately like the employees there are telling me with their eyes, "Leave. Make my job easier and leeeeave." Tonight I experienced such at the TJ Max department store. Some kids about my age were wearing little TJ Max shirts and were putting clothes on racks at the rate of molasses. When I went to the fitting room, accusing glittery eyes flitted over me and a terse voice said, "Put the clothes on the rack." The girl then counted the clothes, and I felt instantly like I was being searched for some indescrepancy. When there was no indescrepancy found she handed me a number briskly and then went back to sitting in her roller chair and staring at her long fingernails. I was like 'okay?', but said 'Thank you' politely. She grunted. I felt like grunting back, but refrained. I just didn't get it. She could have at least pretended to be nice. I felt like I was in an environment that did not want me, the customer, to enjoy liesurely bargain shopping. It was TJ Max's good fortune that I found something half-way agreeable and decided to purchase it. I walked to the counter and the boss of the employed TJ Max children smiled at me somewhat like an obliging school-marm. "What can I do for you?" she asked crisply, and I felt it was pretty obvious that I was in line because I wanted to purchase something. I put some pants on the counter and still could not shake this feeling that I was a bother at that counter. It was so wierd. It wasn't until I donated a dollar to 'autism' that she actually smiled at me and seemed sincere in helping me. Walking into places like that, I am just so thankful for fun places like PotBelly and Grace's where I can have fun doing work and can actually delight in seeing customers walk into my restaurants. But maybe it's all different at clothing stores. I suppose no regulars go to Kohls to get clothes every morning before they head off to work. That's why I love food stores. I remember as a child when I would stay home 'sick' from kindergarten. My mom would read Berenstein bears books to me, I would watch 'Whinnie the Pooh', and then if macaroni and cheese wasn't on the menu, my mother would take me out to McDonalds for lunch. That was extremely exciting for me, and my mother warned that I shouldn't tell my brother or he would get jealous. Of course, I waited a few days, and then got mad at my brother for something and told him in anticipation of that jealousy. La, such a wicked child. But even in all that wickedness, I found pure unadultrated delight in getting a simple chicken mcnuggets, fries, and coke. Food is exciting; temperal, but then again - all pleasure is. That decides it. My place is among food.
What brilliance I stumble on while I am writing to you! What would I do without words, people, food, Q-tips and the ability to love...
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