So, I'll not go into much detail about it, but I had a difficult customer at work today. And difficult in that she's now been haunting me for over week and well, she's 'livid' and I'm frustrated and upset. I came home all in a huff and anyone who has been within ear shot of me since about 3 this afternoon has gotten my play-by-play of the story.
Anyway! So when I got home, went upstairs and found a kitty poo not three inches from the litter box. Thanks for trying sport, but no score. And what do I do? I go to the bathroom, get some bog roll, grab the 'oops' and chuck it the toilet. And then go off the sulk and read about difficult customers on the internet, because that is what I do: if there's something on my mind, I will read the shit out of it (seriously, I'm talking like page 26 on Google) until I get distracted by something on Wikipedia and forget about it.
Thing is with cats, you can't really punish them for that sort of thing. You can try behaviour modification (for example, moving the litter box to the accident spot, ensuring a clean box, distracting the cat, though not so effective mid-poo, etc). As far as the cat in concerned, deed done, out of sight out of mind. Rubbing their noses in it will only serve to alienate your already aloof kitty. It's just not the way the roll. So instead of getting mad, I just clean it up as best I can and get on with my day. Not much else I can do.
These two complete random and separate instances got me thinking. I have been in the customer service biz for over 10 years now. If it's low-paying and customer-facing, I've done it. I've rung up gas, made tacos, made subs, and served two tours of duty at Wal-Mart, with several others in between. And I believe I can effectively demonstrate that caring for a cat is not all together different then caring for a customer.
1. They're aloof and use you at their convenience. And to be honest, probably don't like you. So this is generalised, of course. There are some cats that do like you and some customers that will be downright friendly to you and everyone has a pleasant time. But to be honest, by and large, you are a tool and a means to an end. For a cat, in this example, you are their meal ticket and she who scoops the poop. For a customer, you are they key (or barrier) to them getting access to a service or product that they require. In both the cat and the customer, certain niceties may be involved: a cat will wind around your leg sweetly to ask for food and a customer will engage in small-talk.
However, if there is any delay to the cat/customer's satisfaction, well, thing get messy. A customer may begin to mutter under their breath in exasperation and a cat may leave you with several individual scratches (Morky, if struggling to wake me, will take a single claw and scratch me until I rise. It hurts, but is effective).
Finally, neither of these, cats or customers, is guaranteed to like you. Despite doing your very best, you might just not successfully have some customers and some cats warm to you. My cat, Mrs Treacle, for example, I have had the longest. She prefers to have as little to do with me as possible. My customers, also, have been known to give me low ratings. It's just life.
2. Your cat my 'own' you and the customer may 'always' be right, but you are no lap-dog!
Overall, your relationship with your customers and your cats is one where you feel as though you are not in a position of power. Cat owners will testify to not owning cats, but indeed the cats owning them. Also, the timeless mantra: 'the customer is always right' fits along this same idea. Cats and customers feel comfort in their perceived superiority. And by and large, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Customers need to feel as though their money with worthwhile and precious and so by being presented with a carte blanche of 'rightness', can help them feel justified in spending their hard-earned money. And cats. . . well, they're cats, they just are superior. So most of the time it is both easiest and most acceptable to accept the status quo.
There is a line however. In the case of the cat, you are still the one with the opposable thumbs and the tin opener. A truly unruly cat could potentially find itself turned out (NOT RECOMMENDED!) or some of its privileges revoked. A customer who decides that swearing or abusive language or harassing a sales assistant, will find that that lowly shop girl had far more powers then originally anticipated. Customers who cannot behave in a civil way will eventually find that they will not be allowed to patron the shop, accounts will be closed and their business actively encouraged to be located elsewhere.
What makes both relationships work is a healthy respect for both. Both owners and customer service workers will find allowing their customer/cat to feel like royalty will benefit all parties. However tyrants, be they man or feline, will not be tolerated.
3. Sometimes someone is just going to take a shit on your day/floor. Just don't rub it in and make it worse.
It happens, shit happens. Whether it be literal shit or metaphorical shit, it still happens. Today, at 2pm, my day was well and truly shat on. I was in a rotten mood and I had allowed a complete stranger to get my hackles up and to dominate my thoughts for most of the day. Presumably around the same time, my floor also received a shit, from a cat (Hobble, I know it was you). Difference is, with the customer, I allowed myself to get frustrated and I allowed her bad attitude to rub off on me. With the cat, I saw the problem, was able to fix it, no bother to me or the offending feline.
And like mentioned above, you can't punish a cat for messing up the floor and you can't punish a customer or messing up your day. What you can do, though, is make sure you don't go in and rub it in and make it worse then it is.
In conclusion, I hope that my comparison between cats and customers has been entertaining, if not useful. I could go on with this for a while, but perhaps it's best I get to bed. Both the cats and the customers await.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
I've got a dream
And I do. I'm living a good portion of it, I live in Ireland (well, Northern Ireland, but close enough), I am self-sufficient and I have a wonderful, loving partner (I'd say boyfriend, but after nearly 6 years, the term seems . . . not quite right). So far so good. All I'm missing is a awesome job. Presently, I am in call-centre hell. Maybe purgatory is more accurate, cause I feel like I'm going no where quickly. So I've been thinking to myself, right, okay, this sucks, but what else can I do?
I've toyed quite seriously about going back to school and getting a Phd. . . and that would be awesome, Dr. Kisner just rolls off the tongue so nicely. My biggest hesitation about going back to school is adding yet more student loan debt on the pile. Sure, what's another $40,000 when you're already looking at $100,000+, but I really just can't justify it right now. Another 3 years and more money down the drain and I could be no better off than I am right now. Cause that Master's is sure paying itself off . . . But I digress.
So I've shelved the Phd for the time being, it will happen eventually, I'm confident of that, but just not now.
Then I began to think about what I'd do if I won the lottery? Sure there would be the big purchases and settlement of above mentioned student loan debt (no that number of zeros isn't a type. They scare me too, it's fine) and general comfort for the rest of my days. But I would get bored after a while so I figured it's be fun to have a wee bakery, cranking out cookies, breads, cupcakes, just for the sheer craic. As I'm already indepently wealthy with my lottery winnings, I wouldn't need it to be profitable, I would do it just because I would love it.
Then my brainstorming led me to . . . why not do it now? It's not like I'd be giving up a high-flying massive salary job. I'd be giving up my headset and my despair for humanity, which believe me, if it weren't for my landlord liking her rent on a timely basis and my desire to eat, I would have walked out of a while ago. So no love lost there. I realistically couldn't start up my own bakery just now, I don't have the baking skill and money to go it alone at the moment. But I have started emailing bakeries, that aren't necessarily advertising, telling them my story and basically asking: Will you give me a chance? I will work the unholy hours, I know the work will be hard and demanding physically, but I'm young and fit and by God I want this.
The thought of being at another computer, another desk and heaven forbid another damn phone fills me dread and depression. But the thought of being neck deep in dough, working in the pre-dawn hours, with nothing but some music and my thoughts to keep me company, the smell of fresh baked goods coming out of the oven makes me a giddy school kid.
And my email campaign has not been all together unsuccessful so far. One has asked for my CV and it's currently under review and I spoke to another gentleman today who said the present role he had mightn't be suitable, but to call back next month and send along my CV anyway. And you better believe I'll be phoning him up at the start of April, even just to remind him, hey I'm here!
Working for the Bank has taught me a number of things: How to better manage my personal finances, how different savings accounts works, how to file an effective complaint. Most importantly, it has taught me no amount of money is worth being treated like something that was stepped in. That there is no good reason you should sit there and take the amount of crap that people will throw down the phones at you. That I HATE being monitored and watched like an unruly child (and by monitored, I mean calls listened to, log on/log off times, handle times, hold times, adherence, pee breaks!!!!) Yes, it is currently keeping a roof over my head, but it high time I started really going after what I want for my work. Anywhere there is an oven, flour, and yeast, I will be there.
Change is on the horizon folks.
I've toyed quite seriously about going back to school and getting a Phd. . . and that would be awesome, Dr. Kisner just rolls off the tongue so nicely. My biggest hesitation about going back to school is adding yet more student loan debt on the pile. Sure, what's another $40,000 when you're already looking at $100,000+, but I really just can't justify it right now. Another 3 years and more money down the drain and I could be no better off than I am right now. Cause that Master's is sure paying itself off . . . But I digress.
So I've shelved the Phd for the time being, it will happen eventually, I'm confident of that, but just not now.
Then I began to think about what I'd do if I won the lottery? Sure there would be the big purchases and settlement of above mentioned student loan debt (no that number of zeros isn't a type. They scare me too, it's fine) and general comfort for the rest of my days. But I would get bored after a while so I figured it's be fun to have a wee bakery, cranking out cookies, breads, cupcakes, just for the sheer craic. As I'm already indepently wealthy with my lottery winnings, I wouldn't need it to be profitable, I would do it just because I would love it.
Then my brainstorming led me to . . . why not do it now? It's not like I'd be giving up a high-flying massive salary job. I'd be giving up my headset and my despair for humanity, which believe me, if it weren't for my landlord liking her rent on a timely basis and my desire to eat, I would have walked out of a while ago. So no love lost there. I realistically couldn't start up my own bakery just now, I don't have the baking skill and money to go it alone at the moment. But I have started emailing bakeries, that aren't necessarily advertising, telling them my story and basically asking: Will you give me a chance? I will work the unholy hours, I know the work will be hard and demanding physically, but I'm young and fit and by God I want this.
The thought of being at another computer, another desk and heaven forbid another damn phone fills me dread and depression. But the thought of being neck deep in dough, working in the pre-dawn hours, with nothing but some music and my thoughts to keep me company, the smell of fresh baked goods coming out of the oven makes me a giddy school kid.
And my email campaign has not been all together unsuccessful so far. One has asked for my CV and it's currently under review and I spoke to another gentleman today who said the present role he had mightn't be suitable, but to call back next month and send along my CV anyway. And you better believe I'll be phoning him up at the start of April, even just to remind him, hey I'm here!
Working for the Bank has taught me a number of things: How to better manage my personal finances, how different savings accounts works, how to file an effective complaint. Most importantly, it has taught me no amount of money is worth being treated like something that was stepped in. That there is no good reason you should sit there and take the amount of crap that people will throw down the phones at you. That I HATE being monitored and watched like an unruly child (and by monitored, I mean calls listened to, log on/log off times, handle times, hold times, adherence, pee breaks!!!!) Yes, it is currently keeping a roof over my head, but it high time I started really going after what I want for my work. Anywhere there is an oven, flour, and yeast, I will be there.
Change is on the horizon folks.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Pancake Cupcakes
So Tuesday was Pancake day . . . otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, etc. In the UK, this means that all the kids make pancakes at school, groccery stores are stocked with pancake supplies and there is a general excitement! The chocolate easter eggs also appear round this time, but that is a story for another time.
So British pancakes are a bit different from American ones. They're somewhere between what I would consider a proper pancake and a crepe. They're typically eaten with lemon and sugar, jam, or nutella. They're nice, I like them. But if I'm wasting calories on pancakes, I want a big, fluffy, maple and butter soaked thing of beauty (if I'm being perfectly honest, if I'm wasting calories on pancakes, I'd be eating waffles, but I have neither a waffle iron or a waffle house, so pancakes it is).
Anyway! I was thinking to myself how I could share with my co-workers the yumminess that is an American buttermilk pancake. Actual pancakes wouldn't travel or keep so well, but then it dawned on me . . . cupcakes. I would make a buttermilk cake with maple frosting. Stroke of genius!
So I set off to the shop, walking past the premade pancakes and assorted mixes, grabbed a bottle of maple syrup, some flour and eggs, margarine and buttermilk and set off home.
I'll give you the rough recipe I followed, but I'll be honest I didn't really measure all that much. But the basic cupcake was as follows:
250g butter/margarine
300g sugar
1tbs Vanilla
50mls of buttermilk
3 eggs
350g flour
couple tsps of baking powder
sprinkle of salt
Beat the margarine until fluffy, add sugar, cream together. Add vanilla and eggs and beat some more. Add buttermilk (though if I were to make this again, I would add buttermilk after the flour, as it sorta split on me :/). Mix flour until combined with sugar mix and add just enough flour to make up to a thick batter. You don't want cookies thick, but somewhere between regular cake batter and cookies.
Pour into cupcakes and bake at 200 C for about 10 minutes/when the knife comes out clean (ya'll know what I mean)
Meanwhile, the jewel in the crown . . . maple frosting.
Butter
Icing sugar
vanilla
enough maple syrup to get the level of maple you want.
I really stopped measuring at this point . . . frosting is a feeling I think, not a science. Beat your butter, add in icing sugar (try not to make a white cloud of sticky), add in some vanilla to taste, beat some more, add in syrup to taste, add more icing sugar until you reach desired consistency. A little milk won't go amiss.
The results were all together awesome. They tasted like buttery pancakes with a lovely maple flavor. I was very much impressed. Things I would be more careful about though, is the amount of flour, I would cut back as these were a bit dry once they had cooled. But otherwise, excellent. I think I might attempt pancake batter like this, because woah nelly, it's good.
You know what also would be awesome in these? Bacon. Try it, report back the results!
So British pancakes are a bit different from American ones. They're somewhere between what I would consider a proper pancake and a crepe. They're typically eaten with lemon and sugar, jam, or nutella. They're nice, I like them. But if I'm wasting calories on pancakes, I want a big, fluffy, maple and butter soaked thing of beauty (if I'm being perfectly honest, if I'm wasting calories on pancakes, I'd be eating waffles, but I have neither a waffle iron or a waffle house, so pancakes it is).
Anyway! I was thinking to myself how I could share with my co-workers the yumminess that is an American buttermilk pancake. Actual pancakes wouldn't travel or keep so well, but then it dawned on me . . . cupcakes. I would make a buttermilk cake with maple frosting. Stroke of genius!
So I set off to the shop, walking past the premade pancakes and assorted mixes, grabbed a bottle of maple syrup, some flour and eggs, margarine and buttermilk and set off home.
I'll give you the rough recipe I followed, but I'll be honest I didn't really measure all that much. But the basic cupcake was as follows:
250g butter/margarine
300g sugar
1tbs Vanilla
50mls of buttermilk
3 eggs
350g flour
couple tsps of baking powder
sprinkle of salt
Beat the margarine until fluffy, add sugar, cream together. Add vanilla and eggs and beat some more. Add buttermilk (though if I were to make this again, I would add buttermilk after the flour, as it sorta split on me :/). Mix flour until combined with sugar mix and add just enough flour to make up to a thick batter. You don't want cookies thick, but somewhere between regular cake batter and cookies.
Pour into cupcakes and bake at 200 C for about 10 minutes/when the knife comes out clean (ya'll know what I mean)
Meanwhile, the jewel in the crown . . . maple frosting.
Butter
Icing sugar
vanilla
enough maple syrup to get the level of maple you want.
I really stopped measuring at this point . . . frosting is a feeling I think, not a science. Beat your butter, add in icing sugar (try not to make a white cloud of sticky), add in some vanilla to taste, beat some more, add in syrup to taste, add more icing sugar until you reach desired consistency. A little milk won't go amiss.
The results were all together awesome. They tasted like buttery pancakes with a lovely maple flavor. I was very much impressed. Things I would be more careful about though, is the amount of flour, I would cut back as these were a bit dry once they had cooled. But otherwise, excellent. I think I might attempt pancake batter like this, because woah nelly, it's good.
You know what also would be awesome in these? Bacon. Try it, report back the results!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Lazy Sundays
One of my first observations in Northern Ireland was the Sunday after I moved in, I woke up bright and early to head to the shops to go and get cleaning supplies to clean my new house. I wandered on over to the big shopping centre at around 10:30am. And to my surprise, it was like a ghost town. Not a car in sight and everything was closed. Hmm, how weird. And the opening hours declared it wouldn't be until 1pm that the shop would open.
As it was still summer, I took the opportunity to wander around and check out the neightbourhood and take some pictures, but I remember thinking, how backwards, to have everything shut until one. I've got a house to clean, why is there no where open?! And this annoyed me for a while. I live in a capital city, come on, they can't just close the shops!
But as time has gone on, I have come to absolutely love Sundays in Northern Ireland. There is no pressure to get up and go on a Sunday, because there's nothing open anyway, so I'm best to relax, get the proper weekend breakfast on and enjoy a big pot of coffee. It slows my world right down and I have an appreciation for Sundays like I've never had before.
So thank you, Northern Ireland, for bucking the trend and maintaining the opening hours of a simpler time. I think it's a beautiful thing and I am most greatful for it!
As it was still summer, I took the opportunity to wander around and check out the neightbourhood and take some pictures, but I remember thinking, how backwards, to have everything shut until one. I've got a house to clean, why is there no where open?! And this annoyed me for a while. I live in a capital city, come on, they can't just close the shops!
But as time has gone on, I have come to absolutely love Sundays in Northern Ireland. There is no pressure to get up and go on a Sunday, because there's nothing open anyway, so I'm best to relax, get the proper weekend breakfast on and enjoy a big pot of coffee. It slows my world right down and I have an appreciation for Sundays like I've never had before.
So thank you, Northern Ireland, for bucking the trend and maintaining the opening hours of a simpler time. I think it's a beautiful thing and I am most greatful for it!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sorry Jillian . . .
So my 30 day shred mission failed pretty miserably after 3 days, which as I recall is about as long as I lasted the last time. . . I am just not a work out person and even if I try and force myself, I rebel and then it definitely doesn't happen. I find the act of 'working out' so boring and tedious that I can't force myself to sustain it longer than a couple days . . . whoops.
That's not to say I'm not active though, I definitely am. I just need a purpose for why my body is moving. Hence all the walking. If I need to go shopping or go to work, that's a purpose and I can justify that. I also rather enjoy dancing, because . . . I don't really know, I suppose there's no other purpose there then it's fun.
So I'll throw this out to the world . . .if you are a work out person, why? And I'm not being facetious here, I am genuinely curious. How do you pick a workout routine and what motivates you to follow through with it? Any suggestions on what is a good way to get into exercise? Classes, dvds, you tell me!
That's not to say I'm not active though, I definitely am. I just need a purpose for why my body is moving. Hence all the walking. If I need to go shopping or go to work, that's a purpose and I can justify that. I also rather enjoy dancing, because . . . I don't really know, I suppose there's no other purpose there then it's fun.
So I'll throw this out to the world . . .if you are a work out person, why? And I'm not being facetious here, I am genuinely curious. How do you pick a workout routine and what motivates you to follow through with it? Any suggestions on what is a good way to get into exercise? Classes, dvds, you tell me!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Experiments in Milk Part One: Goats Milk
Wandered on down to the shop today to pick up milk. Not that interesting, I know. But as I reached down to grab my normal 2 litres of skimmed milk (have to buy two because for some reason Northern Ireland doesn't think skimmed milk users deserve to have big cartons. . . ass holes), something caught my eye . . .
A goat.
Goats milk was sat there on the top shelf with all other other posh milks and I thought to myself . . . I rather fancy trying that. I tried goats milk yogurt a while back and I enjoyed it. It had what I would describe as slightly tart (it was yogurt after all), creamy and flavoursome. So I was naturally curious what the milk was like, and there it was. It was only available in semi-skimmed and whole, and after debating the calorie comparison, decided one litre wasn't going to kill me, and away we went.
While I was thinking about other types of milk, I recalled my previous love affair with soy milk. So I decided to pick up some that too (unsweetened UHT organic soya milk . . . cheaper)
Got home and immediately poured myself a glass of goats milk to try . . . creamy and no weird pronounced flavours . . . my god I think I could get Jon to drink this. But if he knew it was goats milk, he would be as stubborn as, well, a goat!
So I poured the goats milk into an skimmed milk container I'd finished this morning and proceeded to try it with a cup of tea. Love it. Maybe it's because it's creamier then my normal skimmed milk, but it's nice. I honestly cannot tell the difference between goats milk and cows milk. And apparently it's healthier for you too, but I'll have to consult Google to confirm further details.
Now I'm looking forward to seeing if Jon can tell a difference . . .
A goat.
Goats milk was sat there on the top shelf with all other other posh milks and I thought to myself . . . I rather fancy trying that. I tried goats milk yogurt a while back and I enjoyed it. It had what I would describe as slightly tart (it was yogurt after all), creamy and flavoursome. So I was naturally curious what the milk was like, and there it was. It was only available in semi-skimmed and whole, and after debating the calorie comparison, decided one litre wasn't going to kill me, and away we went.
While I was thinking about other types of milk, I recalled my previous love affair with soy milk. So I decided to pick up some that too (unsweetened UHT organic soya milk . . . cheaper)
Got home and immediately poured myself a glass of goats milk to try . . . creamy and no weird pronounced flavours . . . my god I think I could get Jon to drink this. But if he knew it was goats milk, he would be as stubborn as, well, a goat!
So I poured the goats milk into an skimmed milk container I'd finished this morning and proceeded to try it with a cup of tea. Love it. Maybe it's because it's creamier then my normal skimmed milk, but it's nice. I honestly cannot tell the difference between goats milk and cows milk. And apparently it's healthier for you too, but I'll have to consult Google to confirm further details.
Now I'm looking forward to seeing if Jon can tell a difference . . .
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Shreddin': Day 3.5/30
I tried to do my workout today, I really did. I started the dvd, got part of the way through the first circuit of cardio and decided I was over it. Jon decided he'd join me (as inspriation to get me to do it) but I think ultimately he ended up just being a distraction cause his squats were all wrong. Anyway, so yeah, didn't do it today :( But to compensate, I will try and do two tomorrow, one earlier in the day and one later. Scratch that, I won't try, I will.
Other thing is while I don't feel I'm ready to move to level 2 of the work out, I kinda want to, because I'm a bit bored of the other work out and maybe swapping between the two will keep in interesting. I'll try that tomorrow and see how I get on. Might lose my arms and legs.
And as for my food today, bit naughty:
Breakfast:
Chocolate oatmeal, this time with a couple squares of dark chocolate . . .
Lunch:
Ham sandwich on wheat bread with light mayo and dijon mustard
Packet of crisps
low fat yogurt
2 satsumas, one apple, one kiwi
Dinner:
2 x chicken burritos as per yesterday, but minus the cream cheese.
Snacks:
1 white chocolate finger biscuit (they're wee, I promise)
1 fruity shortbread biscuit
2 to 3 lebkuchen (I don't remember how many I munched)
1 to 2 cheese oatcakes (again, dont remember)
1 little baby slice of pizza
1 options hot chocolate
2 squares dark chocolate
1 piece of wheat toast with real butter
Apparently, I had the munchies today! All little stuff on it's own, but can definitely add up. Must be more careful! And hide the cookies while cooking/reheating dinner. Just too tempting!
Other thing is while I don't feel I'm ready to move to level 2 of the work out, I kinda want to, because I'm a bit bored of the other work out and maybe swapping between the two will keep in interesting. I'll try that tomorrow and see how I get on. Might lose my arms and legs.
And as for my food today, bit naughty:
Breakfast:
Chocolate oatmeal, this time with a couple squares of dark chocolate . . .
Lunch:
Ham sandwich on wheat bread with light mayo and dijon mustard
Packet of crisps
low fat yogurt
2 satsumas, one apple, one kiwi
Dinner:
2 x chicken burritos as per yesterday, but minus the cream cheese.
Snacks:
1 white chocolate finger biscuit (they're wee, I promise)
1 fruity shortbread biscuit
2 to 3 lebkuchen (I don't remember how many I munched)
1 to 2 cheese oatcakes (again, dont remember)
1 little baby slice of pizza
1 options hot chocolate
2 squares dark chocolate
1 piece of wheat toast with real butter
Apparently, I had the munchies today! All little stuff on it's own, but can definitely add up. Must be more careful! And hide the cookies while cooking/reheating dinner. Just too tempting!
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