Friday 7 Quick Takes (vol 10)

1.

I was at Epoch, a coffee shop in Austin with a couple of girlfriends discussing our book club book of June (Red Tent), when Selina and I noticed one of Epoch’s patrons brought her iMac desktop. Someone brought an entire desktop to a coffee shop. I was so stunned, I snuck a picture. We’ve tried to come up with some possible stories for her. For example, maybe the iMac was a gift and she didn’t want to trade it in for a MacBook in case she would insult the gifter. Moreover, she then had to cut her Internet (along with the cable TV because Internet is one of the last things to go). So she is forced to go to a coffee shop for free Wifi. Therefore, she had no other option but to pack an entire desktop to a coffee shop! Yes? No?!

2.

I saw Anthony Bourdain on Monday. I already posted the two pictures I have with him on my food blog but I just wanted another excuse to gaze into his face and see mine inches away! Sighhhhh.

3.


I went to the movie theatre two times this week. Once for a bad movie. Once for a good movie! How’s that for balance?

Bad: Opening night of Eclipse. I stood in line /sat in line since 8:30 pm for the midnight showing. Haters, please understand we Twilight fans know it’s bad writing. We know vampires are not supposed to sparkle. We also know the movies are crap. Relax! We know. It’s a guilty pleasure! I will gloat a little and say Eclipse got better ratings than Airbender.

4.


Good: Toy Story 3. Aww :) Cute for all ages.

5.

It’s July. Time is sure passing quickly. This weekend, I will be celebrating the Fourth with Alan and his buddies. Next weekend, my parents are coming up for the first time in a couple of years. The weekend after, I’m planning on hosting a girl’s weekend for a couple of out of town girlfriends. And finally, I turn one year older (YUCK). All the weekends are already booked! I feel like I blinked and one moment it was March and now we’re already in July.

6.

Customer Service: Now I’ve never really had a job where my main responsibility is customer service, but I must say I do love the customer service aspects of the jobs I’ve had. In my previous job (clinical research coordinator), it was rare a patient would be beside themselves in anger as the girls I worked with were stellar in making our patients feel cared for. However, every now and then, miscommunication or just patients being grumpy will cause a confrontation to brew. I had so much fun diffusing these sitations and felt so accomplished when we were able to cool the tension and come to a solution or compromise. I loved it. What’s more, it made future interactions smoother. I get really upset when I come across customer service where it just appears that the service providers hate their customers. Austin Timewarner, I’m looking at you.

7.

That said, I also get really irritated when I see customers being arrogant assholes. The people who serve you, just because they’re serving you, does not make them less than. I was in line at a gas station when the cashier complimented a regular on how pretty she looked that day. The lady just blankly stared at the cashier, no doubt, pushing her to elaborate. “You look pretty every day, but you look especially well dressed today.” The lady coldly squinted at the fumbling cashier and said, “You should stop while you’re ahead.” She then cooly walked away. I saw the cashier blush and was visibly upset so I assured her that obviously, that lady had a stick up her ass and to not let it get to her. She composed herself and told me, “That’ll teach me to be nice to her again.”

It’s a cycle. So be nice. That’s a good cycle.