I just posted my article "Where Education and Experience Blur" on The Brew.
It's just a little anecdotal piece about journalism, Chicago and experience.
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I felt like I was in some bad horror movie the other night when I went to Kohl's around 9:30 p.m.
I parked my car and got out and saw hundreds of little black things all over the pavement. I took a few steps in my flip flops, trying to avoid the black things, which I figured out were crickets.
Once I realized that they were crickets, the black things jumping all around made more sense. I felt many of them bump into my legs and one almost fell in between my foot and my flip flops.
I got into the store without feeling anything squish or crunch underfoot. But it was just weird. I'd never seen so many of them in one spot before, let alone on a cement parking lot. Trippy.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Education Debate on The Brew; MilkyWay Greenbacks
So...yeah. It's been a while. And I didn't blog. Sorry.
But a debate has begun on The Brew on traditional vs. non-traditional education. The first article by Luke Raad, was posted earlier this week. The second article, by Trent Starnes, was posted today. Each author will also be writing a rebuttal to the other's article. Watch for it and for my 'education' article.
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So I'm part of a writing group at my church. I wrote a little short story for it that turned out like this:
“Hey, Rob. What’s going on?” John asked as one the store’s star employees walked in.
“Not much,” Rob said, taking a nostalgic look around the coffee shop, like he would never see it again. “Who’s working this morning?”
“You, me, Jose and Toni,” John said.
“Awesome,” Rob said, relieved. Neither of the managers were working this morning. He dropped his stuff off in the back and put on his brown apron that featured their company’s logo at chest level. He clocked in and walked behind the counter.
“Hey, could I just work the bar this morning?” Rob asked.
John thought silently for a minute and said, “Sure. Why not?”
“Sweet, thanks a bunch.” Rob thought for a moment. “I kinda just feel like making drinks this morning.”
“Sure, no prob. Hey, so what are you going to do with that new inheritance you just got?”
“Well, I’m not too sure, yet,” Rob said. “I might take some time off to figure it all out. Maybe travel a little.” He paused. “I might just make it up as I go.”
The next hour passed as the other employees came into work and took their spots at the registers. The morning rush customers began to flow in, looking like zombies out of some bad ‘50s horror movie.
The employees at the registers began calling drinks to Rob, who wrote drinks down and prepared the syrups for John, who also had taken a spot at the espresso bar.
Rob saw one customer whom he particularly could not stand walk into the store and get in line. She was more than a little overweight and made a large fuss to insure that her drink was made with skim milk but also insisted that there was extra whip cream on top. This customer soon reached the register.
“Welcome to MilkyWayGreenbacks’s Coffee,” the person at the register greete the woman. “How are you today?”
“Fine,” the woman said impatiently.
“Could I interest you in a delicious chocolate peanut butter almond muffin this morning?”
“No,” the woman said curtly.
“Okay,” the employee said, trained to be unfazed by any amount of unpleasantness. “Well how about a pound of our new Palpitations Roas..?”
“No,” the woman said, cutting him off. She turned to Rob and said, “Large, skim, caramel, almond white mocha with a dome lid and extra, extra whipped cream.”
“Large, Who-Am-I-Kidding’ White Mocha,” Rob called back to confirm that he had received the order.
Time didn’t stop when Rob called out this nickname for the drink because time doesn’t stop for coffee-hungry customers during the morning rush hour and a half. A slight pause was felt by everyone in the small store. Some customers in the back of the line snickered to themselves or chuckled with their associates who were in line with them.
John chuckled, but then shot Rob a look between steaming milk and topping cups with whipped cream and lids.
“Excuse me?!” the woman belted out to Rob.
“I’m sorry, maam,” Rob said. “But you’re not kidding anyone when you get that drink. You might was well shove a couple Snickers down your throat.”
“Well, I never!” she responded.
“Well, maam, it looks like you do pretty often.”
“Hey, you know better than that,” John said. “I know I don’t have to tell you about customer service.”
“You don’t,” Rob said. “I’m being truthful in my customer service. I care about this woman so I don’t want her to go on thinking that her drink is anywhere near healthy.”
A young man in a nice business suit was next. “Medium skim, sugar-free vanilla latte,” was called out.
“Medium Soccer Mom,” Rob called back.
“What?!” the man yelled out.
“This drink must be for your wife, right?” Rob responded. “Next?”
The line kept moving because people didn’t have time to stop and talk to this punk kid who was probably taking grad classes at some art institute. Time waited for no man, especially at a coffee shop. All the customers had to get to work on time and their coffee was the one thing that would help them do so. And besides, there were plenty of other MilkyWayGreenbacks around the city. There was no reason to come back to this one, especially if that non-conformist lackey worked here.
“Are you crazy?” John said. “You can’t keep doing this.”
“You guys couldn’t survive this rush without a fourth person here,” Rob retorted.
“Why are you doing this?” John asked.
They were interrupted with another drink: “Large, half-soy, half skim, two pump almond, three pump mocha with organic whipped cream latte.”
“Large schizo-tree-hugger latte,” Rob called back.
“I think people should appreciate the people who help them through their days,” Rob said to John. “Anyone in the service industry is taken for granted so often these days. I mean, what would happen if coffee chain employees weren’t paid to act like they care about customers?”
The normal coffee shop din continued as the effeminate man who wanted the organic whipped cream stood dumbstruck at Rob’s audacity. Cash drawers opened and closed; milk swished and splattered in the steaming pitchers; whipped cream canisters sputtered as they spat out creamy goodness. The shocked customer was passive aggressively shoved out of the way by the next customer in line, who was already barking out a drink order. There wasn’t time for customers to respond.
Another drink was called out: “Large seven shot latte.”
“Large crackhead latte,” Rob called back.
Audible gasps could be heard in the café, namely that of the slender woman who ordered the drink. “What did you call me?” the woman shouted at Rob.
But the next drink was already called out and other customers were pressing in from behind the woman, forcing her away from the registers and Rob.
“Now that’s it,” said John. “No more drink calling for you. You’re doing the milk and drink hand off station. Now!”
Rob obeyed with a smile, satisfied with himself.
But a debate has begun on The Brew on traditional vs. non-traditional education. The first article by Luke Raad, was posted earlier this week. The second article, by Trent Starnes, was posted today. Each author will also be writing a rebuttal to the other's article. Watch for it and for my 'education' article.
--------------------
So I'm part of a writing group at my church. I wrote a little short story for it that turned out like this:
“Hey, Rob. What’s going on?” John asked as one the store’s star employees walked in.
“Not much,” Rob said, taking a nostalgic look around the coffee shop, like he would never see it again. “Who’s working this morning?”
“You, me, Jose and Toni,” John said.
“Awesome,” Rob said, relieved. Neither of the managers were working this morning. He dropped his stuff off in the back and put on his brown apron that featured their company’s logo at chest level. He clocked in and walked behind the counter.
“Hey, could I just work the bar this morning?” Rob asked.
John thought silently for a minute and said, “Sure. Why not?”
“Sweet, thanks a bunch.” Rob thought for a moment. “I kinda just feel like making drinks this morning.”
“Sure, no prob. Hey, so what are you going to do with that new inheritance you just got?”
“Well, I’m not too sure, yet,” Rob said. “I might take some time off to figure it all out. Maybe travel a little.” He paused. “I might just make it up as I go.”
The next hour passed as the other employees came into work and took their spots at the registers. The morning rush customers began to flow in, looking like zombies out of some bad ‘50s horror movie.
The employees at the registers began calling drinks to Rob, who wrote drinks down and prepared the syrups for John, who also had taken a spot at the espresso bar.
Rob saw one customer whom he particularly could not stand walk into the store and get in line. She was more than a little overweight and made a large fuss to insure that her drink was made with skim milk but also insisted that there was extra whip cream on top. This customer soon reached the register.
“Welcome to MilkyWayGreenbacks’s Coffee,” the person at the register greete the woman. “How are you today?”
“Fine,” the woman said impatiently.
“Could I interest you in a delicious chocolate peanut butter almond muffin this morning?”
“No,” the woman said curtly.
“Okay,” the employee said, trained to be unfazed by any amount of unpleasantness. “Well how about a pound of our new Palpitations Roas..?”
“No,” the woman said, cutting him off. She turned to Rob and said, “Large, skim, caramel, almond white mocha with a dome lid and extra, extra whipped cream.”
“Large, Who-Am-I-Kidding’ White Mocha,” Rob called back to confirm that he had received the order.
Time didn’t stop when Rob called out this nickname for the drink because time doesn’t stop for coffee-hungry customers during the morning rush hour and a half. A slight pause was felt by everyone in the small store. Some customers in the back of the line snickered to themselves or chuckled with their associates who were in line with them.
John chuckled, but then shot Rob a look between steaming milk and topping cups with whipped cream and lids.
“Excuse me?!” the woman belted out to Rob.
“I’m sorry, maam,” Rob said. “But you’re not kidding anyone when you get that drink. You might was well shove a couple Snickers down your throat.”
“Well, I never!” she responded.
“Well, maam, it looks like you do pretty often.”
“Hey, you know better than that,” John said. “I know I don’t have to tell you about customer service.”
“You don’t,” Rob said. “I’m being truthful in my customer service. I care about this woman so I don’t want her to go on thinking that her drink is anywhere near healthy.”
A young man in a nice business suit was next. “Medium skim, sugar-free vanilla latte,” was called out.
“Medium Soccer Mom,” Rob called back.
“What?!” the man yelled out.
“This drink must be for your wife, right?” Rob responded. “Next?”
The line kept moving because people didn’t have time to stop and talk to this punk kid who was probably taking grad classes at some art institute. Time waited for no man, especially at a coffee shop. All the customers had to get to work on time and their coffee was the one thing that would help them do so. And besides, there were plenty of other MilkyWayGreenbacks around the city. There was no reason to come back to this one, especially if that non-conformist lackey worked here.
“Are you crazy?” John said. “You can’t keep doing this.”
“You guys couldn’t survive this rush without a fourth person here,” Rob retorted.
“Why are you doing this?” John asked.
They were interrupted with another drink: “Large, half-soy, half skim, two pump almond, three pump mocha with organic whipped cream latte.”
“Large schizo-tree-hugger latte,” Rob called back.
“I think people should appreciate the people who help them through their days,” Rob said to John. “Anyone in the service industry is taken for granted so often these days. I mean, what would happen if coffee chain employees weren’t paid to act like they care about customers?”
The normal coffee shop din continued as the effeminate man who wanted the organic whipped cream stood dumbstruck at Rob’s audacity. Cash drawers opened and closed; milk swished and splattered in the steaming pitchers; whipped cream canisters sputtered as they spat out creamy goodness. The shocked customer was passive aggressively shoved out of the way by the next customer in line, who was already barking out a drink order. There wasn’t time for customers to respond.
Another drink was called out: “Large seven shot latte.”
“Large crackhead latte,” Rob called back.
Audible gasps could be heard in the café, namely that of the slender woman who ordered the drink. “What did you call me?” the woman shouted at Rob.
But the next drink was already called out and other customers were pressing in from behind the woman, forcing her away from the registers and Rob.
“Now that’s it,” said John. “No more drink calling for you. You’re doing the milk and drink hand off station. Now!”
Rob obeyed with a smile, satisfied with himself.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Brew Reconstruction; Quick Recovery; Soul Coughing
So The Brew is under construction. We're working out some technological kinks I'll be reposting August and July this month, and hopefully two more months in October.
--------------
So I had pretty stressful day today at the Coffee Chain That Shall Remain Nameless. Afterwards, I wanted to get some booze, go home, and take a nap. I had overslept and was late to work that morning. So many other things happened to make the day trying: someone not showing up for work; more crazy yuppies wanting their coffee earlier on a Saturday morning; people wanting lots of boxes and 2.5 gallon cambros of coffee; etc.
I was able to manage everything pretty well. People didn't have to wait a ridiculous amount of time for coffee or their cambros. Trouble employees weren't as much trouble during the day. We avoided major blunders and still had our wits about us. The store was still standing when I left in the early afternoon.
And I was okay. I didn't have as much of a need to drink half a six-pack and then doze off on the couch when I got back to my apartment. So instead, I got a couple shots of Crown Royal on the rocks and finished watching Collateral. When the movie ended, I was pleasingly calm and somewhat refreshed.
This seemed to be one of the quickest recoveries from a stressful day I've ever had. I didn't want to lounge around anymore or even have more Crown Royal. One of the first thoughts I had was to do some more writing. Maybe finish that short story about a barista enjoying his last day working at a coffee chain named MilkyWayGreenbacks. I could write another scene in that novel. I could work on another piece for the writing group at my church.
It's cool to realize that you can recover better than you thought. It makes you feel more mature and well-adjusted.
------------
I've been discovering Soul Coughing, a now defunct alt band from the 90s, though frontman Mike Doughty is still doing solo work. They've got some great, random, obscure songs, like the Coffee Song and Buddha Rhubarb Butter. Tried to find vids on YouTube but with no luck. They're still worth listening too.
--------------
So I had pretty stressful day today at the Coffee Chain That Shall Remain Nameless. Afterwards, I wanted to get some booze, go home, and take a nap. I had overslept and was late to work that morning. So many other things happened to make the day trying: someone not showing up for work; more crazy yuppies wanting their coffee earlier on a Saturday morning; people wanting lots of boxes and 2.5 gallon cambros of coffee; etc.
I was able to manage everything pretty well. People didn't have to wait a ridiculous amount of time for coffee or their cambros. Trouble employees weren't as much trouble during the day. We avoided major blunders and still had our wits about us. The store was still standing when I left in the early afternoon.
And I was okay. I didn't have as much of a need to drink half a six-pack and then doze off on the couch when I got back to my apartment. So instead, I got a couple shots of Crown Royal on the rocks and finished watching Collateral. When the movie ended, I was pleasingly calm and somewhat refreshed.
This seemed to be one of the quickest recoveries from a stressful day I've ever had. I didn't want to lounge around anymore or even have more Crown Royal. One of the first thoughts I had was to do some more writing. Maybe finish that short story about a barista enjoying his last day working at a coffee chain named MilkyWayGreenbacks. I could write another scene in that novel. I could work on another piece for the writing group at my church.
It's cool to realize that you can recover better than you thought. It makes you feel more mature and well-adjusted.
------------
I've been discovering Soul Coughing, a now defunct alt band from the 90s, though frontman Mike Doughty is still doing solo work. They've got some great, random, obscure songs, like the Coffee Song and Buddha Rhubarb Butter. Tried to find vids on YouTube but with no luck. They're still worth listening too.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Why Teach? on The Brew; Scary liquor stores; Seraphim Falls
I just posted September's first article, "Why I'm Still A Teacher" by new author Gayle Amato. It's a great look at what education really is and where The Brew fits in in the educational process.
There are still a few kinks to get worked out, as you may notice when you look for September's editorial, which has disappeared. Such is the joy of Internet publishing. But fear not, for my editorial writing prowess will be able to be viewed once again (and will make look Gayle's article look all the better) when this one of many hiccups is fed a good spoonful of peanut butter.
---------------------
I've come to love scary-looking liquor stores. I went to one in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood in Dallas where two black men were sitting outside and asking for money and beer. An Asian and a Phillipino man manned the counter inside. When I walked in, looking as white as can be in cargo shorts and a polo, I think I did my part to celebrate racial diversity. Or is it unity? All races are brought together through a liquor store?
To make it even more ethnic, I was on a mission for Gallo beer, which is made in Guatemala. I found this beer at a store similar to the one mentioned above while living in Chicago. I knew that my only hope would be to check out random, ramshackle stores which might carry it.
I was let down when I didn't see Gallo. But instead I found Tona (there should be an 'enye' in that name but this blog couldn't translate that symbol), a beer from Nicaragua.
Oh, man. I almost forgot about Gallo when I downed this smooth but somehow crisp delight. My curiosity was rewarded and now I'm not so sure if Gallo is the best Latin American beer I've had.
-----------------
I watched Seraphim Falls this weekend and was wowed as James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) was chased through the southwest by Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson). Both played ex-Civil War generals who had some unfinished business. Great cat and mouse film with some very surprising moments.
Brosnan should get an award for best use of a horse as a cloaking device in this film. That's all I'm gonna say about that, otherwise, I'll spoil the best surprise of the movie.
There are still a few kinks to get worked out, as you may notice when you look for September's editorial, which has disappeared. Such is the joy of Internet publishing. But fear not, for my editorial writing prowess will be able to be viewed once again (and will make look Gayle's article look all the better) when this one of many hiccups is fed a good spoonful of peanut butter.
---------------------
I've come to love scary-looking liquor stores. I went to one in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood in Dallas where two black men were sitting outside and asking for money and beer. An Asian and a Phillipino man manned the counter inside. When I walked in, looking as white as can be in cargo shorts and a polo, I think I did my part to celebrate racial diversity. Or is it unity? All races are brought together through a liquor store?
To make it even more ethnic, I was on a mission for Gallo beer, which is made in Guatemala. I found this beer at a store similar to the one mentioned above while living in Chicago. I knew that my only hope would be to check out random, ramshackle stores which might carry it.
I was let down when I didn't see Gallo. But instead I found Tona (there should be an 'enye' in that name but this blog couldn't translate that symbol), a beer from Nicaragua.
Oh, man. I almost forgot about Gallo when I downed this smooth but somehow crisp delight. My curiosity was rewarded and now I'm not so sure if Gallo is the best Latin American beer I've had.
-----------------
I watched Seraphim Falls this weekend and was wowed as James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) was chased through the southwest by Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson). Both played ex-Civil War generals who had some unfinished business. Great cat and mouse film with some very surprising moments.
Brosnan should get an award for best use of a horse as a cloaking device in this film. That's all I'm gonna say about that, otherwise, I'll spoil the best surprise of the movie.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Continuous Learning On The Brew; Talledega what?!
I posted September's editorial on The Brew. Read it and feel more educated.
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I watched Talladega Nights last night. I guess I was expecting more laughs. I laughed at the intro of Will Ferrel's character but then didn't laugh until the commercial interruption of the longest crash ever.
I was amazed at what a huge production the movie was. But then I realized that every second of film time was prime time for product placement. And boy, did they ever place products. Now the elaborate crash sequences and numerous cameos began to make more financial sense. Even Fig Newtons got in on the action (I chuckled at that joke).
------------
I watched Talladega Nights last night. I guess I was expecting more laughs. I laughed at the intro of Will Ferrel's character but then didn't laugh until the commercial interruption of the longest crash ever.
I was amazed at what a huge production the movie was. But then I realized that every second of film time was prime time for product placement. And boy, did they ever place products. Now the elaborate crash sequences and numerous cameos began to make more financial sense. Even Fig Newtons got in on the action (I chuckled at that joke).
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Another Round of The Brew; Jogging the Mind and Useless Knowledge
So The Brew is finally back up! We'll be working to repost all past articles over the next few months as well as move into September's Education Issue.
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So I was running today around my expansive apartment complex when running towards me was a guy I was an RA with while at Moody in Chicago. Now, being a Bible school graduate and still running in Christian circles, it's a reality that I'll always run into people who will jog my memory of college. So this was no surprise for me.
This may have been a surprise for this guy, who noticed me but may not have recognized me. Perhaps his mind had been sprinting through his workout and didn't have time to stop for a breather to remember way back when. I didn't become short of breath when I realized that he wouldn't say 'Hey' so I said, "How's it going?" as he ran by.
No response.
No biggie. I wasn't on any marathon to get every person I ever went to school with to remember me.
On a different note, I had some boosts and edits when it comes to my useless movie knowledge.
I went to a midnight showing of Pulp Fiction at a sort of artsy theater near my new store. I figured most of my friends wouldn't have been able to handle going to a midnight movie, much less Pulp Fiction at midnight, so I went with some friends from the Coffee Chain That Shall Remain Nameless.
Before the film, which didn't get over till 2:45 a.m., they had some trivia for free movie passes and for a collector's edition DVD of the movie. While I was debating if I wanted a copy of the film that made Quentin Tarantino famous, they started the trivia.
"Which three Tarantino films feature characters eating Big Kahuna burgers?" People started raising their hands and belting out all of the movies. Four people got the answer wrong and, by this time, seeing that Tarantino only has around six or seven major films out there, someone else figured it out pretty quickly.
I was lost on this, and the next question. "Vincent Vega's character in Pulp Fiction is related to which character in Reservoir Dogs?" I've yet to see Dogs so I had to let someone else get the DVD.
But the next day, I was playing Scene It with the college group from my church and am a little ashamed to say that I dominated there. I picked out a picture of Sigourney Weaver from Ghostbusters and picked the movie Silence of The Lambs from these three clues: Size 16 dress, fava beans, and Clarice.
And now I'm also in a race against two other guys from my college group on Facebook's Never-Ending Movie Quiz.
All this makes me wonder what I would do if I didn't have all this useless movie knowledge.
------------------
So I was running today around my expansive apartment complex when running towards me was a guy I was an RA with while at Moody in Chicago. Now, being a Bible school graduate and still running in Christian circles, it's a reality that I'll always run into people who will jog my memory of college. So this was no surprise for me.
This may have been a surprise for this guy, who noticed me but may not have recognized me. Perhaps his mind had been sprinting through his workout and didn't have time to stop for a breather to remember way back when. I didn't become short of breath when I realized that he wouldn't say 'Hey' so I said, "How's it going?" as he ran by.
No response.
No biggie. I wasn't on any marathon to get every person I ever went to school with to remember me.
On a different note, I had some boosts and edits when it comes to my useless movie knowledge.
I went to a midnight showing of Pulp Fiction at a sort of artsy theater near my new store. I figured most of my friends wouldn't have been able to handle going to a midnight movie, much less Pulp Fiction at midnight, so I went with some friends from the Coffee Chain That Shall Remain Nameless.
Before the film, which didn't get over till 2:45 a.m., they had some trivia for free movie passes and for a collector's edition DVD of the movie. While I was debating if I wanted a copy of the film that made Quentin Tarantino famous, they started the trivia.
"Which three Tarantino films feature characters eating Big Kahuna burgers?" People started raising their hands and belting out all of the movies. Four people got the answer wrong and, by this time, seeing that Tarantino only has around six or seven major films out there, someone else figured it out pretty quickly.
I was lost on this, and the next question. "Vincent Vega's character in Pulp Fiction is related to which character in Reservoir Dogs?" I've yet to see Dogs so I had to let someone else get the DVD.
But the next day, I was playing Scene It with the college group from my church and am a little ashamed to say that I dominated there. I picked out a picture of Sigourney Weaver from Ghostbusters and picked the movie Silence of The Lambs from these three clues: Size 16 dress, fava beans, and Clarice.
And now I'm also in a race against two other guys from my college group on Facebook's Never-Ending Movie Quiz.
All this makes me wonder what I would do if I didn't have all this useless movie knowledge.
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