Erincita

Who Loves Starbucks?
Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Everyone is getting Starbucks for Christmas this year. Starting on the 26th, all employees, or "partners" as they like to call us, have 40% of everything in the store for two whole weeks. Already I'm eyeing certain things, knowing that we'll start running low within the first hours that the special deal is running. And I'm not going to show up at 4am just because I want a bearista bear magnet. They're sooo cute though! You've just gotta see 'em. Dana and I will be meeting at my Starbucks tomorrow to enjoy eggnog mochas, because Thanksgiving is her second official "day off" from being South Beach Dana. South Beach Erin, however, is not quite so into cheating on the diet. So far I appear to have lost 5 lbs, though sometimes I don't really see it. I can feel it a bit. I've even started working out, which is a huge breakthrough for me. I've worked out three times this week, twice in the morning before work. Despite the fact that I'm used to getting up early for work, getting out of bed voluntarily when losing my job isn't a risk is still quite a feat.
Well, now it is the 26th, and it was Tuesday when I started the blog. Thanksgiving was great. A quiet evening among adults. We didn't gorge ourselves, just enjoyed a fabulous meal and a couple bottles of red wine. I hadn't noticed how chaotic life has become when I divide most of my time between a busy retail store and a household ruled over by a 4-year-old boy. So Dana and I have decided to send family Christmas cards together. I've visited the past two nights with bags full of Starbucks merchandise, as you can see from her website. I've bought cups, thermoses, dolls, chocolate-covered everything and every kind of biscotti we sell. Now I have to decide who I'm going to give these to.

9:39 PM |

To corporate and beyond...
Tuesday, November 16, 2004

I'm getting frustrated with the daily grind. There's the traffic, of course. Seattle is rated right up there with L.A. as far as traffic goes, and some have told me that we Seattlites have it even worse. I won't complain too much because, if given a choice of anywhere in the world to live, I'd stay right here in the Pacific Northwest. Most of my readers know of my obsession with Latin America and the fact that I "lived" there for almost a year, but I could never see Chile as any sort of home base. What is it about the familiarity I feel here? I meet people who have moved to Seattle from places like Colorado, Florida, or even Oregon and have made it their home, but I just don't understand how they do it. I tried it myself and there was just too much to leave behind. Am I stubborn because I don't want to go through the process of building a new life when I have a great one right here? I have a decent job, friends, church, and a sense of belonging. I never thought I'd be so home-bound. I'm glad for all the out-of-country and out-of-state, even out-of-King County experience I've had to assure me that I'm truely happy right where I am.
Somehow I got off track. I started off with my frustration of living here and ended up with an ode to Seattle. I've just been thinking lately about my affiliation with Starbucks and my reluctance to leave the company, no matter how hard it may be to move up. I was just checking out jobs on the web site and that, believe it or not, is probably the most proactive effort I've made since starting out as a barista. There are few things in this world I find more wearisom than looking for a job. But I don't want to be a barista forever and I don't want to have to move up to the top rung in retail before I can get my foot in the door at the corporate. I don't mind being a barista for now. I like it very much, and I'm pretty good at it. Wouldn't it be cool if I could be a barista in, say, Chile? Hmmm. I'm excited about the holiday season. I learned how to use the home espresso machines because I need to know how to sell them. The most expensive one is completely digital and is on sale for the holiday for about $900. This is a good deal for those who spend upwards of $3 a day for their coffee, but I guess there's something to be said for having someone make it for you (before you even ask because we've memorized your drink, your name, and possibly your car), and let's not forget how much better coffee tastes in those paper cups or the fun cold ones with the dome lids. By the way, Sarah, I've learned how to make an excellent caramel macchiato just for you. We'll be all set if you have vanilla syrup and caramel sauce on hand. Party at Sarah's! Professionally made drinks all around! You'll have sprinkles this year, right? I recall a post where your drink was almost perfect but you needed sprinkles. This time of year we have pretty red sprinkles for anything with peppermint, and ground nutmeg for the eggnog lattes and gingerbread lattes.

11:08 AM |

Less than 50 shopping days 'till Christmas!
Tuesday, November 09, 2004

I'm sitting at the front desk at church as I usually do on Tuesday mornings, but this morning is crazy. There's a conference today and everyone keeps asking me things that I know nothing about and I have to sheepishly say, "I don't know, I just volunteer here." To some, this is totally unacceptable. What's up with that? "That's unacceptable." As if that changes anything. As unacceptable as it is, you're just going to have to deal with it, okay? Others smile at me and tell me not to apologize because it's really volunteers like me that keep the church running and, by God's grace, overbudget.
I started on Dana's diet a few days ago. I was actually quite proud of myself because I was doing so well, but last night was pretty hellish. My housemate Sarah announced that she needed to go on a chocolate run and even though I couldn't have anything, she didn't want to go alone. I didn't see a problem if she wanted a few chocolate bars. The problem was that she bought a giant german chocolate cake to share with the house--minus South Beach Erin. It sucked and that cake will still be there when I get home. Last night was bad in general. I was full but just not satisfied. I wanted that cake. And now I want this focaccia bread soooooooo bad. But the first week is supposed to be hard and hopefully the cravings will go away. I haven't weighed myself but I still feel pudgy. I'm getting frustrated.
I got three fillings last week (on the right side) and I'm getting three more this week on my left side. I decided I might as well max out my insurance coverage for the year, since it renews itself in January. I have to pay for sealants myself.
I had my 6-month review. Not awesome, not bad, but I got the ME rating (Meets Expectations) that will allow me to transfer stores. There's three stores within 5 or 10 minutes of where I live that I might like and I have to give those store numbers to my manager. Either way a transfer wouldn't happen until after Christmas. Oh, and I requested to work on Christmas day. I'll admit a little sentimentality creeping on. I miss my parents this time of year. I want to sit at the dining room table with the good china and the Honeybaked Ham, even though I don't really like Honeybaked Ham. For Thanksgiving I'm going to treat myself to a pan of au gratin potatoes. Yum. That's all I need. They don't have be scheduled to work Thanksgiving and I don't know why. They always tend to cheat me out of of overtime.
Other than that, there's not much. My general mood has been a little low. My happiness, both genuine and faked, is totally drained at work because part of the job is to be problem-free. I had a guy try to preach to me last night and when I told him I was already a Christian he gave me some shpeal about why liberals don't give you a straight answer about why they don't like Bush. Why does he assume I voted for Bush? What if I didn't? I didn't vote at all. Couldn't find my voter's card.

1:01 PM |