Holiday

Tomorrow I go away to Brno with Dheeraj for a few days which hopefully will be fun. Almost everythings ready (apart from the packing but I only intend to bring one bag and thats handluggage). I'm actually really looking forward to going to Czech. Its already been over half a year since I was last there, way too long! I just wish I could go for longer. But i'm back to working again next week.

I've also realised my czech language skills have gone down the drain (not that they were great to begin with) so it should be interesting trying to get around. I can still remember and understand some things but its different when trying to construct a sentence.............I can already see my sentences consisting of two words. I feel sorry for whoever has to try and understand what i'm asking them.

Day off

Yesterday was a day off work. I wanted to sleep in for once but unfortunately I had to get a blood test done (to make sure I still have Hepititis B antibodies in my body as a result of the hepititis B jab I had before I went to Malaysia. Otherwise i'll need a booster to be able to study medicine).

When I got to the health centre there was a long queue for the blood tests. I had to pick up a number (they supposedly went up to 40 but I for some reason got the number 2 which apparently comes after 40). The wait was about 50 minutes (yes, I was that bored that I timed it). The actual sticking a needle into me, drawing out my blood and telling me to get out because its finished took about half a minute. The woman taking the blood was extremely unfriendly so I was quite happy to go so quickly.

Then I went and had lunch (a chicken wrap with other stuff in it) and then, being extremely greedy I went and bought sushi and pocky at this little japanese shop about 15 minutes walk away.

After that I went on a mission for my parents to pick up some medical scans for them (the scans were of some clients, not my parents). This took me to some place in Wood Green (my parents didn't even know where the place was so I had to do some exploring). Strangely I found it pretty easily (using my ususal method of 'just walk and you'll eventually get to where you need to go'). The receptionist in the place obviously couldn't be bothered to do her job and when I told her who I was there to see she just said she didn't know who the person was. So I asked if she could try looking in her computer or something. She did and was then able to tell me which floor to go up to (I was almost expecting an answer of 'computer says no *cough*'). I was also told that I needed to phone the floor using this phone on a table in a corner. To be honest it all felt very strange and unnecessary but I did as I was told and eventually met the person I was supposed to meet. I got the scans and returned back home.

And for the rest of the day I did random, not particularly interesting things.

Hospice

Well i've been concentrating my posts alot on Starbucks since I started working there (mainly because its taken up alot of my time recently) but there are other things i'm doing. On Saturday i'm starting to help out in a hospice (i'm a evening telephonist and Saturday is when i'll be shown exactly what i'll need to do there) and next week i'm going away for a few days to Czech (which I can't wait for). It feels quite satisfying to know that this holiday is fully funded by myself and that i'm not scrounging off my parents.

'Does no one know how to unblock toilets anymore?!'

Warning: If you don't want to read a post involving blocked toilets ignore this post.

Yesterday one of the toilets in Starbucks got blocked for the second time in a week. The first time the toilet was blocked by a tampon even though there is a large sign next to the toilet stating, 'Do not put anything other than toilet paper in this toilet!' and another sign by it saying, 'please do not put tampons in the toilet (it seems its such a common problem that it now has its own sign).' This second time we didn't know what was blocking it. We tried unblocking it with a plunger which didn't work and then had to resort to using our hand (with a glove on obviously, which was then disposed of). But, despite clearing out all the toilet paper (which in itself could have blocked the toilet with the amount whoever had caused the blockage used), the toilet was still blocked. So we decided we'd spent too much time on it already (this was done after hours since I was on the closing shift) and decided to call someone to come in the next day to unblock it. A sign was put on the door of the toilet asking customers to use the other toilet and apologising for the inconveniance.

So the next day we get a visit from this woman who from now on I shall refer to as 'the crazy bitch.' Believe me, she has earned this name. Shes a regular................well a regular complainer, she never actually buys anything. Usually she comes in just to tell us off for some random reason. I would say its annoying but to be honest I find her quite funny. Her complaints are just so ridiculous. And I find myself looking forward to hearing what her complaint for the day will be.

So today she appeared from out of nowhere and enquired in a rude tone, 'does no one know how to unblock toilets anymore?!' My Starbucks partner and I explained to her that we had tried but couldn't and that someone was coming to unblock it. We also reminded her that there was another toilet that wasn't blocked. This was her answer, 'does no one know how to unblock toilets anymore?!'. So we answered that we did and so did the man who was coming to fix it. We also reminded her that the toilets are for customers and that she wasn't one. Continuing to ignore everything we said she then told us that she had unblocked the toilet. So, not really knowing what to say at this point and trying to stop myself from laughing, I said, 'urm, well thank you...............so what actually was your reason for rudely shouting at us?' That had her stumped for a couple of seconds. Her reply was, 'I don't see why I can't use the toilet! I've unblocked it, why can't I use this toilet?! Why is there still this sign there?! Can I use it?! I don't see why you won't let me use it?!' We told her if she had unblocked it she could use it and so she then left the shop.

Extra shift

It was meant to be my day off today but two of my Starbucks partners were ill and one other was on holiday. So, due to the lack of available staff, I was needed.

I did an 8 and a half hour shift which wasn't so bad but now i'm tired and have a 6.50am shift start tomorrow. I was happy to help out though (and theres always the added bonus of earning more money).

Horrible customer of the day:

Woman: I want a peppermint mocha with chocolate chips in it!
Me: *inputing the order into the till* Ok thats a peppermint mocha with chocolate chips.
Woman: Why is it so expensive?! It didn't used to be that much!
Me: Well its because it was last years summer product. We can still make it but we now have been told we have to charge for the chocolate chips and the peppermint syrup.
Woman: But no one else has charged me that much! They charge for the syrup but not the chocolate chips! Its ridiculous!
Me: Well we have been told since the start of Starbuck's summer period that we have to charge for the chocolate chips. I'm sorry but thats what we have to do (my starbucks partner was backing me up on this saying that if she still had a problem with it she could talk to our manager).
Woman: Well its ridiculous!
Starbucks partner: Well we have to charge you for it. Do you want the drink or not?
Woman: *slamming the money on the table* Stop talking and just make me the drink!
We made her her drink.

I don't see what the point was of having an argument with us. If it was so expensive why didn't she not get the drink or just ask for it without the chocolate chips? She just wanted an argument (or has anger management problems). Personally I think it was a mixture of both. And I was getting a sense of deja vu with her. I think i've served her before and we've had the same 'conversation.' If she comes in again and has another fit over her peppermint chocolate chip mocha i'm going to report her to my manager.

Theres skin in my muffin!

Embarrasing incident of today:

Me: (passing a customer their skinny peach and raspberry muffin) Heres your skin and peach and raspberry muffin.'

Customer: You what!?

Me: I mean your skinny peach and raspberry muffin! Sorry.

My excuse: Its been a week of consecutive 6.50am shift starts and I was a bit tired.

Drawing

I'm have been drawing a bit lately. So heres some stuff I drew (or should I say copied).

The characters Wolfsbane and Guido from the X-factor comics:


Antman from the Avengers (inside someone):


The X-man Dazzler:


A very angry hulk:


As you've probably realised i've been into copying comics recently for my drawings.

Its Fake!

I experienced my first fake money today. Some bastard gave me a fake £20 note (which I didn't realise was fake) and so, when depositing the money my store had made at the end of my shift, I had to report it to the company. It happens to everyone (or so I was told) and apparently my note was extremely well made so it would have been difficult to tell it was fake (especially since today was another crazy day with never ending queues of people, therefore making it harder to check notes efficiently). But still i'm annoyed that I got cheated. And now that I know about it I think I know which customer it was. I doubt i'll see him again though.