“I’ll have an iced, tall, vanilla, non-fat, mocha latte’”
Mmm…. K. I have to get the right cup (clear for iced and small for tall!), write in V, NF, and M on the cup. Then I have to remember how many “pumps” of vanilla, how many “pumps” of mocha, remember how many espresso shots to pour (extract), use the shot of espresso before ten seconds, how far to pour the milk (top green line), add ice to 1/4 of an inch before the top of the cup and then put a blop of whipped cream on and, um, whether or not to drizzle with mocha syrup. That’s for one drink. One. Get a multiple drink order and you’ve got to add all the correct components for each drink, building each one appropriately, and then call out each of the drink orders correctly.
It is an exercise in memory capacity for things that aren’t in my memory banks yet.
I did alright. I didn’t actually have to remake any drinks or start over. I flubbed the call-out several times because I kept forgetting either the “iced” part or the “size” part.
I’m going to have to purge my childhood memories just to fit all of this stuff into my already over-burdened brain. I can just imagine the next phone call: “Mom? I don’t remember having a Mom.” HA!
I must say that I’m having a lot of fun and the people I am working with are just the nicest, most genuinely helpful and friendly people I’ve ever met. Plus, that free drinks while you work deal is terrific. I’ve been buzzed since Monday.
Today I was trained on the espresso bar. When in training, you make the drink and then taste it. I had an espresso, a caramel Macchiato, a “dry” cappuccino (my favorite), a mocha latte’, a mocha Frappuccino, a shaken and sweetened passion fruit iced tea, an iced Chai latte’, and two Pepsi’s. Yowza!
I was up at 3:35AM and at work at 5:00AM. I ate “lunch” at 9:30AM and when I went home at 1:30PM, I thought it was at least four in the afternoon. I do happen to know that it is Thursday, June 21st, 2007. Isn’t that a freakin’ miracle?
So I just read Jim Baca’s (New Mexico State Land commissioner, two terms, 1983-1986, 1991-1993; Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior, for President Bill Clinton, 1993-1994; Mayor, city of Albuquerque, 1997-2001; New Mexico State Natural Resource trustee, 2003-2006; New Mexico journalist; blogger extraordinaire) blog, Only in New Mexico.
He had a memory test in his latest post so, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I took it.
Amazingly, even after today, I proudly possess the brain memory of a 27 year old. However, at this rate, I should be up to and surpass my actual age by the end of this 8 week training session.
Just in case, and in order to avoid any embarrassing “old-timer’s” moments, please remind me how I know you, k?
Filed under: Who am I better yet What am I?, buzzed, memory, work
I’m pretty sure I’d wash out the first day. I stand in front of the frig trying to remember what I was looking for most of the time, there’s no way I’d remember all that stuff!
I’m sorry. Who are you again? Why am I here? Do I know you? Where am I?
I have enough trouble with, “Water, with just a little bit of ice, in one of those big blue cups honey, thanks!”
Oh.. btw..
I am:
Kinda cute.. brown eyes, Capricorn.. enjoys quiet evenings, long walks on the beach, holding hands.. etc..
(or better yet, that one you zip past on your way out.. at 4-in-the–morning-oh-my-gods-it’s-still-dark-outside!!!)
I’m a grande non-fat chai.
And who knew there was a 3:30 IN THE MORNING? Very interesting… Next you’ll be telling us that the earth is round.
My Dear Carrie: At 3:30 in the morning, everything is flat; the world, my hair, brainwaves, affect… The only thing that should be flat is my body… and the bed.
Tonight I’m closing and will be at work until at least midnight. There’s a level of flat to that, as well.
lol
Damn. I can hardly remember my own order….much less all the yo-yo orders you’d get on any given day.
That’s it, I’m declaring you a Goddess. There you go.
And I took that brain/memory test thing. I did pretty good. Does it count the number of f-words you utter as you take the test?
Oh Nat…I knew we we were kindred spirits (and you too, A, so that it can be menage a trois-ey and all:))- you love dry cappuccinos, too?! Big fat sigh…..
I could so totally not be a barista…except to save our family $500 a month and tap into decent medical and decent benefits…because my brain is just NOT that big….it cannot contain endless triples and drys and soys and non-fats and grandes and the like – it has only enough room for one tiny 3 V N/F D Cap….that’s it…..it’s the selfish gene…I read about it in Richard Dawkin’s works…and I admit, I was born with one….if Starbucks was sinking, I’d make sure my drink was made first.
Anyways, I so knew you had the talent for such multi-tasking. So few of us on this planet do…you’re a special breed, Miss Natalie.
And I’m not just saying that cuz I’d like an anonymous Starbucks card or bag of special Papua New Guinea Peaberry reserve blend coffee to show up in the mail or anything like that…shucks, no. I’m not that kind of friend.
Anyways, hoping ‘yer finding some down time these days.
Just to let you know, because I’m sure you were wondering, I have 8 days to complete my Cdn taxes…I am ultra stressola’ed. Why was I born a procrastinator? I’m thinking that’s not been working for me.
You are the same eighteen year old I started reading two months ago.
Right? RIGHT?