Shooting Star

      I'm back ladies and gentlemen, after a long hiatus during which I have completed one year in my first leadership position at work, been in my first car accident (and subsequently went car shopping for the first time), got a new phone, and got a new apartment!  So much so cover that I would not try to cram it all into this one entry, it would not do any of it justice.  So let's just say that I'm back, and I'm still kickin'.  Oh an apologies for the cheesy title of the entry, Owl City (my favorite musical artist) released a new album recently and there is always one song on each album that does something to me deep down, changes me for the better and keeps me reaching for everything I dream of doing and everywhere I dream of going and the song on this album that connected with me was Shooting Star!

     First of all, as many of you may be wondering, I am completely fine after that car accident I spoke of.  It was a dangerous merge onto a fast paced road (where it is customary to go 10mph over the limit) and a big Mack truck in front of me started to merge but then had to jam the break to avoid one of said speedsters and I crunched the front of my '95 Park Avenue on the back end of the truck.  I saw him start to go and then looked back to make sure it was clear for me to merge, when I looked back he hadn't gone after all!  Oops!  Luckily he actually felt that my car hit his truck, there was barely a scratch on the Mack, my Park Avenue looked a lot worse than I felt the accident was.  After a week or two of walking the route to work I went car shopping with my Dad and lucked out by finding a fantastic '05 Chevy Malibu with barely 36,000 miles on it!  Luckily my Dad was with me that day, I can't imagine my first time dealing with credit checks, auto loans, and going dealership to dealership having to be done all on my own!  The Malibu has been amazing and not just because it was the first car I ever picked out on my own.  It had the best parts of every car I was looking at, had the low miles, and it was at a monthly payment I can afford!  

      Since that day I have been second guessing myself driving, I am still a little nervous but I am getting back to where I used to be.  I have much more to focus on of a more positive nature than driving anxiety.  Things at work have been going very well indeed since the last entries I wrote to you.  I have never stopped reading books on leadership and people skills and I continue to relate everything I read in those books to how I can put the lessons into effect at my own personal store. I was told I may be the best trainer they've ever had at this Starbucks at Purdue and I never have to pull rank to get people to do things.  Off the clock people still come right on up to me (even though there are student supervisors working at the time) and ask my input which I gladly give.  I take it as a good sign that people trust me enough to come up to me when I'm not working for information instead of only when they work with me.  The District Manager (or my boss' boss if you like) on multiple occasions said I am ready to be a manager at my own Starbucks.  The most recent visit we discussed leadership and how I like to do things on my shifts, she asked my input on the remodel, then she asked me to let her know if there was anything she could do to keep me at this store just a little longer because they are lucky to have me.  Imagine how that made me feel.  That kind of talk keeps someone like me going for a long while!  I did mention my loyalty to this store with extend through the remodel of the store to make sure they get off to a good start.  I also said I had my eye on moving to Florida, the gulf side, to work as a manager at a store or assistant manager if need be.  The DM told me to keep in touch and she would do everything she can when that time comes to see if we can get me down there to Florida (it's been a dream to live in Florida since I was 13 and first visited).  

      Other than that I fill my time continuing to write various things, plan get togethers for co workers to meet outside of work to build relationships with the team (got one coming up on the 8th that already has 6 or so people signed on) and visiting with the alumni and serving crew at Harry's once a week (big change from way back when I first came back to campus in terms of how many people I knew.  Might be worth going back to that first entry to read about how nervous I was to come back and not know more than 3 people and not sure if I could handle the new leadership role I was taking on!).

     I am currently enjoying a coffee or two here at the store whilst awaiting the rain to start, which I think is supposed to last two or three days!  That should make the first football game of the season interesting for everyone tomorrow!  I am working 9:30am to 6pm tomorrow and 7am to 3:30pm Sunday but then a paid day off Monday!  This work week, between the rain, football starting again, the wacky schedule, and this new Owl City song should be something to keep life interesting as always!  Not to mention it'll be nice to have a payday Wednesday where I can actually begin to put some money away for fun and savings (first time I can do that since moving in early July!)  If anyone is still left reading these and are still interested, it's good to be back and to have people following me again.  Let's make this next year something out of the ordinary and special.  I'll be chasing my dreams no matter how childish and out of reach they may seem.  When you're ready to do the same, I'll be right there ready to help!  Have a great evening ladies and gentlemen!

  

March 7, 2012

     A very bright and very windy day here for the last day of my workweek.  It is definitely a day I can go outside without the need for even a hoodie. I believe it has a chance to hit 70 degrees today with a low of just under 60!  As far as early March goes in Indiana that's as good as it gets.  Well, again I'm not really sure what to discuss in this entry but I just felt like writing again!
     I feel like I really got into a zone this week at work (so far, I don't want to jynx it or anything).  Getting more comfortable making judgement calls on where to put people throughout the shift.  One or two of the decisions I made this week were by no means popular among everyone but I deemed them to be the right thing to do for what needed to be done.  Are all my calls correct?  Probably not, but I shouldn't be perfect all the time or things won't change, not to mention it wouldn't be human if I was correct 100% of the time.  Basically it was pretty busy yet again the other night, people are calling in sick this week left and right, had to find two people quickly to cover a shift.  Then at night there are quite a few things that need to be taken care of in order for the morning crew and day crew to be set up to run effectively.  This would include running to the back cooler to stock up dozens of gallons of milk, running upstairs to the freezer to grab dozens of boxes of pastries for the case, running down to the basement to stock up all the syrups and cups and whatnot, then basically cleaning everything.  The main goal is still to make drinks and to ensure great customer service but all that stuff I mentioned above is always in the back of my mind to get done.  Usually, when it isn't busy I should say, all that stuff gets done and it's rather boring at night.  When it's busy it gets pretty hectic unless you have a game plan, which I just happened to put together last night.  Yes it asked a lot of the student workers but it also asked a lot of me!  I like nights like that because if I start feeling the pressure I know I am learning and growing, hovering in that area we all like to be just outside our comfort zones.  Anyway, that's my work related story so enough of that haha.
    Other than that I am really enjoying this stretch of good weather we have going here.  I must say the only drawback is how windy it is but I feel when it's this warm it'd be wrong to complain about that.  I'm not absolutely certain what I will do with my weekend this week.  I am a fan of breaking routines to keep things fresh lest what I like to do becomes something I feel obligated to do even on days I don't feel like doing it!  I think I am about due for a day to just flat out lay in bed all day like I said the other day.  Just watching Netflix with books in reach and phone nearby.  Throw on my robe and just lay there drifting in and out of sleep, now that's a day off!  We'll see what happens, like I said I don't like to plan things out too much and when I do they hardly ever actually work out haha.
    I think that may be all I have for you guys and gals today, I better go enjoy the rest of my coffee and listen to a little more music to recharge for my shift tonight!  I hope it's a great day wherever you are ladies and gentlemen and, as always, thanks for reading. :)

March 6, 2012

    There we go!  New schedule for those days I don't work until 4pm (which is actually every day except Saturday).  On days like this I tend to wake up at 2pm and head straight in but not lately, these brighter mornings and warming temperatures are making it easier to jump out of bed earlier.  In today's case it was 10:30am and that gave me a chance to brew my own coffee, to get up and moving around which makes waking up easier, and even breakfast before I head in to the store to read and wait for my shift.  Not a whole terrible lot to write about today but I am in the writing mood.
    Last night at work was pretty hectic but I feel I handled it well.  There was something going on around campus, whether it was some sort of event for incoming students or exams I do not know.  All I know is it was crazy busy compared to most weekdays at the same time.  Add to the increased customer count the fact that we had new displays to put up around the store and merchandise to shift around because of the new Spring promotion and that equals me running around making sure everyone has a job to do, I get my restocking jobs and whatnot done, and the person setting up the new promotion gets it done.  Long story short everything went well, I just had to clock out a little later, ended up getting home at 1am which isn't terrible actually (plus it feels good going back and listing all the things we managed to get done).  So here I am, rested up and getting recharged for another day.  Just a couple more days before my own fake weekend (I have Thursdays and Fridays off) and everyone leaves for Spring Break and we take it just a little bit easier.
    Now, speaking of Spring Break I don't get one haha.  What I do get is a chance to work the schedule I mentioned the last post.  One that I do wake up early but I am done early in the day too and can enjoy warmer temps and bright sun so that'll be a nice change.  All I want to do after clocking out those days is take it nice and easy.  Netflix and napping the rest of that afternoon and night comes to mind.  At some point during the week I am also putting in my application for an apartment a little ways away from this one.  Hopefully I'll be locking down my own one bedroom and moving in this next July!  Pretty cool place especially because it has a pool, but also because it'll be my first apartment completely to myself.  I'll be talking more and more about it in future posts I'm sure.
   Other than that I have run out of things to discuss!  I hope all of you are enjoying your days wherever you are and keep an eye out for more posts!  Stay classy ladies and gentlemen, and thanks for reading.

March 5, 2012

      Well hello again everyone!  It's a bright (although chilly) morning here but I have my coffee and good music playing so the mood struck me to type up another entry.  Just got back from a trip home to Fort Wayne the last few days which was pretty nice.  I was hoping those few days would be nothing but relaxing with the fam but it didn't quite end up that way.  I spent time with the family, yes, but a lot of semi-babysitting was in store for me.  I did not get to follow my usual routine of heading to my old Starbucks and just sitting there with coffee, a book, and some music for a couple hours in the morning.  Not to mention two and a half days really isn't enough time to really settle down and relax.  Having said that, it was still a blast to see everyone again after a few months away.
     Now back to Lafayette for me to continue working hard and playing even harder.  This next couple weeks will be out of the ordinary which, therefore, makes it a very exciting way to run through this month.  For starters my workweek is shorter by one day (I used a personal day on Saturday to stay at home a little longer).  Plus, starting Friday, which I don't work anyway, the store closes earlier in preparation for Spring Break.  That means my schedule is going to shift starting next Saturday to working more in the daytime.  Again, this is very nice for a change.  Yes I have to wake up much earlier but I am also done much earlier in the day!  Then of course you have to mention the fact that most people are leaving campus for the week so I will be nowhere close to being as busy as a normal week.  Everything over the next week or so points to a wonderful, relaxing change to get me set for the final push to commencement day for all these kids.
    Has it already almost been a year since I came back here to work?  July through now has flown by and so much has changed not only with me but with just about everyone I know!  If I wasn't sure what kind of person I was in terms of handling change, I know now that I embrace it and it excites me which I feel is the greatest (and healthiest) way to deal with change.  What was on the agenda to do when I got here?  Well the main thing I knew I had to do but didn't know how was to meet new friends here on campus.  Once I took care of that then everything seemed like it was perfect for me at this point in time.  Gotta be happy where you are in the present and now I am :).  Now you see all these relationships I have cultivated over the Fall and Winter months can be strengthened in a big way now that Spring and Summer are here again and being outside is a real possibility.  My new friends, or most of them, are going to be on campus through the summer as well so I get to hang out even more.  Summer on a college campus is fantastic.  You get enough students still here taking summer classes that it isn't quite a ghost town.  At the same time there is no worries finding a parking spot or waiting in line at any point to get into Harry's (or any other bar on Chauncey Hill for that matter).  My store is never busy at all either, nothing I can't handle with ease.  So I am just about ready for that.
     That's all I've got for you guys today I think!  Just going to continue my workout routine here for the day and then get ready for work.  Warmer days are becoming more and more frequent so take comfort in that!  Enjoy your respective days ladies and gentlemen and, of course, thanks for reading! ;)

Jon 2.0

     Well guys here I am back at Blogger!  I know it's been a while but I've been taking time to really concentrate on getting better in my supervisor position.  The last couple months have proven most invaluable in those terms!  Whereas before I was always concerned with everyone liking me and all the decisions I made, I am now suggesting exactly what I think is the right thing to do, putting people where I feel is best for the team that day, and not caring as much if they like the decision or not.  Might sound bad but that's really the only way to put it.  I guess, long story short, I am many times more comfortable in my supervisor shoes now.  More assertive and decisive in my decision making but still maintaining my calm exterior and still treating everyone in a pleasant manner.  When problems arise I handle them quickly and efficiently and when I have problems with any type of behavior from the workers I am quick to address it (but still in private or in a low volume with the exact person.  I still believe in not disciplining people in public, only praising in public).
      But Jon, I can hear you shout, what have you been up to other than that?  I am tired of hearing about how awesome you are at your job!  Well, I would say back, I have been working on getting out into public view and meeting new people.  It was back in October I decided to do something different on my first day off of the weekend.  I chose a hangout spot to visit regularly and meet people.  Firstly, I wanted it to be a place not everyone could go which eliminated a lot of options and made my decision easier.  Secondly, I wanted it to be close to everywhere I needed to go during the day (or wanted to go is a better term because my days off I don't need to go anywhere!).  Lastly, I wanted it to be a place where I could have something in common with most everyone there.  Well my Purdue friends may know that place already.  I chose Harry's!  It is a fairly small bar here on campus right across the street from work.  During the night it is usually packed but when I go there is dramatically fewer people.  Those who actually are there are Alum from Purdue so there's networking opportunities right there.  Going there at odd times gave me a chance to not feel like a sardine and gave me the chance to get to know the serving crew and bartenders as well as the regulars.  Well I am happy to say not only do I not do a lot of drinking (most days I just have one Corona) but everyone there from regulars to the serving crew know my name and what I drink and I am becoming pretty good friends with all of them!  Mission accomplished.
     What's next for me though?  I am currently saving up money for a safety net come July when I switch apartments.  I have a line on a nice one bedroom apartment with a pool just 4 minutes longer of a commute than what I have now.  I am also saving up money and vacation time to take a trip.  I want to travel still!  There are so many places I want to vacation to but haven't had the chance.  With the setup I have now with this full time job I can finally do it, just need to be patient!  First trip is starting to look more and more like visiting Mike and Mandy in California! (Congratulations you two on finding an apartment and having remarkable success adapting to your new jobs and commute, I really am amazed at how quickly you both adjusted!)  I think that's all I have to talk about for this entry.  I will attempt to get back into writing regular entries now that I am more comfortable with my job and daily routine.  As an added bonus, we are moving out of February and closer to Spring and warmer, brighter weather.  This is the beginning of the time of year where my Seasonal Affective tendencies start to melt away :)  Take it easy ladies and gentlemen and, once again and as always, thanks for reading.