how to get good service

i had one of those experiences today that reminded me how crap it is to work in the service industry. i had to go pay my gym account and also cancel the contract. the girl at reception was harried and busy, so i waited patiently... then when she asked me to write a letter of cancellaion, i thought i'd save some time by writing in my id number, membership number and so forth. all of a sudden she was smiling. "you know, most peple wouldn't think to do that", she said. and so it went , i got great service and she appreciated the fact that i didn't get all aggro at her over procedural stuff.


people tend to forget one basic fact: people in the servbice industry take a lot of crap, work hard and generally get paid peanuts. so i think (with my eeeeendless years of waitressing experience as a basis) that it's a good idea to follow a few basic rules---

1. you get what you give. however you treat someone, expect to be treated. it doesn't matter if you're rich or por, having a sense of entitlement will get you nowhere! some of the best customers i've had have been low on cash but knew how hard i was working and showed me respect, good manners, and genuine warmth.


2. don't make me the butt of your jokes. just because i have a sense of humour doesn't mean i'm your patsy. and trust me, you're not paying me enough.


3. don't waste my time. i have a job to do... it's one thing if i have time to chat, but saying you're ready to order when you haven't even looked at the menu and then asking stupid questions about every item that are answered by the menu means that others suffer and i get stressed uneccesarily.


4. tipping is not a city in china. here's how it goes... 10% for okay service, 15% for good service, 20% and above for sterling service... ans using the minimum wage of the country you're in is essential (ie in the US a 5dollar tip may be cool but a R5 tip in the RSA is an insult unless you ate at the spur.)... and finally....


5. patience is a virtue. trying to rush me is not going to help, certain things take time... if you're in that much of a rush, you shold've planned better

exciting
i saw colin farrel at joburg. he really is that short. apparently salma hayek (who dined at five flies)is also petite.

are all movie stars teeny?

why then am i not a movie star. i'm teeny.

the tick is clocking...

i had a call from angela at the consulate again (i really do have such warm feelings towards her, although this may just be transference). so the first Q&A session will be held at the consulate on the 12th of june (so soon already). my passport will be ready on the 21st (well that's the hope. the reality of the department of home affairs is usually more problematic). my birthday is on the 25th and then a month later it's time to go!i'm beginning to get nervous (well more than i have been). the reality is starting to hit.

add to this that Carla is most likely going to Dubai at the end of the month for a month or two, and i'm generally feeling a bit upheavaled. upheaved? uphoven? anyway, in a state of turmoil and general instability.

massive redesign

as those of you who have beeen here before may notice., i've had to redo the site thanks to angelfire no longer hosting my images. thanks guys!

anyway hope you like the refitting job.

ciao

last day for group 1

so, today was the last day that group 1 met. it was quite sad for me to realise that my time with the group is almost up (only practical exams to go) and then that's it: only japan to look forward to if i can just get over the money thing.

here are some photos..

mother's day.

so, another mother's day rolled around, with more sappy mothery sentiment. now, don't get me wrong i love my mom and think she's fab, and wouldn't trade her for the world. however the syrupy sentimentality that prevails on mothers' day is just nauseating. usually, some sort of motherly activity (ie cooking, washing up etc) is usually involved in these displays. everybody simpers. ther are no punk moms, no feisty moms, no moms who have tattoos or work. also, according to adverts, what your mom really wants is washing powder/ an ugly plastic bowl/a horrible lounge suite etc just because its on sale!

also, as much as moms do (we literally wouldn't exist without them), i really don't think that merely being a mom is a badge of honour tantamount to curing cancer. there are plenty of bad, wicked, abusive, lazy and mean moms. they're still moms.

so what mother's day is really celebrating is good moms, right?

survivor guilt
so, it's the three hour survivor:pearl island finale. i don't really care as long as it's not jonny-"fair"-play. anyone who makes up a dead grandmother just to win a contest is an arse, and is also in serious danger of calling down the evil eye on himself. i'm serious about this , that's some bad shit he's calling down on yourself- he even swore on her grave for heaven's sake. also i'd be interested to see his gran's take on the whole thing... and just how are his family going to rationalise his behaviuor...

"yeah, jonny's always been a bit of a prankster, but that's the way he is."
"he's a good boy, really, he's nice to animals, and he has lots of friends".

if that was my kid, i'd disown him. publicly. the line i'd take would be that i didn't raise him that way and that he was posessed by the demon azrael.