If I can do shots of vodka, I can do espresso.

Around 11 AM the phone rang. Whenever the phone is for me, I just assume it’s Panera. It was – but it wasn’t. It was Melissa on her cell, asking if I’d come in. *smirks* When I came in at noon, I told Angie that was really cheap of her, because I can’t say no to Melissa. Of course, I would have said yes to Angie as well, but I’m sure you see my humor.

It’s strange. I enjoy myself way too much at work. I consolidated and cleaned up bakery, and pretty much maintained it until close. I went out of my way to clean things when I could have sat on my ass. I’m not sure why I bother sometimes. Though, I bet the four shots of espresso I had attributed to my energy level. I just know how slow some of the closers are. I like to know that if I close, I can get out a half hour after close – which is the time it’s supposed to take. I was so ahead of myself that I put doilies on most of my plates and put them under. Pre-doilie-ing. I crack myself up. I think only Mary can appreciate that.

There was a staff meeting after close. (The word “staff” amuses me in this context, for some reason.) I feel weird because I took most of what management said seriously. Or, to put it another way, I agreed with most of it. And things we’re supposed to improve on? I know it doesn’t apply to me. We actually got a copy of the sexual harassment policy (straight from the “employee handbook”). Melissa and I sort of looked at each other. Yeah, of course we were sitting next to each other. I asked Mike about that afterwards, how bad we were. He said the sexual harassment thing had nothing to do with us, we were fine. Awesome, I can continue to grab her ass! Hey, it’s unwelcome sexual advances!

Mike said some things that got me thinking. First about “promotions”. Kind of amusing in the context of what I do, but it happens. Not even a month after I was hired, Steve (our old GM) was talking to me about being a trainer. I don’t really want to learn line, but. If Mike is serious about cracking down on call-outs, and serious about bringing on more people to help, it won’t be a problem.

The second thing he said that was the reason the Rockaway Panera has been delayed in being built is because of lack of management. Hrm. I laugh at the thought, but I could do that. Very easily.

Our store sucks. At least, it did. It’s improved so much since I started working there. If only in the way there’s a bit more order as opposed to chaos. At the very least because of my own presence. It used to be when we closed, bakery would be an utter mess and the pan-up wouldn’t be done. When I clock out, bakery is clean and stocked. Ever since our District Manager bitched to Angie about crumbs in the bakery, I’ve made it a point to clean the damn table so I can’t see any crumbs myself.

Again, only Mary can appreciate that.

Thing is, half the time, I don’t even feel like I’m working that hard. I’ve gotten used to it, I think. I’ve become a bit more focused. I used to do everything. I’d be all over the damn restaurant doing other people’s work. Not anymore. If I open, I camp in bakery. Fuck coffees. If I’m the 7 AM person, I’ll be the only person to touch coffees. Because I’m good at it. It’s not that hard; that’s the thing. How hard can it be to replace coffee when it’s expired, and brew coffee as needed? I have it down to a science.

I love openning. The nine hours go really fast for some reason. And then I have the rest of the day to myself.

Again, it doesn’t feel like I’m working that hard most of the time. It’s rather amusing to go hyperspeed. I can easily triple-task. Which brings up something else. Mike said that, for whatever reason, our speed of service is one of the best in the company. I’m not sure whether he means Fenwick or all of Panera. I suggested that part of the reason is because we DO multitask so much. But, the reason we multitask is because we’re typically understaffed. *laughs* As one customer pointed out, we’re jack-of-all-trades. *nodnod*

Whatever, nobody cares about work-related entries. Especially at a job most people can’t appreciate unless they’ve done it.

Melissa asked if I was free tomorrow. I’ve learned that if she asks me about whether I’m free, that usually means we’ll find a way to hang out. As opposed to me running into walls when I ask HER if we can hang out. She said she’d call me at 2:30 tomorrow.

Reminds me. Erik and Ashley have mono. And because our group of friends share food and drink a lot, we’re all a bit paranoid about whether the rest of us have it. They came down with it Friday, coughing up blood. I feel fine; I have no idea what the incubation period for mono is. I’ll look it up online and judge whether it’s worth it to go get tested tomorrow morning. Hey, I’d like to be able to tell her I don’t have mono, so she’ll relax. She said she’s already had mono twice. *smirks* But, as I told her, if I have mono, I already gave it to her Friday. Mmm.

Mike said that for the first time in seven months, we beat budget. That’s hilarious, especially with our horrid food cost. I’ll make Mike happy and keep under the 7.50 limit that we’ve never adherred to. It’s not so much brown-nosing as me liking Mike as a person. I’ve seen him when he’s not in manager-mode. He’s kind of like me. Besides, he’s the one that got me into White Castle. Moreover, if Mike were fired, I do NOT want somebody unfamiliar to be brought in as GM.

Yadda, yadda.

I went out with Liz yesterday to a health shop she used to work at. Why? I wanted to Bush Doctrine mono. *smirks* Can’t hurt to boost my immune system.

People who don’t know what “Bush Doctrine” means makes me want to smack my forehead.

I’m listening to Hanson. I was thinking yesterday that I could easily get Ashley into Hanson. She has a bit of stigma against them, as a lot of people do, but most of their good stuff isn’t what people remember them being all those years ago. I still need to lend my CCR CD to Liz.

I need to #2. And Carolyn IMed me, saying she needs to talk to me. So, I’ll go do those things. And I’ll continue to listen to Hanson, thank you very much.

Cuz when the minutes seem like hours and the hours seem like days
Then a week goes by, you know it takes my breath away
All the minutes in the world could never take your place
There’s one thousand four hundred forty hours in my day