One week removed

Proud to be a partner.

This past week has been amazing.  I left my job of 3+ years to embark on a new professional adventure with coffee juggernaut, Starbucks.  The decision was not easy at first but quickly revealed itself to be the right move.  In the one week off between jobs, my decision was further justified.  For the first time in my life (outside of vacations, which occurred few and far between) stress was replaced with joy, excitement, and anticipation.  Instead of worrying about working 70 hours and dealing with drunk fools in town for a convention or basketball fans who didn’t enjoy their wings, I got to sit at home with my wife and 6-week old daughter, soaking in family time with a little bit of March Madness as the cherry on my sundae.  The best part of this is knowing that when I do begin my new job, I was told that if I was working more than 45-47 hours a week, I was not managing my time properly.  This statement blew my mind because it was such a sharp contrast to the mindset of my previous job.  The philosophy there was if sales are slow, all management is expected to work 60+ hours a week regardless.  I don’t mind putting in the work, but the hours were not for the betterment of the product or service, rather for the widening of some corporate wallets. Save some labor dollars and sacrifice quality of service.  Makes sense.  We all know that some people are straight up career people.  That whole quality of life thing doesn’t matter.  It’s all about profit.  Profit is fine and it’s what every business works toward but you cannot run a company without placing value in your employees.  There is something seriously wrong when a member of a management team leaves out of the blue.  I’ve been in some form of restaurant/hospitality management for almost 8 years.  My business philosophy is to value my staff first and foremost because they are the ones who carry you through the everyday aspects of your job.  If there is not a genuine sense of appreciation, you cannot effectively lead.  If you instill the basics of guest service and treat your staff like human beings as opposed to cogs in your machine, everyone’s job is a little easier and everyone’s pockets get a little fuller.  Too much of the time we allow a job and money to encompass our lives.  We allow others to dictate our happiness.  We relinquish control of our own lives so we can buy a new car or enjoy a vacation to the Caribbean.  I made the decision to switch jobs knowing a pay cut was possible but that didn’t matter.  At the end of the day, I was not happy with my job.  I dreaded Tuesday morning (one of my days off) conference calls because I knew that if we didn’t put money in the bank, I was going to be chewed out.  Very rarely was there a positive week.  No one can handle constant negativity and it seemed to be swirling around me on a daily basis.  When the time finally came and I put in my notice, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could breathe again.  I came home from work in a great mood.  I even felt better at work knowing I was making a decision that would positively impact my quality of life.  We are not put on this earth to work.  We are put on this earth to live.

Everyone seemed kind of stunned and surprised when I told them I was leaving and where I was going.  “Starbucks? Really?”  The first question I was asked in both stages of the interview process was, “Why Starbucks?”  I was able to answer without hesitation.  I have a few Starbucks’ locations that I frequent on a regular basis.  Every time I walk in the door, I am greeted warmly and they remember what I drink.  They ask about work, family, etc.  They remember me as an individual and treat me like I am walking into their home.  This is the exact environment I want to be a part of.  I want to be that part of someone’s day.  Even if it’s only a 30 second conversation, it will be a positive one they will remember.  Those are the things that keep people coming back.  That the is the basics of the hospitality industry.  It doesn’t get any simpler than that.  The reason their guests are treated so well is because even though Starbucks is a HUGE company, they value EVERY “partner” that works for them.  Benefits are offered to anyone who works over 20 hours.  Perks are awarded to everyone.  I am walking away from a negative environment that worried about dollars first and people later and moving into a place that values people first and allows the dollars to roll in because of that.  The service industry is a people business.  Staff are people too.  If you don’t value all people in the process, there is no industry.

Hater Tots – Breakfast of Champions or Failures?

Feeding the masses!

“If you don’t have any haters, you’re doing something wrong.”  I’ve heard this quote so many times it makes my ears bleed.  This quote could not be further from the truth.  Let me preface my argument with the fact that, inevitably, someone is going to dislike whatever you are doing.  Thus, there will be a small faction of people that hate everything.  This is a guarantee in life just the same as death and taxes (unless you are a bum, See previous article).

So my first qualm with this statement is the fact that there is a hater for everything.  Therefore, if this statement holds true, everyone in this world is doing things right because there is a hater for everything.  Right?  Let me start you with a list of things and/or people that have done or are doing things wrong; Kim Jong Il, the Ku Klux Klan, politics of any sort, Soulja Boy, HD DVD, suicide bombers, OJ Simpson, PETA, all of N’SYNC minus Justin Timberlake, and any VH1 reality show.  You may disagree and think some of things that I mentioned are/were perfectly fine, therefore you are a hater, which makes me right.  It does not matter what you create, someone is going to hate it.

Super Hater

My second issue with this mantra is that promotes hatred.  This ideology promotes creating a product or belief that some people will like and some people will hate.  If you do not create something that some people will hate, you are doing things wrong.  Why would you want to do that?  I don’t think that an auto manufacturer sits down at the planning table and says, “OK guys.  I am starting POS Motors and we are only going to make hybrid minivans so there will always be people who do not like our product.”  Why do car manufacturers make coupes, sedans, SUVS, & minivans?  Because, ultimately someone is going to dislike a coupe.  You plan to please the masses, not alienate customers.

My point is that you do not have to have haters to be doing something right.  If you set out with this mentality, you’re an idiot.  Hitler had an entire army full of haters.  Were they doing things right?

Inner Monologue

The following kind of ties in with the previous post.  Just needed to get some things off my chest and on to some paper.  Always a good outlet for anything.

Disappointment looms.

Why must it be the same thing everytime?

What you say is all about you,

When the matter only concerns myself.

A different day and the same dispute.

This piece of paper means nothing in my eyes

But means the world to you.

Vicarious living shines on the surface,

But fades with the hands of time.

For some, success is measured between the pages of a book.

For others, it is merely a reflection of one’s happiness in life.

An accomplishment, yes.

A definition of one’s self, hardly.

Regret will come later down the road,

But are we not taught to live without regret?

If I choose to live in the present, how can regret find me?

Success is measured within…

I am at an interesting point in my life.  I am 23 years old.  I am engaged and planning a wedding.  I have purchased my first home.  I have a job and more importantly, one that I enjoy.  I can afford to pay my bills, put food on the table, and spend a little bit extra on other things that I want.  All of these things are positive steps in life that most people want to achieve at some point in their life.  Yet, according to some, I am still lacking something that will establish myself as a professional.  I have completed over 100 credit hours of college but have yet to graduate.  That little piece of paper that says Bachelor’s Degree seems to be a measuring stick for qualification and success.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe that graduating college is an achievement that everyone should strive to accomplish, but does it really measure one’s ability to succeed in the professional world?  What does that degree really say about someone?

All throughout my educational career I was an A/B student.  I graduated high school with a 3.75 GPA from the brightest high school in the state.  I was a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, French National Honor Society, etc.  I received a Presidential Scholarship to the University of Louisville.  I began studying for my Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science with a concentration in Law & Public Policy.  My hopes were to continue my education in Law School.  As my education continued, I quickly realized that Law School was not the path that I really wanted.  It was definitely the path that my parents and other people around me wanted, but not mine.  I removed that thought from my goals and figured that I should just finish up my degree and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

Let’s back up a little bit.  When I graduated from high school, I took a job in the service industry spraying shoes and working the bowling counter at an upscale “bowling lounge.”  This seemed like a fun job that I could make a little extra cash while in college.  I did have a full scholarship, so there was no real need for a job, but I had worked since I was 14 years old and didn’t see any reason not to have one.  My preconceived notions about the job were exactly right.  I was making really good money and had a blast every shift I worked.  I was asked to become a part of the corporate training team and travel around the country, training new staff members at various locations.  This was a phenomenal opportunity for a young college student.  I was learning all kinds of information about corporate structure and had the opportunity of spending time with very influential executives & owners.  When I returned home from my first trip as a corporate trainer, I was offered a supervisor position.  Of course, I accepted the position and took on more responsibility.  Everything was going great.  I was doing well in school and had begun making positive moves in my current job that looked great on a resume.  At 19 years old, I had become a corporate trainer & joined the local management team.

Moving forward 4 years, I am currently with a new company because of the former company closing their Louisville location.  I have resumed a management role with even greater responsibility.  My priorities have changed drastically in that four years.  I did not see the relevance of a Political Science degree with regards to my personal goals and aspirations.  I do not want to be a lawyer, politician, activist, local city official, etc.  I want to work for myself.

I have lived my life with the mentality that hard work equals success.  Success is measured by personal happiness.  One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Brandon Boyd, the lead singer of Incubus.  He says, “I learned from a young age that if I pursued things that truly excited me, that they would reward in more important ways, like happiness.”  Success in my life is finding true happiness.  That being said, I am about to be married to the most amazing person in the world.  Success.  I have a job that I actually enjoy.  Success.  I have a family that provides unconditional love.  Success.  I want to continue my professional career in a social atmosphere where people enjoy being in an establishment or venue that I create.  Whether that is a restaurant, coffee shop, bar, music hall, or bookstore, I do not really know at this point.  All I truly know is that I want to continue being happy.  In all aspects of our lives, we must stay happy.  Without happiness, is there really anything to look forward to?

Childhood memories

I’m absolutely ecstatic at the news of a movie based on one of my favorite childhood books, Where the Wild Things Are.  The live action movie looks incredible.  I bought a t-shirt about 6 or 7 months ago with the characters from the book on it.  Then I saw the trailer the other day.  This book really helped to encourage using my imagination as a child and really opened my eyes to all the possibilites a kid needs to escape the tough realities that life throws at kids.  It also got me thinking about some of my favorite books as a kid.  Anyone who knows my mother knows that she pushed reading and writing to her children.  I participated in the Book-It promotion at Pizza Hut where you were rewarded with a personal pan pizza for completing like 5 books.  They put a new sticker on your button for every book completed.  I also participated in the summer reading program through the Louisville Public Library.  You got entered in drawings for prizes if you complete 10 books over the summer.  Needless to say, I read plenty of books as a kid.  Here are some of my favorites…

1.  Where the Wild Things Are: This book is a must read for anyone who has never read it.  It is fun and can really help someone open up their imagination to escape reality.

2.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar: This book by Eric Carle was my favorite in either Kindergarten or 1st grade.  I was the narrator for our class presentation of the book.  There is nothing great in a literary sense, but it is a fantastic picture book that teaches young kids how to read and about the life cycle of how a caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly.

3.  Goosebumps: I probably read almost every Goosebumps book released.  R.L. Stine is by no means a great writer, but his stories were intriguing to an elementary schooler.  These stories are the children’s equivalent to a Stephen King novel.  One memorable book was Night of the Living Dummy.  It was a tale about a dummy who has a mind of his own.

4. Clifford, the Big Red Dog: Clifford was lovable oversized dog who got into all kinds of trouble.  I’m just glad he never mistaked the house for a fire hydrant.

5. The Boxcar Children: To be honest, I don’t remember any of the characters names but I read a ton of these books.  They were about a group of kids who lost their parents.  The stories usually involved some sort of mystery.

6.  The Indian in the Cupboard: This book told the story of a kid who had a cupboard that gave his toys life.  It covered the ideas of discrimination and friendship.

These were just a few of my favorite books as a kid.  Find the inner child in you and let me know what you loved as a kid.  Please leave a comment on some of your favorites, I would love to see what others enjoyed.  I’m sure to see some Dr. Seuss, Judy Blum, Shel Silverstine, Mark Twain, Roald Dahl, and C.S. Lewis.

Monuments and Melodies update…

Incubus officially released the news on their tour and new album.  Here is the tracklisting:

DISC ONE

Black Heart Inertia

Drive
Megalomaniac
Anna-Molly
Love Hurts

Wish You Were Here

Warning
Stellar
Talk Shows On Mute
Pardon Me
Dig
Oil And Water
Are You In?
Nice To Know You
Midnight Swim

DISC TWO

Neither Of Us Can See
Look Alive
While All The Vultures Feed
Pantomime
Anything
Punch Drunk
Admiration
Martini
A Certain Shade Of Green (Acoustic)
Monuments And Melodies
Let’s Go Crazy

MONUMENTS AND MELODIES TOUR
The following dates are confirmed, with more dates to be added:

Date                City                             Venue
July 9               San Diego, CA            Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
July 10             Santa Barbara, CA     Santa Barbara Bowl
July 11             Las Vegas, NV            The Joint
July 13             Hollywood, CA            Hollywood Bowl
July 16             Salt Lake City, UT       Usana Amphitheatre
July 19             Kansas City, MO        City Market
July 21             Chicago, IL                 Charter One Pavilion
July 22             Indianapolis, IN            The Lawn at White River State Park
July 23             St. Louis, MO              Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 25             Cincinnati, OH            Riverbend Music Center
July 26             Detroit, MI                    DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 29             Celeveland, OH          Time Warner Amphitheatre
July 30             Toronto, ONT              Molson Amphitheatre
August 1          Boston, MA                 Comcast Center
August 2          Uncasville, CT            The Mohegan Sun Arena
August 4          New York, NY              Radio City Music Hall
August 5          New York, NY              Radio City Music Hall
August 7          Holmdel, NJ                P.N.C Banks Arts Center
August 8          Philadelphia, PA          Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing
August 9          Washington, DC         Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 11        Virginia Beach, VA      Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 12        Charlotte, NC             Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 14        Atlanta, GA                 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 15        Tampa, FL                  Ford Amphitheatre
August 16        Miami, FL                   Bayfront Park Amphitheatre
August 19        Austin, TX                  Austin Music Hall
August 21        Houston, TX               Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 22        Dallas, TX                  Superpages.com Center
August 25        Phoenix, AZ               Jobbing.com Arena

ATTENTION INCUBUS FANS…

For anyone who hasn’t heard, Incubus will be releasing a greatest hits & rarities album entitled “Monuments and Melodies” on May 5.  There will be some new material on the album with the first single, “Black Heart Inertia” to be released on radio airwaves sometime in March.  Along with this release, the band will embark yet another North American tour this summer.  That is great news to my ears because Incubus is one of the most amazing live bands I have ever witnessed.  They get a lot of negative criticism for being a “mainstream” band.  First off, Incubus has constantly evolved and brought something fresh to the table with each new album.  If you listen album by album, you will notice a change musically.  If the evolution has lead to more mainstream music, so be it.  I am a huge fan of S.C.I.E.N.C.E. but would absolutely hate to have 6 other Incubus albums similar to that one.  The band has grown and incorporated various new instruments over time adding a unique element to their music.  The whole mainstream criticism is something that I really hate hearing.  Music snobs would love for their favorite local bands to remain locked down to touring around their little city, rather than hope for success of reaching the biggest audience possible.  If Incubus had remained a local act in Southern California playing funk-driven tracks from Fungus Amongus, I don’t believe the band would have survived.  They never “sold out” as their careers progressed.  Every band wants to make it big, therefore every band wants to sell out.  Incubus makes the music they want, not the music producers tell them to make.  The guys record in studios that cater to the feeling of the album they wish to portray.  Once again, I digress, but music snobs are one of the most annoying things in the world to me.  Every one has their own tastes.  If you don’t like a band’s new stuff, don’t listen to it.  Simple as that.  There is not one band in the world that everyone likes.  And just for the record, I hate hate hate U2.  I hate their music, I hate Bono’s sunglasses, and I love the episode of South Park where Bono was revealed to the be the world’s largest Number 2.  (If you haven’t seen it, check it out!  Hilarious, kinda gross, but hilarious)  Back to my actual article…  I would venture to say that most of these critics have never actually seen Incubus live.  Their live performance musically mimics what they record in the studio which is a testament to their musical abilities.  Every show involves solos from every band member in typically elongated jam sessions which entertain from beginning to end.  They vary their set-lists from show to show and put on amazing performances night in and night out.  I have seen Incubus five times now and will continue to follow them.  It looks like they are going to be performing in Indianapolis and Cincinnati again.  The tour cities seem to be pretty common tour spots for the band.  Out of the five performances I’ve been to, four of them were in outdoor amphitheaters.  The non-outdoor performance was at Rupp Arena in Lexington.  I can’t wait to see these guys again.  It should be a treat following the break the band has had.  Every member has had some pretty significant things happen during this break.  Brandon held his second art gallery out in California.  Jose became a father of the first Incubus baby.  Mike has been studying at Harvard.  Ben has been touring with his solo act.  Kilmore, well I don’t really know what Kilmore has been up to, but I’m sure it was rewarding in some way.  I CANNOT WAIT for this summer!

The Start of My Bucket List…

I am currently in the process of finishing up college, buying my first house, looking for an actual career rather than a job, among many other life changing events.  I have enjoyed life and have had a ton of experiences that I look back on.  I’ve been scuba diving in the Caribbean, witnessed a NCAA Final Four and National Championship, been to the Orange Bowl, traveled across the United States, attended a Rage Against the Machine Concert, attended 5 Incubus concerts and counting, etc.  Given a lot of these amazing experiences in my life, there is so much more that I want to accomplish, most of it while I’m young and full of life.  With the popularity of “bucket lists” emerging I decided to begin my own bucket list.

1. Attend a Boston Red Sox Game @ Fenway Park (Bonus: Seats on the Green Monster, Playoff Game, Vs. Yankees)
2. See a game in every MLB ballpark
3. Attend a World Series Game (Bonus: Red Sox are in the Series)
4. Travel to Australia (Bonus: Scuba dive in Great Barrier Reef)
5. Open my own coffee shop – I’ve developed a very fond liking to coffee and  espresso drinks lately and I believe that this would be the most rewarding way to “work” and earn a living
6. Skydive – I’m absolutely terrified of heights but get a crazy adrenaline rush with these things
7. Snowboard in locations all over the world – Places of interest include all over Colorado, Big Bear, Lake Tahoe, Alaska, Japan, and the Swiss Alps.  If there’s powder, I’ll shred it!  (So cliche but that comes with the territory)
8. See a moose in the wild – Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you my favorite animal is a moose.  I love these creatures and would love to go hiking in Alaska or Canada and see one.  But I don’t want to get too close because they have been known to kill a man.
9. Pet a penguin – (Bonus: Slide on some ice with a penguin) I love those little guys.  And, no this wasn’t inspired by “March of the Penguins” or “Happy Feet”
10. Have a European Adventure – Countries of interest include France, Italy, England, Ireland, Greece, Spain, & Switzerland for the Alps
11. Learn to Surf (Bonus: While in Hawaii)
12. Publish a book – (Bonus: Make lots of money from that book, Inspire someone else to pursue a dream) I have no idea what about but I think I’ve got lots of time for the right thing to tickle my fancy
13. See the World’s Largest Ball of Yarn – It is one of those kitschy attractions that gets made fun of in movies but I want to be able to say that I’ve seen it  (By the way, it’s on Washington St. in Cawker, KS, a state I loathe)
14. Visit a restaurant of Gordon Ramsay – (Bonus: Actually eat something that Chef Ramsay himself made) I have begun to enjoy cooking lately and love watching his “enthusiasm” on Hell’s Kitchen & Kitchen Nightmares.  I respect his culinary expertise and would love to taste his creations.
15. Have a mini-arcade in my house– I love video games so to have a basement or space full of games would be amazing.  Some games of interest include Mortal Kombat, Pacman, Time Crisis, Golden Tee, Top Skater, Paperboy, Addams Family Pinball, and South Park Pinball

This list will continue to grow as I get older but I feel that is a good start.  If you have any comments or would like to post a portion of your own bucket list please feel free to comment.  It is so fun and relaxing to think about all the dreams and goals for the future.