The other day while waiting for breakfast to be served I witnessed something that somewhat blew my mind. The couple one table over actually asked the wait staff to adjust the lighting above their table. The remedy wasn’t found in the form of a light switch but in the staff actually getting up on the table with a towel and loosening the light bulb in the ceiling above their table. Most wouldn’t bother asking for a lighting change but it happened. Here’s the lesson.

Customer service is something you must practice in everyday life. It doesn’t matter if you’re in food service, retail, or just dealing with other people on a personal level. Customer service should always be a top priority in any aspect of life. The crappy part of customer service is the fact that customers are far more likely to remember a single instance of bad service than every other instance of good service before it. No matter how good you are in the past, it can all come crashing down that one time you refuse to loosen a lightbulb.

The really crappy part is that you can cross the line from good service to bad in an instant without even knowing it. Try as you might it’s bound to happen. And yet, we must continue to provide the best customer service. Somehow it just seems like an unobtainable goal.

John

Some may already know my plan to clean up the stupidity that rages in the world today. If you don’t continue reading! Here we go!

The solution is simply a giant catapult. Much like the one shown below, except bigger, shinier, and much more real. Anyway, the idea here is to build such a catapult in order to launch those that lack even a small glimmer of common sense. I’ll first describe the image below and then I’ll develop a quick and easy way to determine just who should get in line for a one way ticket to nowhere.

1. This of course is the moon. More on that later.
2. Don’t look at this as a giant boulder, it holds people!
3. THE Catapult
4. People burning up in the atmosphere. More on that too.
5. Stupid people by the hundreds!

Ok, so right now you probably think I’m some sick freak who just wants to off a bunch of people by catapulting them into the upper atmosphere. Maybe you’re right on the catapulting part but here me out as to why this isn’t such a sick idea!

I don’t know about you but rarely a day goes by without me hearing about something so stupid that I just want to gouge my ears or eyes out depending on which method was used to obtain said information. It’s quite obvious to me, and hopefully it will be to you as well, that the people given a one way ticket will deserve such ride and will probably leave the world in a much better state. So let’s get to the list of eligible travellers!

• Anyone unable to accept responsibility for their own injury. Follow directions and use some common sense once in a while and all will be well. (ex. Guy listens to iPod too loud, sues Apple.)
• Anyone who is FOR an amendment/law/etc banning gay marriage. (Ignorance.)
• Anyone who is AGAINST a public smoking ban. (Can you say public health?)
• George W. Bush. (There are far too many reasons to list.)
• Anyone that destroys public and private property for fun (Cubs/Sox rioters, graffiti artists, other vandals.)
• Drivers that remain in the left or rightmost lane which has been scheduled to end for more than a mile. (Way to backup traffic.)
• Pretty much anyone that demonstrates a repeated lack of common sense.  ‘Nough said!

John

…using only bullets…and go!

• Friday head out to Frankfort Illinois (No, not Germany!)
• Bum around town, chill with the G family, eat some food.
• Saturday, bum around some more, adventure to the KFC on Pulaski looking for PCCGC Bowls
• Enjoy said PCCGC’s not regretting for one moment that we drove 35 miles to get them
• Head to Best Buy to get some wireless networking components
• Head to the Creamery to visit the Jenna
• Play Cards
• Sunday, Bum around some more, enjoy some tv, head to see Over the Hedge.  “You are the devil.”
• Meet some of the friends
• Monday, hang out on the deck with the G family some more enjoying the nasty weather
• Head inside to enjoy the CSI marathon
• Drive to Jewel to get chicken for dinner
• Become angered by the angry chicken ladies
• Eat the chicken
• Pack up my shit
• Say good bye to the G family and of course the Jenna

And on the way home…

• Rock out to some music
• Keep some jerk from merging into my lane.  Bastard had a good 1.5 miles to do it!
• Go out of my way to drive through 2 manual toll lanes just to pay for the people behind me.  It was discussed this weekend and I really wanted to do it.  Hopefully I made someones day!  If not, I’m out $1.75.  Oh well!

Final thoughts…

Was wondering.  Wasn’t wondering as much.  Then back to wondering again.  Joy!

John

So it’s been a while since I’ve updated. Here goes:

I’m really in this state of being disconnected. From what? From just about everything it seems. It seems as if all my friends (specifically those that entered ISU in the Fall of ‘02) have gone. Graduation was rather depressing for me but I managed to make it through 3 of them. Summers were always fun because you got a break from school and knew that all your friends would be coming right back in August for more. Not this time. It’s a whole new game and I really don’t want to play at the moment.

On top of that I had to move a bunch of my shit (complete with desk and loft which of course needed dissasembling) down the street to my new apartment. Will apartment life next semester be fun? Of course it will be. I’ll be living with TJ, Bill, and Sean and from what I can tell the apartment will actually be CLEAN. Now that I’m started on that it’s time to take a detour.

For anyone that ever visited the 707 #6 I appologize. Though there were glimmers of hope a year ago that the apartment would stay clean it just wasn’t meant to be. Some people apparently have issues cleaning up after themselves or being accountable for their messes. Initiative is a good trait to look for in a roommate. It’s rather unfortunate when your roommates can’t take just a little bit of initiative and clean up the apartment. The bathroom was constantly gross, rarely was the vaccum running unless it was positioned at the end of my arm, when it was running no one ever took the time to empty it or clean the filters, and the kitchen was beyond unsanitary. And yet, apparently I was one of the only ones that thought this was absolutely appalling. Luckily the one time my parents came down to visit it had been recently cleaned. That was Fall semester. By Spring semester things were even worse. But I digress. Well, minuse the little fact where our security deposit may not be returned because SOMEONE decided to rush out of the apartment and leave his garbage behind. This of course went as predicted and there really wasnt much I could do about it. Let’s just say I can’t even imagine what his apartment will be like when he’s living on his own. Gross.

Anyway, back to topic. I seem disconnected from those who graduated and are not returning to Normal at this point and also feel the same about those that will be there in the Fall. I don’t know why I just do. On top of that I don’t have internet access in my own apartment and thus can’t chat with people whenever I want. But, I suppose things will get better in a few weeks. I’ll be settled in and hanging out with my fellow BT Interns. Detour number 2!

I started at Discover today. Got my sweet badge and cubicle. Important events during the day are as follows:

• Shaved, changed shoes and put a belt on in my car in the parking lot of Discover
• Won a Discover water bottle and back pack
• Met my mentor and manager
• Met a bunch of other people who’s names I don’t yet have memorized
• Found my cube
• Had a tuna melt for lunch (delicious!)
• Dealt with software issues on my machine
• Met to discuss the first project I will be working on
• Surfed the internet for a bit because the software I needed was still not installed
• Got Karen lost in Riverwoods 2
• Karen got lost driving to Briarwoods
• Ate pizza at the clubhouse
• FINALLY checked in to my apartment
• Moved into my apartment
• Had no internet or motivation to do much of anything
• Finally drove around looking for laundry detergent (ps things around here are not open 24 hours)
• Did some laundry
• Sat on the floor in the hallway stealing internet from ‘linksys’
• This

So what I really need to do is get settled and get the internet hooked up. That way I can chat with all the people I know and feel a little more connected with them. I also need to figure out what some people are thinking and hopefully come to find that we are thinking the same thing. Yes, vague and cryptic but necessary.

Until then I think I shall collect my clean laundry from the dryer and head to bed. Not much else to do around here and I should be at work around 8.

John

It’s funny in life how people are always trying to get you to do things.  Peer pressure is what you’d call it I guess.  Sure I may not do something just like you.  Feel free to point that out if you must.  But why must people put so much effort into not only pointing it out, but also trying to get you to change?  Although this can be rather bothersome, the upside is that I realize shortly after that I’m living my life my way.  In the end that’s all that matters.

John

There’s something to be said about being independant. That something to be said is that it’s amazing and frustrating at the same time. I had a discussion recently with someone about just this problem. On the one had I find it very satisfying knowing that I’m much more independant than most people I know. On the other hand it’s almost painful to see just how dependant people can be on others. I’ve paid my cell phone bill in full since 17 or so (even the infamous $200 bill, oy), car insurance since I was 16.5, all of my credit card bills, all 11 months of rent and counting, including food and internet, and now I have a car payment complete with expensive parking spot. Although it really sucks to part ways with that money it feels really good to know that I’m able to do it. There is little I don’t pay for. Books, loan interest payments, and the 1 year subsidization on my car. I think that’s about it. Comparatively that ain’t much at all. I’m not sure if it’s fiscal irresponsibility or that some people just don’t want to own up yet, but it can get really frustrating when people complain about money and yet pay for so little. I pay my way and just today looked at my bank account and saw numbers I’ve never seen before. It was all very exciting and I was extremely happy with how I’ve spent my money. Soon others will have to step into the real world and assume their financial responsibility. It’s nice knowing that I’m already well on my way there.

John

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during the past 9 months of apartment living it’s that there is one issue that can really get under the skin of some people. This issue is of course cleaning. With four people living in one apartment it’s pretty much guarenteed that there will be differing opinions as to what’s clean and what’s dirty.
Some people prefer to throw their dishes in the sink, thus adding an extra step towards clean. No one really knows why, maybe they hate using a dishwasher, or are going to “come back and put them in the dishwasher later“, maybe they forgot…for several days, or there’s always the possibility that there are clean dishes in the way. Others may believe that a sticky counter covered in crumbs isn’t worth cleaning up right a way. It’s really scary when you have to place some sort of barrier between food and the counter, maybe that’s just me. Some might find it shocking when they here the vaccum running and they aren’t the ones vaccuming. Who cares if theres shit all over the floor anyway!

There are yet others that believe that the shower doesn’t need cleaning. Afterall where else do you use cleaning products on a regular basis. It should never get dirty! Ok, so that’s far from the truth. Same goes with the sink and the toilet. You’d think they would just clean themselves! These things are of course surrounded by flooring that can get just as dirty. Nothing like inviting people over to a nasty bathroom. If the bathroom at the BP down the road is cleaner than yours, there may be a problem.

Finally there is the issue of cleaning up after yourself. Some people do this out of habit. Some apparently don’t care and will let a small mess spiral out of control. Keeping clean is much easier and more effetive when done regularly instead of once a month. Imagine if you only showered once a month. How many people would you offend or be embarassed to be around then? I think the same should apply to your apartment.

This leads me to my closing thoughts. When choosing a roommate, or several of them, it is important to really know what their definition of clean is. Obviously there are adjustments to be made. If you think that vaccuming twice a day is necessary it would probably be pretty crazy to think that others would think the same. It is also good to point out that the opposite is true. If you tend to be a messy person you might have to adjust. While your room maybe a complete mess, you best do all you can to pitch in by cleaning up after yourself and regularly cleaning some portion of the public areas of your apartment.

My example from above works pretty well in this case. You shower on a regular basis because you will be interacting with others daily and want to make a good impression. Whether you live in a house, an apartment, a dorm room, or your parents house, keeping the place clean is also a way to make a good impression. Afterall, most guests would probably be slightly disturbed if their feet stuck to the floor or they were told not to place their papers or belongings on a portion of the counter. I know I would.

John