I might not be the best

I might not be the best barista. But I know, each coffee or frapuccino that I do, I give my best in  taking  orders at the register, beverage calling, coffee making, frapucinno making or doing closing. I pour out my heart when doing it. I learn that, when you do with your heart, the customers enjoy’s it more. Whenever the client does not want Whipped Cream , I will always give them more of either caramel or mocha drizzle. It does not cost much to us, but clients take notice of every single thing that we do. Either then going that extra, I try to remember regular customers drink and their customization. As what, I can remember, we have regular coming for a ” tall caramel flat white, venti / grande vanilla late with 6 pumps of vanilla syrup, tall soy chai latte, tall light soy mocha. As a regular, they would feel that they are appreciated or remembered that baristas know their beverage by hand. I like doing frapuccino but I enjoy drinking hot beverages. There is just chemistry of me with the blender. I like customizing frapuccino when it is the time to put whipped cream with drizzle. I guess, doing something sincerly and putting your heart into it, goes a long way for the client and for myself. I need to improve myself in making hot coffee beverages. Let me tell you about the store that I am working in. I am working in Starbucks Wynyard, which is the most expensive store in New South Wales because of the build in and the land area space. Do not ask me why for I myself do not know why. We are a take away store with no sitting area and we do not carry much pastries. No cheese cake, no american chocolate cake and etc. We do not carry much merchandise as well as we are a small store. Sometimes, when there are 3 people on the bar, it gets cramp. Somewhere during Christmas – 07, we had a Red  Cup Competition /  Award. Why Red Cup ?  When it’s time for Christmas, we used a Red Cup for all hot drinks instead of our regular white cup. The competition is about reaching target, partners, drinks, and etc. It is everthing. We emerged as the winner within our district. We represented our district and with other districts in New South Wales. At last we emerge as the Winner for our State. This Red Cup Award is  awarded to the best store in 3 Australian state which is New South Wales , Victoria and Queensland. Indeed, these Starbucks store won for their state and for Australia. I do not know, what store won for the state of Victoria and Queensland but Starbucks Wynyard won for New South Wales. Well done to all partners and I love my store especially after the renovation and painting.

February

February is and was a hard month for me (us). Had finances issues to think. Thinking how my parents will look to the matter. The month of going back to class after 3 months of holidays. Back to back work at Starbucks and Randwick. I guess I blew my working limitation to the max. The very fact is that I need cash. That’s why ! Battling with so many issues. Had nights crying of all other issues. Problems after problems. I told some of my problems to my closest friend. She said.. You just screw your life , you have not f* your life. I told her thanks for trusting me as my parents might not trust me again. I like the response that she told me. I trust you because you tell me. That is a word of comfort from what I need to hear. Jake and Ji Min was telling my negativity. It is good that they are telling me my negativity as I know they are genuine people with a heart who cares for me. Thanks for indeed you care. Other then just sorrow and trouble. I see myself improving in my coffee making regarless hot or frapuccino’s (cold). I predict that this year will be a year that I or we will go though struggle but knowing deeply we can strive. This is our future. Also the month that I told Jake that I am studying Hair Dressing. He thinks it is cool. I was a little uncomfortable telling him as he is studying Network Engeneering. Finally, he is happy with what I am doing. He encourages ! May we see a sunshine to our storm. His problem is my problem and vice versa. So it is us and our problem.

Obituary

Have you watch the movie – Serendipity. It is a show that talks about Jonathan Tragar and Sarah Thomos. Sara believes in fate and destiny. He waited and searched for Sara. When Jonathan is about to get engaged to his fiance. He decided to write an Obituary. He asked his brother who was working for a newspaper company. eastlyn was asking to me to write her obituary before she took her life

On a give date, a death happen that took eastlyn away. She was having some problem that lead to depression and stress related. She finds that she could not take it anymore than she decided to take her life. She sees her life as problem to her parents and she only gives them temporary peace. Of course she would like to give them then peace forever and the assurance that she c0uld take care of herself in personal and financial. She failed most in handling financial matters. Savings and her has no chemistry. She knows that but she finds it hard to save although her parents has been and keep instilling on savings. Her both parents are banker and they know the importance upon savings.She risked her life at a very young age with a given potential of 23 years old. At times, She is not an adult in her thinking, action. She loves wisdom but it did not get her. She would like to continue studying but the only thing stopping her is that she needs to pay her school fees. She did not reach her parents for rescue but took her life. Why ? She would like to ask them but she knows by heart that her parents had said and reminder that 2008 is the last amount of money from them. She had gone through countless of  advices about finance and savings. To avoid it for the final time, she took her life. She feels like a stray cat at times who just need some care and love for parents, but how is she going to get hugs from them. She blew up an ‘ amount’ of money. Her parents hard worked money. How is she ever going to earn her parents trust. Maybe she need not as she took her life. She really wanted to go to Sydney and her parents trusted her and also with money. Unfortunately the trust was broken. The vow was once kept and now broken. She also comes from a family background who had good result. She feels offended that she did not get really good results comparing to the rest of her family in her generation. Some of her cousins at this age or younger has started working, kind of financial stable,progressing.She was always staganant. But she is always giving problems to her parents. She once question me on What did her parents do that they had a child like Me ! This is so unfair for them. Sometimes, she ponder on the though that why did her mother conceived her. It would be less problem. She was also telling me that sometimes, she is like the fallen angel – Lucifer but a fallen human of His master piece. Sometimes, she asked me..is she a master piece ? Does a master piece ever gives problem. Sometimes, she can’t tell her problem to her parents because on the next day, she will hear the news from some internal families mouth. She grumbles to me where is her privacy ?

Finally as a friend of hers, she misses her much and wishes her that she rest in peace,

Love you.

Friends and Family.

My valentine’s day

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. My story of this day has two parts. One was on the day itself and one part is about a week before Valentine’s Day. A week ago before Valentine’s Day, I was browsing Tiffany and Co. There are some items that I like from them. I was browsing Men’s accessories for Jake. In the end, we both end up browsing it together. He like the I Love You Tiffany lock together with a Tiffany Toggle Bracelet. He said that is for me for Valentine’s Day. I was astonished. We then walked to Castlereagh Street where Tiffany and Co is. I tried the bracelet but it is loose. I have the option to make the same size as my wrist. Next, I showed him a bangle that goes well with my ring. There are from the same collection. It is a heart wire bangle. We both like this and decided to get this. Next was a drop star earing. He totally shocked me for both of these 2 items will be for me from him. I can’t do anything but hug him. Went back home. I could only choose one item and the other item will be given on the actual day itself. I wanted the bangle as I am wearing the ring. Indeed I had the bangle. After much waiting, The Day arrived. After class, I went to Queen Victoria Building to get him his present. I got him 2 shirt, 1 wallet and a perfume. All from Esprit. I knew I was taking a risk with the wallet. But I know, he will like it but I do not know whether will he use it. I rushed back home as I had to go to work. I came back home with his presents and he just woke up. Ha ha. He was surprised. He like the shirts, okay with the perfume but I am still wondering about the wallet. Well, I guess he needs time to adjust to the wallet of to change for something else. At 4 pm, I dashed to work. Towards the evening, I can see guys carrying flowers. Not many carried a Tiffany Paper Bag. After what Jake had given me, it was more then enough. He came to fetch me from work wearing one of the shirt hat I gave him. He was wondering what happen to Starbucks. I told him that we are having a renovation. The moment our unit apartment door was open, I saw a huge Teddy Bear sitting in front of my table and orchid. I was again being surprised. Indeed he is a guy who is romantic and full of surprises. Hours before he bought the Teddy, He was talking to our house mate about teddy bears. Jake was telling Brendan that “Mine does not like Teddy Bears and Brendan was like ..Mine too..”When I came back home, Jake was telling me the story when he was getting the teddy bear. While he was at the shop, he was either thinking a box of a dozen of long roses or half roses. In the end he bought an orchid and a Huge teddy bear. The florist was taking the bear and saying to it that “You are going home” and telling jake that she must be really happy to have the bear,, and Jake replied that she does not like bear , but even if she does not like it , I will have it. Ha ha.. I came back unwrapping the bear. I love the bear. Really love the bear. Jake was suprised that I was so moved by the bear. I love everything about it. Especially it’s fur. It is so comfy. He took picture s of me on how I cuddled and played with the bear. I went to bed with the bear. This bear totally changed my perspective of bears. He bought OAK Milk. Mine was Chocolate and his was Coffee. I opened the plastic wrapper of the bear and I got Jake to sign of the note together with the date and time. Now, the bear is call Huggy. Even if Jake goes to Czech or anywhere for holidays, I have Huggy to remind me of him. We ended the night by going for dinner. We went to Chinatown. It was a nice restaurant and we ordered Mongolian Lamb, Gung Pao and Chinese Leaf vegetable with oyster sauce. We walked back home walking pass Darling Harbor. I had a really good, sweet, splendid memories of our Valentine’s Day.

# Dekuji Milacek..& Miluji Te !

My rat year.

12 years past by and I am now celebrating Lunar New Year with my zodiac animal again. It is a little special. It would be wonderful if I was celebrating back home. I miss the feel of Lunar New Year. Collecting Red Packets, eating oranges and etc. This is my second year celebrating Lunar New Year in Sydney. I hope to celebrate Lunar New Year back home for the year 2009. I felt the feeling of Lunar New Year for 08 but not a single feeling for this year. On this festive day, I went to Starbucks to get coffee for Jake, revising my learning guide, eating instant noodle and off to work – Barista. It was a rainy day. Weird summer day ! Had a stressful day at work with my supervisor pushing me. I get stress when he pushes me. I automatically forget my coffee recipe and etc. Came back home with a headache and once more raining. Jake and I was suppose to go to Chinatown for dinner. I canceled it of my headache and the rain. Jake cooked me dinner. I like all the ingredients in it but I could not chew and that made him angry as he could not understand why I don’t want to eat it with all my favourite ingredients in it. Finally we got over it as I continue watching Cinderella 3 which Jake played for me while he was cooking. Towards the end, Jake came and we watched the ending together.. The ending of Cinderella – And they live Happy ever After. Almost every lady or woman once dream of becoming a Cinderella who meets the guy that she loves and live ever after. This bring me to one section of a book .. here it goes

(Adapted from a book – Captivating)

One of my favourite games growing up was kidnapped and rescued. I know many girls who played this game – or wished they had. To be the beauty abducted by bad guys, fought for rescued by a hero – some version of this had a piece in all our dream.Like sleeping beauty, Cinderella, Maid Marian or like Cora in the Last Mohicans, I wanted to be the heroine and have my hero come for me. Why am I embarrassed to tell you this ? I simply loved the feeling wanted and fought for. This desire is set deep in the heart of every little girl and every woman. Yet most of us are ashamed or it. We downplay it. We pretend that it is less than it is. We are woman of the twenty-first century after all – strong independent and capable. Think about the movies you once loved, and the movies you love now. Is there a movie for little girls that doesn’t have a handsome prince coming to rescue his beloved? Sleeping beauty,Snow White, The little mermaid. A little girl longs for romance, to be seen and desired, to be sought after and fought for. So the Beast must win Beauty’s heart in the Beauty and the Beast. So in the gazebo scene in the Sound of Music, the captain finally declares his love to Maria by moonlight and song and then, a kiss. and we sigh.

Isn’t something stirred in you when Edward, finally, returns at the end of sense and sensibility to proclaim his love for Elinor ? ” Then..you’re not married ?. she asks, nearly holding her breath. ” No”, he says. ” My heart is … and always will be…yours. Or the sunset scene at the bow of the titanic ? And we can’t forget Braveheart, how William Wallace pursued Murron with flowers and notes and invitations to ride. She is captured by his love, riding off bareback with him in the rain.

Expectation met !

My partner for my shift was my manger. It was just the both of us for the closing. Many partner says, they stress and tease her while working with her. My second experience with her was bitter sweet. She always teaches me new things. I was planted on the register, marking cups and beverage calling while she covers the coffee and Frapuccino making and certain parts of my job scope. Before going back home, she expects me to be able to do all the Frapuccino orders by Friday. I have Thursday as my off day to memorize the recipes. Finally Friday came. It was raining and customers will be going more on hot beverages then Frapuccino. I was wrong, customers still order Frapuccino. Besides doing Frapuccino, I was learning how to do Mocha,Cappuccino,Latte,Signature Hot Chocolate, Chai Latte. I would say this second experience with my manager made me understand her more, as she wants me to be able to do good coffee and Frapuccino making. I was able to multi task while taking orders, waiting for the Frapuccino to finish blending, while waiting for the steam or froft milk to be done. I did my first sampling for passers by to try. It was a Mocha Java Chip Frapuccino. As I build up my experience, making coffee is not about fast doing within the frame of 3 minutes. It is having a good cup of coffee or Frapuccino, right mixture or blending, enough mocha or caramel drizzle for drinks like Caramel Macchiato, Caramel Mocha, Caramel Hot Chocolate and etc, good customer interaction, creating the ambience and etc within 3 minutes. Being a Barista is not only knowing how to do coffee beverages. Finally when I am done on my shift, I asked my manger, did I met her expectation. She said Yes !, and that was what I wanted to hear.