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Much too much

The bomb got dropped today. Andy was very aggressive. As rightly so. Found the right one, so why not zero in on the chisel while the opportunity is open.

So now I landed with 30+ hours deal with "I'm-not-telling-the-name" Cafe. Funny how after that short deadly discussion and subsequent confirmation of my longevity in the business, I started looking at everything with a lot more ownership. Like I am part of the growth and progress and profit of the entity. Thing is, I probably don't look like I will share in the profit cos it is after all an employer-employee relation.

But deep inside I had a very strong sense that this is much bigger than I can imagine. I am not sure what it is, but my heart is excited, quietly excited. I had these thoughts about a backyard makeover, a customer relation raffle program and a thousand light bulbs to power the energy source, etc, etc, etc.

Sounds like a perfect launcher.

Now I have to fit Hudsons around the new commitment and paradigm loyalty.

chucKie

Mayerism

Tonight was John Mayer's Melbourne installation of the Australian Tour. The opening act was Brooke Fraser - a New Zealand singer songwriter who apparently is also very star struck with John Mayer.

As usual, Mayer did a fabulous show. Met this girl, Tanya, from Sydney, who's been to all Mayer shows in Australia. She basically took the week off, travelled around Australia and made it to every show in every capital state Mayer was touring in. And get this - all of them good front seats. She has the Lisa Loeb look going for her. She must have spent a bomb doing all that with the train trips and all. Tomorrow she will be in Adelaide, cos guess what, John Mayer will be playing there.

According to stalker girl, Mayer did some special sets not performed at Sydney, Canberra or Brisbane. Said he must really like Melbourne to put in that special effort. We love John too.

I guess the night became a fuller circle when we spotted Brooke Ward ... i mean Fraser. Sarah and I keep mixing her name with another friend we know who share the same first name. Anyway, we spotted her and we got excited out of our socks. At one point I was even thinking of getting her to autograph on the ticket stub. Which is like not that happening, really. So we opted for a friendly up closer personaler thing - taking a picture with her with Sarah's phone. She was really nice and we told her how much we enjoyed her music and hope she'd come back to Melbourne very soon cos we will be there! Go check her out, she's really good. Like really really good!

chuckie

Home Run

Part 1: The long weekend got even longer...

I had no idea how long this Easter break was going to be. Thought it was the typical Good Friday to Sunday long weekend we've been used to. In Australia, there is such a thing known as Easter Monday. Which happens to be a public holiday. Although some companies do choose to open for business and some employees choose to work, most take the extra day off.

As if that didn't make it long enough. I've had too many parties over these few days to even remember what day it is. I do remember that it is now Monday. But the past few days have been an absolute adrenalin rush. Been meeting up with so many new people and catching up with so many old acquaintances. Of course Friday started with a Venus Bay tour. The next day there was the barbecue at the roof top and the dinner after WCF. And sending Jimmy off at the airport was an epic event in itself. Then Alan had his 21st last night which was a blast. Food was fab, people were mad (too much helium balloons and too many clowns around), and the program was just stack! I think the time we didn't spend stuffing our faces, we spent them on stitches of giggling and uncontrolled outbursts of roaring laughter. I guess that's what happens when you get caught up in the community... which brings me to the next part...

Part 2: Anointing

Some people just have a strong anointing on them. You can almost feel the breath of the angels and the slow heave of the wings when you stand and speak eye to eye with these chosen few. God's been so good at planting these people strategically. Discovering them have been phenomenal. I guess it only happens when you start to get interested in what God has in store for them for their lives. For the first time, I begin to feel at home again. It's been too long, really.

Then the confirmation usually comes with an intense assualt of attacks in the spiritual realms. Things begin to creep up, old habits begin to nudge away at the heart and pain gets revisited again. It's a weird double trouble thinking. I have to choose to believe that this is the time where God's angels are strongest around you. His blood is the protective shield and the evil beings are trembling profusely and wetting their pants, if pants be what they wear.

I am a conqueror. I have conquered. I believe that is why God led me to choose a Conquest model for my car when I was buying it at the lowest point of my life. His ways are higher than our ways, if we can only give Him the benefit of the doubt.

God, you're simply amazing!

chucKie

Guess what? GFY!

It's a long weekend

This is the Easter weekend. Started the day with Venus Bay. A very unlikely one to begin with. Took more than 2 hours to get to and found none of them pipis. It isn't the right season after all. So it came down to one of those backyard captain's ball beach games day. But it was just freezing. Being in the way of the wind is not such a good idea. Didn't bring a change of clothes and didn't really feel like participating. After all, having worked the whole week with a busted shoulder blade, rest and lying horizontal was all I wanted to do.

Will be getting my IELTS test scores by next week. Apparently results were released on Thursday. I believe I will do well enough above expectations.

Now I have a good thing going for me. Actually more than one good thing. Having secured a position at Hudsons Coffee, I have to work around the schedules. Apparently, having worked at Vagabond Cafe for the past two weeks have earned me good reviews. That's what happens when you drive such a good self image of yourself. Anthony, the boss at work is trying to 'keep me' - so I won't work for the other and only for him. Thing is, he's been such a great boss. No pressure or anything. Pay isn't fab but it's enough to have me turn up. Actually even kinda love the cafe and the crowd. Very working class sort of crowd and working with the sandwiches isn't too bad. Thing is too that I think this cafe has some promise of good prospects. Sigh, I want to keep both, cos I worked so hard to sell myself and prove myself and now that I have finally proven my credibility, do I have to make a tough choice here at all?

Tomorrow will be very busy. Packing up the function and the lunch barbecue and visiting WCF in the evening. Then it's sound team duty on Sunday and Alan's 21st. Oh my God, that reminds me that I have yet to buy him a present!!! *Panic attack, hard disk freezes...*

chucKie

What do you subscribe to?

Part One: The Sub
Have you ever wondered what you subscribe to? Magazines, books, even people?

I have often thought that our subconscious is a powerful source determining how we carry on the burdens of our lives and will show through during times of intense pressure. Much like drawing coffee with high pressure hot water. It's funny how there is now research into the chemical reactions, purely chemical, of what goes on in our brain, the deep recesses often ignored. It's a neuro centre that hides our deep convictions, our, well, gut feelings we sometimes cannot explain why. It's the living room of your brain that houses the good angel and the evil angel. Someone I know and respect likes to think of it as the white dog and the red dog.

So, what's your white dog saying today as you go about your day? Who is louder? Which is stronger? If this post causes you to raise your eye brow, you have failed the test. Ten years from now, the world will change. How will you change?

Part Two:Jimmy

Jimmy arrived two weeks ago. Have been wondering where he's been. Apparently he's based away from Melbourne and back here for a paid job. Wow. Well, that's the name of his company. It stands for something. Got his name card today. Hot off the press.

As we sipped coffee, I began to understand where he is right now and where he's headed. Some Bible references come to mind. But I shan't put them here in case I do a misrep. I will find the references and quote another time if the time is right. We had such a deep conversation it was as if our hearts were on the table, completely open to listen without prejudice. I am so glad we caught up today. One more person I know who is on this spiritual journey. One more person on this big hot air balloon - bigger than anyone else can comprehend. One more great man of God this world needs.

He made me think and refocus on my walk with God. He made me think about the people I associate with. He made me look through the eyes of God's wisdom. We touched base, like really touched base. But most of all his belief was the precious stone I collected on this road trip pitstop God and I are at.

Thank you, Jesus.
chucKie

As I was saying...

That I got the job. Hudson's Coffee to be exact. Doesn't sound like the glorious yuppie corporate job. But yuppies are a thing of the past, so let it go.

After months of search, research and endless plugging of an amazing resume and cover letter rant, I finally landed on something that seems to be promising. Seems, because I have no idea how many hours I will get with this new prospect. Seems, because this is not a one hit wonder joint, so stability will be a key benefit. I will have a go at the time schedules when I get to the orientation on Tuesday.

But that's not what I'm on about. It's the 90 minute interview!

Rocked up at 9am and was ushered into a large office room with 19 other job seekers. Or shall we, say, the chosen ones. There were altogether 4 interviewers facilitating the whole process. Yes, this was a process, or as they call it, a group interview, something many big companies are adopting in their recruitment drive. Companies like Crown and Coles-Myer.

We did the whole sit around in a big circle with name tags on to introduce ourselves through a topic of discussion - which famous person would you invite to your party and why? My party will see Glen Ballard (music producer for Alanis, DMB, etc) and Richard Branson attending. Although I did contemplate putting Sarah McLachlan in place of Glen Ballard. So I could tell her that at one point in my life, I did want to marry her.

Then we did the whole problem-solving scenario thing, projects and smaller group interviewing/chitchat/ get to know you more sort of thing.

That was only stage one. Which will determine whether you get chosen to get on to stage two, the final deciding stage of your employment with the company.

Meaning, some of us in the group will be 'evicted or voted out'. Sounds familiar. Cos during the interim, they announced a list of names and had us bring our bags and move into a small dark room. My name was called out for the dark room.

Helen, one of the facilitators came into our room a few seconds later and announced, "Congratulations, you've made it to the next round!"

How bizzare! How very Popstars/American Idol!

The evictees were left in the big room to clear out before we move on out to the next stage. To be discreet, as they say. Man, it sure sucks to be the one walking out. I'm just thankful for my big mouth.

And this afternoon, they rang my current boss for reference check, who put in such a good word for me that Hudsons Coffee rang me almost 2 seconds after the phone call to let me know I got the job! Woopee!

And I think I will be doing those weird hours in the morning (like 4am!) at the airport. Cos I can. Cos Kensington is just next to Citylink, which takes 20 minutes to get to Tullamarine. Oh, I'm pumped!

Because I'm worth it!

Looking back at my track record, it seems Hospitality is the industry I've been in for the last 10 years or so. Maybe even more, if you consider my hard days at my Dad's coffeeshop. Those days of dirty toilets, smelly mops and clammy shorts and slippers. There was Garage Cafe and MacDonalds in the teenage years. Even DJing is considered Hospitality. It's either this industry is damn easy to get in, or I'm destined for it, or my nuts personality drives me in this direction.

Sounds like this is it. Don't want to do it forever though. Cos why would I be serving all the rest of my life? There are other things to do. But for now, working towards a management role would be the next big goal. You, there, watch out!

I'm still worth it!

chucKie

Oh-Mai-Gawd!

I got the job. Today. Yes. The morning was the interview and by 3pm, I got a call that I winged it.

The interview was an adventurous 90 minutes! I shall tell in the next post.

For now, I'm just too excited. Go tell your grandmother!

chucKie