it's simple

I have been working in retail for two and a half years. I like the flexibility and it has worked well with my school schedule.... however... I am DONE with dealing with stupid jerks who think they are smarter and better than me who are in reality, so stupid I'm not sure how they continue to function. I WORK IN A COFFEE SHOP PEOPLE I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! Due to recent frustrations at work I have decided to create a list of cafe etiquette for those of you who don't work in retail or are just not aware.

1. I work in a cafe, I am trained to work in the cafe, therefore I kinda know what I'm doing. Don't talk to me like I'm 3 years old and stupid. You might find your drink was made wrong on purpose.

2. Get off your damn cell phone! I cannot recount how many time I have been tempted to take away someones cell phone and drop it in a bucket of sanitizer. You can get off your cell phone long enough to order a cup of coffee. On this note, DO NOT tell me to 'hold on'. you are in MY line, and you are on MY time. Do not continue your conversation until you have completed your transaction with me. After that you are free to be an inconsiderate prick.

3. I need you to not stand right in front of the counter if you don't know what you want. Because that means I have to stand there too when I could be doing something productive like oh I don't know CLEANING. Kinda stand BACK away from the counter while you make up your mind. I don't mind if you aren't sure what you want because I don't always know what I want but DON'T stand right in front of my counter.

4. Along those lines, if you have been standing in a line you should know by the time you get to the counter what you want. If you don't maybe you should have gotten off your damn cell phone or stopped talking to your friend/significant other long enough to make up your mind!

5. No, we do not have gas station cappuccino. We make a real cappuccino. So if I try to offer you a latte when I know you don't know what the hell you are talking about don't get pissy with me.

6. SPEAK UP! I have blenders, ovens, microwaves, coffee brewers, and espresso machines going, sometimes all at once, which interferes with my ability to hear, if you mumble and talk in a low voice I can't hear you and I will have to ask you to repeat yourself. If I do ask you to repeat yourself I would appreciate it if you WOULD speak up and if you would not get an attitude while doing it. I'm not asking again because I'm stupid I'm asking again because I cannot hear you.

7. Wait until you hear the drink called that you order. Sometimes we have to make the drink of the person who ordered before you and therefore your drink will be made AFTER their drink. LISTEN PEOPLE! don't assume that the next drink thrown on that counter is yours.

8. I am not your maid nor am I your mother. Clean up after yourself.

9. Tell me what size you want. If I offer you a Venti size don't just say "no". I can't read your mind. If you don't want that size tell me what size you do want.

10. If you wanted your drink non-fat and without whip, tell me at the counter so I can write it on the cup so the person making the drink will know how to make it. Don't wait till we've made the drink to tell us.

11. We have five different kinds of cookies. If you come up to the counter and go "I want a cookie" I am going to have to ask what kind of cookie you want. And if you go "oh I don't know" you get to wear the stupid sign.

12. Sandwiches have to be heated up as do stratta and pretzels. Get impatient and you will most likely have a really bad dining experience.

13. Certain drinks have to be stirred before they will taste good. If you had been to Starbucks you would know this. However since you obviously don't, don't get upset when I suggest you stir your drink first and then try it. If you still don't like it I can make it over, but try stirring it first.

14. I don't like Frappuccinos. I just don't. So I can't really give you my opinion on how they taste because to me they all taste gross. I'll try and give you as best a suggestion as I can but remember, not everyone likes everything.

15. TEENAGERS: you guys drive me out of my friggin mind. STOP giggling and tell me what you want. I am not impressed with your daddy's credit card, or your ugly designer handbag, or the pile of smutty magazines in your arms that you will eventually leave in my cafe for me to clean up. You may giggle and gossip all you want when you sit down. Just don't waste my time.

16. I don't like drinks that are really sweet. Which is why I don't like the white mocha (And if I do drink it I cut the amount of syrup in half). So my opinion is once again skewed.

17. To you teenage boys, I am flattered that you think I am attractive, but I am almost 23 years old. I am also not interested in you nor do I think its cute when you want to know what I drink so you can try it. You won't like it. I promise. Not many people like drinks with 4 shots of espresso.

18. When we are closed we are closed. I will kick you our of my cafe. I have a life and homework to do. I need to go home and either sleep or study.

I might think of more later.

it always happens at the worst time

I throw my back out. On a day when I *might* work a close to 9 hour shift. I throw my f**king back out reaching for a spatula. I am slightly ashamed. I hurt it last night and I still hurt.

Anyway last night while I was being intimate with my heating pad (I love you dearly my darling) I finished the left side of Ethan's sweater. Bad picture I know but anyway. There it is. I am going to start the right side right now and knit the ribbing before I start working on the pile of school work that's looming.


Right now the Vandy v. FL game is on so that is what dominates the television. Yep. NCAA basketball season is upon us. YAY! My whole family gets into this and will follow the game until the season comes to an end in early April. That is all.

I knit, therefore I am

A knitter. A knitter for life. I love my craft. I love everything I do regarding my craft. I especially love when I get so much done on a piece that is time sensitive. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

This brings me to Ethan's sweater. CUTE! I love it very much. The back is almost done (only 4 more sets of cables to go). Looking good. I should have the back done either tonight or tomorrow. I might make one in another color for my collection of baby clothes I've made

In other news. I've decided to start buy yarn a little at a time for a great big afghan that I'll use as my bedspread for my bed when I get my new furniture. I picked this one that's made out of Jiffy yarn. It only requires 2-3 skeins of ten different colors. So far I already have two of a total 24 skeins. I had some in my stash (I love my stash). This is a picture of the finished project. I got this picture from Lionbrand.com so I'm ready to start working on it. Really ready to start working on it. But I have to be patient and just buy my yarn one color at a time. *sigh* I hate waiting. But whatever.


If you want to help me out let me know and I'll let you know what color and how much to buy. THANKS!

Lets take a look

At what I've been doing lately shall we?

The beginnings of a baby sweater. Notice that it is in a grey blue color (I like it). It's made in mircospun which I love knitting with and it's knitted with a very simple cable pattern. I've started the back panel. There is also a hat and a mitten set to go with it. VERY cute. I am not yet sick of it like I thought I would be given it's terrible beginning.

In other news. I got my yarn in from Knit Picks. Look at the beautiful yarn. That's 4 skeins of Peruvian Wool right there. I LOVE IT. I think I might make a hat out of the grey. The Tulip is for socks for my mommy. She wanted socks in a pretty color. I also got great new needles. I'm so excited and VERY impressed. It got here quite quickly. Kudos to Knit Picks.

I also got 440 yards of Bare Merino Wool. I am going to dye it with Kool-Aid and make some pretty socks out of it. I'm so excited. I can't wait to wear it!

Oh and another baby gift. Booties made out of Watercolors yarn. I found this yarn in my stash and decided to use it. I think they're quite cute. I like them.
This past weekend I made something for myself and I decided to make something unique. I've always wanted a pair of fingerless gloves. I made them in different colors because making them the same color is just boring. I made them on a whim and I like them. They are quite warm too.

And as usual I'm making a pair of socks. Grey Merino socks.
So I think I'm doing pretty good so far. Let's see if I can keep it up.

just get it over with

Shoot me now... Please. I beg of you. I have just spent 4 hours knitting, and RE-KNITTING the beginning of a baby sweater. The first time I made the ribbed edge I forgot to knit in the tail of the cast on but i figured that it didn't matter and that I could just fix that later. So I continue knitting and I start working PAST the ribbing and start working on the cables. 4 rows into the cables and I completely forgot to change to the larger needles. I. Hate. Myself. I rip the sucker out and started over. I suddenly realize then, I've been knitting this ribbing using one of the larger needles and one of the smaller needles. I should quit knitting forever. I should not be making these careless and dumb mistakes. At least not two in a friggin row! I already hate this baby sweater. This is not a good sign of things to come.

Busier than I expected

School just consumes my life. I am so glad this is the last semester. So are all of my friends and family. Gifts of either alcohol or yarn will be most appreciated (but not together because knitting under the influence can result in waking up the next day realizing you've knit a lot of rows very badly or just completely wrong and must then frog most or all of your work... which results in either swearing or crying. sometimes both).

No pictures today. Sorry. But what I can offer is a chance for you guys to use your IMAGINATIONS! That wonderful little part of our brain that we so often allow to lie in neglect. Summary of what I am working on. SOCKS SOCKS SOCKS! I'm still working on socks. Two pairs down and I have started on another set in dark grey (very good color). I am still working on the white wool basketweave scarf (attached ball #2) and I still need to go to Joann's and buy another ball of white because 2 just isn't going to do it.

I am not on my computer at the moment because I am digging through my mini stash upstairs while waiting for a pattern download to print (which it has) and looking for wool to make some fingerless gloves (FOUND IT) and to also look for that one skein of purple microspun I bought before the holidays so I can practice my cables before embarking on the next mind destroying challenge (never made cables on anything other than wool). I am making for my cousin's baby Ethan (who has yet to be born) a sweater/hat/ mitten set that should fit him around colder weather. I made a pair of simple and quick (and cheap might I add) booties out of a skein of Watercolors I had lying around the house (the stash is proving once again to be a great asset in my life) and I must say they are the cutest thing EVER!

It's late I know but I got home from work a little over an hour ago and I STILL can't unwind. So I am going to pop a movie in (Spaceballs) and work a little on the mitten and a little on the fingerless gloves. We'll see how things go.

Oh... And Knit Picks is the best EVER. I bought 4 skeins of DK weight wool, one skein of fingering weight bare Merino and a new set of nickel plated DPNs for just over $18. I LOVE THAT PLACE! I am anxious for it's arrival in the mail.... soon hopefully. I'll post picture the next time. I promise.