It’s Just Justin

Starbucks’date

A little update to the Starbucks fiasco going on out here.

After working with Partner Resources out of California, Seattle and finally Missouri, things are happening. My voice, as well as the voices of my co-workers are being heard and hopefully, this time, will be properly acted upon, instead of just swept under the rug.

I do not want to be forced to leave the company I have worked for this long and with this much love. We will just have to see in the coming weeks how things go. Hopefully the atrocities committed by our management will be settled so we can all move on, happier and more successful.

When employees are happy, efficiency goes up, profits go up.

Gotta shower after my workout, later I will write about my wonderful night hanging out with Ian and the fantastic night just a mere few days ago staring such greats at Kevin, David, Jim, Ian and Landon.

Ciao for now.

Safe Sex Video

Is this the End, Starbucks?

It appears that the hostile work environment I work in has taken its toll on my fellow co-workers, as well as me.  My manager wants to fire or demote me; problem is I have done nothing for her to be able to do that.  Never late, no-no-shows; always follow standards (even those she does not know).  I have been in contact with several corporate Starbucks employees working to smooth things out.  It seems to be that I will be forced to leave this fine company because of one manager who gets personal gain out of making her employees suffer.

She has broken labor laws, employment laws, non-discrimination equality laws and that’s just the legal side.  Let’s not forget the moral codes she has violated.  She has murdered the very ideas of Howard Schultz, namely to live your dream, to love your job, to not allow anyone (or in this case, any thing) to take that dream away.  My manager has successfully squelched my desire to work at Starbucks, at least at this location.

I still plan to explore my options within the corporation in San Francisco, in Seattle.

She is losing a great employee.  I’m loyal, smart, kind and knowledgeable about Starbucks’ practices and Standards.  With just months in the company I was promoted and then offered promotion again.  I have been recognized by baristas, shift supervisors, assistant managers, store managers, district managers, and regional directors and as high up as the Vice President of Starbucks West for my abilities, knowledge and said dedication.

From the beginning, I was told that there were such managers within the company.  My very first trainer warned me of these managers.  I could not believe him, my managers in California were so wonderful, so smart, kind and understanding.

You were right.

I will go more into detail on the situation once things have been settled.  Once paper work is signed and everything settled.  I love Starbucks as a corporation.  I believe in their values, I believe in their mission.

• Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. (Violation)
• Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. (Violation)
• Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee.
• Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. (Dream on)
• Contribute positively to our communities and our environment. (Not nearly enough)
• Recognize that profitability is essential to our future success. (But not exclusive!)

As I have said, the proper avenues have been examined and called upon.  I’m doing this to the book, letter by letter.  She will not be my downfall.

I’m Alive

Yeah, I’m still here.  Just busy and stuff.

Whopper of a Week

This is going to be one heck of a week.  Between three tests and two papers and work, I just don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.

After class today, this is a short post btw, I met up with Landon and JustinU to study.  We headed to Tropical Liqueurs and studied for a few hours.  It was a blast.  Not a whole lot of studying was actually done but some downtime was nice.  These are great guys.

It’s 9:45, and after a failed attempt at getting Thai, I’m off to bed.  Lunch was a 6″ Subway Sandwich and dinner was the juice of five oranges (which is only like 16 fluid ounces…).

Ok then, I’m off of this thing.  Love you guys.

What Should Be, Isn’t

Ok, so first off, what is wrong with the above sentence?

Now, I must say why it isn’t.

I should be sleeping right now, since I am opening Starbucks in like four hours.  However, I feel I must rant for a bit.

I’m in love with my friends.  For the first time in weeks, I have been able to hang out with my friends.  Kevin, Ian, Jenny, Will, Justin (not this Justin), Landon, Megan and the like.

I have come to realize just how important friends are, not just knowing that you have them, but sharing yourself with them.  I have been so caught up with school and work that I have not had the time to share myself with my friends.  We have not gone out to eat, gone to the clubs, had lunch, taken a camping trip, worked out; anything.

This weekend, the one that has me exhilarated with the visit of my grandmother, I went to Libby’s birthday party.  There I hung out with Kevin and Will and Libby and David (!yay!) and many others, Justin too!  A few of us went to Addisson’s to meet Rosa and Ian.  Had a fabulous time.

My grandmother and I have not had a ton of time together, what with work and all, but it doesn’t matter.  She is amazing and I’m very glad she is in town to visit.

I bumped into Geoff on campus and had a quick hug, really made the day better.  Amazing what a friend’s touch can do for you when you are stressed.  Bumped into Mark downtown, he was doing some campaigning for the Twilight Festival, what a great guy.

I love who I work with at Starbucks.  While the job has be incredibly stressed right now, the people have nothing to do with it.  I absolutely love them.

Funny thing, just got off the phone with my brother.  We grow closer each year.  I’m very luck to have the family that I have.  They are loving, forgiving, understanding and trusting; among other such things.

Going to fall asleep listening to various Bright Eyes albums, yay to that.

In love with life.  Single but making it work.

Kiss the rain
Whenever you need me
Kiss the rain
Whenever Im gone too long
If your lips feel lonely and thirsty
Kiss the rain
And wait for the dawn
Keep in mind
Were under the same sky
And the nights
As empty for me as for you
If you feel
You cant wait till morning
Kiss the rain

I made it into the a capella group, yay!

Tonight Ian and I worked out, watched the end of National Treasure and had an overall wonderful time together.  I just love him.  Not many people in the world can compete with the completeness that Ian brings to my and other’s life.

And for the first time, ever, shout out to Matt No-Sko.  You work the shizbizzle.

Bet you thought this was going to be a negative rant…

Goodnight all.

Stressed Out, or Why Socrates is My Man

I’m uber stressed out right now.  Short list.

Work - working a lot and working long, late hours
School - lots of homework to do and projects, tests coming up
Love - I miss Seth, I miss Landon (even though he is here…)
Friends - I don’t have the friends I used to out here, I don’t even have time to see the ones I do have and love
Relationships - I can’t find the right guy, I don’t know if he exists out here for me
Apartment - I can’t seem to keep it Seinfeld-Clean.  Clean but not tidy
Money - Not enough
Time - See money
Body - Leaner please, but I don’t have time to workout anymore
Diet - I’m not eating any crap and eating very sensibly, but always hungry
Family - Small crisis on the home front.  We will get through it but it is not fun.

When I get stressed out, I get sick.  My eye today started its wonderful thing… The one where it attacks itself.  Beautiful.  So now I can’t really focus on anything with my right eye, but as usual, my left eye is fine.  I had those two seizures a few weeks ago but nothing since then, nothing beyond the headaches.  I only have health insurance for another week.  Oh shit.

My review at work went well enough.  Glad that happened better than I had originally expected.

I got a 93 on my math assignment, whoop to that.  I did an hours worth of math in 15 minutes in the parking lot of Virginia Avenue and made a 93, good job Justin.

French is difficult but not impossible.  I am doing a pretty good job in that class, it takes a while for me to process what the prof is saying but I think things are in line to workout for me in there.  I’m beginning to remember the French I knew when I was younger.  Yay to that.

Today I spent a few hours listening to opera, namely Mozart via Anna Netrebko; and reading Socrates.  I am totally in love with Socrates.  The book, by Plato, The Last Days of Socrates had me reeling with laughter.  What a gloriously genius man.  I believe that we do not celebrate what this philosopher gave our world nearly often and to the proper degree it deserves.  These hours of reading and listening to the operas was the highlight of my past few weeks.

I miss California right now, a lot.  Jenny helped me over the phone tonight, after leaving Landon’s, upset.  What a friend I have in Jenny.

Time for some sleep.  Thanks for allowing me to ramble.

Downtime

I could use some downtime already.  I have been running around so much lately, I haven’t gotten a moment to just relax.

My grandmother is coming into town Friday, I work Saturday and Sunday, but hopefully we will have enough time together to hang out.

David is back in town, glad to see him back.  Jim and I picked him up from the airport Sunday night.  A late night stop at Arby’s almost killed me.  Apparently, going weeks and weeks without eating that kind of food can do a number on you, once you eat that kind of food again.  Today I’m starting to feel better.

I met a guy at Starbucks, we have been hanging out.  He is a nice guy, though I’m not really feeling that I can do a relationship right now.  I still am thinking about someone else.  More than one other someone else at that.  Oh dear.

Time for french class

-justin

Oh, My Head!

I have had these terrible headaches for a few weeks now. I have had two seizures. I am doing great in my classes and work is going as good as could be expected. I’m still single but not alone. I lost my Ultimate Ears headphones and then found them. I lost my Armani jacket and later found it in a computer lab. I tried out for an a cappella group and got called back. I sang again at callbacks and got into the group. Last night I had a bunch of friends, old and new, over. We drank and talked and have a great time. I hung out with my a cappella group, Mizzou Forte, and had a fantastic time. I’m really tired and disoriented. I’m using idiotic intensifiers. I love the new Facebook News Feed. I feel on the verge of a panic attack but I’m actually quite happy. I’m unhappy still that I’m single. There are guys I like, I see them and feel this thing in my stomach that tells me to confront them. I can’t. I don’t even have time for it right now. I just like having my friends around. That’s all I really need, right? I need to open this up and write more, get you guys in touch with my life. I have been a badblogger, but mostly I’ve just been super extra busy.

‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin Is Dead

The Crocodile Hunter, was killed Monday during a diving expedition off the coast of Australia, the country’s Queensland Police Service confirms.

Irwin, 44, was stung by a stingray while filming a documentary at Batt Reef, Low Isle off Port Douglas at about 11:00 a.m. According to a police statement, “his crew called for medical treatment and the Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter responded; however, Mr. Irwin had died.”