Saturday, September 8, 2012
Lessons from the lunchlady: You can't fill another's shoes, you have to make your own path
It's hard to believe that this was a four day workweek. It felt exhausting for many reasons.
When I took the manager's job, I realized that there would be a learning curve. That being said, I don't think I realized just how much of a learning curve. After telling my old boss that I found her shoes hard to fill, she said "You can't fill another's shoes, you have to make your own path."
This week was trailblazing. Here's what I learned.
Noodles can disintegrate. Apparently steaming noodles is an art form that I clearly have not yet mastered. Turns out depending on the size, shape and thickness of the noodle some steam a lot faster that others. For example, egg noodles steam very quickly. Rotini...not so fast. Wanna know what happens to them if you steam them to long? Mashed potato noodles... And NO we did not serve these ones.
When I took the manager's job, I realized that there would be a learning curve. That being said, I don't think I realized just how much of a learning curve. After telling my old boss that I found her shoes hard to fill, she said "You can't fill another's shoes, you have to make your own path."
This week was trailblazing. Here's what I learned.
Noodles can disintegrate. Apparently steaming noodles is an art form that I clearly have not yet mastered. Turns out depending on the size, shape and thickness of the noodle some steam a lot faster that others. For example, egg noodles steam very quickly. Rotini...not so fast. Wanna know what happens to them if you steam them to long? Mashed potato noodles... And NO we did not serve these ones.
The walk-in hates me. The walk-in cooler has a way of breaking only when I am having a stressful week. While I realize that it is an inanimate object who cannot possibly know my stress level, it always sounds its alarm when my stress level is already high.
Some kindergarteners have a lot of nerve. This week I took a break from serving and headed to the check out register. After only six kindergarten days of school some of those little angels actually get irritated If they still have to say their name. One of them rolled her eyes at me and said, "I say this everyday. How long till you remember?" I asked if she knew my name and she said, "No." So I told her that I will remember her name and all 67 others kindergartners names once she remembers mine. Until then, she can stop at the register and say her name EVERYDAY.
Birthday baskets lift my mood. If you order one in advance, our kitchen will deliver a birthday basket snack to your kiddo. It was an initiative established to help stop the onslaught of cupcakes brought to the school. We had our first basket on Friday. It was sooo much fun to deliver.
I work with the BESTEST people. I've said it before, but it needs said again. The people who work in my building are like family to me. I had a very rough week filled with tons of bad news. The kind of news that makes you ask AYFKM? The week ended finding out my hubby was hospitalized in Singapore with a nasty virus. That makes you feel very far away and alone. I am ever so greatful for my supportive friends and family.
What did you learn this week?
What did you learn this week?
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
12 random thoughts:
There definitely is just some equipment like your walk-in that seems to sense stress levels. We've got a gadget that is absolutely necessary to my job that the busier and the more frazzled you are, the less likely it is to function properly. It's like it *wants* to have a sledgehammer taken to it... ;-)
Sorry to hear you had such a stressful time this week! So sorry to hear about your hubby, I'll send up a prayer for y'all and hopefully that will help.
What a great idea for birthdays! Our schools just "outlawed" birthday snacks. I'm not sure if that counts for everything, but for a while they would allow fruit, but then came a rule about whatever comes in has to be individually wrapped. I'm glad my kids are not in school now, it's so hard to know what to do, but I do think your school has a great idea there.
What did I learn? Well today I learned that our deck has to go!!! In just the last month I've notice that we are in need of some repair on our back deck. Then today it rained A LOT and I went out to take the dog out and suddenly I was flat on my belly. I now have 2 sore and bruised wrists, my knees are not so happy and when I took the dog for a walk tonight, I didn't get too far before the hip started hurting. The good news is that the "new hip" apparently didn't get damaged, thank God!!! So I guess I learned that come the spring something HAS TO BE DONE, can't put it off any longer that sucker is just too slippery when wet!
you could have given those noodles to the art department, it might have work for paper mache...lol :)
Very funny about the noodles!
That birthday basket idea is GENIUS! I wish our school did something like that. Perhaps I'll bring it up at a PTO meeting! : )
Ewww those noodles look like something an alien would make..lol
and the nerve of some 6yr olds do they not know the memory is the first to go after having kids.
Congrats on your promotion. I must have missed that. I hope your husband gets better soon.
i cant believe a kindergartner would be so rude!!!
i cant believe a kindergartner would be so rude!!
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's illness. I hope that he is feeling much better now. Those noodles are a sight, for sure. The birthday basket is a great idea. Those kindergartner attitude moments are too much!
Hey, thanks for the noodle tips (I had no idea they had different consistencies and cooking times). I'm soooo glad you didn't serve that to the kids :-). Loved the kindergarten anecdote (good answer!) Hope your husband gets well soon!
Ooh, I know someone who I'd bet would love those mashed potato noodles!
Great job with that snotty little kindergartner!
So sorry to read about your husband. I hope he's well again. I'd better go through the more recent posts and check!