46: Wokring for the Weekend

So Panera is going well enough. Sure, I wear the same pair of mom khakis (HUGE crotch) and rotate one of three polos that I don't actually wash so much as spray down with toner (that's like cleaning. it has tea tree in it!), but the people seem good enough. We're a motley band of underachievers but then again, how inspired would you if worked at Panera?

I suppose the thing that bothers me the most there is not the free drinks people take, because let's face it, I do not care enough to properly charge people half the time --though I was rewarded the other by a cute man's joke:

What's a vampires favorite holiday? (cue lip biting where he thought he fucked it up)
Fangsgiving

that's right. The surest way to my heart is a nervous twitch and a corny dad joke-- or the giners digging through those too-sugary pastries we sample, but the muzak versions of songs they play. Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" does not need to become sweeter or softer. Nor "SOmwhere over the Rainbow". I'd be fine with classical. Hell, I'm fine with silence. But the shy cello and violin renditions of "Have I Told You Lately" and "Home on the MOTHERFUCKING Range" is unnecessary and annoying. I can't decided what's worse- this, or the top 40 pop I'd listen to at Dunkin Donuts.


No, that's not true. Dunkin music was much worse, if only because I can tune this music out.

But as I search for a coffee shop job, I'm realizing that music really does make the work environment for me. I mean, when I think about jobs I've loved, it's because I could play what music I wanted, within reason (Lush, Mary's Pence). When I think about jobs that I've tolerated, it's because I could listen to podcasts or something on headphones (Board of Ed filing). When I think about jobs I've hated, it's usually because of the music and not because of the people I've dealt with- thus, compare my work at the Green Leafe to Dunkin Donuts or that law firm with its softjazzyrockmiddleagepop. Ulgh. Vomit.



However, I have been on a music binge lately- satisfying cravings not only for Super Black Market Clash and the Moon is a Broken Lightbulb (Elliot Smith B Sides), but also letting in bands I don't quite know (but now love) like Starfucker. I guess that might even things out.