Right here, right now

Well, here's a first; stayed back at cash-job to attend a small course on service (again...never had one of those in 15 years of catering. Even wrote some..) and here I am about to blog about it! Fact is I am a sucker for the training video when it is done well, and the cause of customer service actually often leans close in to Buddhism, just like all the articles on 'how to improve your life and make more of your time' in 'womens'' magazines do. I do actually find myself very un-Buddhistly annoyed at those articles which purport to hold up for inspection a new and wonderful truth discovered by this or that author, the other life guru. Scratch the surface and it all seems strangely familiar for anyone who has even scratched the surface of Buddhism. One I read recently even robbed the teminology and went on about mindfullness like it was something just thought up by whoever the hell was writing it. Reminds me of some (sadly, I know it's a cliche) Americans who commented on the olives I served them in a restaurant, in Edinburgh, in the twentieth century - 'Gee, you got olives over here now too?' I kid you not, and wish I did.

Anyway... tonight's piece of training focused on a few points but the one I liked was the necessity to 'be there' or 'be present' for your customer, in your job. This is again using the idea of mindfulness and I couldn't help but think smug thoughts as the surefire way I have found to get through the working day is to try and focus wholeheartedly on whatever I am doing at a given moment, and the customer I am serving. Staying in the present moment and giving it your full appreciation, concentration and focus is the basis of mindfullness and many a dull moment can be enlivened by actually giving your all to the task at hand, be it washing up, serving, eating or breathing. I love a little hookline, and "be present" is a good one for me. Me like.

My other fave from earlier in the month was "outflow = inflow" if you recall, and with some crossover, they make a powerful little mantra.

The note in my back pocket today had some more fuel for thought; I was pondering the composition of Madame Tabere and the angels, and subdivided some angel ideas by design; 'the batwing', 'the peg' and 'flow outline'. Means sweet f.a. to anyone else I'm sure but I love the idea of an identification chart of angels based on their sillhouette in flight, which is what it boils down to. Now I have to sketch the wee blighters and see which outline best fits my format... Pegs or batwings, who knows? Two days of 'me' time to paint, put up light fittings to best display our newly framed pictures and recharge the creative side of my brain. And have a haircut - I have cracked under the pressure and quit my aim to grow the hair all year in a quest for maximum financial saving. Good to know your limits.