Chocolatier's Profiling, 6 hrs a week

Working smack dab in the middle of the mall, you see and hear, a lot. Not only with the customers that actually come up to the store but also the ones just fluttering about. Never having worked in retail really, and certainly never having worked in "food", this has been oh so entertaining for me. I am infinitely amused by people, and their behaviors, reactions and interactions with others. So, of course, I am selling chocolate but also analyzing the crap out of them. How is the saying.......You can take the therapist out of the therapizing, but you can't take the therapizing out of the therapist. Yeah, I just made that up.

Mentally, I have broken up my customers into some categories.

I have customers that come allofthetime. These are what I like to call my "frequent fatties". Most of these are well, robust, and of a sturdy weight. They are great. They look at the chocolate case with complete abandon and borderline lust. Listen, it's chocolate and I get it (I do!) but really, with these folks, you almost don't want to interrupt. These folks eat the chocolate almost before you are done ringing them up and they eat it fast. They complain a bit about the price and how little they get for it. Sometimes, I think to myself that they should be buying a hershey's king size bar and be done with it. Sorry, my blog, my thoughts ;)

People that ask me specifics about the nutritional values of the truffles and chocolate. Making me read calories, fat, and sugars. Breaking down the serving size, saturated fat etc, I call these "the buzzkillers". Taking all the fun out of it. It's chocolate, not jenny craig or wholefoods.

Coming only to ask "do you have samples today" and then not buying anything. Those are my "pretenders". Even though, I too, have done this and will continue to once I leave this job. It's still funny. They pretend to be interested and even comment on this or that, but they walk away....slowly....lingering at the chocolate case pretending to think about it. Nope, I'm on to you.

And then my favorite, we will call them "the connoisseur". This is the customer that asks how they are made, what percentage of dark chocolate is in them, what style of ganache, what is our new pieces, how one piece differs from another. I love having these convos with these folks. It is fun and we both are engaged.

The "storytellers" are the ones that have lived in Europe (germany, belgium, sweden) and have a story about the chocolate "over there" and how much better it is and how they used to love walking through towns and buying fresh choclate etc. These are fun to listen to.

Then we have the "lady's choice" customers. These are people who ask me my favorite and leave it up to me to choose for them. Even though this is fun, choosing chocolate for someone is really not easy. I know what I love but it might not be what you love. The difference bewteen Dark, Milk and White chocolate is immense (I know, I am being dramatic but it's true) so it is really nerveracking for me to do this.

Finally (for today anyhow) there is the "BTDT (been there done that)" customers. These are customers that come with another person. This other person has never been to Godiva and the btdt person is their "guide". Stuff they say is "this is their signature chocolate", "you'll love this one", "they do this one really well", "this one is my favorite", "you just have to try it to really see", "this isn't like other chocoalte you've ever had", etc. etc. etc. Fun, but obnoxious.

Anyhow, I will keep an eye out (of course I will) for new profiles of our chocolate customers. I hope no one from corporate gets wind of my talking smack about the peeps that come to the store. I haven't given anyone my blog (not that they are even one bit interested) at work, so I think we're safe.

This concludes this installment of Chocolatier's Profiling...back to your regularly scheduled blogging.

Thousand Word Thursday (TWT)

What are these subjects saying/thinking? Welcome to Thousand Word Thursday, TWT

Happy Thursday and Happy Commenting ;)

My IRL Conversations (while children are awake)

Me talking....to Karen(names changed to protect the innocent) and the girls

"Hey, nice to see you Karen...what's going on"?

"Keep it down Athena, remember momma said to be quiet while she talks to Karen".

"Yeah, good to see you again. How is Kaitlyn"?

Athena says...."excuse me momma. excuse me momma. excuse me momma. Can we go in there?"

No, we can't go in there Athena. "waa, waa" Saylor, hold on baby, I will find your bottle in this purse.

"So, what's up Karen"?

Yes, we can go in there Athena. Listen, did you say hi to Kaitlyn? Say hi. Thank you.

"Oh Karen, Kaitlyn looks so big. How is she"?

Saylor is toddling around, aimlessly and I am nodding and trying to maintain eye contact with said friend as I walk backwards with my knees bent toward the baby. When I finally catch her, I attempt to carry her and her 25 lbs of love and realize that she is lunging off of me.

"Did you want to sit down somewhere so we can chat"?

Saylor is snotty so I pull out the boogie wipes to give her a wipe and then athena wants a "drink".

"So, how are you Karen"?

Athena wants to play with whatever Kaitlyn has and tells on her saying that she doesn't want to share. Karen intervenes rapidly talking to Kaitlyn about sharing and the need to let other children play with her stuff...yadda yadda.

"they love that toy don't they? It's a favorite around our house too"

"hey, so, fill me in on your life, friend"

by this time 30 minutes have gone by, athena needs to go potty, saylor is whiney and wanting to run into oncoming traffic, they don't want the snack that I packed for them (that they loved yesterday), and the other mom is going through the exact. same. thing. on her end.

We look at each other and *sigh*. We talk about getting together without the children so that we can have a continuous, non-fragmented conversation, and so that we can actually find out HOW THE OTHER IS.

This is the secret to Moms Nights Out. It is really to finish the 37 conversations that we start at the playground, playdates, zoo, museum, etc..

Godiva Giveaway

because really? what's the point of working there if I can't hook bloggy sistahs up? I have decided that I will be sending out a surprise to the winner. Just know, it will be chocolate and it will be Godiva. Really a win/win if you ask me.

Now, I have decided that I want this to be interactive this time. I want to ask you all some questions (that the answers can be found in the blog somewhere). They won't be hard but it will be fun. At least for me :)


What is the cost of most of my favorite things?

Am I pregnant?

If so, how far along?

What color hair did I have and for how long?

How many children do I have?

Gender?

Their names?

Following me?

If not, get thee to the "follow" button stat.

Then random.org can do the rest.

And this old school rewind is just for S & G's.

Thousand Word Thursday (TWT)

Happy Thursday.....Happy Commenting.......Happy TWT ;)

What a bright Ikea

Well, as you know, I have a couple of rug rats running around here. I am always looking for creative things to do with them that are easy, free, and fun. I have a mental list of things 'round town that we put into the circuit o' fun throughout the week. Zoo, Museum, McDonald's Play zone, Playdates etc. All of these things are fun and Freeeeeeeeee. Love me some free.

Well, add a new one to the mix. Ikea. Yes, the swedish-particle-board-hard-to-assemble- mecca, Ikea. It has a a playground called Smaland. Cute right? Well, you have to be potty trained...check, between 37-54 inches tall....check, and agree to pick up your child in one hour....check (can we negotiate on this one? I can't really navigate my way through the window less labyrinth that quickly). You are given a buzzer like the one at large chain restaurants and are *buzzed* when their time is up. Best of all is that it is....say it together now....Fa. reeeeee.

Athena loves it. She jumps into the ball pit (yes, she is deloused and disinfected upon leaving), colors, swings and watches whatever movie they have playing at the time. We usually have lunch there (cheap, cheap brekkie!!!!) and then she goes to Smaland. Saylor and I are left to see what is up in the land of the umlaut. It is a fun couple of hours. We all dig it.

What are some ideas for fun, and freeeeeeeee for toddlers and preschoolers?????

Thousand Word Thursday (TWT)

Every Thursday I will post a picture up on my blog and let you all comment on what you think the subjects are saying/thinking. This is TWT.

Happy Thursday!

Really? You're 15 months already? *sniff*

My gosh. Time really flies when you're having fun.

Pictures taken by The Shannon

Thousand Word Thursday (TWT)

You know what to do.

If not...

Game. Every Thursday I will post a picture up on my blah blah blahg and let you all comment on what you think the subjects are saying/thinking.