Friday, September 12, 2008

Yet Another Friday!

One thing that many Kenyans struggle with when they come to the States is the fine art of tipping. You see back home there is no set formula per se when it comes to tipping. You either do it or you don't. You do it if you like the place, if it's high class or you are a regular there and have a good rapport with the staff. It's a whole different ball game in the States where most people in the service industry are paid far less than other professional so tips are a major part of their income and also a way of showing appreciation for their work.
Unfortunately many people don't realize that so I have gone out to eat with friends and have people look at me weirdly when they see me doing some quick math in my head before leaving a tip while they either wouldn't or would just leave any loose change that was gathering lint in their pockets. But on the other hand I do admit that the issue of who should be tipped and who shouldn't be tipped is rather complex and confusing. I read this article for some guidance and came to this fine conclusion, I'll carry my own bags, make my own coffee, buy food from the drive through, drink at home and do my own hair! It's too expensive out there for a man like me.

I know some rap/hip-hop lovers are going to try and hunt me down but I'm going to say this anyway. Lil Wayne's voice gets on my nerves, yes the dude can rhyme but there is only so much of his voice I can take in an hour. I mean listen to this song and tell me you can sit down and listen to that for an hour straight?

If I wasn't so apathetic about everything, I would blog about my workplace is slowly but surely turning into a bad episode of The Office. Well as that slowly happens I am slowly turning into one of the subsets of employees I once learned about in a class about Personnel Management. The character in question is called the Conserver. You see Conservers know how to do their job as fast as possible with the least needed effort and in the optimal amount of time (not too long, not too short). In addition to this I have also learnt that in my organization innovation results in more work for you but more credit to someone else usually a superior ( I learnt this the hard way). But let it be known that this Conserver did not go to school for all those years for nothing, I have also mastered the fine art of dissuading superiors from appropriating other organizations' concepts and putting me in charge of it by appealing to their fiscal sense of responsibility. So in a nutshell I do what I'm paid to do and keep my head down, that's pretty much it; anything else will cost them extra......


Before I leave, time for a PSA. A good friend of mine is doing a 3 day walk to raise money for Breast Cancer research. I know this issue affects and has affected many of us, so if you can please make a donation or give moral support! Thanks!

TGIF and bon weekend!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

enjoy the weekend too aco.

Nakeel said...

Have a fabulous one too Aco

Mo said...

May I suggest changing the colour of you links? One could easily overlook them as they're almost the same hue as the main body.

On to the topic, a lecturer once told me to do only what was expected of me and only to work extra-hard when a supervisor was watching or would see the results. After a few part-time jobs and three internships (the former of which I made a total ass of myself by being a conscientious employee while everyone was goofing off & we were being paid the same), I fully intend to follow his advice once I'm launched on the work force.

Someone remind me why Little Whatever is famous?

Anonymous said...

About tipping. I noticed I dont tip in most sports pubs in the city but I tip in restaurants! Watching the movie Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino which happens to be one of my favorite movies of all times, there is a scene where why engage in a funny exchange on tipping. They say that tipping is taxed too!