Busy Weekends Ahead

This afternoon, it begins... our second major Fall fundraiser starts, so it's all hands on deck, staffing-wise. At the beginning of the evening, I have to prepare our site for the influx of visitors, and at the end of the night, I have to make sure that everything is locked up, all of the lights are off, and the coffeepot is unplugged. During the actual event, I basically act as a 'backstop' for my co-workers, if anybody has any problems, I will respond, either acting as a pacifier or a rectifier. We typically get a good crowd, with a couple of unruly drunks in the mix- a couple of unruly drunks who are dealt with quickly, so they don't cause any problems. I have actually gotten to know quite a few of the 'regulars', often people who have had a complaint about something which I have helped to rectify. Funny how seeming to be sympathetic and allowing people to vent serves to disarm them, often eliciting gratitude. I've got a good poker face, and a high tolerance for emotional people, so I have a knack for defusing tense moments. It doesn't hurt that I look like a person who is perfectly capable of knocking someone on their ass if they get out of hand- the one time I contemplating staging a physical interposition between an asshole and a co-worker of mine, the guy's friends got the hint and hustled him away from the confrontation- lucky for him, this particular co-worker of mine is one badass woman. Most people aren't looking for a fight, and I have ended up being 'buddy-buddy' with people who came to me with chips on their shoulders. When dealing with the public, it helps to model yourself on a local bartender- give them ear, but channel that old McSorley's adage: Be good or be gone.

The one thing to which I cling throughout the month is the fact that things get R-E-A-L Q-U-I-E-T after this month and a half long crunch time. Come mid-November, I'll be hanging out in peace and quiet, playing with Ginger, and enjoying the beautiful scenery.