What Do I Do Every Day?

The most popular question I get is: "What do you do every day?" Well, that is hard to say, because every single day is different. That might change a bit once the new store opens and I have a more set routine, but probably not.

Essentially I wait on customers, put together and frost cakes, frost cupcakes, make flavored buttercream, make ganache, tidy up, do paper work. This AM I got to spend some time on the phone with Verizon. Really, it just depends on what needs to be done. I realize this will not be a very satisfying answer for people who want details.

Yesterday, I drove to Tysons Corner (got lost), programmed new employees into the computer system, drove to the Shirlington store (got lost), waited on customers and learned paperwork duties, etc. Saturday I took a food sanitation and safety class. Fascinating stuff that class.

Every day is completely different from the last, so I can't say what I do every day.

The one thing that is common to every day is that I get to know a different fascinating person in every store. The people who work at CakeLove have fascinating career histories. The woman with whom I worked with last night, had a successful career as an accountant. Lived and worked in Hong Kong for 20 years and decided she wanted to come home to the US, retire and do something interesting and fun. She is brilliant, organized, great with people and a fabulous teacher. Instead of sitting at a desk, she wanted a job where she could be more active, do something fun that people loved and enjoy her life.  She found all that at CakeLove and she is loving her job. 

The recurring theme I've found is people want to have a happy life and the traditional track people are expected to follow isn't delivering it. Surprised? I'm not.

I LOVE My Job

Working at CakeLove is so awesome. Yesterday, I got to learn how to assemble and frost cakes at their flagship store at 15th and U St. NW. I trained with this awesome, talented woman named Leslie. She primarily speaks Spanish, I English, but it didn't matter when you're speaking the language of cake. She is a fabulous teacher and a true artist. The cakes she makes are stunningly gorgeous and she can whip them out in record time. Me, I was slow and my cakes not so pretty. I hope with practice I can be half as good as she is. Leslie is my new role model. 

The other thing I have noticed is I am a much nicer, calmer person. I'm a kinder driver. I'm more relaxed. It just goes to show me that I was living my life all wrong. Being part of the toxic DC environment where everything is about a power struggle, manipulation and nastiness really is not for me. I have more energy even though I work harder and when I come home after standing all day long, I am still excited to walk Walter (the cutest, sweetest dog ever) and do all my administrative work I have to do for CakeLove. I need to sleep less and I'm happy. I almost forgot what it felt like to be happy.

In fact, I even forgot that there was a primary yesterday. I turned on the news and heard that horrible screeching voice of Hillary Clinton and saw the repeat footage of her trying to pretend like she is an Every Day Jane. Seriously, doing shots and drinking beer out of a mug? Who does she think she is fooling? But I digress. It was so awesome to realize that I had completely tuned out the disaster that is the Democratic Primary. I really don't want to watch as the rich, white, powerful try to screw the candidate who brings young people, independents and African Americans back into the party.  I still am hopeful that the super delegates will do the right thing and ensure that the guy who has won the most states and has won the popular votes gets the nomination. It's not that hard. It's called the Democratic process. No wonder people outside of DC are sickened by politics.

Ah, the irony of the guy who likes to think of himself as the first black president wants to steal the nomination from the REAL African American who has actually won the nomination. It would be funny if it wasn't so sickening.