Research #11 July 30, 2009

My last article for my research is from my favorite site from my google alert, Bartender Examiner from Kathleen Neves.  It was titled “five commandments for bartenders,” so I had to see what that was about. I thought it may be something sarcastic or funny, but it was 5 very important aspects of what being a good bartender is all about.

Through the semester I have seen a lot of articles, but this one really sums it up.  The first one listed is “Set the tone.” “The rapport between a bartender and guest is set by the bartender.”

This might sound obvious but it goes into further detail about what this means.  It basically says that it is the bartenders responsibility to make sure the customer is having a good time. The second commandment says to be observant. This is really important and it doesn’t pertain soley to the surroundings, but to observe people. They may be going through a tough time and just want to be left alone. They made need someone who will listen or give advice.  It happens all of the time, a bartender can only gauge the patrons mood by observing and listening. This will make for better interaction and a desired response for both parties.

 The third commandment was to know your recipes. There are always new products and ingredients being released by distributors, so it is impossible to memorize every single drink.  However, the fundamentals and basic mixology should be applied and every bartender should know how to make popular drinks.  My favorite point made is when she says, “I strongly believe that ten percent of bartending is the drinks. The other ninety percent is the bartender’s personality. Anyone can memorize and learn to make drinks, but it take a special someone to keep the customers coming back for more, night after night. So just keep that in mind.”

 The forth one is to perfect your craft. “A bartender is most definitely on stage, so expect to be scrutinized down to your fingernails.”

 This is always in the back of my mind while bartending. Especially if I have a bad day and know that I’d better not show it.  People pick up on little things because the bartender is the true source of entertainment no matter how many televisions are on or how loud the music may be.  It is really strange that people that do not know me, besides being my customers, can tell when something is wrong.  “You aren’t yourself today,” or “what’s bothering you,” are not statements that you want to hear from people that may not even know your full name.

 Perhaps the last one is better off reading then giving my opinion about it.  This commandment basically incorporates my multimedia package for the class. 

 

Exude Gravitas
“A bartender’s skill and cleverness in being many things to many people is one of the most compelling and challenging aspects of the job.”

Bartenders don’t just make drinks for their guests. There are many different “hats” a bartender must wear while working behind the bar. Bartenders have to be a wealth of knowledge for their guests when asked about current events, sporting events, where to eat and go out. Bartenders also have to play the recess monitor when trying to keep the peace at the bar between other rowdy guests. Bartenders are the therapists that must listen to their guests when they want to talk. Bartenders must make sure to deal with even the most difficult situations in a professional manner such as when having to cut a guest off from alcohol.

Research #10 July 30, 2009

Cornelius plays the memory game with customer faves at Plae Bistro was the article I read this week from www.greenbaypress.com. It was a short profile about a woman named Kelly Cornelius who bartends and manages her sister’s restaurant in Wisconsin.  It was interesting to read her answers about “what makes a good bartender.”

            She says that you have to be social and talk to everyone, even if you are having a bad day.  I have watched co-workers and other bartenders pick and choose who they interact with. I think that Kelly makes a good point; you really do have to talk with everyone who walks in. Sometimes the most intimidating people can be the best conversationalists.  There are always “sketchy” people in bars, it’s something that you get used to and learn to deal with.

            I used to work at Hamilton tavern (before the people who own Brewer’s Art bought it and made it presentable) and it was an absolute nightmare at times.  The people who came in that joint were more than a little sketchy! After treating some of these people like my equal instead of judging them, I found that a lot of them had enough brain cells left to hold a decent conversation. 

            Kelly also states that she creates her own martinis. “I just kind of search through different ingredients that we have and kind of mix and match what goes good with each other. Lots of practicing, which isn’t always a bad thing,” says Kelly.   I agree that it’s not always “by the book” a good bartender should be able to mix up a drink that is their won creation. 

            I enjoyed the fact that she doesn’t mind working sise-by-side with her sister and refers to her as her best friend.  I have seen so many people who work for or with family who absolutely despise it.  I think its great that these two can appreciate one another, work for long hours together, and still remain sane and positive.

Reaction #10 July 29, 2009

Wow- I can’t believe that his class has ended. It was a tough class to jump into after being out of school for 6 years. I learned more than I thought was possible and enjoyed the class even though, at times, I wanted to rip my hair out!

Looking back, there are many things that I wish I could improve and there are a few things that I am not completely satisfied with. I can walk away from this experience knowing that I tried my best and gained knowledge that will change the way I view journalism.

For example, I had never blogged before and understand the importance and usefulness of this tool. I enjoyed reading about the status of my classmates and how their projects were forming. I plan to keep up with blogging and hope to stay connected to how classmates are doing in the future.

The multi-media package was an assignment that seemed overwhelming and intimidating. In the end, I created something that I can learn from. It was less than perfect, but I feel like it was the best I could have done.

For starters, I would get rid of the buzzing sound that has tainted the slideshow that I worked so hard to create. I know everyone had time management issues and many ran into problems, so I will not complain about those tribulations. However, with my topic I found it difficult to find quality footage and get pictures and interviews that made sense. The people I chose to interview work on busy nights and many of them were unavailable during regular hours. There were nights that I would arrive for an interview and the bartender was unrepentantly too busy to have an in depth conversation. I wanted to delve into more of their personal lives and how they became interested in bartending and.

My project focused on their individual styles and how they apply it to work in their favor. It seemed like a great idea until I realized that it would not impact the readers unless they were there to see it for themselves. This brings me to my next point, the way I put my slideshow together. I should have had a video of “a night in the life of… in may have told the story better.

I also would have tweaked my focus early on. Instead of being so general, I would have captured these bartenders in action. The night that I had my first interview with Lea, I was completely absorbed in everything she did. Her style was different and she was in tune with her surroundings. She passed a pen to a guy who was trying to sign his receipt before I realized that his pen was out of ink. She didn’t seem like she was paying attention because she was serving other customers so I was impressed. I wrote in my blog about this night and got positive feedback. Yet, I never really focused on these aspects in my module. Recording her sarcasm and energy behind the bar would have been a good idea.

I guess I feel like I had really great information and a lot of interesting people, but my work doesn’t reflect all of the experiences that I had during the semester. I wanted to create something really great, at the time; I thought that I had nailed it. To look at my finished product, I see that I fell short and lost something “really great” somewhere along the line.

In the future I will be working on this same project. I want to create what was in my mind when the topic of bartending was suggested to me. I enjoyed working with Dreamweaver and think that I’ve done a pretty good job using it. I also have enjoyed taking my own photos and using them effectively.

This class has taught me to look at journalism from a new perspective. All of the sites that we were told to view were helpful and useful. There are a few that I will take a look at, not because I have to, but because I want to. The time constraint was expected for a summer class, but I didn’t think it would be so intense. If I had been familiar with the technology aspect of the class prior to taking the class, I may have produced something that I was completely satisfied with. For now, I can say that I know my work is not publication quality and I know it needs improvement, but I am proud of what I have accomplished.

I am excited to grow from this experience. I will have time to learn more about all of the tech stuff and focus on the content of my multimedia package. I feel like this was a stepping stone that allowed me to see the importance and impact of technology. I feel confident that I can learn how to perfect my project and no longer feel like I am limited to tell a story using only words.

Links to comments July 27, 2009

My Comments

WordPress announcement: National Blog Posting Month

This tracks comments you’ve made across WordPress.com so you can see when people reply to you. It will show your comment, one before yours, and replies after yours. The thread with the latest replies will be at top. See this announcement for more information.

Reaction Post #9 – Well Connected by michelleshry

TL said 1 day ago:

Hmm, now I think I know why my Comcast bill is so high! Glad you enjoyed the site — it’s an interesting one.

You said 1 day ago:

I took your advice and took a look at the site that you chose to critique. Well Connected was a very informative and interesting site. I found out some facts about the area that I recently moved to, it was cool. I have lived in the county ever since I moved to Maryland 7 years ago. I knew a little bit about different media sources and who owns them, but I had no clue about Canton or any parts of Baltimore City.
I was amazed to find out that there are 39 newspapers within 100 miles of Canton, Maryland. Before visiting this site I would have guessed about 18 or 19 existed. I completely agree with you in preferring to look at the information as a visual map and page of facts than looking it up and reading about it. I definitely do not have the attention span to find out all of that information separately and on my own. I think that this site is useful, especially when you are new to an area.
I also noticed that the information is a bit dated. I think it was last updated in 2006, like you stated in your post. In light of the state of the economy and the financial decline we have experienced, some of the newspapers, as well as other media sources may no longer be in existence. I agree that it must be difficult to keep up with the changes and keep the site accurate.

marci10 said 2 hours ago:

Wow this site was pretty incredible. The amount of money these medial organizations pay to politicians is crazy. I work in the government and I hear alot about lobbying and Congressman making their view known but I never imagined the amount of money companies paid out.

I also took a look at my zip code, 21230. I know living in a major city that there are several media sources and I also work in media relations so I have contacts with many media outlets. However, after looking at the list I never knew there were so many media outlets in the area.

The information was updated in 2006. I am curious to see the change in the numbers due to news papers closing and other media organizations downsizing.

Links to Comments « Marci Green pinged 2 hours ago:

[...] http://michelleshry.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/reaction-post-9-well-connected/#comments [...]

Reply to thread »

---

Reporting#8: Danurdoro by amrana1

You said 1 week ago:

Wow, you have found so much information on Indonesian culture so far in the semester. Did you know that all of this was out there before you started this assignment or did it surprise you to find so many people who enrich their lives with the culture?
I definitly agree with what Danurdoro said about how in order to change or improve events, the committee should include a wider range of memebers. Young people do not understand their importance in groups or organizations. Many times they allow older people to keep the same traditions and leave it to them to “run the show.” When in fact, there are so many creative ideas and different or new oipinions from younger generations.

Adrian said 6 days ago:

What are some popular or critically acclaimed Indonesian movies? Who are the best actors and actresses?
Could you provide some links to them if you don’t mind please.
Also am I interested in your county’s cuisine. Does Indonesia have a national dish, or do the islands have their own traditional dish?

The person who you interviewed made a great point about getting younger Indonesians involved in the cultural bazaar. They are the ones who will pass the culture down to the next generations so they must be aware of their heritage.

Great Post, keep up the good work.

Reply to thread »

---

Research Post #7 by michelleshry

amrana1 said 2 weeks ago:

Hi Michelle,

So, which one are you, the early bird or night owl? I’m a hummingbird.
The article is very interesting because it gives steps on how to adjust to the lifestyle that we want. I kind of like being a night owl during school days. I like to do my homework from around 8 p.m.-12 a.m., and after that I usually stay online to chat with a friend or just browsing on the Internet. I sleep around 2 a.m. every day.

However, during school break I usually sleep earlier and that happens automatically. I don’t really do anything special like using eye-mask or anything like that. I wake up early because I usually have stuff that I want to do during the break.

It’s just too bad that some people have problem sleeping or waking up. However, the steps given in the article are worth to try I guess. They might work for some people.

Link to Comments « Awis Mranani pinged 2 weeks ago:

[...] Research#7 (Michelle) [...]

Marci said 1 week ago:

Michelle,

I am so glad the articles that I sent you were helpful! They both seemed very interesting and seemed like they could at least give you some information to help better understand why your interviewees enjoy getting up so early.

It seems like you have a nice balance between people who get up because they enjoy the mornings and people who get up due to due responsibility.

Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your reporting posts each week.
Marci

You said 1 week ago:

I enjoyed reading this post, especially because I was recently talking about the topic. I just had a conversation with a friend who hates waking up early and working out. However, I used to do it and told her how much better I felt and that she should try it.
Because of how crazy my hours are these says I probably would find the tips given in the article to be useful. If I could only keep a rigid schedule!
I know you have mentioned that you used to bartend, so you understand all about the crazy hours and how hard it can be to reset your sleeping pattern.

Links to Comments « Marci Green pinged 1 week ago:

[...] Links to Comments Published July 14, 2009 Comments , Uncategorized Leave a Comment Michelle Shry [...]

Reply to thread »

---

A Chance Meeting- Reporting Post 8 by marci10

You said 1 week ago:

Aww, that is a really cute story. I think that it is funny that this couple is not the only one you found through the semester who have met eachother through sports and recreation clubs. By the way, I know that we have spoken about different people at Della’s for you to interview, and I had a few things to say. I am not sure about your schedule but a Tuesday night would be great for you to pop in. There are over five teams that come in before and after their games. Also, Luke, the bar manager will be there on Tuesdays. I am not sure if you can use me in your module, but if you are allowed, I can sit down with you and tell you the ways that supporting these teams benefit business. Our numbers are definitely lower when these teams take a break or are not in session. Just an idea for you, good luck.

marci10 said 1 week ago:

Thanks, Chrissy. There story is cute and the other couple are actually friends of mine but their story is also a good one. I think social sports let people be more comfortable to possibly meet someone special.

I would love to talk to someone from Della’s but I can not tonight. I have another interview with a bar manager in Federal Hill. I leave Thursday for a wedding in California and wont be back till class on Tuesday. The final text module is due on Tuesday. So I could possibly send you some questions and you or luke could answer via email that would be very helpful. This wedding is falling at the worst time. But it will be good to get away.

Thanks again for your help.
Marci

Reply to thread »

---

Research #7 by ckissner

TL said 2 weeks ago:

Well, maybe some of the articles you are reading are infuriating you, but at least you’re seeing some very common themes developing — and you know you are on the right track.

amrana1 said 1 week ago:

Hi Christine,

Don’t be angry, please.

So, what are your suggestions for people who want to start bartending? For example, if I want to be a bartender, and I don’t know much about alcohol let alone mixing them up, where am I supposed to go?

Is it really that bad to go to a bartending school? I mean, I know zero about bartending but I think for other people who know zero just like I do, a school as a start is not that bad of an idea. What do you think?

Also, I have a stupid question. When one sign up for a job as a bartender, do the employers expect some sort of bartending education? If all employers only care about experience, then where should a person (fresh one), who wants to build his/her experience, starts bartending? Does that mean this person will find it hard to get a job?

Sorry for all the questions. I just don’t know anything about bartending.

Link to Comments « Awis Mranani pinged 1 week ago:

[...] Research#7 (Christine) [...]

You said 1 week ago:

Your comment made me laugh, I wouldn’t be angry with you asking questions. All of your questions are valid and I think that anyone who may be interested in bartending may want to attend a bartending school for some helpful background knowledge about alcohol.

I guess throught the semester I have tried to show bartending as something that one can not easily master. So many people say that it is not a “real job” and that is why I defend it. It is more than just pouring drinks and I think everyone in our class would agree with that.

Bartending school is not a bad start to gain product knowledge, however it drives me crazy when people think that attending bartending school automatically makes you a good bartender.

So what I am saying is that if one knows very little about alcohol they would benefit from the school. But the experience aspect of it is what makes a good bartender. Basically, the point I was trying to make is that even if someone can read a recipe out of a book, it doesn’t mean it will taste good. It is a trial and error type of learning that works best.

Some bars that I have worked at over the years will not hire a graduate of bartending school because the bar owner would rather teach the employee themselves. It is just an individual preference of the way certain things are done. For example at Mixers, a small bar, they do not put cocktails in “rocks” glasses like most places. Instead of using “highball” glasses like other establishments they pride themselves on using pint glasses. Everyone that orders a drink there for the first time is blown away that the prices are so low and the drinks so large.

This example is a complete “no, no” in bartending school. From saftey reasons to the presentation, its all wrong. Yet, this bar owner encourages it from his employees. It’s simple little things about how you greet people and how you talk to them that bartending schools do not teach.

I know I keep rambling, so I will stop now. My point is that someone who has gone to bartending school does not always get hired based on that. Also that a person must develop their own style and be comfortable behind the bar in order to be great.

Reply to thread »

---

The Sky’s the Limit with Pet Airways by Alexander Kidwell

You said 1 month ago:

Before reading your blog this week I had no idea that Pet Airways existed. I personally would not use this service but I know many people that would take advantage of it. I’m sure that you are coming across a lot of pet technology that you didn’t know was out there. I’m not sure if you have all of your interviews set up and squared away but if you need a contact, I have a friend who is a volunteer at the humane society. I just found out her job title, and think its kinda funny, she is a “cat cuddler” and loves it!

Tl said 1 month ago:

Pretty cool how they are partnering with shelters. Can international pet adoptions be far behind?

Josh Flynn said 1 month ago:

That is pretty interesting, I knew it was only a matter of time before they started having pet flights. It sounds like the premise for a comedy movie or sketch where the animals get loose and take over the plane.

It also makes you wonder what kind of service they get on the plane. Are there in-flight meals? Are there complimentary drinks and hot towels? What about the dogs needing to go to the bathroom? Especially on a flight for several hours. They have a little blurb about it on their website (http://petairways.com/content/how-pet-airways-flies-your-pet) but it seems like it would still be pretty hard to get the animals to be comfortable enough to go to the bathroom without grass if they are used to going outside.

Seems like there would be a lot of logistics in running a successful pet airline, and like you say; it will be interesting to see how they fare when they open up.

There was a short commentary in the Examiner earlier today about it (http://www.examiner.com/x-7602-Oakland-Pet-Outings-Examiner~y2009m6d22-A-new-way-to-travel-with-your-pets).

Reply to thread »

Reporting #9 July 24, 2009

For one of my final interviews I chose to sit down with Tim Bartos, bartender at Bay Café.  Tim has bartended for almost 15 years and has a different outlook than some of my recent interviewees on flair bartending.  Tim has never tried flair and agrees that it is more about personal style than juggling bottles.

 “I have never been coordinated enough to play sports. I couldn’t catch a baseball if you paid me, why would I try and catch something breakable?” says Tim.  Tim feels that if bartenders focus on throwing bottles around than they are actually disconnected to the crowd.

 I can see his point in this theory, a bartender may get caught up in doing tricks and the hospitality aspect of bartending may suffer. However, if a bartender knows when to use flair it can’t hurt to add a memorable experience for the patron. 

 Tim says that he has been in the business a long time and knows the difference between bartenders who use it to enhance their bartending skills and those who use it because they have no bartending skills.  “You can probably train a monkey to do some flair bartending, that doesn’t mean you want him serving you drinks,” says Tim.

 Tim has a point and I do see that some bartenders probably use flair to hide behind the fact that they may not have had a lot of experience behind the bar.  Either way I still am impressed by it and think it looks cool. 

 Tim makes a point to ask if I would care if a drink that I ordered was not “up to par” because the bartender made a show out of it.  I had to think about this for a minute, until I met Tim I would have never really put much thought into it. 

 I guess this interview shows me that bartending really is about individual preference and personal style behind the bar. I thought everyone loved flair!

Reaction #9 July 24, 2009

The project that I chose to critique was Afro-Latin Americans. In viewing this project about Afro-descendants in Latin America, I could tell a lot of time and effort was put into this very elaborate piece. It is an interesting topic told in a way that draws you to each story and picture that is listed. I find it difficult to critique something that is that in depth and informative.

 However, I can see that some areas could be altered or improved.  For starters, the first page that you see when the site opens is a little overwhelming.  There is so much going on and I really did not know what to look at first. The heading sounds simple enough to understand, “A rising voice: Afro-Latin Americans.” I was ready to navigate through the project but I didn’t know what I should do next.

 Then, I am given almost 10 choices of places I can visit within the project.  A huge map takes up most of the room on the page and a bunch of dots and numbers on it makes it interactive for me to delve into another aspect of the project.  I think if the map was not on the first page I would feel more comfortable about all of the links to the stories that are listed.  The map is a really nice feature and gave me a lot of information, but I don’t think it belongs on the first page.

 I think the overview should probably be the opening page. If I was visiting this site on my own and not for class work, I may get bored and not so to other places on the page because the map page is a little time consuming and I feel like it should not be the focus of the page.

 After I clicked on Part 1, I felt a little distracted by the yellow ad on the top of the page as well as my options on the left side.  I wanted to read the story but I didn’t know if I should watch one of the two videos to the left first.  Again, it was a little overwhelming and when I am reading a story on the internet my attention span is slightly different than when I am reading a book or magazine.  My attention span when I am viewing web pages is a lot shorter, I want to know what is going on and why I should be investing my time in the content. 

 The following parts were similar. They were so detailed and were rich with information, culture, and facts.  I would have paid attention to every word of this project, had it been in a magazine or in a documentary.  The work here is phenomenal, all of the video clips, pictures, and stories within stories.  There is so much information here that it is a shame, in my opinion, that it will never be fully appreciated.

 I think that a story is told better through video sometimes and in this case I think that this would make an excellent documentary. 

 At the end of this project there were over 100 comments posted by readers.  So obviously people are reading these stories.  I am simply stating my opinion, I could not get through each and every fact and that I thought the layout could be changed to be a little less overwhelming.  I think that if this was published as a magazine people may miss the experience that the video clips give. Music, voices, and background all play a key part in the experience. I think that the video clips that were used in this project were necessary in connecting with the culture and surroundings.  I thought that the videos and pictures were excellent ways to keep my interest.  The text could have been shortened.  Although it was accurate and informative information, I think that the long blocks of text on the page is one of the reasons I may wander away from the site.  I think that it this project could be more appealing by getting rid of some of the text.  Like I said earlier, I know that people, including myself that would love to read all of these stories, in a different format, like a magazine, not online.

Research #9 July 24, 2009

This week I chose another article from Examiner.com. The article was about another bartender of the week Bartender of the week: Marisa Gonzalez, Cyclone Anaya’s. 

It is a story that I found to be cute because it is something that you don’t hear very often.  People become bartenders for many reasons, usually involving their knowledge of alcohol, interest in the hospitality industry, or passion for entertaining.  This week, Marisa Gonzalez has a different answer.

 

Marisa became a bartender because of a crush that she had on the head bartender in the restaurant she was working as a waitress at the time. She explains that all she had to do was ask her manager if she could be a bartender and he put her behind the bar.  This usually does not happen with such ease, so I found it interesting that the manager gave her a shot and trained her to be a bartender. 

 The story continues to say that her ploy worked and she began dating the object of her affection.  The relationship between the two ended, but her relationship with bartending grew stronger. She says, “I quickly grew to love it behind the bar. It’s so much more fun than waiting tables. You have such a deeper connection with the people that come in, and to the other workers. Everyone wants to be the bartender’s friend.”

 I feel like the statement is true, when you have a deeper connection with your customers that is when you truly enjoy the hospitality side of bartending.  When you wait tables your guests are usually in a hurry or on some sort of time restraint and there is no relationship established. I agree with Marisa in saying that when you bartend everyone wants to be your friend. People will sit and talk about their personal lives for hours; they will ask for advice and expect you to listen, like a friend. 

 

Marisa describes her ideal customer at one point in the article, I agreed with who she described and think most bartenders would.  “One who is open and friendly; not just to me but to others around the bar. I love it when customers who don’t know each other at the beginning of the evening start talking, and talk throughout the night to each other. I also appreciate it when people understand the service industry, and understand that sometimes a bartender might get backed up and it might take an extra minute to get your drink. I like it when these type of people come in, and they a smile and have an open attitude. It’s also nice when people don’t end up falling asleep at the bar,” says Marisa.

 Marisa goes on to tell a story about her most memorable patron and also mentions some of the celebrities who have visited the restaurant where she works.  Since she works in Texas it was no surprise that she has met some of the Dallas Cowboys and a few of the Dallas Mavericks.

 It is interesting to read about bartenders’ stories of how they became a bartender and what they experience on a daily basis.  I like to compare other bartenders’ views and how they feel about their jobs.

Research 8 July 16, 2009

This week’s google alert was from www.UWeekly.com.  The article is one that most bartenders can definitely relate to.  In fact, last week related my feelings to a co-worker about how when it comes to a bar scene, “the customer is always right” does not apply. A man has come into the bar, ordered a few drinks, clearly intoxicated he began to haggle over the price of his last shot.  He was wrong, happy hour was over and the price on his check reflected the regular price.  You would have thought we were charging him a million dollars by the way he carried on.  Finally I told him that if he didn’t pay the full amount I would not only embarrass him in front of everyone who watched, I would also make sure that he never stepped foot I the bar again.

            My co-worker agreed with me but was scared that it may have been the wrong thing to do, “maybe we should have just let it go,” she said.  This doesn’t make sense to me, if you go in to any business you can not make up your own price.  If I went to the mall after a sale and haggled over a price, I would be escorted out of a store by security and would not get my way. Should bars be any different just because there is alcohol and poor judgment involved? 

            Now that I have provided you with background information, you can see why I enjoyed “The sleazeball’s guide to ordering a drink,” by Kate Liebers.

            The article provides a guide to ordering drinks that I found to be comical but true.  Rule number 1 states that you should know what you want.  I find this funny because at least 30 times a week I hear “I don’t know what to get, what’s good?” or “can you just surprise me?” These are true statements that people make on a daily basis; I couldn’t make this up if I tried.  Usually I just smile and nod, make them something that I think fits their fickle personality and carry on with my night.  However, there are times that they catch me in a sarcastic mood and I make a joke about what it may contain (like bar mat liquid or worse) and tell them they are better off not leaving it up to me. 

            My second favorite rule is rule number 4. Rule number 4 states that you should leave the mixing to the bartender; this is also a frequent pet peeve of mine.  People come up, drink in hand and ask, “Can you make this stronger?” You probably should have thought about how weak the drink is when you ordered a Malibu and pineapple! If you wanted something that you can “taste the strength” of, you may have wanted to order a Jim Beam on the rocks. 

            The last rule is also a key point in bartending…to leave or at least prepare to leave at “last call.” There are far too many people who think that they are an exception to this rule.  When the bartender is closing, one should promptly pay there tab, leave a generous tip, and walk out the door.  This does not mean that you beg for one more drink because you couldn’t hear “last call” or that you will be right back, you just have to get money out of your car, or that you can’t leave until your friend comes back. Let me define what these terms really mean.  You “didn’t hear last call” because you were either being obnoxious and screaming louder than the call or you weren’t paying attention because you are already “trashed.” You won’t be right back, you will leave knowing that you owe money and then play it off that you were “too drunk” the next time you see me.  At last the famous friend line, the truth is your friend found someone to go home with or just couldn’t stand to be in your presence for one more second, either way, they are gone.

Reporting 8 July 16, 2009

So this week I interviewed Joe Deckwar who has been bartending for almost 20 years. You couldn’t tell his age by looking at him, I was shocked to know that he is almost 40 years old.  He works at the Gin Mill on Boston Street in Canton/Fells Point area. He has a trendy “faux hawk” haircut and admits to wearing his girlfriends face masks at night to keep “youthful glow” about him.  He has managed bars and worked behind them for a long time and still enjoys it.  In his earlier days he was into flair bartending and being an entertainer behind the bar. These days it’s about “a following,” says Joe. It is about coming up with new ideas and being inventive and impressing the crowd with more than tossing bottles.

            It was at this point that I knew that he would make a great story for my first text module (if I am allowed to change my last paragraph and add new content).  Maybe I can use him for my revised story because the whole theme of my last text module is flair bartending!

            Joe told me a lot about the ideas that he has helped create at The Gin Mill.  For example “about a year or two ago everyone was on a Mojito craze. It seemed like if there wasn’t stuff floating in a drink, people don’t give it a chance, says Joe. He went on to explain the creative drinks that consisted of everything from handmade sour mix, simple syrup, and even hand peeled ginger!

            I kept it safe and tried his “blueberry madness” cocktail. It was surprising very refreshing and tasty. It contained Razmatazz, Blueberry Stoli, fresh blueberries, simple syrup and a splash of Sprite. He also created a cucumber and watermelon with Gin concoction, which was the winner of a taste test that he hosted on a slow Monday night. This guy is a lot of fun and has more energy than a six year old, would be an interesting prospect for a profile.

            The second interview was my follow-up with Shawn Clark (and he corrected me on the spelling of his name). I thought he would be a perfect person for my slideshow on flair bartending.  He is also energetic, funny, charismatic, and knows how to gain the attention of his patrons.  He explained that he has always liked to be in the spotlight and has a fun time entertaining people. He has competed in all types of bar Olympics and events and has true talent.  I wanted to use footage from one of his shows and he gave me permission to do so.  However, in reviewing the footage, I found that the quality was lacking.  The video was not too clear, very shaky, and basically gave me a headache. Since I do not want to have anyone else experience that chaos I will be using a slideshow that I will create instead.

Reaction 8 July 16, 2009

First, I want to ask if anyone else had a problem with 10,000 Words.? Every time I tried to access the site it would turn grey and show me only the bottom half of the pages. Finally, it opened, but kept telling me that there was an error on the page and would close.  It was extremely difficult for me to view any of the maps for more than 5 minutes at a time.

About two hours later, I can finally share my thoughts on three of the maps.

 The first map I took a look at was Capitol of Punk. It was awesome, something that I truly did not expect.  I loved how interactive it was right from the beginning.  It started by showing clips of people talking directly to you and had very energetic and loud music playing in order to really grab the viewers’ attention.  Then a map pops up, but not a typical map.  This one is unlike any map I have seen.  It appeared to be hand drawn, like it was a rough sketch of someone’s. The best part is that the map allows you to experience D.C. like a real tour.  You can receive 10 text messages tours that are guided by a downloadable PDF map. I would definitely like to try it one day.

 

The second map I looked at was zipdecode.  It was an interactive map that allows users to type any zip code in the United States, the map then reveals the intended area of the country.  It looks really cool and I can most definitely see how it can be useful. There have been so many times that I needed a zip code for mailing (yes, some of us still use actual mail in an actual envelope) purposes or even for directions.  Instead of searching for it for hours, this map could show me in seconds. I will be using this map in the future.

 

The last map I looked at was terraSound. This was another mind blowing map. The map uses sound and direction for a powerful combination.  It creates the sense of walking down a city’s sidewalk while monitoring your position on the map.

I am from New York and still get lost in that city. Any time I visit Manhattan, even though I know my way around pretty well, I still manage to get turned around or forget where streets are located.  This guide is perfect to maneuver your way through any city.  I couldn’t believe the use of sound and how it really made you feel like you were right there on the street.