As I job-hunt, I’m particularly envious of those who have really sweet jobs. Like Darcy Willson-Rymer, the managing director of Starbucks in the UK & Ireland. Y’all remember Darcy — he’s the one who was so stuffy and refused to dance with Miss Elizabeth Bennett, saying she was “not handsome enough to tempt me,” and … no, wait. Wrong Darcy. No, this Darcy was the one I got excited about when he started following me on Twitter. Unfortunately, it did not lead to a gig getting paid to blog for promotional purposes in Starbucks stores in London and Dublin, which was a cruel disappointment to me. I felt sure they’d have to go for that one… (And yes, I actually DID, in real life, make that pitch to Mr. Willson-Rymer, as facetious as the rest of this post may be. He let me down politely, using that tone you use for calming down overexcited lunatics…)
Anyway, having been thus jilted, it’s particularly painful to an Anglophile like me to read all about Darcy’s exciting life. He’s always topping it the knob. For instance, today he had a “productive meeting” with the mayor of London. Not the Lord Mayor of the City, mind you, but still a rather important cove who runs the rest of that megalopolis, and does all sorts of things that he’s always showing away about, such as providing 20,000 affordable homes with the wave of his scepter, or whatever the mayor of London waves.
Sigh… And you know what else? I bet Darcy gets all the free Starbucks he wants. That, and Pemberly, too. It’s just not fair. It’s enough to make me want to vote Labour next time…
Well, practice your barista skills, and who knows? It’s certainly a secure job….
Don’t think I haven’t thought about it. They provide benefits to part-timers. I could do that part-time and pursue my consulting career the rest of the time. If none of several things that look promising at the moment materialize soon, you may find me serving coffee and asking if you want a rice krispie treat with that…
I liked being a waitress more than any other job I ever had: making people happy; clear cut win/lose (smiles, tips);decent money.
Only problem is the on-your-feet thing.
Danskos
Good for the Sole and GB Shoe Warehouse at Dutch Square.
I’ll have a skinny latte, unless you just made a fresh pot of Bold.
The biggest challenges for me would be:
1. Stopping my lip from curling into a sneer when anyone orders anything but a straight coffee.
2. My attention wandering if anybody orders anything that requires the use of two or more modifiers.
3. Avoiding, under those same circumstances, saying “What do you think this is, a circa-1955 soda fountain?”
I’m sure they could train these antisocial impulses out of me at barista boot camp…
You know, assuming journalism schools are still bothering, have you thought about teaching?
Brad,
I’d suggest you spend some time watching “Remember The Titans”, “Semi-Tough”, and “North Dallas Forty”.
Here’s another “sweet” job: Defensive Coordinator at USC.
“Johnson and USC officials have discussed a contract extension that would add two years to Johnson’s current deal and double his salary, the chairman of USC’s board of trustees said Tuesday.
The proposed extension calls for Johnson to receive a four-year deal worth $700,000 a year, chairman Miles Loadholt said.”
Can the USC Board stop kidding the public that school is interested in education? It’s just a cover for an average semi-pro football team.
Hey, Brad–you just came up with a great idea for Starbucks: Starbucks Express (sounds like an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical)–they only serve coffee and, maybe, pie? You have to use proper grammar or all the previously unemployed J-school and English grads will humiliate you. Sort of like Ed Debevic’s in Chicago–the faux diner where the waitrons insulted you.
Being president and schooling the house GOP at their own conference is a sweet job. (He cut some butt.)
Do tell, Randy….Burl reported Fox had to cut away….I guess it was just too much for them.