Extra Credit Assignment

When I heard about this extra credit assignment, it sounded really exciting, because I didn’t think it was possible. To go to a Mcdonald and ask for a burger with exactly 4 pickles and fries that were completely saltless. This is something I wouldn’t find too surprising in a place such as Starbucks where customer service is valued. But never at McDonald’s, a fast food place, where the key to everything is being fast.

Pondering about this was quite exciting, so being a jerk, I decided to visit the McDonald at Union Square during one of its peak hours, 4 o’clock. The minute I walked in I saw lines, this was perfect because I wanted to see how they would handle my special order under busy circumstances. As I waited in line, I started to get a little anxious. It took around 8 minutes but it was finally time to order

Being so busy, I just went straight to the point with my order. “Hi I’d like to get 2 hamburger with exactly four pickles…, yes four pickles” The employee which at this point I will name Fred, was perplexed. So he decided to ask a fellow co-worker if it was possible, after some toying with the screen, they got the extra pickles on my hamburger down. Still being kind, he asked if I wanted anything else. Smiling, I said “Yes, I’d like small fries, but I want them to be salt-less” At this point I saw Fred’s smile fade and again he again asked his fellow co-worker if this was possible, the co-worker also didn’t know so she went away to consult a another worker, possibly the manager, since he was wearing a white shirt. After a minute or so, I could almost feel the people behind me scowling and glaring at me, but I didn’t look behind me, because I thought I would’ve laughed.

The co-worker came back and gave the okay to Fred who was catering to my order. Fred then proceeded to go to the fry station and I saw him waiting there. Just as a batch of new fries came out he scooped them up just for me to make sure they were unsalted. But at the same time I was wondering how my burger was doing, but I couldn’t see which burger chef was handling my 2 specialized 4 pickled burger. As Fred was wrapping up my order, and putting it in the bag, I gave him the final blow. Just as he was about to take the next order I asked if it was possible for me to get the receipt for my order. At this point Fred looked annoyed, I could hear him sigh as he tore off the receipt and handed it to me.

I looked at my receipt, and I wasn’t happy, he didn’t put down the fries as saltless. But it was already too late to ask for a fix up as the line behind me was long and he already took the next order, It would have been unethical in my standards to barge and ask for a new receipt. I went on to check the burgers and fries, they were as I had ordered, 4 pickles on each burger and the fries, completely salt less. What made the burgers special was that they had a special note attached to the wrapping stating, “Two extra pickles”. I guess it’s the norm of McDonalds to only have 2 pickles per burger.

Overall I think the order took about 6-7 minutes. It was a fair time, but I think it was probably too long considering how busy it was that day. It was quite understandable in my opinion though because it was a special order. Another thing that might have slowed down the process was a possibility that Fred was a new employee, because he seemed very new to everything. Since his co-worker seemed to have known how to do the extra pickles on the screen to direct it to the burger chefs. But in total I believe 4-5 people were involved in the whole process. “Fred”, his co-worker, the possible manager, and 2 burger chefs for my 2 special burgers. Overall from seeing how they worked, the order didn’t seem like much of a problem after they realized what I wanted. It was probably more annoying than of a trouble. Still everything was mostly perfect, except for my receipt. While I was waiting for my order, I could see Fred being a little impatient with me and it really showed when I requested the receipt. But I wouldn’t blame him, with the huge line behind me and being a busy hour, troublesome customers, me, can be nerve wrecking. If I were a consultant, some of the things I would tell them to do is probably keep all the fries unsalted until they put them into their individual boxes. Being in an era when healthy eating is being stressed I suppose ordering salt-less fries may not be such an uncommon thing anymore. I was lucky that a new batch of fries came in at the right moment, but if many were to order it, and there wasn’t an unsalted batch, that could seriously cause efficiency problems. What really did surprise me was how they added a little note to my hamburger wrap designating the 2 extra pickles, that seems quite efficient to me because with the note there, it relays to the burger chefs what specifications are needed on that special burger for the special customers.

Who Am I?

So the other day during class, we were asked to take a personality exam. I always thought personality tests were fun just for the final paragraph, because it's supposed to describe what and who you are, based on the answers you gave. It's quite surprising because after you read it, you feel, well gee that really does sound like me. But in reality, the description they gave about you is so broad and general, that almost anyone can say the same. In general I think these tests are fun, but nothing to be taken seriously, which some people or many really do.

According to the test my personality is Influential Steady. I think there were probably only about 5 others in that category, with the majority being in the Dominance Conscientiousness, or Conscientiousness Dominance. I think this test was somewhat accurate. But i think that's the same for many in my opinion because we all have a sense of who we think we are inside, so naturally when told to answer certain questions based on what we think of ourselves, it'll be very similar to it. I think it's all psychological when it comes to personality tests, it gives you an explanation of who you think you are at the moment. Especially because I believe people are able to change, that's what makes people unique. We adapt, and certain traits rise or fall with the different situations we are presented with.

As for the stranded activity, it would be best for a person who has a Conscientiousness Influence personality because when you're stranded, the best chances you have at surviving is by staying where you are. Thus this is where the C and I come into play. You need a person who is able to analyze the situation appropriately, weigh out the pros and cons, so the next best choice of action can be taken. Then you also need a person who is optimistic, because when you're stranded people tend to lose hope fast, you need a person who can influence people to keep striving to survive, to have vision is power. A Conscientiousness Influence is also important because you cant have a person who is too overly Dominating because that may interfere with team work, or otherwise people may find you to be too bossy and the last thing you'd want when stranded is to have to argue and cause a disruption to the already critical situation. While a person who is too Steady may not be able to adapt to this situation fast enough, and may end up following another persons rule of thumb. Also people who are steady tend to need guidelines and stick to the status quo, in a situation like being stranded, there is no status quo, and no guidelines on "what to do to survive". But most definitely, the last thing you would want to do when stranded, is to take a personality test to see whose the best person to lead the group.

When I grow up I want to be....

Vision, a word i probably heard more times in my life today, than the amount of people sleeping in class while the video was in play. I found myself quite interested in the video because I was able to relate to it. There were many times when i had a goal but along the way i would lose sight of this vision, maybe because i didn't have the devotion, maybe it was unrealistic of maybe i was just too young to fully realize what i wanted. But as i grew older some of these goals just smacked me in the face, and others found their ways through time.

Every time i see joggers and people running it always gets me jumpy. I remember back in elementary school I used to be one of the fastest runners in my class, so a selected few were given a chance to participate in some kind of competition against other schools. I fortunately enough was one of the few, but it ended in great disappointment, i won the 4th place medal, or the pity medal. I blame it on the fact that i had no idea the race starts once you hear the gun shot go, but none the less the excitement of running has still stuck with me through the years. And one of my goals is to run in many of the marathons events that take place around the city especially the ones for a good cause. Another motivating factor that keeps me running, is because I have asthma. Every time I'd tell someone that they would give me the look, but believe it or not asthma can be overcome . I learned during 6th grade that I had asthma, but when I asked if that means I wouldn't be able to participate in certain activities, my doctor told me that if i trained my lungs properly and overtime, my asthma symptoms would decrease overtime. Thanks to his encouragement I run many times a week, outdoors and on the treadmill, and now I even plan on running in marathons because I can.

While I love being active I also like to spend some time in the kitchen. I like to cook, and I occasionally cook for friends, and family. The kitchen is probably the second most often place i would be in, first being my room because I sleep there. My current kitchen is nothing to brag about, it's probably about the size of 6 chairs lined alongside another. So usually when i try to help with dinner I feel more like a bother since there is only so much space in there. This however didn't prevent me from watching and being fascinated by this magic called cooking. I honestly never had a care for the kitchen for the first 16 years of my life. However there was one time when I was asked if I wanted to bake a cheesecake, and i thought in my head, you can make this stuff!? From that point on cooking/baking was embedded into my life. It never occurred to me that so many things from simple delights to exquisite dishes could be created from scratch and in a kitchen even in a dinky one like mine. But one day I hope to own a bigger kitchen and hope to become a serious home chef. Currently I've bought culinary books from the schools I had wanted to attend and I occasionally make dinner for the family.

Asides from cooking, I have recently taken an interest in photography. I could tell you right now, I never had an interest in photography before and when I enrolled in the classes offered here in Baruch, I thought what did I just get myself into. Because Photography isn't something everyone can do, or at least do good. It takes passion, patience, and A LOT of time. I had patience, but i didn't have the passion nor the time. But as the class went by, I became more fond of it and I even started making time for it.I'm quite glad that i took this class even though in the beginning i only took this class because i thought it would help me with my major, which is marketing. I hope to create various portfolios of my works, and plan on submitting my works to various competitions or just put them on a flickr account. I will continue doing photography for as long as this interest lasts because it has helped me in many ways, from the creativity boost, to the ways I have come to appreciate art.

I remember back when it was college application season, and everyone was talking about where they want to go and how they want to really get away from home because it would be such a new expierence, even though the school they'll be attending is still in the state. But for me, I've always wanted to try living abroad, living in a whole new enviornment/country, somewhere new. It's exciting to me, the thought of adapting to this new enviroment, or the idea of seeing how my way of living is different from others. Also certain countries have different holidays from the United States, it would be nice to expierence all these different events at least once in my life. Life is so short, and it would be great to make the best out of it.

At the moment i have instrumental music playing, mostly piano as it helps me focus when i need to study or do a report, even when writing in this blog. I can't remember when or why, but ever since I was a child I had a fascination with the piano. I used to have a small wooden piano at home, and i thought it was just sheer enjoyment to smash around on the keys as it would create horrific sounds, which usually lead to me being scolded at by my mom. That may possibly be the reason she gave it away as i got older. Music is another thing i can really appreciate, and find anyone who is able to play an instrument or sing to be A-mazing. One, because I can't play any instruments besides the recorder, and Two because music feels so soulful, when a person plays an instrument or sings, you can really see the emotions they are conveying and I find that to be extremely beautiful. Not only that but music can also cheer up a person or help a person relax, almost as if music was a type of cure to certain depressions. Therefore I'd like to get my hands on some of this magic because I'd like to be able to play music anywhere i go on keyboard that is soon to be mine, in hopes of brightining anyone's bad day or simply just add some color to people's eveyday gray life.