Rewind!

I've been having a lot of awkward and embarrassing moments at work...I guess it just comes with having a new job and learning all the little things, but it's a relatively foreign feeling for me, having had the same job for several years. I'm sure it's a little bit of nerves and a little bit of wanting to get it right and do a good job, but dear lord, I hope it's overwith quick!

I consider myself to be someone with a good dose of common sense, and I'm usually able to think on my feet and deal with most situations that may arise. Lately though, I feel like all my common sense has suddenly flown out the window, and some of the situations I find myself in make me want to press pause so that I can laugh at myself, and then possibly rewind and re-do. During these moments, it's like something comes over me, and the resulting feeling of "OMG, did that really just happen?!" makes part of me want to explain myself to my co-workers and the other part just forget it even happened. The thing I've noticed is that once something goes a little awry, it can set off a domino effect of little disasters, which are most likely to occur at the busiest point in the day when I need to have my game face on, not be smoothing over little mistakes. One of my favourites happened yesterday when I was asked to bring an espresso to someone's table. I quickly whisked the little cup to the table, and put it in front of the customer, without realizing I had forgotten the saucer, spoon, and little cookie it comes with. I hardly noticed the strange look I got until I heard my co-worker say my name and motion to the saucer she had set up for me on the counter beside the espresso machine, with an utterly bewildered look on her face. Even though coffee isn't served with all these extras in Canada, I still couldn't believe I had forgotten them, and it was one of the 'move on and let's all forget it happened' moments after I brought the missing items out.

Most times I can see the humour in these moments, and I have fast forwarded a few months in my head to when I will truly be able to laugh at myself, but it doesn't make me immune to feeling like a total idiot. Some of the things I am having a crash course in are waitressing skills like carrying more than one plate, or saucer and cup in each hand, pouring and serving wine, and learning the names of NZ food and drinks. At this point, being unable to remember what someone told me 10 seconds after they order, and having absolutely no recollection of who ordered what once they step away from the counter, I am seriously worried about actually learning all the regular customers' names, nevermind their usual orders!