Swiping Right or Left

This blog entry is  dedicated to those on the hunt for the right app, and to those who ultimately are on the quest to find troo luv…(elmer fud voice)

You have Tinder, Ginder, Grouper, How About We, Plenty of Fish, Christian Mingle… the list is growing everyday more apps! more apps! 

YIKES! And that is just me googling dating apps I am sure that the rabbit hole of dating apps gets hella freaky to each (his/her) own.

And by now you are wondering what is a coat check blog have to do with a dating app? 

Ahh Haa! My friends, the awesome people that read my blog this is the juicy stuff you all become flys on the wall for. 

Let me start from the beginning because technically this was a seedling of a thought that bloomed over 6 months.

So 6 months ago, I had a couple come to the coat check,  they normally checked their coats. I took their coats and presented them with two tickets which is totally the deal because we rock the coat check per item. The show is full swing there were 3 bands that night, the lady comes back at the end of the second band, and obviously she had a couple of drinks in her enough to spill the beans.

Me: Picking up early?

Lady: I am so glad that you gave us two tickets

Lady: I just need my coat

Me: No problem

Lady: Have you ever done Tinder?

Me: No, but I have an idea of what it is

Lady: Well, this was my first time on it and I will NEVER do it again

Me: Oh no!

Lady: This guy buys me a couple of drinks and starts pawing me and wants to leave early to go back to his house

Me: Oh damn, so sorry about that but you are making the executive decision and good for you

Lady: I am just glad that you didn’t give us one ticket because I don’t want to see his face again, at all he’s a douche bag

Me: I get you

Lady: (Marches off upset)

Me: WHOA! what just happened?! I need to put this in my blog…

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Man: Gives me the ticket

Me: I give him the jacket and (the look) I know everything…

And, that is how a coat checker becomes the all-knowing entity. I know what happened on this digital blind date gone bad! 

I often wonder besides the lady going back to discussing what a shitty date she had with her girls, I wonder if the dating apps of the world know the odd social waves that are surfacing, recreating/reemphasizing social cues.

Obviously, it’s nothing new. Blind dates have been around for a long time. We have heard about successful/ unsuccessful  dates from friends, strangers, people talking loudly in public about their own experiences. Blind dates have evolved you can thank the Internet! You put that digital twist of swiping right or left, and it becomes that Choose your own adventure book. (remember those from the 80’s) it’s part of dating and gages your own personal dos, don’ts and never agains. It adds to your own personal arsenal of self. 

About a month ago, I was talking to a cab driver taking me home from work and we got talking about apps, and I joked about the swiping dating apps because I had dealt with another blind date scenario at work. And, this is what he had to say being a cab driver. People are so into their phones and apps, that they don’t have to leave the house to meet people. Back in the day, you’d go out by yourself or with friends drop $50-$100 bucks, interact face to face with people and take it from there. Now, you just swipe based on a profile.  It’s has streamlined everything for people, and some of the realness of just meeting people genuinely has been altered. He shared that he uses the apps, nothing really bad to say, except that if these were around 20 years ago that he would have saved a lot of money. Ha Ha Ha! Interesting perspective.

This is me doing a good deed to those out there who are not too schooled, and have no older friends to refer to for social cues

What I am witnessing is an across the board interaction of novice app users to people who have been at it for awhile. And, there are some social cues one may want to earmark if you are going to participate in digital dating. 

-Go out somewhere social – Given everyone knows this

-Look nice but don’t wear your coveted name brand clothes save that for another date – you might not come back with your Prada jacket – speaking of a good or bad date

-Pay your own way – If your date has no money and keeps giving your that blank look or inferring silently to take the tab – heads up

-Be true to yourself, ask yourself before drinking and during drinking or whatever – Am I having a good time? 

-And make sure you have an app on your phone for a ride – because If you are using a dating app you’d obviously have a get a ride app

-If you are checking in your coat – GET SEPARATE TICKETS – you never know

Coat checkers are the eyes and ears of nightlife, we witness the little and big social interactions from the time you arrive until the time you leave

Fast forward to last night

I had a girl come to coat check with two jackets, I gave her two tickets and asked her if she would like them hung separately she replied, “together is fine on the same hanger.” She had this puzzling look, I said you never know, I get people all the time on blind dates and sometimes they don’t turn out so good. She started to laugh, and she said, “I never thought of it like that.” She came back at the end of the night smiling saying “ we are still together after two hours.” 

 I know that big holiday with a heart is coming up… YOUR WELCOME!

Until next time,

LGOYW

Good times at a Reggae show

Bob Marley would have been 70 years old, this past Feb. 6. And yes, people the celebrations, new articles, music, limited edition and never released music and photos to be had. His music and lyrics, ideals, and way of life have influenced the world in many ways. His band The Wailers, and members of his family are still playing shows. And as luck would have it, they are playing for 3 days in a row at the spot that I work at. Last night’s show was just a good time. Sold out of course but there was a mixed crowd of people who were ready to listen, dance, and smoke to 2 hours of live Bob Marley and The Wailers. The only original member who toured with Bob was there (the bass player) the rest of the people were fill in, but the music was why everyone was there. It’s timeless.

Back in the day when I was a teenager, partying with my friends until the sun came up, whenever there was rain, We’d always say “don’t worry Bob will make it better.” (referring to Bob Marley) and maybe we were trippin’ too hard, but when anyone  said this, the weather that would clear up. It did truly happen on multiple occasions and even when when were sober too. It’s funny the things you remember from your past especially what you tie in with listening to Bob Marley and The Wailers.

Back in the coat check..

A sweet 74 year old man, with a strong accent started telling me that he had only been to 2 concerts in his life. Jimmy Hendrix, and Death Cab for Cutie (which he didn’t care for) and now a Wailers show can be added to his concert list, this gentleman was so excited to be at the show, he told us he had just found out about it 2 hours before. He was unaware that the show was sold out, and you know that is a double edged sword. But no matter the man showed up and got in. It made my night to hear his story, this is the kind of interaction I love especially when it’s heartfelt. I chalk one up to the power of Bob.. ha ha

Bob  Marley in 2015 would have ICON status like Paul McCartney, Prince, Cher, Neil Young, Madonna. After the show I thought to myself , What  if Bob Marley was still alive would he have played the club I worked at? I would like to think so, but that would have been some secret show stuff. Hey it’s totally possible Garth Brooks just did a pop by last month.

So if you love Reggae Music, you love music, you love dancing, and singing along to your Bob Marley tunes.. Go see The Wailers you will not be disappointed; sharing is caring.

Until Next time,

LGOYW

Who doesn’t love a gift bag!

Hey All,
January has started out with a 2 week break and, so I added this into my coat check blog. It’s normal for shows and touring bands to slow down around the beginning of the year. It gives us working people some time to do normal things, and take those needed vacations.
Also, this is the time where company’s who can’t squeeze in a Christmas party, they do them in January.
I actually worked one last night. A very large corporate party, for a well-known business. They had picked San Francisco as their destination so there were a lot of people nationwide flying in for this party/convention/awards ceremony. And from what I understand there was more than one location.
I happened to be working the coat check in one location. And upon my arrival, the production was fairly big.
There was the greeters, the check-in desk with 5 checkers, the caterers, wait staff prepared with white and red wine, and ME!
And I knew this was a fancy event when the pipe organ player arrived! Yes, the location had a pipe organ. And there are very few people who know how to play them. What a gig! I was quite excited about that.
I walked into the coat check room and was greeted by fancy gift bags…gold and blue gift bags, gold tissue paper in a nice blue bag. And there were hundreds. I was surrounded by a secret departing gift for these fancy party people. Over the course of the night, the bags got me thinking, reminiscing about when I was a kid. You would go to a birthday party, party your brains out and to top it off when you got picked up sometimes the birthday girl/boy would have a party favor for you to take home. I was reminded of of a lot of Hello Kitty from the 80’s, and Bonne Bell Lip glosses in the sliding container.
And I realized that the parting gift, depending on the host or hostess the idea and custom was there in my youth and still present to me as an adult. Who doesn’t love a gift bag! And, when you become an adult sometimes the idea gets combined in a ceremony of some sort where you are recognized and get an award or even It’s something to commemorate the event, that you can take with you that has some purpose most likely with some logo, but who cares.. I am always up to see what’s in the schwag bag and as a person of function I will take the bottle opener or pen or Rolex watch.. ha ha
The annual shows that air on television like the Oscars, Grammy’s, and the AMAs, I would venture to say that those parting gift bags are choice to have. But, I have to say Oprah Winfrey. Yes Miss O, she get’s the biggest props because with her show she was able to have shows where she was giving away gifts she liked and just to get the ultimate trump on the parting gift she told the audience..” You get a car, and you get a car, and you get a car.”
So if you never thought of it.. it’s part of the party. It’s always been one of gestures of gratitude that a host works on.. (sometimes it causes stress) , and the giftee is always surprised to get it. That is just how it works. It’s part of the social – marketing cloth that this country has woven.
Who doesn’t love a gift! I bet if you think back you’ll remember a party favor that made you say WOW!
And just to let you know I was given a bag, and it was a new JBL bluetooth wireless speaker how cool!

Until Next Time,
LGOYW

BRING ON THE NEW YEAR

So this week it was out with the old and in with the new.
Dec. 31st. , I was super productive, and even took a trip to the office supply store to get new 2014 desk calendars. That always makes it official for me.
But the last week of 2013 was not without it’s interesting events both work and social related. The last week of the year work wise is always a hustle and bustle, super busy. In a larger perspective it’s always the same type of crowd just different music, and the last week of the year always seems to bring out the big guns in people. What I mean by big guns is exactly what it sounds like ” GO BIG OR GO HOME, OR GO TO THE HOSPITAL or JAIL.. because you really went there. Since Christmas week runs into New Year’s Eve it’s a massive party with all the party favors.. the popables, drinkables, snortables and smokables. I was watching the news and the anchor reporting said it best.. it’s amateur a night of revelers who don’t usually go out.

Working coat check on NYE is like being a surfer going out try to conquer Mavericks, but with better chances. You got to have experience, you got to have the supplies and skills, and you got to have the bravado.
It’s a night of hard work, and you have to be clear headed and fast as you possibly move. Also, for the big events with parties that are 1000+ it is always a word to the wise to have 2 coat checkers on deck. The crowds will come in ready to party and they will come back drunk, nasty, whiskey aggressive, ready to puke, and that is just the normal stuff. They will have either had a fabulous or terrible time. There will be tears shed at some point.
So it’s good to have that extra checker on deck to make the pass back fast.

And if you thought all of what I just mentioned was a lot.. then you have to deal with the patrons who lost their ticket.. and the universal law of the land LOST TICKETS must wait till the very end.  This is usually the point is where it all goes out the door you get the tears, aggression, etc.
So as an omage to the lost coat check tickets of 2013.

I bring to you the top ten I lost my ticket lines of 2013

10. I CAN SEE IT FROM HERE

9. THAT IS MY BLACK COAT, AMONG THE OTHER 300 BLACK COATS.

8. MINE’S THE ONE WITH THE FUR

7. I SWEAR THAT IS MY COAT

6. DON’T YOU REMEMBER ME?

5.  I GAVE MY HUSBAND/BOYFRIEND THE TICKET, AND HE LEFT WE GOT INTO A FIGHT

4. IT’S SOMEWHERE IN MY PURSE, LET ME DIG IT OUT

3.  COME ON IT’s A $600 HUGO BOSS. HOW MANY OF THEM COULD THERE BE

2. WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END

1. I TIPPED YOU EARLIER

TIP OF THE WEEK
As a new year has begun it’s a fresh start for everyone. My tip of the week is to do a random act of kindness. It can be anything, but it has to come from your most honest and genuine self.  HAPPY NEW 2014!