Archive for the ‘staff’ Category

We need staff.

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Please pass it on. Urban Grind is looking for a junior to do the cleaning after school and a coffee makers assistant. So if you know anyone please let them know to come in and see us. Thanks.

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First Kiva loan paid back.

Monday, August 25th, 2008

Just received some great news. One of our first Kiva loans have been paid back in full. How cool is that? You can check out all of the info here. We all made this happen together. Your tips, the staffs volunteering of those tips to Kiva. Give each other a clap. Now I am off to make some more loans. Should be able to make about another 2, but don’t rush to our loans page as it can take about 3 days for the Paypal transaction to go through. So far we have made $125 worth of loans in $25 dollar amounts with one paid back. Thank you everyone. It gives me a real buzz to be able to do this kind of thing.

Posted in customers, inspiring, peace, staff | No Comments »

Machuca

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008

Just finished watching a movie called Machuca. It was recommended by Karen as one of the movies that we could be lending out from the shop. In itself the movie was great. I am no movie reviewer so all I can really say is that I think it was really well made. What stuck me about the movie was the theme of hatred. It is not the first movie to depict such racial/political/class/etc hatred but this time I thought I might blog my thoughts on hatred.

Besides Internet Explorer I pretty much don’t feel hatred for anything or anyone these days. I used to feel a lot of hatred though, once upon a time - for people mostly. It made me feel powerful even though I know now it was a power that was born in fear. It was an illusionary power that was week in nature and never prevailed. It did not serve me in the end. So to a degree I can understand it when a person hates, but when a culture hates I can’t identify with that on a personal level.

I guess that I am lucky to have never had hatred for another culture instilled in me although in recent times there have been attempts. And just so my government knows. I don’t buy the scare campaigns. I will decide one by one my trust for another person and should a person do me wrong, I will not condemn a whole culture for it.

So in the movie there is this cultural hatred that escalates into violence and ultimately a military coup. And I think to myself for a minute that I am lucky to live in a country where there may be racism and cultural hated but it is mild and it is kept to oneself mostly. I quickly call myself a ‘Sheltered Wanker’ to start with, because I bet there is plenty of cultural hated out there that is affecting people in real and damaging ways everyday. Either I am fortunate or I don’t see it because I am not contributing to it. Then I remember Detention Centres - I do see it, it is just too easy to forget.

But here is the point I am trying to get at. From good soil good food grows. From poor quality soil that is laden with toxic chemicals things still grow, even things that look pretty much the same as things that grow healthy but they are not healthy. Hitler was a plant growing in a soil that let him be the person he was. And there are many other examples like this one. Is the soil to blame? That is, are the people to blame? I am going to go with Yes. But I say it with empathy. I heard it explained once that Hitler’s ‘emergence’ can be traced back along a chain of events. Unchecked sledging that becomes ok on a day to day level makes small things that should not have been ok, ok. And once the small things seem ok it makes the bigger things seem ok too, and on and on until no one remembers how it started. What kind of soil are we? What kind of leaders will emerge from us? Sorry for the long winded analogy - emergence is the key word. Responsibility belongs to us.

I don’t understand all of the details but someone suggested to me once on this topic that Pauline Hanson was Australia’s test and we passed. Maybe, not sure. You might know better - use the comments. I do like the idea though that for all our superficial cultural hatred, if called on it we would walk the other way.

By the way, in the soil analogy there is usually a farmer…

Posted in alternative media, movies, peace, personal, politics, staff | No Comments »

Drawing with Coffee For Sophie

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Sophie once drew Rach an awesome angel on a white take away bag using coffee. I think we still have it somewhere. The fact that she could do that was one of the things we loved about Sophie.

Posted in art, friends, staff | 1 Comment »

Kiva Update

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Just a quick post to let you know how our ‘From the Tip Jar to Kiva’ efforts are going. So far we have lent $125US. You can see a very cool breakdown of who we have lent to what countries they are from and more. Getting involved in Kiva is very easy and I encourage you to do so too. At the moment we also have some jars of preserved lemons for $12(sml) and $17(lrg) with all proceeds going to Kiva.

Kiva Lender Page: Urban Grind

I must remind you that all the staff at Urban Grind volunteer the tips money to this project. And thank you if you have ever thrown anything into our tip jar. It is a gesture that we appreciate.

Posted in customers, peace, staff | No Comments »

We have moved.

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

It is probably about time that I officially mention that we have moved. Our shop in Paddington is now closed and we have reopened in New Farm at 530 Brunswick St. We greatly miss all of our Paddington friends and hope to cross paths with each of you eventually. It truly was our customers that made Urban Grind Paddington what it was. It has been a wonderful 3+ years of growing, learning and sharing that I know the whole Urban Grind team was sad to see end.

I would like to take the opportunity too to give an extra special shout out to Sophie. I know you all joked about it, but it’s true we would never have made it as far as we did had it not been for Sophie. We love her, we adore her. She stuck with us through everything and never for a moment gave anything less than more than she was asked. She was a friend not an employee and remains one of my best friends. Thank you Sophie… love love. She saw you all as friends too and I promise you that you meant more to her than you can ever imagine. For 3 and a half years you played a part in raising an nurturing this most beautiful soul. I could thank each and all of you for so many things but this one probably means the most to me. Thank you for being so much to Sophie.

So tell us a bit about New Farm. Technically I think it is actually Fortitude Valley, but we sit right on the border and there is New Farm sign outside. So we went with New Farm. We are actually on the corner of Harcourt St. It’s near Burger Urge, only about 4 or 5 blocks up from the mall. Still can’t place it? Ok, well I gave you a chance… do you know the dodgy Laundromat with the prostitutes? We are virtually next door. I can’t recommend the prostitutes but I can recommend the Burger Urge burgers. Fully wicked! I am addicted to the Portobello Mushrooms and grilled halumi cheese burger. But here are a couple of tips. The sweet potato chips are awesome but if there is only 2 of you get a burger to share if you are having chips too. Also for those that can’t eat a whole burger I believe that you can get all of their burgers without the bread. Colby is a really nice guy and until now it was a secret that I wanted a Cuddly Dora Doll.

What else? Well it is a lovely little building that we are in. They tell me that it is Tudor style. Anyway the best part about the building is our landlords. Clearly God felt really bad about the Paddington thing and thought she would cut us a break this time and send us a couple of landlords that are true gentlemen. These guys see our success and happiness as theirs. I am most grateful to them, for not only are they simply awesome to do business with, if they had not offered us this space there might not be an Urban Grind of any kind right now.

So in short, we look forward to a wonderfully fun future at New Farm. See you soon, I hope

Posted in customers, friends, local community, personal, staff | 3 Comments »

Candice is Leaving Us

Thursday, November 15th, 2007

Today is Candice’s last day at Urban Grind. It is a very sad day as she has been with us for over two and a half years and is like family now. We love her to bits and I know that many of you do too. I am so grateful to have had Candice work with us. She has always put in the kind of effort that comes from ownership or a sense of being a part of something. I know that she loves Urban Grind and all the people that make it what it is. She will miss you all.

So here is wishing Candice all the best as she heads north to Hamilton Island looking for work and a beach to get lost on. Which is why, if you are thinking of getting her something as a little going away present we are passing the hat around. Our little Candice is leaving town with about $400 in her pocket. (I do pay her and if you want to know where it goes, ask the Paddo). Most are just throwing in a small amount but your gift is guaranteed to buy you many tears at the airport this Saturday when I present the little bundle to her. Candice is not very tech savvy so she won’t see this post for a while.

I love you Candice, I will miss you, but I know it is time for you to go. You have so much to offer the world. You will make an impact.

Posted in customers, local community, staff | 1 Comment »