Geyser Grill Guys and Gals

Here are some other pictures about the Snow Lodge and Geyser Grill from previous blogs, again, hoping they load in the correct place.  Sorry, but this is an abnormally long blog.  I also couldn't get all pictures where I wanted them.  You'll figure it out!


I will be entering additional blogs, maybe on a weekly basis discussion on what it's like adjusting to life outside of our caldera.

 

I want to get my thoughts of working at Geyser Grill...through the rear view mirror, somewhat to log this info and pictures into one piece.  I have always talked about GG - Geyser Grill--in earlier blogs so I wanted to do an entree just about GG.  I could use it as a resume if Shenandoah Valley becomes more than a passing fancy.

I arrived April 18, went through orientation, etc and  worked in the dish pit for a total of about 3 days and melted down, admitting I was unable (too old?) so Jim the guy who was training us, had folks coming out of the woodwork to help me.  Jim suggested GG, front of house, probably cashier.  So I followed his advice.  What a perfect fit.  Around April 25 I switched over to GG, there were still a few folks who were passing time until Lake, or the Lodge opened up. Chris was manager, Joe was Asst. Manager and Gary was the other assistant manager. I spent about a week in lobby and as a runner until I finally started running cash register. Maikala and Miranda, among my favorites there, made me  the cashier I was.  Thanks, ladies.  I believe  Makilia is back in Tenneessee. We left very close together, much was a blur.  At full staff, there are about 20-25 folks, including 3 managers. By the time I left, there were only 4 people who had been there longer than me and 3 manager/asst managers had quit, one was canned.  An influx of international students gave us a few new workers and very interesting discussions around the table at supper break at the EDR. I tried to get pics of everyone I worked with, but I did miss a few.

Jim and Margaret

Snow Lodge in Summer

Grill empty, early May

Louis, he moved to EDR service instead of the GG. I still see him around a lot anyway.

Beth, she left for Big Sky somewhere shortly after I started at GG

Miranda, pre-asst. manager days, Beth is in the background.

This is Gary, Assistant Manager. He had to go back to Wisconsin, Michigan maybe??, to take care of his aging mom after his brother died.  Prior to his death, said brother was caring for mom.  I liked Gary, we shared a strange sense of humor quite often. 

Geyser Grill in early May

Visitor's Center after a snow storm.  I thought Winter was never going to end. 

Snow Lodge in early May

Snow along Obsidian, my residence while I lived there.

Jane from Taiwan with friend Susan 

Autumn from Illinois, I think

Dom from Lithuania.  One night 5 of us sat down to dinner together and realized we represented 4 different continents, 3 different religions.  When I first glanced at Dom's name tag, I thought it said Louisiana, not Lithuania, so that started our conversations. 

Bob. I liked teasing him by saying Bob, in what I thought were different ways of saying a simple name. Even being that simple, It took me days to  get the name and the face together.

An example of the line at the Geyser Grill.  It was almost backed up to the door.  On really bad days, it goes out the door, across the hall way between GG and the gift shop and actually into the gift shop.  Our food is good, especially if you are hungry, but not ath

Me, Susan, Bob, Ronald. Kevin and Ben

Miranda and Makelia 

Steven actually smiling, maybe because I was leaving??

The new management team seems to be working well.  Andrew is the manager, Miranda and Steven are assistant managers. There are also shift leads, but they change a lot so I don't know who is who. Working at the register made it harder to interact with staff, but not too hard.  Although I was the oldest worker there BY FAR, the other workers,accept me. I'd call them "Kids", I think the average age would have been 22-my granddaughter's age.

There were some really funny customers, guests as we were to describe them while actually customers was more accurate. One guy was just so polite, "May I please have a cheeseburger, please add french fries....you get the jist of this.  So I ask is he Canadian because he is so polite.  Come to find out, he is Canadian and said he'd sponsor me if you know who manages to win again and I'm moving out.  Rose says no mater what, he (POTUS not the Canadian) isn't going to force her out of her place in the world.

I have a new respect for all the workers, especially the cashiers in fast food places.  Not that I've been rude, oh lordie, I hope not.  Anyway, it was a very good experience.  If I ever do something like this again, the new workplace will have a very tall ruler to measure up against.  But then again, the new location would be in a gift shop.More pictures,  perhaps they will actually location I want them.

The other Makalia on Grill

Thomas and Robert, although I could rarely hear them whenever they talked to me.  Sometimes it was rather funny, from what I hear to what was actually said.  

Seth, his brother was one of my early friends at Obsidian Residence

Andrew showing how tall he was.  I refereed to that in an earlier blog.

Kevin, from Tiawan, shared stories of  home with me.

Caitlin, Cat for short

Yes, this is the third appearance of Ronald in my blog.  Such a neat guy, fun to talk with.At one point, he had his fellow employees believing he has 2 young children back in Africa.    When  he admitted to me it was just a joke.  I tried to help make his story more believable by asking stuff about the kids...If the baby's first words were "Mama" --Is his son feeling better, personal things like that.  But then we got bored with that and moved on to other ,  

A more serious Andrew...he wanted me to stay on and when I explained I really had to go back. Using what I have at home as an excuse, he didn't understand, family, friends, house, etc, until I came to my dog.  Then he understood. Nice guy. 

This is Jesse. I was always pleased to be working with her because we thought along the same lines like keep it clean, be nice to our customers even though we don't depend on repeat sales from them. She actually is 22 years old, my statement about average.

Marek from Poland. He actually used his Polish name and didn't adopt an American nickname as many of the J-1. the general category for these international students, do.  But then again, when Ronald (pictured a few times) told me his Zimbabwe name. we laughed at my attempt to say it.  I stuck with Ronald.

Well, the pictures aren't exactly where I want then, the timeline is off. Anyway, thanks for reading all the way to the bottom.  If you didn't read this far, no big deal. I will be doing additional blogs in response to my loyal readers, all 15-20 of you.  I'll never get rich this way.