I Feel Like The Angry Baker!

Business By johnniekake Updated 28 Dec 2006 , 12:18am by Luby

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johnniekake Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 9:32pm
post #1 of 25

Right now I just hate my job. I dont want to set foot back into my shop.I just want to hide under a rock for a week or two. And what I really hate is the fact that I hate it so much right now..........stupid I know!

I worked my a-- off the last two weeks!(of course I think my butt is bigger since I eat out of stress)I worked 31 hours straight because my help got sick.I actually didnt sit down for 31 hours..... and then I couldnt move on christmas eve.Sooooooooo I closed my shop until Jan 8th. But I have to go in every day this week to make 430 cookies...decorated, and the wedding cake to match. So basically I'm having a pity party for myself.
Cry me a river!! icon_cry.gif

Ok I just needed to get this off my chest.....take a deep breath........suck it up and move on!

Thanks for letting me vent!

24 replies
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JanH Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 10:50pm
post #2 of 25

Oh my, I certainly think you're entitled to some time day!

Doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon, though.

Did you see the Ace of Cakes episode where he was charmed into doing wedding cookies. He swore they'd never do that again, and he had help.

Certainly admire your intestinal fortitude icon_smile.gif

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jeking Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:00pm
post #3 of 25

johnniecake...I'm sorry for you. Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it, does it? Get that wedding over and take some time off for yourself. Sleep a lot, get a massage and do something else nice for yourself before you open back up. Best to you.

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RisqueBusiness Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:10pm
post #4 of 25

wow, no wonder you're so busy..I just looked at your pictures.

Your work is amazing! Unfreaking believable...

I too didn't go in to day..I've been working straight through...even though I did go in to pay some bills..I took off..and glad I did...went and got some CD to do power point presentations as per another cc member..lol

Johnnicakes where are you located? maybe in your area there is a day spa or something..I can just imagine how your legs must be hurting! my knees won't shut the heck up ..lol

Take care..

and I hope your staff gets over their "HOLIDAY FLU"...lol

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mypastrychef Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:42pm
post #5 of 25

Girl! Everyone is just not able to do this kind of job!

We are...
The few!
The proud!
The overworked shop owners!
did ya'll get it? lol
mpc

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RisqueBusiness Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:47pm
post #6 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by mypastrychef

Girl! Everyone is just not able to do this kind of job!

We are...
The few!
The proud!
The overworked shop owners!
did ya'll get it? lol
mpc




Yep...100%..

I remember wedding season summer summer before last...and it was just for friends and family..

3 days straight..with only 7 hours sleep..and I have the pictures to prove it! icon_lol.gif

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melodyscakes Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:49pm
post #7 of 25

I hope you can get recharged with your break, and love doing what you do again!!
good luck!


melody

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shameekaharvey Posted 26 Dec 2006 , 11:58pm
post #8 of 25

Just remind yourself that all things are possible with the help of Christ. I'm sure you'll make it through!!!

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tysmom Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 12:05am
post #9 of 25

I hope you get recharged soon!!! I know how you feel, my help quit on me the week before x-mas!! I had already given her a x-mas bonus telling her that we would be working some late nights getting orders done and go have fun and spend it. Well she decided that she didn't want to work this week here (I was taking it off). I told her that she had to pay the money back to me since she didnt earn it!!!
Thanks for letting me vent! icon_sad.gif

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emmiepeterson Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 12:06am
post #10 of 25

because you are truly talented and the public would be losing a great decorator.Rest up!

Emily

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SweetConfectionsChef Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 12:06am
post #11 of 25

johnniekake, I feel your pain! I closed my shop Dec 23rd and I am not reopening until January 11th! I ran out of that place on the 23rd as fast as I could! I spent countless hours there the week before making an order for 70lbs of candy all put in individual bags, labled, into tins and then into shipping boxes, BY MYSELF, because of sick help! icon_cry.gif I had orders out the wazzoo and people kept coming in depleting the stock on the shelves! Sometimes we just have to take a break to keep our santity! I'm headed to market in Dallas the third week of January....that's my real santity!!!! Nice hotel, food I haven't cooked, and no freakin' laundry or orders!!!!!!! Keep your chin up and take some time off! icon_biggrin.gif

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mkolmar Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 4:12am
post #12 of 25

please rest up...I love your work and you just can't stop!

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johnniekake Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 1:57pm
post #13 of 25

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words.I feel much better today and
I'm ready to go and tackle the cookies!

Risque I live here in Florida too,( the space coast)

pastrychef icon_lol.gif no joke!!!

Thanks guys!!
Johnnie Sue

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aobodessa Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 2:31pm
post #14 of 25

Johnnie, please don't be discouraged. I've looked at your AMAZING photos and you are incredibly talented. Shame on those employees who've let you down!

I work as a secretary during the day and bake for others at night. The other secretary in my office leaves early whenever she wants to, purposely skips lunch every Friday so she can leave an hour early, calls in sick if she's got the slightest twinge of cramps, and whines if she's ever physically uncomfortable. I, on the other hand, am there every day, feeling well or not, putting my head down and doing the work. She spends a good hour or more (when the bosses are gone, of course) at times, on the telephone, arranging for her skanky-looking, greasy boyfriend's heavy metal band's jobs, selling tickets to their shows, etc. When MY cell phone rings, I let it go to voice mail -- that's what voice mail is for. My theory is that my boss is paying me to handle his work, not my own. If I had an employee, I would prefer one who operates like me rather than this 20-something whiny witch that I work with. How fair is it? Not very, but there is nothing I can do about it.

My point is that there are thoughtless people in every profession, and they are usually clueless as to what it takes to run a respectable business. They expect to be paid a really great wage, but don't want to put out one calorie more of energy for you than they are required to. Yeah, life really isn't fair, but I figure that in the end, if the meek shall inherit the earth, I just want my little corner of it to be far, far away from her (and next to the great pastry people like you, whose work I believe is far superior to what I've been accomplishing!).

Kudos to you! When you're finished with your wedding cookies, take an afternoon, go to a spa, spend the money on yourself to get a lovely massage. You can never do enough to pamper yourself! Your body will love you for it and thank you in ways you never thought possible. And maybe this can become your annual "retreat" ... right after Christmas, YOU take 2 or 3 days off to treat yourself to spa treatments and relaxation, a fine dinner at a nice restaurant, and maybe some flowers to cheer you through those first dark days of winter. Then start the new year with a fresh perspective (and possibly some new employees who respect you and won't run out on you in the long run!).

Happy New Year,

Odessa

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RisqueBusiness Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 3:33pm
post #15 of 25

aobodessa

is so right, those of us that work as hard as we do forget to take time for ourselves. My little shop is in a spa for goodness sake and I haven't till this day taken a steam for my sore muscles!!

It makes me laugh that we tell the others never to undercharge for our work, yet...we refuse to value our selves also...people call us to make their baked goods and we keep taking order upon order!

Like my 9 cakes all due on Sunday...if they had been simple cakes no problem ..but doing everything from the ground up...and coming up with 9 original designs...took it out of me..!

I had my niece working for me...couldn't afford her but knowing her family needed the money I made the sacrifice..taking the bread out of MY mouth to give it to her..

I even got the internet at work so that she could get her GED online, that was the deal we worked out..I would give her 75.00 for the weekend..she would work on her GED and be my coffee and smoothie girl with 1/2 of the smoothie money she could keep.

I told her it was slow because I just opened, well...she got bored...played on line wouldn't let me sit in the ONLY chair the store has...

and before I knew it ...without my permission...she made me a MYSPACE page..

Then Text messages me at 3 am that she's not coming to work the next day!

I"m sound asleep and think it was an emergency, I jump out of bed and it's only a stupid text, I tell her to call me in the morn as I was asleep and the silly child keeps texting me ..lol

finally I tell her, to stop texing me that she woke me up and that I'm not one of her friends and if she wasn't coming in to call me. To be professional.

ooooh that set her off, that I wasn't her boss and she was only helping me...( HELLO...I'm paying you a salary..YES..I AM YOUR BOSS!)

So I never hear from her again....and her mother owes me 100 bucks she saw fit to borrow the day I opened my shop that she didn't see fit to come to the Grand Opening..but I had to bring to her...

People JUST don't get it...

They feel they want to work in a small "fun" place...but they have no work ethics..

and the thanks that I got?

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gidgetsmom Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 3:46pm
post #16 of 25

Johnniecakes - I hope you get some well-deserved rest.

I think in any profession when you've pushed yourself that hard (not to mention have your workers fail you) that it can take the joy out of what you are doing. I think that's one of the things that concerns me most about considering "this" as a profession. I don't want to lose the joy.

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aobodessa Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 4:15pm
post #17 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by RisqueBusiness

aobodessa

is so right, those of us that work as hard as we do forget to take time for ourselves. My little shop is in a spa for goodness sake and I haven't till this day taken a steam for my sore muscles!!

....

People JUST don't get it...

They feel they want to work in a small "fun" place...but they have no work ethics..




Risque,

Why is it that young people today don't have much of a work ethic??? Could it be that they have seen the huge salaries paid to factory workers who have little education and think they deserve the same? Or how about the MBA's who head up companies and get multi-million$$$ in pension and bonus money at the expense of their very hard-working but less than exhorbitantly-paid workers? I don't get it.

My three girls have all been brought up with what I hope is a good work ethic, the same one I was raised with. My father was an electrician for 40 years, a gentleman farmer on the side, and in his spare time had his own business wiring houses and businesses in the evenings and on the weekends. The grass never grew under Dad's feet! When he dies, am I expecting an inheritance? Heck no! He has earned every dime he has and if he chooses to spend it all in his time here on earth, then that is fine with me. I don't have a right to any of it now that I'm an adult and married with children of my own.

I learned early on that you put in your time, are good to the boss and give him a full day's work to get a full day's pay in return. Althought I've worked for my company for 5 years, and every year I have received a Christmas Bonus check, I NEVER expect it. If I get one, that's great, but I am prepared to live without so that I don't get all worked up if it doesn't happen.

My husband and I both work full time, I do my cakes and cookies, and for narly 15 years, hubby played the piano at our church until his job no longer afforded him the availability to do so. We still struggle sometimes with what our kids want, but we try to show them by example that you must work hard to make sure you are giving your best. In the end, the good employee gets rewarded. I have to believe that, even though it is becoming less and less a true statement.

Anyhow, I digress from my original intent in this thread, which was to show support to one of our own whose spirit had been trampled by ungrateful employees. Here's a thought: how about hiring all new over the holidays and when the old ones who called in "sick" leaving you to do the work alone come in, politely tell them they have been replaced by people who value a paycheck. icon_twisted.gif It grinds my last nerve to see someone taken advantage of by people who believe they are "entitled" to a paycheck when they don't believe in earning it.

Okay, time to get off my soapbox. Thank you for allowing me to rant and rave for you. Now take the time to get your feet massaged ... and I mean it!

Your Pastry-flour-covered Friend,

Odessa icon_smile.gif

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RisqueBusiness Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 7:31pm
post #18 of 25

Amen, I hope that she's not even on the computer till after the holiday!!

I just splurged on 60 dollars worth of plastic containers to store my things more efficiently...hope I can carve out a teensey bitty more walking room here..lol

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cakekrayzie Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 8:10pm
post #19 of 25

know how you fell johnniekake last year i worked so hard making cookie platters for friends and family that i could not move. my mom took me out for breakfast the day after christmas and i could not even move to eat my waffle, i panicked because i had never felt like that before and started crying icon_cry.gif into my waffle, since then i always make sure i give myself at least one day every few weeks to just rest, unplug the phones turn on the tv put on the sweats and sleep icon_wink.gif i know its hard with everything we are doing but if burn the candle at both ends we are bound to burn out.

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johnniekake Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 9:43pm
post #20 of 25

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh O'MY.........................................................

I guess I should have said that my help is my mother icon_redface.gif Which happens to be the most fantastic woman that I know. And she was really sick. Matter of fact she is still not over it.Any ways.......................I was basically having a pity party for myself and didnt give all the details.
WAHHHHHH I'm a big baby icon_razz.gif But I think I'm over it now.

So basically being a one woman show really bites at times!!!
And sometimes it can bite you in the a--!!!
Its my fault that I took so much on,no one else. icon_sad.gif

Bascially I need a better plan....back up plan...........that will be my goal for 2007!! thumbs_up.gif


At least I have a place to whine were people actually understand this crazy cake baking,decorating,feet hurting late nite girl!!

THANKS icon_biggrin.gif

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RisqueBusiness Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 9:46pm
post #21 of 25

oh Jonnie...sorry about that..lol

yeah...when we take on too much...we wear ourselves down.

I ended up with a 3 week cold..when I should've just had it for 3 days..

Give your mommy a hug from us..lol and give her a LOT of TLC so she can hurry up and come back to help you!

Yeah..one women show sucks..!!

but the only place you can be all that you can be...and not owe your soul to the company store! woooo haaa!

{{{HUGS}}}

But...GRRRRRRRRRRLLLL, at least you KNOW we got'cha back! icon_lol.gif

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aobodessa Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 10:01pm
post #22 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by RisqueBusiness

oh Jonnie...sorry about that..lol

yeah...when we take on too much...we wear ourselves down.

I ended up with a 3 week cold..when I should've just had it for 3 days..

Give your mommy a hug from us..lol and give her a LOT of TLC so she can hurry up and come back to help you!

Yeah..one women show sucks..!!

but the only place you can be all that you can be...and not owe your soul to the company store! woooo haaa!

{{{HUGS}}}

But...GRRRRRRRRRRLLLL, at least you KNOW we got'cha back! icon_lol.gif





Ditto

Odessa

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mysonshines Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 10:15pm
post #23 of 25

Like some other said, from your photos I can see why you are so busy! Beautiful works of art.

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cakekrayzie Posted 27 Dec 2006 , 11:59pm
post #24 of 25

johnniekake you said it moms are the best they come through rain or shine, even if they are sick. my mom helps me so much i don't even know how to begin to thank her. she helps me with packaging and clean up, and this year do to what happened last year she helped me, and even got my sisiter and 5 year old nephew involed in healping me icon_wink.gif and thanks to her and them i didn't have a repeat epiosode of last year icon_biggrin.gif

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Luby Posted 28 Dec 2006 , 12:18am
post #25 of 25

Johnniekake,

I hope your mom feels better soon and you are able to get some much needed rest. Your work is much too beautiful and it would truly be a loss if you decided not to continue with your creations.

Take a break and take a nap!

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