Servers With Attitude: When & Why We Love Them | Ep. 02
A look at the phenomenon of “snarky server” restaurants and bars. What attracts people to them and, more importantly, what is repelling them from somewhere full of friendly accommodating staff.
MoreGood Service = Self Awareness: Interview w/ Kevin von Behren | Ep. 01
Founder of Fly Awake Tea House in Portland Oregon shares his deep sense of service and what it takes to create a unique gathering space.
MoreService to Others Would Be Easy…If Satisfying Needs Wasn’t Such An Ethical Challenge
Originally written for the Be Here Now Network. What is service? On the surface, it sounds so simple: the act of identifying needs and working to fulfill them. Service is often thought of as oriented to others, but the target should just as often be yourself. Service is often thought of as a professional imperative (i.e. […]
MoreLessons From Service & Moviegoing: Let Others Be The Hero & You Always Win
How do we end up rooting for anti-heros? Film and television characters that aren’t 100% virtuous have always managed to get our full support. They don’t always do the right thing, but we want them to succeed at whatever they are doing (even if it’s something with questionable morality). In a sense, we aren’t cheering […]
MoreWhy Service Is Difficult & How To Thrive In The Face of Its Challenges (Part II)
In part I of this article, I illustrated my current easier-than-usual work environment where I still find tremendous challenges to serving others. I’ve found that this is because of the innate limitations of being human and connecting to other humans. This exercise has allowed me to look at the finer points of service and […]
MoreWhy Service Is Difficult & How To Thrive In The Face of Its Challenges (Part I)
Years ago, I retired from the bar/restaurant industry to take my meditation knowledge further and become trained as a teacher. Last year, I returned. For love, fascination…and, yeah…for money. I was excited to be back in my element. And dreading it a bit since I know the industry can take its toll on ones health […]
MoreWelcome To The Family: Hospitality As A Spiritual Practice
Originally written for the Be Here Now Network. Check it out here. A 2007 study by political scientist RD Putnam discovered that people are more likely to socially retreat when in ethnically diverse environments. Our tendency to hide away and avoid connecting to those that seem different than us was the focus of Grace Rodriguez’ […]
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