Log 64: When the stars align

Yesterday, two of my best friends from high school booked a two month stay at Hakuna Matata and Tiki Beach (respectively). I’m not quite sure how I managed to convince Lucas and Anne to join me on Maui for the remainder of my stay here - sometimes things just work out. 

“What are you doing for the summer?” Lucas texted me one morning. 

“Pretty sure I’m gonna stay on Maui and do the shaved ice thing,” I replied. Then a lightbulb went off in my mind. I tried not to get ahead of myself. “What are your plans for summer?” I inquired. 

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Lucas admitted. I grinned. 

“Come to Maui,” I suggested. 

Ten days later, he was on board and had a flight booked to Kahului on June 1st. This all took place sometime in mid-March. Sometime in mid-April, I had a very similar conversation with Anne, who also had yet to make summer plans. In a matter of days, she was locked in, too. 

So that’s pretty cool. Spending the summer in Hawaii with a couple of friends? It couldn’t get any better than that, right? Wrong. Yesterday afternoon, after applying and interviewing, Anne and Lucas each accepted a summer job at none other than Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice’s Hyatt Regency location. And, for referring them, I was compensated $400.

Highlight: I got a promotion! I have graduated from “trainee,” to “shaver 3,” and now to “shaver 2”. The difference between the job of shaver 3 and shaver 2 is difficult to discern, but as long as it comes with a raise, that’s fine by me. 

I’ve been trying to encourage my team leader (the position between shaver 2 and shop manager), Andrea, to ask that she be given a raise as well. Based on how consistent of an employee she is, Andrea should definitely be making more than she is at present. However, she’s hesitant to ask for higher pay, which baffled me at first. But then, I did my research. As it turns out, nearly all of the planets in Andrea’s birth chart are in Pisces, which contributes to an unwillingness to ask for favors, disagree with people, engage in confrontation, etc. Lucky for Andrea, none of the planets in my birth chart are in Pisces. I ask for things a lot, generally enjoy arguments, readily confront people when necessary, and encourage others to do the same. 

After a week or so of nagging on my part, Andrea called up our district manager and asked for a raise, which she was granted immediately.