jay dryden dot net

Click the cup to hear what Agent Dale Cooper would have to say.

I stopped by one of the many Starbucks last Sunday afternoon. The tattooed biker barista behind the bar had a dozen or so pins affixed to the front of his black cap. Each pin had a depiction of a small coffee mug with the words “M.U.G. Award” at the bottom.

In an effort to kill some time before that so-refreshing-on-a-90-degree-day Frappuccino(tm) was ready, I asked the barista what a M.U.G. Award was. He reflected on his answer for a moment (perhaps to convince himself that I was not, in fact, a corporate spy or, even worse, a “secret shopper”), then replied “It’s what They give you instead of a raise.” Oh, sweet cynicism in the workplace, thy words are music to my ears!

When I returned home, a quick google search informed me that “M.U.G.” stands for “Moves of Uncommon Greatness,” and describes some type of above-and-beyond customer service required to receive the award. My barista’s obvious dissatisfaction with his job seemed a glorious contrast to the assortment of customer service awards displayed above the brim of his cap.

So far, google had taught me that a M.U.G. Award is just another Taiwanese-made, employer doled-out tchotchke to pat an employee on the back rather than giving him what he really wants — a little ka-ching. Then, I noticed that the google search had returned numerous resumes, one of which described the M.U.G. as a “prestigious award for recognition in excellent customer service.” This led me to wonder, are there prospective employers out there salivating at the possibility of hiring a multi-M.U.G.’ed barista?

On Sunday, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his pancreas.

In an email to Apple and Pixar employees written from his hospital bed, Jobs stated “I have some personal news that I need to share with you, and I wanted you to hear it directly from me. This weekend I underwent a successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my pancreas. I had a very rare form of pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuro-endocrine tumor, which represents about 1 percent of the total cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed each year, and can be cured by surgical removal if diagnosed in time. I mention this because when one hears ‘pancreatic cancer’ (or Googles it), one immediately encounters this far more common and deadly form, which, thank God, is not what I had.”

He added that he “will not require any chemotherapy or radiation treatments.”

Jobs will take August to recuperate and expects to return to Apple in September. In the interim, I am certain that his 17″ PowerBook will be working overtime. Until then, I am sure that he would appreciate your keeping him in your thoughts, sending him your positive mojo, prayers or voodoo dances.

[As an aside, this entry was composed on a 12" iBook G4, running Mac OS X.3 (Panther), while listening to iTunes - a series of technologies that would not exist but for the the vision of Steve Jobs.]

Hurry back, Steve. Apple won’t be the same without you.

The Honda S2000 has “sensual intensity right up there with grabbing a bare high-voltage wire, [a] clutch and shifter as perfect together as Rogers and Astaire, [a] cockpit [that] fits like your favorite jeans.” But don’t take my word for it, take Car and Driver’s.

Ahhhhhh. To quote Agent Dale Cooper, “There’s nothing like a great cup of black coffee.” I prefer mine from a cafetiere, black as midnight on a moonless night.

This pic was originally posted on cousin Mike’s blog. But, hey, since I took the picture, I figure I can post it here, too. If you enjoy coffee culture, then check out Mike’s article on home-roasted coffe beans.

And, yes, the mug is from Buffalo Grille, one of the best brea’fas’ places in Houston.