It's been almost 3 months since working at the Walk in Workshop at the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass. I have to say that I really enjoy the routine of going to work and blowing glass (even if it's making glass flowers and ornaments with complete strangers, 40 hours/week), but sometimes it's really not that pleasant.
I'm not talking about the heat, I'm talking about the customers that come in.
Let me run by what supposed to happen when customers come in:
Prior to getting tickets, they are informed to come in 10 minutes before a session.
We have a maximum of 9 ticketholders each 40 minutes and no one knows that. Someone ALWAYS comes on the dot or 5 minutes later. UGHHH.
They come to us and we tell them to pick three colors and there are a couple of other choices for their ornament or flower.
THEY CAN NEVER DECIDE!! ESPECIALLY THE PICKY WOMEN OR GIRLS!! We have witnessed people PONDERING their colors (we have 14 choices, not a PANTONE color booklet) and then they choose the colors FOR THEIR KIDS! There was even one mother who made her son CRY because she wouldn't let him choose his OWN colors.
We give them safety equipment.
They stand there in FRONT of the display case, and sometimes even SIT on the floor to put the gear on. The late ones obviously take the longest time to put theirs on, even though we tell them that they are very late and have to start IMMEDIATELY. They are OBLIVIOUS to the fact that the early people and glassblowers are WAITING for them so that we can start.
We give a demo each on opposite sides of the hot shop.
Even when I call a name out and directly tell them to come inside (the barrier is a ribbon, the kind that forms waiting lines at banks) they just STARE at me blankly and I have to repeat myself about three or five times until they understand to move their bodies past the ribbon. I'm not talking about small, insecure children, I'm talking about the average "normal" and "functioning" adults.
We take one person per bench (we have three) and we instruct them through the process. We often repeat ourselves several times because the hot shop + many vistors = nosy.
PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION NOR CAN THEY FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
NOTE: I understand that everyone is different when approaching something new, especially glassblowing, but at the WiW, we all break it down so that the average visitor comes out successful. The people who enjoy themselves are excited about what they're doing, not scared and full of negative dispositions. They usually understand that since it's their first time, they might mess up (we usually tell them it's okay if they do, but by telling them we like to conserve the glass, they are more careful not to mess up).
So the people that end up all mad and dissatisfied are the ones that honestly do not follow the directions (either because they are so apprehensive, nervous, or hostile). I just don't understand how people can get so nasty with us when they make an "ugly" flower. (It's more hands on, therefore more of a chance that they mess up on their own.) It's supposed to be a "fun" and new experience. You're supposed to be excited to come in and make your own glass object. I mean, there are probably less than 5 (if not way less) institutions in the world that allow the average Joe Schmoe come in—right off the streets—into a glass hot shop and get a mini lesson on how to make a glass blown or sculpted piece with a one-on-one glassblower. It boggles my mind how some people can be so "privileged" and be a complete jerk before, while, and after they make their glass ornament or flower.
SO I had two ladies in a group of 5 making flowers today. My coworker, who likes to joke around, told the group that I was "mean" (I understand that my stern- and directness can make me "mean") and that if they wanted a nice flower, they would go to me, since I often repeat each step and tell you EXACTLY what to do in order to make a nice flower.
In Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, he writes about how individuals can act a certain way and make decisions based on predispositions:
(1) The ladies (the term barely describes them) already thought it would be difficult and didn't think they would be able to make a "nice" flower (i.e. the ones that we make in the demo, but we're "professionals"—we've all made them about 500 times a piece, so we obviously make it appear easy).
(2) They thought I was "mean". I have to say that I do get really direct with visitors because I want them to end up with something visually pleasing. Yes, the WiW emphasizes the "experience" of working with glass, and sure enough, it includes the difficulty of working with glass—DUH. That's why WE are there with them, telling them EXACTLY what to do. But in the end, when the visitors receive their glass object, that's what they have to live with, a tangible piece and the memories of making it sometimes fade and alter.
The results:
(1) They complained throughout the whole time making their flowers.
(2) One of them kept saying hers was "lopsided". I reassured her that it didn't matter because when we pull out the flower (the body and stem), it would be even again. (I said, "I've made about 500 of these things, so I assure you if you listen to me while we pull this out, it will come out even.") She looked very dissatified and kept saying it was lopsided. My coworker even walked over and informed her that what I said was true. She believed him and said, "Uhh, okay". So I retorted, "Okay, so you believe him and not me, but that's okay." Right after I said that, I showed her that it WAS, in fact, even again.
(3) I usually tell visitors what to do next while I'm reheating and repeat as I bring the glass over. Then I guide their hand and tools in the right directions for each step. They resisted and couldn't understand the directions, so I said, "That's why we have a DEMO." They complained and I followed through the SAME way with ALL visitors, telling them what to do and what not to do.
(4) In the end they decided to give me personal "FUTURE SUGGESTIONS" that I speak towards them and not to the furnace. I told them that as much as I try to turn around while heating to instruct, I have to concentrate on the glass. Then they said they couldn't hear me and that's why they couldn't follow the directions.
Did you hear me while I was next to you?
Yes.
I made myself clear and yet you didn't follow the directions.
Oh, well while you were away we couldn't hear you.
You could've told me to speak up. But, while I was next to you, instructing you, you heard me.
Well yes and I did tell you to speak up once.
Um, okay, but you couldn't follow the directions. Here are your bags and coats.
WELL I SUGGEST YOU SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY WHILE YOU'RE INSTRUCTING!
Okay. The end.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of my day. The session that I thought was the last session of my shift turned out to be the one prior, and I had three KIDS. One of them didn't even put their lips on the blowpipe while she blew. The other two were under 5-years-old and I had to reheat about 5 times.
FORTUNATELY, the last session was very pleasant with two ladies. One of them an L.A. museum shop retailer, who gave me her business card to later deal production glassware. Yays.
So that is my super vent for the summer. (Sort of.) I will heed to the "Future suggestions". AND I will not care if people make shitty, ugly flowers anymore. (Sort of.)
