One of My Talents

is intuition.

Seriously, I can intuit so many things.

Like when Josh lived in Seattle and I spent my days downtown circulating from one coffee shop to another I could tell just by stepping inside the door who was a good barista.

Good baristas are passionate about their job. You can just tell they love coffee. They work the expresso machine with such determination and confidence. And when you get their cup of joe you can feel the love.

My other intuit is phlebotomists. Not many people have this skill. When I was teaching every year the district offered, at one time, free, later for a smaller fee, blood tests. Most teachers participated. It's always good to get that blood checked, right? Well, my veins don't like to give blood easily and I could tell by looking who was going to be able to give me a painless experience. One year she stuck me three times and in the end I had to go to another lab.

So yesterday I had to go to the lab for a blood draw. I've always had a good experience at the lab. Those phlebotomists know what they are doing, after all they do it all day.

However when this particular phlebotomist calls my name I have a sinking feeling it isn't going to be pretty. Now, you may ask, did I set the mental tone with my thoughts or was my gut doing the straight talk, sensing her abilities or lack of?

It doesn't really matter because it didn't turn out pretty. She pokes and she turns and she digs and she is not successful. "Oops, sometimes it just goes this way."

I let go of my clenched fist and pray that poke #2 will be OK. And sure enough it works.

And by last night I had some pretty bruises on my arm.

I knew it. I just knew it.

But here is my dilemma. When I fear that the phlebotomist or barista or clerk or repairman or customer service is not the one for me, do I speak up, based on my intuition? It's far easier to ask for someone else after an attempt or a conversation that goes no where. But when you are basing a change only on the "sense" you get when you see someone, with no conversation or no attempt, I wonder.

I guess I will continue my active research and maybe add positive thoughts. So the next time the phlebotomist comes out or the barista starts my latte, "I think she can, I know she can, oh yes she will!"