Those are good words coming from another hottie mc-bartenderson. I shall take them into consideration the next time it occurs :) Which, will probably be next month with my luck.

Very interesting way of looking at this situation! You’re GOOD at this game! Haha… And to answer your question – yes, I would have done the same at a PF blogging event (same predicament in my mind – which is I got caught w/ my pants down and wanted to quickly resolve it in the easiest – most right – way as possible). It was more of an uncomfortable feeling in general than a wanting to look good one, though of course that naturally went through my mind a few times. I feel like the best thing that could have happened was that a) I had been given more time, even just 10 seconds which I would have used to then decipher it was worth asking for change, or b) No one was looking and I could get away w/out tipping that second and then coming back w/ a dollar later. Definitely interesting to think about though in your “performing” story way – I like that :)

I guess my question for you would be: if this scenario were different in terms of location, would you have reacted differently? For example, at an open bar at a PF blogging convention where you are one of the larger fishes in the community, would you have reacted differently? Such an act of largesse might be be looked down upon by other PF bloggers, so I suspect you might have made an effort to make change in the tip jar. Conversely, in the early days of the startup you worked at (where, from what I’ve read of what you’ve written about it, the money was flowing quickly and easily), tipping ten bucks might be showing off or might be a joke (“see how little I care about this ten-spot? I’ll make this back in ten minutes tomorrow!”).

In short, in your story, I think you were trying to appear comfortable in a situation in which you were necessarily uncomfortable for a couple of reasons. To answer your question, if I were really uncomfortable, I would probably have reacted in the same way–but I’d like to think I would have made eye-contact with the bartender (who, while being happy with a $10 tip, certainly would have found it extravagant) and asked, “Do you mind if I make change?”

What I should do one day is just BE a bartender for a night and see how it all works :) It’s actually on my list of jobs to try out one day – I’d learn a lot!

It’s just a good thing I actually like PBR, haha… or else it would have been much worse ;)

Hah! Good for you.

Haha… oh yeah, you gotta drop it in those events. I keep a few dollar bills in my car for that exact same reason when I’m stopped at those lights and they walk on buy asking for help. My rule is that I always have to say “yes” if asked (other wise I’d never give), but you def. get into pickles when your singles are all gone. At least you did a great thing!