Alone Again

My sister just rolled out of my driveway, and I'm a little sad. It always makes me sad when someone I don't get to see very often comes to see me and then leaves. Don't get me wrong; I'm VERY excited to have my own bed again, but still, she's my baby sister and it's sad to see her go. I've always been this way. I'm a very sentimental person and I always wait and watch them leave until I can't see them anymore. When I was little, it made me cry, but now, as a grown-up, I manage to hold it together. Perks of being a big girl, I guess. We had a very good visit. Usually, for me and her, our max is a day or two, but we made it 3 with very little bickering. We watched movies until our brains rotted out of our heads, we've eaten until our stomachs couldn't hold another bite, and we've laid around until we could not stand the 4 walls of this house any longer and had to go somewhere, anywhere. I told her she will have to come back in a month so we can go see all the movies new to the $2 theatre in one day again. That was fun. And now the fun has passed and it's back to the real world. I go back to work tomorrow afternoon and she returns to being bored in her own house. Ahhh, I am loving my very lazy summer.

Rotting My Brains Out

Yesterday was a great day! My sister is here in town for a few days and we have been eating and doing whatever we want. Yesterday we decided to go to the $1.99 movie here in town because I wanted to see African Cats and they were actually showing it. That movie was awesome, btw, but it wasn't the only one we saw. We actually saw 3: Something Borrowed, African Cats, and Water for Elephants. I had already seen the first one, but my sister hadn't so we went and saw that. Then I insisted we see African Cats so we went and saw that, and then we both wanted to see Water for Elephants which was freakin' awesome and I need to read the book! In between the first two, we went and shared nachos at Moe's which was perfect and then in between the second two, we went and got Frozen yogurt from Tutti Frutti. Yummo! THEN we went to a Redbox and got 5 movies. We watched one last night, The Dilemma, which was ok, and then we went to bed. We got up this morning and watched You Again, followed by Due Date, which was stupid and we turned that one off. Because we had done nothing but sit around and watch movies and eat, we decided to hit up the mall and walk around a bit. We then came home and watched I Am Number Four AND IT'S AWESOME!!! I will be owning that one. Sonic was calling out names so we went and got treats from there, this Hazelnut Mocha java chiller is really good, fyi, and now we are watching The Switch, with Jason Bates and Jennifer Aniston. It's a bit slow but I'm hoping it will be good. So, that's my weekend. We have lots of leftovers in the fridge and do not need to eat out again, for sure! Well, that's my wkend!

Kayaking

I would really like to go kayaking. I know several people who go kayaking and I've always thought that's something I would like to do. Unfortunately, all of those people live in KY and that is forever away. Alas, no kayaking for me.

I really wish I had something to blog about...

I really wish I had something more interesting to say other than I hate my job and I had yet another bad day. For a while now I have been saying that it would be stupid for me to quit my job because I have good insurance that I pay practically nothing for, I have flexible hours which is good for school, and I make better money than most people in retail. However, I am beginning to feel like maybe the time has come for me to move on. I mean, this place wears me out both physically and mentally. I am tired of coming to work and having to work my butt off because there isn't enough help. I am tired of getting into stupid arguments with hateful people when they are the ones who were wrong. I am tired of my employees who think they are untouchable because they are related to people higher than me. I am tired of my fellow employees, the ones I try to take good care of, because they have taken something I have said the wrong way and complained to management- or worse, having a parent complain to management. Finally, I am tired of my blog posts being entirely about how miserable I am at work. To anyone else, the decision would be very clear: if you're miserable, find something else. To me, it isn't that simple. When I leave a place, I think about everything I would be leaving behind. For all of the bad people I deal with at work, both customers and employees, there are good ones who, sometimes, counter them. Not to mention, I am good at my job. Again, for every hateful customer I come across, there is at least one more who loves me and knows when they come to me, they are going to get friendly, speedy service. I can't tell you how many people have told me they are glad when I am working at CS because they know their Western Union isn't going to take forever, or cashing their check is going to be fast and simple. Because, I'll say it, I'm the fastest, and I'm accurate too. And compared to the two fellow employees who have gotten their panties in a wad over something I said, I have several more who tell me they really enjoy working with me or they are so glad I am working that day. Those people make me feel good. So, I am good at my job and I know what I'm doing, but I don't know how much longer I can do this. Do I really want to be stuck here for another two years? Not really, but what else is there with school? With my major, sticking just to night classes isn't entirely possible because a lot of times, with the higher level classes, they are offered once, in the middle of the day, and if you need that class, that time is the only option available. I just don't know what to do. I'm going to have to do a lot of thinking and praying about what it is I need to do.

Blah

In the interest of not wanting to sound whiny, I am not going to blog about the fact that today was, yet again, a terrible day. Nope, I'm not going to tell you about how I got cussed out by a man for something that wasn't my fault, nor am I going to tell you about how we had no courtesy clerks after 8:15 pm or a customer service person after 7:30 pm. And I'm really not going to tell you about how while I was steering in a row of carts for the last courtesy clerk of the night before he went home, I got pinned between said row of carts and big-Ford-truck that was backing out of his parking space. Nope, I'm not even going to bother mentioning any of it. I don't want to sound like I'm ranting or whining, you know.

Instead, I am just going to say that I am SUPER ready for this phase of my life to be over. I am done with retail. I am done with stupid, hateful, whiny customers. I am done with random schedules and working weekends and holidays. I. Am. Done. DONE.

Here's to tomorrow being better than today!! Sleep tight!

My Day

At work, I don't spend a lot of time on the register, but some weeks, I have one, maybe two shifts as just a plain jane cashier. Today was one of those days, but I got to spend it on express, so that made it a little better. Now, typically, we get the really pain-in-the-butt customers at customer service, but somehow I manage to get some serious doozies when I am on the register, and I had one today. This lady came through my line and handed me her keys so that I could scan her Kroger card. She then proceeded to finish unloading her groceries, so I placed her keys on the little counter where customers can write their checks. I got done scanning everything, and was double-bagging her groceries like she had asked me to when she and I have an exchange that went like this:

Customer: (points at keys) Can I have those back?
Me: Yes, ma'am. I put those there for you; I already scanned your card.
Customer: I know, but I handed those to you and you placed them there.
Me: Yes, ma'am, I scanned your card and you were unloading your groceries so I placed them there because your hands were busy.
Customer: Well, I handed those to you and you need to place them in my hands. (Holds out hand)
Me: Are you serious? (yes, I really said that)
Customer: Yes, I am
Me: (picks up keys and places them in her rudely waiting hand) Power struggle.

Yes, that interaction actually took place. I was so angry when I was counting the money back to her man-friend, my hands were shaking. I turned my register light off and went to the bathroom to cool off and then went to tell one of my managers what had happened. She told me about how she had had the same kind of encounter and how she decided that this move could potentially cost her her job and so she, too, placed the keys in the lady's hand. Honestly, I wish I hadn't done it. Job or no job. Retailers have spoiled people into thinking they can speak to associates at different stores any way they want and we just have to take it. The next time someone comes through my line and tries to pull that will have a hard time leaving if the only way they plan on getting their keys in hand is if I hand them to them.

I got over that, even though sitting here, rehashing it, makes me a little angry all over again. Next, we have this man who used to be the back-up front-end manager. That is no longer the case and he now works in the dairy department. However, he frequently comes up to the front and tries to run the front-end with his "expert" advice. I had already asked the person at customer service if I could take my break, and she said that was fine. I then asked this dairy clerk to please close me off to which he replied "who's replacing you?" I told him no one and he proceeded to tell me that the MOD wasn't going to let me go on break without someone to replace me because we have to have an express open. I told him that wasn't my problem- I wasn't the floor supervisor for the day, and he told me it was. Trust me when I say it wasn't. As just the cashier, they have to give me a break and it is not my responsibility to find a replacement for said break. Highly annoyed, I call the MOD over to tell him that said dairy clerk isn't doing anything helpful other than lending his unsolicited "expertise" and needs to go back to his department. He tells the clerk to go get the truck in the back, but then the MOD comes to me and says it wasn't a big deal and that I shouldn't be so upset about it. What? I wasn't upset; not the way the MOD thought I was. I was simply annoyed. That dairy clerk has no business coming up to our department acting like he runs it. We don't tell him how to stock eggs and milk, he need not tell me I can't go on break. He has no authority over any of us, and unless we ask him, which we won't, he needs to keep his "expertise" to himself. There is a reason he is no longer over the front end so it's high time he go on with his bad self. HMPH!!!

Whew!!! Fortunately, along with the bad customers we do have some good ones. I had a very sweet old lady, who shops at our store frequently, come through my line, and after asking me if the girls at Starbucks made good drinks, I sent her over there to ask for Amy. Well, she did and scared Amy because she thought little old lady was about to cuss her out when she walked up and called her out. No worries, all the lady wanted was a decent Starbucks beverage, which cannot be gotten with just anybody who works over there. So, there was my day. It had some very bad moments, but there were some ok moments too. I really do love most of the people I work with. A handful of them are crazy and they, in turn, make me crazy, but, thankfully, the sane ones help to keep me sane by listening to my rants and letting me get things off my chest. So, Dear Lord, thank you for my job and the good people with whom I work. Amen.

Weird

Last night I had a dream that I got married at the zoo and there were pandas at the wedding. And then I went back to the zoo to try to get them to let me pet the pandas and have regular visitation with them. While I was there, I told this girl that I had just gotten married and that's when I noticed, for the first time, that my engagement ring was white gold and the wedding band was yellow gold and BUTT UGLY!! I also realized that I had not spoken to my "husband" recently so I decided to call him and tell him he needed to get me a new wedding band that matched. Idk what happened next because that's when my phone in the real world rang and woke me up and now I have no idea who my dream husband was. Very sad moment.

In other news, it's storming like crazy here and I'm really hoping the cable doesn't go out.

Gossip

You know how they say you should love the sinner, hate the sin? Well, I find it very difficult to love those who gossip about me and stupid things, not just the gossip itself. What is wrong with people? Why do people spread things that aren't true? Seriously, I don't understand. It doesn't occur to me to tell things that either I've made up, or something that someone told me that is strictly speculation. Quite frankly, I would rather you come to me and ask me point blank "is there something going on between you and so-and-so." If there is, I will tell you, and if there isn't, I will tell you. Don't go around talking about me, spreading rumors that are absurd. And even if the things you are talking about are true, and therefore not absurd, you still have no business talking about them. I don't go around talking about you and your business, stay the heck out of mine. If there is something I want people to know, I will tell them, and trust me when I say, I am NOT going to be doing anything I need to hide, so I would have no problem telling people. Don't say anything about me you wouldn't say to my face, and I will show you the same courtesy.

There's A Whole Lotta Siftin' Goin' On!

Years ago, when I was still trying to choose a path for my life, I almost chose to go to culinary school for baking and pastry. Here lately I have been doing a lot of baking and I had forgotten how much I love it. I have recently learned to make a cream cheese pound cake from scratch and now I can't stop. I love putting the ingredients in the mixer and watching the batter come together, taking the toothpick out and watching it come out clean, knowing that my cake is finally done and perfect! It's a really awesome feeling of accomplishment. I've heard Rachael Ray say on her show that she can't bake, and that is just a concept I don't understand. Baking is easy and so much fun! Part of me wonders if I chose the wrong path, but I think I'm ok. For one thing, a culinary degree isn't absolutely essential to have a career in culinary- look at both Paula Deen and Rachael Ray! Secondly, there's nothing that says I can't choose that way later in life. In the meantime, I think I am just going to enjoy experimenting in the kitchen!

Sconyers!

My family came to see me today, and by that I mean they came to eat at Sconyers. Sconyers is a local BBQ restaurant that is owned by the former mayor of Augusta and they have the best bar-b-que HANDS DOWN! Their hash and rice is FANTASTIC, even if my brother says it looks like cat vomit (you have to remember, this kid eats pizza rolls cooked in the microwave- EWW!), and their potato salad is SLAMMIN! When it comes to local flavor, Sconyers takes the cake. Anyways, so my family came to eat at Sconyers, and while they were here, they bothered to see me. Thoughtful, I know. We had a good time and I'm glad I got to see them. I don't get to see them very often because they live 2 hours away, and between work and school, I just don't have time for a 2 hour wkend trip. We took a quick stroll around Old Navy, bought nothing, and then went to LifeWay, where Dad, of course, found plenty. Luke asked if we could go to MovieStop where they were supposedly having this huge blowout sale, not so huge or blowout in my opinion, where we found a few things, like the latest Wizard of Oz collector's edition DVD set. Awesome! It was a day that ended all too soon because they had to get home or the $50 worth of BBQ in the trunk was going to spoil. Yeah, it's that good. So, it was a good day off from work, spent well with family!

Oh, and I know I haven't mentioned this earlier, but we had a bake sale at work today, before the fam got here, and my cream cheese pound cake that I sifted flour 3 times for was a HUGE success!!! Not bad for my first pound cake, thankyouverymuch!

Spider Solitaire

I don't look at the score when I play Spider Solitaire. I find it's much easier to enjoy the game when I am not worried about points. That's not to say that I don't like to win, because what's the point in playing if you don't care anything about success? I play to win, but I don't worry about the number at the bottom of the screen. Sure, occasionally I look to see my score, but I don't let myself get worked up about it. That being said, I've decided to take up the same philosophy with my age. Instead of worrying about how I'm almost 30 and still single, still working retail, and still not done with college, I am going to not worry or think about how old I am, and just live my life to the end. I don't think I am going to tell people my age either. If I'm not worried about it, they shouldn't be either. Of course, I will always know how old I am, but I'm not going to let that define where I should be in life. Sure, most people my age are married, maybe have children, have their "big kid" jobs, and so forth, but my life isn't like their's. God has very different things in store for my life than he does for other people, and my life is where He wants it to be. It's not ideal, but I think it will all be worth it in the end. So, no more emphasis on my age, and more emphasis on my life, where it is headed, and how I am going to get there.