8-29-10 Sunday

It’s been a while since I’ve done a:

I enjoyed reminiscing about last year but eventually it faded.  That happens when you work I suppose.  Not just that but also the fact that the traveling had ended and we were just going through the motions of job hunting and deciding if we could stay in Fort Myers.  What a stressful time in our lives.  Looking back at last year’s post brings me happiness though.  Fun with friends!  Check it out here.

Looking at that entry with Carl and Tim brings me back to excitement about them coming here.  I’ve been thinking about all the cool stuff we’ve done here and what I want them to see/do.  The great restaurants to include Crave Dessert bar.  Yum.  A nature walk through some of the parks Jim and I have recently walked through.  Snow tubing!  Ikea!  Lake Norman!  There’s so much and quite a lot of stuff we haven’t even seen yet.  Hurry up guys!

Jim and I went to breakfast at Ryan’s this morning.  Omelets, waffles, bacon, sausage, etc.  We ate a lot but we won’t eat again till dinner.  For dinner we have plans with Doug and Bill.  We haven’t seen them for quite sometime so we’ll have a lot to catch up on.

After filling up on cheap buffet food, we did grocery shopping at Walmart.  Our shopping trip was uneventful BUT that’s a good thing so I’m not complaining.  With grocery shopping done, we spoke about things we could do.  Jim decided on a nap.

We met up with Doug and Bill and headed to 1900 Mexican Restaurant.  Jim and I have been there numerous times and once with Doug and Bill.  We all enjoyed it and of course we’ll be back. 

Tomorrow is Monday.  Ick!

8-28-10 Saturday (Now It Really Leaks)

It was a very busy Saturday at work.  I think another wave of oil change coupons hit the masses.  At several points we had a line at the counter of people wanting to get written up for service.  It has it’s good and bad points.  Naturally being busy is good for business.  On the other hand, $15.00 oil changes are a pain in the ass.

On Saturdays we close at 4.  Last Saturday between closing the store, doing payroll and other required reports, I got out of there at 4:45.  I think that’s too long.  This week I got as much ready in advance and had the advisor Bob take on one of the tasks.  Out by 4:20 was much better. 

When I got home I found out Jim has a little misadventure today.  You see – he had went to the RV to reseal a leaking skylight.  While up on the roof, he leaned on the plastic skylight which was brittle and broke it.  This particular skylight is large and is over the entire tub/shower.  The guy we hired to reseal it while in Fort Myers did a crappy job.  Jim called Deanna to help him get the RV over to Tom Johnson’s in Concord.  She was able to meet him there to help with car shuffling.  While the RV is there, Jim gave the service department a list of things to check out, price out and/or fix.  We’re also considering selling it.  Perhaps the bill for repairs will sway us one way or another.

On to the evenings festivities: Beth arrived with a bottle of wine (which we open immediately) in hand and a red velvet cake.  Shortly thereafter, Deanna arrived with a bouquet of flowers in hand.  We didn’t have a vase unpacked so we stuck ‘em in a hurricane vase thingy.   They both thought we were odd for not having a vase.  Well, we’re odd but that’s hardly the reason.  Jim pointed to the huge pile of boxes and furniture in our unusable dining room reminding them that we have more crap than we need.

Above: Flowers on the mantle up and away from kitty.

 Above: Deanna

  Above: Beth

I should have taken more pics.  The wine may have had a little to do with that.

We ate.  Jim’s homemade chili.  Yum.  We drank more wine.  We played Buzz World Trivia on the PS3 which Deanna and Beth both liked a lot.  We played 5 or 6 games.  I managed to get one win!   At the end of the evening, Beth said next time game night at her place.  What a fun night.

8-27-10 Friday (Goal!)

It is Friday!  My day off!  Of course I have a list of things to do.  Some of which, Jim started asking of me.  I must admit, I was annoyed.  Can I go to the dry-cleaners?  Can I clean this or that?  Some I probably won’t do.  Dude, leave me alone!

Sometimes I feel a little guilt about this job thing I’m going through.  Some thoughts: I haven’t worked in 2 years.  That’s 8 months longer than Jim.  Wasn’t that enough rest?  60 hours?  Deal with it.  Get off the cross, someone needs the wood.  Then there’s the other hand… I won’t rehash it.  Just read the previous postings and there it is.  Why do I mentally argue with myself?  Maybe I’m just mental?

Some good news: 

I lost more weight.  I stand and walk a lot at work.  Perhaps that has helped.  I haven’t tracked points for weeks.  I’ve cheated here and there.  I’ve still done well.  I’m proud of myself!

As you know, Jim isn’t following any diet.  Unfortunately he’s been gaining, however, he’s utilizing the free gym at his new job!  He’s decided to do something about it so he works out a little after work. 

It’s already 5 pm.  I’ve done a lot today.  I steam-cleaned carpets and the couch.  I’ve went to Walmart, done laundry, etc, etc.  I should have went to work.  I’m leaving Jim a big basket of laundry to fold tomorrow.

Work tomorrow followed by Buzz trivia, chili and wine with Deanna and Beth tomorrow evening. 

8-26-10 Thursday (Day Off Battle Again)

What a week.   First off, I’d like to acknowledge Laurie’s comment on a previous post:

Challenges, schmallenges.  Laurie - misfortunes, misadventures, bad days, they all “sell” babe.  It’s either that or I change my header photo to the nude picture of me eating grapes.  Trust me, no one wants to see that mess.  So… that leaves bitching, moaning, complaining and general ranting.

Monday evening I came home to find that our Google account had been hacked.  Yeah some ass wipe out of Germany sent spam email to all my contacts.   Rant #1.

Rant #2: Today was supposed to be my day off.  BUT at 11am yesterday my boss tells me he’s got to cover for a guy at another store who had a death in the family.  So in other words, I’d have to come to work.  I told my boss I was EXTREMELY unhappy.  I emphasized it.  I went on to helping customers.  Boss man leaves at 12, I’m by myself.  He calls me about the day off situation.  I let him have it.  I said things:

“I’m so pissed off right now it’s probably not the best time to talk.”  He persisted.  OK.  “I start working my ass of in this shit hole of a mess place.  You work me 60 hours a week which doesn’t include the “lunch time” you people (yeah I said that) immorally deduct for the lunch hours your employees don’t even take.  Then, when my day off rolls around I have to drive a frickin’ hour each way to unlock some doors because you guys don’t have a key and can’t get your shit together.  (Yes, I said that).  You continue to walk all over me while I’ve been short handed since I started and all you want is more.  I gotta go, I have customers waiting and it’s only me.”

A while later he called back and said he rearranged his schedule so I could have Friday off.

I was gutsy but you know something, if I let them walk all over me, they’ll obviously continue to do so.  I was looking for a job when I found this one, and I can certainly look again.

So now, today my boss calls me and reminds me I should be “flexible” about time off yet later makes another comment about how many hours (lower than I’m working now) ideally I should work.  Maybe if I had had a couple of my mid-week days off I wouldn’t bitch about 1 or 2 here and there.  Maybe I could leave early here and there to make up for it?  Ugh.

8-22-10 Sunday (What A Crock)

We started out our day by getting out of bed way too early.  Maybe it was the anticipation of going to Ryan’s Buffet for waffles and omelets?  Maybe it was because we’re old.  Either way, we had breakfast (we totally blew off lunch to offset the big breakfast) and then went on to BJ’s for some of our shopping. 

After BJ’s it was on to Walmart.  This week’s big purchases?  A new crock pot.  We got an UNelectronic one so that if a power outage occurred, the cooker would resume once power was restored.

The cool think about the slow cooker is that it came with labels that I can insert into the holder.  Look:

It came with preprinted and blank cardboard inserts that go right in front of the Hamilton Beach logo which is equipped with a frame.  Cool huh?

We also picked up a new toaster.  We use it almost every day and think that maybe it was worn out.  English muffins, which I eat daily, took a long time to toast and even on it’s highest setting didn’t brown it much.

 

After shopping we worked on getting the RV batteries charged up.  Eventually after jumping the batteries, we got the generator running and then the engine batteries charged. 

We went to see a house for sale.  It was a small house on an acre of land in south Charlotte for $75,000.   We’re not ready to buy just yet but always keeping our eyes open.

The day went by so quickly.  Back home to prep, season and vacu-suck some steaks as well as prepare Tuesday’s redo of our failed corned beef with cabbage crock pot meal.   Some pictures of Dasher and Clea in the kitchen:

Oh, and this creepy, hairy spider at the trash can in the back yard:

And finally here’s some pictures from work.  This is the “lube pit”:

Attractive job, eh?

Time to go finish making dinner, eat, watch TV and relax.  Till possibly Thursday…  see ya!

8-21-10 Saturday (Trailer Trash)

Sunday is a permanent day off for me since the store is closed.  We continue to be short staffed with the need for another service advisor.  Upper management had someone selected but she changed her mind after committal.   Oh well.

Yesterday I sent the porter to buy a refrigerator for the shop.  It’s one of those small one’s since that’s what we had there previously and that’s really all the room we have for it.

I was amazed to discover earlier in the week that we have no first aid kit.  There’s the remnants of a Walmart-ish looking $15 kit laying around.  Automotive repair can sometimes equate to many cuts and scrapes and I can’t believe that’s all we had.  Pitiful.  I ordered a big kit through our OfficeMax account.

On my day off Thursday, they discovered the cinder blocks above one of the shop doors was sagging and dangerous so they closed it off and are getting a construction company of sorts to repair it.  I’m gone 90% of one day and see what happens?   The place falls apart without me.  No, literally.

In other news of damages… sometime last week Jim discovered this:

Yes, a hole in our couch.  We can’t have anything nice.  So Dasher is banned from the furniture when we’re not on it with him.  We’ve revived our old trick of using clear carpet runner turned upside down on the furniture.  Home Depot usually has the best kind; the one with sharp “spikes”.  This deters the pets from walking or laying on said surface.  

It’s cheap and effective.  It can be rolled up and put under the couch when we have company over and don’t want to look like trailer trash.

Speaking of trailer trash, I want to tell you about our dear friends Carl and Tim.  You can click here to refresh your memory of them.  They were here in early January while we were moving in.  Oh, so the trailer trash part?  Well, they’re moving here.  Perhaps as soon as September.  They purchased a bumper-pull trailer, Tim is quitting his job of 20-something years and they’re gonna start a new life.  SW Florida has a tough job market, hence why we couldn’t stay there anymore.  Even Tim’s job has been downsized over the past couple of years.  I think and hope they’ll enjoy Charlotte as much as I do.  Fantastic weather.  Great scenery.  Mountains one way, beaches another, close to other states, seasons which are mild (to me), etc.   Anyway, check the comments.  Perhaps Tim will comment later about his reasons, feelings, further details, etc.

Here are some pictures of their trailer as it was originally listed on eBay.  They’ve been “remodeling” it over the past few weeks but I don’t have any updated photos.  Tim is technically-challenged and Carl hasn’t bothered I guess.  Hint, hint.

They’ve been working so hard on it.  I’m so excited!  We have some other friends who are planning to move here as well.  I won’t say who since I didn’t obtain their permission to mention them and not sure if it’s any type of secret.

Well, I worked today and am very tired.  Jim and I are cashing in a BOGO for a Mexican Restaurant we’ve not tried yet and then ice cream at Maggie Moos. 

8-19-10 Thursday

Thursdays are my day off, right?  Well almost.  A day or 2 after I blogged about getting the day off, my boss says, “You’re off Thursday right?  Well, I need you to come in to open up.”  Huh?  I questioned.  He’ll be out of town and the other Group Manager will cover for me but they don’t have keys to open.  Apparently I can’t even get keys to him before hand because he lives a couple of hours away.  Oh, so I have to drive 2 hours to unlock doors?  Yep.  Nice.

This morning I arrived to work at my usual 7:15.  We open at 7:30.  At 7:40 I call Mr. Area Manager.  He’s about 20 minutes away – he hit traffic.  You people suck.  At 7:45 my advisor arrives.  At 8:15 I leave, Mr. Area Manager had still not arrived. 

Some time yesterday while corned beef and cabbage slow cooked in the crock pot, the damn power went off again.  Another ruined dinner.  Jim called the power company who acknowledged the power failure a couple of weeks ago but says there was no reported failure yesterday.  They’re going to investigate.  They should investigate me a meal.  We ended up going to Chili’s for some 2 for $20 deal.  Tasty.  Fattening.  Ugh. 

Aside from the crock pot – power off problem, I couldn’t get my laptop to do anything.  Well, almost nothing.

What the ?  Ugh!  Thanks for the “prediction” ass munch.  Naturally, the F1 key did nothing.  No, buttons worked.  I restarted over and over and nada.  Good thing I back up everything to Carbonite online and to an external harddrive!  I scoured sales ads from Sunday and found an Acer laptop for $328 at Walmart.  The price was right.  I will never buy another HP laptop.  First the sound sucked.  Then the sound died.  Then the DVD drive failed.  Too many things under 2 years.  Jim’s laptop is an Acer and we’ve been happy with it. 

The license plates arrived the other day:

That’s all I have for now – live from my new laptop! 

8-14-10 Saturday

Yes, I’m tired but what else is new?  Let’s see.  Well, Jim pointed out that several weeks ago I turned down a possible job in Fort Mill, SC because it was too far and now here I am driving further to Rock Hill, SC.  Go figure.

The firm email I sent to my boss requesting the day off I’m entitled to paid off.  I now have Thursdays off starting next week.  I’m so excited I could spit, but I’ll refrain as I think spitting is gross.  Why do people spit?  Answer me. 

My store is a shit hole.  There – I said it.  I’ve complained about the no employee lounge, the microwave and fridge in a closet outside in the shop but I now have a funny story to reinforce my shit hole comment.  You see, Bob, my employee, Service Writer, was envying that I bring my own drink and sandwich each day.  I bring a pitcher of Crystal Light, a sandwich (3 points) and a Weight Watchers snack cake (1 point) in a cooler everyday.  Bob said several times “I need to do that too.”  So Bob decided to bring some food and store it in the mini-fridge out in the shop.  The problem was that the fridge was gone.  It belongs to the porter who took it home with him (for whatever reason).  The techs said he needed it for the weekend and was bringing it back in on Monday.  So, we as a shop, don’t even own a fridge for our employees.  As my friend John Anderson would say, “I just shake my head.”

Last night we were supposed to have that Weight Watchers burrito crockpot thingy but when Jim came home he found that the power had went off at some point and the food in the crock only read 130 degrees. It looked like curdled milk even though there was no milk in it.  We opted to feed it to the garbage disposal.  I hate when that happens.  Jim suggested Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner instead.  One day at work, someone brought lunch back for his team and he had their chicken tenders which he liked a lot.  We got to the restaurant which was like a sports bar atmosphere and extremely loud.  Jim ordered the tenders and realized it wasn’t what he had had previously.  There’s another place in town called Wild Wing Cafe.

Tonight we went to the “correct” chicken tender place, Wild Wing Cafe.  We met Deanna there for dinner.  I tried their wings and didn’t think they were all that great.  Jim enjoyed his chicken tenders.  We took the conversation back to our house over a bottle or 2 of wine.  I created a logo for Deanna’s upcoming business venture.  She had a draft of what she envisioned and between the 3 of us, we created a professional logo.  I can’t share it right now since it’s not registered yet.  She has a degree in her field of Human Resources so if you’re looking for advice from an employee perspective, check out her blog, Corporate Survival from the Bottom Rung.

8-12-10 Thursday (Requirements)

Once again, I’m exhausted.  I’m happy to report that I can typically get out of work within minutes of closing time.  I’ve become quite the expert at counting the cash drawer, filling out deposit tickets, and adding credit card slips.  Yay. 

I still continue to eat at my desk.  Right now it’s kind of necessity but in the future it will probably be by choice.  I’m too far from home to go home for lunch and since there’s no breakroom, where the hell would I go?  I hate that.

Today I shot an email to my boss stating, “I will require a day of next week and each week thereafter.”  He responded with a call asking if I was stressed.  I’ve been stressed.  I’m tired.  I need “me” time.  I need a break other than just Sunday.  I replied that I would just like my day off.  We’ll see.

On the upside, I resurrected a Blue-Tooth headset that I use for my phone so I can safely gab with friends on the way home from work.  Now if I could just find some volunteers to talk to me at 6:30am…

Interestingly enough, we not really, I got home before Jim tonight.  He works till 7 on Thursdays.  I was able to make dinner, take out the trash and do a little prep work for tomorrow’s meal.

That’s all I got right now!  Thanks for reading!  Now it’s time to watch my TiVo’d “America’s Got Talent”.

8-8-10 Sunday (Is It Hot In Here Or Did You Just Burn?)

As I sit here typing Saturday’s entry and surfing the internet, I see:

Finalist dies at world sauna championships

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Finnish event sees competitors attempting to withstand rising temperatures
• Russian finalist Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy died after Saturday's final
• His opponent, Finland's Timo Kaukonen, was taken to hospital
• Police are investigating incident but "rules were followed," organizers say

(CNN) -- A competitor has died and another is in hospital following a tragic end to the World Sauna Championships in southern Finland.

Russian Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy died Saturday after taking part in the final of a competition in which contestants are required to withstand rising temperatures for as long as possible.

Finnish finalist Timo Kaukonen was also taken to hospital for treatment, organizer Ossi Arvela said in a statement posted on the event's website.

Images of the contest showed Ladyzhenskiy and Kaukonen sitting side by side in the sauna. Both contestants can then be seen lying on the ground, apparently doused in water. Ladyzhenskiy appears to be suffering from severe skin burns.

"The event was interrupted immediately after the accident. Competition organization grieves these sad events," Avela said.

Finnish police and organizers are investigating the incident, Arvela said. But he said first aid personnel had been in place and all competitors taking part in the contest had provided doctor's certificates. "All the rules were followed," he said.

The World Sauna Championships take place annually in the town of Heinola.

I rarely comment about current events but this just deserved a commentary.  What absolutely bothers me about this is that it was top CNN news AND that stuff like this goes on in the world.  Such a big event that entails sitting in extreme heat.  Duh.

I weighed myself today!  169.8!

Thanks to Weight Watchers, I’ve lost 23 pounds!

Other places we went to today:  Stool Pigeons Coop & Grill for lunch with a coupon.  It was sports bar atmosphere with out-dated TV’s, old furniture and a strange smell possibly caused by previous lawful smoking.  The food was standard bar food.  I’m not sure we’d go back.  There’s much better out there. 

Next was Trader Joe’s.  Jim hasn’t been to the one in our area nor any location in a long time.  We bought a few things including some wine, but the place is full of organics that aren’t designed to be low fat or low calorie. 

Next up was Sam’s for a few things.  Sam’s was busy.  Jim and I grazed the demo food stands like we were on a shelter’s food line.  Sad.  Sadder was that there was a frickin’ line at the Nestle Toll House cookie dough demo stand.  We eventually got to it and had a pizza roll and a little cookie.  Did I mention how pitiful all that looks?  The funniest demo was corn in a large crockpot.  People walking around eating corn in a little plastic cup with a tiny spoon.  Amusing.  I’d like to go back next Sunday so I can sample more free stuff watch people and make fun of them.  Pitiful. 

I don’t miss grocery shopping at Walmart on Sunday’s especially with back-to-school-nuttery going on.  The place was hopping.  The wait in line was about 2 carts deep so not too bad even though we had to switch lines because of some problems at checkout. 

Above: The line for #2 pencils.

We came home #2-pencil-less just in case you had wondered. 

By the way, we returned the weights and bands I bought to do the P90X program with.  Who’s got time right now?

I’m sure the rest of the evening will include laying around and watching TV.  For now, I’m going to join Jim for a glass of wine!  Cheers!

8-7-10 Saturday (Too Tired For Witty Titles)

What a week.  At one point this week while at work, I had just finished up a customer when blood gushed out of my nose.  I’ve never had a nose bleed.  I was pretty freaked out.  I went into the bathroom, tilted my head back (what I’ve heard to do) for probably too short a time cause it still bled.  I felt light headed and wanted to lay down.  There’s no place to sit or lay down so I decided to go out out my car.  I barely made it.  I think nerves took over as I felt dizzy and had trouble breathing.  I made it to the car, sat in it and reclined the seat.  I got my breathing under control as I was sweating bullets.  I have no idea what all that was about.

The Group Manager had me and an the service writer work alone today.  One of the busiest days of the week (as I mentioned last week), and after we closed I had to do payroll.  I’m really not happy with the hours.  6 days this week, I can deal with but it was implied (by several people) that I should get used to that.  Later in the week my boss (the Group Manager) says I’ll be working 6 days until “we get you a service writer in and trained”.  Not happy at all.  I’ve already done 60 hours this week.  I had to stay late to do payroll.  We closed at 4, I was there till 4:45 balancing out the days work and doing payroll.  It’s killing me, and not softly either. 

I’m trying to be the model employee – I really am.  I fear that all I’m accomplishing is laying in front of a door with the word “welcome” stamped over me.  I voiced my concern, my dislike.  Manager boss dude says, “we’ll see what we can come up with.”  I’m thinking about asking to step down and to transfer to a location up the street from me where I’d be scheduled 40 hours only as a service writer. 

We had nothing planned for dinner tonight.  Jim wanted to use his free dinner meal coupon at a restaurant called Mert’s Heart & Soul.  Check out the website, there’s lots of recipes there!  Anyway, the place is in Uptown.  It was hard to get to because several streets were closed off.   We found out it was all for bicycle racing.  It was interesting to watch a ton of bicyclists whiz by.  On to Mert’s.  A small, down south kinda feel to the restaurant.  The service was friendly.  The food was pretty good.  Corn bread mmmmmm.  Fried chicken, mmmmmm.  The best?  Sweet potato cake with cream cheese icing.  Jim and I shared a piece.  It was delicious! 

Weight Watchers?  I haven’t logged anything in for a week.  I just don’t have time.  I’m probably OK since I eat a 3 point breakfast, 3 point lunch, eat a fairly healthy dinner with popcorn.  If anything, mid morning and mid afternoon snacks are pretty much gone.

Last Sunday Jim and I went to the Levine Museum of the New South.  It was interesting and free on Sunday’s or something.  Here’s some photos of us at/in various exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

We also drove to Jim’s new job location so I could see where it is.  Then to Rock Hill, SC  to see my place.  I could only take pictures through the window since I didn’t have keys yet:

Above/Below: My desk is the one with the fabulous comfy looking wooden bar stool.  Livin’ large, livin’ large.

 

Above: Waiting room/counter all in one which I hate.  No privacy to talk about the customers.  Behind the counter up the hall is a bathroom.

The photo below is a few days later when I had keys.  This is the electrical closet in the shop.   Mini fridge and microwave.  To use the microwave, unplug a fan and reach in side ways.  Livin’ large, livin’ large.

8-4-10 Wednesday

Holy cow.  I’m so tired.  I blogged about Saturday already.  Monday I went in and was offered the Rock Hill location Facility Manager (store manager) position.  I accepted the position.

I’ve been tweaking my wake up time and think that as of today I’ve perfected it to up at 5:30 am and leave the house by 6:30.  I arrive to work at about 7:15.  Some of the days I didn’t even get a chance to eat until 4!  The Group Manager (district manager) didn’t even eat lunch yesterday or today!  Insane.  I’m thinking that’s not the typical situation.  We close at 6 but then I have to settle out the store.  Today I was out at 6:15, other days 6:30 or 6:45.  Then I stop at the bank and make the deposit.  Then I drive 45 minutes home.  I eat dinner at almost 8pm, watch TV and then in bed by 10.  It’s brutal. 

I’m certainly moving faster at what I do but still have so much more to learn.

Because of this terrible schedule, I post comments the next morning before work.  I get about 15 minutes of internet/email time in the mornings before work.  Did I mention I’m tired?

Stand by for more details!

Now for some more job oriented news.  Several employees at Jim’s job (underwriter at Wells Fargo – Wachovia) have been leaving to work for a company called Zenta.  Zenta is a company you’d outsource to for underwriting, IT services, and the like.  Jim has accepted a position with Zenta effective August 16th.  He’ll be doing the same type of work on a different system and probably for a different bank.

7-31-10 Saturday (The Job)

On Wednesday, I attended a career fair for AAA.  In the Carolinas they have AAA Car Care Centers that do many different types of repairs and maintenance.  As a AAA member, you would receive a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty on repairs while non-members get a 1 year 12,000 mile warranty.  Members receive discounts, etc.  Most AAA Car Care Centers are large facilities that have other departments on site such as travel, insurance, member services and the like.  I’m not linking to any AAA sites via the blog just to prevent AAA from reading about their newest employee.

 

With all that said, Friday late afternoon I received a call asking if I was interested in a position.  When can I start?  I replied anytime.  How about tomorrow morning (Saturday)?  I was stunned but agreed.  Talk of pay, hours and such would be discussed on site.  Just go there between 8 and 9 and see what “we’re” all about.   Where’s the location?  Rockhill, SC.  We discovered that it would be a long drive (50 minutes each way) to/from for me so he mentions that they’ll work to find me a more suitable location in the future.  If this was anyone else but a large corporation like AAA, I’d be leery but I decided to “see what it’s all about.”

I arrived and found that this location was an old quick-lube shop.  Not very nice looking.  I thought, “awwww crap.”  I ventured in anyway.  Aside from the shop, the inside is just a room with some customer waiting chairs, coffee service, a counter where we all work from, and a restroom down the hall.  No office.  No breakroom.  Nada.  I will adapt.  Tomorrow I’m going to buy a lunch-sized cooler.  Many of the employees seem to walk next door to a McDonald’s.  Ugh.  I gotta do better than that.  I’ll get unsweet tea and maybe a salad from time to time but I’m better off bringing my own food.

Saturday are apparently one of AAA’s busiest days of the week.  I met with my original interviewer who is a Group Manager.  He and another Group Manager who was also at this store oversee many stores like a district manager of sorts.  Both Group Managers were on hand to help out.  Turns out the guy who I’d be replacing was terminated.  A service writer on hand had just started in June, and the facility manager was on a rotating quarterly 4 day weekend.  It was certainly an interesting day.  Somehow I never ate anything all day.  We were just too busy.  I think what made us “busier” is that I’m learning a computer system, the AAA mentality, the employees, etc.  which slows us down.  The managers were “cleaning up” the previous guys paperwork mess when they could. 

It wasn’t until later in the day that I was able to discuss pay, and some other stuff with the Group Manager.  I found out what I needed to know for now but still have more to find out.

Oh, so the staff.  The shop consists of several technicians ranging in skill levels from oil changers (lube tech) to master techs.  Inside is a Service Writer.  Working the counter along side him would be me, a Sales Manager and a Facility Manager.  In simple terms Sales Managers and Facility Managers are Service Writers who have more responsibilities and therefore are compensated higher.  This is no desk job.  This is a working management position. 

I don’t know what my day off will be.  I only know that everyone works on Fridays and Saturdays, their busiest days.  Everyone gets Sunday off plus a day during the week. 

I’m excited, I’m bummed.  I’m a roller coaster of emotion.  I’m filled with negativity but I’m going to work on turning this all into something positive.  I’m excited about returning to work for another day on Monday.  Confusing, I know.  Maybe I thrive on fixing chaos?  We’ll see.  I can do this.  I can do this.  I can do this.