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.