How do you feel today?

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:13 am

I had an interesting day at work. It was my testing day for closing by myself. Tina was not "officially" there as a manager and Ed was the copy and print center person so he was not a manager on duty either. They were just there in case I got myself into trouble. I ran the show and got excellent feedback with two exceptions, I need to push the lunches out earlier for the night crew and I need to start cash office earlier so I am not rushed when walking the store after recovery. Then on my way home I was walking from the station and got stuck behind this group of overly done hipsters, you know what of I speak. The guys probably spent two hours getting their hair to look like they just stumbled out of bed, total hipster clothing, slouching, clomping in boots etc. The girls in their uber retro semi casual hipster chic with lots of noserings and either perfectly coiffed or the same excessive trouble gone to making them look like they just rolled out of bed hairdos. Anyway, they pissed me off. They were taking up the whole sidewalk and moseying along at a studiously slow hipster pace. THEN, it gets worse. I tune into the tall lanky flannel sporting hipster wanna be guy's conversation and he's talking about how he got mugged by a black guy and how he's suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and how it caused him to become xenophobic, but he's really not a racist. I couldn't contain myself, I said, "I'm sorry to have overheard but did you just try to justify your attitude towards an entire race of people based on the act of one individual?" and he said, "Not that it's your business but I'm not racist, I don't have issues with black women." and I said, "Ok, I stand corrected, you are trying to justify your racism AND sexism towards black males based on the act of one individual and you think that makes it ok? (insert him trying to interrupt me and me shushing him into submission) You are just trying to convince yourself that your pre existing racism is justifiable or excusable and it's not. If you got mugged by a white man would you be afraid of white men? yourself included? because based on what you just said, if you met Shaquille O'Neill, James Earl Jones or President Obama you would expect to be mugged. That's seriously pathetic." He stammered in a flabberghasted way for a moment then told me to f--k off for lack of something more original to say. One of his friends was doing a very bad job of hiding his laughter while the girls were indignant on his behalf with one of them calling me a bitch. I told them to have a nice night then jaywalked across the street to get away from them. I know, one of these days I'm gonna get my ass kicked.

Post by **danlo** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:07 pm

I'm nervous, as president of Elora Grace's elementary PTA I'm about to go off to oversee a bake sale at the local Wal*mart at 2pm and then run movie night for the kids and families at the school cafeteria at 6PM. I probably would have been totally done in yesterday, but I think a guardian angel came to the rescue. I have to take care of Grace during all of this and my vehicle is not big enough to carry tables and baked goods and Grace legally or safely. I was going to borrow my neighbor's truck, but her roommate needs it for work. My secretary and treasurer assured me for two weeks that they'd take off work in order to help with everything, then I was informed Wednesday morning that they can't-nice. And finally, as far as my people go, my Vice President who also volunteered, who only speaks a little English, missed the planning meeting on Wednesday and the monthly PTA meeting last night and never contacted me.

Yesterday I found out that the projector I'm being lent requires a laptop with media play and that that teacher's laptop cannot be lent out. I don't have a laptop and my neighbor's doesn't have media play. So I was, lets say, sheeting bricks. While selling T-shirts at that cafeteria and freaking out at 2PM yesterday I became surrounded by kids lining up for various after school clubs and noticed a PTA volunteer looking at me-so to avoid the onslaught of short humanity I went over to her and told her my dillema. She said she was about to call me to help out with the bake sale and movie night, that she has a laptop that has media play knows AND how to set it all up and that it even has a function that gets rid of the frame. AND her mother would gladly help out with her truck to move everything from the school to Wal*mart and back.

So today the baked goods are pouring in and another fundraising option (discount 'peeler' cards) appeared out of the blue, this morning I had Grace's bi-lingual teacher round up the VP who committed to helping with both the bake sale and movie night-which I desperately needed as I need to shuttle back with the angel at 5PM to test the projector and start setting thing up for the movie. The projector also needs speakers and the treasurer's husband was supposed to supply those-but of course he didn't. My stereo speakers are wired in to the entertainment system, BUT my JBL spider computer speakers will fit the projector.

So, as soon as I post this, I'll turn off the comp, disassemble my speakers load them in the car with Tam's baked items, go to the school round up all the other baked items, the VP and the angel, get the t-shirts and peelers going to both events and hopefully get everything together without having a nervous breakdown. OH dam! I almost forgot--I have 40 bags of popcorn sitting next to me that need a home as well!!! It's going to be intense!!! (I also have to be careful moving around the baked goods cause it's like 80 degrees out)

The movie, btw, is Wall*E if you're interested-it's was the only decent looking, fairly recent G rated thing I could find...

Post by **Phantasm** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:19 pm

Oh, a slow day for news.
Got a phone call from oldest daughter this morning saying her wedding, supposed to be late october, is now off, big fall out with fiancee.

She wants to move back to Scotland, but doesn't know if she can leave NZ with their daughter without his say so.

Difficult situation for her, and I have advised her to see solicitor.

On the other hand, he's an areshole, so better sooner than later.

Good luck to her.

Post by **aliantha** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:12 am

Good luck to her, indeed, Phantasm. Wow, what a situation....

danlo, please tell me you didn't go into this volunteer job with any illusions that it would be easy....

But -- yay for your angel of mercy!

My day at work started with an e-mail from my traveling-man attorney, asking me to make about six changes in his itineraries today and next week -- then asked me to change some of the changes. Took me at least an hour to get it all straight. In the meantime, one of the other attorneys on our floor heard me on the phone with the travel office, making one of the changes -- and came out of his office *twice* to ask me (tongue in cheek) to change *his* travel, too. I said I would do it if he would change mine to somewhere nice and relaxing -- and pay for it.

Then there were bills to deal with, and vouchers to finish up. So I got to do all of my favorite things today (not!!). Oh, and then the secretarial manager called and told me she'd volunteered me for some committee. She said at first she thought *she* was being asked to be on this committee, and she had zero interest in doing it, but when it became clear they were asking her to name someone from her department, well, she immediately thought of me. By this point we were both laughing, so I said, "It's good to know that my name is first on your list for random committee memberships!" I mean, I guess I could have turned her down, but it's all about job security, y'know?

At least I got free ice cream this afternoon....

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:02 am

Yay for the helpful people, Danlo! Ali, we all have days with chores that suck.

I had a good day today despite the fact that the night cashier was a no show and so I got stuck on register most of the night and got very little of my project list done. It was good because I felt Zainab and I really bonded tonight. The situation left us kinda screwed so we talked out a plan and got it done with a bit of time to spare for both our project lists. We communicated very well on top of everything. I let her know when I had each basic chore done and she communicated the same back when she was done so we were totally in sync. I like working like that. On the down side of things, I am working straight through until I leave for my Dad's on Thursday so eight days in a row without a day off and then back in the saddle the day after I return so no down time for readjusting to the time change AND my flight home doesn't arrive until midnight and I have to get all the way home on Bart and then be at work the next day at ten am. That means not getting home until some time between 1:30 am and 2 and then getting back up at 7:30 to get ready and head in to work. Ugh. I'm seriously thinking about pretending I missed my connecting flight so I can take an extra day. I have sick days and vacation days and personal days saved up so I have more than enough paid time owed to me. Plus I usually need some down time after spending days with my family....

Post by **danlo** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 4:46 pm

Volunteer job? People should be paid to do this-it's like running a small business. Well, they didn't let us inside Wal*Mart so we had to pack up all the goods and the 4 sun-flushed kids before things melted in the 80 degree heat and the kids had to be hauled off to the hospital with heat stroke. The good news is that we sold half of the baked sale at the movie. Which went off without much of a hitch except my speakers weren't compatible, but we found some others...oh and 3/4 of the way through the baked goods table collapsed. We had about 35 people, not bad for the school's first ever movie night-but all they did was talk, run around and (fortunately) eat (boy could they EAT! :8O ). We probably would have had a bigger crowd, but guess what the f-ing Disney channel was playing when we got home?

That's right! WALL*E

Post by **Auleliel** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:39 pm

Today I feel like not doing anything, and so far I have managed to do nothing. I have a feeling that later I will be called upon to do something. Hopefully by then I will have satisfied the mood of not doing anything and will be ready for action.

Post by **aliantha** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:51 pm

It's nice to see you around, Owlie!

danlo, I couldn't help it -- when I read the part about the bake sale table collapsing, I LOLd.

At least you survived....

Jenn, take the extra day off. Seriously.

Went hiking today with a friend from work at a little nature preserve on the Potomac. Something like a 2.5-mile loop trail, around a woodland, down to the river below Stubblefield Falls, and then back out to the cars. It was rated easy on localhikes.com, and most of it was -- big, wide trail, practically paved (a lot of it was gravel), and mostly flat, except for the part down to the river and back up (*pant pant*) and the part where we sorta kinda lost the main trail and followed a game trail up onto a ridge and back down again.

Then I went to the mall. Then I got lunch. Then I came home and took a nap.

Nothing on tomorrow's agenda except grocery shopping and laundry. Ahhhh....

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:06 am

I'm TIRED. Soooo tired. I went in today to find that one of the morning cashiers pulled a no show. Then the night cashier called in sick. I was on the register for ten and a half hours. I was also training Millideth the new cashier, luckily she picked it up very quickly. She was also quite amused by my antics with the customers and my copy center announcements. I hope she sticks around.

Danlo, I too laughed at the table collapse. I couldn't help myself. Then again I also laughed at what really should have been a sadly mortifying observation of the human condition on my way home tonight. I was walking from civic center and this really seriously haggard crack ho was walking in front of me and as she passed each guy on the sidewalk she said, "It's tight got condoms." And even better, she said it in spanish to all the latino looking guys. Her path seemed to be in sync with mine for about five blocks and she even said it to the hipster guys. Also, she was power walking as I do and she never even slowed like she already knew there weren't going to be any takers but had to put it out there anyway. It was quite the show.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:23 pm

Here is the online proof of Beorn's senior picture. I have enlarged the thumbnail which is online, so it is a bit blurry. I doubt we'll be ordering even one though; the cost is prohibitive for us.

So, we'll enjoy this one online.

...and for a little fun regarding the cost:

and yes...
...gah...
...any and all grammar police.
It originally said, "Senior Picture...costs how much?"
I forgot to edit the second line when I changed the first.

Post by **lorin** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:05 am

Been out of touch. Layoffs again......5000 this time. I am ok so far but it is so so sad and scary.This city is in so much trouble.

Apologies for being so unsupportive.

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 6:47 am

Yeesh, good luck Lorin.
Cute pic, Menolly.

I am really tired now. The cashier that pulled a no show was another no show for today, no surprise there. Still managed to get some of my chores on my chore list done. On the travel note, I realized today that I am working until close on Wednesday night which means I won't get home til about 1-1:30 am and my flight for the East Coast leaves at six am later that morning so I have to be at the airport at least an hour and a half before the flight. I think I may just stop in the apartment, grab my luggage and go to the airport. Ugh.

Post by **Auleliel** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:35 pm

Sounds like the kids had a good time, danlo. I'm glad to hear you survived.

Good luck, Jenn. I hope you get a chance for a good rest soon.

Nice pics, Menolly. Beorn looks very spiffy.

Today is the beginning of my parish's 3-day mission, which I'm excited about. Lots of singing and praying and preaching. I like a good chance to strengthen and deepen my faith.

Tomorrow I get to work, which I'm also excited about. I am only working for half of the school day, but that's better than the big nothing I've worked the past three months. It's tough being a substitute teacher. Thank goodness I can still mooch off my parents.

Post by **Sorus** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 2:49 am

Irked. Last week I had to write a 5-page report by hand because of a change to procedure that no one bothered to tell me about, and today I had to rewrite it because of yet another change that no one bothered to tell me about. It's not the end of the world, but I am so tired of the lack of communication and general lack of respect for my time. I could go on for another page or two about stuff I'm irked about, but I'm tired and I'll spare you. Frak Mondays.

Post by **sgt.null** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:45 am

well taking out the trash from the yard to the curb this morning - in the rain. grabbed the can and felt a sting. seems all the fire ants in the bottom of the can had moved up to the top. so after some swatting and cussing i checked the demage.

at leat six very good bits thta i have cleaned and banaged right now.

and maybe another six lesser bites. unhappy.

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:09 am

Well, my day started off good and was good for the most part even though we didn't have a night cashier AGAIN!!!! I started my day with stopping by Sorus's store and picking up my new pepper spray cannisters that one of my former co-workers bought me as a prezzie from the gun show over the weekend. One can is standard police issue and the other is a quasi legal gel version with uv dye. That made me happy and I got to see Sorus however briefly. Work started out ok, six pallets of freight and three of them were bulk. My guys got a lot of freight put away leaving only some on the uboats and a pallet of bulk. I couldn't really help seeing as I was on the register and in the copy center most of the night. I did manage to get it broken down onto uboats before I got stuck up front. Only Chai worked the copy center today and when I entered it after she left I found a major disaster zone. Garbage all over including on the floor and on top of the customer work area, garbage Chai created. Piles of empty boxes in the corner mixed in with our ups that got dropped off today as well as outgoing from customers mixed in with trash and an empty ups drop box, bag of shredder waste just dumped in the middle of the left side entry/exit area, and a table that she apparently took off the furniture display, opened, decided it wouldn't work so she had one of my guys dump it in recieving while leaving the packaging lying in the customer work area. Un-freaking-believable. I left a long detailed note for Tina explaining why I was unable to touch the take-a-ticket return and go-back portion of the nightly cleaning. I was quite angry. Receiving was a disaster too when I finally got back there to clean it up. Boxes piled on the floor just feet away from the baler. If you bother to heft them back there, why leave them on the floor and NOT put them in the baler that is RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF WHERE YOU ARE LEAVING THE BOXES???? I just don't get it and my crew tomorrow is sure as heck gonna hear about it.... loudly.

Post by **balon!** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 4:41 pm

First day of school in a few years, and I'm excited and a little nervous.
I'm taking ASL at the community college. At least I'll be older than a lot of the students...superiority always settles my nerves...heh.

Anyway, wish me luck!

Post by **Seareach** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:37 pm

Well, it's the middle of the night and I'm wide awake. I just had the worst nightmare I've ever had... Think the problem is was it was one of those long winding dreams that seemed so real, and it was quite mundane, but then it all very went to s**t. Now if only I could get it out of my head.

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:38 pm

Good luck, balon!

Sarge -- ow.

Hope you're feeling better.

Jenn -- how many no-shows before a worker gets canned? This chick is up to three now, isn't she?

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:09 pm

Following up on Jenn's pimping of the last Win Wayfriend's Money Survivor contest, and at way's request, I'm pimping the next contest in the Isle of the One Tree Survivor event.

Come vote your choice in Win Wayfriend's Money! The latest contest among the three remaining Survivors is explained here, followed by the three entries.

Anyone may vote, even if you haven't participated in the game before.
Come vote for your favorite!

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

How do you feel today?