Full Moon Spew

This is just a tip but if you're going to steal a cell phone from a kid at my local Park n' Ride, don't.

Some dude attempted this tonight, right as I was getting off my bus to await my next bus. It was all very exciting. I didn't see it happen, what I saw was the local police tossing some dude in the back of a squad car and then I turned to see if my bus was coming when I heard a muffled pop, pop, pop and um...pop. The cops were tazing the shit out of the dude and he still managed to get out of the car at which time 3 cops tackled the phone theif to the ground and tazed his sorry ass 4 more times. About 7 cop cars in all arrived to catch a theif, a theif that wanted to make a call, that, I assume, he never made. One thing is for sure, he will get one phone call later.

Full moons bring out the best in everyone. One of the cafe employee's didn't show for work this morning causing a massive chain reaction of pissed off bosses, pissed off employee's who had to cover for the offenders ass. My boss didn't even confront the little shit when he did arrive. On the other hand, after I was assaulted by a very pissed off customer for having to wait for her precious f'n mocha while the late employed continued his trend of lateness after his lunch, I ran behind the counter to take orders sot that the barista could make the drinks (all this during my lunch break which I was already 1/2 hour into)argh....dudes, I sell books, not Latte's, it was not good. I took the offending barista into the cafe office and asked him where, for the love of God, was his love for his job???

I listened to a massive line of bullshit and said straight up that I don't play games, when you fuck up...you let everyone down and then I made him read the note left by the pissed off customer and said "that's the last customer you'll ever piss off on my watch, if your going to work here, find some love for your job dude, or leave." He stared at the ground and promised never to mess up again and can I just say...I dig when air gets blown up my ass...no, really.

As the kid left when his shift was over, I walked up to him shook his hand, empathized with his school/work/family drama issues and said "find the love, dude. I'll see you tomorrow at what time?"

"7 a.m., I promise" he said.

Another blast of air in me bungholio.

And finally a note to those returning books after the holiday. Do note that we know how old the book is, bestsellers from 1985 just won't make the grade, or say Katherine Hepburn's autobiography in hardcover "but it's brand NEW!"...sure it was new when it came out 1991, perhaps the customer overslept, fuck if I know but that book stank of garage sale find "It's looks new, I'll return it for cash...without a receipt...yeah, that's the ticket!" Assholes. Three people tried this today, it was insane. Stop, please. Thanks.

Auld Lange Syne

2006 was a year of epic change, exhausting on many levels and if there's one thing I learned to appreciate it was in fact the process of change, because it is the very essence of the human condition and that of the earths.

In the past month alone, change bitch slapped us daily; snow, monumental wind storms, knocking out power for days and for some weeks at a time, and some still don't have their cable back. Employees continued to quit at my new job in droves and finally..."the other manager" snapped completely and walked out the door two days before Christmas, interestingly enough, the employees who quit, left because they were treated like shit by "the other manager" and finally, when I wouldn't respond to her chronic verbal slams against myself, she snapped. When I got the call from my boss, I was told a story that blew my mind, basically, she was threatened by my very existence and felt I was given preferential treatment, mmmmhmmm, if working excessive hours and 6 days a week is preferential treatment somebody shoot me. Whatever, she's history and won't be missed. There is a level of optimism in that store that they haven't felt in a couple of years and I'm not saying that is due to me at all, sure I was an instigator for change, but all I did was act like a compassionate, albeit extraordinarily fallible person - in other words, I was myself and relied heavily on my own belief system of compassion, encouragement and education. I've still got a lot to learn, but it will be much easier without someone constantly slamming me. Asta la vista little miss angry pants. Best wishes to you and remember, there is one constant in life - change.

Yesterday, I lost my voice due to exhaustion which brought on a bout of bronchitis topped off with a sinus infection, gosh golly...my puffy eyes and scratchy voice make me feel sexy. I put the telly on cspan and watched for hours as a procession of mourners walked past President Fords casket, it helped me to sleep and relax, thanks Gerry! The night before, it was the hanging of that tyrant Saddam Hussein that put me to sleep and earlier in the week it was the news the James Brown had past that I reflected on as I slept. Hell, who needs Excedrin P.M. when you have death to rock you to sleep.

Today I go looking for a new abode, with what little energy I can muster. There will be no partying for this girl tonight, I will be resting, blowing my nose, coughing and eating vitamin C like m & m's. 2007 is going to be a great year of change, like every year before it and I look forward to it. I've got a terrific and supportive family and an amazing group of helpful and supportive friends, I couldn't ask for anything more, because I know I need them and they need me throughout the changes that life brings. Best wishes to you all and Happy New Year!!!!

Boom, boom! Out go the lights!

Holy Shit! It's fucking scary windy out tonight, very scary. Power outages abound, earlier thunder and lightening smacked their shit up in every one's face. Damn. We've had power surges, outages and just fucking weird ass weather for the past 24 hours. All this adds to the joy at work; one more quit today, never to return and leaving me standing 3 hours straight ringing people up. This experience is going to melt my frickin' mind for sure. *twitch* :P~

On a lighter note, one of my customers showed me the proper way to pin curl my hair, hers are always lovely, even when she was on Dateline. Weird ass day. Oh. My. Gust! Well, I meant to say God, but a gust got in the way....gah....glurp.

"Success is the quality of your journey" - Jennifer James

*twitch*

LOL!

Help.

LOL!

Mmmmkay.

Wind gust-very scary. Have a loverly evening, tomorrow and etc.

Really. :)

Working for a livin'

"Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel, that you, too can become great!" ~Mark Twain

Christmas in retail can be overwhelming. Christmas in retail at a new job, exhausting to the point of delirium. So far, I've managed to stay relatively sane despite the fact I take verbal swipes from "the other manager", who is obviously threatened by my very existence. What little authority I have is constantly questioned or ignored by the "other manager's" team of not so loyal, terribly bitter and sad people. This store has some seriously fucked up and angry karma going on and um...I don't do that. I don't do drama, won't, can't, not gonna do it. You've got issues, well lose them or leave them at home, but don't and I repeat, do NOT, hang your shit on me moth-er-fuck-ers. :)

She: [broadcast over our radio earpieces] "Of course I work Sundays, one day I'll be special enough to not have to work them, but until then I'm here at 7:30"

Me: "No comment. And hey, thanks for your comment!" :D

This is just one in a series of verbal swipes directed at me by the "other manager". I'm not working Sundays because the commute is close to non-existent. The commute on weekdays is nothing; bus, train, bus, but on weekends it's a series of buses that for whatever reason, never connect to the next destination without an thirty minute wait or more, this despite the fact that the store, located a half mile south of the largest mall in the Seattle area (and soon to be relocated to the mall), go, Sound Transit, stellar job! But that's neither here nor there, my schedule isn't this woman's business and it would be wise that she shut her ignorant bitter mouth before I tape that evil orifice up with duct tape retrieved from some hairy fuckers ass. I wasn't hired to be this person's verbal punching bag and she better step off or I'll get so fucking professional on her sorry ass she'll have paper cuts from the mountain of complaints I will lodge at her like a fucking Human Resources canon ball.

She: "Ha ha, did you say "no comment""?

Me: "Yes I did, mam"

She: "Aw, don't worry, your time will come." (perhaps meaning there will come a time that I'll get to take verbal swipes at her - don't know, don't care - I'm playing my cards close.)

Me: (with customers in tow) "Girl, my time HAS come!" followed by a "Z" shaped snap.

This customers giggled and asked what that was all about and I just said "she's a worry wort, nothing to be concerned with, she'll be okay."

I knew there would be issues from day one when I entered the office and our General Manager introduced us. She gets up from her desk and comes at me with open arms and a hug. "Welcome to our family." [Tip of the day: Don't hug newcomers it stinks of desperation, this isn't AA or group therapy, it's a fucking business. Hugs come later, when you know the bitches.]

"Um, okay, thank you?"

"Ha Ha, she's a funny gal. Isn't she?"

The GM says something to the effect of "she always has been." The GM and I have known each other professionally for 18 years and at one time was my District Manager, yet another reason this "other manager" feels threatened.

The "other manager" tells me she was supposed to have my job come January, oops. Honestly, if she was supposed to have the job, I suspect she would have gotten the position and they would have hired me as the Merchandising manager, but alas, they wanted me as Inventory manager and that's how it is.

This store is so dysfunctional I have to work six days a week for the next two weeks, because no one wants to work there. People keep quitting and I understand why, negative energy is all around, it's not good. Direction is barked over the radio like threats. No please, no thank you. Nothing positive is said about the booksellers, criticism is all around.

My goal, along with making sure with have want people want to buy, is to spread sunshine all over the place until the bitch super nova's and everyone is walking around with god damned smile, until then, I won't let my former employees, who want to work with me again, apply to the many positions that need to filled. I'm not going to let good people be treated like shit for any reason. However, I am recruiting my former assistant, because she's got balls of steel and can hold her own against bitter nastiness and I need an ally in my quest to get these folks to lighten the fuck up. Life is short, very fucking short and there is no reason to walk around acting like a bunch of bitter martyrs.

For the most part, I know I'm going to love this job and I expected a certain amount of resentment from the "other manager" and supervisors, so I'm not going to sweat the bullshit, I'm there do a job I'm fucking terrific at and I'm not going to play in their little reindeer games. I'm an optimistic misfit of sorts, I want to encourage people to be the best at whatever they choose to do in this life, but in my own quirky, albeit professional, way. I'm not intimidated by much, people, technology, I say..."bring it on" and if I fail at least I know I gave it my all and if I succeed, I'll celebrate with those who played a part in my success and then move on to the next challenge. The bottom line in life is to treat people as you would want to be treated and you'll win every time. See, I fight with love baby, so take some time to smell the flowers or I'll plant said flowers in your ass. :D