Well, the two Shift Supervisors have fallen into place and are just as sweet as baked apples. It was either get on board, or get fired. Now, if I can stop having to write people up and fire them....
Yeah, had to fire someone last week for telling me 'what they were going to do, and what they weren't going to do' in front of customers, and crew, and 15 minutes before my Area and District Manager were due to arrive. I had these options:
A. Take his shit, and look good in front of AM and DM.
B. Run the store short, send his ass home early, run the register, and potentially not look good in front of AM and DM.
I chose option B. I sent his ass home. You simply don't talk to me like that, and you certainly don't complain about your job to the customers because you are tired of running register. Who wants to hear that?
It happened to be a crew favourite. People grumbled, disagreed, etc. He was fired the day after for being 30 minutes late.... 3rd time this week on top of inappropriate behaviour.
Well, AM and DM were there with the guy above them.... (*^$#@^*&^%!!) and I thought to myself, I'll explain the situation, they will either agree and back me up, or they can have my keys. I explained they understood, AND they said the store looked great. My DM said I had more patience than he did because he would have fired him on the spot.
Strangely enough, I thought that I would get sick over it. I abhor confrontation, and having someone's job in my hands is not something that I take lightly. But, I find myself ready to give the 'Big Red X' to the next person.
My General Manager said that all anyone had to do was stand in front of her to get fired. She's a little more vocal about it than I am.
Things are starting to change for the better, and I can't wait for my hours to settle into something normal.
Isabel (my car) needs repair and I had been under a little stress that it might be the engine. I took it to Midas, and of course they started quoting me upwards of 500 bucks but they weren't certain what the problem was. I took it to the mechanic that I trust not to sodomize me, and they said it was the water pump. My brother, being an angel, has decided to fix it for me. He comes through again. So, tomorrow, I go over there first thing in the morning, and he fixes it. Then I have an appointment at 6 pm to get a massage. I think I may just have them rub my poor feet the whole time.
gotta run.
xx
Being assertive is something that I have become better at. Still not second nature to me, and there is a bit of panic when I realize that I am faced with a situation that I will either have to bend someone over, or not complain while I do the bending.
I finally pulled SS#1 (Shift Supervisor #1) To the back room *with* another employee and told her that I didn't understand where her attitude was coming from. I told her that I wasn't looking to 'be best friends and go dancing on Saturday nights, but I am looking to make the job more friendly, so whatever her problem with me was, she needed to speak it, or stop being so obviously against my presence in the store, because I'm not going anywhere."
Turns out it was a misunderstanding that she got from overhearing a conversation between me and the general manager.... a phone conversation.... she felt that I was out to 'get ahead by stepping on her', she also stated that 'it is no good to be the best if it brings out the worst in you.'
I told her that I needed her to explain what she meant exactly by that because cryptic shots are what I am tired of.
I refrained from the obvious unhelpful rebuttles that lay in wait at the tip of my tongue. You know, " How can I step on a shift supervisor who doesn't have a car, nor the will to get ahead, to get to a higher place? Her back doesn't give me a better view than what I have now." But That of course, would not help things.
We had this talk 2 days ago, and I worked with her today, and it was a complete difference. Much better.... Let's hope it rubs off on SS#2.
My circadian rhthym was aided today by a soy mocha. So, I am up late tonight. Unfortunately, my beloved could not join me this evening. He had dental surgery this week and is in excruciating pain and unable to make the commute, and would not be much company if I were to make the commute. He called me and we talked until he needed to take more pain medicine and go lay down. I hate when I don't get to see him.
Crystal's baby shower was rescheduled after I bent over fucking backwards to get the day off. She really pisses me off sometimes. I think she has 2-3 weeks, but she's not due until July 28. I saw her about a week ago and made sure to make a lot of comments about her huge breasts. It's my duty as a sister. Besides she was wearing a tank top and she was spilling.
My nephew continues to be my little angel, here is a conversation he and Crystal had:
Crystal: Jammer, make mommy breakfast she wants bacon and eggs.
Jammer: no.
Crystal: Why not? You want to make mommy cry by not making her breakfast??
Jammer: CRY!!!
He's so devious. Makes me love him even more.
I get my stitches removed tomorrow, and can back to the gym.
I also rented a storage unit this weekend to aid in my move to Dayton. Oy.
I purchased an elliptical machine, and a chest freezer. (Both used) When I move to Dayton, I expect to do a lot of meal freezing, and also I will probably have to ditch my membership because commuting will take so much of my time.
We'll see how it goes.
Possibly, a new car is on the horizon. I was interested in the Vibe, but I am thinking seriously about the Chevy Aveo Hatchback. I love my hatchbacks.
Allright, I'm babbling, it's time for bed.
xx
We have been working non stop at my new store. This new store has several problems. It's dirty, It's over staffed with poorly trained, (or poorly chosen) employees who have a ton of schedule requests. Because of these schedule requests we have to hire more people, and then everyone bitches because they aren't getting enough hours.
We have 2 shift supervisors (that is what I was before I became assistant manager) Who have been coddled for so long. Somehow they were given nearly set schedules and they don't have cars, and they ask for a lot of weekends off, consecutively, together. To make matters worse there is a cultural barrier that we can not penetrate. They have a mindset, which I don't know if it has something to do with their culture/heritage or if it has something to do with just having poor working/social etiquette.
Personally, I don't give a fuck what your backround is, I just want you to be at work on time and do your job. The two shift supervisors felt that they were going to 'outlast' us. (Meaning, my new General manager, and myself.) They are so comfortable in their ways they've missed an opportunity to get ahead. They have both been so deplorable to work with that they are about to get the boot... this weekend. We've had enough.
They are late, rude to everyone, including customers, and lazy to boot. They are always on the phone, and off line if they can possibly help it. They walk away from you when you are talking, they tap their nails on the counter and lean on it ( passive aggressive ) because they don't like the position that they are on.
Yesterday, one of them got written up for being late, and there was a big stink about wether or not it should be excused because they called ahead. She called at 8:56am, she was scheduled at 9. I'm sorry, Late is Late. Period. Write up.
(This isn't the first time, and I might have overlooked it if she had done everything that I asked her to, but she didn't, and she tried to take over my shift.) So, she ran right to her buddy ( because the two of them are so oppressed) and told her, and the other one was continuing the passive aggressive chain.
There is a strange dynamic happening at my job. Whenever people get upset, or feel that they are being unjustly treated, they will sing... or pray... ALOUD. Specifically the 2 shifts and one other employee. Well, after the write up, the other one was singing about 'Brown noses and Snitches' And it was directly and obviously emphasized towards myself. I just had to roll my eyes.... and bite my tongue.
I hate passive aggressive. I hate it. Say what you mean. Mean what you say, Doesn't mean that you have to be cruel with your wording, but seriously, get it out of your mouth. PLEASE... I wanted to say something to them about how childish they are, but I don't have to deal with it much long. hurrah.
I nearly feel inspired to sing. I'm pretty sure I could have gotten them all to leave faster had I whipped out my version of an inspirational song, but I fear exorcism and blame in the wrong area. It was that devil woman that took their jobs away....
The other co worker will be transferring to another store.... These 3 employee changes are going to rock the whole store. Great . Bring it.
Unfortunately since I've been there, I've been unable to let the 'fun hawk' out of the bag. It's had to be 'business hawk' And I don't see letting her out anytime soon.
So in other areas, I had a biopsy of a mole on my right boobie. Deep enough for stitches. Annoying placing because I have to wear a bra 24-7 until Monday.
And if I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing, I'll walk around cradling the poor injured thing. Let me tell you the looks that gets.
Doc and I also discussed the results of my blood tests. I don't have diabetes, I just have to be careful that I eat continuously. She said it's natural for someone with my lifestyle to need to eat constantly. She okayed me for circuit training and cardio exercise and the only thing she wanted to see different in my blood tests was my LDL's raised 4 points which can be done with flax seed/ oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Yay for more fat in the diet!
It only means that I have to add 1 TBSP of ground flax seed to my cereal, and if I can tolerate it, to my protein shake. (gritty)
Blood pressure is down, Cholestrol is 'perfect' (preen) and all we have to wait on now is the word back from the lab about this mole., and I should be free and clear for another year.
Sleep deprivation has new meaning.
I get out of work at 5 tomorrow, so, hopefully, I'll be chipper enought to get in an entry.
A quick summary:
The new store is great, as in, I like it. But it sucks, as in, there is so much fucking work to be done. It's a fixer upper. Damn.
I've also been dealing with various situational and financial problems, but they are on the mend. Any explanation would take too long and probably sound too mental...
Thank God, Aunt Flo is gone. Nothing like feeling as though you are sitting on a knife while someone tries to wring your uterus like a dish towel.... repeatedly.
I have to take yoga back up again, all these hours on my feet are killing my knees... and I'm about to invest in a pair of slip resistant nurses shoes... if they come in black.
I got to go with Mike to the place he purchases his staves from. I helped him pick out fifty of them, and of course, one for myself.... I don't know what I am going to do with it, but I rather like it. It's from a persimmon tree.
I get paid on monday. I have tuesday off. I look forward to spending a disgusting amount of money in postage as I send off 5 parcels to 5 different people.
Strange things are happening. I've been drinking rootbeer here and there at work so that I can have a little pep in my step.... My body has all but rejected soda in any form... I don't want it. The most that I can drink besides water is a half and half water/ fruitpunch.