Hammer Time and Car Tunes

On my drive to work today, I was listening to SiriusXM - it's a free week, and that's always fun for a change of pace!  So I flipped over to the 90s station and there's MC Hammer rocking out "U Can't Touch This". 

I don't usually crank up the volume because regular radio is a bit on the treble side when it comes to broadcasting, no matter how I set my radio.  But SirisuXM ... wow!  With the volume cranked up so I could sing along, my speakers were vibratin' and thumpin' with the tune!

Break it down.   Oh oh oh Ohh OHhh!

Yep, I was "chair dancin'" all the way to work!

Isn't it funny how something on the radio can affect your mood as you're heading in to work?  I usually listen to the local classic rock station, and get a kick out of hearing "Highway to Hell" as I'm heading in to my job .... and for anyone who works retail, you know just how much "hell" there can be!  So yes, that song gets turned up and I sing loud and proud "I'm on a highwaaaaay to hell!" 

But my all time favorite song that really gets me into a good mood is "Turn up the Radio" by Autograph.  Very old school, they didn't have a lot of hits, but for me, it's the best.  "I'm working hard, you're working too, we do it every day.  For every minute of work, I need a minute of play. Day in Day out, all week long, things go better with rock. The only time I turn it down is when I'm sleeping it off." 

Yes, music is a wonderful influence in our lives.  We all have different tastes when it comes to music.  My own collection is very eclectic, but every musical choice moves my soul in some way.  I'm betting your choices do too!

Checklist, Groudhogs & Candlemas (2008)

Checklist - Jan 30, 2008

Current mood:anxious
Its getting down to counting days now until I load up a truck, and actually do the move. And since its getting closer, I'm beginning to check things off the list that are actually getting done.

• Turn in notice to apartment - Check! 
• Call and confirm the truck rental and dates - Check! 
• Make a list of the things that need to get done for the day they need doing - Check! 

Making a list helps me, makes me feel like I'm making some progress in the right direction. My apartment application was approved, so now I know where I will live. That's a huge relief right there :) My biggest concern is driving the darn truck, though. Sure, I can drive in a straight line while towing my car, but ... backing up? Weigh stations? those will be issues. Along with driving in the mountains. I'm trying to avoid doing that. I remember what it was like when I moved to Ohio, but I was only following the truck! not actually driving it. But it was still harrowing for me to watch as it glided down the mountain, and seemed to be way too fast, in my opinion.

*takes a deep breath* Yes, I know I can do this,
I just need to tighten up those old boot straps......
6:57 PM

Groundhogs & Candlemas - Feb 1, 2008

Current mood:ditzy

Since the middle ages, Feb 2 has been known as Candlemas, an old feast day when candles were blessed and sent home with parishioners so that Divine Light could direct their earthly steps.  February 2 is also the midpoint in winter; and also known as Groundhog's Day.    When I started looking up information on each of these events -- suffice it to say there is plenty written.  

In weather lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end.  If the groundhog sees its shadow, it will return into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.  Personally, I'm not much of a fan of this ... and maybe that's because I've not ever seen the groundhog peek up and give a look 'round.  If I had, I might be a little more jazzed about this one.  

When I read about Candlemas, it got me thinking back to when I was young, and the electricity would go out.  Mom would get out the candles, and we'd sit at the kitchen table, sharing the light, and talking, or playing a simple card game to pass the time.  While I'm sure that it was an inconvenience to adults, to kids it seemed rather magical -- something different, and we had no control or choice in the matter (unless we wanted to go to bed in the very dark! and who did?? haha)  But now that I'm the adult, and yes, I did my fair share of lighting candles and entertaining kids at the dining room table, my view on candles is different.  Every room, and each person, looks beautiful in candlelight.  Candlelight just makes the whole atmosphere seem special -- probably because we don't do it often enough.  Light a few candles tomorrow night .... and observe. Like moths drawn to a flame, in candlelight, we move closer to one another.  

One of the nicest folk customs I found online:  place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (Feb 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise.  (ok, I would cheat and use the electric type candles... just for safety).  What a cheery sight on a cold, bleak and dreary night to see house after house with candle lit windows!  (borrowed from Mike Nichols)   I'd love to see this in a town.

Since I've already packed my electric candles, and since its already past sundown, I may have to save this for another year. But, I'll be lighting a few candles Saturday night, just for a little cheery atmosphere (and that will be a few less things I have to pack up!! )  

 May your beauty shine in candlelight today!!!

5:17 PM

Ode to a Bath and Other Wonders (2008)

Ode to a Bath - January 28, 2008

Oh, the wonders these days! With the quick flick of a wrist, you too can have a waterfall of delight gushing into your bathtub!!! Baths used to be for the privileged, a royal beauty treatment. But these days, it seems the thrill is gone from this pampering routine. Sadly, a woman who returns home after a harrowing day and longs for a bath, steps into her bathroom. First, when she looks around, the counters are covered in half empty bottles and containers of this and that. 

Sighing, she grabs a magazine to enjoy as she slips herself into the warm water. Flipping the pages of her magazine, she comes across an article on "Turning your Bath into your Private Oasis". She reads over the glossy pages full of ideas that are much too costly for her modest income. And rather than feeling better after a relaxing bath, she's now angry and perplexed, full of thoughts ..... "Why can't my life be that way?" The subliminal message of the magazine that tells her she needs ALL THIS to take care of herself, she then finds she can't afford the very things she supposedly needs.

But ... don't let this happen ! You too can restore yourself through the sense of touch, in your own bath. Its time to simplify things and get back to basics. Clean off the countertop that's overflowing with things you don't use regularly. Fill the bathtub with hot water, and dim the lights. Light a few candles. A book I was reading lately suggested a cup of ricewine in the water (to eliminate toxins). Break apart three tangerines and place segments along with the peels into some gauze or cheesecloth, and let soak in the water with you. (Use caution if your skin is sensitive to alcohol or citrus). You could even prepare some herbal tangerine spice tea to sip as you soak. Let this be a delicious, sensual time of centering, soothing and recovering a sense of well being.

In the words of the famous beauty company: Because you're worth it!!

and on that note.... I'm off to enjoy my bath!!

6:42 PM

A Woman’s Health - Jan 29, 2008

Current mood:relieved
Today was THE day -- yes, the day we women dread ... the annual pap smear and general checkup appointment.  If you let yourself think about it , it's a rather humbling and degrading procedure that we endure in order for us to keep up with our health.  A necessary evil, you might say!   So there you are, in all your vulnerable glory --- undressed, wearing a gown that's quite wide open in places you'd rather it not be, sitting on a cold paper covered table, a paper napkin the size of Delaware on your lap.  If you're like me, you leave your socks ON, because for some reason, you feel warmer that way.  Don't ask my why, it just does!

Gals, I've had my share of these checkups, and with two pregnancies, and a few female problems, more than my share of  checkups (you probably DON'T want details!! haha)  There's nothing more special than checkups because you're pregnant, but once you pass that phase of your life, they lose their "specialness".   I've had my share of different doctor-types.  I was a patient for about six months at a teaching hospital.  Nothing like being examined by a doctor, then having said Doc ask "Would it be ok if my students checked this too?"   (Ohhhh boy, three more sets of slimy fingers...... ~~~find that happy place and fast~~~!!)  I've had a Doc that I nicknamed BIG-John -- he had hands the size of some 7-foot basketball players. Yikes!!   And I've had little Asian doctors, with tiny fingers.  I've had women, young and old.  And I can say one thing.... if you're going to a doc who doesn't make you truly comfortable -- find another!! and quick!!!  No reason to make an uncomfortable thing that much worse.  Your doctor should take the time to talk to you, explain things you might not understand, and ask general questions in a way that doesn't make you feel "funny" answering.  If that's the case, a new doctor is in order.

I found a wonderful doctor here.  I drive 25 miles out of my way to see this guy when I need to; and while I still dread the actual ordeal, I know that I'll be comfortable enough to answer honestly, with details.   And by the way, my "happy place" today was inspired by a picture on the office wall .... a mother and her daughters wearing dresses and pinafores, barefoot, their toes dipping playfully into the cool water... :)

I know you don't want to be reminded but... Is it time for YOUR annual checkup?? If so, make that appointment today!!!   And if you're approaching 40, ask for your baseline mammogram too !

Hey guys..... don't forget, as you age, its important to get an annual prostate exam! (yeah, like you wanted to be reminded of that, huh?)
2:10 PM

The Rhythm of Movin' On (2008)

Rhythm - Jan 26, 2008

Current mood:loved
Rhythm - heartbeats , breaths , pulses , planets , clocks , credit card bills , dripping faucets - A regular pattern of occurrence. The steady, reassuring course of the natural world ; the ebb and flow of the tides ; the four seasons ; night to day and back again. Something familiar you can count on and look forward to. But, this is the time of year when many women fall into a funk. We call it stress. We call it hormones. We call it the lack of seasonal light; or lack of sleep. We call it everything but what it is: Not taking care of ourselves.

The appalling psychic imbalance most of us call real life is more like a joke we conjured up for convenience. We hurry from one task to another like zombies, cramming yesterday's exhaustion into tomorrow's obligations. There's much to be said about living each day as if it were your last on earth, but... isn't the point of doing that to enjoy your last day here?

A woman's seventh sense is wonder. The wonder of it all, of Life, why we're here. We're not supposed to wonder how we've lasted this long. When it comes right down to it, a regular pattern of sleep, work, exercise, rest and play is the first step to restoring your wonder. Wake up and start you day with wonder.... be amazed at the intricacies of life around you -- have you listened to the birds' morning call lately? Having wonder can also be called curiosity -- when was the last time you were curious about something?
Rhythm, reverence, reflection, repose -- words we don't often use, and rarely think about. But when you say them, slowly, there's a sense of rhythm right there, almost a quiet relief.

Tomorrow, don't wonder how you'll cram everything into another day,
take a moment, start a rhythm of your own, and rebuild the wonder in each day.
3:35 PM


Movin On - Jan 27, 2008

Current mood:contemplative
Today, I was packing up ... its getting down to the wire now.... Will I need this in the next 19 days? Its exciting to know I'm beginning again. And yet, its kind of sad. When I was a girl, I had dreams of what my life would be like as I approached 50. I'm sure not in that place! But then again, I've done some things I didn't dream I would, either, so maybe its not all bad.

I was listening to tunes while I was packing, and Rascal Flatts' "I"m Movin On" was one of the tunes. And if you've never heard the lyrics, part of it is:
"I'm movin on, at last I can see,
life has been patiently waiting for me,
and I know there's no guarantees but I'm not alone.
There comes a time in everyone's life,
when all you can see are the years passing by.
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone..... "

Its a great tune, the strings in it are very moving. And that portion of the song says a lot for me. For those who don't know, I came to Ohio ten years ago ... because of "luv on the net" . Some of you may ~gasp~! because that was pretty much unheard of that long ago; and quite frankly, it was risky. But ... sometimes risks in life are necessary. I was certain he was THE one. There were a lot of things that went wrong, and there were a lot of things that were right. (and I adored my four stepkids!!!)

But it was a good move for my kids, both of whom have disabilities. Here in less crowded Ohio, services were much better than they were in Calif. Some of you may think that because Calif has more "money", that services should be better. But sadly, they wanted to put both my kids in a "special skool" when all they needed was just a hand in regular classes. Here, they were afforded that, and so much more. I have lots to be thankful for in the system here.

And while moving means that I'll miss my friends, I am very excited about making new ones, too!


Its time for me to be "movin on"

If you have a dream, and get an opportunity to make it come true..... 
Don't be afraid to take a risk.

Letterboxing .. and other things (from Jan 2008)

Letterboxing - Jan 16, 2008

Current mood:adventurous
Today, I ventured out (and dragged along my son! ) and we completed our first Letterboxing excursion.    It is Woodland cemetery where the Wright Brothers, and Erma Bombeck (to name a few) are buried.  Cute directions to go past "Dog and the Boy" , park next to Benedict, and walk up hill.  After looking at the Wright Brothers, look right at the "Old Rugged Cross".   Amazingly enough, when you follow directions, you find the hollowed out tree, and inside, under some bark and leaves, there's a "letterbox" and inside, the person's stamp.  I stamped their stamp in my book, and stamped my stamp in their book, along with my name, city, and date.  What fun to see others' stamps and dates inside their book.  It was a treasure hunt, indeed.  We also followed the instructions for the second find within the cemetery as well, around "Goose Pond", past the "Fiddler" , to a stand of trees.  Another hollowed out tree, a second stamp.  This could become addicting!   What a fun adventure :)


I'm learning to love moments like these for themselves .....
simple, inexpensive, and quite charming as well.... 
so here's a challenge:

What will be your next adventure?

Shoes ! - Jan 17, 2008

OK .. time to fess up ... just between you and me .... how many pairs of shoes do you own?   I'd confess my real number here, but so many are packed, that all I can say is right now, I have 7 pairs left UNpacked, because I'm wearing them.   Another hard question:  How many "good" shoes do you have that you don't wear because they pinch your toes? are too high-heeled? too strappy?  and .... Do you wear them anyway?  Or ... do you wear those favorite grubby lace ups with everything, because they feel so good, no matter how much you walk in them? 

Shoes can be a great accessory for the complete look, and what you're wearing on your feet says a lot about how you perceive yourself.  Go with a few classic moderate-heeled pumps and flats, shoes that will go with everything.  Keep them polished and repaired, and the world will see someone confident in her step, and in her appearance! 

Remember when "dress up" was your favorite game? 

No five year old ever said "This doesn't go with that."  

Fashion is a playful, sensual, and colorful charade.....    GO Play!! 

PS:  Tough to do when you're wearing khaki's and a navy blue polo every day.  So, go a little nuts, and wear those bright red boots, or the black ones with the pink trim, with your "everyday" look!

7:59 PM

Humor - Jan 25, 2008

Current mood:silly

Every now and then, something catches your funny bone .......... I'm driving towards home, and a huge truck pulls out in front of me. As usual, a few things come flying out of my mouth, because dang! I'm in a hurry, I want to get home! It's a ScotTissue truck, the big roll up door in the back tells me all the usual places of business they have, etc. But the advertising tag line gets me roaring with laughter:

" We're No.1 in the No.2 business! "

Humor is all around us, if we just take the time to see.....

Here's to having YOUR funny bone tickled today!!

Take good care of yourselves out there,,, HUGS

1:47 PM

Blogs from the Early Days (2008)

Waaaay back when, I started to blog in another location.  I recently located these old blogs that I had copied to a Word file.  Now that they're found again, I'm going to post them here .... !

Brand New to me - Oct 02, 2005
Ok, blogging is new to me.  So... where to begin?  I live in Ohio, and have two grown kids and a granddaughter who just turned 3 (Hi Brianna!!)

My car goes into the shop tomorrow, because while driving to work one morning, a deer tried to cross the road... and ran into the side of my car!!  They have ugly teeth when pressed up against the driver's side window!!  Minor damage to the car, only a little post traumatic syndrome --- took a few days to drive comfortably in the dark, that time of morning, on that same road again !!

I Got It ! ! ! ! - Jan 14, 2008

Current mood:excited

I'm sooooo excited! and sooooo scared! all at the same time!  Talk about a "rumbly in my tumbly" feeling!!!!!   I got my transfer arranged, and a start date.  Goodness!! There's so much to do, and I hardly know where to begin!  Let's see, details first.   Its a 10-cent an hour pay cut, that's the bad part, I guess you could say. But, the reverse of it .... my hours will be M-F, 7-4, instead of this rotation thing I'm on, and weekends off.  YAHOO!!  Talk about being able to begin having a more normal life again.  That'll be terrific, and give me time to see my granddaughter on weekends!  I'm sure there'll be more to tell y'all ... just know that for now? I'm grinning from ear to ear !!!     3:51 PM

"Its a Date" & "About luck..." - Jan 15, 2008

Current mood:grateful

It's become official, and the dates are set.  I start in my new store Feb 25th.  My new manager has been very accommodating --- waiting for a month for someone he's never met? and had only one conversation with?  It's either going to be a real ... challenge, or its going to be so very perfect!  Either way, I'm up for it.  A whole new phase in life is just beginning, and it's a scary thing to think about, but it's also .... the most exciting thing !! 

Today, Garth's song came to mind:  "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers".  In my mind, I was willing --- no, hoping ---  for a transfer to a new store, which meant the new store structure in employee schedules (weekends, late shifts).   And I was so disappointed that things weren't happening--- especially in MY time!  And just when I'd given up and resigned myself to ... whatever would be, that is when it happened.  AND, with a much better schedule, and weekends off -- (I won't know what to do with myself!  Oh wait!  ... visit my granddaughter!)

We don't create our own luck, as much as we change our perceptions.  With that, we take different approaches, different risks, and get different results.    Someone else put it that things change with "prayer, patience, persistence and pluck" !!    Amy Tan says:  "How can you say luck and chance are the same thing? Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward."  

"When you change your beliefs, you change your behavior.

Change your behavior, change how you make choices.

Change your choices, get more chances.

Get more chances, take more risks.

Take more risks, find more four leaf clovers."

Are you willing? 

Torch Cactus

Here it is, Friday night.  After a very full work week, I'm ready to settle in and ...... settle.

Dinner and a little bit of photo editing; a cool drink on the patio while reading a good story .....
it doesn't get much better than that for me!

But it reminds me as I write this that my focus should be on those little moments that make me feel good; to be able to put the job aside and stop thinking about it.  Some days I succeed better than others. 

When work is going very rough, I'm the kind who mulls things over every which way, trying to find a solution that works for me, and for the company, in all our best interests.  But the head honchos at the home office location are creating changes that are out of my control, and I don't feel an integral part of the overall picture, but more like a cog in a machine whose parts are wearing out.  So I've set my mind to arriving on time, doing what needs doing as best I can, then leaving it all behind when it's time to head home.

I'm hoping to get out and give my new camera a go out on the road ... who knows where, but outside my own backyard!   In the meantime, here's another to share with you.  This gorgeous torch cactus blooms every year on Mother's Day.  The blooms were huge and abundant this year!

A New Camera

I bought a new camera, and have been running around the backyard taking pix of anything so that I can "create" some kind of photo.  Lighting and camera sensitivity is the one thing that needs to be learned first, since all cameras are not created equal!   So here's two of my Sadie:

Frustrating WTF's

Just had to leave one thought today: 

How frustrating is it to be given instructions for a new process, and :

1. it doesn't work as they say it should
2. people who have additional tasks aren't doing them
3. management isn't doing their part of the new process

Added to the frustrations of having to learn - and teach! - new processes,
management decides that you have enough time in your day to do someone else's job, too!

We're technically on day 3 of this new process, and frankly I don't see it working out.  I'm doing just as much as I used to do with my old processes, but have been added about 6 hours of work to the daily tasks of maintaining what they're calling the "Clearance Department".  In that, I am held accountable for maintaining on hand accuracy and current price changes.  However, I cannot make corrections to pricing errors, or on hand mistakes, because the department managers aren't doing their part in making sure things are scanned properly. 

I'm leaving this here for two reasons:  one, because I'm frustrated beyond anything I've ever been, and two, I don't trust management to allow things to "slide" as we're working through the kinks.  Should the day come (and I'm certain it will) when management decides that my job performance needs to be evaluated, I want -- correct, NEED --  to have documentation for all these problems.



To the higher ups,
the powers that be,
 in our Home Office,

WTF were you thinking?? 

Mother's Day & Stuff

If you're a Mom -- whether it's to kids or pets! -- Happy Mother's Day!


This year was another quiet Mother's Day.  My son thought home made stew sounded like a great dinner to cook up, we shopped and bought some cheesecake to top it off.  Then he left to "go help someone" .... I ended up eating stew alone.  Most times, I don't mind.  But if I knew I was going to be eating dinner alone, I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of making stew --- which simmers on the stove all day when I make it!   Either way, it was delish!





Today was the first day for all the changes in my job description.  It was a chaotic day, because there hasn't been a way to teach the new processes until it all downloads into the app.  Today was that day, and it all started out with folks scrambling, trying to figure out what needs to be done.  I can honestly say that while I'm not a fan of how this is all shaking down, it was nice not to have to be the one who throws away a heaping pile of trash!






Here's hoping that my tomorrow isn't like Alexander's!!!

This was one of my fav books to read to my son after he had a bad day at school.  And being visually impaired, he always had plenty of bad days!  School work was a struggle and because he needed to be up close to see things well, he often invaded people's "personal space" ... not to be rude, but just to be part of things.  Kids in general aren't very tolerant of someone who's "different". 

Set up to fail??

It's been a week now, and changes are happening left and right.  It seems like every time I turned around, there was someone else with something new.  By noon each day, I couldn't seem to make a decision when someone asked me a question.  I think it's truly unfair of my BigBox Store to make changes that haven't been tried out, and worse, implemented with no input from people who actually DO the tasks we are asked to do.  Adding something else to my plate:  well, hell, they do that all the time.  Usually it's a slow gradual, adding one or two simple changes at a time.  This one is drastic.  And I swear, they must have only tested it in a "model" store, that doesn't do a lot of volume.  Or it's tested without using real shoppers who leave a store a mess as they shop, opening packages, dropping off cold items in the hardware dept ..... you get the idea.  If you don't have to spend all of your working hours cleaning up after lousy shoppers, you have a great deal more time on your hands to do what *really* needs to be done.

Yes, I'm venting, and I'm grouchy over the recent changes.  They announced the changes to begin on May 13th (such a lucky number, right???)  however, in the madness of retail management everywhere -- not just my store, it happens in every store -- when something new comes along, they want to be "ahead of the game" and have things ready so when upper management asks, they can be "positive" about the change. 

Well, I for one am kind of tired of this kind of thinking.  I cannot train anyone on the new processes put in place when they aren't even downloaded to our computers yet!  So why am I being forced to do something that just can't happen yet?!?!?  Too many questions, and all I can say is "we do it this way for now, but come Monday, it will all change."  Why does upper management in all walks of life think this is the way to keep good employees??  If something new is coming, then *management* should know how to do it first!  And yet I am left to train them as well.  (They have a shock coming on Monday, because I "saved up" a bunch of things that I am going to make each of them process, so they know how to teach others.) 

I can't be a teacher all day, and also get my two functions done in a day.  I will be processing claims as usual, but I am also in charge of the "clearance area", making sure all the necessary processes are done in a timely and correct manner.  The really bad part of being in charge of this means I am dependent on every other department in the store to be up to speed in their own departmental functions.  And THAT hasn't happened in my store in over six months.





Am I being set up to fail???

Right now, it feels like it.

Changing Jobs: When is it time?

One of my personal outlets has always been journaling of some sort.  Whether I'm writing myself a letter, blogging here, or just writing in some kind of journal, putting words to paper seems to help.  Or maybe it helps because I'm getting the random thoughts out of my head, and down into some semblance of order, which in turn helps me to "see the bigger picture", or "get a handle" on the stress inducing thoughts. 

I'm still in a huge quandary about my job, or rather, how my job will function with the upcoming changes.  I think I see the handwriting on the wall, and my position will be eliminated in the near future.  But I looked at other jobs on line today, just to see what was out there.  I've been in retail so long, I am not sure I'm qualified for anything else.  I couldn't survive on a minimum wage salary, so flippin' burgers is out.  lol   Data Entry:  boring, but I'm good at it.  I would be good at doing research, finding answers to puzzles.  But each job that listed those qualifications always had a large portion of the job being people related.

If I could create the perfect job, what would it involve?  A library full of genealogy resources.  Finding data, leading others to find data, scanning all the old documents to be shared on the internet to assist others in doing their own genealogy research.   Or scanning old documents and photos for a family so they would always have copies of these things.

The other day, I was doing what I call "hit and miss" research.  I wasn't trying to locate a specific person or a set of dates.  I was just perusing, and happened to come across an internet copy of my maternal great-grandparents' marriage certificate.  Not a listing with the data, the actual copy with signatures!  I was tickled.  (Not many are, but I shared it with family anyhow. lol) 

In all my thinking, I checked out the MAPP test (the first portion is free) and while it gives a basic summary of traits and strengths, it does include a few suggestions for career preferences.  Many of mine referenced library activities, which I enjoy.  Another one I haven't considered for a while is Pharmacy Tech.  I could DO that one!  It would be less stressful that what I'm currently doing, and could still be done within my BigBox Store.  Hmmmmmmmm.  I've thought of this avenue a few years back; I should look at it again.  Or get started on doing what needs doing.

Having an "out" when everything is so topsy turvy can supply you with a load of relief!

Work Woes

The last 24 hours have been an all time low.  I have known about changes coming to my job for about a month now, and they're finally here.  I realize that in the retail sector, the main controllable expense is payroll.  They need people with experience, but aren't willing to pay for that experience.  Retailers want people on the floor for customer service, but there are some things that need to be done in other places within a store in order for the store to function. 

With my ""new responsibilities"", I'll be managing all the deleted and/or clearanced products in the store from all the different departments.  The "higher up powers that be" have decided how our time is to be spent, and damn the consequences. 

And the area of the store I'll be working in will be in the same sector as Elvis. 

Along with changes being implemented to the actual job function, one of my team members was promoted to another store; my direct manager transferred to another store; two other managers left our store as well as the store manager.  We're really under the gun as far as leadership goes, so two different managers came in and gave me "the run down" on all the changes.  When I tried to be creative to help streamline my original job that is being reduced from 8 hours to less than 2 hours a day, I was told that it wasn't part of company protocol.  OK, I can deal with that, but when I tried to explain my reasoning behind it, these managers told me they hadn't ever done my job, but I can't create a better way to do my job, I had to do it the corporate's way. 

I'm at the point where I'm just going to go in and do what I'm instructed to do, no more extras any longer.  I won't be a decision maker, I don't feel like it's my place to go above and beyond because I've been shot down too many times.   My new phrase is going to be:  "I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to your question ..." 


I keep trying to remember that it's just been a few bad days ....
Being old, I'm stuck here until I can retire .... 2,582 days!
But that doesn't mean I can't look for another position within my store.

Maybe the right thing will come along ......