Irregularity

It's funny how blogging comes and goes for me.  It's like there are times when I feel as if there is lots to be shared, and other times where there's nothing interesting in my life - rather, nothing interesting enough to share, perhaps.  It's been an uneventful weekend, and purposefully I suppose because there are some days when I just don't want to make that call home.

I call my mom on a daily basis, just to check on her, see that things are going ok.  Because it seems like there are some days when she doesn't have someone to talk to, and it gives us a reason to connect, even if we only compare weather patterns.  lol  This past week, however, was a little bit different.

My sis is going through so many things.  She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago, and has been having the chemo treatments, etc.  She's doing very well, and still leads a very active life.  She's lucky that way!  In my opinion, it's too active - she's always going off somewhere with her friends.  I realize that at 55 years old, her kids are grown ups now, and she treats them that way.  But no matter how grown up your kids are, they still need their parents in many ways.  Especially Mom, but that's just my own opinion. 

Her oldest son got into a bit of a situation, the girl he'd broken up with was pregnant, so they got back together to see if they could make a go of it.  Seems that isn't going to be the way of things.  You know, a baby doesn't make you agree on things if you didn't start off agreeing in the first place!  But they tried.  Now they're each looking to find a place to live.  My sister had an idea to have this girl, her grandson and her youngest son get an apartment together.  I can tell you, I was personally shocked.  They're worlds apart in experience and maturity... of course there are other issues that would make this post way too wordy.  Mom and I share the opinion that it isn't a good idea; Mom mentioned that to sis, and then let it go.  No idea what's really going to happen.

But it got me thinking (yet again) about how we as people are.  I remember being pregnant and going through that whole nesting thing.  I suppose there's something like that when you're looking at the end of life as well?  None of us know how long we have for the rest of our lives.  Being given the "C" word would make it that more prominent than for other folks, I'm sure.  I can't help wonder if sis is hitting that point where she feels the need to make sure all the i's are dotted, the t's crossed.  I know I've felt that way when I've been a little panicky about my own life from time to time.  (Mostly because in my mind I feel as if I'm still 40, then it hits me each time that I'm 58 already ... and my own i's and t's aren't all taken care of.) 

I'm waffling over how to close this ... so many things come to mind. 
Make a plan and stick to it. 
Get really good advice from friends who's opinion you trust. 
Hire a good lawyer. 
Take care of what you can take care of in advance! 

The future isn't always what we think it will be,
but we need to have some kind of plan in place.

Bah Humpug

It has been The Week From Hell - anyone in retail can relate, I'm sure.  Many hours prepping for The Sale, all for it to be over in a flash.  We all work hard, stay late, go the extra mile, all so our customers can get what they want to buy for their Holidays.  This is my 17th Season in retail, and I can honestly say I don't enjoy much of it any longer.  I may put on a brave face if family happens to come over, but they've learned over the years that I'm not at my best .....  Nothing takes the joy out of setting up a Christmas tree in your home when you've already been setting up trees in your store for more than 60 days.  Ugh.  Any more, I'd just rather have some kind of "destination gift" - a movie and treats for the whole family, a hike out in nature somewhere, just about anything to get away from the commercialism that the Holiday Season has become.

My gift to family each year is a calendar - one that I fill with custom photos that I've taken all year, or that I've dug up out of family archives.  As the family grows, it's impossible to have photos of everyone included but I do what I can.  At least on the first (or second) of every month, when they turn the page, it's something new to look at.  And if there's a photo that brings up a memory for them, all the better, in my book.  Yes.  I'm weird.  But I'm ok with that!

An update on the whole Elvis thing at my BigBoxStore.  I had a meeting with the area HR manager.  And basically her message was this:  "let the system work".  My comeback:  I've been letting it for six years now.  It doesn't.   He has this uncanny sense of timing and when he's coached, he overturns it as high as he can take it.  In the latest case, it took Upper Management six months to complete the hoop-jumping; and he knows that they a)  won't coach him for anything else while he's in the midst of this process (so he gets to literally skate his way through) and b)  that the coaching drops off after 12 months, basically buying himself those easy  months.  And while he was biding that time, he knew he could get away with extended breaks (on the clock, but not working) over and over again.  While me, I'm the one stuck with babysitting his mistakes, being the one who has to point out each of the issues and/or mistakes while management literally turns a blind eye - because *they* aren't the ones who have to work with it on a daily basis.  There are times when I have to talk to him about an issue, and management has sent in a witness, so that it won't be his word against mine -- the old "he said she said" defense. 

I also asked about his wanting a meeting to "clear the air" between us.  He was literally asking that I be told to "like him".  He was told I only have to treat him with respect.  That's my job.  And while it's OK that he gets to run around and bad-mouth me, spread rumors, I have to be respectful.  In the end, it seems that the reality of the situation is this:

::they aren't going to do anything and it's probably time for me to move on::

With that being said, it would be better to leave with my good name and the reputation I've built intact and find a store willing to transfer me in.  Of course, nothing will happen with the holiday season, so I have to bide my time until January.  As a sanity saving course of action, I have set an alarm on my phone for each day to remind me to go to the gym for my lunch hour, rather than be within the confines of my building, subjected to rumors, inuendos, and flat out ignorance.  

Work rant over.  

Thank you for reading!