Well, summer vacay is over. Classes resumed on August 10th. Not for me though. I haven't picked up a job yet. Oh, the opportunities are there, but I got a part-time job to supplement my income, and since I'm training there, I decided to put subbing on hold for a bit. I guess I'm going to go back this week, but the Lord KNOWS my mouth isn't set for it. The feeling of venturing into the unknown with each new sub assignment, trying to follow lesson plans, dealing with student attitudes, the algebraic ice cream money process...UGH. I don't hate it; I'm just not ready. I need to pray for strength to get my hind parts into some school SOMEwhere this month so that I won't jack up my pay. (If you don't start subbing during the first month of school, your pay will be late. I don't need that.)
But yeah, I have a part-time job. An old friend/co-worker from the Retail Cesspool got me on at a home improvement store where he's currently an assistant manager. Actually, he messaged me back in March regarding this opportunity for which I thanked him graciously but was secretly hoping to be modeling or to have won the Powerball by summer. I know; I'm delusional. Anyways, I had to go crawling back in June to see if there was any possible way they could squeeze this little birdy onto the payroll, and they did. So I will just take it as the blessing it is and try to be the best little cashier Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t has ever seen.
I've learned a lot since I've been there (3 weeks). Of note:
1. Home improvement is a thing. I'm sure you knew this, but I'm an odd duck, ok?! I'd heard of this company before but all I ever thought of in terms of their products were hammers, nails, and (the only thing I ever bought there) light bulbs . Certainly not the lumber, plumbing accessories, large appliances, electrical zip zoodles, project assistance, and everything else they sell. Builders, electricians, landscapers, and plumbers in my hometown have contracts with them. Believe it or not, I actually enjoy trying to imagine what awesomeness is going to be added on to someone's home based on their purchases. It really has opened a whole new world to me--that I will never fully understand because I ain't trying to stay there longer than a year. Hopefully I won't get fired though. Three terminations in 15 months will do me for life.
2. There's a thriving Amish community here. Did NOT know that. I love waiting on the Amish guys. They're so handsome and mannerable. I would LOVE to know where they get their pants. I bet they're homespun, (I have no clue) but I love that crisp blue denim*ish fabric. Seriously, I want a pair for myself, but I would never fix my mouth to ask them about it because I don't think the women in their world wear pants. It would be highly irregular for me to express to them my desire for a pair, I'm sure *laugh emoji*.
3. There are a LOT of good looking men in my town--including the Amish ones. There are also some really gross ones that seem to have an affinity for Shellybirds *eye roll*. Since I strive to be "as cute as I can be" (Thanks, Oprah!) every time I leave the house, I've gotten more male attention as an employee of Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t than I have in a month of Sunday's. Is my dry white season over? Alas, it is not, but I can survive on the meager ego boosts that I get there...for now.
4. I was at the Retail Cesspool for 13 years, and have a pretty sharp sense of when there's going to be some sort of upheaval. When I first got hired at the cesspool, we could wear whatever we wanted (within reason) except jeans. But in keeping with that unwritten rule of the universe--We Cannot Have Nice Things--some people went above and beyond the call of bama a few too many times and the navy blue/khaki dress code was put in place. These days, most retailers have a dress code. There was already one at the Retailtopia when I got hired there, the store name embroidered on our navy polo shirts. (Two of those went directly from the washing machine to the trashcan dripping wet after I was informed by phone that I was terminated. I was doing laundry at the time...and I'm petty.) I feel in my heart that Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t is on a runaway train to Dresscodesville. I think they're among the last retailers (not including upscale stores) that don't have one. A change is a-coming.
Oh, AND we cashiers basically just stand around waiting for customers between customers. That WAS NOT allowed at my other retail jobs. If you didn't have customers, you had to straighten merchandise near your register or stock it. If that was taken care of and it was a slow day, you'd find yourself in the sales floor helping with whatever. Cell phone use on the sales floor was forbidden while working. Technically, it's not allowed at HN&S either. The HR manager warned me about this during orientation and said that they had an issue with it that they were going to address. That was probably my warning not to do what I see other people doing because I've watched 2 cashiers in particular stand at their registers texting like their souls' salvation depends on them hitting "send". This is a daily thing for them, and no one ever says anything. A change is a-coming though.
So, there's that. I'm in retail AGAIN, and my buttcheeks STILL clench every time I log on to the substitute teacher's database. Nothing to see here; move it along.
*UPDATE* It's now Sunday evening, and after my shift at HN&S, I logged on to Aesop and got a sub assignment for tomorrow. It's a half-day, taking over for a parapro. Baby steps, y'all.
But yeah, I have a part-time job. An old friend/co-worker from the Retail Cesspool got me on at a home improvement store where he's currently an assistant manager. Actually, he messaged me back in March regarding this opportunity for which I thanked him graciously but was secretly hoping to be modeling or to have won the Powerball by summer. I know; I'm delusional. Anyways, I had to go crawling back in June to see if there was any possible way they could squeeze this little birdy onto the payroll, and they did. So I will just take it as the blessing it is and try to be the best little cashier Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t has ever seen.
I've learned a lot since I've been there (3 weeks). Of note:
1. Home improvement is a thing. I'm sure you knew this, but I'm an odd duck, ok?! I'd heard of this company before but all I ever thought of in terms of their products were hammers, nails, and (the only thing I ever bought there) light bulbs . Certainly not the lumber, plumbing accessories, large appliances, electrical zip zoodles, project assistance, and everything else they sell. Builders, electricians, landscapers, and plumbers in my hometown have contracts with them. Believe it or not, I actually enjoy trying to imagine what awesomeness is going to be added on to someone's home based on their purchases. It really has opened a whole new world to me--that I will never fully understand because I ain't trying to stay there longer than a year. Hopefully I won't get fired though. Three terminations in 15 months will do me for life.
2. There's a thriving Amish community here. Did NOT know that. I love waiting on the Amish guys. They're so handsome and mannerable. I would LOVE to know where they get their pants. I bet they're homespun, (I have no clue) but I love that crisp blue denim*ish fabric. Seriously, I want a pair for myself, but I would never fix my mouth to ask them about it because I don't think the women in their world wear pants. It would be highly irregular for me to express to them my desire for a pair, I'm sure *laugh emoji*.
3. There are a LOT of good looking men in my town--including the Amish ones. There are also some really gross ones that seem to have an affinity for Shellybirds *eye roll*. Since I strive to be "as cute as I can be" (Thanks, Oprah!) every time I leave the house, I've gotten more male attention as an employee of Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t than I have in a month of Sunday's. Is my dry white season over? Alas, it is not, but I can survive on the meager ego boosts that I get there...for now.
4. I was at the Retail Cesspool for 13 years, and have a pretty sharp sense of when there's going to be some sort of upheaval. When I first got hired at the cesspool, we could wear whatever we wanted (within reason) except jeans. But in keeping with that unwritten rule of the universe--We Cannot Have Nice Things--some people went above and beyond the call of bama a few too many times and the navy blue/khaki dress code was put in place. These days, most retailers have a dress code. There was already one at the Retailtopia when I got hired there, the store name embroidered on our navy polo shirts. (Two of those went directly from the washing machine to the trashcan dripping wet after I was informed by phone that I was terminated. I was doing laundry at the time...and I'm petty.) I feel in my heart that Hammers, Nails, & Sh*t is on a runaway train to Dresscodesville. I think they're among the last retailers (not including upscale stores) that don't have one. A change is a-coming.
Oh, AND we cashiers basically just stand around waiting for customers between customers. That WAS NOT allowed at my other retail jobs. If you didn't have customers, you had to straighten merchandise near your register or stock it. If that was taken care of and it was a slow day, you'd find yourself in the sales floor helping with whatever. Cell phone use on the sales floor was forbidden while working. Technically, it's not allowed at HN&S either. The HR manager warned me about this during orientation and said that they had an issue with it that they were going to address. That was probably my warning not to do what I see other people doing because I've watched 2 cashiers in particular stand at their registers texting like their souls' salvation depends on them hitting "send". This is a daily thing for them, and no one ever says anything. A change is a-coming though.
So, there's that. I'm in retail AGAIN, and my buttcheeks STILL clench every time I log on to the substitute teacher's database. Nothing to see here; move it along.
*UPDATE* It's now Sunday evening, and after my shift at HN&S, I logged on to Aesop and got a sub assignment for tomorrow. It's a half-day, taking over for a parapro. Baby steps, y'all.
