There’s a reason they call it work

It’s just around the corner… (Photo credit: ecstaticist)

It sure felt like work today (and yesterday and the day before…).  On what was a day off work for a lot of folks, it was another busy day for us.  People rushing through the doors as soon as we unlocked them.  I know we had some good bargains and a lot of people have already started their Christmas shopping, but I’m just not into it yet.

Unfortunately for us, we had a huge delivery today (I know, I know…you might think they wouldn’t send a shipment on a holiday when they know it’s going to be crazy busy.  But, if you happened to think that, you’d be wrong…way wrong.).  The store did not look its best.  It really bothers me when our customers have to run an obstacle course to get to what they want.  I know I hate it when I go into a store and it looks like that.  But that’s another story for another time.

With everything going on, I was exhausted by the time I left.  And, uh, yeah…in more than a little pain as well.  I’ve taken some meds for my pain, but am still fighting it.  I think the weather may be contributing to my increased pain levels too.  They’re talking a little snow tonight.  NO!!  I don’t want snow.  But not a lot I can do about that, is there?  I guess I need to go to bed and try to get a good night’s sleep, but I’m still wide awake.  I’ve got one more day to work before I get a day off.

I know I need to take care of myself, but oh my!  I have so much that needs to be done at work.  It just seems like a lot of, oh you know, work.  I guess they really do call it that for a reason.

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Companies are figuring out how to profit from the war on women

First let me say this isn’t going to be a political post…I understand that we all have our own beliefs and that’s fine with me…no arguements from me (today, anyhow).  Now…I work for a large retail corporation…no names…but we do not sell medicine, health care supplies, medical supplies, or anything like that…

But I’m wondering if that’s about to change…we have a rep come in to handle the books and magazines every week.  When she opened the boxes the other day she was…oh, shall we say, surprised, to find this in one of the boxes of books…

new merchandise???

When she was talking to me about it, I didn’t really believe her…but…there you go…it’s the real deal! I emailed my district manager a picture and asked him if our company was trying to profit from the Republicans attempts to abolish free health screenings for women…and, if so, exactly what department are we going to market these in???  I don’t think he got it…but, he is a man…maybe it really takes a woman to fully comprehend how weird this is. So, what do you think?  Would you buy a do-it-yourself pap test?

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Twas the month before Christmas

Twas the month before Christmas

and all through the store

The frenzied customers

continued shopping for more. 

 

While Chris and Patti

were working twelve hour days

running to and fro

in a sleep deprived haze.

 

The customers were fighting

over ornaments and toys.

Shoving, grabbing and pushing,

making a horrible noise.

 

Allen is shouting,

“I must finish this frame!”

While Greg, on the radio,

says “Let’s play a game.”

 

Patti pounds on the counter,

“We need saddles and cones.”

Kathleen rolls her eyes

and responds with a groan.

 

The cashiers, old and new,

are scanning fast as they can.

while cheerfully greeting

every woman and man.

 

The sales floor associates

are working hard every day

downstocking and flexing

with little  time to play.

 

The trees have all sold

and the stockroom is bare

Let’s condense and convert

let’s get gift giving out there.

 

When the final numbers come in

 we’ll see the gleam in Steve’s eye.

It’s then we can sit back

and relax with a sigh.

 

The season is over.

Put away that sleigh.

Oh no, now it’s time

for St Valentine’s Day.

The long and winding road to fitness, day 164

Ahh…you just gotta love the holiday spirit…most of the people I dealt with today were nice and cheerful…and then there were those few who were kind of grinchy.  I had a man come through my line at the registers (yes, I spent most of the day on register…again) muttering.  I heard him say something about Christmas.  Not knowing if he was actually talking to me, I asked him what he said.  “Oh nothing.  Just Christmas.  It’s like it brings out the idiots.”  Well, what can you say to that?  By the time we finished our transaction though, he seemed a little less frustrated with the idiots, he even told me to have a nice day.

A lot of people were buying flowers and things to decorate the graves of their loved ones.  That’s always kind of bittersweet.  You want to keep the memory alive and honor them, but it does remind you of how much you miss them.

And one lady came through my line, gave me her email address.  When I recognized her last name, I asked her if she knew (or was related to) the Wilton instructor we had who had died unexpectedly.  She said they weren’t related, but that she knew her through the home extension club they both belonged to.  We both got a little teary eyed talking about her.  Then the customer said something that I thought was so true.  She said, “It says something special about a person when people still remember them fondly seven years after they’ve died.”  Yes indeed it does.

I worked 11 hours again today, got in no exercise except the running around I did at work, but did a pretty good job with my eating.  Not quite enough fruits and veggies today, but at least no crazy food either. 

 And I did stop at Kroger on my way to work this morning…thank goodness.  There’s no way I could have stopped after work, that’s how tired I am right now.  I’m just hoping to sleep for a solid 7 hours tonight…please…looking forward to a bath and my nice comfy bed…so I can get up and do it all again tomorrow.

Look closely, that sweet little girl is pulling the raffia off the tree…aww…isn’t she cute?  (little monster)

The long and winding road to fitness, day 91

Image by Jon Person via Flickr

I really, truly had fleeting thoughts about not posting tonight.  I am so exhausted, worked 12 hours and we were busy, busy, busy…so busy, in fact, that we’re going in at 4 am tomorrow…ugh!  I bet anyone who never worked in retail is surprised to find out how many hours we work and how early we go in.  There’s just always so much to do.  But I’m here writing a little before I go upstairs to soak in a hot tub and then go to bed, hopefully to sleep.

I finished the day with almost 1600 calories and the only exercise of the day was what I got in at work.  I don’t really know what else I can do on days like today, days when I’m already tired and hurting when I wake up in the morning and I know that it won’t get any easier over the course of the day.  So I guess I’ll just have to let it be, do what I can do on the days I can do it and not stress about it the rest of the time.  I need to make it through the next three months and then I can get a little rest, maybe take a little time off, and spend that time improving my fitness level so that I don’t feel like this at this time next year.

So, did you do anything fun today?  Did you have good weather?  Do any shopping?

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