Yesterday. Got to work at nine. Left work at midnight, fifteen hours later. Today? Probably the same. I’ve started mucking with the body chemistry. Two cups of coffee already, and probably a whole pot once I get to work. At least, I’ll brew a whole pot. I feel like a Mack truck is running lapsContinue reading “On My Day”
Category Archives: Work
On Inventory
It’s done. My last inventory at the store was a year and a week ago. It’s not the longest span I’ve had between inventories–that was seventeen months back in 2001–but it’s the longest I’ve had since I came down to North Carolina. Previously, I’d been averaging a physical inventory every eight months or so. RuleContinue reading “On Inventory”
On the Deep End
It’s been an odd day. Today, this morning, I found out that my company has been sold to our major competitor. Other managers spent the morning calling, seeking my insight. I had no insight. Over the short term, I expect no significant changes. Over the next six months as our systems merge into theirs weContinue reading “On the Deep End”
On Friday
Oh, am I tired. I worked a half-day today, leaving at 2:30, because I felt like I’d hit a physical wall. In a sense I had–I volunteered to scan at an inventory last night at a story in Durham, very much last minute, and while the stock was very well prepared the scanning itself tookContinue reading “On Friday”
On the Things Employees Say
“Have you seen the Helen Keller quarter?” asked my employee. “Yes,” I replied with a shrug. What had this to do with anything? He said nothing for a few moments. Then, “There’s a Helen Keller quarter?” A bizarre turn. “She’s on the Alabama quarter.” “Helen Keller is on a quarter?” Now thoroughly confused by thisContinue reading “On the Things Employees Say”
On a Customer's Strange Request
A guy walks into the store. Black tee-shirt bearing a logo, trucker hat, mid-twenties, average height and build. He walks maybe ten feet into the store, stops, looks at the display fixture there. I greet him, ask him if he’s looking for something. “I wanted something with pictures of angels and demons fighting.” We sellContinue reading “On a Customer's Strange Request”
On Customers and Snarkiness
I couldn’t deny it. The kid was baked. Two guys walked in the store and made a bee-line to the 8-bit Nintendo dump bin. The taller of the two, the one wearing sunglasses, said that he needed some games for a party they were holding tonight. He asked how the games were priced–it depends–and startedContinue reading “On Customers and Snarkiness”
On My Day
I planned on writing a completely different post. It’s even drafted. For a variety of reasons, though, it won’t appear here–a little too much about corporate myopia and tunnel vision. This evening I conducted an interview. Store managers in the district send employee candidates to me for a second interview, and after a few fitsContinue reading “On My Day”
On Thumping the Head against the Wall
The difference a night of sleep makes. I wanted last night to thump my head against the wall. Either that or break out the red pen and bleed it on a document. I was given a document to review, a training guide to a new program at work. The sales tracking chart the guide explainsContinue reading “On Thumping the Head against the Wall”
Sunday Morning
The forecasted winter storm came and brought nothing but rain. Good news for the grocery stores–even the rumor of snow clears out their stocks–but bad news for other sectors of the retail community. Last night, at eight-thirty, the mall down the street was a ghost town and I might have been one of a dozenContinue reading “Sunday Morning”