Music: peace and quiet.
8:50a
I had a weird dream last night. His eyes followed me everywhere I went, and no matter how hard I tried to move away, he'd move with me, eyes on me the entire time. Almost like he already knew. I told him if he kept that up, that I'd end up spilling the beans. Then we were in the kitchen and he stubbed his foot on the stove, which I found quite funny. Serves you right.
I am beyond tired; after one of my worst weekends yet at work, on top of driving all day on Monday, plus Nature's bad attitude, I just can't catch up. But yet, for some reason I'm up an hour before my alarm. Ugh.
This past weekend was terrible. I had my manager's support when I told him about my arm, so this weekend he started me off on A and B dock (I'm usually there on Sundays), to give me an opportunity to start learning to drive with my right hand. It became easier, although turning is still difficult. I made it through Friday more or less. Saturday, I had C dock, but ended up on D, where all the freight was (*rolls eyes*). I started strategizing how this switching game was going to work. Again, depending on where I had to go and which way I had to turn depicted what side to drive on. I just had to get some of this pressure off of my left hand. While in the aisle (side note: thank you random guy on Family Feud for telling me how 'aisle' is supposed to be spelled...why didn't someone tell me?! :P Oh, well, it's whatever), I was on the left side, and I felt a shooting pain in my palm, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. Wow! This hurt. I could not feel a single thing in my left hand. That was it. I'm done. I ran up to the desk and told my manager I had to stop. I ran to the break room on D and found a towel in the maintenance closet that looked pretty good, and made myself an ice pack. I iced down every inch of my arm and hand, and it felt amazing. I'm basically shooting myself in the foot as far as production, but this is more important. After about 20 minutes, I felt okay enough to try my luck again.
The rest of the weekend was spent playing tug-of-war. Switching is a pain in the ass, but I was still able to make production easily. I never did hit my daily numbers on account of us leaving early every day, so I'm sure they'll take that into consideration. And I came so close each day, within at least 5-7 moves. You can understand my frustration.
I also learned of an opportunity at some point during my work week, whether or not it's work-related, I won't say. I just saw another door potentially open, and I'm seeing this as my second chance. I saw a new chapter flash before my eyes. This time, I'm not telling anyone until I find out for sure. Not my friends, not my family. I'm keeping quiet about this one, silently hoping that this is what's next for me. My chances look good.....
Meanwhile, it's been a productive week, aside from being tired. Monday was spent in Baytown nearly all day, while I waited for my mom's car to get back from the dealer. Come to find out, it was a nail in the tire, causing the light to go off. She thought she needed a tire rotation. I wish she'd thought to ask her former auto-shop daughter (i.e., me), I could have told her right away what was wrong. While waiting all that time (and we even had to end up leaving her car at the dealer overnight, because they were so busy, they hadn't even pulled it in the bay yet), I managed to get to the dentist to ask for a quote on the wisdom teeth, and get my hair cut. The rest of the day was spent driving around and stopping at random places. I passed out when I got home.
For now, I'm off to find a certain blonde friend of mine and drag her out of the house so we can go to the mall. One more weekend of tug-of-war, and I need a break. A very looong break. I'm going to enjoy this one, because things get interesting after next week. Jury duty, birthdays, peak season starts, then surgery. I feel an odd sense of deja vu, because this is exactly where I was almost a year ago. So much going on, and hoping I get this opportunity.
It's not over yet.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
..and still no rest. I'm going crazy.
Music: The voice in my head telling me what I must accomplish before going back to work. I'm going to kill it.
I'm surprised at how well this week has turned out. It wasn't that I was being skeptical, but that everything has happened like I pictured. Everything has gone well..with one exception.
My 'driving' arm.
I have been in pain these last few days. I've tried everything: resting it, exercising it, taking Aleve for the pain, and taking hot baths. The numbness in my middle finger has not gone away. At night, I have to elevate my arm so as not to put any pressure on it because it hurts so bad. If I switch sides, I have to wake up and take the pillow with me. Using the IcyHot helps, but only for a little bit, and my arm ends up feeling like it's on fire (not normal). This is the worst it's ever been, and I'm not sure if I'll make it through the weekend.
I'm keeping all options open at the moment.....
Monday I took the day to rest, since everyone was busy, so I took that as a sign to do just that. I couldn't much else because of the pain. After running and grabbing a pizza for a late lunch (I blame James for that one), I jumped in the pool and just floated around. My legs were hurting like a bitch, too, even waking me up constantly that morning. I didn't use my arms, instead just kicked around the pool to loosen up the muscles in my legs. After another hot bath, the pain in my legs went away, and I'd be able to sleep, save for my damn arm. Two of my friends made my night, and made me forget about everything for a minute. James (ask and you shall receive) and John (okay, stop...I'm blushing now...seriously...). I'm disappointed that John still won't be home for a few more weeks. It will make it all worth it when he finally does come home.
Crap, even typing is uncomfortable right now....
Tuesday I woke up dreading what was to come, but ready to get it over with. My sister was due in, and she surprised us by bringing my two nephews. I hardly ever get to see them. We celebrated a late Father's Day, and went out to eat. We had to shoot right back home so I could make my appointment (I made it just in time). The official word was I had to have two fillings on the bottom and one on top, all on the left side. They weren't all that bad, and I was happy to hear that (less torture!) but still just the fact that I had them in the first place made me angry at myself. It took him an hour to do all three, and I was back at home. Everyone had jumped in the pool, but I was numb on one side and just wanted to sit for a minute and relax. I really wanted in with the family, and after a little bit, I threw on the swimsuit and jumped in, grabbed a float to stay above water, and watched everyone bat the ball back and forth, dodging when it would come my way. Everyone got out and headed in, and despite the fact that my mouth felt like it weighed 10 pounds and I couldn't talk right, I played Twister with the boys. Cole kicked my ass, but we all had a blast.
My next step is now getting the two remaining wisdom teeth taken out. Three days of my vacation gone. My sis is even talking about us taking a trip out East to see my aunt, sometime next month. Wow, my vaca time will be used up in one month! I so very badly need a break at this point, though. To get things taken care of, and get ready for our holiday season at work. I'm feeling rushed already.
Tonight was my co-workers housewarming party. There was great food, great friends, and you guessed it, plenty of alcohol to go around. I had my share and was fine the rest of the night, drinking water in preparation for the weekend. Funny thing is, I swear I've been in that house before, a very long time ago when a friend of mine lived out there. I'm going to have to ask said friend about that. I've seen it before, and I'm not talking in a dream....I was really there.
I really hope I can make it through the weekend..there's going to have to be some major switching up going on if I'm going to survive. Pray for me, because Lord knows I'm sure as Hell going to be doing my fair share. Until next time.....
I'm surprised at how well this week has turned out. It wasn't that I was being skeptical, but that everything has happened like I pictured. Everything has gone well..with one exception.
My 'driving' arm.
I have been in pain these last few days. I've tried everything: resting it, exercising it, taking Aleve for the pain, and taking hot baths. The numbness in my middle finger has not gone away. At night, I have to elevate my arm so as not to put any pressure on it because it hurts so bad. If I switch sides, I have to wake up and take the pillow with me. Using the IcyHot helps, but only for a little bit, and my arm ends up feeling like it's on fire (not normal). This is the worst it's ever been, and I'm not sure if I'll make it through the weekend.
I'm keeping all options open at the moment.....
Monday I took the day to rest, since everyone was busy, so I took that as a sign to do just that. I couldn't much else because of the pain. After running and grabbing a pizza for a late lunch (I blame James for that one), I jumped in the pool and just floated around. My legs were hurting like a bitch, too, even waking me up constantly that morning. I didn't use my arms, instead just kicked around the pool to loosen up the muscles in my legs. After another hot bath, the pain in my legs went away, and I'd be able to sleep, save for my damn arm. Two of my friends made my night, and made me forget about everything for a minute. James (ask and you shall receive) and John (okay, stop...I'm blushing now...seriously...). I'm disappointed that John still won't be home for a few more weeks. It will make it all worth it when he finally does come home.
Crap, even typing is uncomfortable right now....
Tuesday I woke up dreading what was to come, but ready to get it over with. My sister was due in, and she surprised us by bringing my two nephews. I hardly ever get to see them. We celebrated a late Father's Day, and went out to eat. We had to shoot right back home so I could make my appointment (I made it just in time). The official word was I had to have two fillings on the bottom and one on top, all on the left side. They weren't all that bad, and I was happy to hear that (less torture!) but still just the fact that I had them in the first place made me angry at myself. It took him an hour to do all three, and I was back at home. Everyone had jumped in the pool, but I was numb on one side and just wanted to sit for a minute and relax. I really wanted in with the family, and after a little bit, I threw on the swimsuit and jumped in, grabbed a float to stay above water, and watched everyone bat the ball back and forth, dodging when it would come my way. Everyone got out and headed in, and despite the fact that my mouth felt like it weighed 10 pounds and I couldn't talk right, I played Twister with the boys. Cole kicked my ass, but we all had a blast.
My next step is now getting the two remaining wisdom teeth taken out. Three days of my vacation gone. My sis is even talking about us taking a trip out East to see my aunt, sometime next month. Wow, my vaca time will be used up in one month! I so very badly need a break at this point, though. To get things taken care of, and get ready for our holiday season at work. I'm feeling rushed already.
Tonight was my co-workers housewarming party. There was great food, great friends, and you guessed it, plenty of alcohol to go around. I had my share and was fine the rest of the night, drinking water in preparation for the weekend. Funny thing is, I swear I've been in that house before, a very long time ago when a friend of mine lived out there. I'm going to have to ask said friend about that. I've seen it before, and I'm not talking in a dream....I was really there.
I really hope I can make it through the weekend..there's going to have to be some major switching up going on if I'm going to survive. Pray for me, because Lord knows I'm sure as Hell going to be doing my fair share. Until next time.....
Monday, June 17, 2013
Round and round we go.
Music: Wedding edition of Price is Right
10:50a
I love Mondays, but I'm hating this one. I hurt all over. Probably not as bad as I'll be hurting tomorrow though, so I'll take being sore everywhere versus what I'll be feeling tomorrow. But it's gotta get done, and this is the next step!
This weekend was rough. I had prayed for the guidance to do what I needed to do, and upon walking into my area and discovering what *should* be there, I picked what I thought would be the best machine, and parked myself in front of it, for lack of anything else to do. Another hauler arrived, and we got to talking. I just happened to look into the isles, and on the other side sat a row of machines. Something told me to go up there. I guess the other hauler was looking for his usual machine, too. So off I went, and ahead of me, I saw the shipping manager. Ugh, great. By the time I got close enough to read numbers, I heard a door close. Yes! She'd run off into her office, as usual. I saw the machine I was looking for, and no one around. Hey, someone up there listened to me. Then I decided I had to get the hell out of there, so for the first time ever, I actually logged in (apparently, you have to be on the clock already...guess the other haulers don't care..), and quietly took off. She had a full battery and all. I got back, and parked it like it had been there all along, then looked back at shipping and laughed. Hey, you missing something over there? Fucking bitch. So far, I'm ruling this day. This machine is, in my opinion, the easiest one I've ever had to drive. Not too much pressure on my hand or arm, runs great. More about my health than anything, that's why I'm so picky over which ones I get. Hamilton even came back, now this day is going to be awesome. For the record, I'm officially sick of D dock. I was there again, but ended up floating around everywhere. If there was production, I'd find it. It ended up being a light day, and I missed my daily goal by one. One measly pallet. Ugh.
Saturday I noticed that my arm was hurting pretty bad, and I'd now lost feeling in my middle finger. Great. What next? One I could deal with, but this is getting to be too much. We were light again, and even though I was excited to have C dock (and not D for once), I *still* ended up hauling off of D. Grrrr. I actually found it funny. I tried all I could to be even more aware of how I was gripping the handle on the machine, and after coming home, I decided I *had* to do something different. Hamilton was back, and I already knew that Sunday would find me on A and B dock. Perfect! Tier racks, and the perfect opportunity to change things up a bit.
It happened as I predicted, and I was put on A and B. I started off driving right-handed (remember what I said before about it not being a good idea?). Coordination be damned, this is about my health, and the fact that now I have to live with this the rest of my life, and arthritis will be a BITCH, I decided now or never. I went to A dock (thanks to Earl's guidance from very early on), and there were only a few tier racks left over from the day before. I practiced by delivering some empty tiers to the unloaders. I had to play around and go slow, to figure out which way to turn (now that I'm really 'backwards') to make the forks turn. I did this off and on as the day wore on. If I went into the isles, I hauled left-handed, and would switch after dropping off a load. I found out I can not turn right-handed; my arm just doesn't know how to make such a turn, and the machine would end up heading for a pole, object, etc. I thought back when I was training, and remembered that while I did struggle for a bit with *left* turns, it wasn't nearly this hard. So anytime my left arm would get tired, or if I knew I had to make several left turns, I'd switch. It wasn't easy, and I even dropped a pallet right off the bat upon making it into the isles. I misjudged the distance between myself and the side of the isle. Being on the left side is so easy and comfortable to me, but something has got to change before I end up having to amputate my own hand. I like this job, but I can't continue like this....
So where does that leave me today? I'm sore, tired, and unsure what to do. Today is my only free day, but I don't want to sit around. I'm going to drag my weights out, go swim, try to loosen up these sore muscles. Dentist tomorrow, lunch with my sis sometime this week, and a housewarming party for a co-worker. My week is already gone, but somehow, I don't mind.
Going to enjoy the quiet while I can.
10:50a
I love Mondays, but I'm hating this one. I hurt all over. Probably not as bad as I'll be hurting tomorrow though, so I'll take being sore everywhere versus what I'll be feeling tomorrow. But it's gotta get done, and this is the next step!
This weekend was rough. I had prayed for the guidance to do what I needed to do, and upon walking into my area and discovering what *should* be there, I picked what I thought would be the best machine, and parked myself in front of it, for lack of anything else to do. Another hauler arrived, and we got to talking. I just happened to look into the isles, and on the other side sat a row of machines. Something told me to go up there. I guess the other hauler was looking for his usual machine, too. So off I went, and ahead of me, I saw the shipping manager. Ugh, great. By the time I got close enough to read numbers, I heard a door close. Yes! She'd run off into her office, as usual. I saw the machine I was looking for, and no one around. Hey, someone up there listened to me. Then I decided I had to get the hell out of there, so for the first time ever, I actually logged in (apparently, you have to be on the clock already...guess the other haulers don't care..), and quietly took off. She had a full battery and all. I got back, and parked it like it had been there all along, then looked back at shipping and laughed. Hey, you missing something over there? Fucking bitch. So far, I'm ruling this day. This machine is, in my opinion, the easiest one I've ever had to drive. Not too much pressure on my hand or arm, runs great. More about my health than anything, that's why I'm so picky over which ones I get. Hamilton even came back, now this day is going to be awesome. For the record, I'm officially sick of D dock. I was there again, but ended up floating around everywhere. If there was production, I'd find it. It ended up being a light day, and I missed my daily goal by one. One measly pallet. Ugh.
Saturday I noticed that my arm was hurting pretty bad, and I'd now lost feeling in my middle finger. Great. What next? One I could deal with, but this is getting to be too much. We were light again, and even though I was excited to have C dock (and not D for once), I *still* ended up hauling off of D. Grrrr. I actually found it funny. I tried all I could to be even more aware of how I was gripping the handle on the machine, and after coming home, I decided I *had* to do something different. Hamilton was back, and I already knew that Sunday would find me on A and B dock. Perfect! Tier racks, and the perfect opportunity to change things up a bit.
It happened as I predicted, and I was put on A and B. I started off driving right-handed (remember what I said before about it not being a good idea?). Coordination be damned, this is about my health, and the fact that now I have to live with this the rest of my life, and arthritis will be a BITCH, I decided now or never. I went to A dock (thanks to Earl's guidance from very early on), and there were only a few tier racks left over from the day before. I practiced by delivering some empty tiers to the unloaders. I had to play around and go slow, to figure out which way to turn (now that I'm really 'backwards') to make the forks turn. I did this off and on as the day wore on. If I went into the isles, I hauled left-handed, and would switch after dropping off a load. I found out I can not turn right-handed; my arm just doesn't know how to make such a turn, and the machine would end up heading for a pole, object, etc. I thought back when I was training, and remembered that while I did struggle for a bit with *left* turns, it wasn't nearly this hard. So anytime my left arm would get tired, or if I knew I had to make several left turns, I'd switch. It wasn't easy, and I even dropped a pallet right off the bat upon making it into the isles. I misjudged the distance between myself and the side of the isle. Being on the left side is so easy and comfortable to me, but something has got to change before I end up having to amputate my own hand. I like this job, but I can't continue like this....
So where does that leave me today? I'm sore, tired, and unsure what to do. Today is my only free day, but I don't want to sit around. I'm going to drag my weights out, go swim, try to loosen up these sore muscles. Dentist tomorrow, lunch with my sis sometime this week, and a housewarming party for a co-worker. My week is already gone, but somehow, I don't mind.
Going to enjoy the quiet while I can.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
GDO (not GNO). I hate that acronym for some reason.
Music: Shogun- "Amplify"
12:30am and way too late for me to be up.
I am not ready to go back to work. More like my arm hasn't had enough time to heal for me to go back to work. I can deal with whatever else (aaand I just opened up a can of worms), just please let me find a good machine! Grrrrr.
It's been a productive week. Monday I was so tired I couldn't see straight. I spent most of the day and night blissfully chained to my bed, watching whatever caught my attention on TV. I did get to meet with a friend for lunch, and was happy to see her again. We had a nice chat and caught up on each other's lives. Tuesday I finally decided I'd healed enough from the last round of torture, and called the dentist and made my next appointment. The next step! My time is running down, as I still need to schedule the surgery and be sure to get the vacation time so I can get it done. Our peak season is literally right around the corner. Seems like we just had this....
My mom and I spent the day together, looking in stores, and I took her out to eat (a late Mother's Day present). We had a good time. Weather wasn't on my side, so no swimming for me. Middle of June, and the weather sucks. But yet...there's no global warming......
Later that night, after my friends told me they were bailing on our trip the next day, I wanted to decline as well. Every single time we try to get together, something comes up it seems. I understand some friends' situations, but then I get the last-minute 'oh, by the way..' excuses from others. My girlfriend was mad, and I was upset. I get the suspicion that someone wasn't honest on their part, and that angers me. I didn't bring this up with my girl friend. You don't want to go, say you don't want to go, simple as that. I even told my girl friend I no longer wanted to go since no one else was coming. But, after doing some thinking, I asked myself 'so, what's YOUR excuse?' I decided if my girl friend was still going to the mall, hell, I should go, and have fun. Maybe it was anxiety from our last (in my case, failed) trip out there, who knows. So I messaged her back after an hour and said I still wanted to go. I needed to get out of the house, and I felt bad for her going by herself, especially these days. Everyone else will miss out.
So she and I went to the mall, and had a much better experience this time around. No bitchy people. We shopped and I even found some stuff, which surprised me. She and I had a blast, laughing and talking and catching up on events and people. We walked the entire mall. We stopped to grab a bite to eat on the way back, and sat and talked and laughed and stuffed ourselves silly. It was a blast. When we got back to my house, she even set up my messenger so we could have a new toy to play with. I love that kid to death. I just wish everyone else hadn't bailed.
I still have a lot to do before the end of the night. Time is running down fast. I feel rushed, like there is a weight back on my shoulders. The anxiety is starting to creep back in, and I'm not sure how to handle it. One day at a time......
I'll come back strong, like I always do.
12:30am and way too late for me to be up.
I am not ready to go back to work. More like my arm hasn't had enough time to heal for me to go back to work. I can deal with whatever else (aaand I just opened up a can of worms), just please let me find a good machine! Grrrrr.
It's been a productive week. Monday I was so tired I couldn't see straight. I spent most of the day and night blissfully chained to my bed, watching whatever caught my attention on TV. I did get to meet with a friend for lunch, and was happy to see her again. We had a nice chat and caught up on each other's lives. Tuesday I finally decided I'd healed enough from the last round of torture, and called the dentist and made my next appointment. The next step! My time is running down, as I still need to schedule the surgery and be sure to get the vacation time so I can get it done. Our peak season is literally right around the corner. Seems like we just had this....
My mom and I spent the day together, looking in stores, and I took her out to eat (a late Mother's Day present). We had a good time. Weather wasn't on my side, so no swimming for me. Middle of June, and the weather sucks. But yet...there's no global warming......
Later that night, after my friends told me they were bailing on our trip the next day, I wanted to decline as well. Every single time we try to get together, something comes up it seems. I understand some friends' situations, but then I get the last-minute 'oh, by the way..' excuses from others. My girlfriend was mad, and I was upset. I get the suspicion that someone wasn't honest on their part, and that angers me. I didn't bring this up with my girl friend. You don't want to go, say you don't want to go, simple as that. I even told my girl friend I no longer wanted to go since no one else was coming. But, after doing some thinking, I asked myself 'so, what's YOUR excuse?' I decided if my girl friend was still going to the mall, hell, I should go, and have fun. Maybe it was anxiety from our last (in my case, failed) trip out there, who knows. So I messaged her back after an hour and said I still wanted to go. I needed to get out of the house, and I felt bad for her going by herself, especially these days. Everyone else will miss out.
So she and I went to the mall, and had a much better experience this time around. No bitchy people. We shopped and I even found some stuff, which surprised me. She and I had a blast, laughing and talking and catching up on events and people. We walked the entire mall. We stopped to grab a bite to eat on the way back, and sat and talked and laughed and stuffed ourselves silly. It was a blast. When we got back to my house, she even set up my messenger so we could have a new toy to play with. I love that kid to death. I just wish everyone else hadn't bailed.
I still have a lot to do before the end of the night. Time is running down fast. I feel rushed, like there is a weight back on my shoulders. The anxiety is starting to creep back in, and I'm not sure how to handle it. One day at a time......
I'll come back strong, like I always do.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Where do I even start...
Music: deadmau5 and Kaskade-"I remember"
11p
Not sure where to even start on summing up this weekend. Ugh, ugh and oh yeah, UGH. The words 'kill me now' didn't even begin to touch on the chaos that greeted me when I first walked through those doors on Friday morning. I saw some of my worst production...ever...Machines that tore up my arm so bad, I had no feeling in my left hand whatsoever when I got home on Friday. Freaked me the hell out. I've tried driving right-handed, and nearly died. Haha, yeah, we're not ever doing that again. My usual manager somehow vanished, and we got stuck with the shipping manager *again*. Ahhhhhh! Pallets kept collapsing (stupid unloaders!), I ran over my scan gun and somehow managed to wedge that sucker in between the battery and platform (way to go, dork-after 10 minutes, we were finally able to free it), stupid people, I swear to God I'm changing my name after hearing it 1,000 times on the intercom, too many long-hauls for my comfort (and thereby adding to the stress), and trains. Fucking trains!! Jerks! This is the reason I stay sleep-deprived during the work week. Ugh! My only redemption was working D dock shipping today (was on D receiving yet *again*), where there was more freight than you could shake a stick at (until all the other 13 haulers noticed, having nothing to haul off their respective docks, including myself). That was cut short when the haulers got called in to tell us hauling was done, go clean your docks. Ugh, off to sweep my stupid dock. Luckily Pat showed up and I had someone to talk to, while watching our third party clean up and fix yet *another* unloader's mistake.
I did manage to catch Clinton before he took off for first shift, to talk about production and how to ensure I am always making 100%. I asked for an update on my PTL (that gut-feeling that told me to just check it), and later in the day Clinton gave me the paper and....the hell is this?
The hell did that bitch write me up for *this* time??
So for whatever reason, (well I have a few that I won't say here), she wrote me up back in December for a housekeeping issue. The fuck? Housekeeping? Thank God I checked that, because not only does it fall off this week, but that only fuels my hatred for that woman more.
If she replaces Hamilton, I swear to God I quit. Just like that.
I spent the rest of the day cursing her to the fiery pits of Hell.
Other than that issue, my PTL is all but clean, except for the accident, but I'm none too worried about that. Great thing is, I haven't been written up for production, that made me feel awesome. Of course, after this weekend, I'm not too sure, with all the road-blocks I kept hitting. Ugh. So many times this weekend I wanted to stop and say I'm done with this, but this is a rough period, I'm hoping it doesn't last too much longer. It did make me stop and consider other options, which I am going to look into this week. I'm actually considering...and dare I say it....
Okay, I won't say it. Let's not jump the gun.
If you were thinking unloading....HA! Wrong!
I do have to start thinking about it, because walmart seriously is not where I'd like to spend the rest of my life.
Time to get serious...
I took too long to type this, because I kept making typos. Must mean bedtime. Off to see what kind of trouble I can get into this week....
11p
Not sure where to even start on summing up this weekend. Ugh, ugh and oh yeah, UGH. The words 'kill me now' didn't even begin to touch on the chaos that greeted me when I first walked through those doors on Friday morning. I saw some of my worst production...ever...Machines that tore up my arm so bad, I had no feeling in my left hand whatsoever when I got home on Friday. Freaked me the hell out. I've tried driving right-handed, and nearly died. Haha, yeah, we're not ever doing that again. My usual manager somehow vanished, and we got stuck with the shipping manager *again*. Ahhhhhh! Pallets kept collapsing (stupid unloaders!), I ran over my scan gun and somehow managed to wedge that sucker in between the battery and platform (way to go, dork-after 10 minutes, we were finally able to free it), stupid people, I swear to God I'm changing my name after hearing it 1,000 times on the intercom, too many long-hauls for my comfort (and thereby adding to the stress), and trains. Fucking trains!! Jerks! This is the reason I stay sleep-deprived during the work week. Ugh! My only redemption was working D dock shipping today (was on D receiving yet *again*), where there was more freight than you could shake a stick at (until all the other 13 haulers noticed, having nothing to haul off their respective docks, including myself). That was cut short when the haulers got called in to tell us hauling was done, go clean your docks. Ugh, off to sweep my stupid dock. Luckily Pat showed up and I had someone to talk to, while watching our third party clean up and fix yet *another* unloader's mistake.
I did manage to catch Clinton before he took off for first shift, to talk about production and how to ensure I am always making 100%. I asked for an update on my PTL (that gut-feeling that told me to just check it), and later in the day Clinton gave me the paper and....the hell is this?
The hell did that bitch write me up for *this* time??
So for whatever reason, (well I have a few that I won't say here), she wrote me up back in December for a housekeeping issue. The fuck? Housekeeping? Thank God I checked that, because not only does it fall off this week, but that only fuels my hatred for that woman more.
If she replaces Hamilton, I swear to God I quit. Just like that.
I spent the rest of the day cursing her to the fiery pits of Hell.
Other than that issue, my PTL is all but clean, except for the accident, but I'm none too worried about that. Great thing is, I haven't been written up for production, that made me feel awesome. Of course, after this weekend, I'm not too sure, with all the road-blocks I kept hitting. Ugh. So many times this weekend I wanted to stop and say I'm done with this, but this is a rough period, I'm hoping it doesn't last too much longer. It did make me stop and consider other options, which I am going to look into this week. I'm actually considering...and dare I say it....
Okay, I won't say it. Let's not jump the gun.
If you were thinking unloading....HA! Wrong!
I do have to start thinking about it, because walmart seriously is not where I'd like to spend the rest of my life.
Time to get serious...
I took too long to type this, because I kept making typos. Must mean bedtime. Off to see what kind of trouble I can get into this week....
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
A little hope in the midst of tragedy.
This passage was written by my friend, John. It describes what his friends (and close 'family') endured on Friday, May 31st, when a violent twister hit his home of El Reno, Oklahoma. When I first read this last night, my mouth dropped. Not only at these people's story, but at just how well-written and beautiful it was (he asked me to forgive the typos; he typed this from his phone, I believe). How perfect I could picture everything in my mind (not just the fact that I've been there and know what it's like), those people crowded into that small room, hanging on for their lives. I've gone back and read it several times, and tear up every time. This guy should be a journalist or writer. But more importantly, it speaks of his passion for his hometown, and his love for his friends and family, and how they will rise up, dust themselves off, and start the process of rebuilding. I'm still very saddened by those who were lost in the storm, but so thankful, because it could have been much, much worse.
If you took a minute or two out of your busy lives to read this beautiful story, you have my thanks. I was asked to help spread this story around, to show that amidst all the tragedy lately, there is a glimmer of hope. A happy ending where there are so many dead-ends.
And these people continue on.....
Monday, June 3, 2013
Deja vu in so many ways.
Music: "I'll Stand By You," -Carrie Underwood
12:20p
My heart is heavy and hurting today. This past Friday, Oklahoma was once again struck by tornadoes, and flooding, less than two weeks after the F5 monster hit Moore. I came home Friday night from work, hoping to see John for a few minutes, and give him the clothes and other items for the tornado victims. When he told me he wasn't coming, I was confused. He then told me that there will be more people that need it after today. I had no clue what he meant, then he told me to turn on Fox news. Those poor people, now storm-weary after the week before, were now having to run for cover once again. This time, John's home of El Reno had been struck. As I talked to him, he was racing from Louisiana to Oklahoma. I stayed up until nearly 10, glued to the TV and in complete shock. I finally had to reluctantly go to bed. I spent all day worried about him, wondering if his house was okay and his family and friends. On Saturday morning, after putting my stuff on a machine, I went back up to the break room, hoping John would call me to tell me he made it safely. I didn't hear from him. I spent the entire day trying to keep focused on work, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept going down the wrong isle, mixing up numbers, and realizing I wasn't moving near as fast as normal. I was falling behind, and so was my production. At least Eric was nice enough to give me a few doors on C dock to be responsible for, but the freight was so badly mixed, and that was another cause. But I wanted to hear John's voice, to know everything was okay. Everyone noticed I wasn't in my normal good mood.
I came home that night, and had just sat down to eat, when John called me. He was alright, just shaken up and obviously upset. His house had gotten hit, but I didn't know how bad. His friends were okay and had survived. I couldn't talk to him long, but I was glad to hear from him. I didn't get the chance to see any pictures before going to bed, but I knew the tornado was violent. Storm chasing teams had even felt the brunt of the storm...TWC's team's SUV was rolled and flipped over, but thankfully all of the crew inside survived. Their vehicle was completely flattened. Meanwhile, Sean Casey had gotten an intercept, they were all okay. Reed Timmer's Dominator's hood was ripped off in the winds (Ebay, anyone?). But I forgot another crew that had been in the field, as well.....
Sunday, after a really bad day at work (I'll get to that later), I came home completely beat down and angry. I had just turned on the race (Dover..one of my favorite tracks), and had my iPod turned on and was checking facebook. The very first thing I saw was from Sean Casey, and my mouth dropped.
Storm research pioneer, chaser and engineer Tim Samaras had been killed by the violent F3 tornado. Tim's son, Paul, and Tim's long-time friend and chase partner, Carl Young, also lost their lives. During the storm, meteorologists from the local affiliate had told people to 'get in their cars and run from the tornado if they wanted to survive.' The result? A MASSIVE gridlock along the highway as people tried to run. Tim and his crew were in this traffic jam while chasing the storm. John informed me that at the last minute, the tornado took a sudden turn towards them, and there was no way out. There was nothing left of their vehicle (I saw the picture this morning). I could not believe what I had just read. I cried. I looked up to these men for the work they had done, spent years watching them on "Storm Chasers", and had hoped to one day meet Tim and talk shop. These men were some of the most kind, intelligent, safest chasers out there. They were always so cautious. This is a huge blow to the weather community, and a great loss. From what happened with John, to reading this news, I was very saddened and upset. I did not eat dinner, instead stayed glued to facebook and the TV as they aired a special on the tornadoes. I popped in one of my favorite eps of SC's featuring all three of the chase teams (Tim's, Sean's, Reed's) and fell asleep. Today I am remembering these men for what they did and contributed. I hope to be like them someday, in some form. Rest in peace, you'll never be forgotten.
John sent me pictures this morning of his property. He did sustain some damage, but I could not tell how much, as the pic was taken from further back. He is now back in LA, and I can't wait to see him again. This is now personal, and I've never been on this side of things before. I now know someone who was affected, and now learning of this great loss, it hits too close to home. I have said this so many times, and I'll say it again, but never say it can't happen to you, because it can, and it will. Count your blessings, tell your friends and family how much they mean to you, because tomorrow you might not have that chance. So, if you're reading this and I know you personally, family/friend alike, I love you and am so grateful to have you in my life. You're there for a reason. I only hope I mean something to someone, and I must because they're still there.
I only wish things had turned out differently. Why someone would get on TV and tell people to get in their cars and 'run away' is beyond me. Lesson: if you know a tornado is coming, DON'T. GET. ON. THE. ROAD! Get into an inside room, as far from the outside and from windows as possible! I keep a watch on storms for a reason, not just to learn, but to keep myself and friends and family safe. Chasing can be so dangerous, and only pros should do it. Sometimes you get into situations you can't control, and unfortunately in Tim's case, it happened, and he's one of the best there is. If you think you can outrun a tornado in a car, you are completely stupid. Hope this sad tragedy can be learned from.
Okay, so back to work. Started out as a good day. I like having Richard for a manager. He's totally cool. He pretty much let the haulers run rampant all day, not giving us any specified docks/doors. So we all pretty much unspokenly picked our own docks. You bet your ass I picked C dock! haha. Everything was going well, production was easier to focus on now that I knew for sure John was okay. I came back from lunch and figured I'd help out on D dock, as they were getting backed up (what else is new). An RSR named James was in an isle working on putting pallets up. Most all of the freight was going to that isle, so I decided to leave the isle alone and let him work and catch up (too bad the other haulers don't share that notion). Once he was down to the last few, I picked up two pallets and headed for the isle. James was right in front, so I went the next isle down and decided to back them in on the opposite side, respecting his space. I stopped, and prepared to back in, when the next thing I know, there's an orderfiller almost standing on the platform with me. There was a manager right there in the isle when it happened, doing a safety walk. Har har God has a great sense of humor. "I do a safety blitz and this is what ya'll do". is what the manager said. Pedro, a hauler from my area saw what happened. When I asked him later, he told me he saw the orderfiller come up to the stop sign, he honked (I did hear a horn), but he did not look before pulling out. The manager saw this, too. HAD the orderfiller dipshit looked, he would have seen me...I was RIGHT. THERE.
So the manager walks up and gets our names (I know the guy's brother), and tells us that because of all of the accidents that had been happening, there's zero tolerance right now. So the manager tells the guy "I understand you're on production, but you need to be respectful of others' space." Manager looks at me. "As do you". He told the guy first, and I knew the accident wasn't my fault. The biggest peeve? Not taking an occurrence, which I understand and even though it isn't fair, with all the accidents happening lately, it's walmart's rule. No, that wasn't it. Thank God my PTL is clean!!! No, it was the fact that the guy didn't even APOLOGIZE! Didn't own up to it, didn't take responsibility for it! Now, I know I have to be aware, too, and I'm always looking around. Hell, I'll sit at a stop sign for two God damn minutes if I have to, because I DON'T. TRUST. ANYONE. I wasn't really as shaken up as I was the last time I'd gotten hit (two hits in three weeks....UGH). I was more angry at that fact that this idiot didn't even say 'sorry.'
I swear, orderfillers are THE most, irresponsible, inconsiderate, INCOMPETENT, morons I've ever seen in my life. Who on Earth is training these fools? Well, now, I have ZERO respect for any orderfiller whatsoever. I'll let you have your space, that's fine, but don't look at me, don't come near me, don't talk to me. I'll be nice when my job calls for it, but that's it. I learned from a friend who takes part in safety meetings that people are complaining about the orderfillers, but the haulers as well.
She wouldn't say about what. Probably thought I'd get pissed, but I'm more curious than anything. I have nothing to be guilty for, as I do my job, and I do it right. I still want to know, though....
So with that out of the way, I continued on and tried to stay out of that guy's way. After break, I was asked to go clear out 10am's on D dock. All long hauls. Fuck. After that accident, my production took a nosedive. Okay, let's not add to the occurrences! Please! Richard promised that as soon as we cleared those pallets out, we could haul whatever we wanted. I busted my ass to clear out the freight so I could go back to regular hauling. Thank God we stayed a little later, because at the end of the night, when I calculated how many short hauls I'd done (goal is 220), I was shocked, but was able to actually breathe for the first time since before the accident. I made 221. I had just barely made it, after 13 hours of hauling. I was drained, mentally and physically. Even my voice was ragged. I wasn't expecting the news awaiting me when I got home, but that just reminds me that there are bigger things than jerks wrecking people irresponsibly. He's getting written up, too, that makes me feel better. Stupid fuck.
But all that is behind me now, hopefully he'll learn his lesson and come back and apologize. I'm trying to take my mind off of things today. I'm going to try to go and swim and relax and just focus on enjoying the next four days.
Please pray for these people in Oklahoma. Pray for their recovery, and hopefully they'll get a break from this chaos and start the rebuilding and healing process.
Until next time....
12:20p
My heart is heavy and hurting today. This past Friday, Oklahoma was once again struck by tornadoes, and flooding, less than two weeks after the F5 monster hit Moore. I came home Friday night from work, hoping to see John for a few minutes, and give him the clothes and other items for the tornado victims. When he told me he wasn't coming, I was confused. He then told me that there will be more people that need it after today. I had no clue what he meant, then he told me to turn on Fox news. Those poor people, now storm-weary after the week before, were now having to run for cover once again. This time, John's home of El Reno had been struck. As I talked to him, he was racing from Louisiana to Oklahoma. I stayed up until nearly 10, glued to the TV and in complete shock. I finally had to reluctantly go to bed. I spent all day worried about him, wondering if his house was okay and his family and friends. On Saturday morning, after putting my stuff on a machine, I went back up to the break room, hoping John would call me to tell me he made it safely. I didn't hear from him. I spent the entire day trying to keep focused on work, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept going down the wrong isle, mixing up numbers, and realizing I wasn't moving near as fast as normal. I was falling behind, and so was my production. At least Eric was nice enough to give me a few doors on C dock to be responsible for, but the freight was so badly mixed, and that was another cause. But I wanted to hear John's voice, to know everything was okay. Everyone noticed I wasn't in my normal good mood.
I came home that night, and had just sat down to eat, when John called me. He was alright, just shaken up and obviously upset. His house had gotten hit, but I didn't know how bad. His friends were okay and had survived. I couldn't talk to him long, but I was glad to hear from him. I didn't get the chance to see any pictures before going to bed, but I knew the tornado was violent. Storm chasing teams had even felt the brunt of the storm...TWC's team's SUV was rolled and flipped over, but thankfully all of the crew inside survived. Their vehicle was completely flattened. Meanwhile, Sean Casey had gotten an intercept, they were all okay. Reed Timmer's Dominator's hood was ripped off in the winds (Ebay, anyone?). But I forgot another crew that had been in the field, as well.....
Sunday, after a really bad day at work (I'll get to that later), I came home completely beat down and angry. I had just turned on the race (Dover..one of my favorite tracks), and had my iPod turned on and was checking facebook. The very first thing I saw was from Sean Casey, and my mouth dropped.
Storm research pioneer, chaser and engineer Tim Samaras had been killed by the violent F3 tornado. Tim's son, Paul, and Tim's long-time friend and chase partner, Carl Young, also lost their lives. During the storm, meteorologists from the local affiliate had told people to 'get in their cars and run from the tornado if they wanted to survive.' The result? A MASSIVE gridlock along the highway as people tried to run. Tim and his crew were in this traffic jam while chasing the storm. John informed me that at the last minute, the tornado took a sudden turn towards them, and there was no way out. There was nothing left of their vehicle (I saw the picture this morning). I could not believe what I had just read. I cried. I looked up to these men for the work they had done, spent years watching them on "Storm Chasers", and had hoped to one day meet Tim and talk shop. These men were some of the most kind, intelligent, safest chasers out there. They were always so cautious. This is a huge blow to the weather community, and a great loss. From what happened with John, to reading this news, I was very saddened and upset. I did not eat dinner, instead stayed glued to facebook and the TV as they aired a special on the tornadoes. I popped in one of my favorite eps of SC's featuring all three of the chase teams (Tim's, Sean's, Reed's) and fell asleep. Today I am remembering these men for what they did and contributed. I hope to be like them someday, in some form. Rest in peace, you'll never be forgotten.
John sent me pictures this morning of his property. He did sustain some damage, but I could not tell how much, as the pic was taken from further back. He is now back in LA, and I can't wait to see him again. This is now personal, and I've never been on this side of things before. I now know someone who was affected, and now learning of this great loss, it hits too close to home. I have said this so many times, and I'll say it again, but never say it can't happen to you, because it can, and it will. Count your blessings, tell your friends and family how much they mean to you, because tomorrow you might not have that chance. So, if you're reading this and I know you personally, family/friend alike, I love you and am so grateful to have you in my life. You're there for a reason. I only hope I mean something to someone, and I must because they're still there.
I only wish things had turned out differently. Why someone would get on TV and tell people to get in their cars and 'run away' is beyond me. Lesson: if you know a tornado is coming, DON'T. GET. ON. THE. ROAD! Get into an inside room, as far from the outside and from windows as possible! I keep a watch on storms for a reason, not just to learn, but to keep myself and friends and family safe. Chasing can be so dangerous, and only pros should do it. Sometimes you get into situations you can't control, and unfortunately in Tim's case, it happened, and he's one of the best there is. If you think you can outrun a tornado in a car, you are completely stupid. Hope this sad tragedy can be learned from.
Okay, so back to work. Started out as a good day. I like having Richard for a manager. He's totally cool. He pretty much let the haulers run rampant all day, not giving us any specified docks/doors. So we all pretty much unspokenly picked our own docks. You bet your ass I picked C dock! haha. Everything was going well, production was easier to focus on now that I knew for sure John was okay. I came back from lunch and figured I'd help out on D dock, as they were getting backed up (what else is new). An RSR named James was in an isle working on putting pallets up. Most all of the freight was going to that isle, so I decided to leave the isle alone and let him work and catch up (too bad the other haulers don't share that notion). Once he was down to the last few, I picked up two pallets and headed for the isle. James was right in front, so I went the next isle down and decided to back them in on the opposite side, respecting his space. I stopped, and prepared to back in, when the next thing I know, there's an orderfiller almost standing on the platform with me. There was a manager right there in the isle when it happened, doing a safety walk. Har har God has a great sense of humor. "I do a safety blitz and this is what ya'll do". is what the manager said. Pedro, a hauler from my area saw what happened. When I asked him later, he told me he saw the orderfiller come up to the stop sign, he honked (I did hear a horn), but he did not look before pulling out. The manager saw this, too. HAD the orderfiller dipshit looked, he would have seen me...I was RIGHT. THERE.
So the manager walks up and gets our names (I know the guy's brother), and tells us that because of all of the accidents that had been happening, there's zero tolerance right now. So the manager tells the guy "I understand you're on production, but you need to be respectful of others' space." Manager looks at me. "As do you". He told the guy first, and I knew the accident wasn't my fault. The biggest peeve? Not taking an occurrence, which I understand and even though it isn't fair, with all the accidents happening lately, it's walmart's rule. No, that wasn't it. Thank God my PTL is clean!!! No, it was the fact that the guy didn't even APOLOGIZE! Didn't own up to it, didn't take responsibility for it! Now, I know I have to be aware, too, and I'm always looking around. Hell, I'll sit at a stop sign for two God damn minutes if I have to, because I DON'T. TRUST. ANYONE. I wasn't really as shaken up as I was the last time I'd gotten hit (two hits in three weeks....UGH). I was more angry at that fact that this idiot didn't even say 'sorry.'
I swear, orderfillers are THE most, irresponsible, inconsiderate, INCOMPETENT, morons I've ever seen in my life. Who on Earth is training these fools? Well, now, I have ZERO respect for any orderfiller whatsoever. I'll let you have your space, that's fine, but don't look at me, don't come near me, don't talk to me. I'll be nice when my job calls for it, but that's it. I learned from a friend who takes part in safety meetings that people are complaining about the orderfillers, but the haulers as well.
She wouldn't say about what. Probably thought I'd get pissed, but I'm more curious than anything. I have nothing to be guilty for, as I do my job, and I do it right. I still want to know, though....
So with that out of the way, I continued on and tried to stay out of that guy's way. After break, I was asked to go clear out 10am's on D dock. All long hauls. Fuck. After that accident, my production took a nosedive. Okay, let's not add to the occurrences! Please! Richard promised that as soon as we cleared those pallets out, we could haul whatever we wanted. I busted my ass to clear out the freight so I could go back to regular hauling. Thank God we stayed a little later, because at the end of the night, when I calculated how many short hauls I'd done (goal is 220), I was shocked, but was able to actually breathe for the first time since before the accident. I made 221. I had just barely made it, after 13 hours of hauling. I was drained, mentally and physically. Even my voice was ragged. I wasn't expecting the news awaiting me when I got home, but that just reminds me that there are bigger things than jerks wrecking people irresponsibly. He's getting written up, too, that makes me feel better. Stupid fuck.
But all that is behind me now, hopefully he'll learn his lesson and come back and apologize. I'm trying to take my mind off of things today. I'm going to try to go and swim and relax and just focus on enjoying the next four days.
Please pray for these people in Oklahoma. Pray for their recovery, and hopefully they'll get a break from this chaos and start the rebuilding and healing process.
Until next time....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)