Music: Above and Beyond- Group Therapy (Full Album). Yes, I'm kind of on a kick here lately.
9p
This past week alone has given me hope that 2015 will be a really good year (again with the expectations-still not making them). I kept getting good news left and right, and for a Monday, I'm in a great mood! Yeah, not normal for me!
I didn't have an exciting weekend. Boring and slow were the key words. Hardly any work for anyone, thanks to weather playing a factor in our inbound. So that made for a very slow process on the docks. I guess with production looming around the corner, I used that as motivation. I started getting myself in that mode, pacing myself to see just how easy 50 label scans an hour could be. The law is: if there's work, 50 labels is a piece of cake, if there's no work, well, you're kinda screwed. Just like when I used to haul. After nearly two years of not having to worry about production, it's kind of strange to use the word again. Friday and Saturday started out heavy, and I had 50 labels, easy. By lunch, when things started to slow and doors started to close, I was annoyed because like I always say, I can't STAND having nothing to do. My boss sent us folks on the docks home around 4 Friday and Saturday. Was so nice to come home and actually RELAX before the next day. I loved it. After all the overtime and 6-7 days people were working, I know they enjoyed it, too. Our next rush is about to hit, and we'll be begging to be let go. Not gonna happen.
Sunday, I wish they'd have asked me to take VTO. Hell, I should have just stayed home, anyway. Receiving had only three doors, which my boss left Mr. John in charge of. Um, what about me?? I was dumped in Phase One, the only QA to be over there. Supposedly they had all these 3rd party unloaders over there, and I was to be verifying. Okay, cool. So I drove over, got a gun, found a suitable lift, and said a hello to Mr. Paul, who I hadn't seen in almost a year. The last time I was in this building, I was training to be a QA, a year and a half ago! He was so excited to see me. This was the guy who passed me the hauling torch, so to speak. After our chat, I ran all over the empty building, looking for 3rd party. I ended up on A dock where they were all camped out. I'd never seen Dot Com before. Well, there goes the easy day I was so banking on. We don't have anything to do with Dot Com, as they are a separate area. I drove around aimlessly again, until I found my friend Britta and a couple haulers working on some store returns. I decided to make myself at home. Even helped them out a bit (who's taking advantage of the QA with a big bad lift??). I took down my first set of tier racks from up top (no crashes!). Wasn't so bad.
Around one, they packed up shop, and the building became even quieter, and somehow bigger. I was sent back over to Phase 2 for trip audits. While their workload was pretty heavy, you couldn't tell by being on the shipping docks. I only came away with 400 cases. I even got bored and drove around looking for something to do, but I guess everyone had left early because even Phase 2 was dark and quiet. Eerie. I still left around 5:30, so least I got my hours! But I was annoyed because it was a slow day, and not a lot to be done. I had probably the worst lift in P2, because the damn thing would quit and just totally shut down, right in the middle of the main aisle. @%#%& I finally just ditched the damn thing and walked. I'm faster on foot, anyway. Was so glad to be home, and even got some good sleep.
This morning I woke up ready to get the dentist over with. After all, they were just giving me my next 6 weeks worth of trays, quick and easy, in and out. But when my nurse looked at me and asked 'has that gap always been there?', I nearly panicked. I'd worn these damn things all the time! I freak out when the trays AREN'T in! Just a second had passed while these thoughts flashed through my head. But my nurse had me look in a mirror to explain what she'd meant: a tooth next to my top two front teeth hadn't caught up to the others. I could see that the tray wasn't fitting the tooth, and there was a space in the tray where the tooth SHOULD be. She said not to panic, that it's nothing I did, that it's perfectly normal. After the dentist looked at me, the nurse did another full X-ray of all my teeth. This time around, it wasn't so bad. They simply have to do a refinement. The trays I was supposed to get were thrown out, and I will be getting new ones that will fit even better.
This just means that I will have to wear my braces a little while longer. While I am a little disappointed, I still am getting them off before Christmas! I can endure it a little longer :) So many people have said they see a difference, and I can feel it in just about everything I do. While looking back over the past year, I had a flashback to when I saw the projected outcome on the computer screen, and started crying. Yes, happy tears! I've come so far in this, 9 months down already, 9 and probably a 1/2 to go! So excited to see the final outcome, and thanks to those that have been supportive during this! Love ya'll!
More to come later this week, I'm not done yet, this is only the beginning! My hands and eyes are tired, and I have a screaming alert on Wartune that my inventory is full. Until next time! I'm off to ride out this happy mood I'm in.....and spread it around to those that need it. Hugs.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
3 years, 3 times as hard?
Music: Above and Beyond's "We Are All We Need"
11:20a
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I really hate Mondays. Mondays are not my friend. I don't get that after-three-days-of-working-sleep anymore. I might as well stay up all night for all the good it does me. I'm never in the best mood on Mondays. So why today? In what can only be described as the weirdest weekend I've ever experienced in the three years I've been at this warehouse, I should be....happier. I got my first real feel of what my new boss expects from us. As long as you're current on your tasks, that's all he asks for. Friday left me in charge of three docks, running full speed. Flow had 5 doors, B shipping had 8, B receiving had 17. If I hadn't been allowed to have an RR, or if I didn't have that lady helping me verify labels, I don't see how I'd have kept my numbers down. Top that with setting primes and running to the office every 5 minutes for people running out of slots, and it was a full plate. Running three docks, and it never came to a point to where I had to ask for backup (which we had none anyway). I wasn't as tired at the end of the day as I should have been. So I decided to keep tabs on everything going on the next couple of days.
Saturday was more or less laid back. Two docks running this time, and by three that afternoon, everything was pretty much shut down. Not a lot to do. Boring.
Peaceful.
Yesterday was slow. By slow, I mean wanna-gouge-your-eyeballs-out boring. And those that know me know that I hate not having anything to do. Makes for a long day, and that's exactly what it was. I had only one dock (see a pattern here?), and by lunch time most of receiving was gone. Only 20 trucks, which meant a quick day for them. Once I had every door shut down, I took off on my lift, looking all over the warehouse in various slots, trying to find lost freight. I came up empty. I took a late break, then took off to help Mr. John try to find his missing labels. I hid myself on D dock, and I didn't really need to. I even got to talk to my boss for a bit. Gave me some wise advice anyone can use: sometimes you have to sift through the dirt to find the gold. Meaning, if you want something, you have to dig for it, work hard for it. And don't give up. I could tell anyone what I learned, but I know who would and who wouldn't take that advice.
After hanging out with Mr. John and having some good laughs, we decided we'd done all we can do, and after everything that happened with the last boss, can you blame us for our hesitation to go down to the office?? I REALLY didn't feel like doing strays, RR or not. So once we finally got down there, my boss takes our reports and says perfect, not to worry, he's got it. Wow. Old boss would have yelled and demanded we get our asses back out there and look harder. All verifiers were then turned loose for the night. And I finally figured out the answer to my question. So why wasn't I so tired? Answer: no stress. You take stress out of the equation, and you'd be amazed by how fast things change. I wasn't under any stress this weekend. I had no idea just how much it was dragging me down, why I'd felt as if I'd been run over by an 18-wheeler after every week. I'm not saying it's going to last: things are changing fast, and come February, everything will be different. I'll worry about it when the time comes.
So I'm happy I'm getting to leave early, it's still daylight outside! I go up front and I'm talking to my friend in AP, and saying have a good night. Once out the door and I see the car and I'm thinking oh my God poor thing is caked in mud but who cares I'm free!- and I hear my name. It's my friend from AP. The same guy who cut me a break when I was testing for my PE license two years ago. He took me aside and said how proud of me he was, how I'd kinda moved up now that I had my RR. He told me he was glad I'd made it as far as I had, and how I should maybe consider moving up, like AP. I did say I was keeping all options open at this point, and said how it'll be three years in a couple of weeks. He told me keep it up, and he even shook my hand. He brought back memories of when I was trying to get a handle on driving a PE (and the times I crashed into a pole, the firewall, the tier racks..).
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the past three years have been up and down; difficult at times, even impossible, but I'm still standing. There's been fun times, too, of course. Times I never would have had, had I stayed at that store. I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. I'll be free soon, to move and explore other options if I wish, or just stick to my original plan and go back to hauling. I have only a few weeks left to really think about it, then I have to make my move.
For now, I'm proud of how far I've come and what I've accomplished.
Only time will tell the rest....
11:20a
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I really hate Mondays. Mondays are not my friend. I don't get that after-three-days-of-working-sleep anymore. I might as well stay up all night for all the good it does me. I'm never in the best mood on Mondays. So why today? In what can only be described as the weirdest weekend I've ever experienced in the three years I've been at this warehouse, I should be....happier. I got my first real feel of what my new boss expects from us. As long as you're current on your tasks, that's all he asks for. Friday left me in charge of three docks, running full speed. Flow had 5 doors, B shipping had 8, B receiving had 17. If I hadn't been allowed to have an RR, or if I didn't have that lady helping me verify labels, I don't see how I'd have kept my numbers down. Top that with setting primes and running to the office every 5 minutes for people running out of slots, and it was a full plate. Running three docks, and it never came to a point to where I had to ask for backup (which we had none anyway). I wasn't as tired at the end of the day as I should have been. So I decided to keep tabs on everything going on the next couple of days.
Saturday was more or less laid back. Two docks running this time, and by three that afternoon, everything was pretty much shut down. Not a lot to do. Boring.
Peaceful.
Yesterday was slow. By slow, I mean wanna-gouge-your-eyeballs-out boring. And those that know me know that I hate not having anything to do. Makes for a long day, and that's exactly what it was. I had only one dock (see a pattern here?), and by lunch time most of receiving was gone. Only 20 trucks, which meant a quick day for them. Once I had every door shut down, I took off on my lift, looking all over the warehouse in various slots, trying to find lost freight. I came up empty. I took a late break, then took off to help Mr. John try to find his missing labels. I hid myself on D dock, and I didn't really need to. I even got to talk to my boss for a bit. Gave me some wise advice anyone can use: sometimes you have to sift through the dirt to find the gold. Meaning, if you want something, you have to dig for it, work hard for it. And don't give up. I could tell anyone what I learned, but I know who would and who wouldn't take that advice.
After hanging out with Mr. John and having some good laughs, we decided we'd done all we can do, and after everything that happened with the last boss, can you blame us for our hesitation to go down to the office?? I REALLY didn't feel like doing strays, RR or not. So once we finally got down there, my boss takes our reports and says perfect, not to worry, he's got it. Wow. Old boss would have yelled and demanded we get our asses back out there and look harder. All verifiers were then turned loose for the night. And I finally figured out the answer to my question. So why wasn't I so tired? Answer: no stress. You take stress out of the equation, and you'd be amazed by how fast things change. I wasn't under any stress this weekend. I had no idea just how much it was dragging me down, why I'd felt as if I'd been run over by an 18-wheeler after every week. I'm not saying it's going to last: things are changing fast, and come February, everything will be different. I'll worry about it when the time comes.
So I'm happy I'm getting to leave early, it's still daylight outside! I go up front and I'm talking to my friend in AP, and saying have a good night. Once out the door and I see the car and I'm thinking oh my God poor thing is caked in mud but who cares I'm free!- and I hear my name. It's my friend from AP. The same guy who cut me a break when I was testing for my PE license two years ago. He took me aside and said how proud of me he was, how I'd kinda moved up now that I had my RR. He told me he was glad I'd made it as far as I had, and how I should maybe consider moving up, like AP. I did say I was keeping all options open at this point, and said how it'll be three years in a couple of weeks. He told me keep it up, and he even shook my hand. He brought back memories of when I was trying to get a handle on driving a PE (and the times I crashed into a pole, the firewall, the tier racks..).
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the past three years have been up and down; difficult at times, even impossible, but I'm still standing. There's been fun times, too, of course. Times I never would have had, had I stayed at that store. I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. I'll be free soon, to move and explore other options if I wish, or just stick to my original plan and go back to hauling. I have only a few weeks left to really think about it, then I have to make my move.
For now, I'm proud of how far I've come and what I've accomplished.
Only time will tell the rest....
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Spirit of Fire
Music: "Sirens of the Sea" - Above and Beyond-The Acoustic Album
6:40p
Let me start off by saying happy 2015. I was planning on summing up 2014 in a post, but just never made it that far. The end of 2014 was awesome; I spent my first New Year's with my boyfriend. We spent the day and night with the roommates, popping fireworks and playing beer pong. I think it was somewhere around 5am when everyone called it a night. Was very cold, but we all had a blast.
Things have gotten off to a weird start this year. First off, I made no goals for myself for this year. I decided that doing so would just put me in a position where I'd be let down one way or another, like in years past. So with that being said, I'm just taking everything one day at a time. I know what I want, and I know what I'm willing to do to get it.
Aside from drama in my personal life (we won't get into that), things at work have more or less improved. I finally got my license to drive one of the biggest machines in the warehouse (only took me a year and a half, and lots of complaining to get it). Really don't see how those guys run around with that thing all day in the aisles, but that's just me. They're still fun to drive (and do donuts on the docks), and just adds to my resume. There are still lots of changes going on. I've decided that QA no longer is the best option for me. So I have made the decision to go back to hauling. It's not an easy decision I just jumped to-so many months I was going back and forth between 'yes, I want to go back,' and 'no, I don't think it's best.' I got the last nail hammered into my coffin, so to speak. Yes, I know the state of my hands and wrists isn't the best, and I'm taking a serious risk by going back, but I'm willing to put that all on the line to get what I want. Only time will tell, but this is something I feel I have to do.
This past weekend wasn't so bad. We got a new boss who seems to know his way around, and while he does run a tight shift, there are seemingly more advantages to working with him. I spent the entire weekend meandering between the Flow dock and B shipping, all while trading/stealing RR's, and getting more of a feel for them now that I'm free of my trainer. I left Sunday night at an early time, and for the first time, had a smile on my face that it was over for the week. I didn't feel tired; I felt energized. I grabbed a bite to eat and headed home, slowly, thanks to the fog. Once home, I curled up to watch a movie and fell asleep, but it didn't last long; the thermostat somehow got bumped up to 75, and was way too hot to sleep. I figured since I was up, might check facebook since I hadn't touched it since Friday. I wish I had looked sooner....
My heart is broken and I'm saddened to say that my dear friend, Arnitta ('Miss Arnie' as I called her), lost her long battle with lung cancer on Saturday. I was devastated. I had known her way back when I first started with Walmart; she was my primary hair stylist for a long time. She became a great friend to me. Her big, warm hugs, and her personality alone were what would always brighten my day. I loved our talks. She always talked about her son, who had passed away a long time ago. I knew she loved and missed him. I was sad when I found out she had cancer, but you'd never know, thanks to her spirit and warm smile. She never made a big deal of it or complained. Miss Arnie was a joy to get to know, and I'm grateful our paths crossed.
I sat up for about an hour, just reading all the posts on Arnie's page, from friends and family. I couldn't stop crying. This woman touched so many lives, and was known and loved by many. I couldn't sleep that night. Instead, I jumped on Wartune, and started aimlessly wandering the different maps, looking for monsters to kill. My friend, Foxy, noticed I was up late for a Sunday. I explained what happened, and she expressed her sympathies. She helped me comb the wilds in between my crying fits. We even took down a couple of monsters. John got home somewhere around 1:30, and between his running on fumes from working so much, and my emotional state, we got into it on the game over hunting parties. I got mad and logged off, but not before letting John know what happened, and why I was so upset. He called me immediately, apologizing, and asking who had passed. He said talking about it might help, and that just made me cry more. I told him she'd be asking me why I'm crying so much! I decided I'd try to sleep; it was around 2am, and I'd been up nearly 24 hours. I didn't think I'd fall asleep...
I swear to God I heard the Tetris theme song in my dream. God seems to know when I need people, always at just the right time. Things are funny like that. Because when I woke up, and no, it wasn't a dream, damn song was really playing. It was my phone, and on the other side was James. Dammit son go back to bed...and, oh look, it's 9am. Everything came rushing back from the night before, and somewhere, in the haze I was in, was James' voice, telling me to get ready. Monday morning, after a 3-day work week, I found this out last night, was up til 2am, and you want me to do what? I was completely out of it and couldn't remember how to function, much less form a coherent sentence, and the whole time I'm thinking of how much I just want to roll over and go back to sleep, and God only knows how I must have sounded to him, when it finally hits me that there must be a reason, that you can always Kill James Later, then go back to sleep! The whole time he's relentless and is trying to get me to wake up, he may as well have been in my room, jumping on my bed! I wanted to laugh at the whole thing, but my brain would not make the connection. I told him at least can I get a shower, before he let me go, warning me to not go back to sleep. I considered that for a brief moment. Okay, so it was longer than that, and it would have been so easy to just close my eyes again....God I love my friends. :)
I was up and in the shower, thinking about the night before, not really sure what to do or where to go. I told James about what happened. I didn't feel much like myself; I felt numb. Empty. Not sure what to say. It was nice to fall back into that easy routine, to take my mind off things for a bit. I said I love my friends and God knows it. I wasn't sure how to tell James thank you. Still not sure on that one, but maybe it was just one of those unspoken things, that God knew I needed someone to lift my spirits, and delivered in a way that only He knows how.
Coming home, I holed myself up in my room, back on Wartune, combing the maps once again, still grieving. I didn't open my window, or turn on the TV. Around 2, I curled up in bed and turned on Mtv's Catfish in the background. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I stayed where I was. I felt drained. Eventually, I got up and cooked dinner, and that made me feel a bit better. After talking to some friends on Wartune and killing some more monsters, I curled back up in bed, and fell asleep again. Somewhere in all this, John called me. It was around 10:30. I must have been completely out, because I could barely form a sentence. Hearing his voice made me feel more at ease. I remember he told me it was cold. Don't remember much else. I knew after his call I'd sleep better. I did; I pretty much slept myself out, and when I woke up this morning, I felt much better. I know Arnie isn't hurting anymore, and she's with her son finally. I'll always remember her for her spirit, her fire. So, today, when I jumped on Wartune, I named my Fire Sylph (pet) 'Arnie' after Miss Arnie, for her courageous spirit, and warm heart. Her bravery will always inspire me. May her soul rest in peace.
To my family and friends, I love you all. If I never say it enough, I'll keep saying it. I love you all, God bless.
6:40p
Let me start off by saying happy 2015. I was planning on summing up 2014 in a post, but just never made it that far. The end of 2014 was awesome; I spent my first New Year's with my boyfriend. We spent the day and night with the roommates, popping fireworks and playing beer pong. I think it was somewhere around 5am when everyone called it a night. Was very cold, but we all had a blast.
Things have gotten off to a weird start this year. First off, I made no goals for myself for this year. I decided that doing so would just put me in a position where I'd be let down one way or another, like in years past. So with that being said, I'm just taking everything one day at a time. I know what I want, and I know what I'm willing to do to get it.
Aside from drama in my personal life (we won't get into that), things at work have more or less improved. I finally got my license to drive one of the biggest machines in the warehouse (only took me a year and a half, and lots of complaining to get it). Really don't see how those guys run around with that thing all day in the aisles, but that's just me. They're still fun to drive (and do donuts on the docks), and just adds to my resume. There are still lots of changes going on. I've decided that QA no longer is the best option for me. So I have made the decision to go back to hauling. It's not an easy decision I just jumped to-so many months I was going back and forth between 'yes, I want to go back,' and 'no, I don't think it's best.' I got the last nail hammered into my coffin, so to speak. Yes, I know the state of my hands and wrists isn't the best, and I'm taking a serious risk by going back, but I'm willing to put that all on the line to get what I want. Only time will tell, but this is something I feel I have to do.
This past weekend wasn't so bad. We got a new boss who seems to know his way around, and while he does run a tight shift, there are seemingly more advantages to working with him. I spent the entire weekend meandering between the Flow dock and B shipping, all while trading/stealing RR's, and getting more of a feel for them now that I'm free of my trainer. I left Sunday night at an early time, and for the first time, had a smile on my face that it was over for the week. I didn't feel tired; I felt energized. I grabbed a bite to eat and headed home, slowly, thanks to the fog. Once home, I curled up to watch a movie and fell asleep, but it didn't last long; the thermostat somehow got bumped up to 75, and was way too hot to sleep. I figured since I was up, might check facebook since I hadn't touched it since Friday. I wish I had looked sooner....
My heart is broken and I'm saddened to say that my dear friend, Arnitta ('Miss Arnie' as I called her), lost her long battle with lung cancer on Saturday. I was devastated. I had known her way back when I first started with Walmart; she was my primary hair stylist for a long time. She became a great friend to me. Her big, warm hugs, and her personality alone were what would always brighten my day. I loved our talks. She always talked about her son, who had passed away a long time ago. I knew she loved and missed him. I was sad when I found out she had cancer, but you'd never know, thanks to her spirit and warm smile. She never made a big deal of it or complained. Miss Arnie was a joy to get to know, and I'm grateful our paths crossed.
I sat up for about an hour, just reading all the posts on Arnie's page, from friends and family. I couldn't stop crying. This woman touched so many lives, and was known and loved by many. I couldn't sleep that night. Instead, I jumped on Wartune, and started aimlessly wandering the different maps, looking for monsters to kill. My friend, Foxy, noticed I was up late for a Sunday. I explained what happened, and she expressed her sympathies. She helped me comb the wilds in between my crying fits. We even took down a couple of monsters. John got home somewhere around 1:30, and between his running on fumes from working so much, and my emotional state, we got into it on the game over hunting parties. I got mad and logged off, but not before letting John know what happened, and why I was so upset. He called me immediately, apologizing, and asking who had passed. He said talking about it might help, and that just made me cry more. I told him she'd be asking me why I'm crying so much! I decided I'd try to sleep; it was around 2am, and I'd been up nearly 24 hours. I didn't think I'd fall asleep...
I swear to God I heard the Tetris theme song in my dream. God seems to know when I need people, always at just the right time. Things are funny like that. Because when I woke up, and no, it wasn't a dream, damn song was really playing. It was my phone, and on the other side was James. Dammit son go back to bed...and, oh look, it's 9am. Everything came rushing back from the night before, and somewhere, in the haze I was in, was James' voice, telling me to get ready. Monday morning, after a 3-day work week, I found this out last night, was up til 2am, and you want me to do what? I was completely out of it and couldn't remember how to function, much less form a coherent sentence, and the whole time I'm thinking of how much I just want to roll over and go back to sleep, and God only knows how I must have sounded to him, when it finally hits me that there must be a reason, that you can always Kill James Later, then go back to sleep! The whole time he's relentless and is trying to get me to wake up, he may as well have been in my room, jumping on my bed! I wanted to laugh at the whole thing, but my brain would not make the connection. I told him at least can I get a shower, before he let me go, warning me to not go back to sleep. I considered that for a brief moment. Okay, so it was longer than that, and it would have been so easy to just close my eyes again....God I love my friends. :)
I was up and in the shower, thinking about the night before, not really sure what to do or where to go. I told James about what happened. I didn't feel much like myself; I felt numb. Empty. Not sure what to say. It was nice to fall back into that easy routine, to take my mind off things for a bit. I said I love my friends and God knows it. I wasn't sure how to tell James thank you. Still not sure on that one, but maybe it was just one of those unspoken things, that God knew I needed someone to lift my spirits, and delivered in a way that only He knows how.
Coming home, I holed myself up in my room, back on Wartune, combing the maps once again, still grieving. I didn't open my window, or turn on the TV. Around 2, I curled up in bed and turned on Mtv's Catfish in the background. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I stayed where I was. I felt drained. Eventually, I got up and cooked dinner, and that made me feel a bit better. After talking to some friends on Wartune and killing some more monsters, I curled back up in bed, and fell asleep again. Somewhere in all this, John called me. It was around 10:30. I must have been completely out, because I could barely form a sentence. Hearing his voice made me feel more at ease. I remember he told me it was cold. Don't remember much else. I knew after his call I'd sleep better. I did; I pretty much slept myself out, and when I woke up this morning, I felt much better. I know Arnie isn't hurting anymore, and she's with her son finally. I'll always remember her for her spirit, her fire. So, today, when I jumped on Wartune, I named my Fire Sylph (pet) 'Arnie' after Miss Arnie, for her courageous spirit, and warm heart. Her bravery will always inspire me. May her soul rest in peace.
To my family and friends, I love you all. If I never say it enough, I'll keep saying it. I love you all, God bless.
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