Waiting for Hanna

I have a pretty nice view of the Manhattan skyline from my apartment but it is so overcast that I can't even see it. Not even an outline of the skyline. Obviously, this is just the first act of Hanna for us in New York. We had rain last night around midnight but apparently that is just the warm up for today. We are supposed to get slammed today but not as hard as the Carolinas, so no complaints from me. It's kind of funny. Just last week, I was talking to my new coworkers about weather and how living in the Midwest has prepared me for a lot of different weather related catastrophes but hurricanes kind of scare me. Like Tornadoes do not scare me as much as I know they should. I did have a minor freak out about the floods because it was a lot closer to my apartment then I ever thought the flood waters would get. I have been through several snow storms, thunder storms, hail, wind, heat and humidity. You name it, if you have ever lived in the Midwest for any amount of time, you have lived though it but hurricanes is a whole new thing. My coworkers found my revelation funny. Why I don't know? Apparently hurricanes don't scare them either or really any kind of weather disaster, they are more concern with terrorist attacks then anything that a hurricane or tornado could do to them. Well, that really didn't soothe my fears but just give me more. Thanks a lot Justine!

So here we are, a week later, with Tropical Storm Hanna. I am pleased that she is no longer a hurricane but she is still going to wreck havoc here. Brooklyn is actually below sea level, so flooding is a possibility. I'm not so worried for my apartment because Sunset park is the highest point in Brooklyn and I am only a block away but I really don't want to go through that again. I have food and coke and the day off so I'll be fine for today. I close tomorrow night so I don't have to leave here until after 3pm. I can only hope that will give the city enough time to dry out because I have no idea if the subways will flood or not or whatever. So, today I'm just going to stay in and hope for the best.

Merry Christmas?

I like my job but there are things I really don't like about my job. For one, the whole month of December! Every day gets a little more busier and a little more stressful. It is almost like you can feel people on the verge of freaking out. With every passing day, people are getting less and nice and more and more impatient and in some cases down right rude. I'm sorry We don't have that book you wanted, maybe you should have started your shopping months ago. It's not like Christmas happens every December 25th, oh wait it does. And if dealing with people isn't bad enough, it's listening to Christmas music all the time. I used to love Christmas music but after listening it too all weekend long. Almost 32 hours of it! I'm just so sick of it but it doesn't matter how many times I hear the Christmas Song or Frosty the Snowman, I can't stop singing along to it. Making it even more annoying! This year has even been more challenging then usual because of the ice storms we have already had this year. It's been kind of unusual that we have had two major ice storms this early. We are still trying to make up from first Ice storm that happen while I was in Portland and last week we had freezing rain. (I didn't mind that one so much because it made the mall close early so I got paid for a full shift even though I only worked for 3 hours!) Because of these storms, we had to cut hours so we have been understaffed for all of the holiday season and that sucks. How are we supposed to give the good customer service when we are constantly running back and forth. I can't even get my v-carts shelved in a timely manner because I'm so busy cashiering or helping customers to do so. I can only imagine the sales we lost because a.) people couldn't find the book they were looking for because it was in a box we hadn't received yet or a cart that hasn't been shelved yet or b.) people who didn't want to wait in line because I was the only at info for the last 8 hours we were open or there was only 2 people at the registers. It's just really frustrating and there really isn't anything we can do. It's not like we can control the weather or anything and speaking of which. I guess we are expected to get another round of rain and snow mix this weekend. ho ho ho. Ick. I really do like my job but not right now.

And now for something happier, if you haven't read about my weekend in Portland. Click Here!

Day 12. Can you believe it?

It has been unseasonably warm yesterday and today. I think it's been in like the 50's! It's November people! This is great. Today, when I went to Hy-Vee to get lunch I could have left my Hogwarts jacket at home. It's just so weird that I have yet to get my winter coat out and it's almost halfway through November! Of course, you know this mean we are going to be paying for this later. It's going to be one freaking freezing winter but for now I will enjoy it and give thanks where it's due. :D

Last night was our Holiday meeting as I mentioned. It wasn't as bad as I always expect it too but it was still boring. This year, they had all the leads speak first and then did all the miscellanious things last, which was nice because I think it did move a bit quicker and it also meant we got to skip over things that really were not that important. I had to present a few books my zone and of course, I forgot most of what I wanted to say and now I am kind of kicking myself for not because I had the whole store there! Oh well. I will just have to deal with it. After the meeting we went to Old Chicago for a little store bonding. We had a good turn out but it wasn't as many as last year and for the most part it was the same people that always come out. Annie and Rebekah came out. That was surprised. More Annie then Rebekah. No one really all that new came. Lars, our new head cashier came out but he started in like August so he really isn't all that new. It would have been nice if some of the new new people came out. Maybe I might have liked them more. Old Chicago kicked us out early and some of us were not ready to go home. So went to Jackie's place for the some more bonding and played Apples 2 Apples and I think I got home around 3am. It was just Jackie, Kat, Melissa, Scott, Aaron (he doesn't work at the store anymore but we let him hang out with us anyway) and I. It was just really nice to hang out with just them. They have kind of become the core of the store to me with Rachel, Rebekah and mom. I know when I work with them that they are going to do their job so I can do mine and everything is going to great. I wished I had more peace of mind like that.

In a few minutes, I'm going to have to start to get ready for work. I usually close Mondays so that's not a big deal but tomorrow I have to open. So that means, when I get off at 10:30 tonight, I am going to have to rush home and try to make myself go to sleep so I can get to work at 7am tomorrow. You know how much of a morning person I am not so I am less then pleased with arrangements and I really wished I had noticed this earlier because this is going to suck. Of course I want to complain but I know that at least twice in the last two weeks, Tony who makes the schedules, has closed and then opened the next morning too and he lives in Cedar Rapids! So that's an extra half and hour it takes him to get work and back each way but then again he is manager and I am definitely not!