Oomph.

Yesterday was the first day of the new job. It went pretty well, actually. I think I made a good impression, since I spent any time that could have been idle time, asking what else there was for me to do. And there was always something. Always. I like that. I still don't know what half the vegetables are, but I'm learning how pretty much everything else works. Closed last night, and went through most of the closing procedure (taking perishables into the walk-in cooler for overnight) and then I was there again for opening this morning (less than 12 hours later! Whee!)

Interesting note about THAT, by the way... I got there, and Tim, the main Reciever guy, was outside, peering into the window. They had given Mahvash, the store manager the rest of the week off, starting today, and hadn't told Kevin (manager of the Market location) that he was supposed to be there. And they ALSO had neglected to realize that Kevin doesn't have keys for the Bank St. store. Oof. So after one of the truck drivers (with a delivery for us) called Jeremy (the HR guy(?)) and quite literally said "What the fuck is going on, man?" he showed up at about 7:30, unlocked the store, and we went about madly rushing to and fro, setting up the store to open at 8:00.

Kevin is awesome, and seems to be about my age or slightly older. I almost wish they had sent me to the Market location for training, but he said it's pretty slow-paced there right now, so I'm glad that I'm where I am, since it seems to be busy all the time.

Mahvash is fantastic, and so very funny. Never in my life have I heard someone shout the phrase "I KEEL You!" so often! (Actually, I've never heard someone actually USE it and be unaware of how amusing it sounds. She just has the right accent for it to be almost perfect.)

Most of the rest of the people who I've met so far seem to be pretty cool (though there's one older gentleman who seems grouchy most of the time, but I don't blame him. I just wish he'd realize that IT'S MY FIRST DAY so please... be PATIENT. I'm learning how to do this shit.)

I work again on Thursday at noon, Friday at 7 (whee!) and Saturday at... whenever. Kevin isn't the manager of this store, and won't be around on Saturday, so he doesn't really know (or care :P).

As an aside, walking around all day, like I did at BouClair, is easy. Standing in one place for most of the day, sorting and packaging produce, is REALLY FUCKING HARD on the back. (Seriously, it hasn't spasm-and-cramped this hard in a hell of a long time.) I need to start doing core exercises again. My back doesn't like holding the rest of me up and still. And yes, I've been standing with one foot up on something and all that. It just makes the other foot sore from holding most of my weight on a concrete floor. I plan to spend as much of the rest of the night, and at least half of tomorrow, as still as possible.

Nervous

Tuesday after work, I called my new boss to find out which store I was going to on Monday. He still doesn't know. I'm to call him again tomorrow to find out. It looks like I'll be starting training at either the Bank St. location or the Market location, but he confirmed that the actual position will be over at Lincoln Fields, once training is complete.

Finances are still tight, in the meantime, as is food. Pants are the opposite, which is a little unsettling. I've been trying to gain weight up to about 190 pounds, and now I'm back down to around 165 (I was at 180 for a while). So frustrating. On the other hand, it means I'm faster, since my muscles are the same size, and i've got less weight to carry around.

Quick tip: If you want to lose weight fast, eat two hot dogs a day and exercise a lot. Essentially, extremely reduced carbohydrate intake, focusing mostly on protein and some healty fats. (Not that hot dogs are HEALTHY, per se, but you know what I'm getting at.)

One of these days, once I have a little more financial leeway, I'm going to sit down and try to come up with a proper meal plan for myself. Something with variety and ease of preparation, because getting home at 9:30-10:00 makes you not want to cook anything.

I'm going to miss working at BouClair. The people are awesome, and I like what I do. I just wish it paid far far far better, especially since I'm more or less a department manager in all but title, which means I don't get the pay that comes with it. Ah well, Assistant Manager sounds better anyways.

Forth into the abyss!

*Awkward*

So... How exactly does one write a letter of resignation?

I took the job at the Grocery place today. He's starting me at $9.75/hr, and said during the interview last week that it would go up pretty quickly, depending on how fast I pick up product knowledge and such. I know plants to a certain point, and I'm pretty good at picking up details, so it's more or less a matter of picking up how to deal with produce and stock and such.

I need to discuss with my boss whether or not I'm still elegible for my vacation pay, because if I can get that on top of my first paycheck from this new place, that would take a huge load off my back. I THINK I can request it now, and take "vacation" after my two weeks is up. We'll see. I need to talk to my boss about it tomorrow. *sigh* I LIKE working here, I just wish it paid better. And had more openings for management or whatnot. It's frustrating.

Oh well, benefits and higher pay win out over a (mostly) fantastic working environment.

*GLEE* SUCH a huge weight off my shoulders. Particularly if I get hold of that vacation pay. That will make me (and others!) very very very happy squid. (Yes, squid. everybody says "happy bunny".. squid are more fun.)

Job? Job?? Job!!

Yesterday was the first interview at a Sporting Goods place... Merely the fact that they were unaware (or just forgot) that there was an interview booked for 11 AM. Not the best of starts, in my opinion...

Starting at 8/hr, up tp 8.75-ish after 3 months. It's mine if I want it, I just have to call on Monday. But do I want it?

...

Today was the second interview, at a Grocery place. I was slightly early, and as I was filling out the application, the Owner asked "Do I have an interview now?" and the secretary type lady responded "Yes, I have him filling out an application form now." Hee.

So, I walked in, and... when I e-mailed off my resume, I thought I recognized the last name (not a tangent, I swear!) ... I recognized him instantly, though he took a few seconds to place me. Off to a good start, since I'm an awesome CSM (Customer Service Monkey). Quite possibly the longest interview I've ever had. Started at 11:30, and I was walking down the stairs from his office at 1:00...

We're looking at starting 9.25/hr, more hours than I currently get, wage increase in a month or a bit more, depending on how fast I pick things up. Benefits after 3 months (*DANCEYGLEE*) and up to 10/hr easily by the end of the year. If I pick up some other responsibilities, pay goes up accordingly (which is REALLY nice to hear).

Yeah, I don't think I'm going to take that other one... Even though it's something I know very well. I think I'd enjoy the challenge of learning how to deal with produce and stuff.

Oh, and before anybody asks, no, there's no staff discount. As a matter of fact, I think he's got the best loss prevention scheme ever. No staff purchasing whatsoever. That way, if a staff member is leaving with product, it's very clear that it was not paid for. We can certainly bring another person, shop, push the cart, etc, etc, but we can't go through the cash. It's incredibly simple, and not exactly inconvenient, considering there are grocery stores all over.

Potentially the Lincoln Fields location.

Whee not being broke-ass broke!

WorkworkworkworkSPLAT

So I'm getting fed up with the ultra-slow pace of things at work. As much as I want to be there to get to completely re-do the entire blinds department come November, I don't think I can maintain myself financially at this rate.

So I'm looking for other, better-paying jobs.

The funniest thing is, there's a listing for an Interior Decorator based in one of the East end stores. I'm going to ask about that tomorrow, for sure. I don't have the certificate or whatever it is they want, but I have a good eye for colour, as well as the aesthetics of decorating. I could do it, damn it.

Essentially what I'm looking for is anything that pays $10/hr, is permanent, and full time. Or anything over $30k/yr. And I KNOW the math on those doesn't match up, but that's not the point. So far, I've fired off six actual resume emails today, including the one through a job application website applet thing for a travel company. I still have *counts* 19 job listing windows open. It might take me a little while to get through all of them. Writing cover letters is tough, particularly when you're stretching a bit to make it sound like you're really qualified for the position, when you're only just a little qualified for it.

Ah well.

Hopefully I'll get one of the higher paying positions (like the Warehouse Supervisor position that pays $35-40k/yr *grin*)

I've got a kind of wussy looking resume right now, but that's what happens when all I've done is retail for the past six years, and have a partially finished Robotics diploma (feh. burned out on it at the same time that i ran out of cash, meaning no finishing THAT one. welding is the next try. eventually.)

I have important things that I want to do in the next three to five years. I'm running out of time, and, well, they're IMPORTANT.

Bed should be attempted, so that I'm not a zombie for the shipment tomorrow. It's likely furniture, lamps, and greenery/fake flowers. And maybe some blankets or throws or something. But I like to be able to think clearly when it comes to merchandising things, and rearranging stuff so that it looks good, and not just thrown onto a shelf.

False daylight

It makes me a little sad to know that, were I back home in Almonte, or just outside town, actually, it would be pitch black. But since I'm not just in the city, but in downtown Ottawa, the light pollution is such that the dense cloud cover makes it light enough to read out on my balcony. Not that I'm going to do that, because it's all wet, thanks to the wonderfully fantastic thunderstorm and continuing rain that we had tonight.

It was raining so hard when I left work this evening that it was almost like stepping into a wall of water. I couldn't see the road across the parking lot, and I could barely see the headlights of cars driving along it.

So I walked to the bus stop, laughing at all the people running for cover. It was raining enough that no matter how fast you ran, you'd get soaked through and through.

Now, sadly, it's 19C. Time to go curl up under my duvet.

Melty? Noooo, it's not THAT hot yet!

Okay, so it's 36 degrees Celsius, with 47% humidity, which APPARENTLY calculates to 47 degrees Celsius on the "Humidex"/"Feels Like" scale.

Somehow I don't believe that.

Anyways, it's kind of warm here, which most people will agree with. Can anybody tell me WHY, exactly, I feel like going BACK outside and going blading some more? I bladed home from work today, in these exact temperatures, and was so sweaty that I couldn't tell where the water stopped (I sprayed my face once I got to the apartment building, and the water ran down my front) and the sweat began.

In slightly related news, last night I stepped outside to lock up the store at 9 PM, and it felt like I stepped into a tropical jungle with dense, dense foliage overhead, blocking the light. It had just rained, and everything was wet, but the rain hadn't cooled anything off, so it was 28 degrees with 90% humidity. The Weather Network site a) says it didn't rain (THEN WHY WAS EVERYTHING WET??) and b) says it only felt like 36 degrees. It's 36 degrees now, and it felt hotter than this. Blargh.

So now we see why I want my own weather station.

(As a point of reference, it's warm enough that my desk feels like a solid living thing.)

In other news, my back has been screaming at me since I woke up. Whee ineffective pain relief drugs! I need a massage. Those seem to be the only thing that works.