The Work Experience...

...oh...the work experience...was thinking about it coming home tonight...thinking about it.

Have been made redundant twice...never a good experience to be made redundant. 

The first time...should have...could have...been talked through.  I couldn't have been that hideous an employee because she came to me a couple of years later with a great opportunity.  She was expanding in a new direction....opening a new store...and wanted me to manage the store. She told me when we met to talk that I was the first person that came to her mind to run the store. I turned the offer down.   I think one of the reasons I turned it down...didn't deal well her second in command.  We just didn't gel.  Sometimes I think it was the one of the dumbest things I've ever done...not taking that offer.

Second time made redundant...surreal and funny  It was my birthday...sang to me...we ate cake...and then "Can I see you in my office?"  So yes...after "Happy Birthday"...an immediate we're letting you go.  I remember Scott...my immediate boss saying  in the office meeting "I'm just sick about this."  Looking back...I tried my best and probably could've done better.  The tell...spring came...time to wear short sleeves.  I was hired in winter...kind of freaked my boss out when he saw my tattoo.  He never verbally said anything...but it was a quiet freak.

So...thinking about work...thinking about what I have learned from bosses.

My good take aways...

Expect nothing less than you expect from yourself.
Never ask anyone to do something you wouldn't do yourself.
Learn to use your words better...meaning take the time to explain stuff to the newbies and don't expect them to understand the shorthand.
The lead by example...meaning do the right thing.

My not so good take aways...

The company has deemed you (the manager) the caretaker of what they own...it's not your realm. It's not a playground to come and romp on when you please.
They don't do the good take aways.

Thoughts on the New Year...

...a month late.

In random order...

Griffin Oxley is the best name on the planet.  He makes his debut in April. He's got great parents.
2013 is going to be a really good year for us...Bob and I.  2012 kind of beat on us.
My husband is a great man.  (He flew his colours brightly in The Moving of Evelyn.)  She is  happy and likes being here...even though she "doesn't see us for months."  (Really...she sees us once or twice a week...)
Evelyn is the best inspiration to find joy in the moment...and she is in the moment...vital and vibrant.  She just doesn't remember the moment beyond half and hour.
We shouldn't remember dumb stuff that pisses us off...and most of it is dumb stuff...beyond half an hour.
I want to do theater again...keep wondering if I have something to say...to put out there about myself.
Thankful for our Commune...our Tribe...our great circle of friends. Brilliant.

Mostly...I feel hope...just good stuff coming.

I hope you do as well.

Being Surrounded by mirrors...

...everyday is not easy.  It can and often does make you pick yourself apart.  I see that everyday with women in our store.

It's an amazing thing to watch women in front of a mirror...you can just see the mind working...mostly concentrating in that reflection on their "flaw"...that part of their body that make them feel...well...frankly nuts.  Funny thing...nobody else sees it!

My most hated thing I hear from a customer "That's so not me."  My comeback (works sometimes) "Try it anyway.  Nobody outside of these walls has to see you in it if you don't want them to."  I understand don't like that colour...don't like that style...but so not me?  It's like you quit...stop growing.

Had a customer come in today who I admire.  She's a high powered real estate..she just looks money.  She just has style.  Funny thing when I was working her today...she complemented me on my dress...not company brand...thrift store. A little bonding moment...but would never be able to shop her thrift/consignment stores. 

If I had my own business...she would be my ideal customer.

I'm "Publishing" now...

...kind of thought of this as just where my friends could find me. My little diary ....didn't ever dream I was "publishing."  "Publishing" just kind of took something out of it...makes it seem too big and impersonal.

It's funny when you do start a blog...you just want to "say" something about what's happening in your life...and a small part of you wants to have a following of your blog.  I kind of equate to sitting at the cool kid table at lunch...you want to be liked and no mater how we hate to admit it...I think we all still have a small grain of the need to be popular.

So...I'm still going to write about pushing racks around and frustrations and people I love and experiences.

People know where to find me if they look.

A Tinny Sounding Radio and an Oldies station...

...have made my evening. The timbre just makes me flash back.

I listened to Cousin Brucie...the on air radio guy in Dirty Dancing.  First heard him in South Amboy, NJ...my sister listened to him.  Picked him up again when we moved to Peekskill many years later.  The man has had a long career.

We bought a radio for Bob's Mom that she thought she wanted but turned out she didn't really.  We have it.  I was ironing "school clothes" listening to the kind of tinny sound just smiling and dancing while ironing.

Just took me back to another time.

My Sister of a Differant Mother...

...will probably be making big changes tomorrow.  Has been coming for awhile...writing in the sand.  She knew where she drew her line.

There Will Be Consequences...

...down the line if my email capture doesn't improve.  Really...could possibly be written up if I don't get my email capture rate to 70%.  The best part?  Someone not having a computer is not a reason for not getting an email address from them.  I'm supposed to get the customer to give any email address...daughter, son, husband...cousin fourth removed! Basically...I supposed to harass and bully someone into giving me an address so we can send them emails.

Originally, we were told that the email addresses would eliminate us having to call customers when we have an event.  (When we have the calling campaigns, the expectation is 40 calls per hour...440 per day.  It's kind of unrealistic when you have four people scheduled during an entire day.)  Well...we're still calling and will be.

I didn't react well today when I was talked to about my email shortcomings (I have the lowest in the management team).  The words consequences and retribution do not make for comforting conversation...and yes...I took it personally.  It's about how I'm performing my job...apparently not well. I didn't even rate a 2% raise...I got 1.98%.

I did say today that if ever get written up for not getting enough emails....I'm done.

I better start looking.