Today I got majorly confuzzelated.
2 minute read
March 7, 2004, 1:45 AM
Call it confused, confuzzled, or confuzzelated, but let me tell you… I was going in so many different directions today I probably couldn’t have told you which way was up.
New experience of the day: I got to spend an hour out in the parking lot doing carts. We have a machine that pushes, and is controlled remotely by the associate. Then the associate stands in front and steers. And it sure beats the heck out of pushing them by hand, which I also did some. It was also nice to spend some time outside, which was a nice change from the Service Desk, since we’re in what could almost be described as a well-lit cave.
And I learned that I can control a machine pushing a pile of carts that is about 50 feet long (at least) better than I can control one of the electric carts that people ride around the store. One time when I was greetering, I had to park one of those things after someone was done with it, and promptly backed into a wall. That, by the way, earned me the affectionate nickname “Crash”.
Continue reading…Categories: Television, Walmart
I have been to the JMU Bookstore for the last time ever, if all goes well.
2 minute read
March 4, 2004, 12:05 AM
I went up to Harrisonburg, and bought my diploma frame. Very nice thing, too. And it had better be for $200.
And let me reinforce the fact that I am now officially NEVER going back to the JMU Bookstore, EVER again. They just outdid themselves today when it came to poor customer service. I come in. I look at where the diploma frames are. I ask if one of the clerks, three of which were standing around behind the counter doing nothing, would come out and help me with the diploma frames. I consider this a reasonable request. Help the customer, and facilitate making a sale.
So they tell me that their frame people have already gone home for the day, and to come back tomorrow for assistance with the frames. No “sure, let me help you with that”, but instead, I was basically told go away and come back tomorrow. What kind of customer service is that?
I know that if I did something like that at Wal-Mart, my butt would be in some VERY hot water with management.
I really can’t tell the difference between them!
< 1 minute read
February 28, 2004, 11:44 PM
I tell you… I cannot tell the difference between the name-brand fruit juices and the Sam’s Choice brand juice. Sam Walton chose well with the Sam’s Choice juices. They’re good. And they cost at least a dollar less than the other brands.
And those Welch’s commercials with the kid giving the lecture are only bankrolling the competition. I drink Sam’s Choice grape juice that is just too good to gulp. So I watch as it flatters my mouth with flavor (pardon – fwavor, as the kid says it), and feel it fill my cheeks.
And it costs a heck of a lot less, which is a major selling point.
And if you can’t tell already, I swear by my grape juice. Serves two purposes for me. For one, it’s just good. I like it. And secondly, it keeps me out of my father’s orange juice.
And before you ask, though, I cannot stand Sam’s Choice soda. There’s no store-branding when it comes to soda. I know my specific flavors too intimately to pass on them.
Categories: Retail
We had a slight change to my Wal-Mart appearance today…
< 1 minute read
February 27, 2004, 11:53 PM
I got a new vest! Finally, one that fits properly. It’s BIG. I can button it up and still have room to spare.
It’s also technically a women’s vest, since it’s a little bit longer than the men’s vests. This works out well for me, since now my vest’s pockets are actually at a level where I can actually make good use of them. They were too high on the other vest. Only weird thing is that it buttons the other way. But that’s women’s fashions for you, I guess.
And the bit of humor I injected into it is my comment about why I have the women’s vest: “Hey, I’m a big girl.”
Meanwhile, the latest adventure of “Fools With Tools” was putting together that bookshelf. I managed to scrape against a half-assembled shelf, and cut the top of my foot for an inch’s length. It doesn’t hurt too much, and didn’t bleed too much, either. So there you go.
Now tonight we put the shelf in its right place and then start loading it. And I got the right size shelf for the printer.
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Walmart
There’s a reason I’m not a carpenter…
2 minute read
February 27, 2004, 3:17 AM
…and that bookshelf is reason enough. No, I didn’t manage to screw it up. It actually stands up, and it actually looks half decent. It is currently standing in the middle of the room, but that will hopefully only be the case until tomorrow after work, when I move all my clothes out of the way and then get that shelf settled into place against the side wall.
And then let the firestorm begin. All my stuff comes back. All remaining books return. All my video tapes return. And whatever other miscellaneous stuff I have comes back. And then once I can reach it, the couch shall return in its new home. And then the wall décor goes up.
Things will change, though. My load of books will be much lighter now, with my having gotten rid of a LOT of books I’ve outgrown. A lot will go to Mom’s sixth grade classroom, much to her delight. I believe Mom’s also giving a lot of my old books to our church. As you can see, I’ve entrusted the distribution of my discard books to Mom. She’s good at this and will do well in finding them new homes. Meanwhile, a dilemma… since I got rid of the video tape wall, and spackled and painted over the remains after the hardware was removed, the question remains… where in the heck am I going to put all my videos?!? True, I have those two new cabinets that are next to the computer, but I know they’ll be full.
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Walmart
If I wanted a mullet, this would be a good time to start.
< 1 minute read
February 26, 2004, 10:20 AM
But I don’t, so I need to get a haircut already, since a mullet is the one hairdo I just simply can’t stand. If you can believe it, the last time I got a haircut was on January 5. So I think you’ll agree, with it getting close to two months since I last got a trim, that it’s time.
I figure I’m probably going to go to SmartStyle this time, which is in my own Waynesboro Wal-Mart. I figure that way I can just do it after work, plus Wal-Mart associates get 20% off at SmartStyle.
All the more reason I’m glad I work in a Supercenter, and not a regular Wal-Mart. Regular Wal-Marts don’t have haircut places, among other things. Though not all Supercenter hair places are SmartStyle, mind you. When I lived in Arkansas, the Wal-Mart Supercenters in Springdale and Bentonville (the latter being laid out just like Staunton) had a place called “Fantastic Sam’s” as the in-store barber shop.
Two days off really leaves a person refreshed!
< 1 minute read
February 25, 2004, 2:47 PM
And I broke my promise to myself not to go into a Wal-Mart on this “weekend” (it’s two consecutive days off – that’s just as good as Saturday and Sunday in my book), as I had to go out to get some odds and ends that were running out. Note, though, that I went to Staunton instead of my own store.
Otherwise, I got the desk back into position against the wall. That was good. The Merry Maids (a company we employ that comes every other Wednesday to clean) commented that the place will look really nice when it’s finished. I agree. It’s going to look SO nice when it’s done.
So by tonight, I should have the computer set back up. This whole thing about using Dad’s computer is really a pain. Especially after starting up his computer, discovering a program called “Spybot – Search & Destroy” that takes ten minutes to check your computer for spyware when you start up. I terminated that program prematurely, since I believe that the best spyware deterrent is to actually (God forbid) know and pay attention to what you’re putting on your computer. That’s what I do. I do have Ad-Aware on my computer, but that I only use if I think I may have spyware. Then it goes and finds it and does away with it.
Of course, we still ask the question of why his computer was off to begin with, but that’s not as important.
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Computer, Walmart
Newest TV show idea that will never catch on: “Fools With Tools”
< 1 minute read
February 23, 2004, 11:42 PM
“Fools With Tools”. That describes my feeble first and second attempts at trying to remove some equipment at the Service Desk to take to another department. The third time was the charm.
Still, I was amusing. I was turning a little red trying to unscrew some screws, and at the same time trying not to strip the screws. The “How may I help you?” on the back of everyone’s vests would be better put as “How can you help me, and don’t you think I could use it?” in my case.
However, the third screwdriver worked, thankfully. Still, everyone got a kick out of my ineptitude with a screwdriver, and my “Fools With Tools” title.
Speaking of Wally World, I bought my torchiere lamps today. I bought the one with the reading lamp in Waynesboro, but since they didn’t have enough of the non-reading lamp ones for me to buy there. So I went to Staunton after work and bought some there. It’s handy to have two Wal-Marts in the area. If we’re out of something, I can go over to Staunton and get it.
Speaking of Wal-Mart, I’ve made it – I’m off for two days! So that’s why I bought the lamps today instead of later. I am NOT going into a Wal-Mart store until Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, after I check my Email and finish this journal entry, I have to take the computer apart so I can paint behind it, which will complete the paint job. If you hear from me before I’m done painting, it means that I’m probably using Dad’s computer downstairs.
So now it’s time to take apart the computer. This will be a pain in the butt.
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Walmart
Returned the Z-Coils, and got a Breda on my phone
< 1 minute read
February 1, 2004, 7:26 PM
Well, my saga with Z-Coil shoes came to an end, as I returned the shoes to the store, and the gentleman gave me back my check, which the store had not yet cashed. I felt really bad returning them, but I felt even worse that day that I wore them to work. Wearing my Airwalks and having the heel pain actually felt good after dealing with the Z-Coils.
And I repeat, they’re not bad shoes. Just not the right shoes for me. Some people swear by them. They didn’t work out for me.
Meanwhile, I figured out how to download pictures to my computer from my new cell phone and vice versa. So now I have a picture of the Charlottesville Wal-Mart on my computer that I took from the parking lot, and I have a picture of a Breda train on my phone that I took a year ago as my phone background. Now my phone is really me, and has personality.
Plus my ring-tone is “Funicula”, which I remember as a TV jingle for a board game called “Grape Escape”. So now my phone is really me…
Categories: Cell phone, Retail
And the Z-Coils are going back to the store…
2 minute read
January 30, 2004, 5:57 PM
It was a nice, expensive idea, but I’m returning the Z-Coil shoes. Sure, my heels feel great, and that’s what I bought them for. But geeeeeeeeeeez… that part of my foot felt great at the end of the day. But the entire rest of the foot was killing me by the end of the day. I’ll take the heel pain over the way everything felt at the end of today. Plus I think I was either on the verge of getting, or now have the beginning stages of a blister on my foot. Either way, the cure was worse than the problem. So scratch that and I’ll be going to get my $180 back from the store (did I say these were expensive as hell?), since they have a seven-day return policy, and I only used them on smooth floors so they’re still in new condition.
So I’m getting my money back. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and so I’m going to get my money back since I saved everything. Box, receipt, check carbon-copy, wrapping, everything. So there you go.
Meanwhile, I’m going to try a much less expensive method – I’m going to try some Dr. Scholls inserts that they sell at work and see how they are. And it’s a lot easier to return that way if it doesn’t work.
Categories: Retail
Goodbye foot pain and poor cell-phone service!
2 minute read
January 29, 2004, 9:17 PM
Well! I dropped a bundle of money today. I got a pair of Z-Coil shoes (see an entry or so down to see what I mean) and a new cell phone.
First of all, the Z-Coils. These are shoes with springs in them. I got them to wear at work, because the heel pain I get from standing all day goes from bad to unbearable over the course of the day. And since standing on my toes all day to relieve the pain in my heels is a bother, this is a good potential solution. The lead CSM in Staunton wears this kind of shoes, and she says she is fine in them. Hopefully these will take care of the pain. And if they don’t work out, there’s a seven-day return policy. But if they do work out, then it was a worthwhile investment, despite being expensive as hell. We’ll see what happens at work tomorrow.
Also, I got a new cell phone today, having switched carriers from Ntelos (formerly Intelos) to Verizon Wireless. I switched because I was not pleased with Ntelos’s service. I didn’t think that they had all that great of service. With Ntelos, I only got 200 minutes, no night/weekend service, the local service area generally consisting of the Shenandoah Valley, and local only in Virginia. With Verizon, most of the country is local, and the service area is equally large. Oh, and it works in the underground tunnels on Metro, which is a big plus for me.
Categories: Cell phone, Retail
Snow? Bring it on! You’ll have to do better than that to keep me from getting to work!
2 minute read
January 26, 2004, 2:16 AM
Yeah, it snowed today. Lots of snow. Several inches’ worth on the car when I left work. But I made it home. Roads were hideous, needless to say. And I saw this one idiot on 340 ahead of me swerving quite a bit as he pulled onto the road before regaining control of his truck. I may have gone 25 mph the whole way, but I did not slide once.
And needless to say, I’m getting to work again tomorrow, even if I have to hitch-hike. I should point out it’s still snowing.
And meanwhile, there is something that just really irks me that I have been wanting to talk about. Some people are the biggest hypocrites that you can think of. Any time I tell someone where I work, it seems they always have something to say about it. Well, big-company this, and mom-and-pop that. And downtown-decay this, and squeezes-out-everything that. And what’s amazing is that these people who talk about this, first of all, are educated people who should know to back their facts up before spouting off. And secondly, they tell me, the associate, that I am wrong. Two examples…
There is a certain religious group that I affiliate with (look elsewhere on the Web site to find out their identity) that I enjoy participating in activities with. Then I mentioned back in October that I had applied to work with good ol’ Wally World. I get the whole evil-corporation spiel from the minister, who then goes on to spout off some “facts” that, if they had actually done any research, they would find were totally false. Then they brag about how long it’s been since they set foot in a Wal-Mart store.
Categories: Walmart, Winter weather
I met Reo Hatfield today
< 1 minute read
January 25, 2004, 12:05 AM
Yes, that’s right. Waynesboro City Councilman Reo Hatfield came through my line at work today. Well, actually yes and no. He went through a line I was working, but I did not directly check him out. In case you’re wondering, I was the attendant at the self-checkouts, which is something that I enjoy doing at work, since after using them enough, I can make them scan merchandise, weigh produce, add up the price for donuts, wash your laundry, and sing “The Star Spangled Banner” backwards.
Anyway, though, I recognized Mr. Hatfield as being who he was, and it was kind of like meeting a celebrity. I don’t live in Waynesboro (I live in Stuarts Draft, which is part of Augusta County), so I can’t vote for him one way or another, but still, with him being in the newspapers recently regarding matters pertaining to the Waynesboro City Council, it was kind of neat to see him come through my self-checkouts.
Recall that I am/was a Public Administration major at JMU, and so meeting public officials is kind of cool. I should have gotten his autograph.
Categories: State and local politics, Walmart
Two days, and I’m beat…
< 1 minute read
January 23, 2004, 12:38 AM
Well, as I probably already mentioned, we’re open. Yaaaaay. No more stocking shelves for me.
And guess what! People love our store! It gives me a nice warm feeling to hear that, and also when I see people buying the stuff that I put up on the shelves.
Meanwhile, I think I already said that I took “before” photos of my room in preparation for the big remodel. So how much progress have I made so far? Amazingly, very little. All my work so far has consisted of is going through a single bookshelf of kiddie books that I haven’t touched in ages and taking out maybe three books that I want to keep. The rest can be donated somewhere. And I’m getting rid of the shelf. So I can just give the books on the shelf all to Mom and she’ll handle it.
My next day off from Wal-Mart is Tuesday. My goal for that day is to put a major dent in the cleaning on this room. Because right now, despite having gone through a shelf, it doesn’t look like I’ve done anything.
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Walmart
As of 7 AM tomorrow morning, Wal-Mart comes to Waynesboro!
< 1 minute read
January 20, 2004, 8:48 PM
We made it! Store #5117, the new Waynesboro store, will open for business tomorrow morning, January 21, at 7 AM.
And tonight we had an open house for all of our Store 5117 families to show off all our hard work. Dad had to work and Sis was at Tech, but Mom was free to come along. I showed her all of our hard work, as I helped set up the furniture department, hardware, the garden center, toys, and fabrics and crafts. I also showed Mom the front end, the self-checkouts, the service desk (my new home at Wal-Mart), and a lot of stuff in between.
I am excited! All of our approximately seven or eight weeks of work in setting the store up will most likely be destroyed in no less than ten minutes by our customers. And we love it.
And now that Wal-Mart finally arrived in Waynesboro, what’s next? The red planet. See?
Categories: Walmart