Hard to believe it's the last day of January already. The month has flown by.
I think it's because of work. Having a regular schedule and less down time has left me with less time with nothing to do, if that makes sense. Lately my days are work, home, food, TV/Jerbs/whatever, sleep. I quite like it.
I do have to say that this week started out pretty badly. On Monday I woke up to about 2 inches of snow on the ground--and it was still snowing. Which meant thermal pants and snow boots . . . and somehow I ended up putting my snow boots one the wrong freaking feet. I have very basic snow boots and I never even realized they were made for specific feet--I thought they were just round and thus interchangeable. Apparently I've just always accidentally gotten it right in the past. (To be fair, I bought them like 5 months before I moved back to Kingman, so I haven't worn them a whole lot). Anyway, I felt super dumb, and of course I was running late so I had no time to fix them. So I had to run to the bus stop, through falling snow and a couple inches on the ground, in my boots that were on the wrong feet. Lovely, lovely way to start the day.
Then Tuesday morning, I woke up around 4:30 AM, got a drink of water, and went back to bed since my alarm was set for 6 AM. I woke up awhile later, looked at my phone, and it was 6:47. Genius me set my alarm but forgot to take the phone off vibrate. Durrr.
Thankfully, Wednesday and today started without any weirdness or disasters.
Work is still going well. I feel awkward sometimes--out of my league a little--but I'm still doing all right. I've realized that I definitely do work best when I'm left alone and can kind of think things out for myself without feeling nervous or pressured from being watched. The past few days have been good for that reason.
Today I got to post insurance checks by myself, and I got my own little A/R list to work. (A/R stands for accounts receivable and basically, it's a list of unpaid claims that need to be researched and hopefully resolved). It's probably the most challenging thing yet, not necessarily because it's hard, just because I don't know all the details of stuff. It takes me a while to figure out what to do, and then a while longer to figure out how to do it. I'm sure that as I get more used to doing it and all that, I'll be better and more comfortable with it.
I think that's about all I have to say for the moment. I'm so glad tomorrow's Friday!!
1.31.2013
1.26.2013
It's Weird
It's weird to have a job.
It's weird to have the job that I do. (Seriously, I have a degree in literature and I'm working in a math and medical related field. WTF?)
It's weird to have a grown up schedule.
It's weird to be making enough money to support myself. (Eventually. Obviously I haven't gotten a full paycheck yet).
I'm happy, but it's also just . . . weird. Some nights I can't really believe I got this job. Some nights I habitually go to Craigslist and look at the job ads before I remember that I don't have to do that anymore. And you would not believe the relief I feel every time that happens.
Did I tell you I almost didn't even go to the second interview? I don't think I ever mentioned that, but it's totally true. I'd had a good feeling after my first interview, but for whatever reason, New Years was a hard holiday. I found myself anxious and depressed for part of New Years Eve and all of New Years Day. So on the morning of the second I was feeling very negative, and as I got ready for my interview my mind was racing. I just kept thinking, there is no way in hell I'm going to get this job, and why would I ever think I might? I kept thinking that it was going to be a huge disappointment just like all my other interviews. And then I kept thinking about what I would do if that happened--like in a what would I do next way--and it wasn't pleasant. I just kept thinking about how I'd applied at all the retail places I could and how there were never office jobs anymore on CL and what was I going to do? The anxiety made me feel physically sick and I really did almost cancel. I almost cried on the way there because I was absolutely terrified, thinking that I really couldn't deal with another disappointment and hoping like hell I didn't totally blow it. I remember sitting in the MHC waiting room feeling so anxious I was dizzy, and feeling like I was going to throw up or pass out or some horrible combo of both.
I'm so glad I didn't cancel. I think deep, deep down I knew I was going to get this one from the very beginning--I just had a good feeling--but that morning was so stressful. I remember I relaxed as soon as I saw the office manager who did my first interview, which I took as a good sign.
Anyway, back to the weird. I tell myself that of course I'm going to feel a little weird for a while for a few reasons.
1) I haven't had a full time job since 2009. Isn't that sad? In Nov. 2009 I lost my job at the clinic and didn't work again until Hastings in September 2011. And obviously that was part time so suddenly working 36 hours is an adjustment.
2) I have never had a Monday thru Friday job. At the clinic I did 12 hour shifts and worked every other weekend, so the schedule was a little weird. (But good). So M thru F is a bit strange . . . but I like it!
3) I haven't had a job that required actual focus and concentration since 2009. Because Hastings isn't really a hard place to work, and since I'd worked there before, I usually did my job on auto pilot; my mind was rarely engaged. But working at MHC, I actually have to pay attention and remember things. My brain is having a hard time waking up, if that makes sense.
4) Not to mention I spent about 2.5 years totally mentally checked out of life in general. It's hard to be engaged in life again, y'know what I mean? Not only in the actual work sense, but in other things, like relating to co-workers as well. Just having a life feels strange. Talking to people and interacting and all that . . . weird. But definitely good.
5) It's weird to be one of the few single and childless people in the office. Pretty much everyone is married and has kids, or is at least one of those two. Kinda strange.
It's odd because I almost feel like I used to, before I got really sick. Back when I was first at the clinic and loving life, when I was happy to have an office job and happy with how cool my co-workers were, when I had a car. How I feel now is similar to how I felt then, like I feel flashes of the back then, but it's different now. I realize that back then, even before I got sick, I was already sick, because I feel so much more normal and level headed than I did then. And I just kind of wonder how things would have gone if I'd gotten help then.
And I feel like I almost don't know what to make of the time in between, if that makes sense. The years of illness, meeting Corey, falling in love and getting engaged, moving back to Kingman, the ups and downs of initial treatment . . . it's really strange to think that I went through all of that and ended up almost right back where I started. In Flagstaff, with Jerbs, working in a medical office, and . . . happy. Honestly there are times when I wonder if Corey ever happened at all, when it doesn't even seem real. The question of how I got from that life back to this one is a big one with a lot of answers . . .
But really that's for another post.
Good night.
It's weird to have the job that I do. (Seriously, I have a degree in literature and I'm working in a math and medical related field. WTF?)
It's weird to have a grown up schedule.
It's weird to be making enough money to support myself. (Eventually. Obviously I haven't gotten a full paycheck yet).
I'm happy, but it's also just . . . weird. Some nights I can't really believe I got this job. Some nights I habitually go to Craigslist and look at the job ads before I remember that I don't have to do that anymore. And you would not believe the relief I feel every time that happens.
Did I tell you I almost didn't even go to the second interview? I don't think I ever mentioned that, but it's totally true. I'd had a good feeling after my first interview, but for whatever reason, New Years was a hard holiday. I found myself anxious and depressed for part of New Years Eve and all of New Years Day. So on the morning of the second I was feeling very negative, and as I got ready for my interview my mind was racing. I just kept thinking, there is no way in hell I'm going to get this job, and why would I ever think I might? I kept thinking that it was going to be a huge disappointment just like all my other interviews. And then I kept thinking about what I would do if that happened--like in a what would I do next way--and it wasn't pleasant. I just kept thinking about how I'd applied at all the retail places I could and how there were never office jobs anymore on CL and what was I going to do? The anxiety made me feel physically sick and I really did almost cancel. I almost cried on the way there because I was absolutely terrified, thinking that I really couldn't deal with another disappointment and hoping like hell I didn't totally blow it. I remember sitting in the MHC waiting room feeling so anxious I was dizzy, and feeling like I was going to throw up or pass out or some horrible combo of both.
I'm so glad I didn't cancel. I think deep, deep down I knew I was going to get this one from the very beginning--I just had a good feeling--but that morning was so stressful. I remember I relaxed as soon as I saw the office manager who did my first interview, which I took as a good sign.
Anyway, back to the weird. I tell myself that of course I'm going to feel a little weird for a while for a few reasons.
1) I haven't had a full time job since 2009. Isn't that sad? In Nov. 2009 I lost my job at the clinic and didn't work again until Hastings in September 2011. And obviously that was part time so suddenly working 36 hours is an adjustment.
2) I have never had a Monday thru Friday job. At the clinic I did 12 hour shifts and worked every other weekend, so the schedule was a little weird. (But good). So M thru F is a bit strange . . . but I like it!
3) I haven't had a job that required actual focus and concentration since 2009. Because Hastings isn't really a hard place to work, and since I'd worked there before, I usually did my job on auto pilot; my mind was rarely engaged. But working at MHC, I actually have to pay attention and remember things. My brain is having a hard time waking up, if that makes sense.
4) Not to mention I spent about 2.5 years totally mentally checked out of life in general. It's hard to be engaged in life again, y'know what I mean? Not only in the actual work sense, but in other things, like relating to co-workers as well. Just having a life feels strange. Talking to people and interacting and all that . . . weird. But definitely good.
5) It's weird to be one of the few single and childless people in the office. Pretty much everyone is married and has kids, or is at least one of those two. Kinda strange.
It's odd because I almost feel like I used to, before I got really sick. Back when I was first at the clinic and loving life, when I was happy to have an office job and happy with how cool my co-workers were, when I had a car. How I feel now is similar to how I felt then, like I feel flashes of the back then, but it's different now. I realize that back then, even before I got sick, I was already sick, because I feel so much more normal and level headed than I did then. And I just kind of wonder how things would have gone if I'd gotten help then.
And I feel like I almost don't know what to make of the time in between, if that makes sense. The years of illness, meeting Corey, falling in love and getting engaged, moving back to Kingman, the ups and downs of initial treatment . . . it's really strange to think that I went through all of that and ended up almost right back where I started. In Flagstaff, with Jerbs, working in a medical office, and . . . happy. Honestly there are times when I wonder if Corey ever happened at all, when it doesn't even seem real. The question of how I got from that life back to this one is a big one with a lot of answers . . .
But really that's for another post.
Good night.
1.25.2013
I Got Money In The Bank
I got paid today! My first paycheck from MHC! It was incredibly exciting. I only got paid for my first three days of work (so like 20.2 hours) but still, money's money. Plus I didn't think we got paid until February 1st so finding out pay day was this week was pretty cool! And given that nothing has been deposited into my bank account since November (my last check from Hastings) it's a great feeling. So of course I treated Jerbs to a nice dinner out, and it was well worth it, even though I feel disgusting from how much I ate and don't want to see or hear about banana pudding for at least 6 months.
Aside from pay day, work is a little stressful right now. I mean, I'm still totally loving it and enjoying working there but . . . my boss boss was on vacation this past week. Before she left she made a training schedule for me, so everyone knew who I was supposed to be training with every day and what I was supposed to be learning. And then it all went to crap because one of the front desk girls is pregnant and got sick and is now out until further notice, which leaves the front desk short handed. To help out, the billing office took over eligibility verification, which is basically just making sure a patient has the insurance they say they do and finding out the details of the coverage so we know if they have a copay or deductible or whatever. It's not hard, but it is tedious and time consuming (we use insurance websites for verifying almost every plan so you have to log in and obviously I don't know any of the user names or passwords by heart so I have to look them up). So yeah, that's fun. Apparently the goal is to be two weeks ahead . . . and today I finished Monday and Tuesday of next week. So yeah. It's what I'll most likely be doing next week as well. At least, I hope it is, because for whatever reason I feel really driven to get it caught up, at least for next week, plus there's something weirdly satisfying about it.
So that's work. I really do love it, and I feel like such a grown up in my office! Well, my half an office. It's pretty awesome.
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In news not related to work, this past Thursday my mom had to have another one of our childhood pets put down. This time it was our big fluffy orange cat whose name was Monkey Orange but who we always called Fuzzy Puff. She was an old cat (I don't remember when we got her) who we adopted as a stray; my dad found her in our yard early one morning when he was going to work, and he let her in the garage, where she immediately started climbing the peg hooks on the walls. That's why she was named Monkey Orange. She was never a very cuddly cat but she was sweet, and I'm so sad that she's gone now. But at the same time, there was something wrong with her back legs (like maybe she had a stroke?) and she was in pain, so I'm glad she's not suffering anymore. I'm sure she's in kitty heaven having a wonderful time and walking around just fine. R.I.P. Fuzzy Puff . . . you'll be missed and remembered.
Aside from pay day, work is a little stressful right now. I mean, I'm still totally loving it and enjoying working there but . . . my boss boss was on vacation this past week. Before she left she made a training schedule for me, so everyone knew who I was supposed to be training with every day and what I was supposed to be learning. And then it all went to crap because one of the front desk girls is pregnant and got sick and is now out until further notice, which leaves the front desk short handed. To help out, the billing office took over eligibility verification, which is basically just making sure a patient has the insurance they say they do and finding out the details of the coverage so we know if they have a copay or deductible or whatever. It's not hard, but it is tedious and time consuming (we use insurance websites for verifying almost every plan so you have to log in and obviously I don't know any of the user names or passwords by heart so I have to look them up). So yeah, that's fun. Apparently the goal is to be two weeks ahead . . . and today I finished Monday and Tuesday of next week. So yeah. It's what I'll most likely be doing next week as well. At least, I hope it is, because for whatever reason I feel really driven to get it caught up, at least for next week, plus there's something weirdly satisfying about it.
So that's work. I really do love it, and I feel like such a grown up in my office! Well, my half an office. It's pretty awesome.
--------------------
In news not related to work, this past Thursday my mom had to have another one of our childhood pets put down. This time it was our big fluffy orange cat whose name was Monkey Orange but who we always called Fuzzy Puff. She was an old cat (I don't remember when we got her) who we adopted as a stray; my dad found her in our yard early one morning when he was going to work, and he let her in the garage, where she immediately started climbing the peg hooks on the walls. That's why she was named Monkey Orange. She was never a very cuddly cat but she was sweet, and I'm so sad that she's gone now. But at the same time, there was something wrong with her back legs (like maybe she had a stroke?) and she was in pain, so I'm glad she's not suffering anymore. I'm sure she's in kitty heaven having a wonderful time and walking around just fine. R.I.P. Fuzzy Puff . . . you'll be missed and remembered.
1.22.2013
Work So Far and Some Girly TMI
Work so far is going really, really well.
Right now I'm learning basics like payment posting, how to read the EOB's that come with insurance payments, how to sort the mail, etc. It's actually a little boring (but getting less so) and it's really frustrating because I'm basically still being baby sat. Which I understand, because I am new and screwing up payment posting would be baaaaaaaad but . . . still. I work better without being watched super closely and I'm looking forward to when I get to just work on my own.
I'm happy with how much more comfortable I'm getting with things and how much less foreign some of the stuff is becoming. Mostly EOB's because wow, some of them really make no sense at first glance! I was a little worried with how today would go because of the long weekend (like what if that extra 24 hours off made me forget everything or something) but I actually felt really confident and comfortable doing the payments and mail. I feel like I'm picking up on stuff and that's nice.
And I'm still really liking my co-workers. I honestly haven't met anyone I don't like or feel like I wouldn't get along well with. At this point I've even met the CEO, who told me himself how glad he was to have me there. I was so flattered!
The only downside is the schedule. I don't mind the M--F thing at all, but I'm definitely still adjusting to getting up at 6 AM to get ready for work. It's hard. And what's worse (in my opinion) is how it's basically stopped me from working out. I don't get home until a little after 6 PM, and by then the sun is down, and it's too cold to go work out. But I'm planning on joining the gym with my first paycheck.
Overall I'm happy with the job. I really am, and I'm still so thrilled I got it. It's well worth the scheduling adjustment.
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Here's the TMI part . . . I just need to vent.
I HATE my period!! I hate it so freaking much.
For the past 4 days I've been freezing, starving, dragging myself out of bed half asleep, and retaining water like whoa. Plus I'm breaking out on my face. It sucks.
I've been weighing myself every Tuesday morning since the first of the year and so far I've been happy with the results. Then this morning, I weighed myself before I got in the shower, and the scale said I'd gained nearly 5 pounds since last Wednesday! Well, I KNOW I didn't gain that much in a week, because I've been doing OK diet wise, so I'm assuming it's the retained water. Even though I knew it wasn't accurate and that it was just the water weight, it was still a disappointing start to the day.
Hopefully it's almost over, because I've had enough! The only silver lining is that this cycle didn't have any severe emotional symptoms.
Right now I'm learning basics like payment posting, how to read the EOB's that come with insurance payments, how to sort the mail, etc. It's actually a little boring (but getting less so) and it's really frustrating because I'm basically still being baby sat. Which I understand, because I am new and screwing up payment posting would be baaaaaaaad but . . . still. I work better without being watched super closely and I'm looking forward to when I get to just work on my own.
I'm happy with how much more comfortable I'm getting with things and how much less foreign some of the stuff is becoming. Mostly EOB's because wow, some of them really make no sense at first glance! I was a little worried with how today would go because of the long weekend (like what if that extra 24 hours off made me forget everything or something) but I actually felt really confident and comfortable doing the payments and mail. I feel like I'm picking up on stuff and that's nice.
And I'm still really liking my co-workers. I honestly haven't met anyone I don't like or feel like I wouldn't get along well with. At this point I've even met the CEO, who told me himself how glad he was to have me there. I was so flattered!
The only downside is the schedule. I don't mind the M--F thing at all, but I'm definitely still adjusting to getting up at 6 AM to get ready for work. It's hard. And what's worse (in my opinion) is how it's basically stopped me from working out. I don't get home until a little after 6 PM, and by then the sun is down, and it's too cold to go work out. But I'm planning on joining the gym with my first paycheck.
Overall I'm happy with the job. I really am, and I'm still so thrilled I got it. It's well worth the scheduling adjustment.
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Here's the TMI part . . . I just need to vent.
I HATE my period!! I hate it so freaking much.
For the past 4 days I've been freezing, starving, dragging myself out of bed half asleep, and retaining water like whoa. Plus I'm breaking out on my face. It sucks.
I've been weighing myself every Tuesday morning since the first of the year and so far I've been happy with the results. Then this morning, I weighed myself before I got in the shower, and the scale said I'd gained nearly 5 pounds since last Wednesday! Well, I KNOW I didn't gain that much in a week, because I've been doing OK diet wise, so I'm assuming it's the retained water. Even though I knew it wasn't accurate and that it was just the water weight, it was still a disappointing start to the day.
Hopefully it's almost over, because I've had enough! The only silver lining is that this cycle didn't have any severe emotional symptoms.
1.21.2013
What's In My Bag?
I've seen the "what's in my bag?" post on quite a few other blogs so I figured I'd do one too. Because my purse is a very exciting place and all . . .
I also usually have a couple hair ties/claw clips, my winter hat and gloves, and a bottle of water in there too.
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| My bag. Not too fancy, but it cost less than $10. The cool pin I have on one side--sort of a joke. My elephant friend I keep on the other side. |
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| My wallet. |
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| A week's worth of Lithium and Paxil. I carry it with me so I remember to take it. Various chapsticks, tissues, and hand sanitizer. |
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| A bus map so I know where I'm going. Random money--most of the change is now in my change jar. My iPod, earbuds, and spare earbud cover thingies. Sunglasses (don't leave home without them) and emergency hair brush. |
I also usually have a couple hair ties/claw clips, my winter hat and gloves, and a bottle of water in there too.
1.19.2013
So Long, 9816
Before I left the Kingman Hastings last July, I was under the impression that the Flagstaff Hastings was the more successful of the 2: higher sales, more hours, more associates, etc. (Which is why I was delusional enough to think I'd get 30 hours a week . . . ha!) Right before I left, though, the Kingman LS manager told me that the Flag store was floundering and that as a result of that the store was moving.
And when I got up here, that's what everyone here knew: that the store was going to move, that they needed to be out of the space by the end of March, and that the corporate office was in the process of finding a new location. Well, corporate kind of just kept jerking us around with, "Oh, we're still looking," and blah blah blah. By the time I left at the beginning of November they still had not found a location. And I don't know if it's obvious to anyone else but . . . moving an entire retail store (a pretty big store too) as well as making sure all the connections to corporate are set up is kind of a big undertaking--not really something you can do overnight. So of course the speculation that the store might actually be closing started among the staff. At the time I left the official answer was still a move.
Then this evening I was reading the AZ Daily Sun online, and sure enough, there it was: an article officially announcing that Hastings 9816 will be permanently closing on March 15th. The reason listed by the paper was just that the lease was up on the building (which is obviously not what's actually going on).
We were told not to say anything about the real reason, so I'm not going to here (just in case).
At any rate, though, I can say that based on the real reason, corporate had two options: move the store or close the store. And at the end of the day, between the abysmal sales, the pathetic staff, the dissatisfied customers, and the overall complete dysfunction of the store made them decide that it would be a waste to invest the time and money in moving and opted for closing. (Honestly, if the store wasn't closing now, my guess is that it would have closed by the end of this year anyway).
Obviously, I'm not sad. I'm actually pretty happy. I feel very vindicated as far as how I ended up leaving and all that, because I feel like this basically says, see? You can't run a store that poorly and treat your employees that badly and still stay in business. Because it all comes back to how the store was being run, in my opinion.
Yes, the decision is a financial one, and yes, sales were way down most days I was there. But that's to be expected--when you have Redbox and Netflix for movies and TV, iTunes and other services like that for music, and Kindle and Nook and all those for books (not to mention all the illegal download stuff) it's hard to keep customers. Personally, I think that in an environment that's that competitive, where the customer can pretty much do everything on their own, the only reason they're gong to prefer an actual in store experience is if they really love the environment of the store and the attitudes/personalities/knowledge of the employees. And when your employees are all assholes who don't know shit about the job, and the store feels nothing but chaotic and messy and disorganized . . . well, then there's zero incentive for the customer to choose the store over all their other options. And that's what bit these guys in the ass.
It's kind of a vicious cycle: the store and employees aren't well liked by the customer . . . customers stop returning and sales drop . . . drop in sales leads to cutting hours all over and fewer workers in the store at any given time . . . lowered workforce only makes the initial problems worse because then work is never done properly and stocking and cleaning fall behind and when a customer does need help, they have to wait . . . if someone does help them there's a good chance they don't know what they're doing because there aren't enough hours to actually train people on the sales floor.
I think Hastings could still be successful in Flag if it bought a much, much smaller space and became strictly a movie and game rental place. Because Hastings is(was) the ONLY rental place in town anymore aside from Redbox kiosks. We used to have a Hollywood Video, a Blockbuster, and an indie rental place, but they've all been closed for years. A huge chunk of this store's sales was from rental because it was the only thing there's really no competition for in town (we have a bunch of indie music stores, 2 or 3 Game Stops, 2 RadioShacks and a Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, a comic book store, and a Spencers and a Hot Topic that carry most of the same novelty items Hastings did).
(Meanwhile, the Kingman Hastings, while sales are down (sales are down across the company, really, which isn't surprising) will probably never actually go out of business, because aside from the online stuff, there's no competition for them in Kingman).
I am a little sad. I'm sad that there won't be a rental place anymore, and I did have some good times at the store here--back in college, at least. Jenny and I both did, and we made some good friends and got up to quite a bit of mischief around that place. It wasn't the best place to work even in college, but I'm appalled at how far down hill it went in the time between then and when I worked there last year. And there were a few co-workers I actually liked and thought were decent people and I hope that they're all able to find new jobs quickly. (But honestly, they all barely did better than me in the hours department so I'm sure that whatever work they do find will be a step up for them).
I'm glad I got out when I did. I remember thinking in November that I was such an idiot for just quitting the way I did and being so worried that I'd done the wrong thing--but now more than ever I feel like I definitely made the best choice, because not only did I find a killer new job that I'm really loving, but I also escaped the stress of having to worry about finding a new job and all that when the store closed. I almost feel "I told you so" about it, because I came up here doing everything right per corporate standards, the way I was trained, and I was basically hated for it. My co-workers were like lol, look at this idiot actually doing her job and not cutting all the corners. And now . . . they're out of a job! And in my head I'm like, I tried.
It's sad because this store had a lot of potential. It had a great location close to campus and if it had been managed better I think it could have done SO well. But it seems, at the same time, like it was destined to fail, because something about it just always felt off. This store just never had the same sense of work ethic as the Kingman store or other ones I've been to (the downside of living in a college town: lots of college student employees who don't actually give a shit about the job). And whenever there was a manager there who actually tried to make people work and do their jobs correctly, the staff would make them so miserable with their assholeishness about it that the manager would end up leaving (I saw this happen to 2 managers and I don't blame them at all for leaving). It's so sad. It's so stupid. Especially considering that in an economy where a lot of people need jobs very badly you could probably be picky and hire a really great crew.
Oh well. All those suggestions are too late now. I wish some of them the best and most of them not the best. (I have no desire to be the bigger person when it comes to that place).
I'm definitely going to hit up the going out of business sale because why not? Plus . . . ok, I haven't been in Hastings since I quit, because I hate it there and just didn't want to go in. But I feel like now that they're all about to lose their jobs and I'm in a really good work position . . . I'll mind less going in. Good lord, that makes me sound like a horrible, horrible person, but it's true! After what I said when I left about the store being so unprofessional it would have been a little embarrassing to go in and potentially have to admit that I was still unemployed . . . but now I look better than them in comparison. (I swear I'm actually a good person . . . I just hate that place and the people there so, so much). Most of them treated me like complete shit and acted like I was a moron when I actually knew more about the company than they did, and it's really just a wonderful feeling to see such misplaced arrogance cut down. I definitely don't want to go in and rub it in their faces that I'm doing well Hastings free, but I feel like I earned the right to go in and shop and silently gloat. (I got fucking keys thrown at me by a manager when I worked there, so I earned it!)
Anyway. So that's that. So long, Hastings 9816.
Yes, the decision is a financial one, and yes, sales were way down most days I was there. But that's to be expected--when you have Redbox and Netflix for movies and TV, iTunes and other services like that for music, and Kindle and Nook and all those for books (not to mention all the illegal download stuff) it's hard to keep customers. Personally, I think that in an environment that's that competitive, where the customer can pretty much do everything on their own, the only reason they're gong to prefer an actual in store experience is if they really love the environment of the store and the attitudes/personalities/knowledge of the employees. And when your employees are all assholes who don't know shit about the job, and the store feels nothing but chaotic and messy and disorganized . . . well, then there's zero incentive for the customer to choose the store over all their other options. And that's what bit these guys in the ass.
It's kind of a vicious cycle: the store and employees aren't well liked by the customer . . . customers stop returning and sales drop . . . drop in sales leads to cutting hours all over and fewer workers in the store at any given time . . . lowered workforce only makes the initial problems worse because then work is never done properly and stocking and cleaning fall behind and when a customer does need help, they have to wait . . . if someone does help them there's a good chance they don't know what they're doing because there aren't enough hours to actually train people on the sales floor.
I think Hastings could still be successful in Flag if it bought a much, much smaller space and became strictly a movie and game rental place. Because Hastings is(was) the ONLY rental place in town anymore aside from Redbox kiosks. We used to have a Hollywood Video, a Blockbuster, and an indie rental place, but they've all been closed for years. A huge chunk of this store's sales was from rental because it was the only thing there's really no competition for in town (we have a bunch of indie music stores, 2 or 3 Game Stops, 2 RadioShacks and a Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, a comic book store, and a Spencers and a Hot Topic that carry most of the same novelty items Hastings did).
(Meanwhile, the Kingman Hastings, while sales are down (sales are down across the company, really, which isn't surprising) will probably never actually go out of business, because aside from the online stuff, there's no competition for them in Kingman).
I am a little sad. I'm sad that there won't be a rental place anymore, and I did have some good times at the store here--back in college, at least. Jenny and I both did, and we made some good friends and got up to quite a bit of mischief around that place. It wasn't the best place to work even in college, but I'm appalled at how far down hill it went in the time between then and when I worked there last year. And there were a few co-workers I actually liked and thought were decent people and I hope that they're all able to find new jobs quickly. (But honestly, they all barely did better than me in the hours department so I'm sure that whatever work they do find will be a step up for them).
I'm glad I got out when I did. I remember thinking in November that I was such an idiot for just quitting the way I did and being so worried that I'd done the wrong thing--but now more than ever I feel like I definitely made the best choice, because not only did I find a killer new job that I'm really loving, but I also escaped the stress of having to worry about finding a new job and all that when the store closed. I almost feel "I told you so" about it, because I came up here doing everything right per corporate standards, the way I was trained, and I was basically hated for it. My co-workers were like lol, look at this idiot actually doing her job and not cutting all the corners. And now . . . they're out of a job! And in my head I'm like, I tried.
It's sad because this store had a lot of potential. It had a great location close to campus and if it had been managed better I think it could have done SO well. But it seems, at the same time, like it was destined to fail, because something about it just always felt off. This store just never had the same sense of work ethic as the Kingman store or other ones I've been to (the downside of living in a college town: lots of college student employees who don't actually give a shit about the job). And whenever there was a manager there who actually tried to make people work and do their jobs correctly, the staff would make them so miserable with their assholeishness about it that the manager would end up leaving (I saw this happen to 2 managers and I don't blame them at all for leaving). It's so sad. It's so stupid. Especially considering that in an economy where a lot of people need jobs very badly you could probably be picky and hire a really great crew.
Oh well. All those suggestions are too late now. I wish some of them the best and most of them not the best. (I have no desire to be the bigger person when it comes to that place).
I'm definitely going to hit up the going out of business sale because why not? Plus . . . ok, I haven't been in Hastings since I quit, because I hate it there and just didn't want to go in. But I feel like now that they're all about to lose their jobs and I'm in a really good work position . . . I'll mind less going in. Good lord, that makes me sound like a horrible, horrible person, but it's true! After what I said when I left about the store being so unprofessional it would have been a little embarrassing to go in and potentially have to admit that I was still unemployed . . . but now I look better than them in comparison. (I swear I'm actually a good person . . . I just hate that place and the people there so, so much). Most of them treated me like complete shit and acted like I was a moron when I actually knew more about the company than they did, and it's really just a wonderful feeling to see such misplaced arrogance cut down. I definitely don't want to go in and rub it in their faces that I'm doing well Hastings free, but I feel like I earned the right to go in and shop and silently gloat. (I got fucking keys thrown at me by a manager when I worked there, so I earned it!)
Anyway. So that's that. So long, Hastings 9816.
1.16.2013
MHC Day #1
I started work today, and I would say that overall it was quite a success.
Sleeping last night, however, was not a success, and I think I got 2.5 hours total. Lovely. I was so exhausted when I dragged myself out of bed this morning. But still, I did it, and I managed to be showered, blow dried, moisturized, perfumed, dressed, bundled up and ready to go almost on time . . . we did have to run to the bus stop. (Since Jerbs and I work at the same time now we get to catch the same bus in the morning!)
Anyway, I got there on time, and today was all the boring housekeeping type stuff--tax paperwork, new hire paperwork, the employee handbook, HIPAA training videos, OSHA training videos, etc. Between how dull it was and already being exhausted, I almost fell asleep at my desk.
But still it was a good day. I have my own little half an office with a big desk (which I am nerdily excited about). A bunch of people kept stopping by my office or stopping me in the halls/staff rooms to introduce themselves to me and welcome me aboard, which was very nice. I felt really, really welcome, and I got a good vibe from everyone I met--I can't see myself disliking any of them. And my more immediate co-workers are all fabulous.
Tomorrow I get to shadow one of the other billers, so it should be more interesting than today!
Sleeping last night, however, was not a success, and I think I got 2.5 hours total. Lovely. I was so exhausted when I dragged myself out of bed this morning. But still, I did it, and I managed to be showered, blow dried, moisturized, perfumed, dressed, bundled up and ready to go almost on time . . . we did have to run to the bus stop. (Since Jerbs and I work at the same time now we get to catch the same bus in the morning!)
Anyway, I got there on time, and today was all the boring housekeeping type stuff--tax paperwork, new hire paperwork, the employee handbook, HIPAA training videos, OSHA training videos, etc. Between how dull it was and already being exhausted, I almost fell asleep at my desk.
But still it was a good day. I have my own little half an office with a big desk (which I am nerdily excited about). A bunch of people kept stopping by my office or stopping me in the halls/staff rooms to introduce themselves to me and welcome me aboard, which was very nice. I felt really, really welcome, and I got a good vibe from everyone I met--I can't see myself disliking any of them. And my more immediate co-workers are all fabulous.
Tomorrow I get to shadow one of the other billers, so it should be more interesting than today!
1.14.2013
Oh, Y'know
I start work on Wednesday at 8 AM! I'm so excited!!
I'm nervous too. Mostly I'm worried about the adjusting--I'm about to go from sleeping until (after) noon to having to be ready to go and out the door by 7:10 AM. Blech. And the thing is I'm still having hypersomnia issues, and I can't fight through the tired like normal people can. Like, if my alarm goes off and I'm still exhausted, I can't seem to suck it up and get out of bed anyway. I'm hoping that having a job will make it easier, and I'm also hoping that my body will cooperate and go to bed when I tell it too. And I'm sure that being unmedicated at the moment is not helping and that once my Lithium levels are back up I'll be better about actually getting up. Plus I'm nervous about having to postpone my psych appointment
Speaking of medication, I finally got my prescription today. Hallefreakingllujah. It was a frustrating process because on the 12th, I logged on to the WalMart pharmacy thing, and saw that my doctor had given me 3 Lithium refills. I was like yay! and immediately requested a refill online. When I logged on the next day, though, the order was cancelled--no idea why. So I requested another one, and when I logged on today, it was also cancelled. I called the WalMart pharmacy (and let me tell you I was ready to go to battle!) and the pharmacist was like, "That's weird, because I have a prescription all ready for you." Thank goodness.
Also healthcare related, I got a voicemail from my doctor today about my lab work. Everything looked good but my thyroid is still a little elevated (dammit) so I'm going to have to follow up on that. Sigh. I had so hoped the first elevated result was just a fluke. Not a huge deal but still. The thing is, I'm not so worried about having to follow up now that I'll be financially able to. I'd just rather have to not treat something else with medication . . . but at the same time, I really don't think I'm interested in trying anything but Lithium for the bipolar disorder.
I also found out today that the gym I want to join (the one co-owned by MHC) is running a killer special if you join in January so I'm excited about that. Because getting home after sunset when it's 3 degrees outside is most definitely going to prevent me from walking to the work out room. And I'm sure that there's some sort of employee discount but in case that doesn't take effect until I'm elligible for benefits, I'd be willing to just join now and pay out of pocket for it.
Overall, a lot to be happy about right now.
I'm nervous too. Mostly I'm worried about the adjusting--I'm about to go from sleeping until (after) noon to having to be ready to go and out the door by 7:10 AM. Blech. And the thing is I'm still having hypersomnia issues, and I can't fight through the tired like normal people can. Like, if my alarm goes off and I'm still exhausted, I can't seem to suck it up and get out of bed anyway. I'm hoping that having a job will make it easier, and I'm also hoping that my body will cooperate and go to bed when I tell it too. And I'm sure that being unmedicated at the moment is not helping and that once my Lithium levels are back up I'll be better about actually getting up. Plus I'm nervous about having to postpone my psych appointment
Speaking of medication, I finally got my prescription today. Hallefreakingllujah. It was a frustrating process because on the 12th, I logged on to the WalMart pharmacy thing, and saw that my doctor had given me 3 Lithium refills. I was like yay! and immediately requested a refill online. When I logged on the next day, though, the order was cancelled--no idea why. So I requested another one, and when I logged on today, it was also cancelled. I called the WalMart pharmacy (and let me tell you I was ready to go to battle!) and the pharmacist was like, "That's weird, because I have a prescription all ready for you." Thank goodness.
Also healthcare related, I got a voicemail from my doctor today about my lab work. Everything looked good but my thyroid is still a little elevated (dammit) so I'm going to have to follow up on that. Sigh. I had so hoped the first elevated result was just a fluke. Not a huge deal but still. The thing is, I'm not so worried about having to follow up now that I'll be financially able to. I'd just rather have to not treat something else with medication . . . but at the same time, I really don't think I'm interested in trying anything but Lithium for the bipolar disorder.
I also found out today that the gym I want to join (the one co-owned by MHC) is running a killer special if you join in January so I'm excited about that. Because getting home after sunset when it's 3 degrees outside is most definitely going to prevent me from walking to the work out room. And I'm sure that there's some sort of employee discount but in case that doesn't take effect until I'm elligible for benefits, I'd be willing to just join now and pay out of pocket for it.
Overall, a lot to be happy about right now.
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