Ice then snow

Once I left my job last night, it was snowing so I got to drive home in slush. I almost got hit by a snow plow. It was cutting me off and I couldn't stop my car in the slippery snow with a layer of ice underneath. I barely squeaked by and the plow honked at me. Excuse me, he is the one cutting ME off. Then waiting at a red light, the snow plow stopped in the left turn lane and turned right, in front of me and the car to my left. What is up with that? Then I had to go grocery shopping so very happy when I got home. Let the cats out to have them behave badly. They actually tolerated the cold temperature and snow everywhere to make a 40 minute walk. I had to drag them back in when I got too cold.

Today the snow and ice were melting. Went to work and it was boring as usual. The manager is still a grouch and bit my nose off again. Last night, I was asked to go to housewares cause somebody didn't show up. I leave my section to the clothing guys (I told the asker that my section would be unattended and he assured his clothing guys will watch it). Then I return a scanner to receive the comment that my manager was looking for me. She was PO'ed I was not where I should be and furious I didn't tell her cuz I am scheduled to work shoes making this helping out screwing up my commission figures. Sorry, I hadn't seen her all day and thought she had the day off. Then today she gets mad I didn't use a red pen to change the markdown price on a display shoe. If I can't find one then go get one because this is just standards here, she explains. Sorry, Bozo the Clown who trained me on his way out the door never mentioned this. Also I got a nasty email on standards we are not fulfilling and we should know everything in this email already. We should never stand around, ever. We should be working always and find something to do. Excuse me, customers refuse to bother me when I am working on something. Let's just say it is like trying to look at xmas lights and avoid hitting the cars next to you at the same time. One guy told me when I am finished with my project, he needs a size. I will be working on this all day so feel free to interrupt me, I replied. He laughed. Inventory is coming so we need to get ready. I want another job. Even better, next month I will be working 11 days in a row and only have 6 outfits. Then they have me working til 7:00 PM and I can't do laundry at my apartment passed 10:00 PM. Bitch.

I got a new web cam from my sister. Her school got one (she is a librarian) and since she had no one to connect with, she made a connection. My aunt got one too. I took videos of my cats and emailed to my friends and family. Gotta go to bed. Later.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to one and all. I went shopping for dinner with my family tomorrow. I have no time to cook so I buy from the bakery. I got fruit, pie, and cookies. Then watched TV until time to go feed my sister's cats. I left something in their stockings and wrapped up the cat gifts. Have to call tomorrow to tell my niece that I left cookie and milk for Santa on her behalf. I doubt she will notice the lack of dirty dishes in the sink.

I recall the time I believed in Santa. One year I heard a noise downstairs and ran down screaming "Santa!". It was my Dad coming home from work on the railroad. Another year I waited until everyone gone to bed and snuck down to hide in the closet. Heard a noise and cracked the door open to find my Dad taking off his shoes. I shut the door to have him open it again. I wanted to see Santa, I explained. Go to bed, he answered. I gathered my pillow and blanket in obedience while he turned away. I grabbed the door and locked it. He pounded on the door ordering me to come out or he will get the key to unlock it. I negotiated that I would unlock the door if he promised not the spank me. He promised and I went to bed. Then another I announced I was sleeping on the couch to see Santa come. After a big fight with my family how I will fall asleep and won't see him, my family got tired of arguing and went to bed. Of course I fell asleep and Mom came down after a while in her robe to check on me. I told her I was awake and she sat down on the couch with me. Then I woke up in my own bed. Another year I got up at midnight to see Santa's sleigh looking outside my window. I waited and waited, but saw nothing. Disappointed I went to bed.

But it didn't last. I started to notice Santa's gifts were wrapped in paper we bought the year before and then saw a price tag on a gift made in Santa's workshop. And then the heart breaking of finding my Santa gift under my Mom's dresser when I was looking for bows. But it upset my family asking if Santa was real so a couple years I pretended to believe setting out cookies and milk for Santa. Then I found my Santa gift under Mom's bed (I was searching this time) and later refused to leave cookies because there was no Santa. I asked later who had been eating the cookies and drinking the milk. Dad. I think it broke their hearts and Mom commented she needs to hide the presents better. This lead to carefully untaping my presents under the tree to see what I got and taping it back up, I replaced the tape if I ripped the paper. When my older nieces figured out there was no Santa, they asked if I believed in Santa. I always said, Yes, I'm Santa Claus and when you give a gift without expecting anything in return, you are Santa Claus too. I think they liked my answer better than, Sorry for lying to you all these years.

Merry Christmas. Bye!

Xmas gift from manager

I got my xmas gift from the shoes manager. Two snowflake ornaments she crocheted herself but didn't have time to add a hanger string on top (I'll find my ornament hangers later when I put stuff away). A snowman mug (good cuz all of mine are dirty). A packet of Nestle cocoa w/marshmellows (marshmellows melted in the cocoa so had to add real ones). And a scratch lottery ticket (loser). Oh yes, and a xmas card.

Talked to mama tonight about xmas. I assumed she wasn't going anywhere so have dinner, or supper if I can't wake up tomorrow, at her place. She said I didn't have to bring food, but of course I'll bring something. I baked rolls tonight and they expanded more than I expected so probably bring some of those. I'll see what I can find at the grocery store tomorrow.

Funniest story I got is a lady asked if the water bottles by the cash register are complimentary. No, they are a dollar.Another lady was shocked when I said our candy bars were on sale for $2.21 and had to comment how expensive they were. The price is right on the holder. And another lady asked for super cheap shoes for her man. Walmart. She stared at me in shock that I had to explain I was joking. She didn't think that was funny at all (most people laugh at that). Then after getting a $80 pair of shoes for her she took them to the clothing department to buy them and I just lost a sale. Oh well. Oh yeah, another lady asked if our Croc winter shoes came in her size (Croc's are labeled in Men's and Women's sizes). Yes, in the Ladies department down the way. Her husband explains she is in the Men's Department. Guess she didn't notice the Men's dress shoes surrounding her.

Silent Night

Had a busy day at work and finally have a silent night at home with the cats. Starting yesterday we have an event where you buy a pair of a certain brand a get a gift card (of course customers think it is every shoe they buy gets a gift card). Today I had a pair of shoes returned in another section that I just sold at least an hour ago. I'm guessing they just wanted the free gift card and not the shoes. I was by myself again so had a Ladies Shoes person come over to help again. Why was my coworker not scheduled today is beyond me? Maybe he asked for the day off. I got a gift bag from my store.Inside my gift bag was a lunch bag and water bottle with store logo, a ball from their xmas series, a store logo pin with the same decoration as the ball, a recipe booklet that I have seen displayed in Housewares (what is Creme Brulee cuz they have scented candles looking like the dish there too?), 2 pieces of weird caramels, and a free magazine subscription.

In kitty news: Precious has not been getting out much from the harness refusal and when he does it is a 10-20 minute walk from the cold. My penguin on the balcony keeps falling over so opened the door to erect it properly. I can't use lawn stakes on a balcony. Precious stays out 2 minutes and runs back in. Frodo sniffs the air near the door and scampers away. Frodo has been eating my xmas tree but haven't caught him lately. I try to tell him plastic is bad for him but like a cat, he gives a blank stare and continue eating the branches. I know, he speaks meow and reads emotions, only association makes him understand English and my tongue noises. Sorry spray bottle doesn't really work too well on my babies, they are rebellious little buggers (how did that happen?). Frodo also likes playing with my village on the floor, so many things to knock over. From all my working, my babies are feeling neglected and jump into bed to plop on me to get their fill of attention. Well, I think this is long enough. Later.

Christmas letter 2008

In the effort to save on paper, I am emailing many of my Christmas letters this year. In the attached pic, Precious is on the blanket sleeping while Frodo is on the headrest looking down. So here we go.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my family and friends. This Happy New Year started off with a meow when I stepped on my cat Frodo snuggled underneath my blanket. Precious was on my lap and jumped off when I got up. I gave a peck on their fuzzy foreheads at midnight and went to bed. Soon the Caucaus whirlwind blew in seizing all our car rentals. The airport actually roped off part of the parking garage for extra return space for the car rentals and had security outside directing people which are their car rental spots. Barak Obama was the favorite as well as the Republican guy I forget the name to. Mom soon had her second knee replacement replaced to spend Valentine's Day in the Assisted Care facility for special therapy attention. They had a Sweetheart dinner Dad attended and he complained he was out of food at home. Mom informed him that he knows where the grocery store is. Mom enjoyed the lap of luxury of no cooking nor cleaning while it lasted. Precious had his second birthday we celebrated with a new cat tower that terrified Frodo. It took him a month to get in the tower basket and then Precious had trouble kicking him out. Frodo was squashed and pawed at by Precious, but Frodo held his ground scratching back. He will not be bullied. Don't worry, Frodo does the same to Precious in the basket and Precious makes Frodo find another spot. He is no pussy either. Ah, youth.

Regular as clockwork, the last big snowstorm hit during the State Basketball Tournaments. Several hours they closed the airport, or rather the tarmac since I was counting my change drawer, and shut down my computer several times to my aggravation trying to close so I can go home. Frodo celebrated his second birthday with a new bright red feather teaser. My niece spent the night many times this year and I know I pick her up from preschool too often when the other kids scream "Her Aunt" when I arrive. She can't wait for her baby sister sitting in China to come home where she belongs, hopefully next year their name on the adoption list gets called. I got new turquoise glasses in the spring that few noticed until Autumn, perhaps it was my blue eyeliner I started wearing then. The annual yanking the mats out of Precious fur began as he shed and continued through the summer. At the vet, the nurse shaved his butt to his protest. I assured the nurse he has his claws and knows how to use them. They wrapped him in a kitty tamale (bath towel) to keep from getting scratched and didn't get the tangles on his tummy. I worked combing those out another month. Precious was also a pound overweight so got different cat food with more protein and less carbohydrate. This led to Frodo loosing weight until he turned aggressive gobbling his share of food before Precious ate it. He did get thinner and became more active as a result. I try to keep him fit, as does Frodo. We had tornadoes and floods to rent out all the cars to disaster relief. The constant rain made us wade through the parking lot with the River on the other side of the apartment complex swelled to take out the road and bike trail next door. Water failed to reach us but we did get a warning of possible forced evacuation on our doors. It never happened to my relief.

I took my niece to the zoo and had a fun day until we had to return to her home. She loves my cats. Worked the 4th of July and had fun picking burs out of the cats' fur, even Frodo had a bur in his short haired tail. My niece from another area came for a visit to my sister's house and we played with niece's new tent (a sheet over a table). Soon the Olympics started with the Iowa favorite, Shawn Johnson. The cats enjoyed watching the Olympics on TV and competed in their own games. Magnificant flying vaults off the rocking chair, high jump to open the doorknob (it's locked), swim meet in the water bowl, air and floor somersaults chasing the cat teaser, and balance beam on the TV to catch a fly. After months of irritation from cats refusing to come inside and I missed Oprah's interview with Tom Cruise, the cats got put on leashes to go outside. Precious started bucking like a bronco until he got used to the idea of limited movement. Celebrated my birthday with my sister and niece. We went out to dinner and then left niece with a babysitter to go to the local comedy club. It changed locations so we saw a movie nearby instead. The new Batman movie was starting when we arrived so saw that one. Soon my make-up school in Burbank, CA began and learned to do camera make-up, no special effects. Got a good report from my friends catsitting my babies. One friend's child thought Precious was so sweet she wanted to take him home. I finished my second novel for my nieces and still editing it. I have little spare time to edit since I quit my airport car rental job to work for Dillards. Two coworkers sent me off with a gift bag and cupcakes. I tried to share the cupcakes to get rejected and ate most of them in a few hours.

Then, I was bait and switched to work in Mens Shoes with only false hope of transferring to Cosmetics someday. I am too old to follow the carrot I know I will never catch. I have been applying everywhere there is a Cosmetics counter along with theaters and event planners. Spent Thanksgiving with my sister's family and brother who was there to paint my niece's room. Niece included her baby sister still in China in her Thanksgiving dinner prayer. Then went down to my parents' house to pick up my Christmas decorations. It took four days, but got them all up and displayed. I have fabulous light display on my balcony I bought after Christmas last year (half off means buy twice as much you know). This Christmas Eve I'll be home drinking cocoa wrapped in a warm blanket and probably spend Christmas Day with my parents.

Seasons Greetings to you all.

Love Always, Jordan

Precious and Frodo say Meowy Christmas.

What was that

Had a gal call from a retail store asking to discuss my application. OK. I was expecting to set up a time for an interview, but whatever she wishes. First question was why I applied there. Heard from their employees who were in my store that they were hiring. She repeated what I said. Yes, I answered. Second question was where I saw myself in 2 or 3 years. I don't know about 2 or 3 years but I would like to be in movies or theater, but they are not steady paychecks so I would need a steady job also. (I know she was asking, How long will you stay) Third and fourth questions were my availability and what cosmetic lines I was familiar with. I am not brand loyal, I pick up make-up everywhere. When I get fatter paychecks I can afford name brand addiction. Then she went on the uniform of dress or skirt with pantyhose and no boots. OK. I'm sorry but isn't uniform usually mentioned after the job offer. Next she announced a manager will be contacting me in 7-9 days or will receive a letter from them. (Is she telling me I will get a rejection letter in the mail) Finally asked if I had questions. No.

What do you ask after the strangest phone interview I ever had next to the event planner who asked what I emailed him about and then told me he didn't need a make-up artist cause his actors do their own and then asked did I do other entertainment stuff he could market in his events. I hate it when an interveiwer doesn't ask a lot of questions, it makes me uneasy like they already decided not to hire me. Though my store didn't ask many questions and very eager to offer a job when I got to the interview. I was the one who brought up pay, parking, and uniform. Though I ran into the Fragrances/Cosmetic manager who interviewed me during a break and she even surprised and asked why I was put in Men's shoes. I told her I had the feeling it was because someone was quitting.

Well I got most of my xmas decore up. It usually takes 3 to 4 days to get everything up. Precious and Frodo meowed to outside but refused the harness so didn't go out. It was freezing anyway. Better go. Have to get up early.