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.

1st Sunday

It's my 1st Sunday working. Boring as usual. Missed excitement last night. Person attempted to steal some hats at the store next door. Manager chases person into the parking lot where person turns into our store. Lady with a baby got punched as she was leaving our store, she blocked his path. Our security rushes over after manager tackled said person in our store.My coworker saw the shoplifter in cuffs while police and security are exchanging notes. The guy had a child running loose in the mall so the police had to go find the child.

Had several people ask for sales, then specifically 70% off. No. Then had a jerk ask me to take more off cuz he didn't like the price. Oh hell no. Even worse he said he will take the shoes anyway and after ringing them up, he wants to think about it but doesn't want me to hold them for him. Voided transaction and put shoes away. My manager has been moving stuff around so it is harder to find stuff. When it takes less than 5 min. to find a shoes, I'm certain I will sell more shoes as my manager demands. In short, if we have any cheap shoes I won't be telling people about them. Cheap does not fill my quota. Later.

Happy Black Friday

Today we retailers get out of the red ($ losses) and get into the black ($ gains). Right away the send me to Ladies shoes. There were 3 stockboys, the store manager, shoes manager, me, and 4 Ladies shoe people there helping customers. I hate their stockroom, I can't find anything. I told the stockboy their stockroom design is retarded. People got upset we were taking so long and hate getting in line. Then don't shop the busiest day of the year. Then went back to my place when customers disappeared.My area was less hectic. Men don't need shoes of each color. But we had arguments over what our ads say. Sorry we don't have copies of what you saw. You know, if people are going to be so bitchy about our ads then they need to bring the ad in to prove their case. How do I know you didn't read another store's ad instead?

People ask about my Thanksgiving. Fine. My niece wanted to give me a present so my sister had her put their leftover Halloween candy in a gift bag she got from her birthday party two weeks ago. Yum, month old candy. Found out my sister has menopause and she is only 3 months away from turning 40. Niece was excited about getting her bedroom painted pink.

Then off to Mom's for xmas decor. As usual it was nonstop criticism and people in general can't figure out why we have difficulty getting along. Let's see, my glasses are too small to see out of (that's the fashion now), why did I get them if my line of vision is smaller, why can't you get big glasses like hers, I have too many decorations, they won't all fit in my apartment, I should leave some behind (my reply: let me worry about that), don't fall down the stairs from the large box I'm carrying, and finally my purse is open and everything is going to fall out onto the ground (it doesn't).

I got some of my things up. I have so many it does take days to get them all up. What can I say, I love Christmas. Later.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day to one and all. I am thankful for uh, um, oh, give me a minute, ah, uh, I know, My Cats who miss me and a warm apartment to sleep in. My rest of my life sucks. Oh yeah, I am thankful for hot water when I want it. I will visit my sister's family and brother and then off to my parents' house for my Christmas decorations. Then spend the rest of the day putting them up.

Too bad my mall is closed. I told my old car rental managers that sometimes I prefer to work holidays cuz sometimes I need a vacation from my family. They understood perfectly. What's so bad? The "When you getting married?", "Any boyfriends yet?", "When are you having kids?", "Are you going to adopt if you can't find a man?", "When are you getting a better paying job?", "When are you buying a house, apartments just waste your money?", "When are you getting health insurance?", and my favorite rude question, "When are you getting rid of your cats?". The answer is always the same, "I'll let know when it happens." I hate the cat question the most and it drive my sister crazy. We understand certain people hate cats, but we did not get our cats to be decorations in our homes. We love our cats and will get rid of them when they die. Allergic to cat people are capable of taking Benadryl before they come over. I take it all the time and I know it works, and can be bought over the counter w/out a prescription.

Well, Happy Thanksgiving. Frodo needs attention. Later.

Worse that I thought

My trainer compliments how my guitar pick as a necklace pendant was so coool. It is a seashell. He takes a closer look. Ok, he sees it is a seashell.

My trainer tries to explain how we get paid here and I still don't get it. OK, we don't have sales goal cuz we get commission. Got that. Then if we are in deficit, our hourly wage is severely cut, like $4 less an hour. Our real sales goal to keep from going into deficit is how much you make per day. The hourly wage is like a loan (excuse me?) where you give it back to the company by selling the same amount of goods. And if you don't pay back your wages they pay you less. Are you following this?Today I learned to stretch shoes and sell a gift card. Gift card lady brought in 4 print outs of shoes for her son. I found 3 out of the 4. The item number on the paper didn't match the ones on the boxes and she questions if they are the same thing. Worse, one has a bootstrap that is not in the pic. She wants one w/out bootstrap. They all have them. She can't decide. Then she sees a scuff on the other shoe in the box. Bring out another and the glue holding on the sole is exposed. I have no more in desired size. So she buys a gift card instead. You mean to tell me that dealing with people like that is not worth my hourly wages. Tonight I will be by myself after my trainer leaves and closing by myself w/out knowing how. The shoes manager said to ask someone for help. Plus, since a women's shoe person quit we are scheduled to cover that area too. Never worked Women's dep either. I asked if I was the extra help around here. Yes. I hope I find another job soon.

Turns out I was not alone closing. The part-time student worker is here with me and came when the other guy left. I asked if I may help him and he replied he works here. He figured out I was the new girl. He is much quieter than the other. He is in a local college studying pyschology. He has a big family. Didn't wish to pester him with too many questions. He taught me the routine to close. When we were leaving a gal from either Juniors or Women's presented a pair of jeans. The were the old disgusting jeans from the shoplifter who wore the new jeans out and the clerk found the old pair in the dressing room, on the hanger as if the clerk wouldn't know the difference. When her buddy came looking for her the clerk blurted out her friend just stole a pair of her jeans. The buddy was tongue tied and sleeked away. It might have been the girl that was stopped by the clerk and waited for secuirty to come. The security guy who walked by called them little witches. Post later.

They gave us donuts, milk, juice for our graduation. The assistant manager came in with our completion certificates and business cards of our assigned departments. I was assigned Men's Shoes cuz I worked for a shoe store (yeah, 4 years ago). She said if we don't like our departments we can switch at our review time in 3 months. 2 got in their desired departments and I with another girl went to departments we never worked in before/and didn't like. I ran into a regular customer from the airport and he was surprised they didn't put me in fragrances like they said. I will be quitting as soon as I can. It took 2 weeks and 4 interviews to get this job, so I can get another. I didn't go to California, spend a fortune on make up supplies (4 bags plus an air brush in a box to make 5), work 14 hour days during my 2 week notice, and take a pay cut to work in Men's shoes. I told everybody if they put me anywhere but fragrances, I'm leaving. I am past the following the carrot believing their b.s. stage. I filled out an application at Sephora on my lunch break. They have cashier and night stock available. Tomorrow I will apply at the Merle Normans at the malls and then call the movie person who rented a car and a event planner since I finally can breathe.

In Men's Shoes, I tossed the business cards and graduation certificate in the garbage. I won't be around for long. My trainer was upset they said we were placed where help was most needed. They didn't need me, if fact me makes them over staffed and will cut into their sales. They get commission here, 9%, but the trainer showed on the computer he sells about $100 on weekdays ($9) and $500 on the weekends ($45), but that doesn't make up for the lies. My trainer is 28, oldest of 6 kids, not married, no kids, and asked to close for him so he can babysit his nephew. I never closed so I was really uneasy doing it by myself, and working by myself too. He said someone will help me close so I finally consented. He felt so guilty he decided to stay and I sent me home. Then the assistant manager called me to the kids shoe department twice to help out. The gal was so unhappy they didn't send me to her, she needs help. The second time the sole worker asked me to cover her 2 hours lunch break (overtime is not allowed so they are making them take 2 hours lunch breaks when they are scheduled over 40 hours). My trainer said no to covering the break, I'm needed here and it is not my job to cover their breaks. Ok. When he took lunch I got busy with 4 people wanting shoes (full service in a fancy department store) and the guy in the next section came over to help me. I had a lady on the phone reciting shoe numbers off the internet, which mean nothing to me, cause we have a sale going on and she wants to get them from us so would be cheaper than the internet. The next section guy took her name and number so I could help the present people. People standing in front of me always go first before phone calls. Then why do they not have a hold button? My trainer called her back and explained the internet sales do not take place in the stores and the store sales do not roll over into the internet. Then looked for her shoes since he knew what she was talking about. Well now Precious snoring on my feet and Frodo is on the cat tower since I am not playing with them. Don't worry, in an hour they will be ready to play. Later.

Runaway flamingo

We had an escaped Flamingo flying away from the zoo with TV crew following the zookeepers. They tracked it and it flew away a few times before trying to land on top of the fence where there is barbed wire, fell to the ground where it was restrained to be returned to the exhibit. The End.

Had a lovely morning in Men's with assisting with markdowns, he scanned and I stickered. He asked if I were to work in this section. No. Apparently, they have done different training techiques. Once training was a week, and then 30 days, and also 2 weeks, now it is 3 weeks. Then some watched videos before attending the salesfloor while others didn't view any at all, Now we see a video on shoplifting and safety and just the extra help so I don't learn much cause every department is different. Hence my frustration at hating this job so much. Once I get into my assigned department and learn where everything is, I'll like it better. Then the store manager had the brillant idea of making our sale signs red cuz people notice red. So now customers think anything with a red tag is on sale. Actually, the sale price sticker is not red.

Then after lunch I went to Kids to have the manager take a minute on what I should do. A couple asked if this is my section not realizing I'm still a trainee. They would love to have me. So would Men's and Housewares. Assessories and Juniors were too busy with marking sales than chatting with me, though they chat with each other. I did learn the Assessories people cover Juniors when nobody is assigned there and they hate it. The one girl is so bitchy how things should be done and where things go, when they are doing them a favor just being there and customers mess things up anyway. So anyway Kids. I followed the manager around learning the brands and her frustration of all the things they send her when she has no room, and everything must follow the plan the corporate office makes up for all the stores. She ordered a new round circle thing (I forget the word she used) to put hoodies on from the storage area. Then straighten shelf areas that are messes. Corporate is coming tomorrow so everything must be right. I put on shoes on dummies and in my quest for shoes I was told I picked the wrong ones. She said casual for the urban brand and I grabbed sneakers. She didn't mean sporty. OK, I don't know what cool, hip, and urban mean. My nieces don't wear urban, hip, and cool. She gave a brand name I never heard of, and they don't carry. Brown/black casual shoes. Ok, I get the picture. Even worse I keep picking boy shoes for a girl display, Don't you know the difference between girls and boys shoes?, she demands. Not when girls wear boys shoes. At a shoe I worked in long ago, girls were grabbing the boy shoes leaving the butterflies and flowers behind. One dispaly for Mens sandals had women complaining these are not the right size and we had to say go 2 sizes down. Then she ran out of things for me to do. I took my 15 minute break for her think of something.

I spent whole 15 minutes standing at the breakroom computer trying to figure out to access my shedule and paycheck stub from last week. I accomplished neither cause I forgot my username. We signed on usernames and passwords to access this stuff last week Monday. I used a password I use for a website to help recall it, but can't recall which cat I used in the username. Maybe my own name. I had no pen and paper to write this down at the time. Return and she has me organize the racks to place things in their proper place (fat chance) and put sizes smalls in front and bigger to the back. Then it was time to go. Anyway, time for bed. Later.

Catching shoplifters

We managed to stop some shoplifters today. One must be shoplifter in training cuz the person was on their cell with somone in another department telling this person what sizes to get. This person had a pile of things, then saw the security person coming, put down the pile, and ran away.

Another person took items into another department, went into a fitting room, and the items disappeared. This time a manager was standing outside the fitting room so the person went back to the fitting room, came back to lay the items on the counter, and left. These people must know who the managers and security people are if we clerks don't frighten them like that.

Yet another person took items in the fitting room and stuffed them in a new purse, and left it behind in the fitting room. The clerk went in the fitting room and found the items this person stashed.

I spent the day in Junior's (teen clothes). Then they left me alone and of course I have problems cause I don't know hardly anything. Lady asked when a certain brand will be coming in and I explained they send whatever stuff gets sold, but she can always try our website. We can order stuff but I don't know how and no regular clerks were there. Then I get a lady wanting to know the price on something and it doesn't scan at the register, and the portable scanner was locked on someone and I couldn't change the name. Had to hunt down someone in Men's cuz the perfume lady didn't know how to use the scanner. He took out the battery and while it was heating up my other trainee came back from lunch so I let her help the lady. I had to take lunch before we did another training session in the back room. In the back room, they told us to never, ever confront a shoplifter, call security. Always a manager and/or security will handle a shoplifter, never a clerk. Probably why we don't frighten shoplifters cuz we just call security to stalk them with the cameras. Well, better go, Frodo needs attention.

Day 5

I come in and get sent to the children's section. I ring up my first sale and then a few more by myselfcuz the associates keep disappearing. I don't like being left alone when I know very little about this section. Lady asked where winter coats for boys were and saw them behind me before I could say, Let me ask somebody. Another lady asked the price on something on the sale rack, but it is not marked on sale. I go tothe register and attempt to recall how to look up a price w/out ringing it up. I have to ring it up to get the priceand then can't figure out how to void the transaction when price is not on file. Next I hunt down one associate, who sends me to another cuz she's busy with a customer and she doesn't have a scanner I need with her. Go find this other associate who scans it and tells me the price. Tell customer the price hoping it is the right customer. People tend to move and look alike after a while. Another customer asks about tights and then shoes, and the phone rings when the associate is helping her. I don't know the proper greeting so I say whatever comes in my head. It is for the busy associate so I help customer in shoe section. So in the shoe section, lady wants a size. I go into their stock room and ask where to find these shoes. Associate completely ignores me and complains she can't find the shoe she is looking for to the associate walking by. Walking by girl points out where the shoe I need is. Ok, find shoes, put on stockings for the little girl's dress shoes since girl doesn't know how to put these on. How much do they cost. Price is not on the box, or the shoes. Try to ask busy associate how to find the price and she walks away from me. It is on the shoe's heel. No, it is not. I think she meant the display shoe when I found them and put them back. Try to check on cash register. Too busy for my questions associate wants me to wait ringing up so she can check a price. Sure, go ahead. Get the price and return. Lady needs to buy a few more things so I place her stuff by the register. Tell associate these the lady will come back for these.

Let's see, the manager walks by a few times and they tell me to walk around looking busy (I notice this action happens frquently whatever section they put me in). I straighten their stuff animals and put dresses in a clothes bag instead of a sack. Then I rearrange a sale rack to place all small, med, and large sizes together. They are put on racks by style, not size. Complete that and it is about time to go. The associates are dumbfounded I have another job, it is part-time? No, full-time and this new job here is full-time. Then I have to go into the definition of two weeks notice (even this store has this policy so this should not be a foreign concept). Oh, ok, they finally get it. Time to go and I run into the manager who thinks I'm leaving for lunch. No, my other job. She cops an attitude how as full-time we work open to 6 cuz that is how it is done here. I explain back that my other job is 34 hours until the two week notice is complete, then I'm free as a bird. She telling the store manager on me that I'm leaving early. The associates were all worked up about how I'm getting into trouble over this. I answered that I will simply explain that I flat out refuse to work 74 hours a week and it is not my fault they fail to comprehend two week notice means that I am working another job the first 2 weeks I am here (and BTW they are not training me to do anything). What are they going to do, fire a trainee cuz she has to give her prior employer 2 week notice? I made this clear at the interview.

Anyhow, I go to the airport and an owner's friend is coming in tonight and got on another flight that will be coming in after we close. Sure I can wait for owner's friend (I need every penny I can get my hands on). The guy gave me a twenty for staying for him. I told him that I'm getting paid extra for waiting so I'm not gonna start complaining about it. He laughed. Get home and cats are starved. I noticed they have been eating more food, maybe cause I feed them earlier in the morning. Tomorrow I can sleep in a little, no store on Sunday. Precious keeps jumping up at the doorknob to go out. Poor kitty.

Day 4

Day 4 of my training. Today I helped put stock away in Housewares. My fellow trainee actually did a sale. We change bedspreads on 2 beds. There is 2 mattresses and a boxspring underneath. Though I never figured out why 8 pillows belong on a bed. Today was customer pampering day with snacks and goodie bags. They handed out these bingo stampers to stamp passport papers with different departments. When they passport is covered with stamps they go to customer service and pick up their goodie bag. One associate warned me on how nobody likes a certain person who is mean to everyone she comes across. She said, Just smile and act happy. My fellow trainee thought she was nice, but I know since we are trainees of course said person will be nice to us. Just wait until said person bites your face off when you make a mistake and see if you still think her as "nice".

I got my pics from the make-up school. Everybody thinks they are beautiful. I noticed a few tan lines I wished wasn't there. One looker said the male actors need to fix up their bushy eyebrows. Another looker asked what will I do if my new job doesn't work out, you will out of work. I told her that my sister told me: I work jobs that any moron can do so I will have no problem finding a job. She thought my sister was a b----, but that's the way my sister is. I can get another job, I have good references. Later.

2nd day

I woke up early today for my 2nd day of training. They had a morning meeting and new people were called forth. I turned in my direct deposit slip in so I don't have to worry about cashing in paychecks every week. This job pays every week. We began finishing the Chirstmas decor since the stockroom guys tried to be helpful by putting them out for us, but they displayed them in a helter skelter manner when the decor manager wanted it uniform (same wreaths hung in the same department instead of every wreath different in a department). Then when completed we split among children's department to help with marking sale items. When finished took lunch. Came back to be shuffled to the men's department. Clerk there had no idea what to do with us since nothing needed to be done. Lady came by seeing us standing around chatting. Suddenly we were given wax paper to rub against clothing rods. No purpose of this activity was explained but the clerk blurted out how smoothly the hangers slide back and forth now. Ok. When that was done we took our short break and given to lingerie who was opening to boxes. As I was finding the place for tabled panties (no hangers so they had to go on a table), a few clerks asked if they could help me find something. One new gal was given the task to take the roller clothing rack around and put things away. She had no idea where stuff went so she stood frozen on the carpet. We were moved to sleepwear next door where more boxes were being opened. She decided to open the packags and I hang them and place them on the rack. Good assembly line until we ran out of room and hangers. I noticed the robes we were hanging had shoulder pads. Shoulder pads for robes, how queer (retarded, weird, whatever) is that?

Then I had to leave to pick up my niece from daycare. The new people asked if I was scheduled to leave now. No, but no one consulted me about the schedule before they handed it to me. Tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday I am scheduled to work the day shift overlapping into the time I need to work at my other job where I work until midnight, so I will be working nearly 14 hour days right in a row. My cats will feel so neglected, but have to run myself ragged to pay the bills. At least it will only last 2 weeks.

I am beginning to have past job flashbacks of not so nice experiences in retail. The worst customer I ever had asked what the price of a shoe she liked cuz the one next to it had a different price. Shoes are together by style, not price. I tell her the price and later notice a sale tag on a displayed box missing. I replace it. Cashier calls asking the price cuz the torn off tag sitting in the box doesn't match the shoes. The customer switched tags so I tell her the correct price and theory on what happened. Customer comes back screaming at me claiming I lied to her and then her daughter jumps in with claiming false advertisement and the usual insults (incompetent, retarded, unprofessional). The daughter demanded to speak to a manager to lodge a complaint against me. I explain I will get her one. As I walk to the phone something hits the back of me head, but can't figure out what hit me. Turn around grabbing the phone and the customer is throwing shoes at me and all over the department. Ever better, the manager who answers my page doesn't feel like coming over cuz he is has a cup of coffee in his hand. I tell him I don't care if he spills coffee all over his pants, I Need a Manager Here Now. Then add that I don't care who comes over. Then a loud bong sound is heard and the manager asks what that noise was. A shoe just hit the central pole the phone is attached to. He will send someone over. Daughter started her loud stand off as if she is facing Laila Ali in a boxing ring and I simply answer a manager is coming and walk away. After discussions with the customer and I, I spend 20 minutes picking up shoes and placing them where they belong. I did have proof of her switching cuz the shoes on display had tags printed from the computer, my replaced one was done in marker. One lady I asked if she needed any help shouted in my face how it is my job to make all customers happy (Yeah, I'm sure shoplifters are more unhappy than tag switchers when they don't get away with it). It turns out the customer was banned from the store which didn't stop her from asking the next day my name, address, and phone number from my coworker cuz she was going to sue me cuz it was all my fault she was banned (never mind the manager called the security center after talking to me to swerve the cameras over towards me to tape her throwing shoes). Tip: Banned customers always come back claiming they didn't know they were banned and ask what they did wrong.
Better go to bed. I'm exhausted. Later.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World. All the boys and girls. Joy to me cuz I got a new job. Joy to you and me.

That's right. I am singing my heart out cuz I got a new job in a department store where they sell make-up and do makeovers, full time. It is a requirement to sell elsewhere before being promoted to Cosmetics where I want to be so I will be there for 3 months and move on to make-up. I'm sure Mom will be happy knowing I am putting my Make-up School in Burbank to good use (and the store is closed major holidays too). Freelance make-up artist is hard business to get into when you are an unknown.

Oh, I forgot to mention the other day when a coworker was looking at my proof sheets from my make-up school. A lady who rented a car cuz she is making a movie here returned it while we were talking. The guy actor in it is suppose to be famous butI never heard of him. Ray Leoni??? Anyhow, I show a proof sheet saying I just graduated make-up school and I know youneed experience for movies so I'm not applying for a job with her. She blurts out they need assistants. I got her number and asked a good time to call her. She said Friday. I hope she remembers me when I call Friday. I would love to work on a movie even if it is just cleaning the key make-up artist's brushes. I got seize opportunites to get my toes in the door.

I am positive my current workplace will not take news well, but they will get over it. I am an accomplished email pal if they wish tokeep in touch. Wish me luck. Post later.

oh my goodness

I left work and saw the new price of gas. $2.09. I had to do a double take to make sure I was seeing right. Yep, I was. I can't remember when it was ever that low. What happened? and why did it take so long?

Oh, I have been researching ancient technology for my nieces' fairytales. It is set as the shift between bronze and iron ages when much empire building started. Anyhow, I read that part of the reason iron became so popular even though it was weaker than bronze in the beginning of its manufacture, was the sudden scarcity of tin supplies required to make bronze. This drove the price of bronze into the sky, and iron daggers were transformed into swords and plate armor. Hundreds of years later iron helmets (iron is heavy on the head) started being made crudely since it is hard to work with once they figured out how to make iron harder with wood ashes (charcoal) or lesser metals to make steele. My, how that translate into our times.

Later.

Shopping excursion

Went out shopping for new shoes. I visited 8 stores in 2 malls. One type of boot I'm trying to replace has a worn heel. The style is no longer made, not even anything similar. As usual, all the boots I saw look exactly alike. Black or brown tall, shiny smooth leather/vinyl, 2-3 inch heel, with side zipper. Then a shorter version of said boot style. I saw a few flat heel boots in leather and suede with the push down look (I like the push down look). I did get excited over a purple suede knee-high flat heel slide-on boot that I saw in a magazine (rarely do I find shoes in magazines in my part of the country since we are always behind in fashion trends) also coming in other colors, but I don't wear the knee-high boots I have now so I passed them by. Knee-high boots don't wear well with jeans, it needs a short skirt that I hardly have reason to wear.

I saw very colorful snowboots that mostly looked alike in style, like Uggs. I did see a few different styles in snowboots, zipper, slide-on, tie-on, and various colors in pastels and winter color palettes. Youth women's snowboots looked like wrong colored animal skin patterns (like pink crocodile) or abstract art. I thought they were very cute, for my nieces.

The dress shoes were dull vinyl/leather black, brown, red, toe cover with exposed strappy heel, and 2-3 inch inch heels. I style I like but I have enough dress shoes at the moment. One cute shoe I almost bought until I saw the price. Too high for me. I saw a few sandal-like short heel strappy dress shoes in silver and white for formal school dances, but not very many. Someone must have taken climate lessons in shoes fashion school, we like our feet covered in winter snow and refuse to walk in 3 inch heels on slick ice.

Sneakers were mostly white with color spots, except for the youth women's shoes that had wild abtract art splashed on. Converse and slip-on styles were popular sight. One converse I saw had wool padding inside.

Casual shoes were more varied. There were clogs of smooth leather or wool padded inside. I actually saw Crocs with wool padding inside. I saw smooth leather slip-on shoes resembling the boots in their plain look. I saw oxfords in the same style of the boots plain look. I bought a pair of oxford black shoes to replace the other oxford black shoes that has worn toe. But the first pair I saw was too highly priced so I got the knock offs at another store. Then got the store credit card and got them half off.

Later, Bye!

Frustrations of a cat owner

Precious meowed his head off to go outside while I was changing his water bowl, etc. and when I open the door to go out, he is on top of the cupboards napping. He napped for an hour before meowing to go outside again. After a brief struggle with the harness he hates, we made it outside. It was very nice out with only a small breeze.

Yesterday, when we went outside he parked his butt on a step on the staircase. After 10 minutes of sitting there, I decided to go back inside the apartment and Precious did not object. It must have been the wind cause they didn't go out on the balcony either.

In other news, I went to the apartment gym and worked out on the ellipical and bicycle. My legs were so numb that I lifted the 5 lbs weights and stretched out on a mat. Then some sit ups and push ups on the ball. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

I got an absentee ballot and mailed it yesterday. My coworker said he voted at the local library. He didn't care who was president, he just wanted to vote for the winner. Yes, well, those people who win the elections are the ones who determine your taxes, laws, our enemy of the month, and appoint government officials and judges. I care a bit more who is in office. Popularity isn't everything in my opinion cause it swings both ways. A hero today can be a villian tomorrow. Though I still don't get why every election Iowa is always a battleground state, cuz Democrats usually win.
Later.

Good story

I saw a girl that use to work for a car rental next door and moved to another location working for another company as a car jockey (the outdoor people who clean and shuttle cars). That is a big step down (counter people earn more money) so I asked what happened.

Her manager told whomever that she didn't show up for work when she called in to ask the day off. That pissed her off to quit since this company hires such shady people and as she left she spoke to a Human Resource person about this guy's shady practices. So they did an audit and discovered this guy stole $29,000 from their client using a dummy account. The company has this accountto make dummy (fake) reservations and money from the client went into the account, which didn't show up in car rental's accounting records since it is a dummy account and this guy pocketed the money. He got fired and a lawsuit will be brought against him. Isn't that called embezzlement and you go to jail for that?

Moral of the story is to be careful who you piss off.

I just got another notice from Younkers, from the other mall stating that it was so wonderful to interview me, but they are unable to give me a position. This letter didn't put a name at the bottom, just Human Resources. Weirdoes. You know, the way they sugarcoat the harsh truth reminds me of those the rejection letters I got from publishers. It makes me ask myself, What am I, 4?" But I know, they must be polite and gentle when refusing applicants, not responding until the applicant gets the message they ain't calling is not good enough. The applicant might call asking if the position has been filled, how traumatic that would be.

Anyway, no kitten for me. The lady from the car rental next door who wanted to get rid of her terror from hell kitten and later decided to keep it quit. One night she didn't show up for work, no phone call or anything, and then later turned in her uniforms. The poor worker that night had to work by herself constantly being screamed at for her long lines as if she had control over that. But then some people are like that. I'm guessing she got another job. Nothing else to report. Later.

Forgot

I forgot in last night's email that I got Frodo out yesterday. I finally got the harness around his head when I was doing laundry. I carried him downstairs since he walks like a weasel and he mostly laid down outside. He moved around a few times, looked at the dragging harness, and I picked it up for him. It has been weeks since he has been outside. He won't let me put on his harness.

Then my niece said the funniest thing last night. We polished off all the food I prepared for our supper and I said we were out of food. Niece says, You have to go to the grocery store and get some more.

My brother-in-law picked up niece today. Niece was not happy, but didn't cry either. We hugged and kissed good-bye, then took Precious for his walk. Frodo hid from my brother-in-law. Later.

Overnight with niece

This week I had 2 job interviews with 2 Younkers stores, in different malls. The first one went badly with the people not knowing I was coming and I had to wait 15 minutes for them to obtain a person to interview me. Then she read questions off a sheet instead asking questions from my apllication, and I got impression they already hired somebody. But then it would be rude to cancel an interview. The 2nd went better, though the people still didn't know I was coming, but found someone faster to interview me. She read my application and asked more questions about me and my make-up knowledge (what's the difference between camera and everyday make-up was one question). She got excited that I just moved here from Burbank. No, I said, I went to school in Burbank and came back. I've lived in Iowa my whole life, except the two college years in Wisconsin. One problem will be that the full-time position I thought I was applying for is really part-time. Meaning they have to work around my other schedule. I just got a letter from the 1st interview written and mailed the day after the interview stating they are inable to hire me, hence hired someone else. We shall see if the 2nd person responds. Usually people respond when they want to hire you, not discard you. Got a money order for my pics and sent it to the teacher. Hopefully they come soon so I can apply for better jobs.

Picked up my niece from daycare and she is now is the bedroom sleeping. I made her put on her Barbie clothes cuz she is a big girl and big girls put on their own Barbie clothes. She cried that she couldn't do it, it's hard (ok sometimes Barbie's butt was a little big for her tight dress so I helped pull), and had trouble with the velco snapping, but she needs to learn to do this and won't learn if I'm always doing it for her. We watched a rented movie from her house, but it kept pausing and skipping so she wanted a different moive. I explained DVD's can be like that. She played with the cats calling them baby like me. We read stories and Precious had to get under the blanket to niece's dismay. Well, email when I have more to email about.

Pictures are here

I just got my pics in the mail today. Now I need to find a magnifying glass to see them better. I bet my friends at work will be excited to see what I did for a week in California. One friend told me that Younkers is hiring cosmetics people so I applied online. It was easy until their personality assessment included math problems. I don't do math well in my head. The question, What is half of 2/3?, I had to get paper and try to recall how to multiply fractions. I mentioned this to someone at work all exicted about doing make-up full time and she was insulted that I would lower myself to selling cosmetics, that's not what I went to school for. Actually it is what I went to school for. I fail to see the difference between putting on make-up on a model verses a shopper. I'm suppose to put make-up on celebrities in movies, that is the only job a make-up artist can have, she says. Changing the subject, she is uptight and confused that I only went to school for week, what can I learn in a week. I didn't learn all the bones in the face (actually the skull and jaw bone are the only bones in the face), didn't learn all the muscles in the face, and I have to be licensed too like a hair dresser in a salon. Actually, you don't need a license to put on camera make-up. In fact 2 make-up artists profiled in Vogue never went to school, then learned tips from an artist and built their experience on that. I know what is really pissing her off, the thought of my leaving. I finally asked her, You really didn't expect me to work here the rest of my life? Some people do, she answered. Yes there are a few that work here until retirement and there are many more who get better jobs elsewhere.

Let's see, I lost my sunglasses again. This time I took them off when I arrived at work, then my coworker leaves me by myself with customer after customer coming up, so I can't recall where they ended up. I thought I put them in my bag pocket. Now, I can't find them anywhere.

Picked up niece from preschool and watched Bambi. The whole movie she asked questions (What is a meadow, Why do he do that) and I ask her to name the animals. I added the animal behavior/human emotion link to the scenes (Bambi is scared, Bambi is hurt, Bambi is happy) and had to explain what happened to Bambi's mother and what the gunshot noises she didn't understand meant. Then had to explain the forest fire, the hunters scaring the animals, the hunting dogs chasing Feline, and why the animals are running from all this. I did I my best with 4-year-old language. I didn't get to the part of why Daddy deer don't raise their babies with the Mommy deer, that is later conversation.

Cats are fine. Getting agressive when I'm on the computer about paying attention to them. Frodo is more apt to eat his treats before Precious grabs them now. Though he still needs to be petted before he comes in from the hallway when I come home, hence why Precious is grabbing his treats. The weather keeps bouncing from warm to cold. That's Fall for ya in Iowa. Well, better go. Frodo just dragged a toy to me. Later.

Warm day, cold day

I got my director's chair assembled, w/out directions attached to it. The screw holes for the foot rest were in the wrong place so had to use a pair of scissors to make the holes bigger. I hammered the metal pieces down to open the chair in its sitting position to atttach the foot rest, now they won't bend to close the chair when I hit them with a hammer so it sits ready for sitting against the wall. I hope it fits in the back seat of my car. Cats like to hide under it.

It was nice and warm yesterday and had to drag the shorts back out of the drawers, then it rain last night to cool it down to wear sweatshirts. Rained all this morning and half the afternoon. It finally stopped a couple hours ago. Kitties got wet.

Been busy checking out websites to see who has jobs available and where, and how much they pay so I get an idea where to place my listing begging for jobs. Though teacher said the web is not a great place to find jobs, but it doesn't hurt either. I found this Iowa Film site with all the rules of filming in Iowa (No taxes to the state if you hire local people) and a page to find people to work the crew, wardrobe, and food supplies. There are not a lot of make-up artists listed and only one other listed in Des Moines. Hooray, I might get a shot. Apparently they just finished a movie on the Villisca axe murders. 1912 or whatever and now they make a movie about it. Damn, that would have been so cool to work on. The website said the make-up artists were great. I wonder if it will be horror like Amityville or mystery like The Black Dahlia. Elsewhere they are having casting calls for extras in Davenport and Omaha/Council Bluffs areas.

Anyhoo, Frodo took a nap on my lap while I watched TV. Now I have to shop for groceries. Later.

Ouch!!

I reheated my chicken strips in the microwave last night and when I grabbed the container the steam burnt me. I've never been burned by steam before. Grease jumping out of a skillet, yes. Windshield de-icer, yes (and it took almost a year for my finger to feel normal again). But never steam. My thumb is all pink now and still hurts a little and really aches when anything touches it. I keep running cold water and hold an ice cube in a rag to it to calm it. Aspirin doesn't work. I know, Aloe vera for burns. Anyhow, I'm getting Precious all excited with visitors knocking on the door and Frodo jumps on top of the cupboards in fear. I got my director's chair for outdoor shoots. It came assembly required. Wish me luck. Post later.

I'm so tired

Sorry I haven't written for a few days. I'm very tired. Unpacked, shopped for make up supplies, emailed new California friends, ordered stuff I couldn't find online, argue with Mom over my rental car in California and why didn't I take cash with me to CA to pay for a cab like I intended, argue with Mom over Yes I have to buy supplies now or I won't get a job (would you hire a plumber who asked to borrow your tools cuz he just graduated and is broke), did 3 loads of laundry, find out the ground floor dog moved out and the owner left her couch behind that was torn to shreds with stuffing sticking out, picked up niece from preschool (kids were outside and niece shouted 'There's my Aunt') and babysat til my sister came home, Precious met a neighbor's new puppy and slashed at him when he got too close and puppy whimpered as he scampered to its owner (I apologized), find out a guy at work quit and another was fired (nobody from my company), there is a new janitor, explain to everyone I'm not moving to California (Mom would have a full blown panic attack if I did), explain I have to wait for my pics to come in before applying for jobs and if I got hired today I have to wait 3 months or more to get paid (so no I'm not quitting in the near future), practice putting on make up, show my cell phone pics to anyone who cares, and get my kitty report from my manager. Precious was well behaved while Frodo hid. Her daughters wanted to take Precious home cuz he is so sweet and played with them. Manager said No, she has 2 cats already and doesn't need a 3rd (besides that would break my heart and Frodo's). Think I covered everything this week. Later.

Home again

Sorry I have not written for so long. I had trouble connecting to the site via my cell phone while I was in California at my make-up school. I had a good time and learned a lot. Perhaps I made a new friend, a model who gave me his email address and myspace page. And if he was just being nice, I am use to my email pals not writing me even though I practically email every day. Then I'm flat broke with credit cards earning interest and people think I'm rich because I paid $5000 to go to school. Actually some old bonds from grandpa, my stimulus check, and my credit cards are paying for all my supplies and school, I just pay what I can to the credit cards every month and empty my savings account little by little paying for my rent. But people want to believe I have it all and have a wonderful life, with no probelms at all. Some people just want to believe in fantasies.

Anyhow, I'm back home spending a fortune buying supplies so I'm ready when I get my pictures in. Nobody is going to pay money without seeing examples of your work. I hope this is all worth it so Mom will get off my back. I had to tell her unless she is going to hand over a couple thousand dollars, I'm going to be poor for a while. She broke too. Post later.

Busy week

Wednesday picked up niece from daycare and found her schedule on the fridge. Guess my sister doesn't like me distrupting it. Watched a movie and ate dinner when it was over, otherwise she won't eat at all. Went outside to play and then she colored hearts on scratch paper for her preschool friends. No heart picture for me. She chatted on her friend Eli who is her best friend. I asked what they do together; draw pictures, stack blocks, play with clay. Yes, yes, and yes. They play on the playground together, they like the slide. Then she got distracted tearing the paper off the crayons so I stopped asking questions. She was awake when sister got home and niece jumped up excited to tell what we did.

Thursday was sorta busy at work. Told a guy about my impending trip to California and he freaked that I was never coming back. Such a trauma it would be if I quit and moved away. Well, so far I am just going to be gone one week and there are things called email, phones, and letters to keep in touch with if I found something better.

Friday I was highly stressed for a few hours. Had customers calling to extend their contracts and arguing the extra cost while I got 10 people standing in line in front of me and the phone calls gets very upset if I put them on hold for 20 minutes (they want to argue to the death). Then my coworkers come by asking how many cars I need. Every minute I get to breathe, I get busy again cause I'm the only person working the counter. Then the bossman shows up unexpectedly and unravel with my stressful night. He will get me someone to work with me. I try to be composed and on top of things when man who gives me raises arrives, but I cracked under the stress. When I visited the restroom, I come back to find yet another customer at the counter waiting to return his car. He joked how he bribed the outdoor workers standing at the counter to return the car, but they refused. Yes, I said, they would refuse because they don't know how to return cars in the computer. Besides that, they don't know my password and I like to keep it that way. He laughed.

One extension customer actually threatened to take his company's business to our competition if I didn't do exactly what he wanted. He can try that b.s. someplace else, it doesn't work over here. And after his argument, I actually I wouldn't cry if he never came back. I can not reset our computer system to fulfill his wishes no matter how important he thinks he is. I have other customers besides him to attend to.

Then I get the woman who begged for help cause she needed a car to get to her hotel in another city, but she has no means to pay for it. She does have her son's credit card, will that do? No, credit card and driver's license must match the same person. Besides that, I have no cars available. Then she wants directions to a Walmart to have her son wire money into a temporary bank card she has, cause now the account is empty. Can't accept a bank card that does not have her name on it. I got four customers lining up behind her and she won't leave. I said, I'm sorry, I wish I could help her more, but I can't. She didn't get the hint that was her cue to leave. She doesn't know what to do and she needs my help to tell her how she gets a car rented when she has no means to pay for it. Finally, the customer waiting right her starts asking about the club member shuttle location and I explain we don't have one, thus started helping him and ignoring the lady. She finally grabs her stuff and walks away.

No DVDs tonight cause I was busy reading my new Oprah's Magazine on Love. Not the most insightful though. It took a few authors a few marriages to figure out people don't change just because you believe they should be just like you. Apparently they didn't figure this out during the first marriage. Told a new gal about finishing my book for my niece. She got all excited that I'm going to be rich and famous and never have to work again. Um, that's not how it works. I mean, how many career novelists can you name. They all have jobs like journalist, teacher, politician, entertainer, athlete, etc. She saw my point.

Well, better go. Gotta sleep to wake up tomorrow and get ready to leave. Later.

Busy day

I slacked off yesterday only doing my grocery shopping and didn't do much else. Today I washed the litterbox in the bathtub, cleaned my black make-up uniform clothes, washed the stove and countertoops, started packing my suitcase, made a list of things to buy for trip, and put up my Halloween decorations. I'm sure I'll be too busy looking for work to worry about putting them up when I come back.

Precious is much better on his walks. No climbing window screens, but he did try to get on porches and I held him back. They have been doing construction in a few apartments on the fround floors so Precious has to check it out. All the carpet ripped out to reveal concrete, doors taken off hinges leaning against the wall, parts of the walls removed mostly the bottom half, and repainted the walls tan with white trim (Yuck). No new carpet yet so hopefully that is a better color. I can't imagine too many people (especially females) who want to live in a brown apartment. Though at least I get to look inside other apartments since they keep the blinds open (I assume to know if someone is in there who shouldn't be in there). Later.

Naughty cat

Precious has been naughty during our walks the passed few days. He is attacking the space under the neighbor's door, jumping on cars, stirring up the ground floor dog napping in front of his glass door, and scratching up the neighbor's window screens. I pushed down on his head, grabbed at his paws, and walk beside him so the ground floor dog doesn't see him going by. But he doesn't stop, he is determined to do as he pleases no matter what I do.

Apparently, last week there was a big car crash on the interstate and the crash victim had been shot. But the car rolled over so it is impossible to tell if she was shot before or during her time in the car, the windows are gone. Though an interesting twist to this story is that her divorce was finalized the day she died. Hmmm, that would make an interesting Law and Order episode of Did the former husband shoot her or was she an innocent bystander of a street corner fight.

That reminds me of an event that happened when I first started working at the car rental. A guy rented car from my coworker seeming normal and had a conversation with my coworker that triggered no red signs. We get a call from the police the next day declaring this guy drove to another state (about 6-7 hours away) and shot his ex-wife and her new man, then killed himself. Appearances can be deceiving, but every cop knows that already.

PS. The latest news report of the crash victim is that the police are convinced she was shot at from another car. The autopsy states she was shot in the head so had to be driving when hit and then crashed the car.

Funny coworker

Coworker was asking where my make-up school was located. Burbank, CA. Oh, he says. That's next to Hollywood. OHHH, he replied. I told him I could meet a rich and famous star, elope to Las Vagas, and never come back. He says, You better come back cause I don't want to close all week.

Now have to ask someone to feed the cats while I'm gone in 9 days. Guy at car rental next door offered but he is not the type I desire snooping around my apartment. Plus, he actually asked what he is suppose to do with a litterbox. I don't have time for training lessons.

Later.

Quite a day

Having quite a day. I arrive and the counter is busy with customers and rent out most of the cars. Customers keep coming and guys are bringing the wrong type of cars. What gives?, my coworkers ask them since I'm doing my reservation list. Oh, they were just bringing cars over that they just washed, that's all. Guess what, all the type of cars we need are clean. Coworkers explain which cars are needed and need immediately cause another busy hour is coming in half hour.

While they are in process of shuttling cars, I get a club member furious I don't have a GPS for him, hates the few cars I have, then my coworkers have to place keys on the wrong hook so I announce a car I don't have and that's the car he will accept, and can't understand why I'm not ready when he made his res months ago (him and everybody else). Coworker jumps in explaining the car rental next door has better cars. "This is ridiculous. This is Sunday for crying out loud" he continues. Give him a smaller car than ordered and now he is mad there are scratches on it. Car washer comes in with a key. He doesn't like that car either. He finally takes off.

Then we have the Page of the Day: "Will the person who left their trousers and t-shirt at the security checkpoint please come back to reclaim their items". All the car rentals start laughing. Some Indian guy standing in front of the car rentals takes off running. The next PA that came said maroon garment bag while I was helping a customer and tried to stop from laughing while I was talking.

Get a guy who claims our reservation line said it would be no problem for him to pay cash for his rental. No, that is not allowed (not even for the owner's friends and relatives is that allowed). I don't understand, that was what he was told. I am fully aware of what he believes he was told, he was informed incorrectly and he is welcome to our customer service number to lodge a complaint. Oh no, he ain't doing that, this will be taken care of right now. He has a debit card. Can't accept that either, credit card only. His credit card declines because the credit limit is under what I need to authorize to give him the car. Now is really mad cause the guy on the phone there would be no problems with his reservation. The car rental next door accepts debit cards. He refuses the customer complaint line cause that won't solve any problem. He gets a car from the other car rental, I asked, and cancel his reservation.

Then my coworker leaves. The jerk got his schedule changed to leave earlier so I get to have at least 5 customers in front of me flight after flight cause he gets off right before my 2 busiest hours. He always prints up the upcoming hour's club members (I assume to lessen my work load since he isn't here to worry about them), but hate him anyway. Got a phone call while had a line in front of me of someone with her contract number ready to give. What does she need first, I asked and explained the signatures to the customer in front of me. What, I can't hear you, Are you there, Are you there, she screeches. Yes I'm here. Get her pulled up and extend her rental. She can't decide if the 10th is Wednesday or Tuesday. Wednesday. Tell customer where her car is. What, What, I can't hear you, she repeats. Then phone lady gets mad over the extra day price and wants an extension discount (her words not mine). That is her reserved rate. It is?, she questions, What is the regular rate? Guy in front of me hands me his license. Give phone lady a higher regular price though I am lying. Can't give anymore discounts with her rate. Fine, it's still so unfair they charge her more for keeping it longer, she is her for medical reasons, wasn't that the rate she got. Yes it is. Guy in front is waiting for his car. I explain she is all set and finally she gets off the phone. Apologize to guy for taking so long.

Well, if I bored you to tears I have a funny one. Car rental next door gal told me the manager put up a new sign. It said: Your mother doesn't work here, clean up your own mess on the counter and the back room. I burst out laughing while she gripes on how she does clean her counter before she leaves and it is not her responsibility to clean up after her coworkers. Of course it isn't, I sympathize.

Another one: Guy at the car rental next door goes outside to help a customer figure out something on their car. He is by himself so the counter is left unattended. Two customers come up and I explain he is outside and will return shortly. The lady customer gets tired of waiting and asks me to sign her paper declaring damage on her car. Can't do that, I work for the wrong company. Guy customer yells at me what this guy looks like and goes outside looking for him. He returns with the rental agent hobbling on his crutches. And I thought I had interesting customers.

Off to bed. I'm ready for a day off. Later.

Boring day

Had a boring day at work with hardly any customers that I ran the battery out on my cell phone from playing solitaire. And that is with 2 full movies and the last half hour of third movie. New gal at the car rental next door got scratched by her new kitten and wants to get rid of it. I said I could take it in. She is convinced this is a mean kitten because the mother was a stray and gave birth in a friend's garage or because it was taken away from its mother too soon. Whatever the reason, it tears things up, knocks things over, and attacks her daughter. Sounds like a normal kitten to me. My cats did the exact same things when they were kittens. Then she comments how does one discipline a kitten. I'm still working on that. I said that positive reinforcement works better than punishment. When they use to climb on my screens (well still they do but less often and they get down when I say "Down"), I would grab they off, set them down saying "Down", then while they are on whatever surface I pet them saying "Good boy" so they understand what I want. The kitten is 12 weeks old and they got it at 6 weeks so it has grown since then. I asked if she had taken it to the vet yet, they might be able to give advice. No. She asked how much do shots cost and what does it cost to spay it. The shots are going to cost her a lot and spaying even more. Well, she doesn't want to get rid of this kitten unless she can replace it with any free to a good home kitten. It is for her daughter. I suggested the animals shelters and she can't afford a $100. The spaying will cost more than that on this free kitten. Though the daughter is still iffy is she wants to get another kitten. Children change their minds 20 times a day. She agreed. I gave her my phone number and address if she decides to leave it with me. I got 2 big cats the girl kitten can play with.

When I left I talked to another gal at work that maybe I might get this kitten. I got an earful. She got the kitten because the daughter wanted one. Apparently the word "no" is not in her volcabulary. And she can not pay her rent every month so how is she going to pay for a cat. She agreed the kitten is normal. I said I've been scratched a gazillion times. Unless you get a fish or amphibian, you have to deal with sharp teeth and claws. Apparently she is hardly ever home and the girl goes off to her father's house once in a while so this hyper kitten is by itself all day with nobody to play with, of course it is jumping up on the owners wanting attention, scratching when ignored. She said to this gal that she is going to feel like shit if I take this kitten for her and it calms down. Plus I have two cats for this kitten to play with.

Birthday Adventures

Went to sister's house after Oprah. They had Cher and Tina Turner on so had to watch that. Had to deal with rush hour traffic and thought I was going to get into an accident a few times, but luck smiled upon me. I arrived just after they did. My niece let me smell the flowers they got me. They're fake. My sister didn't want the cats to eat my birthday present. Yes, they have that tendency to do that and spill water all over the table. They are beautiful pink roses in a white vase sitting on my display case. Niece wanted to wrap it, but that is a little hard to wrap. They also got me a big cupcake balloon. Frodo ran away when he saw it and jumped on the cupboards. After watching Precious chew on the ribbon, he came down and chewed on the ribbon too.

So anyway. They got a marble cake with lime green and pale pink icing. Niece opened my card for me. She even signed her name, mostly. It is a music card singing "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". We went out to a fancy local restrauant and I had the hamburger, Niece had chicken strips, and my sister the salmon. Niece spilled her lemonade so they had to change shirts in the car. Packed up the leftovers and went home to eat the cake. My niece and I sniffed the yummy frosting while sister talked to the babysitter. Couldn't find my sister's camera so we took some with my cell phone camera. Table is a little orange (table is brown), but I'm the right color. Niece had to get in the picture and took a couple of her. Ate up the delicious cake and it was time for niece to go to the babysitter. She disagreed all the way there, but quickly got distracted with toys.

We went to a local comedy club to discover it moved locations. So saw a movie instead. The Dark Knight had started playing right when we came so saw that one. It was good. The deceased Heath Ledger did a good performance, though the make up looked more like an abtract painting than Jack Nicholson's Joker face. This time around the put Harvey Dent/Two Face in the same movie as the Joker. It was a nice touch. As we stepped outside, I realize I forgot my coat. People leaving opened the door and I rushed in before the credits ended so I knew I was in the right one.

Came back and sister got my niece while I attempted to neatly place cake pieces in a dish to take home. The frosting stuck to the knife and the dish was too short, so I made a mess and squished the cake in the dish when closing the lid. It will taste the same tomorrow. At least I have a funny story to tell my friends. Now 'm in my pj's ready for bed.

Gotta to go. If I ignore the cats too long, they jump on my computer and send emails before I'm ready. Later.

Happy Birthday to Me

A Very Happy Birthday to me, to me.
A Very Merry Birthday to me, to me.
Now I'll blow the candle out and make my wish come true.
A Very Happy Birthday to Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Had fun babysitting my niece last night. We watched Disney Movies and had pancakes for supper. Niece wasn't hungry until the cat stole her bacon off her plate. I grabbed it back with cat hissing and growling, washed it off and gave it to niece telling her to eat it before the cat steals it again. She ate it. She was wanting a snack of crackers, but I said no because she has a pancake here she hasn't eaten. Pancake first, then she got her bedtime yogurt and milk. Got her pj's on and read stories, but refused to join her stuffed animals in bed until Mommy came home. She was wired when sister showed up and I forgot to brush niece's teeth. We almost forgot her stuffed animal at daycare, but niece remembered it when we reached the car so went back for it. Must have her lamby and pony.

Had a lovely walk with Precious today. Took a few minutes to get the harness on, then when I clipped it he starts bucking like a wild horse again. It rained so everything was wet.

Have plans to go out with my sister, with or without niece depending on the babysitter. Niece was excited she gets to sing the Happy Birthday song for me and sang it last night. Niece said her birthday is in two months and she will purple cake with flowers, her name, Max and Ruby, and sprinkles on it. She thought my sister should buy me an orange cake. Carrot cake is orange, but she wasn't sure she wanted carrots sticks in her cake. Told sister to get any flavor, any color, surprise me. I can try new things once on a while. Well, better go. out of things to report.

Days off

Precious and I had a lovely cuddle session with him snoring like a hurricane, okay more like a whistle. Then he flipped over wheezing and gagging so I was afraid of him vomiting on my pillow, then my blanket, and finally the rug. No vomit. Poor baby.

Took Precious out yesterday and the UPS guy pulled up. I rushed right over giving my name since I am expecting packages for my make-up school. Precious had to investigate the box. I pried it open to find 2 packages of eyelashes in a large box full of peanuts. Peanuts for 2 plastic boxes of fake eyelashes? Weirdoes. Then Frodo had to meow from the balcony several times. But I know he wasn't going to put on his harness so left him upstairs to meow.

Got two more birthday cards. One from my brother and one from another aunt. Brother's card had a kitten with a large tutu collar asking how I stay so cute all these years. No walk today. Much colder today so back in sweatshirts after dragging out my tank tops from the heat of the past few days. Have a birthday date with my sister and niece tomorrow. Happy Birthday to me. Later.

Happy Labor Day

I took Precious outside today, after 5 minutes of fighting the harness. The bird feeder lady came home with one of her sons. Precious was no where near her bird feeder or her porch so she didn't bite my face off as usual. When her son came out, he told I have big cat to ask his weight, then asked if I was serious when I said his name is Precious. Precious came up to him and he asked if he will bite him. No, Precious doesn't bite (he scratches). He petted Precious. Precious continued to sniff around and plopped himself by the bird feeder. Bird feeder lady comes out and I tell Precious it is time to go home. She invites me to sit with her and chat since my cats love her yard so much. That was a first after having the cats for two years. She didn't pet Precious when he came up to her. It was an awkward conversation with Precious yanking the leash to chase a bird, then chilled on the grass. She told me her name, talked about her husband, her 4 sons and 1 daughter, she's deaf in one ear, once took in a stray cat because her kids loved it so much but it was struck by lightening a year later, and asked where my other cat was. She said something about a dog, but didn't catch the full sentence. I let her talk and said very little. Then I grabbed Precious saying it was nice to talk to her but we have to go inside. Precious fought me, took a nap once we got home, and then meowed like crazy hours later to go out again, sorry not until tomorrow.

Went grocery shopping and watched TV. Got a call from the manager that I can take my birthday off, it is Thursday. Last night, the car rental guy next door announced a very strange phone call. The girlfriend of a renter called to ask to the total of the rental since it was impounded by police and wanted to close out the contract. Um, they do not close contracts until the car is back in the company's possession (same for us) and the police have not called them, nor returned the car so he must speak the renter boyfriend about his billing. He's in jail so he can't speak to him (hence why the car was impounded). He said he will leave a note for the manager on this. So he calls the police to ask where their car was located. It was impounded for drugs four days ago (big surprise)and the driver and 2 others were arrested. When they are done with the car, they will return it. He said cars from the police are always cleaner than the car washers doing them.

Well, Happy Labor Day.

What a day

Got home and found my first birthday card in the mailbox. At least somebody remembers my birthday w/out yearly reminders (kidding just kidding). My aunt still keeps asking when I'm taking a vacation. I wrote her a letter this week but maybe she hadn't received it when she wrote the letter. No email for her. My uncle is progressing as well as can be expected.

Had a boring day at work. Apparently starting at the 1st of next month, which in Monday, the airport will be adding a new fee to all the car rental counter receipts to help pay for improvements of the airport. Originally, it is to pay for a new service station only half car rentals will use but there is a line that says the funds from this fee can be redirected as needed. Yeah I know what that means, replacing lost profits when the airport execs aren't making enough money. I know how business works. That will fun to explain to the customers. We recieved a message from corporate after an accident someone refused to pay for because the wrong person was driving the car. Now we have to charge for all spouses to drive, except for club members. Then had a renter who knew we didn't use to charge for that and I explained that just like the airlines the company decided they aren't making enough money so we are nickel and diming the customers. That is my theory anyway and customer agreed. I didn't know how else to explain it.

Let's see. Had a frequent customer call me stating she is in Minnesota and wanted me to send someone to check out her car cause it is breaking down. Yeah, that would about 5-6 hours away ignoring the fact I'm by myself at present moment. Had her call roadside assistance to connect with a closer location. Left a note where our car was. The car rental next door laughed saying he recently had a guy drive 2 hours out of his way to return his car because the wipers didn't work believing he had to exchange cars where he rented from. No, he could have taken it to any location in the company chain to exchange it. As the couple walked away from the counter, the wife slapped him saying "I told you so."

Precious started vomiting again so have been measuring the food more precisely to the line instead of a little over. Went outside with Precious about 25 minutes yesterday. If he hadn't fussed so much over the harness when I was snapping it, we would had more time out. But no, he runs away bucking like a bronco and I took it off.

Read a story about the endangered Black-footed ferret being wiped out by plague carried on fleas that attach themselves to prairie dogs, the ferrets food of choice. Now it is a race against extinction of the species by spraying flea killer around praire dog holes. They are also hunting down ferrets and vaccinating them against the plague that is cured with antibiotics in humans. The poor ferrets. Now the kill all prairie dogs who destroy grasses for cattle laws are being reexamined. They are dropping like flies from the plague. Can't have them go extinct too. Poor prairie dogs.

I imagine Sunday to be boring since all the business people will arrive on Labor Day off their 3 day weekend. Well, better go. Frodo needs to play. Later.

What a night

Had a coworker I normally don't see. She had bad scratches from her new kitten because he missed jumping on the couch and landed on her calf. Apparently, she is getting moved to the other location cause someobdy put in their two week notice. Poor girl, she's going to be bored to tears out there since they have less business than we do.

Had a guy complain about his car and the car jockeys standing by told me to tear up the note I just wrote because certain things they don't just care about, like car part is taped instead of glued, bouncing brakes, or remote doesn't work. I explain I simply write what customer says to make them happy. Car jockeys said I need to tell those kind of people Ugh (with obscene gesture). When they left I told coworker, Now we understand why they are outside and we are in here, We can't tell customers Ugh.

Well Precious is in a better mood and stopped growling at Frodo after I came home. He was growling at him this morning. Now they are playing together again.

Had a wacky lady actually complain about the price on her Prepaid rental and what does she do about it, can I fix it? No, she prepaid through a website and therefore must go to the website to dispute the price. What I was really thinking but not allow to say: If you didn't like the price then you should have picked another website stupid. And don't tell me she didn't know what she was paying when she typed in her credit card number, expiration date, and code on the back. She's just SOL.

Had a lady on the phone whining that I sent her to India when she wanted to make a reservation. I explained we have American reservation centers and some in India. Don't I want her business? She doesn't want to speak to someone in India who doesn't speak English and can't understand a word she is saying. I didn't feel a great desire to explain that other car rentals have reservation centers in India too because Americans demand more pay and benefits so American corperations go where the cheap labor is to save money in this bad economy. How this fixes the bad American economy is beyond my comprehension. But I knew she is not going to understand all that so I didn't bother. I offered to make a reservation for her and she hung on me. Yeah, well, I know one car rental can't make reservations at their counter so customers have to speak to India or go online to make a reservation. Though I think her problem really was the fact she wanted my full attention and I had customers walking up to my counter so I was attempting to get her off the phone. Newsflash from experience working in retail where any second several people want a sales clerk's full attention at the same time: Sales Clerks are not interested in your lively conversation and twenty questions, we just want to know what you want. Hence the common greeting: May I help you?

Anyway, gotta go to bed. I went to bed early last night hoping to fall asleep faster and when I woke up this morning, I still had my watch on. Later.

Vet visit

Took Frodo to the vet. When I grabbed the carrier both cats ran under the bed. Then they ran around the rocking chair and up the refridgerator. I took Frodo before he jumped up to the cupboards. Precious already made it and hissed at me. He didn't struggle too much and got him in the carrier fairly easily. I told the vet nurse he knows what is going to happen. He didn't get much of an inspection (eyes, ears, and teeth) being that he refused to get out of the carrier. He meausred at 13.4 pounds, 15 is top cat weight. I grabbed him up but his toe caught on the wires and he unleased his claw to hang on and jump back in. The vet nurse scuffed him and lifted him out. Scruffing is when you tightly grab the back of an animal's neck, if you didn't know that. Temperature taken with an ear thing and heart beat heard in addition to his panting in fear. Got his shots and he sprinted to the carrier.

He was quiet in car except when I stopped, both ways. Precious ran away from the carrier and hissed at me. He jumped up on the cupboards and hissed at me getting nourishment out of the fridge. Then he started hissing and growling at Frodo and has been doing that all day. I just heard him scream that cat fight scream when Frodo tried to play with him out on the balcony. We had a good snuggle time so I don't know what Precious' problem is. Poor Frodo doesn't know what he did wrong, he keep trying to approach to play. He was carried away, poked and prodded, and now Precious is growling at him. Now Frodo is pawing at at his tail and Precious is growling. I tried to play with the laser light but Frodo refused to chase it into the room Precious was in. It rained today so changed my t-short to a sweatshirt and then it stopped, warmed up and I'm hot hot in my sweatshirt, but I didn't want to change again.

Went to sister's house to do laundry. Niece has gotten new glasses, blue like Aunt Jordan. She has some new Tinkerbell sandals on the wrong feet. I notice she does that a lot, but that's a four-year-old for ya. She loves that Tinkerbell. Well better go to bed now. I'm in my jammies and getting cooled off. Later.

Sunglasses back

Called up the grocery store and couldn't recall what color they were. My glasses are turquoise and black so that didn't help any. They had small magnetic shades found this morning so they had to be mine and picked up my sunglasses. They went bent in the center so had to flatten them to make sure they were mine. They fit perfectly so thanked them and went on my way. Whew.

Precious meows and meows to go outside, but won't let me put on his harness. Tomorrow take Frodo to the vet. I like appointments so there is less waiting since the vet stresses them so much they won't come out of the carrier, especially if there is barking dog in the waiting room being held back from attacking them and they have no escape. But at least it is only once a year. I heard reports on TV of people not taking their pets to the vet to save money. Yes, well, catching rabies or distemper will cost a lot more. The shots don't cost that much anyway, in my view of course. Food and litter cost much more. Nothing else to report. Later.

No Shawn Johnson

No Shawn Johnson at the airport today, Dave Letterman called so she went to New York instead. I just watched her. She said there were 4000 people waiting for her at the Des Moines Airport and now they all are going home. She also said that what they do on the 4 inch balance beam most can't do on the floor. She has a sense of humor.

My kitties enjoyed the Olympics too. Frodo jumped at the TV when I didn't pet him, I think it was uneven bars at the moment. They have been competing in their own Olympics here. The Precious and Frodo 50 meter dash across the apartment and balcony. The Precious Wrestling match with the comb and with Frodo. The Frodo Balance beam across the TV to reach the wall shelves to grab a bug. The Frodo vault off the rocking chair in a magnifant flying leap. The Frodo long jump into the grocery sack pile cause I forgot my canvas bags with Precious following. The Frodo and Precious high jump to the cat tower. An acrobatic Frodo floor exercise with beautiful twisting air somersault, a couple floor somersaults, and alligator death roll chasing his metallic paper lure. Precious got into the game and jumped for the metallic paper. We had the Precious and Frodo high jump at the doorknob cause they refused to let me place on their harnesses and I refused to take them outside. I did manage to get Precious's face in the loop, but he took it right out. Precious also had swim meet in the water bowl and got all wet. Then we had the Precious hide and seek into the cubby hole of the cat tower and window screen climbing during the 50 meter dash around the apartment.

Other than that, when I went shopping I lost my sunglasses. I tossed them in my purse and it was always upright throughout the store, but when I put away my groceries they were gone and not in the parking lot. They are also magnetic sunglasses that fit right on my glasses and come as a set so I can't replace them easily. Well better go. Later.

What a day

I woke up and spent about an hour ordering stuff online for my make-up school. Got a list of things I have to buy and class schedule from the place. They recommended shopping at Nordstroms or Sephora for these things, but we don't have any here so had to order online. Then, Professional make-up artists wear all black (why are uniforms always ugly?) so I have to buy new clothes too. One eyeshadow was $20 and hope it is a huge portion that lasts for years at that price. Other stuff was a bit cheaper.

Went to work for a long and boring day. Had excitement when a coworker clocked in cause we needed cars and there was only one guy here so it was best not to bother him. Guy at the counter next door casually mentioned the impending mayhem when Shawn Johnson returns from China to a cop to discover they will be ready when she lands. Other passengers besides her need to get their to their luggage without reporters getting in the way. I have a feeling she will be receiving an escort through the mob. A guy actually called up yesterday asking me what flight she's on cause the airport line wouldn't tell him. Unless people are renting a car, we don't know what flight celebrities are on. And we are always safe behind our counters and watch reporters as if we are watching TV.

Come home and the cats are ready to play. Frodo has gotten the habit of jumping on the TV from the cat tower and climbing the wall shelves to get a bug flying around. I'm scared he will knock over my ceramic figurines on the floor, but if he does I have glue. Snipped off the last mat off Precious's chest and later found a hard spot on his rear. Another mat to remove tomorrow. Well better go to bed. Later.