Tale of the day

Customer today had a restriction on her store credit card making me call the 800 number to authorize her purchase. Her husband had died and they thought he was removed from the account when company issued her a new card and she recently activated it. Apparently not. Well, she wanted to make separate purchases so had to call in the authorization again. This operator informed me that not only the husband was listed dead, but the wife was dead too. So company sent and activated a new card for a dead woman? Ok, operator fixes the issue and removed the restriction. Hopefully this lady won't be having more problems with her card.

Interesting tidbit

In  Redfield, IA a man's gun backfired when he shot at a racoon sitting inside a live trap (poetic justice?). Excuse me, if this guy wants to shoot racoons then what is the live trap for? He can't shoot racoons sitting in trees or runnning along the ground. Man is recovering from his injuries in the local hospital. No word whether the racoon is still in the live trap or was set free by paramedics picking up the guy.

Ain't you glad...

Ain't you glad... you are not me today.

Today's adventures: Rained since I got up this morning that switched to fluffy rain (coworker's words) to rain to snow to rain. Then debit cards had a glitch in the system and had every customer do their card as a credit to make it go through. Next, broke a nail so every sweater I pick up catches on my nail. 2 customers couldn't pay their bill so said they would get their checkbook in thier car and after 3 hours never came back. (I once had a customer say that and came back 6 hours later, but by then we put her items back and I asked my coworkers when she left if this lady parked her car in another city). And I got a customer mad at me temperarily. She demanded the senior discount we had yesterday and demanded I call the store manager to give me the ok for that. I scanned her items and she yelled at me for not calling the store manager. I explained I don't need to call for a trivial amount off, I will just give it to her. If she wanted 90% off, then I will call the manager. And the kicker, someone call in sick so I was offered additional 4 hours, making the total 10 hours. After work, had to buy a few things with coupons I have been cutting out. Man my feet hurt.

On a better note, I am wearing my new slashed jeans (as we called it in the 80's) so I am happy. Plus I paid off a credit card loan after 3 years stemming from returning to school to learn make-up artistry in the hope of changing careers. Didn't work as planned. But then, does anything go to plan?

PS. Forgot: I might have overstepped boundaries by rearranging a jeans table (I'm cashier so not my concern). New pink jeans were hidden behind two tables so what customer would find them and if they did, how would they know looking for sizes that they are located behind 2 tables?

Babysitting and laundry

Went over to babysit niece and nephew, then neighbor kid shows up. So entertained kid too. Nothing I can't handle. Played outside, played inside, did my lanudry in between, played games, and sent kid home when they kept running around the house. Set up movie while I fixed supper. Shared Precious b-day cake. Then finished movie and sister came home. Home sweet home now. And gotta get early for work tomorrow.

Happy Birthday to Precious

Precious is 6 years old today. About 40 in human years.

The procedure of taking photos w/my camera.
Step 1: Turn all lights on cause apartment is dark in photos.
Step 2: Set the date on camera or pictures are mixed when uploaded onto computer into Undated File.
Step 3: Light candles and sing Happy Birthday to Precious.
Step 4 : Aim camera and snap. Digital window shows my aim was off so aim for another picture.

Step 5: Camera dies. Blow out candles.
Step 6: Go through 5 sets of 2 brand new from the package batteries I bought a few weeks ago.
Step 7: 11th pair of batteries make camera work.
Step 8: Reset date. Explained in Step 1.
Step 9: Relight candles singing Happy Birthday to Precious.
Step 10: Try to get photos of cats who hate flashes.

The Bodyguard

Watched The Bodyguard tonight. I know everyone else goes crazy over the song "I Will Always Love You", but my favorite song of that movie was the two sisters singing their version of "Jesus Loves Me". I had to work the day of Whitney Houston's funeral hoping to hear Kevin Costner speak. Right when I planned to put on my make up he spoke and talked about behind the scenes of the movie. I enjoyed his speech and left for work when he finished. A little late arriving at work, but some things are important to hear.

More phony coupons

Why do phony coupon customers come in spurts instead of once in a while. Yesterday I had a frequent customer with 5 of these coupons on her cell phone (so I couldn't read the whole coupon and just scan the barcode). And course I do the 5 transactions for her (1 coupon per customer/transaction) because after all the yes then no, yes then no, yes then no, I don't know what to do anymore and decided just make the customer happy. I'm sure the lady standing behind her was unhappy waiting through all these transactions to end, but what can I do (nothing, that right).

Then today a coworker had someone with phony coupon and another coworker had someone with 2 phony coupons. 2 coupon lady refused to accept her coupons were not valid, even after speaking to the manager. She even threatened to have her husband complain to the corporate office about it. 100% of phony coupon customers argue to the death demanding we scan it foolishly thinking phony coupons don't scan. Actually they do scan because phony coupons are photoshopped from real store coupons. Which leads us to call a manager who may or may not know about the phony coupons. Hence, the yes then no, yes then no, yes then no, issue confusing us clerks trying to keep up.

I guess there was a memo from the corporateoffice above the district manager who ordered us to accept them because customer emailed how she was degraded and humilated being told her coupon was fake. What the latest memo from corporate office said on this problem no one has told me cause it was too busy to talk to anyone to ask. But I take it they are against accepting the phony coupons. And FYI, phony coupons are taken from customers so they can't try to use them at another store hoping for a more guillable clerk to scan them (If this blog entry is giving you any ideas).

I would like to shoot the people photoshopping our coupons and selling them by the dozen to people, but I bet what they are doing is not even illegal. Did I just get on a law enforcement watch list for my insinuation of violence? Later.

Grocery shopping

Ran out of quarters for laundry so go to bank at a grocery store. While I'm there, I might as well get groceries too. Pick up some hamburger patties and chicken patties on sale. Forget the hamburger buns for patties so stop at another grocery store on the way home. Oh yeah, forgot cat food too. I didn't write that on the list.

The bagger and cashier at 2nd store had an interesting conversation. While bagging my cat food and hamburger buns, the bagger informs all the great things his stepmother makes, homemade cooking. Cashier replied, "Oh so that's why you love her more than me, you should judge people by how they treat you not by their cooking" Bagger answered, "If you tasted her cooking you would care." Cashier asks me if I cook. Uh, yeah, I say. Cashier says every woman cooks so that's nothing special. I left with my groceries. Yeah, every woman over 50 cooks homemade meals. We younger people are more accomplished microwave chefs.

Now home listenig to Precious snore. Earlier P was chaing Frodo. Such as life. 

Happy Heart Day

Happy Valentine's Day everybody. I will be working w/pink shirt on. I love holidays. My cats are my honorary Valentines. They don't complain when I buy flowers.    

Ring around the symptons

2 weeks ago had a cold, 1 week ago congestion but loose the cold, last weekend thought I had a migraine, and yesterday get a raspy cough and start panting like when jogging (but no whistling to classify as wheezing). Go to doctor today and give my symptons. They check nose, throat, and and lungs to conclude having asthma issues brought on by the cold I had. Give prescription for inhaler. Recommends Nyquil to help me sleep.

Take prescription to pharmacy and here is where the trouble begins. Oh, your prescription is too expensive (yes, I know), your prescription discount card doesn't give much of a discount (if it is 1% off I'll take it), have you tried cheaper alternatives (geez, you should see my Mom's medication prices), are you sure you need "this" inhaler (yes, I like breathing normal), and a new question "What are they treating you for that you actually need this". Now I find myself apologizing for having asthma and this expensive inhaler works while the other cheaper alternative doesn't work at all. Out of arguments and tired of fighting with me. Explain I get this complaint every time I get this leading the pharmacist to defend they must offer alternatives.

Get home, take inhaler, and feel better. No more migraine either. Amazing.  

RIP Whitney Houston

OMG Whitney Houston is dead. I will always love you.

Torture getting ready

Had adventures getting ready for my interview. 1st brand new and never been worn pantyhose is slipped on a fingernails snag the nylon. I filed my nails last night so not to have this issue, but a nail 1/8 inch long had to break last night and make a jagged point. Get hair spray for the snag.

2nd skirt. I lost a package of safety pins when I moved and bought a new box to place where I thought I could easily find them in an emergency skirt falling down my ass moment. No, new box that has been opened once before is nowher to be found. While looking for I get fuzzies all over my skirt. Get the box tape to remove fuzzies and use barettes as safety pins. Barrettes pop off at my interview so now I lost my barrettes too.

3rd picking necklace to go with my shirt. Necklaces are not long enough for a shirt that is open from neck to bra. Can't close buttoned up shirt b/c you guessed it, No Safety Pins. So since my bra is capable of being visible, I put on a jacket and bottom of shirt is showing. Can't tuck in cause shirt is too short and can't do anything with skirt barely covering my pantyhose. Leave jacket unbuttoned. 

Now I'm running late. Splash on make up, brush teeth, fix hair in a hurry.

4th putting on coat. Jacket to cover hoochie shirt won't fit under my winter coat. Ok, try another. Still too big to put a coat over it. Try my poncho with sleeves thing I got for a wedding. Jacket fits underneath.

And the store is not where the person who called me last night said it would be. So drive around trying to find it and 7 minutes late to my interview. Not good impression. Interview gal thought I wasn't coming. I explained I thought store was on different street. Interview went well, besides loosing my barrettes. They did mention a required drug test and we know what means: Miserable place to work. I just hope interview didn't see skin revealved around my middle.

Now I'm home and washing off the make up. Neighbor is having a carpet shampooed. Must just lost a neighbor. Later.

Great, wonderful

The day I have set up for an interview, coworker calls asking me to work a 8 hr shift for them. Great, wonderful, have to decline it since I'm in the middle of laundry and have an interview set up in a few hours. Interesting day.

Conversation with Personnel person was interesting last night. Her first question was not asking when I could come in for an interview, but was how much money was I expecting to be paid. Ok, I always thought money was not to be discussed (especially not brought up by job seeker) until a job offer was presented. Now the money question is the first question managers ask before asking about experience, qualifications, or availability to do the job. What is wrong with these people? Do they want the best or the cheapest for the job? And they can't figure out why they have trouble hiring people?

Seeing exhibit

Went to see an exhibit on Egypt today with niece and nephew. I expected more things in the exhibit since I paid $15 separate fee to see it. Nephew got bored staring at pictures and artifacts to keep wandering off. I threatened to hold his coat like a leash. He didn't get any Egyptian souvinirs. Niece wanted to buy a present for her Mommy. No, my sister can buy her own things. She got a necklace of a mummy. When I first told her of the exhibit, she cried so hard thinking Mummies from the movies would attack her. She refused to go see the dinosaur documentary playing in the theater from being too scary. But then she is terrified of everything.

Then we went on the the rest of the museum playing with activity areas and looking at the reptiles and amphibians. One room niece said was for babies, like her toddler cousin. Then later, wanted to play in it. Funny girl. We had a short snack and got some souvinirs from the gift shop. Nephew wanted to go shopping all day and wanted toys. I said no toys, but got a lollipop and silly bands for the kids. Sorry not every day they see me is xmas presents day. Then went as the place was closing. Mommy was happy to see our pictures. My batteries kept dying so my pictures were few.

New one

Relaxing after a long boring day at work, I find my cat Frodo rubbing his tushy on the carpet. Guess feather or piece of plastic plant stuck on him. He starts licking his tail and finally smell the poop. Try to remove it, but Frodo Me-rows at me with a growl. He continues rubbing his butt on the carpet and I keep trying to grab it, to finally find it in his fur and pull it off. Frodo not happy at his fur being pulled, but didn't argue with me with teeth or claws. Tossed it in the poo sack. Frodo walking normal now.

Weatherman

Rule in Iowa. Any weather Colorado experiences, we get 3 days later. Denver, CO was hit with a foot of snow and the storm is coming here tonight/tomorrow. I work tomorrow. Weatherman said, Hopefully we won't get the snowfall Denver received. I say, Yes we want the storm. My store has a shitload of coats and boots to get rid of and we need snow to sell them. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Right now, it is hitting Nebraska with thunder snow. Thunder and lightening occuring during a snowstorm is called thunder snow.