Time For A Change, I Think

Now more than ever I find the hours I work to be incompatible with my life.

So I've mentioned to my manager that I'd like to go to the 4 - 1 shift (1600 - 0100) and work in the backroom doing inventory stuff. The main reason for this is because it would be much easier to balance work with my duties as a Future Sailor. DEP meetings and DEP mentoring are always at 1600, which is smack in the middle of my sleep time. Granted, DEP meetings are only once a month, and I've already fixed my schedule so that I have that day off every week, but it really sucks to have to get up, go to DEP mentoring, go back home, and try to get some more sleep before work.

Also, I find no satisfaction with my current position. Not saying I hate it, but I find it less rewarding than stocking. I go home feeling like I haven't really accomplished anything.

Manager said there'd be some openings soon, and that he'd keep me in mind. But then again, I've been told that before.

Tales From 4476

So, last night, I had my first ever encounter with a high customer. This lady had come in around midnight, and apparently shopped for nearly 4 hours. I was the only cashier scheduled (which naturally occurred because the regional VP is supposed to visit today), and my CSM (customer service manager) was on his lunch break. At 3:50 a.m., she decides she's ready to check out. At this time, I'm bust running what little freight we receive up front (batteries, lighters, candy, etc.). I see her approaching my register with her cart full of what looks like something from every department. About 80% of her cart was clothes, which made me cry inwardly because I hate ringing up clothing. So she plunks everything on the belt and tells me to let her know when the total reaches $100. I rang up her stuff, and alerted her that her total had reached $98.84. She went on babbling about asking me if I could do a credit charge with her driver's license, because she didn't have her credit card with her, claiming that Burger King had done it. It was at this time that I knew she was stoned out of her mind. I said, "No, but if you have the account number, expiration date, and security code written down somewhere, I can do it manually." She said she'd have to go to her car to get this information. So she left, and I waited for about 5 minutes before going outside to check the parking lot for her, and I didn't see her. This bitch straight up left a cart full of crap (including milk) behind and never came back. At first I was pretty pissed, because I knew I was going to have to put all that shit back, but luckily my CSM told me not to worry about it.


A few nights ago, I had the joy of dealing with a man who really fucking needed his batteries like OMG right now. Now, it's important that you know that, being a 24-hour store, the system that the registers operate on has to reset for the next days' sales at midnight. We can't begin ringing up until 12:01. Also, we have to reset the cash drawer, which basically involves putting the new bills and coins in there appropriate place. The process takes about 2 minutes. I was on register 5, and my co-worker was on 6. This dude started off in line at 6, with 4-5 other folks ahead of him. I had come back from my break and opened 5, and this dude rushed over to my line, where I then informed him of the fact that he'd have to wait a minute while the system reset itself. He huffed a sigh, then ran back over to 6. I was like, "Seriously, going to another line isn't gonna solve your problem." Our CSM sent my co-worker on her break, so she closed her register and left. Battery Dude runs back over to my line and says "You're determined to make me wait the whole 5 minutes, aren't you?" all distressed like. Dude it's midnight. What the hell could you possibly need your 9 volt batteries so bad for? Wait, maybe I don't want to know.

What I wanted to say: Yes sir, I quite enjoy watching you squirm in line like you're about to piss yourself. It's a vast conspiracy set forth by Home Office, and we associates gladly participate in such activities.

What I actually said: Sir, it was only going to take a minute.

And so I rang him up without further fanfare, fighting the urge to go off on him for getting an attitude with me for basically no reason whatsoever (also I was grumpy as this was my 6th night in a row working). After I cashed him out, he took his precious batteries and ran off, hopefully he heard my oh-so-sarcastic "Have a good night, SIR."


Dear Two Redneck Teenagers In Line: I do not care why you're guying condoms. I did not assume that you were a gay couple, nor would I care if you were. No, I am more concerned as why, along with your condoms, you are also buying duct tape. That is what concerns me.

A Rant

Been feeling a bit bummed lately. For the past few weeks, I've had Friday and Saturday nights off (however, that too is about to change :/). Aside from going out to dinner with some of the family last week, absolutely nothing has happened. I don't want to sound like I'm whining, or complaining, because sometimes I don't feel like going out. But in general, everyone made such a stink about me "always working" and they "never get to see me" anymore. So when I told everyone that I'd have Fridays and Saturdays off (or so I thought!), that there would be more socializing going on. Nope! Not even from BFF. Of course, he's all up in his girlfriend's business and seems to spend the ENTIRE weekend with her so...I guess it doesn't matter what days I have off!

Seems like everyone's forgotten about me. And don't even be all "So get back on days then!" at me, because it's not that simple. Management isn't gonna be all "ok sure" just 'cause I ask them. Also then I'd be home when her boyfriend is over and I'd have to listen to them bang and I just can't deal with that. I really can't.

Where Does This Stuff Even Come From?

It's mod season at work! This means we're attempting to recover (inventory wise) from the clusterfuck that is the Christmas shopping season. Putting out new stuff, getting rid of deleted stuff. Yeah!

Speaking of which, I just want everybody to know that, although we WILL take back your returns, it would be nice if you would return items you actually bought at this store. Or least from a Walmart, not Target or something. Why? Because it short circuits our brains when we come across an item on the shelf that we don't sell. There is no place for it. We can't leave it there, because we have to put This Other Item in that spot. But we can't move it, because we have nowhere to put it. We can't bin it because it would come up as a "Not On File." Basically, our reaction is "WTF. Does not compute! *brain sizzles*"

I was stocking in the stationary department last night, and stumbled upon a brand of secretary envelopes we don't carry. It was plugging up the space where our lovely Walmart "@ The Office" envelopes go. I stared at it for probably 3 minutes, deciding that the best course of action would be to put our envelopes back on the pallet as overstock. One time, we had a Lexmark printer behind the electronics counter for weeks because we just could not figure out what to do with it. We carry HP, Canon, and Kodak, no Lexmark. It's like random merchandise just appears on the shelf and the Retail Gods laugh as we flail about trying to decide what to do with it.

All we can do is just leave it there and somebody buys it, so we can put our shit back on the shelf. Though sometimes it just floats around the store because associates move it from location to another.

Why I Can't Stock New Releases In 30 Minutes

Back in the day, when I was actually allowed to work the electronics department in a relatively undisturbed manner, management would basically leave me alone on Monday nights because they knew I had to put out new releases. I enjoyed this very much because A) they left me alone, and B) they couldn't pull me to do some inane task another associate could do.

Nowadays, it's the same "Hurry up I need you to do [insert department here]!" Uh, I know my release load has died down drastically from what it was, but it still takes most of the night to put them out. Firstly, I can't start until midnight. The store (and possibly me) could get in trouble for street date violations. Now, I can do maybe 2 small departments before then, but not 3.

So here's the breakdown:
10:00 - clock in, nightly shift meeting
10:15ish - 11:50 - do whatever I'm assigned
11:50 - go get new releases
12:00 - 12:15 - first break
12:15 - 2:00 - print floorplan and mod labels (if they're not done already), change mod on new release end cap, stock new release end cap
2:00 - 3:00 - lunch
3:00 - 4:30ish - reset mod for GM cart rail, stock cart rail
4:30ish - 5:00 - plug holes, clean up
5:00 - 5:15 - second break
5:15 - 7:00 - zone electronics plus whatever other departments they tell me

As you can see, this is mostly an all night task. And there's only one of me. When my sidekick Melisa was working with me, we could get in done in half the time, plus the new release in-line, TV new releases, and games. But she got a fancy pants promotion, so now it's just me. And guess what? This HAS to get done. The customers expect it. The store manager expects it. However, I have no problem telling him that you decided that stocking the crafts department was a better use of my abilities, and have YOU explain to him why it didn't get done. And believe me, I'm doing it as fast as I can. I've done this enough times, I've got a system, but I won't fuck it up so I can go stock knitting needles and flower arrangement supplies. That is not my priority right now, and it shouldn't be held against me. I am not the only associate capable of doing that. But I AM the only associate who knows how to do this PROPERLY. And also, I'm rather busy right now.

So if you'd kindly get off my back and let me do what I do [dominate like a boss], then we'd all have a much better night, and I won't want to smack you with my set of keys.

Welcome To 4476.

During your time here, you will discover things that will astound you, bewilder you, or make you literally laugh so hard you can't breath. Such is life at Walmart #4476.

It is not unusual to/for:
- Be told that something that actually is your job, is NOT your job. Then be told to go in the back and do that same task, but for other departments.
- Hurry up because they need you in grocery.
- Witness an associate running with a shopping cart from the toy department to the pharmacy to deliver pharmacy freight...in a Captain America mask.
- Be assigned to the furniture department when you can't lift half the freight.
- Be called over the P.A. to go out and collect carts. This will only happen when it's below freezing outside.
- Find other departments' freight on your pallets.
- Be asked to bin dairy or frozen when you have a cold.
- The nearest bathroom is ALWAYS being cleaned at the time you need it most.
- Don't expect to get through the checkout line quickly during the first of the month. It'd be quicker to go to Wawa to get your orange juice on your midnight break.
- The McDonald's is notorious for not taking plastic. Don't bother if you don't have cash.
- Hear other associates busting into song while stocking the paper towels, namely, "I Believe I can Fly."
- The backroom associates to ambush a manager who's been promoted to co-manager with Silly String.
- Hear associates hollering at each other 'cause we don't carry walkies and thus need to compensate.
- Expect whoever's working chemicals to smell like Fabreeze at some point.
- You'll need a gas mask to stock the feminine products. That aisle is more pungent than the perfume aisle.
- Be looked down upon by the day shift. Regardless of the situation, it will ALWAYS be overnight's fault. I believe we even got blamed for the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan.

Enjoy your stay.