Monday Monday Monday....

Monday Monday Monday! I guess it's back to the old grind for most people. For me it's back to work too, but not in the traditional sense. Today I'm writing a few more ad campaigns and cleaning the house. Yes, that's my life. Coming up with ad campaigns and cleaning.

I spent the holiday and the weekend here at the house watching re-runs of Heroes. Boy, I am loving that show. I was supposed to work my part-time job in retail but I decided to quit instead. Why, you ask?

Well, many people don't know that about 20 years ago I used to work in retail full-time. I used to be a manager and my store was my life. I gave so much of myself and my time to helping run a successful retail shop that I didn't have much life. In fact, I don't remember doing much of anything when I was a retail manager.

Anyway...this one year I remember having to go in on Thanksgiving day late to unload the truck and staying at the shop all day Black Friday. We had another truck come in on Saturday and again, I was there all day. I was exhausted and I hated that feeling. I just wanted to go home and be with my family. Of course, we weren't allowed to leave and I ended up working every single day from then until Christmas Eve.

Now the time leading up to Christmas Eve, people were incredibly rude to us in the shop. I was a manager so I had to deal with the most rude of all the customers. Where was the Christmas spirit, the love, and the peace that the season is supposed to be all about? I can tell you, I never felt it. People shoving and pushing and generally being assholes was what I experienced.

 I began to hate the holidays as a result of working in retail and I vowed that as soon as I could find another job, it would be one where I could have the holidays off. I made good on my promise too and found a job in an office where we actually got extended holidays off and it was great!

SO now, 20 years later I ended up working in retail again, but this time not as a manager. I took the job mostly to get out of the house and for the discount. I had fun working there too most of the time. It wasn't until November when I realized that promise I made to myself and the stress I was already beginning to feel as a result of the upcoming Black Friday. Last week, I made the conscious decision to quit my part-time job in retail because I will not be subjected to the stress and craziness that working in retail entails around this time of year. I will miss many of the people I worked with and I will miss my discount, but I am glad I made the decision to quit. I can concentrate on my business now and enjoy the holidays without all of that stress.

 Life is good..AND it's Cyber Monday!!! Everyone should shop on the internet!

Calm Before The Storm

Sunday, Fun-Day!!

So I got up early this morning and the cats were waiting for me in the kitchen.  Sunday's are wetfood day for them and like clockwork, they were waiting.  It's hard to believe that people think cats are stupid. They know the sound of a cat food can being placed on the counter and the swoosh of the lid when I tear it off.  They know the clink and clatter when I get out the little glass dishes I serve their food in and put them on the counter.  Cats are not stupid in the least.  They just choose to pay attention to things when it suits them.  They are very discerning little creatures.

Five Very Happy Felines

Do you own a Cat or Dog?

Anyway, so I gave them their wet food treat and then I started puttering about the house.  I'm doing some laundry and I cleaned up the bedroom a bit.  Eventually I'll make my way to the couch and finish knitting G's scarf cause I'm on the homestretch with it and cannot wait for it to be finished.  He is gonna love it. 

Now I was looking at my schedule for my part time job and shaking my head because I'm on the schedule for nearly 30 hours this week.  It's the holidays and retail so it's not that surprising.  I'm just so used to setting my own schedule that when I actually HAVE a schedule like this, I shake my head. This is the calm before the storm.

Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate the money and the job.  I really do enjoy working in retail, but the rush of holiday shoppers and the craziness that ensues is NOT my idea of fun.  The one thing that made me quit retail years ago was holiday shopping and the rude assed people shoving and pushing and destroying my shop all for a 5 dollar teeshirt.

Stop Yur Shoving!  IT's just a FIVE DOLLAR TEESHIRT!!

See, I used to be in retail management years ago and I remember that for several years, I would get maybe 2 days off between the first of November and the end of the year.  Guess what days I got off?  If you guessed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, then you guessed correct. Two days off!  I remember missing holiday parties and family gatherings because I was always working.  In fact, most days were 10 hours or longer because our part-time help was always calling out sick and as a manager, we had to have coverage.

Anyway...I have the rest of the day off today before the week starts. I am definitely thankful for that.

And I beg and plead with you my readers to stay home on Black Friday.  Stay home!!  Shop in your PJ's on the internet!!  There are heaps more deals online and they don't run out of stuff like they always do in the store!!

Here are some good deals and ideas for at home holiday shopping!