let's talk about inventory...

This job is the worst, most boring, most lame, most terrible job I have ever had. I am so serious. This morning and yesterday morning, I got up at 5 am DREADING what was ahead of me. However, this morning, I dreaded it more than yesterday, because I knew what was in store. Yesterday, I was not happy, but I think most of that was due to the fact that it was 5 in the morning... I don't even get up that early to go teach at school! Ridiculous.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending 5 hours in a little tiny stock room with 4 other people. Talk about torture. The room was small, cramped, and hot. Several times I felt nauseous and like I was going to pass out. And it was so monotonous... Shoot the laser thing at the merchandise and go. As much as I like the idea of killing the merchandise, it was so boring... and there was SO much of it! If those 5 hours in the housewares stock room wasn't enough, I was sent to the textiles stock room for my last hour of work.

This hour was terrible for 2 reasons. First of all, my arms were so sore from lifting things and reaching high above my head in the first stock room, that it took all my strength to lift little packs of bedding from eye level. I mean, my arms and shoulders never hurt like that, even after conducting Tiger Band. The second reason this stock room sucked more was because of the lady in charge. Her name was Candace. You know those people who will say your name just 'cause they see it on your nametag? Well, to me, that's kinda like "getting to someone." It's kinda like, I know your name, and you don't know mine, so I got something on you. And, this lady OBVIOUSLY didn't know who my dad was (yes, sometimes that association comes in handy). So, I immediately didn't like this lady... and sure enough, today, I didn't like her even more.

Well, at 6 o'clock today, things were a little better. Instead of being in the housewares stockroom, I was on the floor in housewares. Still offended by the sight of dishes, I began scanning over in the corner by myself. I enjoyed this a lot more and the time seemed to pass a lot quicker. I don't warm up to people incredibly fast... especially old people, and especially people who act like, they got it all goin' on. That is what surrounded me at "Rich's-Macy*s" (I wish they would just call it friggin' Rich's until they make the final switch... geez). A lot of the older people there were just like me--people who didn't work at... RICH'S... just hired help for inventory. But because they are OLD and have been around the sun a few more times than even the people in charge, they tell everyone what to do. Ol' biddies and coots! So annoying! This one man next to me was trying to tell the manager what to do... THE MANAGER! The next time someone tells me to mind my elders, I'm gonna need my elders to mind people who are MORE QUALIFIED.

Anyway, I don't just dislike old people. After I got done on one side of housewares, I started counting behind people on the other side. This 21 year old guy told me to partner up with him because he worked so fast... Well you know why he worked so fast? 'Cause he was doing it the COMPLETELY WRONG WAY! They showed us a video that said if you have 5 of the same thing, DO NOT scan one thing 5 times, but scan each thing individually. Well, this genius was doing EXACTLY what the video said not to do. So yes, he was making haste with his inventory. To make matters worse, he was trying to hit on this 40 year old British Indian woman. Seriously. Okay, she didn't look like she was 40, but she told him that she was. He was all intrigued with her accent and she was like, "I'm from Britain." Then this guy goes, "Well, you look Indian." YOU CAN BE INDIAN AND BE FROM BRITAIN, EINSTEIN! UGH.

Thankfully, I was relieved from working with him... but I had to go back to textiles, with Candace, the stuck up troll. Since I was on the floor in textiles, I took advantage of a display bed while Candace ran around due to her own lack of comprehension. Apparently, she didn't prep for the day, so people were coming to work in her department from getting done in housewares, and she had nothing for them to do. I was one of them. So, I sat my happy behind on that Tommy Hilfiger bed and proceeded to earn $2 for those 20 minutes I sat there. Finally, she put me to work. I ended up working as a counter for this girl... I feel so bad, 'cause I don't know her name at all, and we spent like 2 hours together. She was really funny... and we got a lot of work done and passed a lot of time. We kept making comments about the ridiculously overpriced pillows and bedspreads that we were counting up. I also helped out this older woman whose earlier counter had screwed up. She kept talking about the girl and how stupid of a mistake she made. The lady was really nice to me. She told me all about how inventory was her only means of money since she had gotten laid off. She asked me how long I had been without work and I told her I was in college. She said she was "so proud" of me. And then she said something I will ALWAYS remember: "This job makes you wanna work hard in school doesn't it?" AMEN, SISTA! That is my whole problem with this job...

First of all, I don't enjoy it. I would NEVER work a job that I don't enjoy. What is the point of doing something day in and day out when you don't like it. REGARDLESS of how much money you need/want. You are doing yourself a huge injustice by staying in an occupation you don't enjoy... which is WHY people go to college and major in the area that they WANT to work in.

Secondly, you don't need any sort of education to do this job. I know there are some people who don't have an education. Either they couldn't get a good one, or they messed up somewhere on their own. Then a job like that is fine for people like that. I am not one of those people. I am not going to work in a job like retail, when I have the education to work in a job that I have recieved an education for.

Thirdly, it's people like Candace who make me not want to work in a job like that. Those people... who act like they are big and bad and know everything, talk down to other people, micromanage, and do not contribute to a healthy work environment... AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ALL THEIR ISH TOGETHER! Candace... ooh. I couldn't work with her constantly... I'd make her cry.

ANYWAY. That is the horror known as inventory at "Rich's-Macy*s." I HATE IT. I HATE IT. I HATE IT. I HATE IT. I HATE IT. AND I WILL NEVER EVER EVER DO IT AGAIN... except tomorrow. :(