I believe I’ve previously posted when I was job hunting and how much it sucked. Well, I’ve been working at a certain retail store (I won’t divulge that info, though I can give a hint: think of an Adam Sandler movie and a remote), but I just absolutely hate it. Being in a small town, our store is small with a bunch of shit cramped up inside. I fear for my life sometimes just walking in a stock room (which there are three different ones, for some reason). Between boxes stacked too high for anyone to really safely reach (as long as they aren’t too close to the light, it’s fine, but it’s still really high), only having multiple tall ladders (sometimes, I just need a damn step stool, it’s ridiculous), oh, and trying to get work done when getting called up front to run a register or “having” to stop and greet every customer (ech). I understand the need for customer service, but if the store was designed better, with like things together and decent amount of merch on the floor in reaching distance, they shouldn’t need help finding stuff. Oh, and I hate answering phones (so low tech to me).

But what am I to do? There are people who find a job they love, but I unfortunately don’t know exactly what I can do. I know I hate running a register (given) and dealing with too many people (I can help customers, but I actually hate it, especially if they don’t know what size comforter they need [you should know the size of your bed, at least I would think so]). I have no problem climbing ladders, but I hate doing that every five minutes. Again, if the store wasn’t so cramped, you wouldn’t need to stock things so high to require a ladder frequently. Even the stuff stocked in the back is up high.

It’s taking all my energy to just not quit, though I am very tempted to do so. I even bought a lottery ticket today (fingers crossed, it would make this decision easy, especially if I match at least 5 numbers, though I’d be lucky to just win the $3 with just getting a powerball number). Even four plus powerball is $10,000, which would be enough to not need to work for about 5 months (I’m gonna say 4 months, since I’d need time to look for a better job).

Now, I do have an Associate Degree for Internet Technology (specifically in Web Development), which is the most USELESS degree in this region (we’re not very up there in tech). Being on the coast, I wish I could go back and go into some like Marine Biology or something, there would a few more job options here with that. But, unfortunately, without a stable income, it’s not financially feasible to go back to school. Also, the community college, well, doesn’t really have that many great programs. Actually, there’s not a Marine Biology study, but general science, for the most part.

Maybe I should make this blog post an almost sort resume, putting myself out there in some way, since places like Monster.com tend to attract Insurance Companies saying I’m qualified, despite not actually being qualified.

I like to draw, and like to think I have some creativity. I don’t really paint, mostly pencil sketches, but I don’t really draw these large original pieces that people would want to buy. And whatever I have painted, I start but never finish (for some reason, maybe there is a painter’s block, similar to a writer’s block).

Now, I have did some quick animations, the little 15-sec witch one (really about 3-sec) and a 10-sec eye one (actually 4-sec, the rest is credit roll):

But, that’s about the most I’ve done. Could I do something longer? I have thought of trying, even getting audio software in order to do voices (and messing with pitch and whatever), but I don’t really have time (damn work). At one point, back in high school, I once considered going to this certain school that dealt more with graphic design, animation, and, well, basically, using technology for creative projects. But it’s an expensive school, but I always wondered whether I could’ve worked in 3D animation, using the software to render video. Guess I’ll never know.

I’ve looked at other schools, wishing to go into something related to film and TV. I love movies, and obviously, I love a lot of TV shows (despite me limiting myself to any new series, since I no longer have a DVR to just be able to watch the 40-some odd number of shows I used to watch. It’ll be nice to find a job where knowing about a shit-load of TV shows, as well as understanding TV ratings and such, and getting paid. Though, I don’t consider myself much of a writer.

And, as I just said, I’m not the greatest writer. Right now, I have multiple, what I call “story ideas,” I’ve been working on (some I started as long as 5-6 years ago). Typically, they are of sci-fi/fantasy/supernatural themes (a few vampire/werewolf ones), but I generally have an idea of what is going on, but I have a hard time developing an actual plot.

I think what it comes down to, I’d love to work where I’d have more freedom (I never go to the movies) and don’t feel so miserable all the time. I was in the top 20 of my graduating class, I had a high GPA in both high school and at community college. I did well in general (not so much in gym, go figure, and also Spanish, and Chemistry (though I think that was the teacher, ’cause oddly, I did well in science classes, except that one). I only failed one class, Calculus (that is very hard, I didn’t even take the second part, went for a college course instead, dealing with computer multimedia (such as flash)).

I can build a computer (built my first for myself in 2006, and, though I now have a laptop, just last week it was plugged back in and it still works), I understand basic networking, and just to note, that computer I built had two Linux distros (PCLinux 2007 and OpenSUSE 10.2) as well as Windows XP Pro. If I could either find a better, more stable job, or just win the lottery, I would love to build another machine, this time one to serve as a DVR (I really, really want to do this, so that no matter what service I have, they can’t take it away from me). I was thinking a MythTV setup, since it’ll be Linux (not Windows), and since it’ll serve one purpose, it wouldn’t need to be overly powerful.

Geez, over a thousand words, yikes, I’ve got to stop going on like this.

Until another day…

First and foremost, and I think anyone who has worked in retail really agrees that the usual saying “Customer is Always Right” is absolute BULLSHIT.  I’m gonna try to keep this post short (and warn, I have a potty mouth when I’m pissed), but given I am now working at a new store since the other one closed, I’ve been out of work for two months before landing a job at a certain bedding and bath gifting shit store.  At my previous job, I did almost everything (except major decisions and deposits, other than that, kind of dealt with it even if only once in the near four years employed).  Every retail store has the usual crazy customers, rude customers, as well as nice customers.  But certain retail stores, I have to think, are getting worse.

Currently, “Customer is Always Right,” and you must drop whatever you’re doing, even if you’re told you’re on a strict timeframe, to help a customer, which 90% of the times are gonna say “Nah, just looking.”  I know when I go into a store, if I want help, I’ll ask.  It’s simple. There’s also this complete trust in customers versus employees.  Bag checks (found out, certain arts and crafts store does it too, yes, employees steal, do this, they’ll find a way to screw the company over more, or at least, they despise the company and end up not giving even more of a rat’s ass about doing their job).  It’s bad enough they may work 5 hrs and 59 min straight, now they may get patted down to check for contraband.

Adding on to “customers are the best” mantra, the magical return policy.  I think it’s a certain clothing store (I’m refusing to use names, but you may know what I’m talking about) has a disturbing return policy of allowing returns for everything (and other stores do it too, with used items, even pillows, (ew!)).  I, as a customer, refuse to shop and buy stuff from a place with a lenient return policy, simply because, depending on the type of item, it can be gross.  Most places probably discard washed merchandise, but what if, they don’t?  What if a kid with lice tried a pillow, and the mother returned it, not with a care in the world?  And the store accepted it and put it back?  I believe in a semi-strict policy, a certain number of days and must always have a receipt.  Maybe that’s just me.  Also, customers should know what fuckin size bed they have, got a Full but thought you needed a queen, wash the sheets and find out they don’t fit.  It’s not our fault you don’t know the size of your own damn bed.  We don’t sleep on it, you do.  Then you have the balls to return it.  It should be a no-can-do.  Check it on the bed before you wash it, at least.  Keep your fuckin’ receipt and keep the fuckin’ packaging.  If you have doubts, ALWAYS, keep everything.  I hate these new ways to check if someone bought something on a credit card, they should keep the receipt, we shouldn’t be expected to do everything.

There’s also what I have to think is actually breaking labor laws, when the only break is for those working at least 6 hours to get a 30-min lunch.  Meaning, work 5.5 hours, there isn’t even a 5-min break.

Most retail jobs, the hourly wages ones, are minimum wage or close to, have to deal with rude people, annoying people, assholes for bosses, be on their feet all day, walk from point A to point B constantly.  We work shitty hours (this week I had a close shift ’til 11pm then a first thing in the morning at 7:30am shift the next day), and are now, probably not even full time.  We’re the cheap able bodies on a floor, and are among the under appreciated, and I WANT OUT NOW!

I hate doing rant posts, but sometimes you got to let out a little steam.  Title may be a little misleading, I already knew this shit.

I currently work at a small little (well, not small small, but just not a chain store of any kind) retail store. No, not saying what store and where (I’m not stupid), but it sells home decor stuff and bedding, but after 2008, along with actual merchandise, the owner acquired shit from like those liquidation people (stores have a bunch of shit people don’t buy for a reason, yet there are companies that buy off stuff from them and re-sell to dumbasses. These “seconds” aren’t always bad (such as the extra random fabric he got, or some decent mirrors, etc), but when it just random stuff thrown into boxes, you’re talking broken stuff, half-emptied bottles, or just completely leaked chemicals that got on everything, so nothing is even sell-able. The store has gone down the toilet. Now of course, it’s going out of business, since people with money decided to not buy stuff, causing people trying to work for a living, to either get laid off or have their hours cut (thanks, BTW).

Of course, we get these people who say, “oh, I’m so sorry you’re going out of business,” or even, “I like coming in here to look around,” which makes me want to say, “yeah, well, looking around doesn’t pay the bills.” It’s bad enough that I have been working in retail (and I know I’m not the only one who has to put up with the stupidity of customers, found a great little site nicely called Retail-Sucks.com). But what sucks, is that we’re going out of business, and it was decided months after he opened a similar, yet much smaller, and more beachier, store, only about a 15min drive from the “main” store. They did well in the summer, but, in the off-season, saw a few days where they did even make any money (had some sales, but more returns). They’re staying open. Now, it’s spring-time, and we’ve been going out of business for about 4 months now, and they have only just started to pick up decent numbers, yet he’s not hiring any extra help. I feel sorry for them, working 50-60 hours in a week, because there are only 2 full-timers there, and 2 part-timers. While at our store, there’s 4 of us full-timers, and 2 part-timers (one of which has really low hours, and the other who has to go pee a lot, seriously). We have a manager who doesn’t always show up on time, and another who talks on the phone A LOT (mostly on her own cell phone). The other one sometimes uses the store phone, and has to take a cig break at least every hour. Not saying I’ve always came into work on time (5-15 min late, not a morning person), but I take no breaks, and lately, with business seeing some busy days, I sometimes don’t even get a lunch break, and if I do, it’s 10-15 min, just enough to eat a sandwich.

But back to what is sucking, and that is trying to find a job. I’m trying to look for higher paying jobs, or at least those similar to what I make now (~20,000 a year), but come up empty. The problem, there are TOO MANY damn restaurants now in the area, not that many places to shop, so staying away from restaurant jobs (which I’m reluctant to go back to) and finding a possible retail store where I may do some of the same stuff I do now, is hard. So, as for higher paying jobs, I’ve been looking into government jobs, but experience is a factor (I have an Associates in Internet Technologies, so I was looking at some tech jobs, but typically, that doesn’t seem to be enough).

I thought of maybe adding an ad to this blog, but if anyone actually views this and clicked on it, it wouldn’t be enough (though still, I’ve considered LinkShare, since they do the affiliate links with iTunes). I hate ads, but I may need to start monetizing this blog (the main site has some affiliate links, as does this blog already, from Zazzle, but I am having a hard time thinking of something truly original for a design to go on shirts and mugs that people may actually want to buy). If I can finish writing my story ideas, I thought of seeing if I have a writing future, but, as evidence of this blog, I don’t think I’m much of a writer.

Come to think of it, I don’t know what it is I’m really good at, except for watching a bunch of different TV shows, but I feel there are enough TV bloggers out there, and I think I’ve been real good about lessening TV talk on this blog. Although, I’ve been using this blog less and less now.

Oh well, felt the need to vent a little, plus my arm is tired and I need to finish Legend of the Seeker from my beautiful DVR that makes it possible for me to watch the amount of shows I do.

Oh, did I mention that job sites like Monster and HotJobs are useless, since I live in a tech-challenged county that are least likely to post job openings online.

Warning, I’m in a venting mood:

Being I work at a retail store (a home decor actually, where I know nothing about decorating, but they don’t know shit about computers), I see a lot of fucked up shit. I don’t know how many times a customer may buy a whole bedding set (quilt, shams, ruffles, blah, blah, blah) and then come in the next day to return the whole thing because it wasn’t right for their room.

First off, you know what your damn room looks like. Second, if it’s a matter of color, don’t come back and say it was too blue or something, ’cause, you knew there was a lot of blue in it (this argument also ties in with “you know what your damn room looks like”). Third, not only are you wasting my time, you’re wasting your time as well (and money too, think about the gas it took to get your ass to the store).

Another thing that pisses me off.  Why won’t people keep their damn packaging.  Most stores will not accept returns without the original packaging.  Think about it.  If you owned a store, are you gonna wanna deal with products that have no packages?  And it’s listed on the damn receipt.  I know, ’cause I put that on there in hopes it’ll decrease the ammount of stupidity;  it doesn’t.

You see, when I shop, I know what I want, and only a few times did I get something to try out (electronic stuff is about the only item that you may need to test out and see if it works for you, especially something like an antenna, ’cause I may not do any better than a standard non-amplified antenna).  And you know what I did when I bought that more expensive amplified antenna?  I kept the fuckin’ box and everything.  I stuck it back in there, nice and neat just like I have opened it.

It’s not hard folks.  Same thing goes for the receipt.  Most stores won’t except returns without a receipt, and for good reason.  They may have a 30-day policy, and the receipt is the one thing that’ll show it being within the 30 days, and how it was paid for.  Now, we are more lenient, in we allow returns w/o a receipt, but with store credit only.  I wish we didn’t.  It’s not hard to keep a receipt.  There’s actually a regular returner (new word: noun, someone who buys just to return it later, for some dumbass reason).  This person apparently has racked up quite a good amount of store credit, giving us lame excuses (elementary student excuses, such as “the dog ate it”).  Not joking, it’s true.  And, if I remember correctly, I think it happened twice.  If the dog did eat it, then maybe you should keep your receipts “out of reach of pets.”

If I owned and operated a store, I would be much more strict towards a return policy.  I don’t care if they don’t end up buying something, because if they end up returning it, it’ll cancel that purchase out anyway.  Plus, time is money, so why waste employee time on stupidity?

Oh, and the customer, truly, is not always right.  We just have to work like that’s true, but you know what, we don’t really think that.  And anyone who has worked in retail, feels the same way, yet, despite this, they may be some of the same people who do the same shit they hate customers of their own stores to do.

I also hate it when customers fill a cart, and somewhere in rugs, decide to just leave.  Unless it was some dire emergency, like a sudden family death you found out about or something, then you are an ass.  I hate people who take towards using every fuckin’ coupon.  I get it, everybody wants to save some money, BUT, how do we make money to stay in business if we end up selling you every item at or below cost.  More importantly, I hate other employees who allow certain coupon usage that had been forbidden.  Items on sale dirt cheap, are sale items.  Most stores do the same thing by not allowing coupons on sale items.  Unless it says something like “an additional on top of an existing offer” or something, chances are, you can’t use a coupon on a sale item.

I hate customers that feel the need to take an entire sheet set out of the package, allowing pillow cases to fall on the floor and get dirty, making it almost unsellable.  Do you really need to take the whole fuckin sheet out?  Do you know that size of your own bed you sleep on everyday?  If so, why the fuck do you need to take it out.  Or the window panels, or even quilts.  Half the shit gets displayed, so it’s not that you can’t see the whole pattern.  Is it measurements?  Most of any quilts, panels, and the like have the measurements on the damn package.  Don’t know how long of a curtain you need?  Well, if you were thinking of getting a curtain, maybe you should’ve taken some damn measurements before you left.  BTW, we’re not mind readers.  You cvan describe your house all you want, but it isn’t gonna make us qualified to give you decorating advice on YOUR house.  Customer service is really just needed to help customers look for certain items.  Unless a place says there are Interior Designers for hire, you do your own decorating.

Point A: Know what you want/need before you buy.  Point B: well, there is not point B, just have at least an idea of what you need or want before you go and buy something.  It not only saves us time, but as an advice to other customers out there (we are all customers, some of us are just better to stores than others), it also saves us all time and money in the long run.

I hate Wal-Mart. It’s crowded unless you go after midnight (which works for me, but that’s when several sections are blocked off in order to wax floors and stuff). It doesn’t really have a large selection. True, it’s big and has a lot of stuff, sometimes at cheaper prices (not all the time, really, that’s mostly a gimmick, all retail stores use them), but in general, it doesn’t have a great selection (such as, say, PC software, it has is, but it’s limited to about two or three antivirus products, Office and maybe Windows OS, then a handful of new PC Games, a small section of older budget games, and that’s about it). But hey, it’s a general retail store that doesn’t specialize in squat.

But the real point to this post. Music. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve bought a CD at Wal-Mart as recent as May 2001 (yes, I remember, it was Mother’s Day and I got Tantric’s debut CD). I listened to it, very excited about this totally original and very unappreciated band. Then the song “Astounded” came to be which as the F-word in the chorus. It wasn’t edited since there was no sticker, but it easily could have been. A few months earlier was when Aerosmith released ‘Just Push Play.’ Not sticker, but there were reports that people who bought their copy at Wal-Mart, were screwed with a fucked up copy (edited version).

To understand this, let’s travel to 1985, when the hearings went on for the record industry to tag “inappropriate” music. In a sense, it’s not the real bad thing. Movies had ratings, makes sense for music to have something similar. The problem is when mothers just don’t get that the little black and white label means that they may not want their child to listen to it. So instead of blaming themselves for their stupidity (I don’t apologize, so shut up), they attack the retail chain that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the artistic process that goes into creating a record. And for most housewives, their choice store was Wal-Mart, so Wal-Mart therefore takes it upon themselves to NOT sell the real thing. Instead, record labels are forced to create these shitty B-Versions of CDs, or that album isn’t sold in the store.

This sucks when it comes to independent bands, say Tantric, whose last album, ‘The End Begins,’ was pressed only in the B-Version, since it costs more to create two versions of a CD. Interestingly, this last CD had the F-Word in it two times, while their debut that I did get at a Wal-Mart, had it four times and wasn’t affected. Neither of their CDs are vulgar enough to even need the sticker, IMO. I had pre-ordered the CD right when I could from their official online store, listened, and shelved it, went to iTunes and bought the two songs that were edited. I eventually bought the whole thing again for the bonus tracks available only on iTunes.

This is unfair to us consumers that are mature adults and appreciate music. I don’t have to have CDs that only contain THE LABEL, but I support free speech and the artists themselves, that pour their hearts into their songs. Wal-Mart doesn’t give a shit. I have no problem, what-so-ever, to go to my local record store (sorry CD store) and pay a few bucks more for the real thing.

I’m proud that it was been eight years, and I have not bought another CD at Wal-Mart. I enjoy getting many CDs from a local store that is part of the same company as f.y.e, which is awesome. Have the rewards card and go at least one to two times a month (sometimes more).

I buy ALL my CDs elsewhere, even those that are clean (like Collective Soul or Chevelle).  It’s a matter of principle.  I can’t buy CDs at Wal-Mart, since I don’t support them selling CDs unless they give consumers the choice.  If parents are concerned, that’s not Wal-Mart’s problem, and they need to understand that.  But sense they give in, I can’t support Wal-Mart, at all.  Only once every two-three months will I find myself going to that terrible place, since it’s the only place open in the later hours (all the drug stores close when the place I work at closes, making it difficult to get some items I may need).  But, I am looking forward to completely staying away from Wal-Mart once I find an alternative to the Faded Glory jeans I wear (since I know the size I need, I hate trying on clothes); now only if I can get the rest of my family to see my way.

BTW, Wal-Mart also doesn’t have a large selection of CDs anyway, and you’ll have better luck at a f.y.e.-like store anyway.

…LATER…

…to those of us who have to work (and I only wish to those who like me have to work, since the rest of you aren’t gonna be working, you’ll already happy (unless you actually like your job)). I don’t work at a hospital, police station, broadcast station, movie theaters, fire stations (let’s just sum it all up to emergency services), behind the scenes of any parades, football games, or a grocery store (yep, a lot of those are open on Thanksgiving, since American tend to be quite the procrastinators). No, I work in retail, yeah, retail. Bad enough we have Black Friday a day after, now I got to work on a Holiday. Yeppie! I was told time and a half, and I’m holding that to them. Now, I don’t care too much for family gatherings (kind of hate them), but I would love to be able to watch more of my Real Ghostbusters complete series I got from Time Life. So worth the nearly $200 (including shipping) to have 25 DVDs of this awesome cartoon series based on one of the most awesome movies ever made.

*sighs*