Day Three - No Computer

No, not my personal computer (as evidenced by the fact that I'm writing this blog. Although, come to think of it, I do have a blogger application on my fabulous Android phone, so it could be feasible that I am computerless and still blogging...but I'm not. Just so we're clear) it is my work computer that I have been without since Friday now...and I say day three, because, as it is my work computer, I am only counting work days...

Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that sometimes there isn't anything going on at my job and it can get a bit, um boring. Not that I don't have a lot of projects to work on, but it is quiet in the office and when it gets too quiet, the time seems to drag on...I mean really.

So, on Friday morning, I wasn't able to get my computer to power up, except for this...

 

Yes, as you can plainly see...that is the Windows "I didn't shut my computer down right, so it will see if I want to boot up in Safe Mode" screen...except it isn't in English. In fact, it is not in any language (no matter what you say, Ms. "I can read some of it so it must be SOME language" lady who fixed my computer.) So, I email our in-house "geek squad" (no, I don't work for Best Buy, I just like to call them that...) and I get out of office replies for BOTH of them...I mean, really?! So, I call our help desk and the very nice lady there puts in a ticket for me...a couple of hours later a woman several hours away from me tells me that I can overnight her my computer, she'll get a new one ready and send it my way...

Long story short...well, long story medium at any rate, it is now Tuesday afternoon and I *might* have my computer back tomorrow, but Thursday is more likely. So, I am completely incapacitated at my job, as I have no access to any of the systems I use...save email of course. And, if I'm lucky, she will have been able to at least recover SOME of the stuff that was on my desktop...otherwise, I'm building files all over again from scratch...

So, that's all I've got for now...

-- Kelly

An Open Letter To The Obnoxious Guy In My Office...

Ok, so I know what you are thinking..."There's only ONE obnoxious guy in your office? Lucky you." Yeah, well, you have to understand my office first...a lot of the time, I am likely one of the only people here...for a large corporate office, most of the people who "work" here are out in the field all day. So, on any given day there are probably less than 10 people in the whole office, and maybe only three or four on my side (aka, people I can hear). So, keeping that in mind, for the most part I am lucky. Except for the one jackhole.

Now, realistically, there are quite a few people who are probably worse, both in my office and, well, in general. But this guy REALLY grates on my nerves...so, here's my letter:

Dear Obnoxious, Loud, Jackhole (I love this new insult...not entirely sure where I got it from (it might be the Harbinger...he knows who he is), but I'm keeping it):

Please stop. You sit three ROWS of cubes away from me, yet I can hear your entire conversation as if you were actually in my cube. I don't really care what you had for dinner last night, where or what you are hunting this weekend, or why you think Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a better show that Firefly. (Although, bonus point for the last one, I mean, that is definitely a valid discussion...however, the fact that I was not a part of that discussion means I should not have heard you having it.) I know exactly what projects you are working on at any given time, every single conference call that you have (and every opinion that you give on those calls) and I have heard just about every "office-inappropriate" word out there.

I know exactly how you feel about your current and former places of employment, and let me just say, if you are that miserable, perhaps you should seek alternate employment. I am also "lucky" enough to hear all of the yelling that you and your assistant do between cubes. You are two cubes away, perhaps one of you should get up and mosey to the other cube so the whole office doesn't know what projects you are working on, cause believe me, no one cares...we've got our own projects. Or, if that is too complicated, call each other on the phone...although, that probably wouldn't solve the issue...see the rest of this post. (And, if I may shiny-object here for a moment, your assistant is next on my list. I have never known someone to argue with his or her significant other that publicly before...seriously, if the constant clicking of the keyboard weren't a dead giveaway that the area of the office that you obviously assume is vacant when you are (unsuccessfully) trying to have a discreet conversation is in fact, OCCUPIED, then perhaps you need to have your hearing checked. I do not need your conversations intruding on my day any more than I do your boss'.) I can't even drown you out with Pandora streaming in my cube (mmmm...Pandora...a topic for my next blog - I ♥ Pandora!)

So, loud, obnoxious guy in my office, I implore you. Please, please, please be mindful of other people, and learn to lower your voice. I mean, seriously, I have friends with toddler aged children, and they all understand the difference between inside voices and outside voices. Take a lesson from them.

Have a nice day.

-- Kelly ( :

Another Day Another Escalation

Wow, I swear that all the crazy people come out of the woodwork and head straight for the Sprint store at the NE corner of 75th Ave. and Bell Rd. all at once.

Yep, it was another one of those days, where almost every person "NEEDS" to talk to a manager/supervisor. Of course this is one of the days when we have 2 of 4 managers in at all...which usually only happens once a week...twice this week because of some vacations...anyways, these people always come in when we are short managered...I think that they plan it that way.

I never ever went into a store and pitched a complete fit, but I am telling you, this is possibly the best way for you to go about your business...go into wherever you need to take care of something, demand to speak to the manager and tell them that you aren't going to leave until your issue is fixed. Then when they bend over so you can f*ck them in the @ss...tell them that it isn't good enough and threaten to go to THEIR manager and make sure that they don't have a job after you are through with them...now that was not todays issue, but I have been threatened like that before and so has my boss...fun times THEY ARE FRIGGIN CELL PHONES PEOPLE!!!!!! After you get your way, you have two options...you can stay the pissed off customer that you have been the whole time or you can do a complete 180 and sympathize with whomever you are yelling at telling them that you know it isn't their fault and thank them for helping you out. Be warned though, because either way, the minute you leave they will certainly notate your account (if at all possible) and also talk about that horrible bitch/jackass that they just helped...so yeah.

And if their day is going superbly well, they will get written up for poor customer service from their boss...but you, you will have your shiny new whatever and free service for a while. Not that that was my day today or anything...oh, yeah also if that poor supervisor is SUPER lucky, someone will have called in sick and another person not shown up...hypothetical situation...just spitballin here...

For amusement today I played the "ringtone" on my phone over and over that is from Office Space...it goes "I don't like my job and I uh, don't think I'm gonna go anymore..." got a chuckle out of every employee at some point today. I SO love that movie...hmmm, maybe I'll go watch it now...yeah...Office Space and some chocolate - good times.

-- Kelly ( :

Some Fabulous New Stuff

Okay, so the last time I posted anything I had a new kitten...now I have three other new things (only two of which have pictures to go along with them, the third thing is only an explanitory thing...so here goes.

First, I decided that I wanted to get myself a car that I felt better represented who I am, not that the Ranger was bad, but well, I like getting new cars every couple of years, that is why I lease, so...



Isn't she beautiful!! My friend says that she is almost like "Eleanor" and that I should get the "Eleanor" kit that is available for the Mustang so she can look even more like Eleanor. (and if you don't know who Eleanor is, nevermind, just watch Gone In 60 Seconds you'll figure it out...beautiful car.) Just look at her beautiful smile...



So, that was Tuesday, then Friday, yesterday, I went and got this...



I know, I'm such a rebel. In case it isn't obvious, which it probably isn't from this picture, it is on my upper back, right between my shoulder blades and it is about 5 - 6 inches from top to bottom. I really like it and everyone else here seems to as well...which leads into the third good thing this week.

As I was on my way to get my tattoo my boss called me and told me that the promotion I had interviewed for earlier this week was MINE!!!! WOOHOO!!! More responsiblity not too much more money...wait, um...oh well...can't win them all...

AND if that wasn't enough, today the store manager from the Scottsdale Discovery Channel Store called and asked me if I would like to come back and be their Associate Manager...I can't tell you how nice it was to be able to tell her no...I make more money now than I ever did with DCS and there is no way in hell I'd go back...I was nice though - I still shop there you know.

So, I think that is enough new and exciting news for now, I'm sure more will come later though!

-- Kelly ( :

Construction Woes

Ok...so my work is under construction...we are remodeling the ENTIRE STORE and it will take 6 - 8 weeks...if everything goes OK...and we all know how often that happens...so, if I am lucky the store will be back in one piece before I go to Boston, but I won't be holding my breath for that...

Picture this (Sicily...1938...)sorry, couldn't resist ( : Anyway, the store has two temporary walls up which currently make our workable space about 1/3 of the normal selling floor. On top of that we are doing the nightly paperwork on the floor because both the manager's and asst. mgr.'s office have currently been demolished. Our technicians have been put into a tiny closet of a room that once held our servers and stereo system...actually both of those things are still crammed in there with two techs and two computers and a repair bench...good times. Today all the rest of the walls in the back came down, making the back of the store completely empty and most of the floor is ripped out. Now, there is drywall dust EVERYWHERE, including my clothes (which means now there is some at home too...) and it is making everyone's eyes water and getting caught in our throats, which cannot be a safe work environment.

If this weren't enough the construction workers come in around 6AM (which makes the manager cranky by the time we all arrive at 9:30 because he's been at work for a few hours, and they work until 2 or 3 ish. This means that they are hammering, sawing, banging, etc. while we have customers in the store. This is NOT an ideal environment for anyone (even the people I can't stand there...)

To amuse myself during this time of construction I have decided to start a pool to see which employee will snap and go postal on the rest of us first - there are two frontrunners right now, so we'll have to watch and see how everything progresses.

All Quiet On The Western Front

Wow...my house is empty for the first time in a month. My mom, step-dad, and grandma all went home today and I came home from work to a quiet, empty house...it is kinda nice. Not that I'll be able to enjoy it though...what, with the three people at work that quit yesterday...yeah, that's right - three IN ONE DAY!!! I have to admit the overtime will be nice, but my last day off was Friday (11/11) and my next will be Sunday (11/20) which sucks...and I might not get that off if they are still super short staffed...sure, my next paycheck will all but pay for Christmas this year, but I am already exhausted. (Put it this way, and I know some of you have "been there, done that..." but, I have already worked 24 hours this week - this is about normal so far, three days...average of 8hrs/day, but I still have four days left this week, tomorrow is 11 hours, then possibly eight, then 1 1/2 (meeting) plus eight, then 9 1/2 for a grand total this week of 61 hours this week alone! *NOTE: Math may not be accurate at this point...please forgive the girl who had three hours of sleep* And that is if I actually only work eight on Thursday and Friday.)

Ok, so, sorry to whine and moan about work and overtime - I know, I know, just say no, but you see...if you know me at all, you know that isn't something that I can do - I'm the helpful one who gives up her day off to help out the store, not the one who says too bad, so sad, let the customers deal with it...so I shouldn't really complain. It is, after all, my own fault.

So, moving on to other things: How are you guys? I don't see much of my friends anymore...who wants to visit me next? You are more than welcome to come for any period of time...I have a spare bedroom. Please come visit me and enjoy the 70 degree November afternoons - I know I do ( :

-- Kelly ( :

Am I Jinxed?

Okay, so, I am beginning to think that there is something wrong with me, I'm jinxed or otherwise bad luck...let me tell you why...

When I transferred to Arizona with the Discovery Channel Store I transferred into a store that was in trouble. It was a mess and, unbeknownst to me, the store manager was not performing up to standards. Well, long story short three weeks later he was fired...

Now, I am settling into my new job and things are going better than I expected they would...and then, yesterday, I walked into my store and the store manager was leaving. He "resigned" - effectively immediately...I don't know the whole situation, except that it was a complete surprise to everyone on staff...with the exception of the DM seeing as we had a new store mananger less than two hours later.

Now, the NEW new store manager is settling in, making changes, getting things done...apparently he was the store manager of my store a few years ago and now he's back, so we'll see...

-- Kelly ( :

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Ah...finally, after nine days of horrific training (it actually wasn't that bad...just fairly boring) I have been set free and into the "real world" of cellular retail. It is Friday and I finally got my schedule for next week...which starts on Sunday...

I think I may actually enjoy my job...everyone that I have talked to in the past few days tells me that I sound sooooo much better from when I was at Disovery, which HAS to be a good thing...plus, the commissions seem to be easy to get and VERY lucrative...so we'll see.

Other than that...I am frantically studying for the LSAT - which is in one week. My brain is about ready to explode, but hopefully it will all be worth it next fall.

So, back to the studying...

-- Kelly ( :

I Suffer From TMI

During my training at Sprint I have decided one thing (other than the things that I already decided about that job)...too many acronyms can be a bad thing...

Sprint REALLY likes to use acronyms for things...we have GUEST, CARE, FIRE, STAIRS, and even LAMA...all which are related to customer service and how to handle almost every kind of customer situation...there are acronyms for different websites with resources, such at MyUE, SPOT, HRSS, amongst others...the POS systems are RMS and FDT...I know that there are more that I am forgetting and I know that I won't remember what they all mean when I get into the "real world" (aka The Sprint Store) nor will I remember which ones to use when someone decides to chuck their broken cell phone at me (which I have been told is a possibility) so for now...pile on the acronyms!

TTFN

-- Kelly ( :

The Search Is Never Over...

No, I'm not going to talk about Katrina...I can't watch the coverage, it depresses me...I know that might be selfish, but I have enough going on; plus, my mom was telling me that after watching several hours of Katrina coverage she was trying to figure out how she could adopt a baby that she saw needed a new family...

So, my search that I thought would be over is my employment search. When I moved to Arizona I thought I would love my old job in my new location - I was wrong. Then I found a new job, hoping I would love it...yet, here I am still searching for a different job. I had day one of training today...it wasn't horrible, but there were several things that I was "misinformed" about regarding my job and that doesn't really settle well with me - so the search continues, although I think it will be outside of the retail realm.

-- Kelly ( :