It's a Hot Pocket Kind of Day.

I've already eaten some Hot Pockets.  After the shift I had at work, I might go ahead and eat some more before going to sleep.  Before I decide on that, here's how my shift at work went.

Seeing as how I work retail at night, I get a walkie talkie depending on what part of the front end I'm on.  It allows me to communicate with supervisors if need be.  The only problem is that some interference must have been occurring somewhere.  Some people could hear me loud and clear, while one of my supervisors couldn't.  For some reason, that issue seemed to resolve itself after lunch.

I ran some freight in the celebration department, which gave me a nice break from the monotony of where I was at before.  There's always one or two items that irritate me, because I just can't find them no matter what, but I still things still went smoothly.  I volunteered to keep working on the floor, so I was asked to zone frozen.

In retail, when one zones, they pull merchandise to the front and make it look as presentable as possible.

I took cardboard and overstock to the back and went on my last break.  After that, I went to frozen.  I always start with the first set of end caps I see so I don't forget them.  Then I did my best with the ice cream side of things.  Right before I was going to do the end caps on the other side, two individuals were spotted, and I told them that the wall was already done.

Naievly figuring that frozen was going to get done at a faster rate, I told them they could start the next isle if they wanted to.  I tossed a frozen item that I knew was likely in the other isle to one of them, and they proceeded to that isle.  I took care of the other end caps and started on the other wall in the isle I was working on.

When I found a couple of items that were not in the isle I was working on, I took them to the other isle thinking they would be located there.  What I found was one of the most irritating scenarios of my life.  The other people who were sent to help me had disappeared.

Oh joy.

The same thing had happened to me on Monday morning when I was in frozen trying to make it look presentable.  One person appeared to be helping me only for them to disappear soon after (with a different person showing up and staying to make sure it was done).

I was not about to do somebody else's work for them, so I simply took the items that didn't belong in frozen to their respective places (another person in the deli department helped me locate where one of them was supposed to go).  I then took some ice cream to the back to be properly disposed of (broken seals) before telling one of the supervisors that the one isle looked like it hadn't been touched.

Another worker stayed to finish the job, bless his heart.  As for me, it was time to clock out.  Hopefully the situation of the disappearing co-worker is resolved at some point.

Now that I think about it, I believe I will have a couple of Lean Pockets before going to sleep.  ;)

Funny Phobias and a Change in Plans

Work was draining, but then again, it always is I suppose.  I still managed to find time to observe the interesting habits of people as they pay for their merchandise.  I was assigned the register that's known as the "smoke shop."  That register is the only place where one may purchase tobacco products.

Aside from those who don't like self check-out, some interesting people came and went.

Interesting Customer #1

 I never saw this customer, but I could hear them yelling, "I don't do self check!"  My supervisor offered to take care of them on a register with a full belt.  I was thankful I didn't have to deal with them.

Interesting Customer #2

Split transactions are common place in retail.  The lady handed me some cash, and when I tendered it, her new total was $6.66.  Out of fear, she grabbed a King Size Reece's just so she didn't have to have that total on her debit/credit card

I tried pointing out that it was a reference to a corrupt Roman Emperor to no avail.  She isn't the only customer who has cringed at such a number.  Such a phobia is one that I find amusing.

Interesting Customer #3

 At 15 minutes until six o'clock in the morning, a customer comes to my register with vodka.  I explained that he had to wait 15 minutes, because the register wouldn't let me ring it up otherwise.  Missouri State law limits the time in which alcohol can be sold at retail establishments.

• Monday through Sunday: 6:00 AM - 1:30 AM the next day.
• Sunday: 9:00 AM - Midnight Monday morning.

The gentleman had me hold onto his alcohol for him while he waited.  Another customer asks me what times we can sell alcohol.  He actually thought my place of work was exempt from the law and that it only applied to the bars.  It's very fascinating how many people are unaware of the law.

Changing my Phone Plan

 I'm currently with T-Mobile at the moment.  Unlike other suckers consumers, I'm on a no contract plan.*  Thanks to companies like Straight Talk, other providers have had to actually lower their prices in order to compete.

I was originally on the $50 USD plan, but I switched to the $60 USD plan.  I just got tired of getting throttled to 2G speeds after downloading a mere 100 MB of data.  Now that threshold will go up to 2 GB instead.

Soon, I will be able to watch YouTube while on lunch.

I was considering switching providers, but I really didn't want to go through the hassle of porting my number or getting a new one.  I figured I might want to be able to tether at some point anyway; though not at the moment, for I refuse to pay additional money for the privilege (hint to T-Mobile: stop charging extra just so people can tether... it's stupid, and only encourages people to run third party apps that will bypass your system).

All and all, it was an ok end to my day.  Now it's time to relax and go to bed.

Weekend's Over Wendesday: Inner Thoughts.

So tonight, I'm going back to work.  The bad part about working the graveyard shift is that one doesn't see a lot of sunlight.  The good news is that a lot of interesting people come out at night.  They often do things that make me think about myself.

Shopping Habits

Sometimes I get ideas about what groceries to buy as a customer comes through my line.  Some of the things they come up with are very interesting.  Even if I don't buy something myself, I at least consider it after the fact.

Life Stories

I always like hearing life stories about people.  It can include things such as how they met their significant other to how they arrived at their current position in life.  It causes me to pause and reflect on my own life.  It's often been said that one should know where they've been so they know where they're going.

Where I've Been

Through all the interesting experiences and all the crazy people I've met over the years, I've learned much about myself.  I can feel the energy of other people; their hopes, their dreams, their pleasure, their pain are things that I can feel on an emotional level.  I have empathy for others, yet I can be truly selfish at times.

I'm this paradox, but one that isn't truly harmful to others.  I can understand multiple points of view while holding my own.  I'm very complex on the inside, and that's ok.

My mind isn't as fast as others, but I make up for it by constantly thinking.  I've taken steps in my life that may appear to be small, but to me is a big deal.  After all, I hadn't done them before.

• I was the head of a student organization.  I wasn't as effective of a leader as I could have been, but the fact of the matter is that I cared enough to make an attempt.
• I ran for political office twice.  I didn't win this time, but I had a good showing.
• I graduated college.  While the degree may not reflect my career choice, I proved to myself and others that I could finish what I start.

 Those are just a few of the things that I have accomplished in my life.  I've also experienced firsts over the past few years.  Such experiences have helped me grow in life.

Where I'm Going

Ever get the feeling that something interesting is on the horizon and that it's a good idea to prepare for it?  We live in interesting times.  Subtle signs of possible things to come include others around me getting into relationships almost all at once, training a new co-worker (let's hope we get to keep him... he seems like a decent person and a hard worker), and friends of mine managing to write 50,000 words in a month.

I know where I've been.  I know where I want to go.  I just need the motivation to do it.  If I can become motivated enough to move to a much better living space than before, I can turn my passions and hobbies into a living.  I want to be able to spend the whole day goofing off, having fun, and getting paid while doing it.

For now though, the bills have to be paid.  Food needs to find its way into my stomach.  A roof needs to remain over my head.  With that, I shall grab something to eat, and head back to bed.  After all, my weekend has come to an end.

It's a Black Jack Kinda Night.

So here I am.  I decided to go ahead and do another blog post.  After neglecting this blog for several days at a time, why not?

I had some Chinese at King Chef in Warrensburg.  It has plenty of good food, and I got this nifty fortune.

I plan on keeping that in mind.  In the meantime, since I'm off tonight, I might as well have a little bit of fun.  At the moment, I'm chatting with friends on Facebook and IM in general while drinking some Jack Daniels Black Jack Cola.  All in all, I'm at peace and enjoying life at the moment.  :)

Life Ever Mysterious

It's been a while, hasn't it?  I really need to stop delaying my personal blogging, but I suppose I can't help it.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.  Here's what's been happening thus far.

The Election

This year, I was a congressional candidate.  Those of you who know me also realize that I'm a Libertarian at heart.  I subscribe more to the live and let live attitude than anything else.  That doesn't mean I'm perfect regarding the political party and philosophy, but I'm improving.  I'm still new at political activism.

Two years ago, I just wasn't ready to be involved in politics, yet I put myself out there.  I lost the primary by four votes, and I hardly did anything.  This year, I was initially unsure if I would run for office at all.  In the end, I ultimately decided to put myself out there again.  Once again, I ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri.

This time, I was also involved in a contested primary.  Unlike two years ago, I managed to win in August.  I went to two candidate forums (one before the primary, and one after), did some media interviews, and was a bit more active overall.  While I did not win the election, I noticed that there is an upward trend when it comes to Libertarianism.  I managed to get over 10,000 votes, which isn't bad for being on the November ballot for the first time.

I can only imagine what might occur two years from now.

Work

I work retail, so Thanksgiving and Black Friday are naturally my two favorite days of the year.  Holiday pay plus angry shoppers wanting that TV that's going to break in less than a year (but it's only $150!).  Sarcasm aside, my legs have been giving me a bit of trouble as of late.  I finally realized that the multivitamin I was taking might have been wrecking me more than helping, so I simply stopped.  Ever since then, I've been able to move around more easily.

Getting adequate rest after getting home has also helped.

It will be worth it in the end though.  There's a small present that I have been eyeing for some time for myself.  ;)

Life in General

It's incredible.  At the beginning of the year, I stated that 2012 wasn't the end, but the beginning.  For me, that's been especially true.  Certain life experiences have taught me a lot, and for that, I am thankful.

Strange.  It's truly strange.

My life has been ever so mysterious.  From nearly dying at the age of six (while making medical history) to being who I am today, strange things have always been happening to me and around me.  While going forward, pieces of the past are always with me.

For example, the street I live on shares the same name as the lady that I fell for while in college.  While such a love affair wasn't meant to be, my current place of residence has this feeling of being a safe haven for me when I wasnt to simply be at home.

I feel safe and relaxed when I'm there, unlike my previous living arrangement that was mold infested.

When I realized that I wouldn't be able to have a relationship with the nice lady in question, I constructed an image in my mind to keep myself distracted.  I went on a quest of sorts to find a rare gem.

A raven haired beauty with eyes as blue as the ocean or sky.  While that never happened, I did manage to get myself into a four month relationship after being introduced by an acquaintance.   The diverging paths in our lives meant that it ended, but I did learn a few things along the way.

• Having a significant other in my life made me much happier.
• It is important to treat said significant other very well.
• It is equally as important to know what you don't want in a significant other.

The third bullet point was illustrated by the fact that the person in question wanted to start a family at some point while I did not.  Therefore, our lives were going in a different direction, thus making us incompatible in the end.

I never forgot about that quest for the rare gem so to speak though.  I've stopped that quest, but I have noticed that I've been looking women in the eye more often.  External beauty also doesn't have the impact that it once did on me.

There's still some obstacles in my life, but what fun would it be not to have them?  Still, I'm at peace at the moment.  Whatever happens, happens at this point.  I might post later today.  Or maybe not.  I haven't decided yet.