I attended a concert last night at Faith Baptist in a nearby city. The concert was Guy Penrod in full concert. Have you ever been somewhere and felt like this is where I am supposed to be? It happens to me quite a bit.... but, more so lately.
So, I went to the concert to see Guy but also to spend time with a dear friend of mine and to see others friends. I knew who Guy Penrod was, he was former lead singer of the Gaither Vocal Group. I am a fan of the Gaither Vocal Group and was interested in seeing this man. I wouldn't call myself a "fan" in a true sense of the word, but appreciating his talent and loving Gospel music, I was interested in seeing him in concert. Hey, it was free so that’s always a good thing too. He has ventured out on a solo project and I have to say the concert last night was very good. He sang his new songs and some old gospel standards but he also had a message from God for me. Yes I said from God for me! He was so genuine and real. This concert was exactly where I needed to be.
I am a Christian even though I don't attend church building on a regular basis. Faith and prayer have been important to my life. Just a week or so ago, I had a major breakdown where I literally sat in the floor of my bathroom and cried from the depths of my soul. I found myself talking, no pleading, and giving the hurt, anxiety and worry (so much worry) over to God. It seemed so desperate if I was to analyze things out loud. The burden I was carrying that particular day was so heavy; I couldn't manage on my own. It wasn't one thing that made the burden heavy it was a build up of things that I had stuffed away and one thing just took it over the top. I have to say that the moment this process began I felt renewed and assured and lighter...so mush lighter it was almost magical! I knew what had happened. In these last couple of weeks I have had some major obstacles thrown at me. Things that prior to the meltdown moment I think would have finished me off (and I don't say that lightly. There were days I was scared for me). The way I handled them was to recognize that I was being tried by a darker force and all I had to do was have faith and handle the situation. I have also had some things happen that I have prayed for guidance on and again, if I hadn't had this meltdown, they probably would not have come to pass. Now you are asking how this relates at all with the concert I attended.
Guy came not only to entertain but to teach. I don't think that was his initial plan but it happened that way. He gave voice to a lot of what I was experiencing and feeling on many subjects. Mostly about living in the moment, letting God have control and being true to you. Knowing that there isn't always a plan but letting things play out the way they are supposed to. I was so moved and I felt like he reaffirmed alot of the thoughts and feelings I was experiencing and letting me know through God, that God is in control. That God is willing to carry the burdens in my life, allowing me to ask for the things I need in my life and not feeling guilty about doing so. The message in Guy's music is as powerful as his own message of faith is.
Sometimes you are lead somewhere and where you are at that time is exactly where you need to be. Sometimes it's for you and sometimes it's for someone else. While Guy got so much from his concert, I believe I got the best part of it. It was exactly where I needed to be!
I have been humming faith songs all day today and it makes me smile because I know
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Mean People Suck!
I wrote this a few years back when I was working as a Retail Manager but I think we can all learn from it anyday...and we have all certainly experienced this.
Mean People Suck!
People, mean people that is, are everywhere. I suppose I became so much more aware of just how mean people can get by taking a job in retail. Not only in retail but, retail management. I laugh when I hear or see it on a bumper sticker “Mean People Suck“. I have always believed that Mean People Suck, however, working in a retail environment I have come to expect that retail shoppers have to be the suckiest of all of the mean people out there. The goal of an accomplished retail meanie is to get up that day, venture out, degrade and humiliate as many retail associates as they can because…the one who dies with the most notches on their credit cards wins. It’s truly an art form and displays snobbery on levels that most mere mortals cannot achieve. Now don’t get me wrong, there are those customers who go over and beyond courteous and pleasant but, for the most part, I leave the house everyday knowing, no, expecting that before the day is out I will have to take whatever is dished out because…”The customer is always right..(?)”. Who is responsible for that piece of logic?
We are all consumers. I have always been the shy, reluctant, unassuming kind of customer, wanting to go unnoticed in and out of the stores. Dreading that some perky or bored perfect stranger wants me to Have A Nice Day! Well let me tell you…working in retail has certainly changed how I operate in the shopping world. I still don’t particularly care for the whole shopping experience, but I am so much better equipped. I can hold my own in most conversations and can even initiate one or two. Heck I even go to movies and restaurants…by MYSELF…(I know!) and have the nerve to take a table and enjoy the atmosphere. This seems to baffle and annoy all sorts of people that I am actually eating in the restaurant and not taking the food home to hide away where I should be (Wait! That‘s another story for another day).
I have always been under the naïve assumption that if you don’t feel well or “someone has peed in your Cheerios” that you don’t hazard out in public but stay home until you feel better or have a better attitude. Of course I was raised to believe that you always try to put your best foot forward when facing the world. You know like getting out of your house slippers and curlers before stepping outside, putting on clean clothes, combing your hair and putting on your face. Mostly you didn’t air your dirty laundry in front of any and everyone. Can we get a ban on cell phones already?
I know that things have changed, that the world has changed but some things are just so basic. Alright, here’s the lesson part. You should consult your notes from before you started Kindergarten, you know the golden rule where “You do unto others before they do unto….wait I am almost certain that’s not right. “You treat others the way you want to be treated”. That’s it! Right? The old adage that you can attract more flies with honey fits as well. How you approach me or anyone with your attitude will determine how you are received and in return how you are treated. Hold on, is that the golden rule again? Yes, I think it is. Now as a retailer we have a special kind of situation. We have to give service with a smile. Good Customer Service is essential in keeping the store traffic flowing and building that customer base and in keeping our jobs. So when we are bombarded with bad attitude we take it because our jobs, our livelihoods depend on it. So for every insult or rude comment we calmly express how sorry we are that they had that problem in our store and assure that it will never happen again. People, people, people (that’s me shaking my head at you)…how much should a person have to endure. I am a person. I have feelings, I have opinions, When you cut me do I not bleed? Okay that’s going too far but seriously let me share with you a few things.
When your child is home from school sick or you get called to the school because little Johnny or Susie has a 103 degree fever, don’t stop by my store on the way home. I won’t be mad. Don’t complain because Johnny or Susie is crying or vomiting because they SHOULD BE HOME IN BED! Don’t get upset because we are reluctant to wait on you because we have families and whatever your little precious has is probably contagious and we will be missing work or passing this illness around like the plague…common sense folks. What some fail to realize is that our jobs are our livelihoods and sometimes we are single parent families and Mama can’t afford to be sick.
When the cell phone rings in the middle of a conversation…it’s okay to let it ring or here‘s a thought Voice Mail. Don’t get upset when your sales transaction is done incorrectly because your life is so much more important than allowing the simple courtesy of paying attention to the human being in front of you. Or here’s another bit of information…No one cares that you and Billy Bob had a huge fight and what he said and what you said…blah, blah, blah. Don’t be mad when I go on to the next customer because you are Ms Social Butterfly and nothing can stand in the way of you and your loud inappropriate cell phone call. If I could I would put a ban on cell phone use in places where other people are…(okay now I made myself giggle) I am not anti cell phone but they like everything else, they have a time and place.
When you walk into the store and you don’t bother to read the sale sign completely or at all, why am I the stupid heifer?
When I don’t give you a “special” discount because you are so special that your @#*& doesn’t stink. I am not discriminating against you…I just don’t want to lose my job because I failed to follow corporate guidelines. When your check is declined believe me I didn’t plan that….or did I? Hummmmmm…. “Dear Diary, I woke up this morning and decided that today I was going to make Mrs. Smith the object of my attention…I had an agenda and she was the one person I was going to Piss Off today….what a glorious success!” When you write that letter to the corporate office at least spell my name correctly. I am very sensitive about that.
If you don’t have the luxury of time it is in no way my fault. Some examples would be shopping on your lunch break or procrastination. If you get an hour for lunch don’t browse for 56 minutes and expect that you will be able to clear the register, traffic and Murphy’s Law and get back to work in 4 minutes. It ain’t happenin‘! When you knew 3 months ago that the wedding you are preparing for is 3 days away and 7 dresses have to be made including the Brides…it’s not my fault that the fabric that has to be Special Ordered in will take at least a week. There is a saying… I heard from somewhere or someone. I use it as a mantra (silently to myself of course) when I am trying to control my anger at being called a stupid bitch …It goes like this: “Piss poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” Ahhh words to live by! Weddings are supposed to be happy Dammit!!!
I like to call attention to the circle of life…If you don’t frequent the establishments in your community, they don’t thrive. If they don’t thrive you have to cut back on staff. When you cut back on staff customer service is threatened. Customer service is threatened and now you are annoyed because my sales clerk had the audacity to want to have a lunch or dinner break while you were in the store and we are stretched so thin we are having to run around like crazy to make sure everyone can get waited on. I can’t have a person at your beckon call no matter how hard I try or how special you are. However, once the traffic gets to flowing in the store and the business is better, the staff is increased the business thrives and customer service is better and we all can live happily ever after. I guess what I am saying is step outside your bubble for a split second and realize we aren’t ignoring you because that is what we do. Don’t make me put down this Bon-bon and come over there. Oh, and “Have a Nice Day!”
Mean People Suck!
People, mean people that is, are everywhere. I suppose I became so much more aware of just how mean people can get by taking a job in retail. Not only in retail but, retail management. I laugh when I hear or see it on a bumper sticker “Mean People Suck“. I have always believed that Mean People Suck, however, working in a retail environment I have come to expect that retail shoppers have to be the suckiest of all of the mean people out there. The goal of an accomplished retail meanie is to get up that day, venture out, degrade and humiliate as many retail associates as they can because…the one who dies with the most notches on their credit cards wins. It’s truly an art form and displays snobbery on levels that most mere mortals cannot achieve. Now don’t get me wrong, there are those customers who go over and beyond courteous and pleasant but, for the most part, I leave the house everyday knowing, no, expecting that before the day is out I will have to take whatever is dished out because…”The customer is always right..(?)”. Who is responsible for that piece of logic?
We are all consumers. I have always been the shy, reluctant, unassuming kind of customer, wanting to go unnoticed in and out of the stores. Dreading that some perky or bored perfect stranger wants me to Have A Nice Day! Well let me tell you…working in retail has certainly changed how I operate in the shopping world. I still don’t particularly care for the whole shopping experience, but I am so much better equipped. I can hold my own in most conversations and can even initiate one or two. Heck I even go to movies and restaurants…by MYSELF…(I know!) and have the nerve to take a table and enjoy the atmosphere. This seems to baffle and annoy all sorts of people that I am actually eating in the restaurant and not taking the food home to hide away where I should be (Wait! That‘s another story for another day).
I have always been under the naïve assumption that if you don’t feel well or “someone has peed in your Cheerios” that you don’t hazard out in public but stay home until you feel better or have a better attitude. Of course I was raised to believe that you always try to put your best foot forward when facing the world. You know like getting out of your house slippers and curlers before stepping outside, putting on clean clothes, combing your hair and putting on your face. Mostly you didn’t air your dirty laundry in front of any and everyone. Can we get a ban on cell phones already?
I know that things have changed, that the world has changed but some things are just so basic. Alright, here’s the lesson part. You should consult your notes from before you started Kindergarten, you know the golden rule where “You do unto others before they do unto….wait I am almost certain that’s not right. “You treat others the way you want to be treated”. That’s it! Right? The old adage that you can attract more flies with honey fits as well. How you approach me or anyone with your attitude will determine how you are received and in return how you are treated. Hold on, is that the golden rule again? Yes, I think it is. Now as a retailer we have a special kind of situation. We have to give service with a smile. Good Customer Service is essential in keeping the store traffic flowing and building that customer base and in keeping our jobs. So when we are bombarded with bad attitude we take it because our jobs, our livelihoods depend on it. So for every insult or rude comment we calmly express how sorry we are that they had that problem in our store and assure that it will never happen again. People, people, people (that’s me shaking my head at you)…how much should a person have to endure. I am a person. I have feelings, I have opinions, When you cut me do I not bleed? Okay that’s going too far but seriously let me share with you a few things.
When your child is home from school sick or you get called to the school because little Johnny or Susie has a 103 degree fever, don’t stop by my store on the way home. I won’t be mad. Don’t complain because Johnny or Susie is crying or vomiting because they SHOULD BE HOME IN BED! Don’t get upset because we are reluctant to wait on you because we have families and whatever your little precious has is probably contagious and we will be missing work or passing this illness around like the plague…common sense folks. What some fail to realize is that our jobs are our livelihoods and sometimes we are single parent families and Mama can’t afford to be sick.
When the cell phone rings in the middle of a conversation…it’s okay to let it ring or here‘s a thought Voice Mail. Don’t get upset when your sales transaction is done incorrectly because your life is so much more important than allowing the simple courtesy of paying attention to the human being in front of you. Or here’s another bit of information…No one cares that you and Billy Bob had a huge fight and what he said and what you said…blah, blah, blah. Don’t be mad when I go on to the next customer because you are Ms Social Butterfly and nothing can stand in the way of you and your loud inappropriate cell phone call. If I could I would put a ban on cell phone use in places where other people are…(okay now I made myself giggle) I am not anti cell phone but they like everything else, they have a time and place.
When you walk into the store and you don’t bother to read the sale sign completely or at all, why am I the stupid heifer?
When I don’t give you a “special” discount because you are so special that your @#*& doesn’t stink. I am not discriminating against you…I just don’t want to lose my job because I failed to follow corporate guidelines. When your check is declined believe me I didn’t plan that….or did I? Hummmmmm…. “Dear Diary, I woke up this morning and decided that today I was going to make Mrs. Smith the object of my attention…I had an agenda and she was the one person I was going to Piss Off today….what a glorious success!” When you write that letter to the corporate office at least spell my name correctly. I am very sensitive about that.
If you don’t have the luxury of time it is in no way my fault. Some examples would be shopping on your lunch break or procrastination. If you get an hour for lunch don’t browse for 56 minutes and expect that you will be able to clear the register, traffic and Murphy’s Law and get back to work in 4 minutes. It ain’t happenin‘! When you knew 3 months ago that the wedding you are preparing for is 3 days away and 7 dresses have to be made including the Brides…it’s not my fault that the fabric that has to be Special Ordered in will take at least a week. There is a saying… I heard from somewhere or someone. I use it as a mantra (silently to myself of course) when I am trying to control my anger at being called a stupid bitch …It goes like this: “Piss poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” Ahhh words to live by! Weddings are supposed to be happy Dammit!!!
I like to call attention to the circle of life…If you don’t frequent the establishments in your community, they don’t thrive. If they don’t thrive you have to cut back on staff. When you cut back on staff customer service is threatened. Customer service is threatened and now you are annoyed because my sales clerk had the audacity to want to have a lunch or dinner break while you were in the store and we are stretched so thin we are having to run around like crazy to make sure everyone can get waited on. I can’t have a person at your beckon call no matter how hard I try or how special you are. However, once the traffic gets to flowing in the store and the business is better, the staff is increased the business thrives and customer service is better and we all can live happily ever after. I guess what I am saying is step outside your bubble for a split second and realize we aren’t ignoring you because that is what we do. Don’t make me put down this Bon-bon and come over there. Oh, and “Have a Nice Day!”
Somebody Is Watching You....
So I am this over protective Mama...not really over protective but a worrier. I raised my children to be strong outgoing individuals with book smarts and street smarts needed to navigate the world but...somehow I still worry. Everytime they go out or decisions they make I worry. It drives them crazy. I am better than I used to be though.
My children now are 25, 23 and 21 and together the four of us have been through some things. If nothing else we are survivors.
It's amazing the things you see as weakness in your own character someone else sees as a strength and learns from that. Let me explain if I can.
I was a very studious child and extremly shy (painfully shy)so I enjoyed going to school, as this was my social interaction outside of my comfort zone. I was always one to set goals and deadlines. Where life goals and schoolwork were concerned i was a Make a plan and then work the plan kind of person. When I was older, married and began to have children, I dreamed of a life and where I would be when in that life. Well, that didn't happen and unfortunately I wasn't equipped for plan B. You see there was no plan B. My parents were happily married as were most people I knew. So I had no idea about being a single divorced person much less a single parent. I do mean single like with absolutely no help from the ex husband. He walked out on me and my three children out of the blue no warning and no reason given. To this day 21 years later I have no idea why. I don't need to know now but, that's a story for another time maybe. My children and I have spent two decades just surviving one day and then another and then another. It wasn't all bad but financially I was never able to do more for them except the bare minimum.
Getting back to my original thought though... I found myself sitting in front of a counselor with my youngest son Matt who is an intelligent, funny, clever and extremly laid back individual. He was 16 at the time. I was so shocked at his approach to what was a very serious problem. In a casual manner he would reply "I will worry about that when I have to." I asked him how he could be like that. I was afraid and worried for him. He responded with "I learned that from you Mom." I was stunned. He said that with all we had been through I would always say "let's deal with what we have to today and we will worry about the rest later, all we can do is what we can do." "take one day at a time, one foot step at a time." He told me I was the strongest person he knew. WOW!!! Talk about a light bulb moment. What I viewed as a weakness in myself he viewed as a strength. He taught me something in that moment.
So yes, the children really are watching and they are learning from us. I had raised a well adjusted individual with a unique perspective on the world and I knew he would be okay. I am the Mama though and it is my job to worry so I don't know if that will ever change. According to my Mama it doesn't and I am okay with that!!
My children now are 25, 23 and 21 and together the four of us have been through some things. If nothing else we are survivors.
It's amazing the things you see as weakness in your own character someone else sees as a strength and learns from that. Let me explain if I can.
I was a very studious child and extremly shy (painfully shy)so I enjoyed going to school, as this was my social interaction outside of my comfort zone. I was always one to set goals and deadlines. Where life goals and schoolwork were concerned i was a Make a plan and then work the plan kind of person. When I was older, married and began to have children, I dreamed of a life and where I would be when in that life. Well, that didn't happen and unfortunately I wasn't equipped for plan B. You see there was no plan B. My parents were happily married as were most people I knew. So I had no idea about being a single divorced person much less a single parent. I do mean single like with absolutely no help from the ex husband. He walked out on me and my three children out of the blue no warning and no reason given. To this day 21 years later I have no idea why. I don't need to know now but, that's a story for another time maybe. My children and I have spent two decades just surviving one day and then another and then another. It wasn't all bad but financially I was never able to do more for them except the bare minimum.
Getting back to my original thought though... I found myself sitting in front of a counselor with my youngest son Matt who is an intelligent, funny, clever and extremly laid back individual. He was 16 at the time. I was so shocked at his approach to what was a very serious problem. In a casual manner he would reply "I will worry about that when I have to." I asked him how he could be like that. I was afraid and worried for him. He responded with "I learned that from you Mom." I was stunned. He said that with all we had been through I would always say "let's deal with what we have to today and we will worry about the rest later, all we can do is what we can do." "take one day at a time, one foot step at a time." He told me I was the strongest person he knew. WOW!!! Talk about a light bulb moment. What I viewed as a weakness in myself he viewed as a strength. He taught me something in that moment.
So yes, the children really are watching and they are learning from us. I had raised a well adjusted individual with a unique perspective on the world and I knew he would be okay. I am the Mama though and it is my job to worry so I don't know if that will ever change. According to my Mama it doesn't and I am okay with that!!
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 Yeah Baby...You're HIRED!
I have to say 2010 is starting off with promise...I was laid off from a Job that was soul sucking yesterday morning and by the time I got home, posted, and applied for Unemployment I had a bombardment of calls from that interview I went on just the beginning of the week. I am so happy...a background check, a drug test and I am back at work without missing a beat.
God truly works in mysterious ways...!
God truly works in mysterious ways...!
My Uneventful Existence
My Uneventful Exisitence...that will be the name of my book I have decided.
What a morning I have had this morning...all the emplyoyees in the department I work in, and I do mean all, with the exception of myself, Sharon and the Charlie (the Supervisor) decided with all the hype in the news about the weather that they would not come to work today. Decided days ago mind you, as soon as the "S" word was announced. They started putting in requests to be off and anyway...Sharon and I were the only two who said we would be at work and we were at work. We were greeted at the front entrance by HR reps, Supervisor and Managers ushering us into a conference room. I wasn't unaware that things were going on at work but, nevertheless, we were told we were being laid off and severence packages were issued. Funny, all I could do was think in my head..."Hell, y'all could have called me at home and told me this...I had to get out of my warm bed for this." Ha Ha I know not a normal reaction ah well...! Now, I can't speak for Sharon but I know have a great work history, no attendance or work performance issues. So strictly for length of service I was cut. As I said, I knew something was going on, positions were being eliminated, departments and shifts consolidated. I have been actively searching for another job for sometime now (in my spare time) due to my emotional health. So, when I started to notice the happenings around us and were getting fake and false assurances that things were "going to be fine", I moved my job search into high gear. In the three years I have worked at this company I haven't felt secure or part of a team. It was constant writing and recording your every move in case you had to defend yourself. The atmoshere there is stifling and not a good envioronment for growth. I never expected to be there 3 years. I wasn't there 3 months when I said I would not be there for 6 months. I had never seen anything like this company and in my naivity I thought I could make a difference. Then the economy took a dive and yadda, yadda, yadda, here we are 3 years later.
I am trying really hard to be upset about the whole out of work situation...really hard... but I am not. I have never in all my work history worked a job that was in effect an "easy" job but so destructive and drainingl. I was turning into a person I did not like and had to take stock. The stress and drama of the workplace that is this Company is indescribable to the average person at any other company. I truly have never worked at a place like this and I promise you I never will again. I nearly lost my house last year when we went from 12 hour days, 60 hour weeks to 32 and then 24 hour weeks. It was scary and I haven't recovered yet. I could still lose my house but this time.... I am not so scared. If it happens it happens...What can I do except move forward?
I do realize that I am out of work now but I have some prospects. I recently had a couple of very promising job interviews so hopefully one of those will pan out.
Believe me, I am not a "disgruntled" ex employee...I am actually relieved. Sounds crazy I know but, a burden has been lifted. I will continue to look for a job and I will file for unemployment. We will see what happens..where the road takes me.
So in my "Uneventful Exisitence" this is another turn and I know it will be for the best.
What a morning I have had this morning...all the emplyoyees in the department I work in, and I do mean all, with the exception of myself, Sharon and the Charlie (the Supervisor) decided with all the hype in the news about the weather that they would not come to work today. Decided days ago mind you, as soon as the "S" word was announced. They started putting in requests to be off and anyway...Sharon and I were the only two who said we would be at work and we were at work. We were greeted at the front entrance by HR reps, Supervisor and Managers ushering us into a conference room. I wasn't unaware that things were going on at work but, nevertheless, we were told we were being laid off and severence packages were issued. Funny, all I could do was think in my head..."Hell, y'all could have called me at home and told me this...I had to get out of my warm bed for this." Ha Ha I know not a normal reaction ah well...! Now, I can't speak for Sharon but I know have a great work history, no attendance or work performance issues. So strictly for length of service I was cut. As I said, I knew something was going on, positions were being eliminated, departments and shifts consolidated. I have been actively searching for another job for sometime now (in my spare time) due to my emotional health. So, when I started to notice the happenings around us and were getting fake and false assurances that things were "going to be fine", I moved my job search into high gear. In the three years I have worked at this company I haven't felt secure or part of a team. It was constant writing and recording your every move in case you had to defend yourself. The atmoshere there is stifling and not a good envioronment for growth. I never expected to be there 3 years. I wasn't there 3 months when I said I would not be there for 6 months. I had never seen anything like this company and in my naivity I thought I could make a difference. Then the economy took a dive and yadda, yadda, yadda, here we are 3 years later.
I am trying really hard to be upset about the whole out of work situation...really hard... but I am not. I have never in all my work history worked a job that was in effect an "easy" job but so destructive and drainingl. I was turning into a person I did not like and had to take stock. The stress and drama of the workplace that is this Company is indescribable to the average person at any other company. I truly have never worked at a place like this and I promise you I never will again. I nearly lost my house last year when we went from 12 hour days, 60 hour weeks to 32 and then 24 hour weeks. It was scary and I haven't recovered yet. I could still lose my house but this time.... I am not so scared. If it happens it happens...What can I do except move forward?
I do realize that I am out of work now but I have some prospects. I recently had a couple of very promising job interviews so hopefully one of those will pan out.
Believe me, I am not a "disgruntled" ex employee...I am actually relieved. Sounds crazy I know but, a burden has been lifted. I will continue to look for a job and I will file for unemployment. We will see what happens..where the road takes me.
So in my "Uneventful Exisitence" this is another turn and I know it will be for the best.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)