Poor investment

How long do you have to work for a company, break your back, and show loyalty before they do the same for you? The post you are about to read is one that may get me FIRED, but I have made a promise to my readers that I will present the information without reservation, and I intend to keep my word, just as I have for 2 years with my employer.
I was literally 3 weeks away from graduating when having a discussion with my supervisor about the conflict with working 6 days a week while trying to finish up school. Not only was there no compromise, but I am not finding myself trying to take my final exams and finish my terms papers around 46 hours a week of work. I literally carved it down to one necessary day off in order to finish up school, and I was denied. One day! It just goes to show what kind of economy we are in, and what kind of businesses are out there. I am left to continue my job as I always have before. I do my job, and I do it well, but I am not a robot. I have thoughts, emotions and feelings, and therefore I write blogs. Is anyone out there that can relate?

The Waiting Game

It never fails. Even in the middle of the week. It could be a Monday, a Thursday, or a Saturday, but there always seems to be those house wives, retired workers, or oddly scheduled retailers that show up at our door half an hour before we open. Man, I wish glass wasn't clear sometimes so I wouldn't have to walk passed them staring at me as if they were yelling in my ear to open the door. We are a sporting goods store, what could you possibly need at that hour, from a sporting goods store? This is an emergency! I have to have shoe laces by tomorrow night!
And of course there are 2 levels of this type of customer: The one's who understand they showed up early and wait patiently in their cars, and the one's who come flying up to the door, yank on it, realize it's locked, then proceed to knocking. I guess the big white sign with our store hours on it was too big for them to see me standing behind it with a look on my face. No, I will not open half an hour early just for you Mr. President of your own world. Next time, just sleep in a little longer, it's good for you!

Video Blog - Shoplifting

This is my video blog for Opinion Writing class. It is not comical, just me talking about how much shoplifting bothers me.

I can't run, I can't hide, even if I wear different clothes, they find me

How do they always find me? Even if I am not working that day, and I am following three of my co-workers around the store, customers will let them go by then ask me to find them a shoe. Is there some sign stapled to my forehead that others can read and I can't see? I guess it's because although I sound like an asshole in these blogs, I look like a nice, knowledgeable young man in person. I guess my smug demeanor and ample eye contact make me an easy target. Ask the guy with the name tag, tie, price gun and worksheet for a shoe, not me. I'm just an unexpecting bi-stander like you in this situation. I don't want to help you, and I'm not going to, but good luck with that!

Why Even Bother?

Yeah sure, you wanna buy a firearm? No problem, here you go. Right over the counter, you look like a good guy so I'll cut you a break. Psh, what do I look like? Someone who doesn't want to keep his job? You will fill out the paperwork, you WILL submit to a background check, and if you don't pass, it's not my problem! Having a serious or violent criminal record f***s you up for life dumbass. When people tell you: "Don't do drugs," "Don't drink and drive," "Don't hit your girlfriend," or "Don't knock off a liquor store or steal a car," they are not trying to register you for the Republican party, they are trying to prevent you from preventing yourself from owning a firearm! California is the worst place to purchase a firearm. With all the idiots running around, we have to have ridiculous legislation in order to make sure someone like the before-mentioned does not arm themselves. Just think about it: The more people you pack in to an area, the more idiots are in that area, I'm just playing by the percentages here. How else can you control the idiots? You can't separate them out, so everyone suffers (i.e. the stringent and strict laws in California for obtaining firearms). Now I've just wasted my time with you at this counter, opening up every rack and showing you several firearms, only for you to tell me you have "a record" and ask if your girlfriend can fill out the paperwork for you. I don't want to believe in the phrase, "Once a criminal, always a criminal." I believe in second chances, people make mistakes in the long journey of life. But these people walking in to the store and doing these kinds of things makes me have doubts. I am sitting in class right now, fully appreciating my education, because I have a firm grasp of logic and reason, and I feel bad for those who never had that. Will mankind ever get better.......?

And the Store Has Reached...A New Low

You spend a couple hundred bucks on a piece of technology that is supposed to make your life easier. It doesn't work out how you wanted it to, so you return it. Fair enough. $200 is a lot of money for most of us, especially in our nation's current economic predicament. However, I have yet to encounter a $200 hoola hoop, and yet I have returned three of them over the span of my career with my current employer. Two of those times, the customer simply wanted their money back and was not planning on exchanging it for anything else. Are you freaking kidding me? The customer probably spent more money on gas to get to the store than they got back after returning that stupid piece of plastic that is a sorry excuse for getting your kids to exercise. Side note: It seems kids are getting fatter and fatter these days, and hoola hoops have become better at creating future strippers than shedding childhood weight.
What is the thought process for returning a hoola hoop? At the time of purchase: "Wow, this looks great. I can dance with it, I can...uh....spin around and move my hips....oh and this store has a GREAT return policy if it doesn't perform how I want it to. It's a freakin' hoola hoop! It doesn't water your lawn, take out the trash, get you a beer out of the fridge, nor will it pay your taxes. You put it around you waist, spin your hips in a small circle, and it does what your hips do. How do you buy one of these things and then suddenly decide that $3.99 investment is crippling? Two out of the three times I have returned one of these the excuse was, "It was the wrong size." Did it shrink in the washing machine? Did you remarkably become far-sighted just at the right moment when your eyes were first laid on that scented and brightly colored circle of nightmare? What the hell is wrong with you? Just take your $3.99 and buy yourself a bus pass to the end of the earth, take one more step off the edge and do all of us a favor. Jackass

Lost in Translation

Whenever someone tells me that our public schools aren't receiving enough funding, I just laugh. This happens at least twice a shift for me: A young boy or girl comes up to me and in broken English, amidst numerous pauses, asks me to point their parents in the direction of a product. Where are the parents? Waiting for their child to come back and translate it in to Spanish for them. I love the fact that America is so diverse, a real "melting pot," but I can't stand the language barriers and the lack of effort from people who are not in this country legally. Now that I've pissed you off, I will explain: I fully understand that not every non-English speaking person in this country is an illegal alien, but if I'm going to make an attempt to help you find what you need, I would like to feel a little reciprocation for my efforts. Yes, I am paid to help these people and they are not paid to speak English, but given how hard it must be to provide for your family and communicate with the general public, wouldn't you attempt to make it easier for you and your family? For the first time in my blogs I am honestly asking for a response from my readers, as I would like to discuss this and gain perspective, even from another point of view. Hit me up.