Oh! Where do I start? Let us see-The last (more or less) post aside from the little bit last night, was from over a week ago-A very creative video mash-up of Star Trek and Dallas. Well.. Lot’s of things can happen in nine days.

Let’s start with the semi-awful (kill me now) stuff.

My job at green hell continues to fluctuate between boring and downright frustrating. The old night manager left, and there is now less of a feeling of walking on eggshells. The new night manager is far more relaxed-Worried more about speed and quantity, rather than overall quality. It’s a nice change, especially on truck-unloading nights. However some of the other workers seem to like the old methodical way of unloading more. They also seem more vocal about it now too-It’s no surprise considering the largely vocal old manager has left. They’re more willing (brave enough) to speek up now.

I have noticed as the holidays approach, the more agitated everyone seems to be. True there’s an larger influx of products coming in quickly, but personally I don’t think it’s as overwhelming as people make it out to be. Still, the negativity level at times is quite extreme. Many a complaint is spewed out in the open.

In fact a co-worker snapped at me, twice for  1) trying to allow them right of way and insisting they go first. It was obvious they should have went, as they were more in the way. 2) I pointed out to that same person that there was a product to be placed on a certain pallet.

Through both events, I believe I was simply being polite, and both times this person was aggressive in reply-Trying very hard to diminish my character-To make me feel stupid. Of course I didn’t appreciate it, but also chose not to do anything. I decided to just let it go. For whatever reason this person was in a bitchy mood that night. I can understand that. What we do isn’t glamorous nor rewarding. We all hate it. Yet I will not react back in a negative manner. Oh! I easily, EASILY could go on a verbal rampage toward this person, but where will it get us? We would end up in an uneasy state of nervous fear and vindictiveness towards each other-Definitely not good working conditions.

So I just took it, sighed, and walked away quietly. At that moment I was quickly reminded of a scene from The Point of No Return where the protagonist is working on controlling her temper-She is instructed to smile and say to herself, “I never did mind the little things.” Believe it or not, I did just that and somehow I found it worked quite nicely.

I rationalize that it really just isn’t worth getting emotionally worked up over such trivial situations-Especially on my crappy minimum wage pay rate. Everyone who works at green hell  is simply there to make a little extra cash to get by and survive. We should endeavor tonot make it any bloody worse than it already is.

I do however wonder  .. Considering this co-worker is in fact five years younger than I, 30 years old, fresh out their 20s-I wonder if I was at that age again, having not experienced what I’ve been through over the last five years-I have to wonder if I would have acted as I did that night, or would have I reacted in a very vulgar and mean spirited way. I know I’m generally a nice person, at least I am now, but in my youth I have been known to be quite unruly and very hot tempered.

Also wonder what this person has gone through to be in such a foul mood. Actually, I don’t really care to know.

Later of course that person more or less was nice to me again… More or less. The following event was humorous actually-They had asked me what was the longest relationship I’ve been in? Off the top of my head, I randomly said, “10 years.” And they replied, “Oh, so that’s why-You’re whipped.” They were also alluding to various interactions with the previous manager who often enough lashed out at me, and where I also did nothing but take it. Very quick to judge, this one.

No-Indeed not whipped. Simply trying not to make things any worse than it is. Simply getting by on what little we get paid. Simply observing and choosing what battles are worth being fought. Simply trying to keep it simple.

And so …What else?

Ah yes. Over the last couple weeks the store manager has pushed me to fill gaps in my section with anything from the overall section.  However, that precisely what the first night manager urged me not to do-I must follow specific pattern, and put the appropriate products near related products-That is proper stocking. So I basically just stuck to what I was taught which resulted in open spots.

Apparently during the holiday season proper stocking is completely thrown out the door, flushed down the toilet, and then nuked to a crisp. The manager wanted holes filled. Well, I’m a guy, I suppose I know how to do that. And so I did …that is when we got the appropriate products in. Ha! I finally did manage to fill every conceivable space in my section. “Dang stacked!” is what the manager said, as he approved-But truth be told it was only after we got shipment of newer proper product. In closing, the manager was happy, and I was still able to 95% follow the proper procedure.

Okay-That was a rather boring story, but it is what I deal with all the time at green hell-And so it must be documented. A (very) small victory on my end. Yay.

I suppose this is a decent place to stop for now. Will get to the better stuff in the following post.