It's been one hell of an emotional roller coaster week for me.
Lost a good friend at work this week. His position was eliminated earlier last month and rather than stay on, making his life and everyone else around him miserable, he decided to face the music and leave the company.
He was guaranteed a position in the store, even though there wasn't enough labor to support him and two other full-time employees. He knew that if he stayed he wouldn't have the best attitude and he would bring down the morale of his department, possibly the entire store. He took the severance package offered to him and is currently exploring new opportunities. I wish him all the luck in the world.
The next day people said that I almost made a "tear-jerker" speech about him at the morning meeting. I just said what was in my heart. If anyone felt their eyes watering, then they felt it, too. It was rare when someone didn't like Shawn. He was like the class clown, who always knew how to have a good time and cheer up the room. I supervised him as well as worked side-by-side with him. There won't be another like him, that I promise.
I was also blessed this week for my past year's work as a store supervisor. For those who don't know, I stepped down from my position in February because I didn't like where the store was headed with the management in place and felt that if I didn't do something, I would have been run over by the bus headed straight for me.
Then things changed in the store. Managers were fired. Managers were documented. Morale and the overall feel of the store started to change drastically by the middle of March. Additional employees above me were dropping like flies. Then word came down that I wouldn't be able to apply for my supervisor position just yet. The corporate offices put a hold on all promotions while they sat in a room deciding the fates of several people throughout the company (including Shawn's).
Then word came out that we could apply for certain positions in the store. Shawn and I chomped at the bit once we were given the opportunity. The interviews came and went and then we waited. Waited for four additional days past the deadline as to when we were supposed to find out who got what promotion. I finally get pulled into an office at the end of my shift on Tuesday and am told (for the next hour, I might add) who got the promotions and why I did not. Apparently, I lack the leadership skills for the position that I held for four years prior to stepping down. Shawn wasn't even given a reason why he didn't get the position he applied for, just that they went with someone else.
I was fortunate in knowing that I still had a spot in the store dedicated specifically for me. My friend, on the other hand, was given the answer of "you're now a stacked full-timer." Anyone who hears that in my company knows that they're basically saying that you don't belong here anymore, even if you had nothing to do with the current situation. Shawn took that as a cue to leave. I took mine as a hint that there's something better out there for me. And by hint, I mean by a very large kick in the ass.
Spent the better part of yesterday doing yard work. The backyard was so long that it started to seed. That took over an hour with a push lawn mower. I can usually get it done in thirty minutes. I then proceeded to mow the front yard twice. The second time I took mower down even farther, getting it as close to the dirt as possible without killing it. Then Willis went to The House of Self-Loathing to purchase additional yard crap to help kill what we didn't want growing and to seed what areas were in dire need of green in the first place. All this while Melody did a fantastic number on cleaning the kitchen. We then cleaned up the back porch and grilled some hamburgers as the finale to our day.
Oh, and lastly... I hit level 60 with my dwarf hunter, Vonweenis this last Tuesday. The desire to play has been curbed quite a bit and I might be able to pull of some regular posting from now on. I'll still play, but I don't think it will be as often as it was before.
Lastly, I'm not sure if I want to do the AFI's 100 years, 100 movies list anymore. Brandon hasn't made up his mind yet, at least according to the text messages I've received from him recently. First it's no, then it's yes... possibly an issue with his website owner. Who knows. All I know is this: I ran into a technical issue with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and have been completely off rhythm since then. I'm now debating on whether I want to do something different. Comparing originals to remakes. I kinda enjoyed doing it for my film history class back in college and the current remake of King Kong has again inspired me to do so.
Either way, the longer I sit here, the longer my fridge goes without food. I'm off to the grocery store.
Until Next Time.
