I'm all out of titles.

Work is work. I'm back at Bentley again. I work at UNIC, but I also sometimes fill-in at the Bentley Winter kiosk and the main Bentley store. I especially dislike the latter. There's too much stuff and I don't know where anything is. People say things like "does this come in any other colours?" or "my kid's really into SpongeBob, what do you have with SpongeBob on it?" and I can't answer these very reasonable questions. And the customers get understandably pissed. But it's totally not my fault. I have to do this for an hour tomorrow. I will tell my boss at UNIC not to send me down there again for these reasons.

The Winter kiosk is okay. It's all scarves, mittens, and toques, which are fairly easy to keep organized and neat. But it's dead down there. It's going at about one sale an hour, even on the nights when the mall is busy. I read a lot but it's not good reading because you have to look up and around frequently in case anybody comes and needs help with something. I'm told it will pick up when the first snow hits.

I don't like UNIC much because all the purses look the same to me. The vast majority of them are brown or black and made of leather or something like it. At least with mittens there are pink ones and white ones and grey ones and blue ones and green ones and some of them have patterns and some of them don't and some of them are thermal flip mitts and some of them are itchy wool and some of them are cotton and some of them have Spider Man and some of them have stripes and some of them have trim and some of them are even gloves. Easy.

It's not really work, it's just the power to charm.

Day two at the slipper job was okay. I forgot how tired working on your feet all day makes you, I haven't had to do it since 2001.

Things I like about my job:
* All the staff I've met so far (including bosses) have been really nice and friendly, and not in an annoyingly fake "service industry" sort of way either.
* They let me wear corduroy pants and hiking boots despite the fact that both of those are against the dress code dictated by corporate head office.
* I get a full hour for a meal break, which is awesome because it only takes me about 15 minutes to eat and I can spend the rest of the time down at Starbucks studying or just reading on a comfy sofa.
* Cheap slippers a-plenty! I bought these ones today that are sorta like fake UGG boots. They're awesome, it feels like you're walking on great thick mattresses all the time. Also we are allowed to actually wear slippers at work on weekends.
* Mall music doesn't blow as much as I remember. I heard David Bowie and Simple Minds today, for instance. Also heard the new Britney single at least three times in the three hours I was there this morning, but aside from that it's a lot of choice 80s tunes. This will not last, unfortunately. I predict Xmas music will slowly find its way into the mix within two weeks... surely they do it gradually... they can't just turn on you like that in one day.

Dogs are barkin'

I'm so. fucking. tired. I have all these emails and journal comments I should reply to, but I'm too fucking wiped out to do it.

Things:

* so far co-workers = cool, bullshit level @ work is minimal
* the tentative schedule for next week shows me working from 1 to 4 on Tuesday which is awesome because it will give me a chance to prepare for election party guests
* feeling filthy, need shower. craving fried chicken from Sobeys like you wouldn't fucking believe; too tired to walk the half block to get some.
* Dr. Schols Gel insoles are not - REPEAT NOT - worth $17.

And so it begins...

I went up to work this morning between classes to deliver some paperwork... a blank cheque for direct deposit purposes, that sort of thing. I talked to my boss and she hadn't made up the schedule yet, but promised to call me later this afternoon to let me know when I'd be working.

Around 7:00pm, she called to give me my schedule for the week: Tuesday from 1:00pm to 9:00pm; Thursday from 10:00am to 1:00pm; and Saturday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm. I didn't think to ask if coming in at 10:00am really means coming in at 10:00am, since that's when the mall actually opens. Presumably I have to be there a bit early to help with the cash and setting things up? Ditto with leaving at 9:00pm. WTF?

Anyway, at least I don't have to work Thursday night so I can catch Naomi Klein at my uni. Although it turns out that the lecture is taking place in the chapel rather than the Ted Daigle theatre; just part of the fun of attending a Catholic university. Man, I don't like the idea of sitting in a pew for however long this thing will be. It's also going to be fucking packed in there. There's posters up all over campus and I actually saw a commercial for it on television the other night.

I am Procrastinatron!

The fact that I have two jobs, one of which is scheduled to start the day after tomorrow (ugh!) is sinking in. I'm told that I'll be working Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 to close consistently, and frequent weekend shifts as well. This is teh suck. It means that I will more than likely have to miss seeing Naomi Klein speak this Thursday night at my uni, as well as having to tell people to wait until at least 10:00 to show up at my election party next Tuesday. This is ass. Now I remember why work sucks so much. And I haven't even gotten to the actual working part yet.

Bentley Group Corporate Employment Policy

The Highlights:

* Every customer entering the store will be greeted as quickly as possible. I understand the importance of implementing the selling skills program.

* I am serving the public; I will at all times be neat in appearance. Jeans or cords are not permissible according to the company dress code.

* It is not permitted to eat or drink in the selling area of the store.

* It is not permitted to read newspapers, books, etc., or sit in the view of customers while working.

* I agree to random personal bag checks when requested.

* I will be punctual and on the sales floor at all scheduled times.

Welcome To The Company

Welcome to your new position with The Bentley Group. You are now part of one of the fastest growing retailers in Canada. At The Bentley Group, you'll find that our work environment, products and associates create an atmosphere of enjoyment and satisfaction. Our success has been a direct result of enthusiastic team spirit.

We are considered to be a "people oriented" company, so we encourage you to speak with your immediate supervisor should you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns.

We wish you every success in your new career and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationsihp between you and your company.

The Bentley Group -- A great place to work, a nice place to grow... an exciting future awaits you!

Roger Poulin
Vice-President of Sales & Operations

Optimism

Someday this will be the place where I bitch about how much I hate my job. Until that day, Destitute is the New Black.