Random Crap V

Since this is Random Crap V, yes it means there have been Random Crap I-IV proceeding it.

So, staying true to the title, let's start with work. After the initial outburst of work-related posts almost exactly one year ago, it became obvious to me quite quickly that I did not like to blog about work. Simply because work should stay where it is; at work. As you know, my work involves carrying a lot of books around. I do my best to transfer the weight to my thighs and butt, trying to spare my back as much as possible, but you get tired and you get lazy.

If you are worried about my back, thank you. But I assure you, they do not get as much abuse as my butt. I squat and lift from it a lot. From the rate I'm going, I'm surprised that it hasn't grown muscles down there yet!!

What irritate me so much is how, 7 times out of 10, each time I have a huge and heavy (huge does not necessary mean heavy, of course. Books with lots of pictures are heavier than text-only books) load in my arms, I will get customer inquiries looking for the most impossible book! SERIOUSLY! CAN'T YOU SEE THE HEAVY LOAD I'M CARRYING GLARING AT YOU!?

I went to bed at night and I couldn't sleep thinking at how irritated it made me. RAAWR!!

...

They speak so fast. Those Japanese. And I returned Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei because of the annoying faces. Go watch it yourself. It Irritated me just thinking about it. I thought the files were tampered with, because obviously 70% of the animes sold there are downloaded materials and so not original. So I returned it, and although having convinced by the guy that the anime was not tampered with, I insisted on changing it. I bought Black Butler instead. I always thought I'd end up watching it one day. Might as well be now. And I downloaded K-ON Season 2. After I did some porn transferring of course hehehehe.

Speaking of Japanese people, we finally met up with Ooshiro Sensei and her baby!

I have better pictures in my camera but so mafan to upload. Wakana-chan was also very excited to meet us hehehehe.

Earlier the same week we celecbrated Andou Sensei's xxth birthday.
He's always ready to humor us (also because I already confirmed with him that he's free after class that day so there's no getting out of it!).

And also, Kinokuniya's Annual Dinner! My Assistant Unit Chief is in the picture.

I'm sure you can pick him out hehehe.

A lot of things happened after I came back from Sabah it seems. Now if only I could get some homework done. Sighs.

Ta'ra!

It finally Happened

Believe it.

I just finished my first week and it was TAXING! The retail industry is full of repeatitive work that needs to be done all day every day. No wonder part timers are in high demand. Who ever said getting a job here is hard??

I drove all the way to Shah Alam to get someone to teach me how to do a resume. Emailed it. Got a call the next day and was called up for an interview the next week. I called on Wednesday and they said they were still considering where to place me. Called me back the next day and by Friday I was trying out uniforms for size. I was already clocking in by Monday morning. I wasn't alone though. There was another newbie at the customer service counter.

So far I learned about book returns, shelf packing, wrapping and displaying. I am placed in the English Books Department; the biggest department (just look at our water bottles shelf space). EBD is divided into four more units. I'm in unit 3; again, the biggest. Size is determined by the amount of floor space and genres that fall under our unit.

Now, I enjoy being out in the store displaying books and such, but if I am in a section that I havent been briefed about, I get nervous when customers ask me about where to find this book or that book. I am even more nervous when I wandered into areas that fall under other units. I have no clue at all! On the contrary, I've been spending two days in the logistics section, wrapping trolleys-load of books. While it's not as dynamic as being outside, and you have to stand all day, inhaling burnt plastic fumes, at least you can talk to anyone else doing logistics about random topics.

Like today.

There were two other part-timers doing logistics. And apparently we're all gamers! What coincidence! This is actually a very rare occasion. Working in a bookstore, not everyone likes reading books. But since most full-timers have resigned themselves to the fate, they are usually not as playful as part-timers who are rarely specialised in a certain field of the job. So we talked. From books to movies, to histories, to games. A lot of people get bored of these subjects quickly so when you found two other people who have the same interests as you, you can't help but run with it.

I wore a mask today so the fumes didnt get to me as badly as yesterday. So, inside doing logistics or outside on the sales floor, they are both not bad.

I don't know what it is about seniors and superiors. They obviously need you to do the grunt work, but they won't admit that your job is just as important as theirs. Imagine if there were no part timers picking up the slack. Those logistics staff are not sufficient to handle all those wrapping. I'm not asking to be appreciated. Our unit chief and assistants were already too grateful that I did this and that as if I was doing them a favor (I'm paid by the hour after all). But it does get tiring and once in a while you do need a five minutes break. It doesn't mean that you're slacking off. It just means that you're being human. ....Especially at the break-neck pace they were demanding of you.

Still. I would rather this physical exhaustion than the mental and emotional exhaustion of management.

That said, I got my standard issue penknife last Tuesday. Anybody up for an unwrapping? ^_^

Ta'ra!