Why are people so fucking cheap?

I hate, loathe, detest, abhor working on Sundays. People feel that since they've confessed all their sins and paid their tithe they can be as shitting as they want until next week. Plus, I hate having to work a shift where I have to open and close. It's just fucking annoying.

So, this blinged out older woman comes in with her friend and starts looking at the merchandise. She starts bitching that the prices were jacked up because of the packaging. Now, the product that I sell at the store is (overpriced, well known name brand) food related merchandise with items that may or may not come with a festive decoration. Of course we charge for the decoration, for several reasons:

1. It's extra material that is not found on the other products
2. It's extra labor to attach the decoration to the product
3. It looks nicer
4. IT'S A FUCKING BUSINESS!

She was wearing some nice diamond jewerly, and I know I'm sounding all judgmental. But if you can afford that rock on your finger, an extra $4 is not going to put a dent in you wallet. Plus we provide a gift bag and tissue paper, so your entire wrapping and presentation is complete for a measly $4. I know she will spend 3-4x that amount having someone else do it, all Martha Stewartesque. Yeah, I know she could wrap it with cheap paper herself, but she won't.

What really got me is how she paid for it. An American Express Black Card. It's made out of metal. Seriously. I almost dropped it when she handed it to me. Seriously. Here's some info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_Card

I don't seem so petty anymore, do I?

Oh, and she didn't buy the decorated one, in case I wasn't clear on that.

The curse of X Mall...dunt, dunt dunt!

Well, things have not gone quite as planned....

I've just completed my 1st week at a new mall. Why am I at a new mall you say? Well, it seems that the store that I was at is under a curse. By my calculations, the store has not had a store manager there for more than 6 mths since they remodeled and opened in the new location. I was brought into that store as an Associate Manager (an Ass Mgr, if you will), with the promise that a seasoned mgr would take over and train me in time for the holiday season. Well, that didn't quite work out.

We got a new General Mgr, for about 3 days before he decided that he didn't want the job. However, he dragged his feet and got paid for doing barely anything, while I managed the store. Thankfully my District Mgr isn't an idiot and realized what was going and the crazy man decided to quit, amongst threats of inappropriate behavior, blah blah blah!!! What pisses me off the most, was that I was really worried about the guy and wanted to help him out. Sheesh, no good deed goes unpunished.

Anyway, I was told that I was going to run the store in his absence (duh, that's what I've been doing) through the holiday season. Ok, I was willing to give it a shot, but I had always said that I wanted to go through a season with a GM first. I'm not one to walk away from a challenge... unless it's related to spiders or clowns, 'cuz they're just evil incarnate, but that's another story altogether (but that's another story( Airplane! joke alert)). I was really excited to run the store, and I felt that I was pulling the 2 assistant mgrs into a strong and cohesive team. We were starting to make strong numbers, plus we were kicking ass in some district, regional and company wide contests!

Then, out of the blue, a ginormous blob of shit hits the fan. Here, my DM had been scoping out a new GM and AssM for the store. And I was to be transferred to another store for more training. Ok, that doesn't sound so bad. In fact, it was what I wanted. And I knew that I would eventually be leaving X Mall to run a new store that's being opened after the new year. But still, I was really going strong with X and wanted to prove myself at that store. Ok. I'm done pouting now. Maybe a little more.

So, now I'm at a completely new mall, K Mall. Which is a hellavu lot slower than X. Shit, I am bored out of my skull. Luckily, there's been a few people who's just been hired, so I get to play smarty pants with them (not that way, nasty minded readers) and train them on the product, which I love to do. And it's closer to home. And it'll be more like the new store that will open. Sigh. Now, I really don't have a reason to pout. Gorrammit!

OK, venting over with. There will be plenty of annoying customer stories, just by nature of this business. Plus, K is in a much wealthier area (middle-upper middle class vs working class), and I've already come across a bitch. I've named her Ms. Persnickety, and she's the wife of one of the VP or some shit like that. She thinks I'm a kindergartener... kindergardner...kindergart-like person (yeah, like that). So I passed her order on to the GM. Life is starting to look up, 'cuz I don't have to be big boss anymore. YEah (confusedly)!? Alright, I'm happy I don't have to deal with that shit anymore.

Ohhh, I forgot to mention that the new GM for X mall quit within a week of working for the company. Ha!! I like the new Ass Mgr & I think she'll do well. I certainly wish her luck, she'll need it for the curse.

On a completely different topic...

I have become obsessed with the show "Chuck". Dear Buddha please save this show, 'cuz this is one of the few things that I'm looking forward to in life. The season is upon us, I've got a Bday coming up and I'm probably going to have to move right after the new year, so along with a pony and a rocket, I would love for this show to continue on.

Why do I love "Chuck"? , you ask. Well, it goes like this: (clearing throat)

1. Adam Baldwin. How I love you. You have made it onto my list of husbands. You are shiny and cute and snarky and hold a gun in the most alluring manner. I love thee, but not in a restraining order kinda way.
2. It deals with retail.
3. It deals with spies.
4. It deals with spies in retail. Let the hilarities ensue.
5. Things get blown up. 'Nuff said.
   
6. Things get blown up by Adam Baldwin. Give me a minute...yeah ok..I'm good...
   
7. Absolutely insanely, funny and witty banter/dialog/writing
8. Amazing chemistry among the actors.

If you haven't seen it yet, it's on Monday nights at 8:00 I encourage all to see this show.
Here's the link to the main page:

www.nbc.com/Chuck/


Ok, good rant. Hopefully I'll have time to post some more soon.

Have a good one!

People fuckin' suck!

For most of you, you know that this will become the title of my autobiography, but I'm getting the rough draft out here. This will be my little vent about my life in retail. Some stories from previous places, some current. All names will be changed so no one sues me. It's not like I'm gonna mention this place to them anyway. Feel free to let me know of any stories you want to add.

And so it begins.