This is a Journal entry by Amy Pawloski, aka 'paper lady'--'Mufflewhump'?!? click here to find out... (ACE)

Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 1

Amy Pawloski, aka 'paper lady'--'Mufflewhump'?!? click here to find out... (ACE)

So... July was an interesting month. As has been the norm since Notepad was an infant, Tom sold fireworks. Less normal is that where Tom was selling fireworks is roughly 2 hours away from home... We made it work, though, and, indeed, sold out of everything before 2 pm on the 4thsmiley - yikes In a way, that was great, because we got everything (tables, lighting, etc.) packed up that night and returned on the 5th, as well as the financial balancing all finished on the 5th, but in another, it sucked, because we could've sold a LOT more (helpful hint--if there are no lights or tables, and the only people around are strapping things onto a pickup truck by the light of street lamps, they have likely sold out of fireworkssmiley - doh (though, to be fair, they didn't actually get out of their vehicle...)) As it was, however, our share of the fireworks money was nearly what one of the Crescent City fireworks booths would gross (not net) in a season. Which helps quite bit with paying bills ahead...

At the end of June, shifts at the jail (as a corrections officer) were juggled a bit, and I was moved to the opposite day shift. Shortly after that (though unrelated, I'm pretty sure) my new shift lead quit. As I had the most seniority of the people left on the shift, I was stuck with shift lead. Now, it's not the paperwork that bothered me, but the fact that I was now responsible for whatever happened on shift (as I put it, "I can't say, 'That's a shift lead thing!' and go merrily on my way, because that's me..."), yet most real decisions were things that needed to be passed to administration--and on the weekends, or after 4pm, the shift lead has to decide what things merit calling administration at home... Those of you that know me at all can imagine how well I was handling *that*. Oh, and same pay as before, too, because shift lead isn't an actual promotionsmiley - shrug As all this happened at a not-normal time--an inmate was in the hospital, so a correctional officer had to be with him at all times, meaning the shift was short, and I was helping Tom at the fireworks tent when I wasn't at work, so I was more sleep deprived than normal--I decided that I should maybe give it to the end of the month before making any decisions about staying or going. Then I noticed that my previous practice of mentally leaving work at work (to the point that inquiries as to how my day was are difficult to answer, because the answer's 10 miles away) wasn't working. I was second guessing myself all the way home. I also noticed that the thought of putting in my notice made me happy, almost giddy. By midJuly, I'd talked to Tom about it, and also my best friend. A week or so later, I talked with another friend, who had worked at the jail, and also with one person on my shift. At the point I talked with E (er, I just realized that both the people mentioned in this sentence have the initials EG (and are women), so I mean Tall E) I was still planning on waiting a week or so and then putting in a two week notice. Tom had pointed out that finding a job is easier if you have a job, so the next weekday I had off after talking with Tall E, I went to the city we do most of our shopping in, as I had heard that one of the factories was hiring through a temp agency. This was July 22. Not only was I hired, I was given a start date of July 29 (pending a negative Covid test)--*before* I was going to originally put in my notice, and before saying anything to either of my bossessmiley - yikes (I *was* thinking of saying something later that week (or maybe the next, as T, the Jail Administrator, was on vacation, though I could've talked with M, the Assisant JA, maybe, but things happened kind of quickly...) So I put in a six day notice the next morning. Since I worked rotating 12 hour shifts, this meant that I'd be working a three day weekend--and, since the new job is also on a rotating 12 hour shift, that follows the same rotation as the old (meaning that my marked-with-work-days calendar is still accurate) the day I would next be working at the jail, if not for the job change, I'd be starting my new job (I'm still surprised I didn't automatically turn to go to the jail--not wearing a uniform likely helped).

So now I'm working in a factory making vacuum cleaner parts--at least, checking that the robots have made them correctly, clipping any excess plastic, and packaging the parts for the assemblers on the other side of the building (they have production quotas, and we molders don't smiley - nahnah) I actually like it, so far--it's a *lot* less stressful than the jail, and fits me better--I *like* repetition. You're assigned a different machine each time, generally, and may be assigned to relieve someone for breaks/lunch--some machines can be left to do their thing for awhile, while some need human supervision at all times. My feet aren't necessarily happy with me--I do need to get better shoes. Right now, I'm wearing my tactical boots from the jail, with new arch support insoles (which I was due to get anyway), because, of my closed-toed shoes, those are the best I have for long term wear. The last two days at work were the first I'd had at stand-up machines, and yeah, the Bates ain't cuttin' it. They were fine for going between multiple sit-down machines, if a bit warm, but not for standing on concrete for 11 hours (shift-breaks+lunch), with or without a mat underfoot.

So, yeah, lots of stuff happened in July...




Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 2

SashaQ - happysad

Oh wow!

Glad you did well with the fireworks smiley - ok

Well done on the new job, too - glad it suits you much better so far. I can imagine it was stressful for you having to take on more responsibility with no more reward, making it difficult not to worry about things... Sounds like you have some variety in the new job, with the different machines, but good that the machines are predictable so you can get into a good routine with them smiley - ok That is impressive that your shift patterns are the same so you don't have to update your calendar smiley - biggrin

I'm lucky that my job has been able to transfer to working from home using the internet, so I'm getting on well with the new routine now I've got used to it.

Look after yourself, and see you around! smiley - biggrin


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 3

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

If you make parts for vacuums, then you must be cleaning up on you job. smiley - winkeye

I read your journal too quickly, and found myself wondering why Tom would be selling fireworks in August. Then I went back and read more slowly. I assume that the fireworks were sold in early July7? smiley - winkeye

Glad you are doing well. Was the local culture hard to get used to when you left California for Tennessee?


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 4

Baron Grim

Here in Texas you just might be able to sell/buy fireworks in August. I'd have to check the calendar for holidays. A few years ago they passed a new ordinance creating a total of five, I believe, firework sales seasons. The original Independence and New Years days, plus San Jacinto Day (Texas independence), Memorial day, and Labor day If I Recall Correctly. (let me check...)

Nope, got one wrong and boy is it stupid. Labor day isn't a firework holiday, but Cinco de Mayo is!?

Cinco de Mayo is kind of a B.S. holiday. It's not a recognized state holiday. And it is NOT Mexican Independence day like many people mistakenly believe, that's 16 September. 5 May commemorates the Battle of Pueblo against the French in 1862. It wasn't a big holiday until a few beer companies in the US decided to hype it.

So, that's at least a month and a half spread out over the year that leaves my dog cowering in the bath tub.


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 5

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Is that a sneaky way to persuade your dog to get in the tub so he can get a bath? smiley - winkeye


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 6

Baron Grim

Sadly, no. She's a fearful dog on a good day. Visitors, thunderstorms, and fireworks literally terrify her.

She was a shelter rescue. I got her when she was not quite one year old. She'd been adopted and returned once already.


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 7

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Do you get many visitors?


Been A While, Yet Again...

Post 8

Baron Grim

Me? Personally? None at all.

But my parents downstairs in the main house often do.
She spends most of the day down there.


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