Back on Track
Hi! Hello! Hola! Aloha!
Yes, folks, it's me again. I have come back from the digital dead to clickity-clack my way back into the wild world of Blog musings and updates.
For those of you who have been wondering where my weekly Blog disappeared to, I just spent a crazy month working retail for a local store that officially closed its doors this weekend (Sunday, 5/19/19). I originally applied at the store back in November but held off on accepting their offer while I waited to hear back from another job that offered better pay, benefits, and regular office hours (I didn't want to start at the store only to jump out a week or two later). After three months (that I could have been working), I got a politely worded rejection from that office. (I knew I was screwed as soon as I learned that the person I interviewed with was retiring.) Right about the time I opted to ask if the store was still interested in hiring me, I saw the announcement that the entire retail chain was shutting down nation wide. No job for me, and worse, no job for all the folks who already worked there. Knowing that the store would likely need help closing down, though, especially as current employees started leaving for replacement jobs, I offered to come in. About a month later I got the call and I was back to work within a week - nights and weekends, just like they had indicated.
Going back to work was exciting and a bit nerve-wracking for me. If I'm being entirely honest, there was a small part of me that was terrified I wouldn't be able to hack it. I'd spent two years working at my own pace, answering only to myself, and comfortably insulated from outside stressors that I couldn't readily escape. But, in spite of these fears, stepping into that position was like slipping on a familiar coat - comfortable, cozy, and known. Regular hours, structured days, and the promise of a paycheck every two weeks; I'd actually missed those things.. Even more to the point, it helped to know that regardless of any aggravations or personal bumps in the road that I might find issues with (a curse of boils and baldness to shoplifters!), there was always a set end to the time that I would be working there. The store was closing. That's why I was there. I just had to do the job, complete the mission, and finish the chapter - end of story (and the store, unfortunately).
What I wasn't expecting was how readily I was accepted as part of the team. The associates that had been there (most of them for years at this point) were helpful, welcoming, and understanding that my temporary status limited certain things I could help with. I never got a register code (even though I was already trained to cashier). I had to borrow other people's hand scanner logins because I never got one. Even so, the team welcomed me and treated me like one of their own. Even better for me was the fact that the managers quickly learned that once I understood the details of my tasks for the day, all they had to do was turn me loose and let me go. I didn't need supervision or a taskmaster, and neither of them seemed interested in micromanaging me. It was a great combination that produced significant results.
The downside to all of this, which was not surprising to me, is that I lost a month's worth of productivity in my writing (not that I had been especially productive up to that point anyway). I'd get up, go to work, get home in the evening, do my walk, decompress, and go to bed. My days off were spent recovering physically (working on concrete floors is terrible) and taking care of errands I didn't have time to deal with. One week I spent my days off cleaning a museum in preparation for the job I'll be starting next week. There wasn't a lot of time or energy left to direct towards writing, which has always been my problem when working other (paying) jobs.
But, here I am, sitting in front of the computer again. I'm working on this Blog as a way to kickstart my way back into my writing and get back on track. I'll be working as a museum attendant at the Pony Express Museum this summer. The schedule should be a little more forgiving than what I experienced at the store. I guess we'll see where this next chapter goes from here!
