Category: Retail

Weekly Review 8/10-14/2020

Weekly Review 8/10-14/2020

Feel that I am surviving, not living. Depression and Anxiety came back with a vengeance this week. I had to fight to get up in the mornings this week. Going to bed was also an issue. By the middle of the week was questioning why I am here and what is the point. Why am I getting worse when I have days that feel ‘well’?

Backtracking over the last two to three weeks, I have emotionally and physically struggled to return to something that gives me meaning for employment. In doing so, I planned to take on 15-25 hours to schedule that already had 30 hours with being a Home Health Aide. I enjoy the retail over the Home Health Aide work, but it is challenging for clients to retain a Home Health Aide for their care. So I will stay with the amazing person I provide care. Unfortunately, last week my need to please people saw me work 6 days in the retail environment plus the 30 as a Home Health Aide. Retail hours totaled thirty-eight, so the previous week places my working hours at sixty-eight total. I was contributing to my continued internal argument of success over failure.

To the outside, looking in one will see and explain, of course, I am exhausted you worked sixty-eight hours in one week. Nevermind, I went from 6,500 steps to 14,000 to 15,000 steps daily with this new job and still only eating for the 6,500. My Anxiety does not see it like that; I should do more and be more substantial. How do I see my way out of this pit of emotional and physical struggle?

Goals are many; some I may be able to succeed in implementing others may not. A new job is to say no when called in or only stay for four to five hours instead of eight to nine. Food makes up and implements a menu for the days I only have an hour between jobs. Work on some of the list is a plan and made ahead. Return and concentrate on taking my assortment of vitamins. I noticed my prescriptions taken daily, but my vitamins missed due to timing and change in routine. Returning to my morning routine of reading The Bible and spending time on a devotional, I always found this a peaceful start of my day. Where does this leave me? Am I a success or failure this week?

My Depression and Anxiety are pushing to have me List this week as a failure. My goals from last week and the needs of the family were not cared for well. Failure is automatic feeling and response for so long it is challenging to see the week as a success. How do I put my mindset toward success when I want to hold onto the comfortable failure. It makes no sense, but it is a pit that is comfortable and familiar. How to move forward and not wallow as I want to do? Hmmm

Have to acknowledge that the schedule changed, and I have a plan moving forward. That it is okay not to accomplish everything when there has been a schedule change. So that is being said living it may be difficult. After some thought, going to list this as a success because I did not stop may not have been everything, but calling this week a success because I acknowledged that my goal was too difficult for the specific situation I find myself in.   

Keep striving for your goals.  Success is all in the eyes of who is living life to their personal physical and emotional best.  Sorry for the delay in posting just found this week a mentally distracting week.

Additional Faith Note:

For me, the following message from Pastor Shawn at Hope Church helped me put this week into perspective. I may not always feel that I am thriving, but succeeding is all I can strive for daily and may not look like everyone else’s life. What matters is what fits my life calling and purpose.  In reaching for my goals that are helping others even if that is caring for others that do not appreciate; and a family that does not understand cleaning up after themselves.  Life for me is to care for those around me in word and actions.  May not be grand as Nik Ripken, but even the small things are important. Care seen as working both jobs to hundred percent, volunteering at church, downsizing, blogging, and not being angry with my family gives the impression of not caring. This is my current season of life we will see as the weeks go as I will stay or succeed in moving farther ahead in being at peace with myself and goals.

Hope Church – August 16 Service – 11 AM

https://youtu.be/FWNTtLt2Eq4?t=654

For a chuckle the 9 am is slightly different and shows the difference in understanding of different words and phrases to different generations and social media awareness. Nine am was the use of Netflix and chill which was being used just as words to describe watching videos and relaxing that’s how it was meant. Unknown at the time till someone between services brought it to his attention was the urban culture meaning of the phrase of something totally different, I have included the link to the definition after the 9 am link. Personally I enjoyed the 9 am more before I understood the urban meaning Pastor seemed more engaged.

Bible Hub – Acts 11 for Acts 11:19-30

https://youtu.be/nUjzIKvfyNA?t=502
Just a look that no one is perfect but a message with innocent purpose comes through.

Urban Dictionary Definition – https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Netflix%20and%20Chill. Just clarifies that I enjoy life when words are just straightforward with no hidden meanings.

Wikipedia detailed information for the slang, if you are interested. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix_and_chill

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you, Retail, Services, and Trade Employees. Since the beginning of this pandemic, it has bothered me the media, social media, and signs concentration and praise healthcare workers and as an afterthought, the police, fire, and EMS. Yes, they deserve praise, but it reinforces the employment/career perception of society. What I do see is the lack of thank you to all of the service industries. Thank you to the people who work at the stores, services like hair, dining, and the people who provide us with the products to sell and deliver services. May miss a couple of titles but truckers, factory workers, housekeepers, tattoo artists, bus drivers, crafters, makers, and all that provide for services that are an integral part of living in today’s culture.

With all the current talks of the needs of the people and everyone needs support. Some financial assistance may be helpful in realistic hourly pay to the job description, taxes, and actual medical. Most, if not all, individuals desire to feel value for the work they do. There are those in the world who find value and skill in serving or creating for others. Over the years, I have noticed that there is a lack of respect or support to those impacted through life situations, skills, and/or desire that choose employment in low paying and low respect service or high pay but low respect trade industries.   

What I am asking for others to consider is your perception of a person who chooses or needs to work a retail, service, or trade job. One type of trade is to drive trucks, do you respect the individual for that choice? Do you look and think oh that is all their good for, with that underthought of no respect for the individual? What about the plumber who you call when there is an emergency. What are your thoughts when you find out your child wants to be a plumber? Pride or concern that they are choosing a menial job.

What are your thoughts or attitudes of the clerk at the meat counter, waitress, factory worker, coffee counter, crafter, tattoo, hairdresser, or supermarket? Do you consider that they have a ‘real’ job, or that was all they could because they do not have the IQ or degree for something better? We see this in ads for colleges.    

American Career College Ads

Supporting and showing pride for those who chose to work in the service industry and allow for full-time hours would go a long way in economic equality. Many workers would not push for the fifteen dollar hours if they were able to find full-time hours with benefits.  

Humans want respect, but when you treated like a lesser person, you are a clerk in a supermarket, waitress, cook, and stock. Factory worker, housekeeper, kitchen prep, electrician, and many more. This lack of respect seen in we have high unemployment, but many people will not apply for retail jobs because the pay is low and considered beneath them for some. Bear in mind that it is a generalization, not a specific person, and on social media comments and a couple of comments I have heard from others. Well, let us consider the fact that supermarkets stayed open with only a small amount of thank you, followed by abuse for mask or supply purchase mandates.

Again thank you to those in all aspects of the service/trade industry. Our country indeed, could not run without us. The media may not acknowledge the daily strife and anxiety of our health and safety. Again thank you for working your twenty to fifty hours of work with no benefits, respect, and buying your masks and other supplies.

Thank you for the truck driver who has to deal with the driver who does not realize that you need a good eighth of a mile to brake but cuts right in front. Additionally, the time away from family and friends. Thank you to the housekeeper that is cleaning up after all variety of people with minimal protective gear. Thank you to the factory worker that has to go in and leave smelling like melting plastic, dead fish, cow, or chicken. Also, for those working in a hot, cold, or freezing processing area. Thank you for the different kinds of beauticians and artisans. Thank you to the construction industry. Thank you for the car mechanic. Thank you to the restaurant staff. Much appreciate all you do. If I have missed your industry, I am sorry, but I am not seeing or all-knowing of all the trade and service jobs.  

Thank you, comes from the heart of a worker of the same industry for twenty years waitress, cook, clerk, coffee, cashier, manager, and cleaner. I tried to leave the industry and go into healthcare. When I spoke with coworkers, they would treat me as an equal until they asked where I had worked last. Responded as a manager in a supermarket that respect was lost. One person mentioned that it was good. I got out of such a dead-end job. Here is the rub, though, and that my anxiety and depression keep going over. I was happy working retail and taking care of others rather than working in a nursing home as a Social Worker; their idea of Customer Service does not even come close to what expected from retail. Trying to shift to that was to difficult on my anxiety and depression with no industry training except what I got through college. So I returned to what made me happy helping others with less daily notes that impacted client (customer) care and minimum face to face care.

It has taken me years to accept that I am happiest working retail and taking care of others and providing care for one of the most basic human needs food. Keep up the great work all those that are the reason our country has not stopped running, our families fed, and we have a car to drive. I am going to wrap up with two pieces.

One is from CBS Sunday Morning news about the current information hitting the restaurant industry. The second piece I found from Mike Rowe reinforcing that we need to show our children that working in the service and trade industry is an honorable profession, not something to be looked down on. Side thought some of the racism this country keeps pushing about also stems from the portion of the black and low income community that the employment can get treated with disrespect as work and financial options are low. For US retail a cashier/stocker is paid $7.00 – 9.00 an hour as a lead it is $9.00 – 11.00 an hour, and management is $11.00 – 14.00 an hour, and store managers salaried, so they average $15.00 an hour because it expected to work forty-five to sixty hours a week. Many companies want to have open availability and are not flexible with scheduling. There is minimal work to home life balance.

Next time you are out and about, try to thank a worker from the service industry. Sincerely, all we ask is that you treat us with respect. We have to follow the rules, and being told how to do our job as we are taking care of you is annoying and disrespectful. Corporate no matter the industry already treats us poorly with low pay, not enough supplies, repairs not done, and no training or training that treats us like children. I heard somewhere that one company thinks that employees do fifty percent of theft. So we are already feeling devalued by corporate. Being treated by the people, we care for as children who fail in life makes that lack of proper value harder.  

Yes, there are poor workers, but if you think about it, every industry has that one or two employees that you celebrate when they leave or let go. No one is perfect, and there are jobs or work that see people striving or struggling to find their place. 

For those that feel this was prideful or selfish to post because I am in retail. This piece was tentatively written since June just struggled with posting it, not wanting to offend. I had a shift that made me want to open my mouth and give a customer a piece of my mind. Retail is a fantastic job that is physically tough and stressful in its way. On an hourly basis, your client or customer base is as diverse as the world. With this diversity comes a plethora of opinions and personalities. There is nothing wrong with working to care for others. Not all of us can pursue a degree either through desire or lack of opportunity. Try to treat those who take care of your fundamental needs with respect for all they do.  

Danny Meyer on reviving the restaurant industry – CBS Sunday Morning

Mike Rowe Testimony – CongessmanGT – Found this one sad and humorous that he called our US Politicians about asking him to come back but nothing changes.

Mike Rowe Works Foundation

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe on Facebook

The Real Mike Rowe – Facebook

Thank you, for reading.  Reminder you are welcome to comment, but at this time my anxiety and depression make it extremely difficult to read the comments.  

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles came from reading the information below. The material is about whether regular water versus seltzer is equally hydrating.  Is Seltzer Water Just As Hydrating As Regular Water?  Everything you need to know about your favorite fizzy drink. Written for Food Network by Emily Shiffer.  I found this a funny but frustrating article because I had to apologize to my daughter. I am continually asking her to drink more water because she was drinking a lot of seltzer. After all, I thought regular water is better than seltzer.  

Coming to find out from this article is that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found there is no difference in hydration between the two types of water. In our home, that is great because seltzer is what both my husband and daughter drink in abundance. It has always been a point of worry for me that they were not getting enough water. Knowing there is no difference is terrific since I finally broke down and invested in a Soda Stream System last month. For those interested after Emily’s article is a link and my observations on the Soda Stream.

Another humorous component is that no one has a clear cut idea of how much water we are supposed to drink. The article did mention The Institute of Medicine’s recommended amounts had men at 13 cups and women at 9 cups. One of the reasons for no precise numbers agreed on is what an individual does in a day, and body weight impacts the amount of water a body needs.  

So my chuckle for the day was that I had to apologize to my eighteen-year-old daughter. That drinking the seltzer is okay in place of water. Of course, given her current attitude, I have probably made a mistake that will haunt me until God calls me home to heaven. Live and learn when you are a mom with a teenager that sees all and knows all. I am unsure how that happens since they are only a quarter of the way through life? Will pursue mind-bending thought at another time.  

Enjoy this interesting short article about the benefits and the debunking of perceived information about seltzer water.

Is Seltzer Water Just As Hydrating As Regular Water? by Emily Shiffer

SodaStream Main Site, Our family, has had the Soda Stream since 6/18/2020 and uses it at least eight to ten times a day. I have not changed the CO2 canister yet, did order one as a backup. There are a variety of ways to exchange cartridges. I have not decided if I am going through Bed Bath and Beyond because I am a member and get a discount or use the SodaStream or Amazon auto exchange.  Undecided at this time.

One of the reasons for purchasing and investing in a SodaStream, we go through two sometimes three cases of twelve cans weekly. In this day in age, with shortages and unstable shipping internationally. I thought it might be useful to find an alternative for my family’s seltzer water drinking before it became a family crisis. Also, maybe reduce a little of our contribution to the landfills.

The one we bought Aqua Fizz Premium purchased through Amazon.  Only because, at the time of purchase, they had a better price. The reason for purchasing the most expensive style was I like the glass bottle. Additionally, my thought was they would have a higher chance of not exploding while filling. (Note: have not run across any articles saying that just my anxiety taking me on a trip.)  The dispenser fully encloses the container if there is an actual problem. The company suggests that one should refrigerate the water before carbonating.  Which is a benefit with the glass because the water is colder and the glasses bottles are pretty. We did buy two extra bottles, which are probably not needed for most people, but I have two heavy seltzer water drinkers.

We do not purchase the syrups; they drink it plain, make syrup, or buy a cheap syrup. My daughter enjoyed a peach syrup we had initially bought for putting on ice cream or pancakes. Another reasonable syrup idea is a Koolaid packet stirred into a sugar syrup. Sugar syrup is 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar heat till sugar dissolved, turn off the heat empty Koolaid (any brand is excellent) into water sugar mix and stir till fully dissolved. Needs to be cooled then put in a jar use as desired cannot tell you how long this lasts because we end up remaking a new flavor within five to six days. Fruit juice is another excellent alternative for flavoring, have found my daughter drinks more fruit juice with the seltzer then before.

So I have to confess I did lie about not using the SodaStream I have a couple of times used to make myself a wine spritzer. For me, a wine spritzer is just one to two ounces of wine, and six to eight ounces of seltzer water add ice and fresh fruit. There you have a light, refreshing mom drink. Do not do this often because I try not to keep the wine in the house due to family history and personal battles when super stressed. But I hate to waste stuff, so when a recipe calls for wine, I purchased the smallest bottle I can find. Then try to finish it by making a spritzer each night till wine is gone.

Aqua Fizz Premium

As you can see, it has been an exciting day in the family home. May the information about the SodaStream help someone. It took me about a year to decide to buy and wish I had made the decision earlier would have in the long haul saved a lot of money. I figure the initial investment will pay off in three to four months. Before the machine, I was spending ten to twenty dollars a week on seltzer cans.

Just a reminder terrible at reading comments due to anxiety. Do feel people have a right to express their views and ideas though so the comments section is open.

Side note our family has no connection to SodaStream, Amazon, or Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Just companies we have purchased from. Figured I would offer my personal opinions, observations, and reasons.

Have a great day.

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Several days ago, Channel 5 in my home area ran a fun article. Got such a chuckle, which then moved to why didn’t I think of that? Surprise, there is not a franchise chain of these, takes recycling to a whole new level. Recycling could use or sell the products they cannot recycle to these places.

Enjoyed a new idea? Maybe some of these all over the world is one now in the Mogadore, OH area. 

You bought it; you break it at Rage Room Ohio – News 5 Cleveland

Of course, this got my mental health side thinking. What if this would be a partial therapy option for those who have difficulty controlling their rage or had an outlet to vent before it got too much for them to control in most situations? Just a thought to think about to all those highly educated professionals to research? Could this be something that would allow an individual that is prone to rage work through it easier? Have them use a room like this than after or during a session. Have a professional talk with the individual about what they imagine during smashing/venting. Help them work through what the triggers are and optional thoughts to consider, so not get to that rage point faster.

Have a great day, everyone. I hope everyone is well during this time of change for everyone.  

Now I am off to collect all my breakable I don’t want in the garage to use later for my rage. LOL. Since the police in my neighborhood would probably be called. I guess I will stay police visit free and just set up an appointment in Mogadore.

Unsure What to Title

For many years I have been creative, but when as a young person starting my parents fell apart as I was going into my early twenties. In them falling apart, I did not have the support to power through my anxiety and depression and put myself out there with my creativity. I always found excuses, and when I did do something, I was too critical. For the last five years, I have waffled back and forth on drawing and putting them on the web. Again internal monologue of being a failure at everything you do not have any talent kept repeating.

That failure repeat monologue I am striving to stop. I have taken some of my sketches and phrases and created a Teespring account and a Facebook page, which is a chuckle because this is the absolute worst time to start a storefront. I wouldn’t be me if I did not decide to do something with a challenge to my depression and anxiety. 

Random Observations Teespring

The hope is to upload on a daily or bi-daily with my ideas, in the beginning, then as creativity strikes. Do know my anxiety and depression are taking a hit. I have not posted this as publicly select friends on Facebook and this website. But really, my goal is to prove I can be creative again, and I can push through obstacles that may take me time. With time comes success.

Unsure where this will go, but it is an outlet for my creativity that I have not allowed to show for awhile. Should it make money great, I will pay off my mortgage faster. Indeed it is a creative outlet that I had let my anxiety and depression put a stop to, and I finally said enough.

I am still working on my web design, so bear with me as I figure all this out. Thank you to those that take the time to read.  

Random Observation from a Hourly Employee

I just found this, It was written back in 2016, but I do find it still appropriate even now in 2020.

I am coming from the thoughts of an hourly employee of the American Corporate Machine. I have been working for twenty plus years in the retail foodservice industry and have noticed a decrease in how many employees there are to customers. Additionally, prices for consumers are increasing. This decrease and increase I perceive began as our hourly wage (example Ohio starting wage 2007 $5.25 – 2015 $8.25). The personal concern is that with many states striving to force companies to pay a minimum of $15.00 over the next 2 to 4 years. Can the consumer and the corporate structure truly support the increase? If the minimum increases, so do all of the other wages above minimum increase, or they are supposed. Yes, having an increase in salary is excellent visually. Genuinely am I gaining anything by my state, forcing my employer to increase my pay when I can no longer quickly gain full-time work in the industry I have always worked. The food or entertainment I enjoy increases to cover the cost of the employee providing the service I am using. Additionally, the amount of team members I have to work with on a shift decreases to support the increase in money the company I work for is paying out.

Other aspects of company cost that tend to build up are couponing, double couponing, fuel perks, courtesy card discounts, or points. All of these ‘freebies’ are not free. The money to cover these ‘freebies’ has to be covered by the company. With all these accumulating costs over the next five years, where will the hourly employee be part-time or full time or unemployed due to the corporate structure consolidating as seen with Kohl’s, Walmart, and other big companies in 2016? For those that comment on forms of Social Media that customer service does not exist. Here are some thoughts the employees have to work with fewer co-workers to do the same work they did in previous years. When a company had six staff on the floor to provide “excellent” customer service, are only scheduled for one or two employees. Many are part-time and cannot obtain full-time hours that their family budget needs.
For those consumers out there frustrated and impatient with long lines; from personal experience get used to it. In many locations in the retail and foodservice industry, those lines will only increase as the demand for higher minimum wages. This increase means the leadership of corporate structure will need to reduce cost, and that will be at the register, counter, or production method. The improvements are sadly in my perception a done deal, but as consumers strive to keep in mind that the people that are waiting on you are people too and that having to interact with rude and impatient people day in and day out become tiring. To put it in a word picture, the ‘family’ member that everyone avoids do you want to interact with that individual daily. Think of this when you are impatient or rude with an employee at your favorite shopping location. That employee has to deal with short-tempered, angry people hour upon hour; there is no walking away when you are at a counter, table, or register. Rudeness toward a consumer, you should not be tolerated, but are you interacting with the worker with respect as well. Respect is a two-way street; strive to see the perspective of the other person.

Prayerfully this finds everyone trying to stay the positive side of comfortable emotionally. As mentioned in the beginning, I just found this old post that never got uploaded. Figured will still be relevant as the state and companies begin to re-open in this time of COVID-19 chaos.