The month of August needs a holiday.

I think for the first time I am going to cover everything that I put in the title in a single post.  For clarification the stories you are about to read (or just quickly scroll through, but you stopped here you might as well read and get a good laugh) all occured in a 4-hour period as my last night at the Wal-Mart on Old Fort Pkwy in Murfreesboro, TN.

I'm going to attempt to keep these in chronological order so here we go...

I clocked in at 7pm on 6/23/06 and found out that my other closing CSM was going to cover the Layaway lunch and then take his (i.e. 2 hours on the front end by myself which i have really gotten used to).  Within 15 minutes I am running like crazy trying to take care of everything.  The I get called out to the garden center.  While out there one of the wonderful members of management pages me to call him.  Upon doing so, he requests that I send him one of my cartpushers to help unload the truck. My response (remember this is my last night) "I am in the garden center taking care of a situation, I have 5 or 6 cashiers that need something right now, so I will add your request to my list and get around to it in about 15-20 minutes." and then hung-up.  Side note: I never got around to it.

Next, I start getting lines (big shock at wal-mart).  So i page management so that I can get my cashiers who were pulled to work the truck could come back up front, which my request was denied, I was told to get the floor associates to do it.  So at this point, I make the page and so that management hears me pretending to do my job and only used 1 of them that came up.  The lines are not my problem, when the complaint calls come, i won't be there.  Well on top of that I have a cashier who needed to use the restroom which I approved but they didn't understand that to mean shut off your light and go as soon as your line is down (I will come back to this point).

Let's back up, I'm already out of order so let me just throw this tidbit of information out here to cover another point in the title...Willie Nelson came and shopped at this store that night.

About 10 minutes after I requested my cashiers back and was denied, Management calls me and asks if they can have a cashier to run electronics.  I responded, "I have lines, no one to spare, not my problem." and hung-up (are we seeing the pattern when i talk to management yet).

Then I get paged to the service desk where I hear the words that I don't want to hear..."You are going to have fun with this one." Apparently a cart pusher had seen a snake under someone's car in the parking lot and sent a customer in to tell me.  So I go out to the parking lot to assess the situation.  As i'm going to the parking lot I tell the cashier who needed to restroom break to shut off her light and go.  Out in the parking lot, the snake is on the move (very slowly i might add).  Now I don't know anything about snakes, but it was 3-4 ft. long and black.  So I go to my car to see if I had a box that I could put this thing in.  I didn't.  So I go back to where everyone was and asked "where's the snake?"  The response, it just climbed into this car.  So I take down the license plate to page the customer.  Luckily there was a pest control specialist walking through the lot and said he could take care of it if he could get in the car.  So I said I would take care of that. 

I walk back into the store (while outside, I kept getting change requests that I was ignoring because despite the wal-mart belief, I can't be everywhere at the same time). I get a page from management.  apparently my cashier who didn't get the hint that she could go to bathroom was complaining to customers who in turn called and complained to management saying i wouldn't give someone a bathroom break (because apparently 2 15-minute breaks and an hour lunch are not enough time to go to the bathroom).  I told him that if they don't understand what approved means, not my problem and i have bigger situations to deal with such as a snake in a customer's car.  He questions me on this and says I am over-worked, stressed and probably hallucinating.  My response (and excuse the language) "I watched the damn thing go in myself, not i have to page this person" and hung-up.  Made the page and the phone started ringing, i told the cashier to answer it for me and i started on change requests.  after delivering one of them, the cashier stops me and says the phone is for me.  Yet another member of management telling me that he is coming up there for the snake situation and sending someone else to help me (i was shocked).  So he meets the lady with the snake in her car and the other manager asks what i needed him to do, i told him to go to every register and ask people what they needed in the past 20 minutes.  The snake got killed, the lady was happy. (Quick side note...all this above was in the first 2 hours of being there).

Final story is not as good, but I spent about 30-minutes trying to get a credit card approved by a bank because she had requested a new card due to marriage, but they hadn't sent it, but put a flag on her old card.  Finally got that taken care of.

Needless to say, i am a lot happier at Charlotte Pike, and plus I can be more open about my relationship with Lacey since we don't work at the same store anymore.  Sorry for the long post, but I hope that you had a good laugh.

So, here I am again on a lunch break with nothing to do....i'm beginning to think I either don't eat enough or I eat too fast or maybe it's a combination of both.  So I'm trying to figure out what I want to rant about today, but everything seems to be going well right now...so let's give something a try.

Have you ever been so bored that you actually got tired of being bored, because being bored is very boring, but you don't want to break this endless cycle because work is boring as well....

No that is a very poor attempt to strike up a conversation with myself, so i'm going to try something different

I realiezed that i make neverous mistakes when typing so i m going to try this without using th ebackspae key . i hope thtat most of it make s sense.  this s kind of interesting. this goes to show hwo our society ha s developed adn conditioned us... we are alrays tryign to cover up our mistakes witht he literaly and figurative backspae key...sometimews we just hve to an....sometimes we just have to own up t o our mistakes.

This brings me to a second rant....why do we teach our children now that everyone is a winner.  From the child who wins the race to the one who takes 3x as long to run the race and loses.  Yes, I understand that we need to build up our children and make them feel special, but why give a trophy if you don't deserve it. this just goes to show that if you half-ass or not even do anything you are still in the same category as the person who strived to achieve the goal and did.  We no longer differentiate between winning and losing.  We would rather call the game at a tie so that no one has their feelings hurt.  I hate to inform people but the world is not that way...some people will be left behind, life is not fair.  Agree or disagree...your opinion is your own.  Sorry for the long post...maybe i'll dive into this again later.

- Daniel

Well, I can finally say it...good-bye to the Old Fort Wal-Mart...This comes as a result of numerous reasons...

Reason 1: I'm moving to West Nashville July 28 and want my transfer to be as seamless as possible and it is hard to move and start in a new place at the same time.

Reason B: Read the previous post

Reason III: In the last 2 posts I spoke of some huge news, so because this event has finally taken place, I can reveal it (and confirm everyone's suspecisions if you've already figured out...i.e. seen my Facebook). I have to leave because as an hourly manager it is against policy to date someone you have direct/indirect supervision of (can you tell who read the policy looking for loopholes), and for 3 weeks now I have been dating one of the cashiers there...her name is Lacey (see the "I'm having a baby post")...After years of searching I finally found someone and all it took was a 5.5 hour trip to steak n shake.

Thus this is part 1 of a 2 part farewell post.  Next month I shall be saying farewell to Murfreesboro...the place I called home for the past 4 years. So many memories (good and bad) and so many friends that I have already lost touch with...maybe I can throw a small social gathering at the new place after I get settled.  I'm moving on to no roommate (unless you count my cat) and being my sole provider.  No more money from Mom and Dad (which was never much because I never asked) and some huge debts to pay off (i.e. the $3600 bedroom funiture).  Anyone who wants/needs the new address can hit me up for it and be watching as the cell phone should be changing from 678 to 615 in the next 2 months (basically whenever I feel like it).  In leaving this wal-mart i will admit that i have created some bonds and will miss people but i will always be back (my girlfriend works there).  until next time

-Daniel

Well, I finally did it, or I should say that they finally did it.  Quick background...Wal-mart management thought it would be nice to give someone saturday night off for a bad reason (don't care to say what it is, but it was stupid) thus leaving me as the only CSM for about 6 hours...not happy...so Sunday, still a little upset about this situation I decided that I would talk to management about this...of course, they told me that it was an insult to them for me to come to them with this complaint and saying that i felt under appreciated. (sorry about having feelings wal-mart).  And to be told that given the chance they would do it again and leave me by myself because I could handle it.  So, since the other guy came in on Sunday to make up his hours and I felt as though they could not properly resolve the situation, I look at my manager who is the one responsible for screwing me over, and told him that i was taking 7 hours of personal time and walked out and that I wanted my transfer asap or else i was just going to up and quit that regardless of what happens i wanted out of their store.  About 30 minutes after I left I realized what I did and actually felt good about it.  So, now I am debating if I even want to show up on Friday.

Quick side note...I said in my last entry that if things go the way they are, I could shed some light on a current situation.  Well things are changing so it might be sooner....big news to come.

I thought that might grab somebody's attention...honestly there is no baby and as of right now it would be impossible.  I'm just sitting here at work doing everything but work.  I don't know if there is anything to post or anything that I want to post...well there is something that I want to post but I can't because I really don't know who all reads this and if certain information gets to certain people then certain bad things can happen.  Just living life one day at a time, enjoying the 7 day a week work weeks (got to love having 2 jobs) and still manage to find time to hang out with a couple of friends.  Sleep is now considered a luxury. If you can get some do it (sleep that is).  I've learned that life is a roller coaster but one that is in the dark, similar to the Outer Limits at Kings Island in Cincinnati (if it is still there, it's been a long time since i visited). You know that something is in front of you but you don't know what.  The move is approaching and I'm starting to reconsider but I've already put all the money down and ended my current lease.  Maybe everything will work out...now I wonder, can I possibly be any more vague...If things go the way they are, I should be able to shed some light on this whole situation at the end of July.  Well, i'm off to pretend to do some more work.

So...not much has happened since I last posted something...well maybe there is something.  Went and saw An American Haunting last night but Lacey (the girl I went with) got mad at me for laughing too much (I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was mostly laughing at her).  I met Lacey a few weeks or months ago at work (Wal-Mart that is) and Sunday night I stayed out with her until 5:30 am at Steak n Shake and only left because I had to be work in Nashville at 7.  We spent most of the day together. I would say we had fun.  I think she is the only person I can talk to for 5.5 hours and then call and talk to for another hour while driving home...Maybe more to come later, but time to get back to work

Life is a series of events...each decision leads to a new path. Sometimes it is one that we have been down before, other times it takes us somewhere new.  At times we make the decisions that we do to run and hide from the past that haunts us.  The theory becomes "if I can find somewhere no one knows me or knows what I have done then I can start over and no one will know the truth."  Unfortunately, everytime we try this, the past we refuse to confront reemerges at an unsuspected time.  The pain, hurt and regrets flood into our lives and prevent us from going where we hoped we could.  It is at that point that we try to reconcile the past only to realize that we reach those points that nothing can be done...I'm in the process of closing this chapter of my life and begin writing a new one.

In July, I will be leaving Murfreesboro and the Old Fort Wal-Mart to start again in West Nashville and the Charlotte Pike store...maybe things will change...maybe somethings will stay the same.  There are things about myself that I hope to change in the move and maybe I won't feel the need to do some of the things I do...

So I started my new job at SMS Holdings today...it was ok, a lot of information to be thrown at someone for their first day, but I should have it all figured out before the week is out. As for the road trip, i thought that i would try and avoid traffic, but i left my directions lying on the desk at home, but i thought that I could remember them but I was wrong...way wrong. Next thing that I knew I was about 24 miles from Kentucky. But the good news is that I beat Nashville traffic.

Shawn Alexander Arnett was born at 6:11 pm Monday, April 10, 2006 to my brother and sister-in-law.  He is 7 lbs 13 oz and 20.5 inches.  Luckily he looks more like his mother.  Mom and baby are doing great...only 15 hours of labor. More photos should be uploaded soon.

There I stood in front of an audience of 4.  Never met these people in my life.  I must give them a 20 minute presentation on any topic of my choice and what do I choose...The Life Lessons of Dr. Seuss.

Quick Outline:

- Use your imagination (see "And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo.")
- Try new things ("Green Eggs and Ham")
- Make Mistakes and Learn from them ("The Cat in the Hat" and "The Lorax")
- Accept other people ("The Sneeches")
- Respect the environment ("The Lorax")
- And closed with a quote from "Oh! The Places You Will Go"

Now the question is raised as to why I was giving such a presentation...simple, this was a job interview.  Unfortuntely I did not get the job and will not be moving to Wisconsin. But in other news I have found a job here in Nashville working in Accounting at SMS Holdings (Thanks to my good friend Kelley).  And despite what was said the last post I will also continue working at Wal-mart during weekends (They would not let me quit).  Anyways that is why I suggest that Dr. Seuss failed me because he did not help me land the job.

- Daniel

Today marks a great day...a turning point, the end of a chapter in my life...that's right I am turning in my 2 weeks notice to wal-mart today...i cry tears of joy...new job in 2 weeks...more to come

Well, there is a small piece of news that I have been keeping somewhat a secret for about a month...On March 22nd, I will be going to a job interview...in Madison, WI..Wish me luck.

So it seems that i have gone from posting once a week to twice a month.  Maybe nothing is happening or so much is happening but i'm leaving people in the dark.  The painter Leonardo DaVinci once said to start a great painting the artist must start with a black background because that is what is there until some light is shed on subject.  Most artists will start with a whitewash background and add the shadows later, but this is incorrect.  When one walks into a dark room that they have never been in, they do not know that the table is to the right and a rug is directly in front of them.  All they know is that they are in a room and there may or may not be something in there.  All that is there is the darkness and the shadows, but as soon as l ight is applied, everything becomes visible.  The same holds true when you meet someone new.  the only thing that you can know about them for sure is what they tell you, but you still have to take caution as they could be lying to you, but how could you know?  Just a small rambling post for today.

- Daniel

It's been a while, so the question is where to start...

I've discovered that life is nothing more than a series of problems drawn together.  I quoted a job of an installation to take no more than 5 hours, thus 2 weeks later, it is not good that it is still not done.  But thankfully their store now has sound, but their sub and amp is completely blown.  I take little fault in this even though I was the tech working on it.

Secondly, doing a tv install at a wachovia bank, the company i worked for did not send me all the material needed. In fact i had to put a 27" tv w/ dvd/vcr combo in my car (note: i drive a saturn). Also, did you know that it takes 2 hours to find 3 feet of inch and a half pipe in nashville?

Finally, a quick recap of my "crappy" valentine's day. And with out going into too much detail, i will say that the word choice is for literal meaning since a customer at wal-mart decided they were a little too good for our toilet.

Hence, life is nothing more than a series of problems each with a solution. Live and learn i guess

In light of some recent events, all I can say is why? why bother? why care?

- Daniel

Ok, I have put up with the lack of creativity from the people in Hollywood.  Yes, we can all make sequels, we can take the same crap and revamp it and bring it up to date.  I mean, why should someone bring out something new, when we can just have Die Hard 4.  Now, I am a fan of the Die Hard series, but Bruce Willis is getting kind of old. I can live with most sequels, in fact, some are called for, but allow me to explain my rant.  In 1962, Disney introduced the world to Bambi, and yes, even as a guy I will say that it was a great movie.  But there is no excuse as to why 44 years later to release a sequel.  There was no cliffhanger ending in the first to allow for this.  What ever happened to living happily ever after and moving on.  What's next - Snow White 2: The 8th Drawf? But, on Feb. 7, Disney is releasing straight to DVD, Bambi 2...I hope Walt is turning over in his grave.  I mean, we have already seen classic television shows ruined by motion pictures (anyone remember "The Brady Bunch Movie" and the big screen flop of "Leave it to Beaver?") I hope someone out there shares my point of view and will help bring an end to the desecration of our childhood memories and the childhood memories of our parents.

-Daniel

So, the week is coming to a close.  I am learning that working 2 jobs isn't that bad unless you realized that you don't get off one job until 11pm and you have to leave for the second job at 145 am to get there on time.  But all things considered, I should eventually start seeing some money come in.  Who knows, maybe I can move up in one and get out of the other.  Well, that is all I got for now.

- Daniel

Is is possible to work two jobs and still have time in your life for someone else?

Well, first let me say that I missed my Phusebox and my Tuesday updates, so I guess Friday is now my new day to post.  As I was driving back from Atlanta on Tuesday I decided that I was going to make a few resolutions for the upcoming year.  Well, after I ruled out losing a weight and and joining a gym I came up with the following list:

1) I'm going to live my life as if I have no regrets.  I can't continue to dwell on the past and allow that to dictate my future.  Having just graduated college, I feel as though I now have the opportunity to start life all over with new dreams, goals, and aspirations.  I can't change the past, so time to start anew.

2) I'm going to allow myself to be more open and not afraid to love someone.  Note, there is no one in particular in mind right now.  But I have been living behind a wall because I didn't want my heart to be broken again.  A broken heart mends over time.  I have always tried too hard in a relationship, wanting to give someone everything they wanted until I either burned out or realized that I was being used.  There is someone out there for me, but there is no need to be in rush to find her. 

3) I'm going to take time for myself and relax.  Over the past two weeks, I worked over 100 hours (which meant I had a really nice paycheck - $1100 before taxes). But this included only have 2 days off in a 15 day period and even working crazy hours (i.e. 2pm on 12/23 until 6am on 12/24 and then coming back to work 11a-7p and driving home to Atlanta).  I had so many people telling me to slow down and breathe which I didn't think I had the time to do.  I got to the point that I was only eating 1 meal a day thus leading to some serious weight loss (which I honestly don't have any to lose).  So, I'm going to say no, take my days off and just lay back and life roll on by.

Happy New Year's to everyone and don't do anything too crazy for New Year's Eve.

- Daniel

So, after 3.5 years, i'm graduating college...If anyone is in town, graduation is saturday at 2pm...

So, should I honestly feel guilty about being promoted at work because they didn't post it and other people feel as though they deserved a chance.  But if the decision was already made on who to promote, what does it matter if they go through the formalities? Everyone knew it would happen.  I'm sorry, but the corporate world is survival of the fittest and i have learned that the hard way because i am always walked on at work...in fact i took the promotion with no pay raise. it is only to help out...no one complained when i was moved to the dairy dept without that position being posted...sometimes i think people should just leave well enough alone.  I'm sorry that I have open availablity (i.e. i'm willing to work 24/7) and the person who is upset is only willing to work a maximum of 25 hours a week.  but honestly, is being passed up for a promotion that you don't deserve worth crying about? ok, now i'm ranting so i'm done.

Life is depressing in that you realize that you are about to graduate college and the only job you have lined up is something anyone can do.

The day after thanksgiving, most infamously known as "black friday."  Got to love working in retail at that time of year.  Well, after hours of negotiations with 1 supervisor and 2 managers, my schedule was set.  Maybe I should back up...schedules get posted 3 weeks in advance so that we can all make plans accordingly.  Well, i was scheduled to close the service desk (4p-11p). This is after all the sales and we slow down...no problem there.  Well, management wanted me to work blitz (the huge sale that starts at 5am) and who can blame them, when you can scan 700+ items per hour (company average is 400).  So I agreed to work 5a-2p a lovely 8 hour shift with a friday night off which never happens.  Enter the problem. there is no longer anyone to close the service desk. Now we have had 3 weeks to work this out.  Let's fast forward to the day before thanksgiving.  Supervisor comes to me saying that there was no one to close the service desk (apparently i'm the only one out of 300 employees who can close a service desk) so I said that i would work that shift, but management still wants me to work blitz, so i agree to that. Enter problem 2...overtime. Since i'm crazy and poor I have now agreed to work 5-2 and then 4-11.  Then the day of comes and what do i do?  I clock in at 4:30a and take a total of 1.5 hour lunch breaks and get off at 11p (16hours of work, 10 hours of overtime) needless to say, Daniel is very happy about his paycheck coming on thursday...still recovering though.

I sat here and wrote you a letter,
One that I will never send.
The feelings that we onced shared,
Had to come to a bitter end.

I gave you my heart,
Something that I can never take back.
In the end I'm left with a broken heart and a broken dream

You said that I was the type of guy you always wanted,
But fear of me hurting you pushed you away.
You always knew that I loved you,
But I knew you would never stay

I shared with you my dreams,
Hoping that one day they would come true.
But, in the end I'm only left with a broken heart and broken dreams.

You blamed the night on alcohol,
A simple way to hide from the emotions you felt.
Everything you said was a lie,

I gave you my heart,
And told you my dreams.
In the end, everything laid broken,
Both my heart and my dreams.