06/12/2007: "Stupid Week Gnomes"

Ever notice that when the week's going to go utterly to hell, it generally happens pretty early on? It doesn't start on Wednesday, no. Bad things don't start piling up Thursday morning. Nah, it starts right on the spot of the beginning of the calendar week (Sunday) or work week (Monday). The evil week gnomes have to make sure that you have as much week ahead of you as possible to try to infect.

This does serve as a helpful warning, though: do not make plans. Don't start anything new. The week has been tainted, you see.

Just figured I'd share this pearl of wisdom. It's been quite a week already, and it's only Tuesday. How exciting.

Otherwise, been continuing to work on the website and technical issues for the video project at the English school (if I haven't discussed this video project, just assume this is the same thing I've been working on for the past week or so). I also got to participate in orientation speeches for the new students and explain to them what it's all about, how to submit, and all that such-and-such. There's nothing like being told you're going to be making a speech to a room full of students 2 minutes before you have to do it. Of course, English is not these people's first language, so I think I can attribute most of the confused looks I got through my speech to that fact.

Target's all right (this cut from last Sunday on my left hand aside), though I have to admit that I really don't like customers. At all. As a backroom stock-boy, my job's not supposed to involve customers what-so-ever. I kinda liked that aspect of it. But since they insist on sending me out onto the salesfloor, I see these people anyway. Now, granted, customers are supposed to feel free to ask any question and they should get a prompt and informative reply. Here's where the idea of a 'stupid question' comes in. Does it hurt to look for something before tracking down the first red-shirted person to ask? I've had no less than four people ask me where the greeting cards are. Note that to find me at the place where I seem to keep getting this question, you had to walk past the greeting cards. The ones that are facing the aisle. The same ones that are in a logical place (right in front of stationary/business supplies). Oh, and did I mention that there's a 6-foot sign hanging from the roof that says "Greeting cards" right above it? In English AND Spanish? It'd be great if I was joking that this was asked on 4+ occasions, but sadly, I'm not.

There's also the conflicting belief in many customers that I both know absolutely everything about Target (when they're seeking information) and know absolutely nothing (if they don't like the information I've given them). I should be able to tell you not only where any item in the store is by you describing it (what, exactly, is a "motorized brush thing, like for dishes in a sink but for other purposes too, maybe automotive or in a shop"?), but about how much it should be, and even the features. Now, it IS true that if given "the numbers" or a barcode to scan, I can tell you where any item is in the store or in the backroom (even the price), but I cannot do this just by you waving your hands and saying "this table, it's white and has a glass top". When I say that we don't have an item in the back room, or that it's something we don't carry at all, suddenly people are skeptical of my all-knowing abilities. That computer-gun thing I'm holding is clearly lying. For some reason, it makes customers happier to have an employee run around the entire backroom and wait 15 minutes with the exact same results than to just get the answer up front from a small computer.

Gar.

It's not really a bad job.. it's just the customers (which keep the company afloat.. darn!).

Anyway, I'm going to go off and.. dunno. Probably watch a movie or something. Target tomorrow.. joy. Let's hope the week gnomes back off a bit.


Jason