So, today I'm at the main branch............

...........downtown, still thinking about buying some 4X4's for posts for the clothesline I want to put up, when it suddenly dawned on me that we have literally PILES of 4X4's used for dunnage from trucks bringing in product. Instead of throwing it away, it gets dumped into a pile. Well, the pile had grown considerably, a sign of the times perhaps, there was FAR more in that pile than anyone needed.
It didn't take long to find 3 - good - 4X4's long enough and straight enough to fulfill my need.
I was glad that was free, cause' the hardware and nails and such to put the thing together was over $30. I guesstimate less than 2 weeks after I get that setup - up - to pay for itself.

Today was a non-productive day. No deliveries and I didn't see a single counter sale from our branch. Maybe there was one - I wasn't there for it if it occured. I have braced myself for whatever is to come - and it is undoubtedly true that there will be more coming. Sure, we all took a 5 hour per week cut, I have serious doubts that's the end of it. I'm - unfortunately - fairly certain that there will be another round of layoffs sooner or later. What I'm more "fearing" is if our store would to be shut down - would they keep me and transfer me downtown, or just hand me a pink slip? I can't dwell on it - whatever happens, happens and it's almost totally out-of-my control. The only thing I can do is make myself as valuable to the company as I possibly can. Whatever happens beyond that? I put it in God's hands.

As for my home? Lol. I mean, I dealt with the loss of OT and hoped that I wouldn't have to deal with anything else. Now - how do I deal with this? I simply haven't got any answers yet. I could certainly take on a part time job - if one were available. You know this is what is consuming my thoughts right now - and probably will be until I get something definitive going. You can't sit back and give a sigh of relief when ---- relief hasn't shown up yet. I did have an interesting email exchange with the general manager, starting yesterday and carrying on into today. He wrote a pretty good message to everyone about the 5-hour reduction and then did his best to explain why it's happening. Included was a statement that he would wager that people would rather lose hours than lose their jobs altogether.

I wrote him back and totally concurred and thanked him. I would FAR rather have "only" 7 hours per day right now than...........NOTHING........and plainly stated so, including that there are no jobs out there, if there are, there are 1,000 people applying for one position and a few other things. I was a bit astounded when he wrote back and said I was the only one that had said anything to him about being appreciative for his efforts in helping us all keep our jobs, and was wondering if his point had been made that he is trying to HELP everyone, versus just laying off more people.

You have 2 options in most things in life: The glass is half full or the glass is half empty "theorem". Positive outlook or negative. It's up to each individual. I take an extremely negative view on some things - and most of it has to deal with customer service (bad) received from whatever business or corporation. But I almost always don't just bitch about it, I do something about it. I would say at least 85% of the time my efforts end up getting something back for the effort. Sometimes I get stuff totally unexpectedly. Regardless, when it comes to employment, I always try to take a positive approach. So, people can bitch, moan and complain about the loss of hours, or, they can be thankful they still have hours to be had, it's just that simple. I'll take the latter and have voiced that stance already numerous times within the company. The loss of hours is certainly not the greatest thing in the world, but it FAR exceeds what I would be getting in an umployment line.

So, I have decided to look for a part-time job. I know, it's an uphill battle, but I have to try. I have all weekends and hours available from 3:30 pm on into the night. The time is available, might as well give a shot. I'm thinking of looking into finding a cashiering job, since I have some experience in the past with that (albeit far in the past) and I am responsible for the cash drawer at work, reconciling both cash and credit transactions. I do believe I excel at customer service, anyway - I give my best face and effort and I can take people getting ugly and nasty with me - it happens frequently in the construction business. Customer service is certainly a factor in the making or breaking of a lot of companies right now, I would have to imagine. A person taking their business elsewhere means a LOT more nowadays than it might have just a few years ago.

Ummm, well enough. I am going to wait for the sun to dip in the sky a little and then go out there and look at where I want to place the clothesline setup and dig the holes for the beams.

Hope you all had a great day!
ben

Random Thoughts

It occured to me that there is no absolute necessity for metal poles to build my own posts for a T setup for hanging laundry.
Wood will do just as nicely, I will be able to do the project myself and it will cost less than the pre-made setups found at any of the stores.

Everything I saw either on-line or at the stores were nothing but junk. The stuff would last - not very long especially with heavy usage - and then I would just be out that money. No, a couple of posts, 2 top pieces, cut them to size, drill holes, put in eyelets. Concreted into the ground. Good to go. Get it down in 2 days - 1 day to set the posts in the concrete and the next day to pull the lines tight.

Solace in the fact I am not the only one facing severe economic times. Not that I wish that on anyone, but at this point, I'm on the same boat as everyone else - that boat must be HUGE to accomodate that many people.

I've run a budget 10 times at least. Float? Maybe. Depends on monthly expenses that I have some control over - mostly electric and water. Time will tell - also really don't know how much my checks will be. I added an exemption to reduce my taxes, so - it will be 3 weeks before I find that out, I am getting paid tomorrow at the "full" rate.

Work - very slow right now, VERY slow.

Hope you all are having a great day.
Prayers are with those that need them.
ben

Tuesday

So, I go to the main branch today. I'm talking with a co-worker who got a double-whammy yesterday. Not only did he lose the same 5 hours a week I am losing, his wife was layed off from her job yesterday as well. I wonder how many thousands or even millions of times that scenario has been played out in this nation?

I still have no answers to my dilemna, but after handing out notices yesterday, I noticed that the power consumption has quelled dramatically. Shoulda done that before.

I spoke with both my mom and my dad about this - they have told me they want to know. Mother called back after I had discussed the situation with her and offered to take the 2 "smaller" dogs if it comes to that. In other words, she would take care of them, feed them, all that until - whenever something dramatically good happens that I could get on my feet. She would not take the Danes - citing the fact that she simply couldn't handle them. I don't disagree, those dogs have to have a very dominant person to keep them in check. They are good dogs, but they will push - see how far they can go with anything.

My dad has offered some money he's receiving for whatever it was. I guess I don't really feel good about taking so much of his money, and I don't want to become a burden to him, so I wrote back and thanked him for the offer - but - as I said, I don't want to become burdensome. He's experience numerous health issues - nothing major but enough to keep him busy with doctors and such.

I'm just working on cutting costs around here - and the main one is electricity. Number 2 behind it is water. The water situation could be reduced significantly if I could get enough bills put together to install a drip watering system for all of those plants. Okay, it isn't THAT bad on the water bill, but I know I could reduce it probably a good $30 per month. Drip systems are much more effective for the plants, anyway.

I have beem looking for T posts for laundry - can't find them. Take it back, found some on Target's website - something like $25 a piece. I don't wonder if I could find someone to just make them for me. Metal post, a cross section on the top. Weld it together - times 2 (need 2 posts, obviously), put some rungs on them to hold the line, done. I don't know if I could get that for the same price as what they want online - but it would definitely be a much more solid setup and would last a LOT longer.

There's more, but there are a lot of things I need to get done or started on around here today, the sun ain't gonna stay up any longer than it has to just for me, so I'm gonna get to it.
ben