Week's End

I don't know why they call it the "week-end" when there's so much to do during it.

The hanging chessboard is on its way to the hall to be set up, with the glue still drying on some pieces. I have my doubts as to how this will work out, but at least the show is indoors. Away from high winds (or gentle breezes), we have a chance of it lasting through the show. As long as none of the kids gets rambunctious or bored and starts messing with the pieces by sticking them and pulling them off, over and over, we should be good. I'm going to suggest my husband take a stapler with him to the show tomorrow. We have a red stapler, of course. He better bring it back or I'll be burning something down.

I tried to take some pics but as my husband was trying to get the whole thing out the door he waved me off and said he'd take some at the show tomorrow. I may have the wreck of the project to show you instead of the start, but at least it will be amusing.

I feel like I should have got more done today but the chessboard turned out to be labor-intensive and not much else was happening around here. I did get out and enjoy the sunny day while I drove to the big-box craft store after a glue refill and some craft sticks (popsicle sticks, but I guess popsicle is a brand name and they can't use that on the packaging). A really cool worker there saw me wandering around lost and asked if he could help, then proceeded to find my glue and sticks for me AND got me a basket. I really appreciate that, especially since I've been to that store multiple times before and never had that happen to me.

I used to work part-time at that same chain store when I lived in Michigan. While not a lasting career choice, I didn't mind the work and I could easily see taking it on as a second job for some extra money again. The job doesn't offer enough money for anyone to live on, sadly, so it's usually students working there or those who want or need another job. It's no wonder to me that sometimes the people working there are less than helpful, or distracted, or too busy working to help a lost customer. When you're not making a living wage and worried about paying for the roof over your head, it's hard to be friendly to those who seem to have extra cash to spend just on crafts. Yes, it's part of the job to be friendly and helpful. It's how you get customers to come back and pay your paycheck, after all. But in many cases the work needing to be done over-matches the compensation for that work so that eventually people burn out or find something better. I saw that happen when I worked in Michigan too.

Stocking items, cleaning, and ringing people up on the cash register are the easy parts. It's working with the customers that can get difficult. I have seen some customers be breathtakingly rude and mean to someone just trying to help them find what they were looking for. It's that aspect of the job that should be well-compensated. Yet because it isn't, regular people think they can come in the store and unload all their day's baggage on the unsuspecting sales clerk. Yes, that person probably makes a lot less money than the customers coming in. It doesn't make them less intelligent, or less deserving of respect.

I once saw an article in the newspaper (Yes I'm an old-timer, I'll still read a newspaper, wow), around the holidays, asking for people to remember the spirit of the season and be kind to the over-worked cashiers. It was the only article of its kind I had ever seen. I should have cut it out and laminated it. I've been there, behind that cash-register. I had a smile for everyone, even if they shocked me by snarling something rude. I would even work that job again, even with such people. In spite of such people. There was a lot of interesting stuff going on.

Remember, people in retail don't get "week-ends". Saturdays and Sundays are their best and busiest days, and they had better be on their toes. If you have a job that gives you Saturdays and Sundays to goof off and relax and do whatever you want to do, cherish it. And smile at the cashier when you're out shopping. You'll make their day.