Where oh where has the insane blogger gone?
Oh Where? Oh where can she be?
I would love to report my recent absence has been due to the fact that I had been institutionalized but no, I have simply been losing my mind of my own accord. Yes, I have been busier than a store on Black Friday!
Let me catch you up to speed. I took a part-time job at a local drug store, Olivia has gymnastics 16 hours per week, I babysit a little girl three days a week and then there's my crazy life. I know this doesn't sound like much but I assure you, it is more of an undertaking than one might think.
My part-time work schedule consists of varied hours, therefore, I do not know what I am working week to week. This makes it nearly impossible to prepare for the next week until it's almost too late. I have a love-hate relationship with my job. What I love about my job is being back out in the world, around other adults, nice and funny customers, a paycheck and 90% of my co-workers. But of course, there are things I hate about it; working, stupid customers, working, asshole customers, working and not being able to do what I want when I want. I have had several of my friends tell me my part-time job needs to be more part-time!
Let's talk about customers, shall we? As you know, I have a lot to say about the parents of competitive athletes. I have discovered over my past three months of outside employment is there is a lot to be said about customers. For instance, it has been said in the retail world, "The customer is always right!". I am gonna throw out the bullshit card on this one.
While I am all about being kind, courteous and helpful to a customer. Just because you are paying for something doesn't mean you are always right. The following are some examples: Trying to use a coupon that is clearly expired - not right! Accusing an employee of jacking up your pictures - just admit it, you are a crappy photographer! Yelling at us because you have no patience when you are second in line, really? My favorite thus far is the tourist (No, we do not live in a tourist area but apparently people visit family from another country). Four people came up to the counter to make a $32.00 purchase. They paid with a one hundred dollar bill, this in itself is not a huge deal. Rather than try to make change from my cash drawer (which by the way, does not contain even close to change for a hundred dollar bill), I call my supervisor to give me five twenties. I take three of the twenty dollar bills and hand them back to the "out of country" customer and proceed to use the other two as payment for their purchase. It quickly became apparent to me the customer was confused and for some unknown reason, was stacking all kinds of change on the counter. What the? I attempt to hand back the eight dollars in cash and was quickly told by the one English speaking person, that was not correct. Ummm......really? Not only am I proficient at making and counting back change, I can do it without the register screen that confirms I am correct. I know, I know, I'm talented! This is not a trait you find in today's youth. At this point, I have to explain the basics of making change and kindly tell these non-English speaking customers they are wrong. After the five minute lesson in American currency, they bring up the mound of change they have placed upon the counter. They want it converted to cash dollars. REALLY? Okay, I give them the cash for their change and finally they exit the store. I don't clearly understand why the pharmacy isn't authorized to pass out Xanax after a rough customer.
Chauffeur, my other part-time job. Olivia's gymnastics schedule is very time consuming and has ruined any thought I had of sleeping in during the summer, not only for me but for her as well. We are at the gym from 8:30am till 12:45pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Saturday we get an extra 30 minutes of sleep because we don't have to be there until 9:00am. WOOHOO!!! This schedule, in addition to my paid position at the drug store does not leave much time for any kind of adult fun (IE: Mom's Night Out). Wait! That should have read, "does not leave ANY time!". Since we live 30 minutes from the gym, this activity consumes around twenty-two hours of every week. Now add in around sixteen to twenty hours of outside employment and you got yourself a full-time job. Mind you, this is just one child's schedule!
Dance is a school calender activity and other than summer dance camp, which lasted one month of Mondays, we have had the summer off. However, you might be aware the new school year is about to begin and thus begins my life as a full-time chauffeur. You can imagine my excitement when Olivia's coach announced this fall the girls will continue with the sixteen hour a week training schedule. One good thing is one of the girls' that lives here in town has been moved into Olivia's class and for the past couple weeks we have been carpooling! I will list what my schedule will resemble below.
Sunday - More than likely work at least six hours
Monday - Kids off to school, work 9am to 2pm, Pick Olivia and Alivia up at school, drive to gymnastics, drive back home to get Abigail and Sarah to dance class.
Tuesday - Kids off to school - possible dance class and/or assisting for Sarah and Abigail.
Wednesday - Kids off to school, hopefully no work, pick Olivia, Sarah and Alivia up at school, drive to gymnastics. Wait for Sarah's gymnastics class to be over and drive back home.
Thursday - Kids off to school, work at some point
Friday - Kids off to school, pick up Olivia and Alivia at school, drive to gymnastics, drive back home.
Saturday - drive to gymnastics and be there by 8:00am, drive home...work Saturday evenings.
Now, mind you this is a rough schedule. Abigail might be helping at the dance studio two or three nights a week in addition to her own classes. The schedule also does not cover any school activities or household obligations such as cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc. I am completely and totally exhausted just thinking about what the next few weeks will bring. This begs the question, how do full-time working Moms do it? Truth be told, I could be a mean Mom and put the kabosh on every one's extra curricular activities. However, I love that my girls have found activities they love and are good at!
If you have been missing me and my blog, you know understand why I have been M.I.A. as of late. I have been trying to figure out how to blog from my smart phone but apparently you have to have a smart user as well!
Sincerely,
The Queen of Hyper Insanity
