October 21, 2009

• there’s always work for the wicked

  Yesterday I gave “partial” notice at work. Today I signed up for Nanowrimo.

  Yesterday, my first day back from vacation, I told my boss I could no longer do my job as supervisor… that I could not handle the sales aspect of the job any longer. I told her the stress was simply too much, especially with the seasonal train wreck that is the holiday season on its way to put a whole new layer of stress on the mess that is my job. And having been in a car accident last year due to the insanity of the holiday mall traffic, I do not want to go anywhere near the mall as we head into December. The traffic around the malls is already sticky and it’s only mid-October.

  Then, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I offered to continue to do my job, part time. Essentially, I offered to come in only in the early morning before the store opened, working up until the store opened and no more than that and allowing me to leave work in a direction which is not traffic heavy at that time of the AM. This was my ultimatum, that I do this or in two weeks’ time leave entirely. My boss seemed eager to accept the deal. This would save her payroll and effort (she’d have to do my job otherwise), and it’s no secret that I am at the end of my rope in so far as dealing with the public and the corporate BS is concerned. However, she has to get the okay from her bosses and therein lies the possibility that at the end of two weeks I will no longer be working at Borders.

  To which I say… Oh Well.

  To be honest, while it would make my life easier and allow me to go longer without finding a “real job” to replace this one if/when I lose it, I would be just as happy to leave Borders and never darken its doors again. To the extent that I am disillusioned with all large corporate stores, I question whether I would even sell anything I wrote in a Borders or Barnes and Noble. But that would just be cutting my own throat. I’d probably sell my books there; I just would never do a signing in one.

  This move is for the most part to deal with the inexorable stress that’s been plaguing me since Borders decided to restructure its sales plan and lay a whole heap of extra duties on the plates of its employees, while at the same time robbing us of various benefits including the possibility of raises this year and any matching on our 401Ks. This is not just my perception of things… like many stores we have CSI coupons which are randomly distributed to our customers. One of our customers specifically requested in the comment portion of her questionnaire that Borders employees “not be forced to do anything beneath their dignity.”

  So many things about the job is currently beneath our dignity. Do I care if “they” find this blog and use it as reason not to continue to employ me in the capacity I have offered? No… not really. As I said, leaving the job would be a relief. I only offered to work mornings as a courtesy. My opinion of the company has not changed. Besides, I’m not a morning person. I am a night owl. I’d rather not get up at 5AM five days a week if I can help it. The money would be helpful; the stress, not so much.

  I swear I was not even thinking of November being Nanowrimo month when I made this decision, but since it is, I signed up. One of the reasons I’m giving up my position at work (besides the stress) is so that I can write more. So Nanowrimo is a logical step, right? I need to practice typing Nanowrimo. It does not fall trippingly from the fingers. Anyone else doing Nanowrimo this year? We can be writing buddies if you like.
  

  • 11:45 pm
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