Attitude of Gratitude Challenge- Day 1

I am Thankful for a sweet & understanding husband that listens to me rant and supports me in whatever I want to do. :o)

My insanity: Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

Another kind of Gratitude Challenge- this time from Kendra at My Insanity. This doesn’t require but a moment of your time. Take a moment and reflect on something that you are thankful for- be it something that happened to you during your day, someone in your life, or something you are grateful to have (like a roof over your head, food on your table or a job.) Then share it with your family, friends, followers, the world via one (or more) of the social tools you frequent. If you’re not on Facebook or twitter and don’t own a blog- then email it to a friend. Help us create a wave of gratitude starting with one little ripple.

Here is the challenge: Once a day think about an publish one thing you are grateful for! You can tweet, FB, respond to her FB, blog it, whatever!  Read more about it here:  Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

I’ll be posting this challenge on my Facebook page as well to encourage one and all to stop thinking about what they don’t have and start cherishing what they do. I hope you decide to join me!

I’m on simmer this morning

I know this is a nice blog about good & happy & creative things. So feel free to skip this post where I’m going to rant & come back later when I’m feeling more my normal cheerful & crafty self.  :o)

Let me preface this by saying I love my job. I work part-time at a video store and while it can be chaotic & stressful at times- I really love it. I’m a people person and it suits me perfectly. I also love my co-workers for the most part. We occasionally irritate each other with some of our work-habits (like leaving things unfinished at the end of a shift or no notes explain what this or that pile of movies is)- but that’s just normal human interaction. It’s little things we work through & deal with.

However- it’s becoming increasingly too frequent that I’m expected to be at beck & call on my days off. We’re short-staffed, so I understand that there’s times when there’s more work than one person can handle and a little help is greatly appreciated. I’ve been there myself (more often than not I’ve just dealt with it though and then stayed later than my shift to finish things b/c I respect people’s days off.)  I don’t mind sometimes going in to help out. Heck- I’ve quite often covered people’s shifts when they were unable to work them due to schedule conflict or sickness. I’ve come in to work on short notice, I’ve worked a longer shift when asked, I’ve even voluntarily worked off-clock a little bit to finish projects I was in the middle of at work & didn’t want to throw our labor hours off by not clocking out when it was time for me to leave.

I give a lot to a part-time job. So much so that it’s started to irk me when I’m sent “SOS” texts on my day off. That when I (and others) write request days off on the calendar he repeatedly forgets to look at it when making the schedule and often we are supposed to work on those days and then have to scramble to find coverage for shifts or forgo whatever plans we had. Granted- when he scheduled me to work a short 5-9pm shift this past Monday on Halloween and I told him I couldn’t work it he said they’d manage without me. (But I was the second back-up person and technically it wasn’t him that was shorted- it was my co-worker that was working that night.)

My boss is not a bad guy- I generally like him a lot. But the little things are adding up. Stuff like him leaving stacks of damaged movies unfinished, not doing inventories when he opens, leaving huge lists we’re expected to do, calling/texting on days off requesting us to work and such. Last night was kind of like the final straw. He called and left a message saying I needed to call him or my co-worker T ASAP. I figured I knew what he wanted- me to come in & work till close. I know this b/c he didn’t look at the calendar/availability when making the schedule for this week and put my co-worker L working when she needed it off. I didn’t want to work it- figured it was his mess & he should cover it. And besides- I had my own stuff to do (like go to my son’s Cub Scout meeting to help out for the first time since I wasn’t working for once on a Tues night!)- it wasn’t like I was sitting at home twiddling my thumbs! Well about 8pm I guess he called again and left another message. Which pissed me off when I heard it:

“Hi J, this is R again. I need you to call me as soon as you get this- it doesn’t matter how late it is. If not, we’re going to have to have a meeting- like you and me. So- hope to hear from you soon.”

That bold part is what set me off. EXCUSE ME?!?!?!? If I don’t call you on my day off when I’m NOT scheduled to work then you’re implying I’m going to get in trouble? How in the HELL do you think that works? You dare threaten me with a “meeting” because I’m not sitting at home by the phone on my freaking day off because maybe, just maybe I might get a call from work and have to rush in to save the day again?!?!  I was hot to say the least. That was an instant tick me off- wrong thing to say to this girl who doesn’t get angry often. It was the match to the powder keg of things that had been building up for a few weeks now.

I’m a d*mn good employee who works her shifts, does my share of the work (and then some), doesn’t call off even when I’m sick, often comes in on my days off to help out & covers other’s shifts often when needed. When he went out of town 2 weekends in a row for weddings I worked those 2solid weekends with long hours (11 hour day one day!), closed one night & turned around and opened the next. I was running on fumes- having only maybe 5 hours sleep. I also have the highest sales in my store just about every week- Heck I had the highest in my district just last week!

*Breathe…….1,2,3……….Breathe*

Sorry- this is still bubbling inside me b/c I haven’t been able to release it on the person who deserves it yet. Because I refused to call him last night for 2 reasons- 1) You don’t threaten me with anything. EVER. NOT the way to get results with me. 2) I figured if I called him last night I’d say things I’d regret- like to F off.  I thought some sleep would help calm me down- but it didn’t work. I’m still pissed off. And when I called him this morning to wake his butt up (b/c unlike this mom who no matter if I work till close & don’t get to sleep till midnight at the earliest still has to get up first thing in the morning with kids he sleeps till who knows when)- I only got his voicemail. So I’m waiting for him to call back. And he probably won’t be any happier with me than I am with him b/c I didn’t leave a very welcoming pleasant toned message. He’s going to know I’m not happy before he even calls and he better have his pucker lips on when he does. :o)

 

Ok- Rant over. I feel a bit better for at least completely venting somewhere. Now to get busy and get stuff done that puts me back in a good mood.   :o)

88 Ways to Make a Stranger Smile

While catching up on my blogs through Google Reader I seen a great post by one of my favorite Nice Blogs- Operation Nice. She shared a link she found via a friend of hers and I just had to share it as well. It’s “88 Ways to Make a Stranger Smile.”  I know many people couldn’t care less if they made someone they didn’t know smile- but if you stop and think about it that’s one of the greatest & easiest thing you could do to make your day better. If you make that one little effort you’ll not only make someone else’s day brighter-  I can guarantee you’ll walk away 20 times happier as well. And that happiness will spread to those you love and those you don’t as well.

For anyone that thinks it takes money or a lot of time to spread smiles- check out these ideas off the list that don’t cost a dime:

1. Smile often.   It’s a reported fact- one smile can generate 100’s more throughout a day as it’s passed on from person to person!

2. Hold a door open for someone.   This is a simple old courtesy that isn’t seen much anymore and just about everyone is appreciative of.

6. Give a compliment about a waiter, waitress, sales clerk, etc. to his or her manager.   Think of how good it feels to hear from your boss that a customer or co-worker went out of their way to tell them what a good job you did-   don’t you want to share that feeling with someone else?

7. Compliment a stranger’s appearance.  Flatter them.  If you catch yourself thinking how pretty someone is, or that their outfit or jewelry is stunning- don’t keep it to yourself- tell them!

24. Tell your boss, teacher or professor that he or she is doing a great job and that you appreciate what they’ve taught you.   Yes- this isn’t considered butt-kissing if you’re sincere and don’t overdo it. The one’s that are teaching us love to hear that we appreciate it and we really are taking it in.

34. Let someone with only a few items cut you in line at the grocery store.   I know this has made my day better before and I was grateful to the one that was gracious enough to offer it.

37. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.   Instead of spreading that mean foul gossip- start a niceness vocal chain! If you’re tempted to share a catty remark about someone- choose to tell about how nice someone else was instead. Not only will that give you better Karma- it will make you a better person in other’s eyes as well. Win-win!

82. If you see a couple taking a self-picture, offer to take the picture for them.   Oh how I wish someone would offer this to me & the hubs! We might actually have some more good couple pictures then! 

And to add to the above smile suggestion: Offer to take a family’s picture as well! Often the mom or dad is left out of most pictures b/c they’re the one’s always behind the camera.

My Creative Stirrings: Gratitude Challenge!

My Creative Stirrings: Gratitude Challenge!: Are you up for a challenge that will change your life ? Beginning November 1 st , say "thanks" to either the same person or a ...

Being a little more Grateful

I’m going to ignore the fact that it’s been 7 months since I last blogged and just continue on in the haphazard way that is me.  :o)  Ok? Ok!

What prompted this writing is a blog post from My Creative Stirrings- she posted a Gratitude Challenge and I think it’s just what I need to try and do in my already-crazy-busy life. ;o)  Actually- it really is. I’m really good at thanking everyone for the little day-to-day things they do for me. But I’m really bad about thanking the people I love for the larger things they do- like putting up with my non existent emails, phone calls & visits. I rarely remember to take the time to relax with my besties & family b/c I get so absorbed in my own life events. And it’s one of the biggest regrets I have, but I can’t seem to find a way around it. It’s on my “must work on to become a better person” list.  :o)

Anyways- I’m somehow going to try and fit a special thank you into each and every day of this month. If I can squeeze the time out to blog about it I will- but I’ve learned that I shouldn’t make promises about that b/c in my life there’s no guarantees.  :o)

I hope if anyone’s reading this that you make an effort to be a little more thankful for the people around you and good things you have- even if it’s only a couple times this month.

Reasons I’ve Smiled- April 1st

1. I spent the weekend with my awesome friends M & K and their boys.
2. All 3 of my boys bowled awesome at the YABA State Bowling Tournament.
3. I didn’t have to deal with a Rooster at my hotel. Buwhahahaha
4. Taking a loooooooooong hot shower with no worries of running out of hot water.
5. I had 5 straight days off from work!
6. While the temps have been chilly- there’s still been sunshine!
7. Helped out at Lil’ Man’s school for their Cowboy RAD day.
8. Got to rock out with our friends R & S at the Music as a Weapon Concert-Disturbed, Sevendust, Korn, Stillwell & In This Moment. Disturbed & Sevendust were AWESOME!!!
9. Enjoyed time with the Hubs- just the two of us.
10. I was complimented on how nice I looked by an acquaintance.
11. Watched Tangled with the whole family and even though I’m the only female- we all enjoyed it.
12. Talked to my step-mum
13. Got to give a quick hug to my other friend M whom I haven’t seen in a while