I have now worked 5 shifts as well as attended a store meeting. Things haven't really changed in the "getting trained deptartment" but I am learning as I go through asking questions and just figuring stuff out for myself. I can now ring people up on basic purchases which is about all the extra training I have had (basically gave me a login and watched someone for a little bit). I have continued to sell well, especially when it is busy, and I plan to continue that while developing my "selling extras skills".
Our department just got a new supervisor, I guess they had been without one for a month or more, which is part of why there has been a lack of training and structure (at least I hope that is why). He doesn't really fit in to the dynamic of the store (or if you look at it a different way he creates a dynamic in the department) because he is much older than the rest of the staff. I gave him the benefit of the doubt as someone who has been in charge before (first time I haven't been in a supervising position since I was 16) and I was fully willing to try to help this guy mostly by not requiring his attention so he could focus on getting things organized and what not. This lasted all of an hour until he came up to talk about his "supervising core values" which was basically our first conversation (strike 1), he should have gotten to know me a little bit first, then told me about himself THEN give the speech. The speech itself was mundane and common sensical with no real important insight (strike 2). The delivery of the speech, tying into strike 1, was like he was talking to someone who seasonal retail was the big show, like it was my calling to work seasonal retail and I'd be lucky to get kept on after (strike 3). I stopped him towards the end to let him know (what he should have found out in strike 1) that I am used to being in charge and I know what to do, and I had to explain to him that I worked at a casino and have dealt with reward programs (like the best buy reward zone) so I knew how to sell it. Finally strike 4 (yes he more than struck out) was his advice on selling the reward zone. Instead of asking if they were interested (if they didn't already have it) his advice was to just sign em up for it because no one would say no (if you force it on them) so at that point I realized that this guy was the kind of retail person I am trying to not be. The way he suggested basically just fudges the numbers of actual sign ups because he doesn't give them the option mostly because he can't sell so he has to force...good luck buddy!
I still have not been scheduled more than 2 days in advance so when I got to the end of my schedule this week I told them I wasn't working again until after the weekend to give them time to get me on a freaking schedule so I can organize my week and try to get used to not having all day every day to do what I need to do. Still looking for a full time job, with very little luck.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Movie Review - UP
One of the most anticipated redbox rentals of the year for us was Pixar's UP. We see very few movies in the theater but this was one we really wanted to go see and never got the chance. Surprisingly we found it at redbox on our first try, which was a good omen.
The basic story is about keeping promises and at times is sad and other times happy and fun. Since it is Pixar the animation of course is wonderfully realistic (for computer generated art), even down to the growth of whiskers on the old man's face as the couple of days go by on their adventure. None of the characters were annoying, which I kind of expected the kid to be, and the various different characters together worked really well (old man, young boy, talking dogs, funny bird, crazy villain and even the house itself). Even though it technically is a kid movie the story and filming actually does make the house into its own character which actually symbolizes (I won't give it away, but its not a big secret) someone, something I think that was put in to give the adults a little more depth which is nice to see someone be able to make a great movie for kids as well as adults.
It is a sweet story and gets my full recommendation to at the very least rent (redbox, netflix, whatever) but it is worth buying in my opinion...just like almost every other Pixar movie made so far. This movie was the last of the original stories that the founders of Pixar had when they started the company (or should I say the last of the original ideas they had) so it will be interesting to see where they go next. Toy Story 3 which I feel is a mistake to make will be coming out next year and will probably see success, but I wasn't really a fan of the 2nd one so we will have to see what Pixar will come up with, I know they keep me excited!
The basic story is about keeping promises and at times is sad and other times happy and fun. Since it is Pixar the animation of course is wonderfully realistic (for computer generated art), even down to the growth of whiskers on the old man's face as the couple of days go by on their adventure. None of the characters were annoying, which I kind of expected the kid to be, and the various different characters together worked really well (old man, young boy, talking dogs, funny bird, crazy villain and even the house itself). Even though it technically is a kid movie the story and filming actually does make the house into its own character which actually symbolizes (I won't give it away, but its not a big secret) someone, something I think that was put in to give the adults a little more depth which is nice to see someone be able to make a great movie for kids as well as adults.
It is a sweet story and gets my full recommendation to at the very least rent (redbox, netflix, whatever) but it is worth buying in my opinion...just like almost every other Pixar movie made so far. This movie was the last of the original stories that the founders of Pixar had when they started the company (or should I say the last of the original ideas they had) so it will be interesting to see where they go next. Toy Story 3 which I feel is a mistake to make will be coming out next year and will probably see success, but I wasn't really a fan of the 2nd one so we will have to see what Pixar will come up with, I know they keep me excited!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Movie Review - Transformers 2
Rented this and finally got to see it, and I have to say I was largely disappointed. To make things short it seemed like they had 4 or more hours of actual usable movie footage but cut it down to 2 and a half hours(ish). There were so many transition pieces and parts of chases that just didn't add up, for instance: One moment in the National Air and Space Museum they step outside and they are in what appears to be the airplane bone yard in Arizona (Museum is in DC). There were also a couple of times that it seemed like Sam was in one place but he ended up being in another.
One of the really nice things about the original is that it was funny but not forced at all, and still had all the action and story. The 2nd one had the comedy shoved in your face for the majority of the movie and yea some of it was funny but not nearly as subtle as in the first one. They also added what I thought to be a Jar Jar Binks like character, the Autobot twins, they were there strictly for comic relief which was unnecessary. Also built in mostly for comic relief was the super old robot and the mini con that Megan Fox "tames", which maybe some of them would have been ok but the combination of all of these comical characters and Sam's parents was just too much when there was other more exciting story line and transitioning editing to do.
The fight scenes were inconsistent, starting with Prime dying in a fight against Starscream and Megatron (and some other baddies as well), but then when he is brought back to life he instantly is able to win a fight against the whole enemy army including the apparently epic "The Fallen" Megatron and Starscream. I was also VERY disappointed that they had a transformer that transformed into a human...if they could do that why wouldn't they do it more often, like take over the president or something? Instead of turning into a hot chick, turn into an influential character and get the Autobots destroyed so they could do whatever they wanted!
I was also surprised by the amount of swearing, I know the first one had some but this one seemed to have a lot more, which is fine with me but it may have been a bit much for parents and children.
So overall I didn't think it even compared with the first one in any way but they left it open for a third one and maybe they can redeem the series.
One of the really nice things about the original is that it was funny but not forced at all, and still had all the action and story. The 2nd one had the comedy shoved in your face for the majority of the movie and yea some of it was funny but not nearly as subtle as in the first one. They also added what I thought to be a Jar Jar Binks like character, the Autobot twins, they were there strictly for comic relief which was unnecessary. Also built in mostly for comic relief was the super old robot and the mini con that Megan Fox "tames", which maybe some of them would have been ok but the combination of all of these comical characters and Sam's parents was just too much when there was other more exciting story line and transitioning editing to do.
The fight scenes were inconsistent, starting with Prime dying in a fight against Starscream and Megatron (and some other baddies as well), but then when he is brought back to life he instantly is able to win a fight against the whole enemy army including the apparently epic "The Fallen" Megatron and Starscream. I was also VERY disappointed that they had a transformer that transformed into a human...if they could do that why wouldn't they do it more often, like take over the president or something? Instead of turning into a hot chick, turn into an influential character and get the Autobots destroyed so they could do whatever they wanted!
I was also surprised by the amount of swearing, I know the first one had some but this one seemed to have a lot more, which is fine with me but it may have been a bit much for parents and children.
So overall I didn't think it even compared with the first one in any way but they left it open for a third one and maybe they can redeem the series.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
My First Day
Started my job at Best Buy last night as a computer sales person. I have had a couple different styles of training for the handful of jobs I have held, and what I experienced with this job would be the loosest definition of training out there.
I arrive and am pointed to the back to "find someone working in the computer area", not a name, just any random person working back there. I am expecting them to know they have a trainee coming in, they had no clue. I am expecting to have some kind of binder to read through with training material, no binder. I am expecting to get a tour of the store, no tour. I am expecting at the very least a run down of the "extras" they try to sell (protection plans, etc), nothing. So basically I am shown how to clock in, which is important and then I am handed off to one of the sales people who shows me around my area (which I already basically knew from shopping in the store) and then we go to help a customer. I am standing there observing (assuming that is what I am supposed to be doing) , when another customer approaches me and I have no choice but to help them.
I am thrust into my first sale after watching my co-worker for maybe 10 minutes (this is about 30 minutes into my shift), so I sell a laptop and ALL the extras to my first customer and I had no clue what the hell I was doing, even got a pricey bag to go with it. So this sale apparently means I don't need further training (and might I remind you that I literally can't even use a register because I wasn't trained let alone given a login). I continue to sell about 7 or more computers with over half of them having the pricey protection plans and another 1 or 2 with all the extras. I would guess it was about as good as anyone could have done on their first day with no real training.
I just took what I know about computers (a fair amount) and spliced it with the kind of sales person I like to have when I purchase something and even some of that casino skill of reading people and boom! The easy part is that most people don't really understand computers and that is where having that knowledge and sounding like you know what you are talking about really comes in handy, assurance is really what these people are looking for.
I arrive and am pointed to the back to "find someone working in the computer area", not a name, just any random person working back there. I am expecting them to know they have a trainee coming in, they had no clue. I am expecting to have some kind of binder to read through with training material, no binder. I am expecting to get a tour of the store, no tour. I am expecting at the very least a run down of the "extras" they try to sell (protection plans, etc), nothing. So basically I am shown how to clock in, which is important and then I am handed off to one of the sales people who shows me around my area (which I already basically knew from shopping in the store) and then we go to help a customer. I am standing there observing (assuming that is what I am supposed to be doing) , when another customer approaches me and I have no choice but to help them.
I am thrust into my first sale after watching my co-worker for maybe 10 minutes (this is about 30 minutes into my shift), so I sell a laptop and ALL the extras to my first customer and I had no clue what the hell I was doing, even got a pricey bag to go with it. So this sale apparently means I don't need further training (and might I remind you that I literally can't even use a register because I wasn't trained let alone given a login). I continue to sell about 7 or more computers with over half of them having the pricey protection plans and another 1 or 2 with all the extras. I would guess it was about as good as anyone could have done on their first day with no real training.
I just took what I know about computers (a fair amount) and spliced it with the kind of sales person I like to have when I purchase something and even some of that casino skill of reading people and boom! The easy part is that most people don't really understand computers and that is where having that knowledge and sounding like you know what you are talking about really comes in handy, assurance is really what these people are looking for.
Ungrateful
SEPTA (Philly's public transit company) saw its workers go on strike as of 3 AM this morning, meaning all buses, trains, etc will not be running until further notice. It is unbelievable that living right next to one of the states (NJ) with the worst unemployment rates in the country on top of horrible unemployment across the country, literally millions of people without jobs...
These guys have the balls to go on strike for reasons dealing with pension, work rule issues and as most strikes do more money. This is a great example of why unions don't work anymore, every single person on strike could be replaced with the amount of unemployed bodies in the area (with plenty left over), and its not like they are being taken advantage of (why unions were put in place originally). I just can't believe these people would be so ungrateful to have a damn job that they would go on strike for dumb ass reasons instead of putting up with it and working together with management.
So these people aren't just ungrateful they are selfish too...literally moving hundreds of thousands of people a day (if not millions) to get to their jobs/functions/whatever. These people that rely on the transit now can't get to their jobs in a timely manner maybe not at all, meaning they could lose their jobs. Unions are so out dated, no one is mistreated in this country the way they were back when unions were a good idea, there is no reason to have them they only reduce efficiency and make standard work place actions so much more complicated.
So SEPTA employees who are on strike get your heads out of your asses and be grateful you have an EFF'n job, and for every job someone else loses you should have to pay their salary for a year you selfish bastards.
These guys have the balls to go on strike for reasons dealing with pension, work rule issues and as most strikes do more money. This is a great example of why unions don't work anymore, every single person on strike could be replaced with the amount of unemployed bodies in the area (with plenty left over), and its not like they are being taken advantage of (why unions were put in place originally). I just can't believe these people would be so ungrateful to have a damn job that they would go on strike for dumb ass reasons instead of putting up with it and working together with management.
So these people aren't just ungrateful they are selfish too...literally moving hundreds of thousands of people a day (if not millions) to get to their jobs/functions/whatever. These people that rely on the transit now can't get to their jobs in a timely manner maybe not at all, meaning they could lose their jobs. Unions are so out dated, no one is mistreated in this country the way they were back when unions were a good idea, there is no reason to have them they only reduce efficiency and make standard work place actions so much more complicated.
So SEPTA employees who are on strike get your heads out of your asses and be grateful you have an EFF'n job, and for every job someone else loses you should have to pay their salary for a year you selfish bastards.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Boondock Saints
Just a quickie little blurb about an interesting movie. The Boondock Saints is a movie that came out in the early 2000's and was poorly reviewed but later obtained a cult following. I recommend seeing it if you have not.
Unfortunately they have made a sequel, which is something the cult following has been dying for since they were first exposed to the original. I don't know how this sequel will do but it seemed like something that should have been left alone at 1 movie. It wasn't so much a great movie for any one reason but all of the pieces fit together with a huge help from Willem Defoe, who I don't believe is in the sequel. It also has been 10 years since the original which is just too long since to really work well. I think it comes out in theaters this weekend. I wouldn't recommend seeing the sequel but please see the original if you have not (and it is not for young children!).
Unfortunately they have made a sequel, which is something the cult following has been dying for since they were first exposed to the original. I don't know how this sequel will do but it seemed like something that should have been left alone at 1 movie. It wasn't so much a great movie for any one reason but all of the pieces fit together with a huge help from Willem Defoe, who I don't believe is in the sequel. It also has been 10 years since the original which is just too long since to really work well. I think it comes out in theaters this weekend. I wouldn't recommend seeing the sequel but please see the original if you have not (and it is not for young children!).
Slow Week
It has been a very slow week, and I have had trouble finding much to write about. Something hit me though as I was watching a commercial this morning though.
I really get annoyed by outrageous claims made by commercials, for example:
There is a Heroes commercial on G4 that claims Heroes caused a television revolution and the one that really got to me was the commercial for the new Ice Age movie claiming it was the best children's/animated movie this year. There are many more of these commercials but these 2 really bother me. Heroes didn't spawn a tv revolution, not even a little bit...it didn't even cause anyone to try and copy it with another super hero show and no other shows try and film in the same manner they do so I am confused about what that revolution was about? did they revolutionize how stupid some super powers can be? I have watched some of the show and it is average at best (unless you really really like super powers, you might like it more) and I am a super power kind of guy. Ice Age 3 was at best unremarkable, I did not see it but heard only bland reviews. Also it was titled Dawn of the Dinosaurs.....dinosaurs DIDN'T come after the ice age but BEFORE!
so I figured I would just start making claims about things in my life, because apparently they just have to be one persons opinion in order to be said.
Wolf Weekly is the blog that changed the blogging game!
New Jersey is the worst state in the country.
Spring is the coldest season of the year.
Another frustrating thing is how TV shows have begun to edit clips of the show to make it seem like something super dramatic is going to happen instead of something kind of boring and predictable in their weekly "trailers".
I really get annoyed by outrageous claims made by commercials, for example:
There is a Heroes commercial on G4 that claims Heroes caused a television revolution and the one that really got to me was the commercial for the new Ice Age movie claiming it was the best children's/animated movie this year. There are many more of these commercials but these 2 really bother me. Heroes didn't spawn a tv revolution, not even a little bit...it didn't even cause anyone to try and copy it with another super hero show and no other shows try and film in the same manner they do so I am confused about what that revolution was about? did they revolutionize how stupid some super powers can be? I have watched some of the show and it is average at best (unless you really really like super powers, you might like it more) and I am a super power kind of guy. Ice Age 3 was at best unremarkable, I did not see it but heard only bland reviews. Also it was titled Dawn of the Dinosaurs.....dinosaurs DIDN'T come after the ice age but BEFORE!
so I figured I would just start making claims about things in my life, because apparently they just have to be one persons opinion in order to be said.
Wolf Weekly is the blog that changed the blogging game!
New Jersey is the worst state in the country.
Spring is the coldest season of the year.
Another frustrating thing is how TV shows have begun to edit clips of the show to make it seem like something super dramatic is going to happen instead of something kind of boring and predictable in their weekly "trailers".
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