Well, I'm still playing Sims 3 basically nonstop. I started typing up the complete adventures of my 4th-generation family, but then I remembered that that sort of thing is probably only interesting to me. It's really pretty compelling stuff, though. A multi-generational saga; one family's epic struggle; they love, they laugh, etc. That sort of thing.

The work situation has improved, kind of. While I was applying for second jobs, one of my dept. coworkers filed for unemployment. Learning that just messed me up for days.

She's basically in the same situation as me. Mid-30's, a boyfriend who is also currently underemployed, no kids. But no, that's clearly an abuse of the system. If I had someone else I was trying to care for, or if I had a legitimate financial emergency, it would be different. But just barely getting by really sucks and I've been doing it for so damn long and I'm sick of it. But I've made it this long without actually stabbing anyone, surely I can keep going just a little longer. But maybe this is only weirding me out because I remember feeling so ashamed my family needed govt. assistance a few times when I was growing up.

In the end, I decided I personally could not claim unemployment, even for just 10 hours/week. So I applied for more part-time jobs.

I had one interview that I completely bombed, and one that I did really well, but the company wasn't what I was looking for.

The act of writing "not enough hours" on a few applications seemed to have magical properties. I started getting scheduled 38+ hours again, even though everyone else in my dept. stayed at 30. I was also working 6-day weeks, but really, hours are good. I said I wanted hours and I meant it. I'll take all the hours I can get. Also, I got a 30-cent raise.

(The woman who applied for unemployment also received 40 hours that first week, but they were at a different store, 20 miles away. There may be an important lesson here, or there may not. It could be a coincidence.)

Then, things really got strange. TWO of our part-time people found new jobs and gave notice the same week. The older guy who hurt his back in January and spent four months saying "The doctor will let me work again next week, oh wait, no he won't" is back in the hospital.

This week's schedule has 6 days and 40 hours for everyone, and we're still short-handed every single day. Today, I get to close with someone borrowed from the meat department. He seems like a fairly intelligent guy, and I'm sure he can handle it, but he'll need to be directed every step of the way and I really won't have time to do that.

I think we need one more person. But, if we hire someone now, Dave will get better, and if we don't, he'll stay in the hospital indefinitely. I wanted hours. I just have to keep reminding myself that.

previous--next