It was back in Jr. High, in a math class that I realized....I couldn't see the board.
I had been assigned to sit in the back, but I couldn't see the numbers.
So I asked the teacher if I could move up front.
Which he allowed me to do.
I don't know how soon after that I went to see the eye doctor.
I think I mentioned it to my mom...who set up an appointment for me and I believe my siblings as well.
The diagnosis?
Yah. I needed glasses.
It was the weirdest thing when I put on glasses for the first time and like....looked about.
Like the trees. I could see the individual leaves.
It wasn't just one big blob of green.
It freaked me out really.
I didn't like being able to see those individual leaves.
So I didn't wear my glasses unless I needed to see farther away.
And gradually moved into wearing them all the time.
But then like my Jr year of High School....possibly into my Senior year....
I decided I didn't want to wear glasses any more.
Kikay had moved to contacts a year or so earlier I believe.
And I wanted to switch to them as well.
Especially when I discovered that they had 'soft' contacts now.
Not the hard lenses I'd seen Mother Dearest using most of my life.
The reason why I wanted to switch to contacts?
So if I got asked to another dance....I wouldn't be wearing glasses in the pictures.
Lol.
it was a bit of a struggle to get those contacts in.
But I basically put them in and never looked back.
Barely ever using my glasses after that point.
Really I only used them like maybe two or three times it feels like after I graduated High School. Mostly when I ended up with irritated eyes and I couldn't wear contacts for a few days to a week.
But yah.
Barely wore them.
Really, they ended up in the back of the bathroom drawer most years lol.
But at my most recent eye appointment.
The Doctor mentioned upgrading my glasses.
And we discovered that my insurance would cover me getting both Contacts AND glasses.
So I figured....why not?
It'd been like ten years since the last time I'd 'upgraded' my glasses.
And with me getting headaches and such...I was thinking it might be handy to have an updated pair of glasses that I could wear when my eyes were freaking out from said migraines.
So after playing around with frames and such, deciding on colors and shape...and then ordering them in....
I finally picked up my new glasses today.
So weird to wear those around lol.
I'd forgotten how much of a 'fish bowl' effect can happen as the eyes adjust to the difference between glasses and contacts.
But yay. :D I have a brand new set of glasses to wear around if I feel the need. ^^;; Yay! :D
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Friday, August 31, 2018
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Farewell HM
I'm not a fan of sudden change.
Give me a heads up.
Like a week's notice? Yah. Totally good with it all because I have time to wrap my head around the concept and prepare mentally for said change.
But if it's just thrown at me? Ha.
Yah, I don't react well to it most of the time. *exhales*
I probably should get better at that....but like...I just like my constants you know?
In any case.
What was it...Monday? Of this week,
As I was walking out of the store, my Dept Manager was like "Hey, Sarnic! I'll walk out with you."
Which. O.o Uhoh.
Though I hadn't really thought much of it, figuring he just had to ask me a question that he didn't want others -specifically customers to hear-
Well.
I was partially right.
He did have something to tell me.
That he didn't want all the coworkers overhearing.
The news?
My Head Manager was leaving.
End of the Week.
Today really.
Maybe tomorrow? But since I don't work tomorrow...my last day with my Head Manager....was today.
It's so weird.
I mean, I should expect it.
It's retail.
Nobody sticks around.
And it's always....hard. *exhales*
Like I said earlier. I don't like change.
I like my consistencies.
Which is funny because Retail is anything but consistent.
At least when it comes to my coworkers.
It's a never ending merry go around that I really should be used to by now.
But it's not.
Because most often people just....disappear.
One day they're there.
The next they're not.
And then I hear they've quit.
Managers it can often be more unexpected.
They like to keep that sort of thing hush hush.
I've come into work before to find a new manager in place of an old one because they suddenly decided to transfer. *shakes head*
And it's...more common than not to switch between managers. They come and go so quickly it feels like.
I mean...my Department Manager has shifted...at least 7 or 8 times? Last year I went through like 4 managers in one year. *exhales*
Other managers have switched nearly as often.
But the Head Manager?
He's been the most consistent.
He was my fourth Head Manager.
And has been the Head Manager for the past 3 years.
Which...is longer than any of my other managers have stuck around. *shakes head*
I feel like most of them have lasted a year, maybe two....
I know I've been at the store longer than all my managers.
Longer at the store than all my coworkers but two groomers.
So it was nice...to have a Head Manager stick around for 3 years.
It provided a consistency.
And now....
I have to readjust.
Like. They're just a certain flow that you get into at work when you know there are certain people working and such.
And now....there's a void.
I don't know when we're going to get a new HM.
It could be tomorrow...it could be a couple of months from now.
I know the last time our HM left there seemed to be a void of a month or two....
Who knows if it's going to be someone within the store moving up...or if it will be someone from a different store (very likely) or someone from outside the system....
But it will mean a period of adjustment.
Getting used to the new HM's quirks and manners and their expectations for the store.
Should be interesting.
I'm not looking forward to it though.
I mean, we just were introduced to our new District Leader today. So to have our HM leave on top of that....
Yah.
I don't know.
Guess we'll see how it all turns out.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Give me a heads up.
Like a week's notice? Yah. Totally good with it all because I have time to wrap my head around the concept and prepare mentally for said change.
But if it's just thrown at me? Ha.
Yah, I don't react well to it most of the time. *exhales*
I probably should get better at that....but like...I just like my constants you know?
In any case.
What was it...Monday? Of this week,
As I was walking out of the store, my Dept Manager was like "Hey, Sarnic! I'll walk out with you."
Which. O.o Uhoh.
Though I hadn't really thought much of it, figuring he just had to ask me a question that he didn't want others -specifically customers to hear-
Well.
I was partially right.
He did have something to tell me.
That he didn't want all the coworkers overhearing.
The news?
My Head Manager was leaving.
End of the Week.
Today really.
Maybe tomorrow? But since I don't work tomorrow...my last day with my Head Manager....was today.
It's so weird.
I mean, I should expect it.
It's retail.
Nobody sticks around.
And it's always....hard. *exhales*
Like I said earlier. I don't like change.
I like my consistencies.
Which is funny because Retail is anything but consistent.
At least when it comes to my coworkers.
It's a never ending merry go around that I really should be used to by now.
But it's not.
Because most often people just....disappear.
One day they're there.
The next they're not.
And then I hear they've quit.
Managers it can often be more unexpected.
They like to keep that sort of thing hush hush.
I've come into work before to find a new manager in place of an old one because they suddenly decided to transfer. *shakes head*
And it's...more common than not to switch between managers. They come and go so quickly it feels like.
I mean...my Department Manager has shifted...at least 7 or 8 times? Last year I went through like 4 managers in one year. *exhales*
Other managers have switched nearly as often.
But the Head Manager?
He's been the most consistent.
He was my fourth Head Manager.
And has been the Head Manager for the past 3 years.
Which...is longer than any of my other managers have stuck around. *shakes head*
I feel like most of them have lasted a year, maybe two....
I know I've been at the store longer than all my managers.
Longer at the store than all my coworkers but two groomers.
So it was nice...to have a Head Manager stick around for 3 years.
It provided a consistency.
And now....
I have to readjust.
Like. They're just a certain flow that you get into at work when you know there are certain people working and such.
And now....there's a void.
I don't know when we're going to get a new HM.
It could be tomorrow...it could be a couple of months from now.
I know the last time our HM left there seemed to be a void of a month or two....
Who knows if it's going to be someone within the store moving up...or if it will be someone from a different store (very likely) or someone from outside the system....
But it will mean a period of adjustment.
Getting used to the new HM's quirks and manners and their expectations for the store.
Should be interesting.
I'm not looking forward to it though.
I mean, we just were introduced to our new District Leader today. So to have our HM leave on top of that....
Yah.
I don't know.
Guess we'll see how it all turns out.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Our Strategies
It's kinda interesting how Kikay and I take to playing Yu-Gi-Oh.
As we're both strategic.
But in different ways.
She's gone and created decks based around themes. Like "Water Deck" "Wind Deck" "Beast Deck" etc.
Me?
Not so much.
I have a little bit of everything in mine.
With the single goal in mind.
"Destroy the other person as quickly as possible."
lol.
So I have monsters that kill other monsters, cards that negate effects, other cards that destroy monsters.
All with the goal to try and win the game sooner rather than later.
It's overall a pretty good deck.
When I can get a good hand going I can basically win the game time and time again lol.
When I have a good hand. ;)
Sometimes I draw too many strong monsters or all spells and that makes it a tad more difficult.
But it's fun.
Because sometimes I can use Kikay's effect cards against her, because I happen to have a monster that can benefit from the same effect lol.
Basically.
In her words. "I'm unpredictable" lol.
Which is kinda fun to be when it comes to the game.
You never quite know what I'm going to use next via monster or trap card. lol.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
As we're both strategic.
But in different ways.
She's gone and created decks based around themes. Like "Water Deck" "Wind Deck" "Beast Deck" etc.
Me?
Not so much.
I have a little bit of everything in mine.
With the single goal in mind.
"Destroy the other person as quickly as possible."
lol.
So I have monsters that kill other monsters, cards that negate effects, other cards that destroy monsters.
All with the goal to try and win the game sooner rather than later.
It's overall a pretty good deck.
When I can get a good hand going I can basically win the game time and time again lol.
When I have a good hand. ;)
Sometimes I draw too many strong monsters or all spells and that makes it a tad more difficult.
But it's fun.
Because sometimes I can use Kikay's effect cards against her, because I happen to have a monster that can benefit from the same effect lol.
Basically.
In her words. "I'm unpredictable" lol.
Which is kinda fun to be when it comes to the game.
You never quite know what I'm going to use next via monster or trap card. lol.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
A Pricing Error
Sometimes I feel like I try to be helpful....and end up causing a bit more trouble. *shakes head*
So Yesterday, I was halfway bored, having finished my tasks.
And so took it upon myself -since I had the scan gun anyways having just counted the fish- to go check our inventory for our frozen mice supply.
As I'd noticed that things seemed....off. And had noted that there were spots that had been empty for a while.
Well.
Turns out they were empty because inventory thought we still had a ton of inventory....when we had none. O.o
Not sure if my coworkers were using the mice there and not properly writing them off....or people have been stealing the frozen mice from us.
In any case. I brought it up to the managers for them to fix....
And mentioned that I didn't know if it was shipping error, theft, or coworker error....
Which seemed to semi complicate things.
Oops.
And then today.
I was walking along our display fish tank/stand combos and noticed that there was a price discrepancy.
Where we had a tag stating that the tank was one price on sale.
And then there was a sign above it stating that the tank was on sale...for a different price that was $50 less than the other sign said.
Since I knew the manager had a scan gun in his hand, I called him over.
As we just had a sale start yesterday, so perhaps there had been a mistake in one of the printings.
My manager scanned the tank.....
And it showed up not on sale. O.o
Confused we scanned another tank on sale....it also showed up not on sale.
But the scan gun has a new pricing system on it....so we thought. Maybe it was the device in error. So we grabbed a scanner from one of the registers to price check the tank.
The tank that I had noticed the price discrepancy in was a 75 gallon for like $499 and was supposed to be on sale for like $299 via small tag and via larger sign was supposed to be $249 but the gun showed....wasn't on sale, and the scanner showed....wasn't on sale.
Another tank was our 60 gallon which is usually like $399? And was on sale for $249 but the scan gun showed it not on sale, however the registers showed that one was on sale...for $219. $30 less.
Lol....well that spurred quite the headache really. As the manager roped in another manager to help him figure it out.
Scanning all the tank/stand combos to find that the were almost all incorrect and almost all of them where showing 3-4 different prices between gun, scanner, small tag and large tag. *shakes head*
The manager ended up sending a text to the district group chat (which I had no idea that was a thing and it was cool) to see if it was just us having the issue or if other people were having it too.
Basically everyone was having the same issue....but not the same issue. Like there were price differences but on different products and the pricing would change between stores and *shakes head* seems like such a nightmare....
That was all spurred because I happened to notice a $50 difference between two signs for the same one item. ^^;; oops.
lol Hopefully they get it all resolved though. :S
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
So Yesterday, I was halfway bored, having finished my tasks.
And so took it upon myself -since I had the scan gun anyways having just counted the fish- to go check our inventory for our frozen mice supply.
As I'd noticed that things seemed....off. And had noted that there were spots that had been empty for a while.
Well.
Turns out they were empty because inventory thought we still had a ton of inventory....when we had none. O.o
Not sure if my coworkers were using the mice there and not properly writing them off....or people have been stealing the frozen mice from us.
In any case. I brought it up to the managers for them to fix....
And mentioned that I didn't know if it was shipping error, theft, or coworker error....
Which seemed to semi complicate things.
Oops.
And then today.
I was walking along our display fish tank/stand combos and noticed that there was a price discrepancy.
Where we had a tag stating that the tank was one price on sale.
And then there was a sign above it stating that the tank was on sale...for a different price that was $50 less than the other sign said.
Since I knew the manager had a scan gun in his hand, I called him over.
As we just had a sale start yesterday, so perhaps there had been a mistake in one of the printings.
My manager scanned the tank.....
And it showed up not on sale. O.o
Confused we scanned another tank on sale....it also showed up not on sale.
But the scan gun has a new pricing system on it....so we thought. Maybe it was the device in error. So we grabbed a scanner from one of the registers to price check the tank.
The tank that I had noticed the price discrepancy in was a 75 gallon for like $499 and was supposed to be on sale for like $299 via small tag and via larger sign was supposed to be $249 but the gun showed....wasn't on sale, and the scanner showed....wasn't on sale.
Another tank was our 60 gallon which is usually like $399? And was on sale for $249 but the scan gun showed it not on sale, however the registers showed that one was on sale...for $219. $30 less.
Lol....well that spurred quite the headache really. As the manager roped in another manager to help him figure it out.
Scanning all the tank/stand combos to find that the were almost all incorrect and almost all of them where showing 3-4 different prices between gun, scanner, small tag and large tag. *shakes head*
The manager ended up sending a text to the district group chat (which I had no idea that was a thing and it was cool) to see if it was just us having the issue or if other people were having it too.
Basically everyone was having the same issue....but not the same issue. Like there were price differences but on different products and the pricing would change between stores and *shakes head* seems like such a nightmare....
That was all spurred because I happened to notice a $50 difference between two signs for the same one item. ^^;; oops.
lol Hopefully they get it all resolved though. :S
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Monday, August 27, 2018
Backpacks
People are weird.
So this morning, we had this dude walk into the store, wearing a large backpack.
The manager had been on the register at that point, and noticed him....and thought he was acting rather odd.
So he sent one of my coworkers to go check in on him. You know see if he needed any help.
Good customer service and all that. lol.
But also because he was acting suspicious, and had a large backpack, the manager wanted to make sure the dude wasn't planning to try and steal anything, hence sending someone over to check in.
And the funny thing, was once my coworker went up to the customer to ask if he needed any help....he basically said "No," and left.
Like turned around and booked it out of there.
Nope.
Not suspicious at all. *shakes head*
And I wouldn't really have thought much of it.
Because school just started up.
So I kinda expect people to be wandering around with backpacks on. It's a college town after all.
But then towards the end of my shift.
These three guys all walked into the store.
Wearing backpacks.
Which, again, I wouldn't have really thought much on it.
Except we had that one incident with the guy earlier in the day. And he'd left pretty quickly.
So, since I was standing right there by the entrance, I greeted them and asked if there was anything I could help them with.
And one guy was like "Oh, no...uhmm do you have a bathroom?"
Which, common question, nothing I really would have thought on....except after telling them where the bathroom was....
All Three Guys went to the bathroom.
Together.
O.o
Like, I know that girls will often travel together to the bathroom.
But guys?
It's not a common thing.
And it struck me as weird.
All three heading to the back.
All three wearing backpacks.
….Were we about to have another attempt at stealing from us?
I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
I went back to the task I was doing and finished it.
And then went walking around the store.
After all....they're guys. It shouldn't take them too long to use the bathroom and then come out.
Except they weren't in the aisles.
I walked the entire store.
Double checked with the cashier to see if she'd seen them leave...which she hadn't.
Soo....I found one of the managers, and was like...."Hey could you check in the bathroom for me? I directed 3 guys with backpacks back here...and they all went together...I thought it was weird."
It got slightly weirder.
The manager walked into the bathroom, and reported that when he walked in....the three guys were just standing there. Not doing anything. Just kinda chatting.
And as soon as he walked in....
They walked out.
I was still nearby, by the dog food and such, so I asked them if they needed anything.
To which they were like "Nope."
And they left the store.
Didn't even look at anything.
*shakes heads*
So weird.
Like...the manager wonders if they were hiding from someone.
Like they'd done something in a different location and had come into our store to hide out for a bit. Or maybe were planning to do something in the bathroom?
*shakes head*
No idea.
No idea at all.
It was just weird overall.
People are weird.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
So this morning, we had this dude walk into the store, wearing a large backpack.
The manager had been on the register at that point, and noticed him....and thought he was acting rather odd.
So he sent one of my coworkers to go check in on him. You know see if he needed any help.
Good customer service and all that. lol.
But also because he was acting suspicious, and had a large backpack, the manager wanted to make sure the dude wasn't planning to try and steal anything, hence sending someone over to check in.
And the funny thing, was once my coworker went up to the customer to ask if he needed any help....he basically said "No," and left.
Like turned around and booked it out of there.
Nope.
Not suspicious at all. *shakes head*
And I wouldn't really have thought much of it.
Because school just started up.
So I kinda expect people to be wandering around with backpacks on. It's a college town after all.
But then towards the end of my shift.
These three guys all walked into the store.
Wearing backpacks.
Which, again, I wouldn't have really thought much on it.
Except we had that one incident with the guy earlier in the day. And he'd left pretty quickly.
So, since I was standing right there by the entrance, I greeted them and asked if there was anything I could help them with.
And one guy was like "Oh, no...uhmm do you have a bathroom?"
Which, common question, nothing I really would have thought on....except after telling them where the bathroom was....
All Three Guys went to the bathroom.
Together.
O.o
Like, I know that girls will often travel together to the bathroom.
But guys?
It's not a common thing.
And it struck me as weird.
All three heading to the back.
All three wearing backpacks.
….Were we about to have another attempt at stealing from us?
I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
I went back to the task I was doing and finished it.
And then went walking around the store.
After all....they're guys. It shouldn't take them too long to use the bathroom and then come out.
Except they weren't in the aisles.
I walked the entire store.
Double checked with the cashier to see if she'd seen them leave...which she hadn't.
Soo....I found one of the managers, and was like...."Hey could you check in the bathroom for me? I directed 3 guys with backpacks back here...and they all went together...I thought it was weird."
It got slightly weirder.
The manager walked into the bathroom, and reported that when he walked in....the three guys were just standing there. Not doing anything. Just kinda chatting.
And as soon as he walked in....
They walked out.
I was still nearby, by the dog food and such, so I asked them if they needed anything.
To which they were like "Nope."
And they left the store.
Didn't even look at anything.
*shakes heads*
So weird.
Like...the manager wonders if they were hiding from someone.
Like they'd done something in a different location and had come into our store to hide out for a bit. Or maybe were planning to do something in the bathroom?
*shakes head*
No idea.
No idea at all.
It was just weird overall.
People are weird.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Advancement
Medical advancement is such an interesting thing.
Because like surgeries have become far more efficient. Far less ...idk destructive? Painful? Messy?
And more concise.
And it's weird...
I mentioned to my manager the other day that my dad had had major surgery.
And he was like "Oh! I worked in a residents home where a guy had that surgery and he showed me pictures of his foot all the way up to his head with how they were contorting the leg!"
O.O *gulps*
Umm.....
So like, I had that image in my head as I ventured up to see my Daddoo to spend the day with him and you know...watch him to make sure he didn't get into trouble....
And was halfway thinking he would be like...sprawled out on a bed immobile and in pain and unable to walk.
-Despite being reassured before I spoke to my manager that the surgery was an in and out thing.
it took just barely over an hour.
And my dad would be home that same day...
Like it's hard to believe.
It's the sort of thing where you're like "No...no it takes forever to recover! You won't be able to walk! etc etc."
Yah. Science Advancement is an amazing thing.
Because my Daddoo could walk.
He was mobile -though told to take it easy....he was expected to walk around every now and then.
So it was hard to adjust to the concept of "he can move around." lol because like I hear "major surgery" and expect a person to be laid up in bed for a couple of weeks.
*shakes head*
Overall though, I'm relieved it all went well, that recovery seems to be going well, and that my Daddoo is in less pain now than he was before the surgery. ^^;;
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Because like surgeries have become far more efficient. Far less ...idk destructive? Painful? Messy?
And more concise.
And it's weird...
I mentioned to my manager the other day that my dad had had major surgery.
And he was like "Oh! I worked in a residents home where a guy had that surgery and he showed me pictures of his foot all the way up to his head with how they were contorting the leg!"
O.O *gulps*
Umm.....
So like, I had that image in my head as I ventured up to see my Daddoo to spend the day with him and you know...watch him to make sure he didn't get into trouble....
And was halfway thinking he would be like...sprawled out on a bed immobile and in pain and unable to walk.
-Despite being reassured before I spoke to my manager that the surgery was an in and out thing.
it took just barely over an hour.
And my dad would be home that same day...
Like it's hard to believe.
It's the sort of thing where you're like "No...no it takes forever to recover! You won't be able to walk! etc etc."
Yah. Science Advancement is an amazing thing.
Because my Daddoo could walk.
He was mobile -though told to take it easy....he was expected to walk around every now and then.
So it was hard to adjust to the concept of "he can move around." lol because like I hear "major surgery" and expect a person to be laid up in bed for a couple of weeks.
*shakes head*
Overall though, I'm relieved it all went well, that recovery seems to be going well, and that my Daddoo is in less pain now than he was before the surgery. ^^;;
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Saturday, August 25, 2018
A Long Time Coming
So back in like...March? The beginning of the spring.
I signed up for this Big Bang thing.
Where people would agree to write a longer story to be published in August, -originally the length was to be 30k before being dropped down to 15k. So that people could read one big story all at once, instead of it being spaced out chapter wise over days, weeks or even months.
-As fandom land...people tend to write a chapter and post it.
This Big Bang was to have an entire story posted. So fans of the fandom could read it.
And then as well, there would be artists partnered with the authors who would be able to see the story before the publishing date so that they could create artwork for your story to be released on the same day as the story was published online.
That way fans get both story and art and it's all so amazing.
lol.
Admittedly I hesitated for like a month to sign up.
I had a concept in my head. An idea I could write...that I was pretty confident would meet the 30k mark (as they didn't drop the wordcount until like halfway in?)
But it was a matter of....writing the thing.
I'm not the fastest writer ever.
On a good day it would take me like an hour to write a page in a fic I'm working on.
Plus I can get bogged down with blocks and such, trying to figure out how a story should go.
I didn't want to sign up for something I wouldn't be able to finish.
And I didn't want to let my assigned artist down either.
So it was a lot of pressure.
Plus I had this other primary writing goal to write at least one story a month.
Which...I figured I'd find it difficult to write a story back in March/April....and not post it until August. It just...didn't sit well with me to have a story ready and waiting for that long.
Still.
After talking to people and such.
I took the leap and signed up for this Big Bang.
And promptly procrastinated the entire thing. *shakes head*
Ugh. I knew I would.
After all I had that first writing project so finishing those short stories would take precedence over the Big Bang....
So I chipped away at this larger fic. Writing only every now and then...
Until like July when I finally finished the fic I needed to post for July.
Which then meant I could focus my whole attention on this 30k fic (I figured my story would still be at least 30k it was a long concept and the min was now 15k so it was fine if I was way over)
But ugh.
Writing.
Writing went so slowly.
I was basically down to the wire.
Writing early into the morning on the day I was to post my story.
-As we were all assigned specific days to post our stories on.
But I did it.
I actually DID IT! HA!!!
39k and I got my story finished.
And took like forever and a day to post it onto the site because gah. Formatting and so many chapters.
But the feeling of accomplishment?
AHHHH
I DID IT!
It's the longest fic I've written so far.
And it just feels amazing to get something accomplished.
Get it posted.
Have others reading it.
Loving it.
Reacting to it.
It's great. ^^;; Lol It made the stress of the entire spring/summer worth it.
Will I do this sort of thing again??
Who knows.
But at least I know that I can do it. XD and that's a great feeling. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
I signed up for this Big Bang thing.
Where people would agree to write a longer story to be published in August, -originally the length was to be 30k before being dropped down to 15k. So that people could read one big story all at once, instead of it being spaced out chapter wise over days, weeks or even months.
-As fandom land...people tend to write a chapter and post it.
This Big Bang was to have an entire story posted. So fans of the fandom could read it.
And then as well, there would be artists partnered with the authors who would be able to see the story before the publishing date so that they could create artwork for your story to be released on the same day as the story was published online.
That way fans get both story and art and it's all so amazing.
lol.
Admittedly I hesitated for like a month to sign up.
I had a concept in my head. An idea I could write...that I was pretty confident would meet the 30k mark (as they didn't drop the wordcount until like halfway in?)
But it was a matter of....writing the thing.
I'm not the fastest writer ever.
On a good day it would take me like an hour to write a page in a fic I'm working on.
Plus I can get bogged down with blocks and such, trying to figure out how a story should go.
I didn't want to sign up for something I wouldn't be able to finish.
And I didn't want to let my assigned artist down either.
So it was a lot of pressure.
Plus I had this other primary writing goal to write at least one story a month.
Which...I figured I'd find it difficult to write a story back in March/April....and not post it until August. It just...didn't sit well with me to have a story ready and waiting for that long.
Still.
After talking to people and such.
I took the leap and signed up for this Big Bang.
And promptly procrastinated the entire thing. *shakes head*
Ugh. I knew I would.
After all I had that first writing project so finishing those short stories would take precedence over the Big Bang....
So I chipped away at this larger fic. Writing only every now and then...
Until like July when I finally finished the fic I needed to post for July.
Which then meant I could focus my whole attention on this 30k fic (I figured my story would still be at least 30k it was a long concept and the min was now 15k so it was fine if I was way over)
But ugh.
Writing.
Writing went so slowly.
I was basically down to the wire.
Writing early into the morning on the day I was to post my story.
-As we were all assigned specific days to post our stories on.
But I did it.
I actually DID IT! HA!!!
39k and I got my story finished.
And took like forever and a day to post it onto the site because gah. Formatting and so many chapters.
But the feeling of accomplishment?
AHHHH
I DID IT!
It's the longest fic I've written so far.
And it just feels amazing to get something accomplished.
Get it posted.
Have others reading it.
Loving it.
Reacting to it.
It's great. ^^;; Lol It made the stress of the entire spring/summer worth it.
Will I do this sort of thing again??
Who knows.
But at least I know that I can do it. XD and that's a great feeling. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Friday, August 24, 2018
Posting
Have you ever been awake so long your eyes forget to blink?
Yah.
Kinda how I'm feeling currently.
It's been a long day.
A very long day full of reading and editing and posting....
So much posting.
I've been staring at the screen so long that my eyes are fuzzing and burning and....
Yah.
But hopefully.
It's worth it.
The lack of sleep.
The stress.
The worry.
We shall see.
We shall see.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Yah.
Kinda how I'm feeling currently.
It's been a long day.
A very long day full of reading and editing and posting....
So much posting.
I've been staring at the screen so long that my eyes are fuzzing and burning and....
Yah.
But hopefully.
It's worth it.
The lack of sleep.
The stress.
The worry.
We shall see.
We shall see.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Visitation
Going into other pet stores is weird.
So weird.
Like the set ups are different.
The layout is different.
The feel is different.
So it's always odd to venture into a different pet store.
Which I did today.
I was searching for specific snails for my Daddoo.
Since we only carry like...two types of snails in my store. Nerites and Mysteries.
Sooooo
I ventured into a local pet store.
Having only been in there like once or twice before.
It's still weird.
But gah.
There's so many cool fish!!!!
Like. So many.
So.
Many.
Colors and sizes and shapes that I just don't get in my store.
*exhales*
I wish we did.
I'd buy them in an instant.
But the local pet store....mmmm more risky. They don't have the same guarantees my store does on the survival of the fish...or you have to purchase one.
And like...there's always the risk of introducing disease to my tank if I bring home fish from a different source. *exhales*
Still.
So many pretty fishies. ^^;; Loved seeing all the vibrant colors.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
So weird.
Like the set ups are different.
The layout is different.
The feel is different.
So it's always odd to venture into a different pet store.
Which I did today.
I was searching for specific snails for my Daddoo.
Since we only carry like...two types of snails in my store. Nerites and Mysteries.
Sooooo
I ventured into a local pet store.
Having only been in there like once or twice before.
It's still weird.
But gah.
There's so many cool fish!!!!
Like. So many.
So.
Many.
Colors and sizes and shapes that I just don't get in my store.
*exhales*
I wish we did.
I'd buy them in an instant.
But the local pet store....mmmm more risky. They don't have the same guarantees my store does on the survival of the fish...or you have to purchase one.
And like...there's always the risk of introducing disease to my tank if I bring home fish from a different source. *exhales*
Still.
So many pretty fishies. ^^;; Loved seeing all the vibrant colors.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
A Downpour
I hate driving in the rain.
*shudders*
I don't know why some people do.
I much prefer snow, because even if I can't see the lines on the road, at least I can see the tire tracks of other cars so I can stay in the lane.
But today?
We had like a micro burst.
Where a ton of water just dumped down upon our heads over the course of the day.
-The storm seemed to ebb and flow getting heavier and lighter.
With thunder and lightning constantly rumbling and flashing throughout the day.
And it's fun to watch.
But drive in?
Ha.
No.
No. Getting on the freeway the water was so thick that the splash cars were giving off of their tires shot up as high as the vehicle. So if you were driving next to someone. Yah. Your car was getting bombarded with rain from all sides.
And the standing water on the road?
It had to be inches thick to do that.
Because the lines? Completely invisible.
I nearly got hit as a series of cars merged into my lane (I played it safe and stayed in the far right lane) without them signaling at all. They just kinda flowed right on over.
*shakes head*
Plus the windshield wipers were going like a mile and a half a minute back and forth desperately trying to help me see through the storm.
I was soooooo happy when I broke free of that storm as I got off work at the tail end of it and the storm hadn't yet reached my place.
So I only had a few minutes of terror on my drive instead of the entire ride home.
Note to self: Don't drive on the freeway when the rain is that heavy.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
....Whelp. There Had Been No Interest
*exhales*
It happens almost every time.
I'll have a customer come into the store.
And express an interest in one of our animals.
Usually it's one of the animals that we rarely sale, like a Chinese Water Dragon, Conure, Chinchilla, etc. Or like the cat that nobody has wanted to take out of the cage to see if they wanted to adopt it.
And the customer often asks the question of "Is there much interest in this animal?"
To which I usually reply "Not really."
Most of the time I add in. "But that could change."
Because it does.
I could have an animal have zero interest in our store for like six months.
But the moment I say "No, no one's really looked at it. It's likely it will still be here."
It's like a signal is sent throughout the valley like a flashing neon sign. "HEY! COME BUY THIS ANIMAL, SOMEONE ELSE WANTS IT."
Because the customer is often like "I need to think about it. Or I might be back later."
Only...to have someone else come in and say "I want this animal here." And buy it.
Which always puts stress on me.
Because I know there was another customer wanting the animal.
But like....I can't just put it on hold. Because there's always the chance that they won't come back. So I don't want to miss out on a sale or getting the animal a forever home...but like...I hate imagining how disappointed and/or angry that first customer will get when they come back in and find the animal they were interested in....gone.
That happened today.
With our cat adoptions.
There was a 1 year old orange tabby in our cages.
Who'd had basically zero interest in him since he came to the store. (at least while I was on duty idk about during other people's shifts)
And this guy comes in, stating that he's wanting the cat, but he's concerned that it won't get along with the other cat.
So he needed to think it over, talk with his wife, bring in his kid etc.
And I was like "I can put him on a temporary hold for you." But he was like "Nah..."
Mistake.
Because like maybe an hour? Maybe two hours after he left?
Another family came in.
And guess which cat they wanted?
Exactly.
The cat that had had no interest shown in it before.
I did try my hand at convincing them to go for a different cat.
But nope.
Their hearts were set on the orange tabby.
*exhales*
So I adopted him out to them...
And spent the rest of my shift hoping that the first guy didn't show back up because I didn't want to have to explain to him that the cat had been adopted right after he left.
Ugh.
I hate those situations.
It's unnecessarily stressful for me.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
It happens almost every time.
I'll have a customer come into the store.
And express an interest in one of our animals.
Usually it's one of the animals that we rarely sale, like a Chinese Water Dragon, Conure, Chinchilla, etc. Or like the cat that nobody has wanted to take out of the cage to see if they wanted to adopt it.
And the customer often asks the question of "Is there much interest in this animal?"
To which I usually reply "Not really."
Most of the time I add in. "But that could change."
Because it does.
I could have an animal have zero interest in our store for like six months.
But the moment I say "No, no one's really looked at it. It's likely it will still be here."
It's like a signal is sent throughout the valley like a flashing neon sign. "HEY! COME BUY THIS ANIMAL, SOMEONE ELSE WANTS IT."
Because the customer is often like "I need to think about it. Or I might be back later."
Only...to have someone else come in and say "I want this animal here." And buy it.
Which always puts stress on me.
Because I know there was another customer wanting the animal.
But like....I can't just put it on hold. Because there's always the chance that they won't come back. So I don't want to miss out on a sale or getting the animal a forever home...but like...I hate imagining how disappointed and/or angry that first customer will get when they come back in and find the animal they were interested in....gone.
That happened today.
With our cat adoptions.
There was a 1 year old orange tabby in our cages.
Who'd had basically zero interest in him since he came to the store. (at least while I was on duty idk about during other people's shifts)
And this guy comes in, stating that he's wanting the cat, but he's concerned that it won't get along with the other cat.
So he needed to think it over, talk with his wife, bring in his kid etc.
And I was like "I can put him on a temporary hold for you." But he was like "Nah..."
Mistake.
Because like maybe an hour? Maybe two hours after he left?
Another family came in.
And guess which cat they wanted?
Exactly.
The cat that had had no interest shown in it before.
I did try my hand at convincing them to go for a different cat.
But nope.
Their hearts were set on the orange tabby.
*exhales*
So I adopted him out to them...
And spent the rest of my shift hoping that the first guy didn't show back up because I didn't want to have to explain to him that the cat had been adopted right after he left.
Ugh.
I hate those situations.
It's unnecessarily stressful for me.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Monday, August 20, 2018
Kitty Kitty
I had a trend in cat calls this morning.
Which is semi antagonizing mostly because I was scheduled to open by myself and I was trying to get all my tasks done....when like 10 minutes before the store opened....
A customer called.
Wanting help with her cat.
A kitten that's like 5 months old.
Recently fixed.
And is now being a 'butthead' and is peeing on clothes and jumping up on shelves and counters when he knows he's not supposed to.
So the woman was basically thinking "He's doing this on purpose to be annoying! He knows better!"
I ended up spending fifteen minutes on the phone with her.
Though the potential solutions to her problems only took like maybe three minutes to go through?
No it was one of those calls where the customer felt they had to over explain and tell all this unnecessary background information.
It was like two minutes into the call before I discovered what the 'behavioral issue' was that the woman didn't want her cat doing.
Not only that...but she had this vocal tick where she would let out nervous laughter like every fifth word it felt like.
So the conversation was like "So I have this problem. "nervous laughter." It's my cat, he's like five no, six "nervous laughter" he's five months old I just checked. "nervous laughter." and we just got him fixed earlier last month. "nervous laughter." but now he's showing behaviors I don't want him doing. "nervous laughter" and he's being a butthead about it. "nevous laughter" and I know he knows he shouldn't be doing it but he does. "nevous laughter."
*eye twitch*
I'm pretty sure the cat was acting out because the woman had totally thrown his life into chaos.
First with getting fixed. -he's still dealing with hormones.
But then she'd gotten sick and neglected to clean his litter box as often.
And funds had been tight so she hadn't been giving wet food with the dry food as often.
Plus she apparently ran a daycare but doesn't do it as much during the summer.
And had let the house get a bit more messier than normal because a) she isn't running the day care and b) she's been out of the house more taking her kids outside to play and go places as well as c) she's prepping to start up day care again and has been interviewing people to help her, as well as reorganizing the house to be better set up...
Like animals can be just like people. Not all of them react well to change.
And will act out. Especially if everything familiar disappears.
Suddenly their humans aren't around as much.
Suddenly their food isn't as tasty as often.
Suddenly there's more things on the floor to investigate and potentially mark as his....
I gave some suggestions, as well as recommended a couple of sprays and devices to use to keep the cat away from where she didn't want him to be.
And finally hung up....fifteen minutes later.
Only for my next phone call...
To also involve a cat.
A kitten. Where it was 8 weeks old....and had recently gotten it's shots. Specifically the Parvo shot.
But the guy on the phone was like "It ate good the first day but now doesn't eat, doesn't drink, doesn't poop, it's lethargic and just wants to lay on us....so it looks like it might be parvo and want to know how long it takes before the shot kicks in."
….Dude I don't know.
I'm not a vet.
I don't deal with shots in the store. We're not allowed to sell them. So therefore I know nothing about them. Call a vet.
So I transferred him over to the one within the store.
….but personally....the odds aren't great for the kitty. If it's that lethargic....it's not a good sign. Y_Y;; I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it because hearing how weak the kitty is....yah not a good sign.
Which I don't like dealing with possible bad news.
So I was not happy when my third phone call of the morning....
Also involved a cat.
One of our own.
The caller's daughter had come into the store a month or so ago to adopt a cat for her friend.
Only the friend ended up abandoning the kitty.
And the family wanted to take it in.
-Which that was the surprising part. Normally if people call about pets they've adopted it's because they want to give it back --which they need to talk to the adoption group about that.
But no.
The family loved the cat, and he's getting along well with their other cats.
They just wanted to 'officially adopt him.' because they didn't want to get in trouble if they said on the paperwork that the cat was living in one location with one person....
When the cat wasn't living at that location anymore.
O.o
I'd actually never dealt with that question before.
So I struggled with a way to politely phrase "I don't think the adoption group cares where the cat ends up as long as it ends up in a good loving home."
Like I know they care.
But I don't think they call and check up on people.
That would be a lot of phone calls.
So I think they assume that once the cat is sent home...it's all good.
But the daughter who'd adopted the cat for her friend...had placed her name on most of the paperwork.
So I was like "Well if she signed, then I would consider her a co-owner of the cat because her name is on the paperwork therefore you're good."
The only concern really would be if they adopted her from our one group that microchips their cats because then you'd want to change the microchip information.
But I was pretty sure the cat had come from the other group that doesn't microchip.
So they should be safe and such.
But yah...
*shakes heads*
It's always weird how there are trends in customer needs.
This morning it was with cats.
Tomorrow it might be plecos or birds or bearded dragons.
*shakes heads*
But needless to say....
I was glad I didn't get any more cat calls today.
The first three were difficult enough as it were....
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Which is semi antagonizing mostly because I was scheduled to open by myself and I was trying to get all my tasks done....when like 10 minutes before the store opened....
A customer called.
Wanting help with her cat.
A kitten that's like 5 months old.
Recently fixed.
And is now being a 'butthead' and is peeing on clothes and jumping up on shelves and counters when he knows he's not supposed to.
So the woman was basically thinking "He's doing this on purpose to be annoying! He knows better!"
I ended up spending fifteen minutes on the phone with her.
Though the potential solutions to her problems only took like maybe three minutes to go through?
No it was one of those calls where the customer felt they had to over explain and tell all this unnecessary background information.
It was like two minutes into the call before I discovered what the 'behavioral issue' was that the woman didn't want her cat doing.
Not only that...but she had this vocal tick where she would let out nervous laughter like every fifth word it felt like.
So the conversation was like "So I have this problem. "nervous laughter." It's my cat, he's like five no, six "nervous laughter" he's five months old I just checked. "nervous laughter." and we just got him fixed earlier last month. "nervous laughter." but now he's showing behaviors I don't want him doing. "nervous laughter" and he's being a butthead about it. "nevous laughter" and I know he knows he shouldn't be doing it but he does. "nevous laughter."
*eye twitch*
I'm pretty sure the cat was acting out because the woman had totally thrown his life into chaos.
First with getting fixed. -he's still dealing with hormones.
But then she'd gotten sick and neglected to clean his litter box as often.
And funds had been tight so she hadn't been giving wet food with the dry food as often.
Plus she apparently ran a daycare but doesn't do it as much during the summer.
And had let the house get a bit more messier than normal because a) she isn't running the day care and b) she's been out of the house more taking her kids outside to play and go places as well as c) she's prepping to start up day care again and has been interviewing people to help her, as well as reorganizing the house to be better set up...
Like animals can be just like people. Not all of them react well to change.
And will act out. Especially if everything familiar disappears.
Suddenly their humans aren't around as much.
Suddenly their food isn't as tasty as often.
Suddenly there's more things on the floor to investigate and potentially mark as his....
I gave some suggestions, as well as recommended a couple of sprays and devices to use to keep the cat away from where she didn't want him to be.
And finally hung up....fifteen minutes later.
Only for my next phone call...
To also involve a cat.
A kitten. Where it was 8 weeks old....and had recently gotten it's shots. Specifically the Parvo shot.
But the guy on the phone was like "It ate good the first day but now doesn't eat, doesn't drink, doesn't poop, it's lethargic and just wants to lay on us....so it looks like it might be parvo and want to know how long it takes before the shot kicks in."
….Dude I don't know.
I'm not a vet.
I don't deal with shots in the store. We're not allowed to sell them. So therefore I know nothing about them. Call a vet.
So I transferred him over to the one within the store.
….but personally....the odds aren't great for the kitty. If it's that lethargic....it's not a good sign. Y_Y;; I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it because hearing how weak the kitty is....yah not a good sign.
Which I don't like dealing with possible bad news.
So I was not happy when my third phone call of the morning....
Also involved a cat.
One of our own.
The caller's daughter had come into the store a month or so ago to adopt a cat for her friend.
Only the friend ended up abandoning the kitty.
And the family wanted to take it in.
-Which that was the surprising part. Normally if people call about pets they've adopted it's because they want to give it back --which they need to talk to the adoption group about that.
But no.
The family loved the cat, and he's getting along well with their other cats.
They just wanted to 'officially adopt him.' because they didn't want to get in trouble if they said on the paperwork that the cat was living in one location with one person....
When the cat wasn't living at that location anymore.
O.o
I'd actually never dealt with that question before.
So I struggled with a way to politely phrase "I don't think the adoption group cares where the cat ends up as long as it ends up in a good loving home."
Like I know they care.
But I don't think they call and check up on people.
That would be a lot of phone calls.
So I think they assume that once the cat is sent home...it's all good.
But the daughter who'd adopted the cat for her friend...had placed her name on most of the paperwork.
So I was like "Well if she signed, then I would consider her a co-owner of the cat because her name is on the paperwork therefore you're good."
The only concern really would be if they adopted her from our one group that microchips their cats because then you'd want to change the microchip information.
But I was pretty sure the cat had come from the other group that doesn't microchip.
So they should be safe and such.
But yah...
*shakes heads*
It's always weird how there are trends in customer needs.
This morning it was with cats.
Tomorrow it might be plecos or birds or bearded dragons.
*shakes heads*
But needless to say....
I was glad I didn't get any more cat calls today.
The first three were difficult enough as it were....
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Sunday, August 19, 2018
A New Time
So for the past year, our church as been at 8:30 am.
Which...it's been a struggle for me and my roomies to get to church on time.
Because that's early.
And like...we want to sleep in.
Especially me when I'm up early for my job.
I treasure my days where I don't have to wake up to an alarm.
And having Sunday be yet another day with an alarm?
Yah. Not fun.
But today.
It changed.
With the beginning of the new school year.
We were finally freed from our 8:30 trial.
And now have church at 10am!
Ahhhhh
It's only been one Sunday.
But already I love this.
Being able to wake up without needing an alarm.
Being able to choose to make a real breakfast if we desire.
Having time to think and decide what to wear.
Plus church still ends around lunchtime.
So win all over.
For now lol. >.> I'll see how much I like it when fast sunday comes around...as I notoriously don't do well headache wise when it comes to fast sunday.
But today.
Our first Sunday at 10 am?
It went well. ^^
We all really enjoyed it.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Saturday, August 18, 2018
A Simple Answer....Right?
It's pretty normal to teach customers at work.
After all, a lot of people come into the store who've never owned a pet before, or it's been years since they've last had one in their homes.
So, to help their forays into pet keeping go well.
I tend to tell people a lot of information.
And answer a lot of....interesting questions. lol.
Most of said interesting questions come from kids.
"Why are you putting air in the bag?"
"What are you doing?"
"How do you get the crickets there?"
"What's in that cage?"
"Why are you catching the fish?"
But occasionally, I end up with adults who...well...they're interesting to work with.
And today was filled with those sort of people.
Adults who had questions or problems that....were difficult to answer if only in their simplicity.
I had a customer ask if we painted our crickets white.
Because I'd dusted our crickets in a calcium powder so that the reptiles I was feeding said crickets to could get more calcium in their diets.
Like....it's just...weird to think that the customer believed we'd actually paint individual crickets white.
But then Kikay brought up that they used to paint Tetras....soooo I could see why the customer would wonder....
But I had other customers who struggled to comprehend how a light could sit on top of a glass lid.
I ended up taking that customer over to our display tanks to show them exactly how that worked because they weren't seeing how it could be possible otherwise.
Another complained that their 30inch long light was too long for their 30inch long tank.
Turns out they'd never taken the light they'd bought out of the box, so it was the box that was too long for the tank, because the light has a sort of 'padding' on either side to keep it from being damaged in travel.
It's just...semi frustrating.
Because I often feel like I expend a lot of energy to try and get the point I'm trying to make across. And I don't always succeed.
There are many times where I just...can't see how I can explain the concept any differently.
Like...I feel like I'm conveying the information as clearly as possible.
Yet somewhere in between the words leaving my lips and entering the customer's ears to be logged in their mind....there's a disconnect.
*shakes head*
Needless to say.
I was glad to get off work today.
I'd had far too many people complicate things that didn't need to be complicated. *exhales*
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
After all, a lot of people come into the store who've never owned a pet before, or it's been years since they've last had one in their homes.
So, to help their forays into pet keeping go well.
I tend to tell people a lot of information.
And answer a lot of....interesting questions. lol.
Most of said interesting questions come from kids.
"Why are you putting air in the bag?"
"What are you doing?"
"How do you get the crickets there?"
"What's in that cage?"
"Why are you catching the fish?"
But occasionally, I end up with adults who...well...they're interesting to work with.
And today was filled with those sort of people.
Adults who had questions or problems that....were difficult to answer if only in their simplicity.
I had a customer ask if we painted our crickets white.
Because I'd dusted our crickets in a calcium powder so that the reptiles I was feeding said crickets to could get more calcium in their diets.
Like....it's just...weird to think that the customer believed we'd actually paint individual crickets white.
But then Kikay brought up that they used to paint Tetras....soooo I could see why the customer would wonder....
But I had other customers who struggled to comprehend how a light could sit on top of a glass lid.
I ended up taking that customer over to our display tanks to show them exactly how that worked because they weren't seeing how it could be possible otherwise.
Another complained that their 30inch long light was too long for their 30inch long tank.
Turns out they'd never taken the light they'd bought out of the box, so it was the box that was too long for the tank, because the light has a sort of 'padding' on either side to keep it from being damaged in travel.
It's just...semi frustrating.
Because I often feel like I expend a lot of energy to try and get the point I'm trying to make across. And I don't always succeed.
There are many times where I just...can't see how I can explain the concept any differently.
Like...I feel like I'm conveying the information as clearly as possible.
Yet somewhere in between the words leaving my lips and entering the customer's ears to be logged in their mind....there's a disconnect.
*shakes head*
Needless to say.
I was glad to get off work today.
I'd had far too many people complicate things that didn't need to be complicated. *exhales*
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Friday, August 17, 2018
Surprise Visitor
I escaped to the parents today.
Mostly because I've been a bit on the...sensitive side the past week when it comes to my hearing.
Like...everything seems so much louder and reverberates further and just....gets more irritating.
To the point where I've found it difficult to hang out around home because I feel like I can hear the roomies wherever they are in the house...and I just want quiet.
So I spent the day at the parents.
Since they were at work for most of it.
Which allowed me to just hang out and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
It was great. ^^;;
But I got a bonus surprise today.
As I ventured into the backyard to say hi to the kittens I knew were back there and to investigate the garden to see what fruits and veggies were available to eat....I ended up startling a deer. A young buck who was back there.
()_()
Lol. I haven't seen a deer in my parents back yard in ages.
Since development as occurred above us....there's now a whole lot of houses between us and the forests nearby.
But there was the deer.
Bounding across the yard, jumping fences to get away from me.
O.o
So. Weird.
But amazing!
Like wow. I didn't realize deer were so tall having never been quite soo close to one as I was just then.
^^;; So that was a nice experience to start off my day of solitude. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Mostly because I've been a bit on the...sensitive side the past week when it comes to my hearing.
Like...everything seems so much louder and reverberates further and just....gets more irritating.
To the point where I've found it difficult to hang out around home because I feel like I can hear the roomies wherever they are in the house...and I just want quiet.
So I spent the day at the parents.
Since they were at work for most of it.
Which allowed me to just hang out and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
It was great. ^^;;
But I got a bonus surprise today.
As I ventured into the backyard to say hi to the kittens I knew were back there and to investigate the garden to see what fruits and veggies were available to eat....I ended up startling a deer. A young buck who was back there.
()_()
Lol. I haven't seen a deer in my parents back yard in ages.
Since development as occurred above us....there's now a whole lot of houses between us and the forests nearby.
But there was the deer.
Bounding across the yard, jumping fences to get away from me.
O.o
So. Weird.
But amazing!
Like wow. I didn't realize deer were so tall having never been quite soo close to one as I was just then.
^^;; So that was a nice experience to start off my day of solitude. ^^;;
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Thursday, August 16, 2018
The Lot
So in our store, we have this row of tanks filled with the comet goldfish (aka feeder goldfish)
There can be hundreds of them in the tanks at a time. --so long as our supplier stays on top of the demand.
Today, I had multiple people ask me just how many goldfish they could purchase.
Like there's a limit.
*shakes head*
There isn't really.
The limit is a) how much money you have and b) the amount of fish we have.
So if we have 2,000 goldfish, you could theoretically buy all 2,000 goldfish.
Usually though I try and check what type of environment the people are going to put their fish in.
Like a small bowl? You don't want to shove 50 in there.
While a large pond? Yah sure, go ahead and buy multiples of 100.
Right now our tanks are a little more on the empty side.
Which makes customers think there aren't that many fish.
The last customer I helped of the day was in that boat.
She came into the store wanting to buy goldfish for her pond.
And was staring at our small goldfish. --Which those tanks were pretty empty.
She wanted to know how many goldfish she could buy for her pond.
I told her however many she wanted.
So she was like "I'll take all of them then."
O.o
….I hesitated.
Mostly because I know all too well that appearances can be misleading.
What you think looks like fifty goldfish could be two or three times that number.
And the small goldfish?
I could tell that we had at least 200 in there.
I didn't want to fish out 200 goldfish if the woman was thinking more along the lines that there were only 50 in there.
So I double checked. "All of them? There's around 200 in there."
()_() was her reaction lol.
I was right. She hadn't thought we had that many in the tanks.
She ended up only wanting half of that.
100 goldfish.
Which I could easily grab.
Though it took a bit longer because with less fish in the tanks, there's less chance to net out a whole slew of them.
And at the end of fishing out those fish?
Yah. Still probably 200 in the tank lol. So we had like 300 before I grabbed her 100.
^^;; Good thing I double checked.
Though at some point she probably would have been like "How many do you have now?" if I hadn't questioned her and just gone to fish out the fish.
Other customers have done that lol.
Wanted 'the lot' and then stopped us early when realizing just how many fish there are in those tanks. ^^;;
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
There can be hundreds of them in the tanks at a time. --so long as our supplier stays on top of the demand.
Today, I had multiple people ask me just how many goldfish they could purchase.
Like there's a limit.
*shakes head*
There isn't really.
The limit is a) how much money you have and b) the amount of fish we have.
So if we have 2,000 goldfish, you could theoretically buy all 2,000 goldfish.
Usually though I try and check what type of environment the people are going to put their fish in.
Like a small bowl? You don't want to shove 50 in there.
While a large pond? Yah sure, go ahead and buy multiples of 100.
Right now our tanks are a little more on the empty side.
Which makes customers think there aren't that many fish.
The last customer I helped of the day was in that boat.
She came into the store wanting to buy goldfish for her pond.
And was staring at our small goldfish. --Which those tanks were pretty empty.
She wanted to know how many goldfish she could buy for her pond.
I told her however many she wanted.
So she was like "I'll take all of them then."
O.o
….I hesitated.
Mostly because I know all too well that appearances can be misleading.
What you think looks like fifty goldfish could be two or three times that number.
And the small goldfish?
I could tell that we had at least 200 in there.
I didn't want to fish out 200 goldfish if the woman was thinking more along the lines that there were only 50 in there.
So I double checked. "All of them? There's around 200 in there."
()_() was her reaction lol.
I was right. She hadn't thought we had that many in the tanks.
She ended up only wanting half of that.
100 goldfish.
Which I could easily grab.
Though it took a bit longer because with less fish in the tanks, there's less chance to net out a whole slew of them.
And at the end of fishing out those fish?
Yah. Still probably 200 in the tank lol. So we had like 300 before I grabbed her 100.
^^;; Good thing I double checked.
Though at some point she probably would have been like "How many do you have now?" if I hadn't questioned her and just gone to fish out the fish.
Other customers have done that lol.
Wanted 'the lot' and then stopped us early when realizing just how many fish there are in those tanks. ^^;;
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
The Call
So around a month ago.
I had a customer come into the store wanting to return two guinea pigs that her daughters had purchased.
One Guinea Pig looked like it had a possible Ringworm infection. With hairloss and scabbing on the top if it's head.
The other, had a slightly more serious issue, where the front leg was all swollen and such -potentially broken. --The customer claimed we'd sold it to her that way, and she'd waited a couple of days to see if the swelling would go down before coming back to us.
In any case.
She wanted the guinea pigs back once they were better after I assured her we could take them to the vet to get treatment and such.
So I made note of her phone number and name, and told her we'd call her to give her updates and such, but to expect it to take up to a month for everyone to recover.
In any case.
The first guinea pig was easy to treat with a fungal cream. So mostly it's a matter of getting the scabbing gone and the fur growing back to ensure the guinea pig was recovered.
The other....we ended up taking to the vet.
Where they did X-rays on the leg.
And confirmed it was broken.
But they weren't sure on the route to take because the vet who specializes in surgery wasn't in that day. So they didn't know if it would be something that would recover on it's own, or if it would take a minor surgery, or if they'd have to amputate the leg. In any case, it was doubtful that the guinea pig would ever be 'normal' again.
So I called the customer back.
To update her on the guinea pig with the broken leg. And to inform her that we needed to hear back from the surgeon first, but there was a high chance that the guinea pig wouldn't ever use the leg again and may have to get it amputated. So I was needing to know if she would still want the guinea pig after we got the results back from the surgeon.
And she told me that she needed to talk to her daughter first, because it was her guinea pig, and that she'd call us the next day.
She never did.
We tried calling a couple of times after that.
To no response.
-That we're aware of-
We ended up taking the guinea pig into surgery to amputate the leg.
...It ended up dying the night after the surgery....to the surprise of the vet. They weren't sure why the guinea pig hadn't made it as the surgery had gone well.
So the manager called the customer, and left a message for her to call us back, so we could tell her the sad news in real time, and not leave it as a message for her to find on her phone later.
No response.
Which left me a bit tense, because if she did want the guinea pig back, how were we supposed to tell her it hadn't made it if she never answered the phone?
Then today.
We deemed the other guinea pig the customer had returned healthy. So it could go home.
So I called.
Not expecting her to pick up.
She did.
So I was like "Hey! Your guinea pig that had the hairloss on it's head is healthy again and ready for you to come get."
And the woman was like "....."
"...Were you wanting the guinea pig back?" Was what I asked next.
She was like "Well you see....it's my daughter's guinea pig...and she's already spent her money on another one."
"So you don't want this one?"
"...No, we'll pass."
Okay.
That's all you had to say. *shakes head*
So I was like "Alright! We'll make a note on that and won't call again! Have a great day."
:S :S :S Hopefully it came across nice....
In any case.
She didn't ask after the other guinea pig....which is good because I didn't want to explain it hadn't made it. But considering she didn't want the one...it's doubtful she would have wanted the other.
*exhales*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
I had a customer come into the store wanting to return two guinea pigs that her daughters had purchased.
One Guinea Pig looked like it had a possible Ringworm infection. With hairloss and scabbing on the top if it's head.
The other, had a slightly more serious issue, where the front leg was all swollen and such -potentially broken. --The customer claimed we'd sold it to her that way, and she'd waited a couple of days to see if the swelling would go down before coming back to us.
In any case.
She wanted the guinea pigs back once they were better after I assured her we could take them to the vet to get treatment and such.
So I made note of her phone number and name, and told her we'd call her to give her updates and such, but to expect it to take up to a month for everyone to recover.
In any case.
The first guinea pig was easy to treat with a fungal cream. So mostly it's a matter of getting the scabbing gone and the fur growing back to ensure the guinea pig was recovered.
The other....we ended up taking to the vet.
Where they did X-rays on the leg.
And confirmed it was broken.
But they weren't sure on the route to take because the vet who specializes in surgery wasn't in that day. So they didn't know if it would be something that would recover on it's own, or if it would take a minor surgery, or if they'd have to amputate the leg. In any case, it was doubtful that the guinea pig would ever be 'normal' again.
So I called the customer back.
To update her on the guinea pig with the broken leg. And to inform her that we needed to hear back from the surgeon first, but there was a high chance that the guinea pig wouldn't ever use the leg again and may have to get it amputated. So I was needing to know if she would still want the guinea pig after we got the results back from the surgeon.
And she told me that she needed to talk to her daughter first, because it was her guinea pig, and that she'd call us the next day.
She never did.
We tried calling a couple of times after that.
To no response.
-That we're aware of-
We ended up taking the guinea pig into surgery to amputate the leg.
...It ended up dying the night after the surgery....to the surprise of the vet. They weren't sure why the guinea pig hadn't made it as the surgery had gone well.
So the manager called the customer, and left a message for her to call us back, so we could tell her the sad news in real time, and not leave it as a message for her to find on her phone later.
No response.
Which left me a bit tense, because if she did want the guinea pig back, how were we supposed to tell her it hadn't made it if she never answered the phone?
Then today.
We deemed the other guinea pig the customer had returned healthy. So it could go home.
So I called.
Not expecting her to pick up.
She did.
So I was like "Hey! Your guinea pig that had the hairloss on it's head is healthy again and ready for you to come get."
And the woman was like "....."
"...Were you wanting the guinea pig back?" Was what I asked next.
She was like "Well you see....it's my daughter's guinea pig...and she's already spent her money on another one."
"So you don't want this one?"
"...No, we'll pass."
Okay.
That's all you had to say. *shakes head*
So I was like "Alright! We'll make a note on that and won't call again! Have a great day."
:S :S :S Hopefully it came across nice....
In any case.
She didn't ask after the other guinea pig....which is good because I didn't want to explain it hadn't made it. But considering she didn't want the one...it's doubtful she would have wanted the other.
*exhales*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Why Us?
*exhales*
If there's one thing I don't like about work...
It's when I don't have things to do.
I like staying busy.
And when I finish doing tasks too early in the day.
And there's no customers...
Then I'm left basically twiddling my thumbs.
And that's exhausting really.
So I was less than pleased today when my manager announced that he wanted us to be completely done with tasking at 11.
Why? Because work got a complaint last night.
That people were more focused on tasking then helping customers and a customer didn't like that they had to hunt down someone to help them...and apparently when they found help, my coworker was less than happy to help them out.
So the consequence?
No tasking for us this morning after 11.
*face palm*
Like seriously?
Why?
If the complaint happened at NIGHT.
Why would you then make the MORNING people stress out?
It seems obvious that you'd want to focus on the evening people and make sure that they're being helpful to the customers.
Especially when today was a Tuesday.
Work is basically dead on Tuesdays.
Which is why we have one of the longest bedding changes then. It takes 3 hours on a good day to do. Bad days? It can take an entire shift.
And with the new order we have to open in, there's no time limit on when I need to be done by as we're supposed to both open and help customers at the same time.
So to expect us to be done that early?
Ha.
It only really happens when both me and my fellow opener come in at the same time.
If we're not in at the same time?
Nope. Opening takes a lot longer.
But it's just undue stress on us to try and get everything done that quickly.
it just doesn't happen.
And it didn't happen today.
11 o'clock hit.
And we weren't done.
There were still a handful of tasks we hadn't finished yet.
But the store was dead.
Like at 11 there were literally two people in the store.
No need to have us all stop doing things if there's no one to help.
So we ended up still tasking anyways.
*exhales*
Still.
It was annoying.
Focus on the evening people if there's a problem in the evening.
Not the morning people.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
If there's one thing I don't like about work...
It's when I don't have things to do.
I like staying busy.
And when I finish doing tasks too early in the day.
And there's no customers...
Then I'm left basically twiddling my thumbs.
And that's exhausting really.
So I was less than pleased today when my manager announced that he wanted us to be completely done with tasking at 11.
Why? Because work got a complaint last night.
That people were more focused on tasking then helping customers and a customer didn't like that they had to hunt down someone to help them...and apparently when they found help, my coworker was less than happy to help them out.
So the consequence?
No tasking for us this morning after 11.
*face palm*
Like seriously?
Why?
If the complaint happened at NIGHT.
Why would you then make the MORNING people stress out?
It seems obvious that you'd want to focus on the evening people and make sure that they're being helpful to the customers.
Especially when today was a Tuesday.
Work is basically dead on Tuesdays.
Which is why we have one of the longest bedding changes then. It takes 3 hours on a good day to do. Bad days? It can take an entire shift.
And with the new order we have to open in, there's no time limit on when I need to be done by as we're supposed to both open and help customers at the same time.
So to expect us to be done that early?
Ha.
It only really happens when both me and my fellow opener come in at the same time.
If we're not in at the same time?
Nope. Opening takes a lot longer.
But it's just undue stress on us to try and get everything done that quickly.
it just doesn't happen.
And it didn't happen today.
11 o'clock hit.
And we weren't done.
There were still a handful of tasks we hadn't finished yet.
But the store was dead.
Like at 11 there were literally two people in the store.
No need to have us all stop doing things if there's no one to help.
So we ended up still tasking anyways.
*exhales*
Still.
It was annoying.
Focus on the evening people if there's a problem in the evening.
Not the morning people.
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Monday, August 13, 2018
This is the End?
I've been thinking about school again.
Not surprising considering the time of year it is.
With all the back to school sales and such happening.
Like I think both colleges in Happy Valley are going to be starting up in the next couple of weeks.
So the city is getting more crowded as students flock back in for the fall/winter semester.
But no....
I was mostly thinking about the end of semesters.
When you're sitting in class for the last time.
How it's weird that more often than not.
It doesn't feel like the last class.
Like you leave knowing you're never going to step in that classroom again with the same teacher and the same classmates...
But it doesn't feel like it.
The class usually ends with an air of "I'll be teaching you more tomorrow."
But then the teacher doesn't.
Because the block has ended.
The semester is over.
When the new semester starts they're just going to start all over back at the beginning with a new set of students.
*shakes head*
I wasn't ever fond of that feeling.
Of that aura of "there is more I can teach you"
Because I like things to have an 'ending' point.
A distinct cut off.
So I actually feel like I accomplished something.
….
What's funny.
Is that all this thinking comes from watching an Anime show lol.
Last night I pulled up "The Devil is a Part Timer" on Netflix.
Just cus the premise of "The devil gets stuck on earth in human form and must take a job to earn a living" was one where I was like "This could be good or this could be bad."
lol spoiler.
It's good. ^^;;
I binged 9 of the 13 episodes last night before being good and going to bed so I could wake up for work.
But like.
I love it.
It's a great series.
And I'm so sad that it only has one season right now.
Especially because season one ended in such a weird spot.
Like....I could see how it's a semi-ending.
But like the last day of school feeling...
It feels like there should have been a lot more to the story.
Especially considering I googled information on the show and discovered there's so much more to the manga story. Enough to bring in a second season at least. One where you could get a bit more in depth with backgrounds and such.
*exhales*
>.>
Guess I'll have to see if I can get the manga in and see how the story continues. ^^;;
But yah.
It's weird when there are endings....that don't feel like endings. *exhales*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Not surprising considering the time of year it is.
With all the back to school sales and such happening.
Like I think both colleges in Happy Valley are going to be starting up in the next couple of weeks.
So the city is getting more crowded as students flock back in for the fall/winter semester.
But no....
I was mostly thinking about the end of semesters.
When you're sitting in class for the last time.
How it's weird that more often than not.
It doesn't feel like the last class.
Like you leave knowing you're never going to step in that classroom again with the same teacher and the same classmates...
But it doesn't feel like it.
The class usually ends with an air of "I'll be teaching you more tomorrow."
But then the teacher doesn't.
Because the block has ended.
The semester is over.
When the new semester starts they're just going to start all over back at the beginning with a new set of students.
*shakes head*
I wasn't ever fond of that feeling.
Of that aura of "there is more I can teach you"
Because I like things to have an 'ending' point.
A distinct cut off.
So I actually feel like I accomplished something.
….
What's funny.
Is that all this thinking comes from watching an Anime show lol.
Last night I pulled up "The Devil is a Part Timer" on Netflix.
Just cus the premise of "The devil gets stuck on earth in human form and must take a job to earn a living" was one where I was like "This could be good or this could be bad."
lol spoiler.
It's good. ^^;;
I binged 9 of the 13 episodes last night before being good and going to bed so I could wake up for work.
But like.
I love it.
It's a great series.
And I'm so sad that it only has one season right now.
Especially because season one ended in such a weird spot.
Like....I could see how it's a semi-ending.
But like the last day of school feeling...
It feels like there should have been a lot more to the story.
Especially considering I googled information on the show and discovered there's so much more to the manga story. Enough to bring in a second season at least. One where you could get a bit more in depth with backgrounds and such.
*exhales*
>.>
Guess I'll have to see if I can get the manga in and see how the story continues. ^^;;
But yah.
It's weird when there are endings....that don't feel like endings. *exhales*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Identification Please
"Sarnic, are you buuuusssy?????"
….it's always a bit disconcerting when coworkers refer to me by name...and ask if I'm busy.
Course, I do like it when they call me by name instead of saying "Petcare to Birds" because like...if I'm the only one in the department....why not use my name? I'm the only one there to help.
*shakes head*
But when I'm not the only one in my department it is....weird to hear my name.
Of course it always means that they need me to do something. Most often help customers.
But in this situation. The way my coworker said my name....had me a bit on edge.
Like I was about to acquiest to some troublesome task that I would end up regretting.
*shakes head*
So I was like "No?? But your tone of voice has me concerned"
She had a customer up at the register.
Who had found a snake in her yard.
And wanted someone to help her identify the type of snake it was.
Which. O.o I never understand why people do this....
Like we're a PET store. Not a WILD animal store.
Therefore. If you caught it in the wild....more than likely we won't know what type of creature it was.
Still.
I was hoping as I came up that the customer hadn't ended up capturing a rattlesnake. :S At least I'd hope that they'd recognize that type of snake at least.
It wasn't a rattlesnake.
*sigh of relief*
The woman had a snake...probably two or three feet long, coiled up in a bottle.
As her daughter had been mowing the lawn, and moved some netting (bird netting) out of the way and had found the snake stuck in the netting.
Poor thing had it's mouth all tangled up.
-And as much as I wanted to help out the snake out....there was no way I was going to try and free it in the middle of the store when I didn't even know what type of snake it was.
Looking at it though.
It looked like a Gopher snake.
As I remembered Gopher snakes looked similar to rattlesnakes...they just don't have the rattle on the tail.
-And as I learned from my brother. If the eyes are big and round....they're safe. If the eyes are slitted that's when they're dangerous.
But again.
I didn't want to risk telling her the snake was safe and have it turn out to be dangerous.
As her daughter was wanting to keep the snake.
So best to make sure.
So I ended up calling my brother.
Because he's obsessed with snakes, and has caught wild ones before.
And sent him some pictures of the snake so he could see it.
Yep.
He confirmed my suspicions. He too believed it was a Gopher snake.
So I told the customer this.
Told her that they were good for keeping rattlesnakes away.
And she left the store to free the snake from the netting...and decide from there whether or not she would let her daughter keep it or release it.
Pretty sure she was leaning towards releasing it.
*shrugs*
But at least I was able to help her out. ^^;;
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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