Can't Deny the Shiny

I may have made a slight mistake.

But like....if I'm having fun and finding joy is it really a mistake?

Probably lol. 

You see....I like rocks. I like collecting rocks.  

Mostly I like unique carvings, but if something catches my interest and is a good price I'll go for it.

And like. With how stressful life has been in the last few months. 

I'm trying to find little bits of joy wherever I can.

And currently that's finding rocks. 

So I'm fully looking forward to next month when the Gem Faire comes back into town and I can see rocks in person and go buy them....hopefully for a good price though I expect a lot of things will be slightly more pricey because of the....you know, various economic factors. 

But a while ago, while following a Pokemon guy on Youtube....

-I'm not quite into Pokemon myself, but I have a friend who is and so it kinda is like a secondary obsession. 

In any case this dude gives away cards...and a while ago said he was going to be on Whatnot giving away cards.

I checked it out that day....

Didn't buy anything because WOW people are quick to purchase things and I have no idea what sort of cards are...good. I had the vague idea to get cards for a less expensive price for my friend.

But that hasn't panned out yet.

In any case.

I checked out WhatNot for like two days....and then forgot about it. 

Until the same Pokemon dude said he would be giving away more cards there back on Pokemon day.

So the night before I went onto the site once again, to refresh myself on it's layout and make sure I knew what I was doing in case I could get a chance to win some cards for my friend. (I did not win) 

And what did I discover?

So. Many. Rocks. 

It's so crazy how many people there are on the site that are selling crystals and rocks of all shapes and sizes.  

And ....needless to say....my bank account is a bit lighter this past week.

Because I got caught up in the fun of bidding and getting rocks for less than I can currently find in the local shops in the area. Plus being able to see carvings I haven't seen before and styles of rock that I wasn't as familiar with, plus my favorite types of rocks....

Yah.

No surprise that I caught the bug. To buy rocks. 

So yah...I'm having fun, but oof. I may be in trouble. If I'm not careful I'll probably be able to set up my own rock shop because soooo many rocks. lol

Will definitely need to be careful...and like....save some of my paycheck so that I can buy stuff when the Gem Faire comes to town next month. 

But yah. It's been fun getting 'presents' in the mail and opening them to find stones. 

So much fun.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Why Did You Do That?

 I tend to watch various crime shows while I work on my craft projects....until they get to be a bit too much and then I switch to something different to have as background noise.

But there's just this morbid fascination with seeing just how many different ways and reasons that people just....kill each other. 

It is rather disconcerting though, when an episode I'm watching covers a crime in my own state. Most of them take place elsewhere in the various episodes....

But it's weird when they name a town and I'm like "Wait! I've been there." 

Of course the shows I watch most of the crimes have happened before I was born or when I was a kid....so it's not like there was anything active to be worried about.

...

...

...

But today at work, while I was on my break I happened to see an article about 3 murders that happened in the southern part of my state.

And I'm just kinda mindboggled.

Because like....the story just is crazy itself.

And I feel so bad for the victims because like...there was literally no reason why any of them had to die. 

As right now the motive for killing them was "I needed a car and money" 

Like. The suspect didn't know the victims...he just picked them out randomly. 

And just going over what details of the crimes have been done...

I do wonder if this particular murder spree will eventually end up in one of those crime show episodes that I watch.

Like I want to see the surveillance footage, get more details on how the victims died, see how they narrowed it down to this dude as the main suspect.

But I'm also like.....

Are there other murders that this dude has committed that we don't know about yet?

Because like...he's from Iowa which is on the other side of the country from here....and he'd been to Alaska in the recent past....like how did you end up down here? WHY did you end up down here?

Like the dude hit an Elk with his truck that I guess basically totaled it......

And then decided "Well I need a new car, guess I need to kill someone to get it. But wait! I don't like this car let me go find someone else with a car I do like and kill them." 

It's just....so weird. So convoluted. And so senseless. 

And like he's had other minor crimes charged to him....so why escalate? What triggered him to kill now? 

Has he killed before and no one connected him to those crimes? 

Was the Truck even his like he claimed?

It's just crazy. 

And I keep checking to see if there's new details new motive, new analysis on why and how and what and everything.....

Like I think it's the uniqueness of the crime that has my attention because again....it's just so random and senseless. 

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Migraine Galore

 One of the things that has been causing me stress the last little bit, which kinda is like a cyclical stress....is the fact that my migraines have been returning more frequently.

Which is a pattern I have noticed in the last almost year since I first went to see a doctor about the migraines....is that the more stressed I am...the more headaches I get....which getting headaches also stresses me out especially if I can get rid of them. 

So like....get stressed out get a headache that won't go away get even more stressed out and get more headaches.....it's a vicious cycle really.

Which the main solution is....stop getting stressed out. 

But kinda hard for me to not be stressed when life kinda imploded in all directions.

In any case.

I had a check in appointment back in January to see how I was doing with my migraines. 

And we decided to up my dose of Topirimate to see if that would help me fully get rid of my migraines. 

As it's great that they have decreased....but the goal is kinda to not get any at all.

So I tried increasing my dose throughout January. First jumping up to 50mg and then a week later up to 75 mg when I was still getting migraines.....

Only to find that I was STILL getting migraines and that was kinda the highest safe dosage to take...so I went back to the doctor.....

And I asked to double check my vitamin B12 levels because the last time we checked those in July they were stupid high. Like broke the chart high.

And despite being told that high B12s won't cause headaches....a Google search (which yah who knows how believable those are) state that high B12s can also cause headaches. So too high of B12 or too low of B12 and I could get more migraines.

It was also decided that I would go off of the Topirimate because like...it's not helping the migraines go away so why continue them?

But I wanted to wait and see what my b12s were before making any decisions, though we did talk through a few other options of meds to take. 

And my B12s?

They're still high. Up in the 1000 number range. 

So instead of taking B12 daily I've decided on my own to decrease the amount of that vitamin I'm taking to only twice a week in the hopes that lowering the B12s into a more 'normal' range will mean a decrease in headaches.....

Again with the state of stress I've been in the last couple of months there's other mitigating factors to destress myself that I need to look into as well.

But at least decreasing the B12 intake is something tangible I can do.

Especially when I was told to "stay the course" so to speak and not change anything because otherwise my lab results looked normal so there was no concern. 

So I weaned myself off the Topirimate fully a few days ago. And for now I'm just keeping an eye on my vitamins and my stress and  you know.....ensuring that I have Nurtec on hand to take for those migraines that Advil and Tylenol don't help. 

My next check in is in May so we'll see how everything looks then I suppose and get an idea of maybe potential meds to take if my migraines are still being a pain by that point. 

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A Change in the Store

 There's a lot of change happening in the store this year. 

The first of which occurred today, being that our Salon got brand new computers.

Why the brand new computers? Because the system was updated to FINALLY allow grooming customers to check out and pay (if they're paying with a card) in the salon. 

That is if they're only paying for grooming. If they want to buy other stuff in the store they still have to go through the regular register to do that.

But we finally can save the grooming customers time by having them do everything right there in the salon. 

Before they would have to walk into the salon, grab the invoice, go back out into the store and pay for their service, and then go back into the salon to pick up their dog/cat. 

Now they can just walk into the salon and pay for the service there and pick up their dog their and save everyone some time. 

Which is great! 

....Though of course not all the groomers are on board with the change. Since like....none of them have ever worked the register before. So it was a fun learning curve for them today with that.

Can't imagine how they're going to react next month....

Because our store has been slated for a "Store Refresh" 

Which means like...a completely new fish wall, a new register area...though I'm not sure if the registers themselves are changing or just how things are arranged up there, the breakroom is getting a refresh, the bathrooms are being updated and getting things replaced....and the salon too is getting a refresh. Which includes them moving where the door is to enter the Salon. 

They're planning on moving it away from the entrance and further into the store. Which makes sense it helps to keep customers for the salon waiting to go into the room from blocking customers trying to come in and out of the store. 

So yah... a lot of change happening next month.

And now included in that change is our truck shipments as well.

Though that's happening closer towards mid spring/early summer time.

As currently we're getting in trucks to restock the store just once a week.

Which is annoying when we're doing online orders and the online orders wipe us out of product and then our shelves sit empty for a week.....

But it sounds like we're returning to either the holiday schedule...or Corporate finally rediscovered that it's actually better to have trucks twice a week instead of once a week to better keep the store in stock.

In any case. We'll be moving to having truck in twice a week, which hopefully means we have smaller truck loads as having to work 30+ pallets in one day is EXHAUSTING. 

But it's also .... a bit annoying because it's like...will they give us the HOURS to be able to work truck both days? Because right now the single day is like an all hands on deck day where we half a dozen people in all at the same time to work the truck so we can get it done in the day....but idk if they'll give us that capability to do that if it's coming twice a week.

We'll have to see. 

Regardless....lots of change happening in the near future in the store. 

I'm most excited/nervous for the new fish wall. Because our fish wall is ancient, but like....it's what I know. So it will be weird to have all brand new tanks....but so nice. So very nice I hope.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Short Staffed

 So it's pretty safe to say that work has been an ongoing stresser in my life the last little while. 

And really it all pretty much started last Fall when:

1. A manager announced they were leaving the store. 

and 2. A different manager announced that they were pregnant. 

The first manager leaving wasn't unexpected in that I'd been made aware that they had been considering leaving to go back to school. So I wasn't surprised when they did leave....though we were left up in the air for a monthish or so on whether they were sticking with the store (stepping down from manager and working part time) or if they were actually quitting.

Which with that position opening up, I decided to shoot my shot and apply for that manager position. As I'd originally taken a lesser manager position below this manager position with the intention to learn how to do that job under the other manager's wing so I could confidentially step up into the position when the time came.

It was ... slightly difficult because this manager wasn't the best at....guiding...teaching....so it was a lot like pulling teeth trying to figure out what I would need to know to do the job well. 

Which is kinda mind boggling that this manager didn't take the time to mentor anyone and teach them knowing that they were leaving.... 

And there was so much I would have done different if I was in their position, though I do have a bit more experience in teaching in the store as I've taught practically every single person who's worked in Petcare how to do their job. 

In any case. They left, I applied for the job and with the new management positions came new processes on how to actually get 'hired' for the job. 

Which dragged out something that probably could have been done within the week....to like a three month long process.

Like the manager left right before school started for the fall. I didn't get the job until right before Thanksgiving. 

So we were a manager short for multiple months during the busiest time of the year. 

As we're a six manager crew. 

And with one manager down...that left us with 5 managers.

Which is still doable.......

Only the 2nd manager who announced they were expecting....has had quite the difficult pregnancy. Constant call outs for various medical related things. Which added onto the stress of the store because we never knew for sure if this manager would be calling out and leaving us short that day or not. And it eventually accumulated to the manager having to take an LOA because the medical issues were getting life threatening enough that it wasn't safe for them to work anymore. 

But we're still in the dark as to when they're coming back. As this LOA happened at the beginning of 2026. And was supposed to last like 5 weeks....but the manager is pretty close to the due date now...only a couple of months away so we're like....are they going to bring the manager back from LOA for maybe a month only to turn around and put them straight back on Maternity leave?

Which with that manager out that took us down to 4 managers. Which...still doable....but it's like...don't get sick and don't take vacations because we do not have the coverage to make everything work...sort of feel to the store.

While we did get approved to take on a temporary manager who will only be a manager so long as our one manager is out on LOA....it is temporary. So right now we have 5 managers....but that could go away at any moment if the one manager comes back from their LOA because we can only have a temporary manager while they're out. Once they come back the temp goes back to being a regular worker. 

And we're still in the dark.

No idea when they're coming back. So it's kinda like being in a rock and a hard place because like...we can't really make any long term plans until we know what this manager is doing. Like vacations? How can we plan a vacation if we're not sure what they're doing??? 

I mean, Head Manager and I are probably the only ones concerned about taking vacations and leaving the store short staffed manager wise. 

But like...with all the stress going on in my life I really could use like a week away from the store, and with all the uncertainty on who's going to be there or not....it seems like playing with fire.

Especially because at the beginning of 2026 we were informed that because we didn't meet a certain quota of sales last year (because our Vet Clinic closed and all those customers left) we no longer qualified to have 6 managers.

We can only have 5 managers.

Which...was a bit of a blow. As we'd just been prepping to finally get all the positions filled in the store now that the holiday crazy was over.....and then we had to be like "Oh guess we're not hiring for an empty manager position anymore" because it's going away. 

So like we were down a manager since last Fall, then down another manager since they went on LOA. And now we're permanently stuck with 5....

Just in time for the third manager to "hurt" themselves (a story for a different post because I'm still very bitter about this) where they had to go on a weight limit. 

Which when 99% of their particular manager job is LIFTING THINGS....it basically meant that we were down to three managers. Like this manager was still present and working in the store, but I had to take on a lot more of the work because they couldn't lift as much anymore.

So I'm dealing with being short a manager permanently, one on LOA, one injured, and the last manager moving at a snail's pace for any and all tasks given.....

It's kinda no wonder I was stressed out the last couple of months.

Like Head Manager already has alot on their plate so it often felt like I was the only one who actually was working in the store. Because I could do tasks 4x faster than the other two managers. 

And it still feels that way because like injured manager just barely got approval to go back to full weights. 

And it's just.....

Yah. The manager scene at work has been on fire. 

And will still be on fire for a bit longer until we hear for certain when LOA manager is coming back.....

We're hoping it's after their maternity leave....

but that also means that that manager wouldn't be back until the Summer at some point. 

And also means that my nice long week vacation that I desperately crave...probably won't happen until the summer either. Probably for my birthday. 

Which considering I try to take longer vacations every 3-4 months because I get grumpy....the fact that it will be difficult to take a longer vacations until halfway through the year....has got me really grumpy.

I do have a couple of weekends requested off. 

But vanishing for a week?

Yah no go quite yet. 

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Shut Down

 It's a common phenomena with me, that I write to process things...and when I don't want to process things...I don't write.

And can I saw that there's been a lot....like a lot going on since I last posted. 

Like it felt like every aspect of my life imploded all at once.

Which left me in a high stress state for far too long.

Especially because like most of it was out of my control. So like there was nothing really actionable that I could do to lessen my stress load besides waiting and riding it out. 

I had roommate stressors, family in the hospital with near death experiences, work has imploded on itself on multiple levels, and my migraines once fully manageable had fully returned to like occurring basically every day because increased stress brings those back full force.

So yah.

I was highly stressed. 

And while a lot of it has been mitigated.....

2026 is not doing that great of a job of being a relaxing year. 

So currently my goal is to try and find ways to mitigate my stressors where I can.

Which honestly half of the would probably be solved if I took a nice long vacation away from everything. 

But that's part of the work related stressors in that I can't really escape on a long vacation right now because there's too much up in the air with other managers and other factors out of my control until we get a more firm plan on what others are up to.

So yah....

Mitigation is the goal.

And perhaps I should  work more on trying to not fully shut down when things get too hectic and actually use this blog to post my thoughts so that I can just....vent and get everything out there and not hold onto it as much.

We'll see.....it's a work in progress.

But at least I took the first step tonight with posting this post. So baby steps!

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Exhaustion

One of the many things that I dislike about work is those moments where it feels like I'm the only one running around with my head cut off. 

Like it's the sort of situations where it feels like I'm the only one doing anything in the store while everyone else is doing nothing.

Well.... not nothing. But like no one else is volunteering to do extra stuff. They're all doing their own thing and not making the effort to breakaway and do the extra steps.

Or else it feels like I'm the only one people call on for assistance when there's other managers in the stores that could also be helping as well. 

And that latter one is probably because I've proven myself to be the more reliable manager, but also since I have over a decade of experience in the store I tend to be the one who knows the answers.

But it is frustrating to be the one always dashing to the rescue when there's other people in the store who could be dashing to the rescue as well. 

Especially on days like today where it was a busy Saturday and we had that midday rush in the store where every department needs back up and there's at least three different complicated customer situations happening at the same time as well. 

Today probably felt a bit rougher as well because I had two managers in the store with me for a time...but it didn't feel like I had other managers with me.

My morning manager was being their typical nonhelpful self where they stop acting like a manager as soon as another manager shows up and do their best hide in the back and avoid all customer interactions via phone calls, helping in the store, or back up cashiering. Which meant that unless I specifically called them out by name to help out somewhere the morning manager was doing their best to pretend to not exist.

While my closing manager is dealing with various health related issues right now so while 'present' in the store...isn't quite present in that they need to take time off the floor, but while they are on the floor are limited in what tasks they can and can't do because of said health issues.

So it left me to do a lot of running around while it felt like everyone else was standing still. 

And most of the time I can handle it.

But it's been a week filled with similar situations where it feels like I'm the only one actually working so by today I was just...over it. So very much over it.

Hopefully I can take the day tomorrow to reset the mindset for next week....but we'll have to see.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi