Picking Up the Slack

I've probably said it before.
And I'll probably say it again.
But I don't like group work.
I prefer to work with myself because I know what I can and can't do. 
Working in groups....it means that you have to rely on others, depend on others to get their part done.
And many times...it doesn't work out. Things fall apart, things don't happen. 

So being on a committee.....
Yah, not my favorite thing.
I don't like meetings, I don't like planning. I don't like the dithering that happens as the group tries to decide on a point of focus. 

In any case.
During the committee meeting, we were talking about doing this birthday celebratory thing.
Where we'd meet up once each month and celebrate people's birthdays in the ward. 

Which, truth be told...wasn't quite fond of this idea.
Because people move in and out of the neighborhood all the time. It's nearly impossible to keep track of who is still in the ward and who's left. 
Plus...there are already other groups that are already doing birthday celebratory shoutout thingies.
So adding one more to the mix...not so much what I wanted to do.

Still, the group wanted to do it.
Wanted to try and do a birthday get together thingy. 

So the idea was once a month to hold a celebration. A party. Bring treats to a location. 

Tonight was one of those days. 
Where we were to team up with our Ward Prayer group and bring the treats to it, so that people with birthdays in October would come to ward prayer and then celebrate the birthday thing.

I'd talked with that committee (since I used to be on it.) Agreed on a date. And two of my committee volunteered to make the treats. 

So Friday. 
I texted my group. 
To make sure we were still on for treats and such.

Unsurprisingly....
The people who volunteered to bring/make treats...suddenly couldn't make it.
Which meant. I was asked to pick up the slack. Grab the treats.

lol. They wanted me to bake a cake.
....Yah, Never made a cake myself. No way I was doing that.
I just dropped by the store after work and grabbed some cookies and cupcakes. 
*shakes head*

That was exactly why I had texted the group a couple of days ago.
To give myself time to come up with another plan if it wasn't going to work out.
Instead of finding out last second and having to scramble for a viable fall back.

Yay me for thinking ahead. 
As I was able to drop by the store after work and grab some treats -cookies and cupcakes- 

And bring them to the thing tonight. 

Which in of itself has its own stress.
I don't like social situations when I don't know what to prepare for. 
Ward Prayer could have four people or it could have forty.
It could last 15 minutes or two hours.

The unknown variables are stressful to me.
So being put in charge of bringing treats to it.
Definitely stressful. 
*exhales*

Thankfully. 
I always think it's going to be worse than it usually is.
So tonight went off well.
Not a ton of people.
Not a lot of stress. 
Actually talked to people without it being awkward. So yay for positive social interaction.
Maybe it will convince me to come out and go to these ward things more often. ;) lol. Maybe. 

At least the treats got eaten. 
I talked to people.
Not a big deal.

*exhales* Yay for that stressor being less stressful. 
Yay for positive situations. ^^;; 

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

-Sarnic Dirchi

A New BreakRoom

It's amazing the crazy that can happen in one day when you're not at work.

So I walked into work this morning, and clocked in. 

Only to be greeted by one of my coworkers who was like "Have you seen the new breakroom?!" 

And I was like. O.o Huh?

Because one...new breakroom? Like...did we get a new one built? Did I mishear? How could we have a 'new' breakroom when I'd only been away from work for one day! I mean Thursday the breakroom had been normal, but now it's 'new?' 

Turns out I didn't mishear.

Apparently during our last major DM visit when our DM has brought a training DM into the store. The Trainee had commented that our breakroom looked....well sad. Unwelcoming. Uninviting. 

And so the DM was like "Make your break room more inviting." 

Which....it's a break room....at work....in a pet store. Why in the world does it need to be inviting? You're just going in there to escape from people.  *shakes head* 

In any case.

Apparently yesterday our Head Manager came in. 

And did just that. 

He repainted the entire room -so now it's a bright shiny white. 

And then moved things around.

And bought some carpet

As well as some reclining lawn chairs. ---I don't know how else to describe them, but they're those types of chairs where you just relax in them at like a beach or a porch or something.

So it's been totally disorienting. 

lol. 

I kinda felt like I walked into a twilight zone. 

*shakes head*

In any case.

The one benefit to the new chairs...

Is that it's semi-easier to relax in them.

And so I chose them to hang out in.

-Mostly because my swivel desk chairs I usually sit in in that room were missing and the cold metal chairs are hardly inviting. 

I didn't think much about the spot I chose to relax in.

I mean. I did my usual break thing of scrolling through some internet tabs for a lil bit and then curling up to take a nap. 

Because being social throughout work is draining and so I use my breaks to regain a little bit of energy.

I didn't think much of it.

Until the head manager asked me over the our walkie-talkie radio things....if I had taken my nap on them. Or if I had chosen to sit in the old metal chairs.

To which I was like. "Yah, sat in the new ones. They could use some pillows." 

lol....well...if no one else knew I took naps at work...everyone who had a radio now does lol.

In any case.

Apparently half of the reason my manager chose the chairs he did, was so that people could relax in them, and yes. Take a nap lol.

"Isn't it better than curling up in a ball on the desk chair?" 

lol. Semi better. 

At least the deskchair had soft padding lol. 

But the lawnchairs definitely have more room to them.

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

'Scuse Me

It's always for the most random reasons that strangers decide to start talking to me.
You know, when I'm not at work, because strangers randomly decide to talk to me all the time there. ;) lol.

No, today I was out doing a quick bit of grocery shopping to grab a few items for the dinner my roomie was making tonight.
And I paused by the gift cards kiosk to check them out to see if there was anything there I could get for a friend. 

But standing there in front of the section I wanted to look at was a guy. 
Blocking like the entire thing as he too peered at the gift cards. 

And unfortunately for me, the gift card I thought I could use....was right where he was standing.
So I was like "Excuse me." As I reached in front of him to grab the gift card I thought I wanted, looking more closely at it to ensure that it was indeed what I wanted.
To which the guy was like "Oh sorry."
And I was like. "You're good." 

But then the guy continued to try and talk to me.
"That's a gift card! You use it to give to people as gifts. Not the best thing but it works." 
"Mhmmm." ...I ignored him. Because a) I already know what they are thank you very much. and b) The person in mind I don't know as well, so going for a gift card because, hey, they can buy what they want to buy. 
"You must be new around here." He tried again.
I shook my head, still focused on the gift card. "I'm not actually." 
"Oh, you're from happy valley?" 
"Yah." I mean, I live here currently, but I grew up a couple valleys over. 
"Do you go to the college?"
"Used to."
"Houston?" He repeated. "Oh, Used to. You used to go to college." 
I looked up then, giving him my customer service smile. "Yep. I graduated." 
"Oh. Cool. I'm in my second year myself."
"That's cool!" I replied with my customer service voice, returning my attention to the gift card.

lol. 
He left soon after to talk to someone else. Not sure if it was family or strangers, but he left me alone. 

*shakes head*
Such a weird encounter.
I have the most random weird encounters with people. 
*shakes head*

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

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Seat Belt Moment

When our oldest daughter, Jen, brought her third daughter home from the hospital, I went to her home to help.
After getting her oldest daughter off to school, we decided that what Jen needed most was rest.
So the best help I could give was to take her daughter Chloe home with me so her mom and new baby sister could have some quiet time.

I buckled Chloe into her car seat, secured my own seat belt, and drove out of their driveway.
However, before we reached the end of the street, Chloe had unbuckled her seat belt and was standing up, looking over my shoulder, and talking to me!
I pulled the car over to the side of the road, got out, and buckled her back into her seat.

We started again but had gone only a short distance when she was out of her seat again.
I repeated the same steps, but this time before I could even get back into the car and fasten my own seat belt, Chloe was already standing up!

I found myself sitting in a car, parked on the side of the road, having a power struggle with a three-year-old. 
And she was winning!

I used every idea I could think of to convince her that remaining fastened in her car seat was a good idea. 
She was not convinced!
I finally decided to try the if/then approach.

I said, "Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your car seat, then as soon as we get to Grandma's house, we can play with play dough."

No response.

"Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can make bread when we get to Grandma's house." 

No response.

I tried again.
"Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can stop at the market for a treat!" 

After three attempts, I realized this was a futile exercise.
She was determined, and no amount of if/then was enough to convince her to remain fastened in her seat. 

We couldn't spend the day sitting on the edge of the road, but I wanted to be obedient to the law, and it wasn't safe to drive with Chloe standing up.
I offered a silent prayer and heard the Spirit whisper, "Teach her." 

I turned to face her and pulled my seat belt away from my body so she could see it. 
I said, "Chloe, I am wearing this seat belt because it will protect me.
But you aren't wearing your seat belt, and you won't be safe. 
And I will be so sad if you get hurt."

She looked at me; I could almost see the wheels turning in her little mind as I waited anxiously for her response. 
Finally, her big blue eyes brightened, and she said, "Grandma, you want me to wear my seat belt because you love me!"

The Spirit filled the car as I expressed my love for this precious little girl.
I didn't want to lose that feeling, but I knew I had an opportunity, so I got out and secured her in her car seat.
Then I asked, "Chloe, will you please stay in your car seat?" 
And she did--al the way to the market for a treat!
And she stayed buckled all the way from the market to my home, where we made bread and played with play dough because Chloe did not forget!

As I drove back onto the road that day, a scripture filled my mind: "if ye love me, keep my commandments." 
We have rules to teach, guide, and protect children.
Why?
Because of the great love we have for them.
But until Chloe understood that my desire for her to remain securely fastened in her car seat was because of my love for her, she was unwilling to submit to what she considered a restriction.
She felt her seat belt limited her freedom.

Like Chloe, we can choose to see commandments as limitations.
We may feel at times that God's laws restrict our personal freedom, take from us our agency, and limit our growth.
But as we seek for greater understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience to His laws is an expression of our love for him. 

Carole M. Stephens -"If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments -October 2015 General Conference

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

-Sarnic Dirchi

Am I a Fish?

It happened a couple of years ago.
I was at work, helping a customer out, with fish I believe, when they told me of an experience they had had after surgery.
They'd been taken home to their room, where one of their kid's had bought them a nice big fish tank. (like 50 gallons) for the customer to look at/watch while they recovered from that surgery. -Because it's relaxing really.

But when the customer had woken up, still kinda out of it due to the drugs they were on, the first thing they saw was that fish tank. 
There was no one else in the room.
And their brain was like. "Oh no. I died in the surgery and became a fish!" 

The customer told me they thought that for like three hours. That they'd become a fish. Why? Because it was a while before anyone decided to check in on the customer and tell them differently.

It was a different sort of customer experience for sure.
Something I hadn't really heard of happening before, and I thought it was an interesting concept.

Around the same time.
It just so happened that I'd recently been to a Studio C thingy, or watched something/saw something.
Where one of the cast said that they actually liked being told ideas for sketches for them to perform. It didn't mean that they would always use the ideas, but they did like people telling them ideas. 
Which was something I kinda was like "Oh cool, I wish I could tell them something." 

Sometime after the customer event....whether it was a few days, a couple weeks, or even months later I have no idea...
But I was at work.
And what do you know, one of the Studio C cast members came into the store.
Why?
To buy food for their dog. 

It's not the first time I've seen members of the cast at work.
A member of the cast actually came in to return a cat that our adoption group had agreed to let them borrow for a sketch they were working on. (Did they ever make a video out of this sketch, I have no idea.) 

But I saw this Studio C cast member. 
And remembered what they'd said about being open to being told ideas.

And so I shyly approached them, and was like. "You're from Studio C right? I have an idea for a sketch." And I proceeded to say something like. "What if a person wakes up from surgery and the first thing they see is a fish tank full of fish and they think that they died and became a fish?" 

I thing the guy (Jeremy) might have been like. "Huh, that's a cool idea." or something like that. 

But...nothing really came of it. I kinda figured that it had been forgotten. lol. 
But hey I tried.

And time passed. 

And a couple of days ago, on my facebook timehop thingy. My post about the customer experience popped up. And so I shared it again, because really it's one of those unique interactions you don't always get at work. lol. 

Only for one of my friends to comment saying something like "Funny, Studio C just posted a sketch about this scenario!" 
And I was like ()_() WHAT?!?!

I go to check it out.
And guess what?
Yah.

They finally used my idea for a sketch!! 
WHAT?!?!?!?! 
lol cue excited squealing and jumping around in excitement. 
Like...they remembered it? They created a sketch for it? They remembered it?! WHAT?! 

Definitely made my night lol. :) 

Here's the video of the sketch for any of you interested in checking it out. It's called "Am I a Fish?"

Until you next read these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Just Pick One Already

It was one of those shifts where I kept getting pulled away from my task of cleaning the hamster/guinea pig cages in order to help customers.
Which meant that the task...had been drawn out way longer than it should have been.
But finally. FINALLY I was nearing the end.
Which was great because I was scheduled a short shift today and I only had about five minutes to put everything back into the cages before I was off.

The small pet habitats has three sides. 18 cages total. 
So I rushed all the food/water/homes/wheels etc over to the cages and quickly started putting everything back so that I would be able to finish and get out on time.

And then. 
Like it tends to do.
A customer came up to me. 
Needing help.

"I have a couple of questions." she said. Though she was giving off the energy that bespoke more than a 'couple' of questions. She kinda had that 'needy' feel to her, where I could sense that this may be...quite the trip. 

I was right.

*shakes head* Why is it usually the cat owners that end up being the most difficult customers?? That and the fish customers on occasion. *shakes head* 

In any case.

The woman originally needed my help because the specific can of cat food she buys for her cat wasn't on the shelf. 

I did manage to find some of the same flavor in smaller cans, but she really wanted the larger cans. So I went into the back to see if I could find some there. No dice. 

Which meant that hopefully it would be on tomorrows truck. *fingers crossed* 

So if she would call tomorrow, we'd probably have it all worked and would know if we got any cans in on the shelf for her to come in and get. (As it really depends on when we get low/run out of a product as to when it's automatically replenished, so it might not even be on tomorrow's truck.) 

I figured that would be that. I couldn't find the food she wanted in the size she wanted, but at least she had it in a smaller version.

But no.

You see this woman has a special cat. 

Special in that it's old. -16 years old- and that it's had recent issues with it's anal glands -in that one swelled and burst- 

And she believed it was the diet she'd been feeding her kitty originally, and so she'd switched to a different brand of dry food, only for the dry food to give her cat diarrhea, so she'd switched to yet a different brand of dry food, and had gone for a specific brand of wet food -different from the dry food- --the cans she couldn't find on the shelf today-- because that was the only thing that helped her cat seem to improve. Because she believed that particular can of wet food helped the cat out with the digestive issues she'd been having. And once that food seemed to be helping, she went to that dry food of a newer brand in our store. And that was helping too... as it contained within it probiotics to help out her kitty. 

But it all boiled down to...the fact that the hard food she was feeding her cat...was just meant for Adult cats. 

While there are brands of food meant for "Mature" cats. Which usually means 7 years or older, in some brands it's 11 years or older. And since her cat was 16...she wanted to feed her a food made more for her cat's needs. 

Only problem? It couldn't be just any food for mature adults.

It had to be a food that had specific key words listed in the ingredients. A food with the right percentage of fiber and fat. A food that didn't have wheat as the second ingredient, or really any grains listed as the second ingredient. It had to be a food that contained probiotics, that was grain free. 

And it seemed like every brand of food I'd try to show her...she'd find a reason why she didn't like it. Sometimes the reason was as simple as "I don't feel like I should get this one." 

It even involved a trip over to our 'health' section to check out some digestive treats, and salmon oil things for her to try before we wandered back over to the food.

Because no matter what I showed her. She would still return to the brand of food that was for 'adult cats' that she was currently feeding her kitty.

But she didn't want to hear that "perhaps you should just stick with that one." 

-Because really...if it's not hurting the cat, why change what's working?

But she wouldn't hear it.

She kept dithering between other brands.

Specifically one where she was like "I fed this to my cat for a while, but she didn't like it." 

So I showed her a different option for mature cats in that same brand.

And finally.

After much dithering about it.

She finally decided to get it.

One more trip over to the health section for cats was involved to grab the salmon oil.

And finally.

Finally. 

I was free of her.

45 freaking minutes later.

Keep in mind that this lady had found me basically right as my shift was ending.

And I had ended up spending an extra 45 minutes trying to get her to settle on a cat food for her to give her cat. 

*exhales*

Technically like ten minutes into the process of helping her I could have transferred her over to a different coworker.

As our handy dandy new walkie-talkies allowed instant communication so they knew I was still with a customer and offered to take over.

But I decided not to.

For multiple reasons.

One...because since I was technically supposed to be off, I wasn't needed on the floor. Two. If this customer was going to take forever...then that meant a lot of other people that potentially couldn't have been helped because this woman had a tenacious hold on my attention and would not give it up willingly I could tell. 

-I actually had to call my coworker over to help a different customer who had been hovering nearby for a couple of minutes also needing help. So my coworker was able to easily help them.

But mostly I didn't give this customer over to my coworker because she seemed like the sort that was easily overwhelmed. -considering she dithered for so long...it's not that hard to believe.

And if another coworker stepped in, they might tell her different things than I'd been telling her. (because we all have personal opinions, knowledge, experiences that influence what we tell customers.) I didn't want to have my coworker tell her something that would set everything back to point A again. 

*exhales* Maybe I should have just let them bite that bullet.

But hey.

In the end, I got the customer to buy things she was basically satisfied with. 

....I never did finish putting things back in the hamster cages though. 

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

October 2016 General Conference -Saturday Afternoon

Henry B. Eyring -The Sustaining of Church Officers

Quentin L. Cook -Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus

• A stumbling block can be anything that distracts us from achieving righteous goals. 
• We cannot afford to have our testimonies of the Father and the Son become confused and complicated by stumbling blocks. We cannot fall into that trap.
• Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it.
• Sooner or later everybody has to sit down to a banquet of consequences.
• When we elevate any principle in a way that lessens our commitment to other equally important principles or take a position contrary to or which exceeds teachings of Church leaders, we are looking beyond the mark.

Gary E. Stevenson -Look to the Book, Look to the Lord

• Do you realize that the Book of Mormon was written for you--and for your day? 
• As you look to the book, you look to the Lord.
• Within the book's pages, you will discover the infinite love and incomprehensible grace of God.

D. Todd Christofferson -"Abide in My Love" 

• God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.
• The Final Judgement is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts--what we have done.  It is an acknowledgement of the final effect of our acts and thoughts--what we have become. 

W. Mark Bassett -For Our Spiritual Development and Learning

• Sadly our development and learning can at times be slowed or even halted by an ill-conceived desire to "pry at the plates." These actions can lead us to seek after things that are not necessarily meant to be understood at this time, all the while ignoring the beautiful truths that are meant for us and our circumstances.
• The mysteries of God are unfolded unto us only according to His will and by the power of the Holy Ghost.
• Their faith will be manifest through diligence and through work.
• Some things can be learned only by faith.
• Faith and trust in the Lord require us to acknowledge that His wisdom is superior to our own. 

Kazuhiko Yamashita -Be Ambitious for Christ

• Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials.

Dallin H. Oaks -Sharing the Restored Gospel

• Missionary work is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano that is occasionally played; it is a major chord in a compelling melody that needs to be played continuously throughout our lives if we are to remain in harmony with our commitment to Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• All efforts begin with desire. 
• People learn when they're ready to learn, not when we're ready to teach them.
• Put first things first.
• Sharing the gospel is not a burden but a joy.

Until you next read these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi