Monday 7th December 2020
Myer 9.30 am - 5.30 pm new shift added to Kronos 27th November 2020. Checked Kronos again 28th & 29th November 2020 no changes to shift.
Checked Kronos 1st & 2nd December 20. Shift changed to 8 am - 4 pm.
Checked Kronos again on 4th, 5th , 6th & 7th December 20. Shift still 8 am - 4 pm
I got in to work this morning and was told apparently I punched out an hour earlier then I should have last week but was not yelled at for doing so but apparent other team members were made aware that team members were punching out earlier then they were suppose to on shifts. One team member said to me that they were not surprised with all the constant shift changes. So I am not the only team member complaining about all the last minute shift changes. Do I should not be yelked at especially with the 2 shift changes on the day I was rostered onto work. I am keeping a close eye on wage theft by Myer and if I catch them there will be legal action. Having said that last week I did forward a bunch of questions to Fair Work via their website and await their response.
Before the store opened at 9.30 am ( who knows what hours Myer opens anymore) today, the customer service manager asks me to grab the cage from the dock with all the kitchen gadgets in it which thought had some oxo products in it and to put the out on the kitchen gadget display and do that before the store opened. So I found the cage and went over to the display. Again whoever did the stock either could not be bothered to go down to the reserve and put the excess stock away or just didn't know how to put stock out or display it. Even my efforts to make stock that I had been putting out onto displays to make it blend in were totally destroyed. There was dumping of stock everywhere - boxes and packets of stock left on the floor under displays which is disallowed ( probably due to either fire, or health and safety regulations) and masses of stongs not even taken out of their plastic sleeves dumped onto a shelf spotted by the customer service manager.
I had to totally reorganize and remerchandise one whole side of the kitchen gadget wall. It was a total disgrace with stuff just hung everywhere and anywhere with double ups and over stocked gadgets. The person who restocked did not even bother to find extra "arms" to add to the display wall instead they just stuff as many gadgets as they could on each arm. Anything they could not hang sell they shoved underneath the display on the floor or on any spare space they could find on shelves nearby.
After reorganizing and remerchandising one side of the gadget wall it was much neater and earier to find kitchen gadgets by brand and by gadget. Unfortunately I still have not managed to do the same to the other side of the kitchen gadget wall. One day I will have the time to it. That is the more dificult side and takes more time and skill as it need to be all removed and recategorized by colours and Kitchenaid gadgets.
Today was total chaos. It was so hectic this morning. How could managers only roster on one new team member at the POS this morning? No ipads collected no day sheet and no keys collected from the office by anyone. I don't think I am responsible for colkecting it as I'm on stock and start at 8 am.
I almost took an order for 1 single mug the other day but it took so much time just filling out the customer details on the Ipad that the customer decided not to go ahead with it. Now I don't encourage orders as Myer's " arrangement" with Australia Post is not making any difference to the delivery time anyway and there have been far too many issues with deliveries of customer orders eg faulty, damaged or delayed. I haven't been asking customers for rounding up of purchases as donations to charity but I still ask every customer if they have a Myer One card or if they would like to join. Most say no because it's not worth it or they have too many loyalty cards allready, however I've had an increasing amount of customers asking if it is actually a credit card - I don't even think Myer offers a credit card only DJ's does. I am wondering where they got tbis idea or information from. I actually had one customer who actually wanted to join the Myer One membership. She even asked why she wasn't told about it kast time she made a purchase at Myer.
I was suppose to be on stock again all day from 8 am - 4 pm but was asked to keep an eye on the register by the customer service manager then man the register until reinforcements arrived by the electricals team leader. There was no way one person would be able to serve the queue of people waiting. I probably served more customers then restocked/merchandised shelves today.
I texted team member "ticket girl" who had a day off today the following message
"They managed to finally separate us not that I had much time for a break today . Frantic and I was on stock but asked to man the POS because only one new team member was on in the morning until the team member who "wants to be team leader" arrived. Warning if you are on tomorrow I saw the electrical department manager ( correction he says he is a team leader not a manager) with a whole bundle of "tickets" he printed out : (
I am not on tomorrow back on Wednesday hope you are enjoying your day off.
I didn't get into trouble but apparently I punched out an hour earlier then I was supposed to on Sat. Oops?!"
So today I went to the Homewares counter checked the time it was 4.11 pm on the POS system and checked Kronos for when I was suppose to finish my shift today ie 4 pm on 7th December 20 in front of team member as a witness before punching out and grabbing my stuff from the staff locker and exiting via the ground floor via cosmetics department. This team member asks me if I got paid for the extra 11 minutes I worked over my shift finishing time and I said no. I've lost count of the number of times I've started earlier then my shifts and finished later then my shifts because I was still with customers or putting away stock now - all unpaid just as many times my shifts have changed at the last minute upon arrival. This issue of arriving to work or finishing work at certain times after checking Kronos only to find my shift times have changed on my way to work or during work is not new it has been hapoening since I started at Myer almost from day one. Nothing I can do about it. Nothing any team members can do about it except diarise and photograph the evidence in the event of wage theft or unfair dismissal.
After last weeks incident I asked one team member if she was OK and she told me the full story about the incident that happened. A reminder that it is not OK to be yelled at by management particularly in front of customers not even in front of team members and especially if wrongly accused. Yes I find that I am not the only team member being yelled at by managers. There seems to me that there really is a " people & culture(s)" issue at Myer - I am curious if it is just this Myer or throughout the entire Myer organisation. The team member even said to me that managers should not be yelling at team members we adults not children. Very true and managers should get their facts straight before accusing team members which is also very important.
So after punching out today there was no hanging around Warringah Mall - not even for a toilet stop, it was straight onto the next waiting 280 bus to Chatswood. There was an ex bus buddy I spotted at Warringah Mall with one of her disability clients out shopping however I was on my way to work that day therefore did not intercept her to say hello. This afternoon she had her ear glued to her phone when she got onto the 280 bus to Chatswood , I called out her name but she didn't recognise or hear me ( I did have a mask on). She ended up plonking herself on the seat next to me but most of the time she had her ear glued to her phone ( she always had a habit of this back when we travelled out to St Ives on the bus). Anyway after she finally got off the phone I said hi and we caught up with where and what we had been doing. She is now in Killara and since COVID only looks after one client privately at their home therefore no longer has to travel out to St Ives.
I went shopping for a few groceries at Woolworths Metro when I arrived at Chatswood saying good bye to my ex bus buddy only to bump into her again there. I needed to make something yummy for lunch on Wednesday so decided to make a mini turkey ballotine stuffed with a thin layer of smoked salmon montrey jack cheese slice baby spinach leaves and baby asparagus spears.
Waiting at the bus stop at Chatswood for the 144 I bumped into another ex bus buddy who lives a few blocks ( maybe quite a few blocks from where I reside) from where I reside and we had a bit of a catch up on what we have been upto during COVID. He only returned to his job at the bank recently as he has been on a teaching placement for the past 5 months as a high school teacher which he had been retraining for previous to COVID. He had not changed much since I last saw him in March although he had put on a little weight but not enough to make him morbidly obese by any means. He had wondered what happened to me and did ask my previous manager. I told him how my employment was terminated in March after 10 years service and how I was paid out my long service leave using COVID as the reason. He said at least I was paid out my long service leave. Then I told him how I was working out at Warringah for larger company still as a casual and how I love the customers and the people I work with but not the company itself or management. I said I did not want him to know who I worked for incase it got back to my previous employer. I also mentioned how I haven't seen one ex bus buddy but just bumped into another ex bus buddy. He told me how he sees our other bus buddy that works out at Belrose for an engineering company on the bus still. As well as how I see the guy that works for St Ives Shopping Village Conceirge usually at this bus stop with his girlfriend on Saturday nights after I finish work - the one my retired ex bus buddy and I used to joke about for them to "get a room" as they would constantly be all over each other at the bus stop across the road from St Ives Shopping Village after work. They are still all over each other only now it's closer to the bus stop where they reside!
Home and put my groceries away before going to sleep. So nice to catch up with people after 9 months and just before Christmas too.
Still looking for a new job and retraining in another field but unsure what field. Maybe teaching is not a bad option however primary not secondary. I was still thinking of something in IT although I do like working in The Arts.
Tuesday 8th December 2020
Myer 12 pm - 5 pm new shift added to Kronos 27th November 2020. Checked Kronos 28th & 29th November 2020. No changes to shift.
Checked Kronos again 1st & 2nd December 2020 Shift cancelled for today ( yes again!)
Checked Kronos again 4th 5th & 6th December 20 no change still a day off.
It took me a few hours to prepare but lunch for work tomorrow is now packed by 10.30 am and I hope I will have time to sit down and eat it.
I had to clean out my fridge again as everything is going mouldy for some reason. I do have a fridge thermometer in it.
Anyway this is what I made for lunch tomortow with the groceries I purchased yesterday afternoon and stuff from bottles and jars I had.
Bills due in December paid today income pro, mobile & half off site unit rental. Done
After finally having a shower and washing the dishes it is 3 pm and time to venture out. It is really nice outside the sun is out and a lot cooler then inside. A nice breeze is in the background. Perfect Summer weather I'm guessing in the mid 20s degree Celcius. First thing I do when I arrive at Chstswood is to put the envelope of pre written Christmas cards I had from the previous Christmas for my previous employer into the mail box. So glad to finally get rid of them but I still need to return the key in person. It's ok if the cards don't reach them in time for Christmas or they get lost in the mail however I don't trust Australia Post to return a key to my previous employer.
On the 340 bus into the city now. I could have caught the train but the bus is less crowded at this time of the afternoon with school kids.
First stop The Strand Arcade to find the spice shop Gewurzhaus Herb & Spice Merchants that sells the special German mixed spice Speckulaas for my annual Christmas pudding I am making. Yes the one that I have been soaking my special mixture of dried candied and glace fruits in cointreau for months in for! I hate dried sultanas currents and raisins so make my own selection of mixed fruits and nuts each year for my annual Christmas pudding. I have left it a bit late this year but it's now or never. It waa bad enough hunting around for 100% cotton cooking twine and a pudding cloth! Myer does not sell either of these products. String found at Daiso and cloth found at Spotlight Bondi Junction.
With my Speckulaas in my hand next stop is Koko Black my favourite chocolate boutique at the opposite end of The Strand Arcade to Haighs Chocolates to purchase their version of Christmas Pudding chocolate rating 5/10, Gingerbread chocolate 7/10 & an Australian bush flavoured chocolate ( lemon myrtle & cucumber jelly) 8/10. On to see the real Christmas tree @ The QVB ( the one dripping in Swarovski crystals. The tree is the same size as the 2020 tree. Then onto MidCity Centre & Westfield Sydney to see their Christmas decorations. Finally a walk back to Woolworths Town Hall, then making my way through the labaryth of barricades set up through Town Hall Station on a daily basis during peak hours just to get to the toilets before find my way out of the station's labaryth of barricades set up to the nearest station exit upto street level and catching the 340 bus back to Chstswood which is not so crowded. Finally a stop off at Woolworths Metro for some groceries and takeaway dinner as I could not be bothered to cook again. Home on the 144. Eat and sleep. Work again tomorrow. Photos below
Wednesday 9th December 2020
Myer 9.30 am - 5.30 pm new shift added to Kronos 27th November 20. Checked Kronos again 28th & 29th November 20. No changes to shift.
Checked Kronos 1st & 2nd December 20 Shift changed to 8 am - 4 pm
Checked Kronos 4th 5th 6th 7th & 8th December 20 shift still 8 am - 4 pm
This morning I got yet another job opportunity to work on a dairy farm on contract for 6 months including accommodation. "Have I considered working on a dairy farm?" I don't think so - I'm a city girl not a country girl, I don't have any farm skills with skills in business but more importantly I'm really allergic and lactose intolerant. I responded with the above and thanked them for the job opportunity.
My blog crashed again. And it crashed again!
Left home at 6 am again this morning ( I am unsure how many more 6 am starts I can do as it will be 4/5 by Friday all for stock duties) with Saturday a 7 am start all in order to get to work on time by the 7.55 am 5 minute only staff entrance exit door opening. The customer service manage spotted me this morning and said hello but I ignored her - she realised why I didn't acknowledge her as I was reading about the covid vaccine on my phone which I later told her about. She said she heard that you have to wait upto 3 months to find out if you are immuned to the virus after having the first shot then a second booster shot. I said well that eliminates any chance of me going back overseas for my annual "treatment" ( natural cyrotherapy for my eczema & allergies) trip to Canada !
I punch in around 7.50 am as usual ( customer service manager usually kets me in before 7.55 am) for a 8 am start place my stuff in a staff locker, my yummy lunch I prepared in the staff fridge ( not that I will have time to enjoy it) and head up to the 1st floor after being directed by tge customer service manager to go to the dock and find any glassware to put out.
Today there was again no staff rostered on to man the counters in Homewares early in the morning. There was a mess of items asnd tickets on the back counter again. I ask the customer service masnager what's this and that and can i put this back. Everytime I ask her the stand answer from her is " I'm psychotic not psychic!" ( she said she wasn't in yesterday). Yep that sums her up. She frantically tries to put the correct signs up and did ask me the other day whilst I was doing stock to look out for and take down any expired sales signs that may have been missed.
First customer of the day was a customer with a nutribullet that had blown up and an online change of mind purchase return . I could not deal with this customer as no one had collected and signed out any ipads or keys so i had to walk the customer to the electricals department where "ticker girl" 's brother was working to process both isdues for the customer.
Next I asked if I could help with putting up the tickets for the customer service manager to try and clear the back counter. Christmas trim discount tickets - no holders therefore excess signs not up. Only 1 empty holder was missed so I managed to put one Christmas trim sign up and another one in a black background display holder but before I did this I asked the customer service manager " Does the discount on Christmas trim include Mary & Jesus?" - Being non religious I had no idea whether Nativity scenes are part of Christmas trim or not! Maybe I should have asked simply " Are Mary & Jesus on sale?" Moving onto stock. I found an empty sign holder just dumped amongst glassware on a shelf so returned it to the cupboard behind Homewares.
I got my first poor 7/10 custoner feedback score however that customer gave Myer an even worse overall customer feedback score of 5/10. Not only did that one 7/10 score destroy my gold standard in customer service excellence it dropped my overall customer satisfaction score of 100% down to now 88% and I'm not even suppose to be serving just on stock!!!! The Homewares Department now has dropped from 80% down to 47% customer satisfaction which is shocking!!!!! I think the whole Myer Metrics systems is ever f***ed up or indicates that there is a real problem at Myer. I still am reading in the comments and customers approaching me on the floor advising me "There is no one around to serve me."
Today I tried to serve everyone as best as I could being on stock duties however there was one Asian lady I refuse to serve and left her waiting at the counter because she keeps approaching me when she sees me asking for a discount on items so I now ignore her.
No orders today no Myer one sign up snd no asking to round up purchases to donate tyo the current charity which is the Salvation Army & Families In Need. What no longer the local womens' shelter?
Still trying to work out which team member is just dumping the stock onto the floor. Everyone was blaming one poor team member and he has not been allowed back onto stock for a while now so it's definitely not him and I have been telling everyone that. Today I found that a team member had dumped 2 full rows of boxed cheese knives sets somewhere it didn't belong but the worst thing was they left the tissue paper linings still in between each box on display. I suspect it is the same team member who dumped a whole pile of mini tongs on a bottom shelve still in their plastic sleeves on display!
Now another story that will make someone giggle - it made a team member laugh when I texted her on her day off.
I found a cage on the dock full of Dreamfarm products but in the same cage was a whole heap of large boxes with Decor containers in them - what the? Myer now sells Decor plastic containers, the ones that are readily available in the supermarkets Coles Woolworths even Aldi at times as well as Big W Target & Kmart ? Has the Myer buying department gone crazy? Why would you buy these Tupperware type storage containers in various sizes at Myer when you can get them at your local supermarket or chain store and cheaper? So I asked a regular stock team member where I should display them he didn't know but added "They probably cost $50 at Myer and $10 at the supermarket as nothing is under $50 at Myer" ( wrong but I get what he is trying to say). So I asked the customer service manager where I should put them - a whole cage of them! First she looked at them and then said " Myer doesn't sell Decor? (pause with a questionable product look or WTF look and a looks like it does now look) before adding "I don't know. Burn it!"
My blog crashed yet again. Everytime I try to write something informative it just crashes.
I just wrote a whole paragraph on the possibility of why Myer is trying to sell Decor products. I noticed that on every Decor carton and every Decor item there was a very large "MADE IN AUSTRALIA" printed on it.
Myer is still an Australian owned department store (just!). It's closest competitor and rival department store is no longer Austalian owned. ( DJs was sold to a South African company Woolworths no relation at all to the Australian supermarket chain also named Woolworths). My theory is that maybe Myer is just trying to promote and support Australian Owned and Made companies. Sistema a NZ made plastic container company has had great success selling their products in Australia in supermarkets and chain stores like Big W Target Kmart for years so maybe Decor is trying to do the same by establishing their Australian made plastic container range by upping their market share to department stores instead of just supermarket and chain stores like Big W Target K mart . Who knows?!
Again at the end of the day I check Kronos of my start and finishing time for today go to the Homewares counter and check the time on the POS system and have another team member witness when I am about to punch out. The time is again 4.15 pm. The team member that asked me if the extra time after 4 pm is paid or not asked me again why I punch out so late - simple answer I have to return the cage and empty the rubbish. 4.20 pm I finally punch out and leave work as it takes me that long to get back to the staff locker and staff lunch room to retrieve my stuff.
Thursday 10th December 2020
Day off checked Kronos 27th, 28th & 29th November 2020. Checked Kronos 1st & 2nd December 20 no change .
Checked Kronos again 4th 5th 6th 7th & 8th December 20 still a day off.
Not any more. Myer 8 am - 4 pm stock only new shift added yesterday as soon as I finished my shift and punched off the assistant manager rings me at 5 pm to ask if I can work tomorrow. I said yes but cannot not work before 8 am. I said I can work after 4 pm.
Not much happened today as I was not serving customers just stock. I am averaging 4 cages of stock a day now. I try to select cages of stock that can be merchandised easily.
I unfortunately found another 2 full cages of more Decor containers so had to move the 2 shelves of the Decor containers I merchandised yesterday and find and move them to an alternative set of shelves with more space. The Joseph & Joseph stand was suggested to be emptied and moved to the side wall and replaced by the Decor range by the customer service manager but I did not like the idea as Joseph & Joseph products deserve to have their own stand and not be pushed to a back wall as they are quality products so I managed to fit all of the Decor range onto 3 bottom shelves underneath the Built drink bottles which I consolidated and reorganised . I placed the series of compartment glass lunch boxes onto the back wall instead to have a bit more exposure as they were hidden underneath the Built drink bottles on the lower 3 shelves where I moved the Decor range to. So glad it all fit! Still have a few more Decor containers in the cage I did not get to put out but there is a space on the shelf I left for them so they should fit in.
I still got pestered by customers so tried to point them to the direction of what they were looking for was or directed them to the nearest service counter or team member.
I went back finally to take all the the plastic bags off the pile of mini tongs a team member had dumped onto a bottom shelf on the back wall as well as tidy them up.
Because the MW rep was present to merchandise their stock, I served a customer who wanted some MW drink bottles that were not but on the floor therefore went down to the reserve to retrieve them for her and restock them at the same time as i knew exactly where they were.
Again to be sure that I am not accused of punching out at the wrong finishing time of my shift I go to the Electrical department POS and check the time against the finishing time and date of my shift today before going and punching out - it was definitely after after 4 pm witnessed by a team member.
Grabbed my stuff from staff locker punched out and headed to go window shopping. I had already done a small shop at lunch which I had at 2 pm and had already recharged my Opal card. I made the next 280 bus back to Chatswood where I stopped off again at Woolworths Metro Chatswood to buy some more groceries for lunch tomorrow before heading home.
Checked Kronos yet again for any changes to shifts. Most of my shifts are stock next week msrked with big "X" s with one shift added to next (8 am - 4 pm) Monday. I was telling team members how I am on stock most of the time except Saturdays when I have some relief from doing stock as i'm on the floor but not really as Saturdays there is no relief with customers constantly bombarding you. ( It's Super Saturday too!)
Who sends a text at 9.57 pm to tell team members via the Whatsapp team group chat to look your best and wear your apron for a visit from the CEO? We all know he is coming - he is just the CEO not the King ( even if he is a King by surname only) . A team member from Electricals asked Homewares or everyone? I asked even if I'm doing stock? All teams was the response for the visit. Look at MComms to remind us what he looks like - I don't think i need to be reminded - I've seen him in person at the AGMs - to be honest I am surprised he is still the CEO after the last virtual AGM!
Friday 11th December 2020
Myer 9.30 - 5.30 pm new shift added to Kronos 27th November 20. Checked Kronos again 28th & 29th November 20 no changes to shift.
Checked Kronos 1st & 2nd December 20 shift changed to 8 am - 4 pm.
Checked Kronos again 4th 5th 6th 7th & 8th December 20 shift still 8 am - 4 pm.
I checked Kronos again today as a team member had her Christmas shifts already and I still had not received mine. She asked why nit and I responded it is typical I NEVER receive my notification of my shifts more then a week in advance ( if lucky not even a day in advance!). So team member " Ticket girl" and myself both did not want to work on the 26th December ( Boxing Day) but we could not get onto Myer Metrics to read the legislative requirements for working on Boxing Day to return our response as it kept hanging. Now we are both rostered on from 11 am - 9 pm that day! I think this is unreasonable it is a Saturday night public holiday and public transport will run to a public holiday Sunday timetable - how am I going to get to work and more importantly home? Just because I don't work on Sundays ( my life would be ruined if I was available to work Sundays by Myer not that my life hasn't been ruined this year by them already) it does give Myer the right to roster me on that late when they know the last bus back to Chatswood is at 6 pm on a Saturday as I am no longer being rostered to finish at 6 pm on Saturdays after previous fiasco just asking to leave 2 hours earlier on a Saturday! Just checked Myer metrics Mcoms again and that above communication on boxing Day legislation is still hanging. I am still waiting for a response from Fair Work to all my inquiries including the one related to casuals working on Boxing Day public holiday.
I am saving what I write in this blog as I go.
By the time I arrived this morning there were so many team members waiting for the staff entrance exit doors to open it was not funny. What was going on? Everyone was starting at 8 am! 7.55 am and still waiting to get in for a 8 am start. Some team members were punching in on their phones. Not me i devided to punch in when I actually got in through the doors.
First job of the day was tidying stock and merchandising stock in time for the CEO's visit - well what do you know a rumour was he was due in around noon then 9 am but no surprise he was running late and arrived after 9.30 am. Must have had a late night!
I was working with the customer service manager before the store opened remerchandising the S & P wall as the S & P rep has a slightly quirky way of merchandising & too much stock on display tables ( I think someone called it the S & P shop where everything S & P is placed together with cutlery crockery serving ware cheese knives even Salt & Pepper grinders / shakers mixed in with drink bottles, lunch bags, tea & coffee pots and mugs, lamps, toilet brushes and tooth brush/toothpaste holders.) First thing I saw the customer service manager do was shove all the S & P tooth brush/toothpaste holders & toilet brushes onto a shelf far too short for them and crammed with dinnerware. I asked how people were going to get those out off the shelf - she didn't really care when I asked why they aren't suppose with the other bathroom accessories. She advised me that the rep wanted all salt and pepper products together. Next we moved and tidyed up all the glassware and alphabet mugs around to make the wall display more nd coherent. I was moving and organising all the alphabet mugs around and said F is for "F***" (with a "You!" on the end. ) , S is for "S***" ( because Myer is sure full of it) and without even thinking I said " There are far too many K's in the world!" "Excuse me!" exclaims the customer service manager ( her name happens to start with a K). I did mean the number of the alphabet mugs on the shelf not her.
Wall and S & P displays all tidy and reorganised.
His visit was brief and his posse accompanying him was very big. So my question at the next AGM will not only be 1. So how is the Amazon lĺHub doing and was it worth the investment now that it is one year on but 2. How much of shareholders funds was spent on the CEO and his rather large possey travelling around Australia visiting various Myer stores? What was the actual purpose of the visit & Was the large convoy ( posse) of management staff accompanying the CEO on his travels really necessary?
First there was the great wall of Krosno glassware now there is the great wall of MW dinnersets next to it that one of the stock team members has built on his own this time next to it on the dock. I texted team member "ticket girl" about it as I don't think she has seen it yet. Later the customer service manager asks if i had seen it and I said yep and had texted team member "ticket girl" about it too! ( she was back on today after 2 days off).
I like how 10 minutes before I was due to finish my shifts I was asked to help put up the sale signs for tomorrow's Super Weekend sale but then again I was asked to drop a lot of things I do and to do other things often conflicting things from different managers.
Now let's talk about my last customer of today. She wanted my help and said it would take only 5 minutes. More like 15 minutes and just as I was about to finish my shift
I stop at Chatswood to get a free soft serve from Panfu. I have always wanted to try their Hokkido Cheese but being lactose intolerant have never dared to and just as well. I lined up for a free softserve. As I was lining up only cheese cake the original flavour was available as the people lining up 2 in front of me got the last of the berry flavoured soft serve. That's ok original was fine it was free and if my stomach could not tolerate it I could dispose of it. After I ate a third of the soft serve I did dispose of it and just as well as soon as I was across the road from where I resided my lactose intolerance reared it's ugly head. Sick for the rest of he night. At least I made it home ( just!) before I started feeling really sick.
Gee it's cold and windy this afternoon at Chatswood and it's only 6.30 pm. On the 144 bus home. Gee it takes forever for a bus to arrive even during peak hours. It's going to rain!
One final thing I'm so disappointed with Australia Post who lost one of my letters this year and sent another one back to my PO Box as well as claiming that 4 weeks won't get my gift I sent to the USA in time for Christmas by standard mail but they certainly got my unimportant bundle of Christmas cards to my previous employer really quickly in under 2 days and they are not even within the Sydney CBD!
Saturday 12th December 2020
Myer 9.39 am - 5.30 pm new shift added to Kronos 27th November 20. Checked Kronos again 28th & 29th November 20 no changes to shift.
Checked Kronos 1st & 2nd December 20 shift changed to 9 am - 5 pm
Checked Kronos again 4th 5th 6th 7th & 8th December 20 shift still 9 am - 5 pm
I still had to leave home by 7 am this morning in order to get to work on time by 9 am which gave me an hour more to sleep in today. On saturday the 144 seems to only arrive every 30 minutes although they are meant to arrive more frequently according to the timetable at the bus stop. I waited for a bus for so long this morning before waiting for a connecting B Line bus to Warringah Mall at Neutral Bay Junction. I purchased some breakfast at Woolworths - a twin packet of calzones which were still warm ( these are ham cheese and tomato paste filled in pizza dough for those who don't know what a calzone is). I had one for breakfast and one for lunch . I don't like the ham or bacon cubes inside them but love the dough tomato paste and melted cheese in them. Maybe spinach or mushrooms with tomato paste and cheese would make a tastier combination. I asked a team member from the Electricals department today why he was wearing a white shirt today - he exclaims " It's not white, it's pink!" If it's pink it is an extremely pale pink - remember the controversial what colour is it dress on social media previously - it reminds me if that.
As soon as I arrive at Warringah mall a text message via Whats app team group chat advises team members to wear pink if we like for Super Saturday - it's a bit short notice I'm already at work - luckily I just happened to have chosen to wear my pink leopard print mask today.
After breakfast I walk to the staff entrance exit and the door was open before 9 am. Being Super Saturday there is most hands on deck except the customer service manager and team leader of the Electricals department who never work on Super Saturdays according to the team leader who advised me when we caught up during a lunch break that she has worked every Super Saturday since she became a permanent team member.
What's with customers wanting to buy Myer's display or VM Christmas trees? They are not for sale and customers can't just pick one up off the floor ( not that they can with the small and medium ones as they are connected together with a very long string of fairy lights & with a very long extention power cord hung frtom the ceiling only I know about as I assisted in stringing the lights around the Christmas trees with another team member ) or display and take it to the counter to purchase them!
Customer # 1 . My first customer of the day arrives as soon as the store opens and plonks a large Christmas tree in it's open box onto the Homewares counter. "How can I help you?" I ask. "I would like to return this Christmas tree." replys the customer . "Did you buy it online or in store and what is wrong with it?" I ask the customer. She did not seem happy but the story is a typical funny story which has happened before and it all has to do with sending your partner ( ususally the male half) to purchase a gift or item and them coming back with complete the wrong gift or item. The customer was not angry with Myer but with her partner's "I don't care" attitude. He was sent off to purchase a Christmas tree as a gift for someone. He told the team member serving him that he wanted that tree ( one of the 3 smaller display trees with dairy lights lit up outside of Myer which are for VM only and not for sale) and he even took a photo of the trees he wanted on his phone. The team member had told him that they were not for sale and were for Myer's VM only. Somehow this customer's partner managed to purchase a fully decorated table tree which was much shorter then the Myer VM trees and looked nothing like the ones on display or in the photo on the phone and taking it home with him. The couple probably had a bit of a heated arguement over it and now they don't have a tree to give to someone. The customer asked if she could exchange it for another tree - unfortunately not as there was not a single tree left in stock for sale except one of the sane trees she is returning and the 3 fully decorated biggest trees left on display ( which will only go on sale closer to Christmas - first rumoured to be Christmas eve ). So in the end I refunded her the money and said that it will be the customer story of the day ( with her permission and no names mentioned not that I knew her or partners names anyway ).
Customer # 2. Later during the day a customer approaches the homewares counter with a small tabletop Christmas tree with nothing on it except a cardboard cone around it's base which acts like a tree skirt. The customer plonks the tree on the counter and asks " How much is this christmas tree there is no price or tag on it?" I look at him and respond with " I don't think this Christmas tree is for sale , it's a VM display tree only". I put the tree on the back counter next to the 2 GPS stockings hanging up as samples which were left over Christmas stock from last Christmas ( which another customer told me did not even work) and which are being given away as a free gift with purchase to customers who purchase Christmas trim, kidswear or toys as there are truck loads of them left.
Today is Super Saturday at Myer or Super weekend which means yet another Mega Myer sale. It was so hectic. I had half my lunch down in the staff lunch room and went back up to find team member "ticket girl" but could not find her but saw a long queue of customers so jumped back on the registers to help serve as many customers as I could before going back and having the second half of my lunch and also finding team member "ticket girl" who was held up by customers and finally escaped out of Myer to have lunch. We had the last 10 or 15 minutes of lunch together before heading upstairs back on the floor.
Another text received after the store closed via whats App group chat which reads the following from the team leader :
"Thankyou everyone for your hard work. Home/entertainment took around $***, double its budget. We are close to clearing our xmas decorations and food! .................Wear pink tomorrow and a touch of xmas is always enjoyed by customers! The store opens at 9 ............😃 🎄"
If Myer is doing so well - where's my dividend? I expect one with no excuses next year!
I could not be bothered cooking dinner again tonight so stopped off to get a Mexican spicy chicken burrito ( full sized this time not mini) with chimi mayo from Guzman Y Gomez located a walk down from Chatswood Station to The Concourse. I love burritos but hate going to certain stores of this particular Mexican fast food chain as they always charge me an extra 50 cents for the sauce but leave it off. I had to walk all the way back to ask them for it this time. I didn't think they put it inside the burrito as it is usually in a side container with the meal. When I opened up the burrito there was only spicy chicken however they insisted it was included inside the burritos ( if it was it was at the very bottom of it) but did end up giving me a little container extra of it. Instead of walking back up to the station again , I caught the next 340 bus . The driver says to me " You do realise that I terminate at the next stop?" off course I did i told him that i was sick of walking back and forth to and from the station - my little legs are so sore and tired already. I had no energy left.
I eat my burrito half waiting for the 144 bus which took ages to arrive and the other half when I arrive home before watching tv and falling asleep really early. It even started to spit rain at one stage but it was quite brief on my way home on the bus and i almost got off at the wrong bus stop.
Sunday 13th December 2020
Day off
No new shifts added to Kronos as at 27th, 28th & 29th November 20.
Checked Kronos again 1st & 2nd December no new shifts added as @ today.
Checked Kronos 4th 5th 6th 7th & 8th December 20 new shifts added as at 4th December 20.
Checked kronos again 11th 12th & 13th December new shifts added on kronos for tomorrow 14th December the week before christmas & Boxing Day.
Today I cooked and packed a Japanese sugar snap peas potato carrot onion chicken turkey and tofu curry with rice and cabbage garnished with corriander fried shallots mayo and bbq sauce for lunch tomorrow. So yummy.
Today i just could not get up. I only ventured out to do grocery shopping at 5.30 pm. It said on the website that Westfield was open until 7 pm today but by the time I arrived all the shops had closed by 6 pm! So I only went to Aldi and coles Local.
Sorry my blog crashed yet again.
Home by 8 pm and it's still catch up time. i unlo ad my groceries and re organised the fridge which I cleaned out this morning. Dinner is water a blueberry bage l and cheese slices.
Today my skin was extra itchy and my allergies really bad. It was a rather nice day today asll day even when I got home. No rain forecasted however thunderstorms were forecasted for Thursday and Friday my only 2 days off - can you believe that?!
By 9 30 pm and it starts to pour with rain outside.
10.30 am still wet outside but it looks like it has stopped raining now.
Product review Loving Earth Organic Turkishly Delightful Dark chocolate truffle with rose essential oil and cranberries. Looks very much like tge Pana Chocolate i love from the outside packagingwise but inside looks and feels a little different. Firstly Pana Chocolates are wrapped in lined paper and loving Earth chovolate is wrapoed in a plastic package. The blocks are similar in dimension and are cubed rather then rectangular. However the main difference is the feel of Loving Earth chocolate which is slightly harder then the Pana chocolate but still pliable . Now for the taste . Very similar to Pana Chocolate smooth however not as heavy on the amount of oil content. This flavour is not unpleasant but slightly hippy in the flavour profile Rating 7/10 A cheaper alternative to Pana Chocolate.
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