I was born and raised in Missouri. I've driven through everything. When my ex-husband was stationed in 29 Palms (desert), it snowed once a winter. I wouldn't go out and drive - not because I couldn't drive in it, but because no one else could. I went out after a snow ONCE and almost got hit a dozen times and never did it again.
I know that the store is in a mess. My previous manager was working insane hours herself as she tried to keep it afloat and was (although I'm not supposed to know this) a hair's breath away from going postal. One of the things the previous manager used to do was to work us right up to the thirty-nine hour mark. (We're all temps--the company doesn't hire full time employees at our level.) I'm not complaining (to management) about the new scheduling, because I don' t know the reasoning behind it. (One of the things I like about the company I work at is that it looks at its employees--even temps--as people.) I know, for example, that of the seven employees working the store at my level I'm only one of two who neither has children, nor has charge of young children. New management might be trying to change the schedule to make it easier for the parents on crew--and I can see where the new schedule would be easier on parents. Of course, I could be overthinking it.
Yeah--AWM had a similar problem with the post office. She had to fight like a cornered wolf to get the pay she was owed, and when they were finally square with each other she quit. (I think she's still one the roster though--they keep sending timesheets in the mail showing she's worked zero hours.)
I've had problems on the blood donation front myself. For the first six times I tried to donate, my iron count was too low. Then, after I had finally managed to donate--twice--they added a question about being in Germany between two years. When I mentioned that yes, I had been in Germany between those dates (DD was stationed there), they told me I couldn't donate blood anymore. When I demanded to know why, they told me that it was because there had been a mad cow epidemic between those two years, which is total bull. I wasn't even old enough to eat solid foods, and my early years were primarily vegetarian (AWM believed that if a baby had a primarily vegetarian diet it decreased the chances of the child turning its nose up at vegetables later). The only exception to the rule were ribs--pork ribs, not to put too fine a point on it. Not to mention that if I had gotten mad cow, I would have gotten sick before now! (Sorry for ranting. It's just that I used to be an organ donor, but when I renewed my license the community blood center had put a notice on my information that I'm not allowed to do that.)
There are two reasons I wanted to work at the company that owns the convenience store I work at now. Reason one is that when AWM and I (we took turns doing this) were taking care of a very cantankerous aunt (who was living in an assisted living facility filled arrogant people who took issue with us because we weren't acting like proper "ladies") one of the things that kept us sane were breaks we were able to take the occasional break (the aunt was in physical therapy and we were able to rest for that hour) at a convenience store across the street. (Also the place that introduced AWM to cappuccino.) I try to create the same quick-helping and yet amiable atmosphere that place had for my customers at the station. (The other reason is that my company wants to rule the world--it's in the mission statement. Almost all of the convenience stores here belong to that company, and they have stores all over the globe, so they're off to a good start.)
Now, I've thought about setting up a craft booth at the local flea market (local being relative, of course--the nearest one is forty minutes away in good weather and light traffic). Would you be kind enough to tell me more about it?
Kind of reminds me of when AWM taught me how to drive. Every time we had inclement weather, I was out behind the wheel learning how to compensate for the bad weather. Rain so thick it's nearly impossible to see the end of the car hood? I've driven through it. Snow? Driven through it. Fog that alternates between being as clear as frosted glass to almost no visibility issues at all? Driven through it. Ice that's coated everything in a thin layer? Driven through it. Nighttime during a city-wide power outage? Driven through it. Hail? Actually, no--according to AWM hail is far too dangerous to drive in and the best thing to do during a hailstorm is stay put. By the time I finally got to Driver's ED (which is a story in and of itself) the only thing I hadn't driven in was sunshine. And believe me, it showed. Anyway, AWM would always tell me, "You may never see conditions like this again, but you will drive through them now."
I'm glad someone taught you a little of how cars work. My vehicular based education from the males of my family consisted of, "This is a cell phone. This is how you program speed dial. My number's already in here." (AWM showed me how to fill the radiator, check oil, refill the windshield washer fluid, change a tire, and so on.)
