Work Feb 24, 2014

I went to an auto shop before work to remove a screw on my driver's side front on Wed Feb 12. Fortunately, the screw didn't penetrate inside the tire. There was a tasting for invited guests only. I drank Champagne for the first time with a co-worker and her guest. I entered lots of beers which arrived today in the database. I ordered Broccoli Beef takeout at a Chinese restaurant. And I learned how to open the back roll-up door the proper way. There is a tactical way to open the door to protect myself in case somebody wants to commit a crime.

My manager was in a bad mood the entire Thur Feb 13 day. The shipping clerk added fuel to the fire by spilling a case of wine. One bottle broke. I assisted in helping him clean the mess. The manager was in a bad mood . . . yeah, duh. I was being sympathetic. It was the last day I wore good shoes to work because I don't want any spills on my shoes.

My Fri Feb 14 shift was at the second store. Six people registered for today's tasting. The co-owner was surprised 20-25 people attended the tasting. It was busy from the afternoon to closing. I never caught up on my work.

There was a salesman who waited for the co-owner to arrive for the tasting. The salesman was impatient and exited the store. He gave me marketing brochures which I kept them at the back table. I learned that the co-owners talk to sale representatives on Mon and Tue.

There was light traffic on Mon Feb 17 because of President's Day. My manager told me a long-time customer and his wife were in a snowmobile accident. The husband died and the wife was in a coma. They have two children in college. The husband worked at Apple in a high level position. The manager, the shipping clerk, and I talked about the accident for ten minutes. My entire work day consisted of catching up with emails and price research.

I rang up my first customer at the front-end register on Tue Feb 18. He purchased beers. I worked at the front-end because somebody was using my desk. There were no deliveries on a Tue which was a big advantage to continue catching up. I started to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert during my lunch hour.

I arrived to work 20 minutes late because there was an accident on the freeway on Wed Feb 19. I drove an alternate route. I made up the 20 minutes arrive work late by staying 20 minutes later than my ending shift time. 25 minutes late is my worse arrival time.

Thur Feb 20 was a physically, emotionally, and financially painful day. My manager and the assistant manager injured their backs. The assistant manager went home early. I arrived to work late which I shouldn't. There was a four-way stop sign intersection. The right-of-way driver waited 5 seconds. My entire commute consisted of 100% red lights at all signaled intersections. I kept my cool throughout my drive; however, there was frustration. The shipping clerk failed to accurately receive a shipment. Two cases were missing.

The two managers took an extended late lunch hour to attend a tasting the owner encouraged them to attend. The store operations were normal. My final task of the day was helping a customer carry her case of wine to her car for the first time. We small talked from the exit to her car. She was open and personal such that she asked me personal questions.

My manager helped me with my backlog before he went to the tasting. It was a huge help because I was 90% completed on my backlog on Fri Feb 21. I established a system where I received all second store invoices and put them in a folder for the co-owner to pick up and then give to the bookkeeper.

The second store was short-handed because the owner from the first store took one of our staff to cover for the assistant manager. I conversed with the assistant manager regarding staffing problems. One of our full-time staff moved to Seattle because she got divorced. Both stores are short-handed. Both stores are hiring. There are potentials hires working soon.

I worked at the tasting room for most of the day. The co-owner who works in the tasting room was on a business trip with his other co-owner. I followed the US vs. Canada Olympics semi-finals on the internet.

The co-owners being out of town was another reason why I was 90% caught up. Today was an example such that managers should leave their subordinates alone. Work and assignments are completed in time. Tasks are finished.

The shipping clerk transported the wines we needed for today's tasting. It was the first time he visited the second store.

One of my co-workers says March and April are going to be busy months. New wine vintages are released.