MY Year Begins Tomorrow

After inventory is over....

And that happens TODAY.

I'm always glad when it's over.

At least this year I have no emotional attachment to it. In past years, I've always feared for my boss that he might be out the door if the inventory figures were unacceptable. I had a great sense of loyalty to him. He hired me in way back in 2000. When he got moved to the south store, because the manager there had been "ushered out", I was asked if I would come-- by request of his supervisor-- the very next week. So, ten days after he started at this store, I started.

He was the Bush of our work related problems. Everything that went wrong was blamed on him. He was a hard person to defend for many of the decisions he made, and for some he wouldn't make-- like getting rid of incompetent people. Even now I find when people at work are discussing him and the things they didn't like about his management, I'll pipe up and say, "Blame it on Bush."

After he left and our next manager tried so hard to get everything just right, I developed somewhat of an emotional attachment to his success as well. I didn't have that same sense of loyalty that had grown over the years for my first boss, but I did want the second one to be recognized for all that he had diligently done to try to please his boss. It was not to be so, and he decided it just wasn't worth the agony. He confided in me after one visit, "I've worked in management in retail for seventeen years and I've never been talked to like this guy talked to me today."

I hated it that he left, but I hardly ever think of him now. As for the first one, I still go by every few months and check on him at his present work location. (They really like him there. They are even trying to figure out ways to promote him to a better location.)

Our new manager has not managed to inspire any kind of emotional attachment in me whatsoever. My greatest admiration of him lies in the fact that he is NOT easily intimidated. And when it seems that intimidation is the rule that governs the territory, that does cause me to appreciate him. I've never liked bullies. Most people don't. There's a whole lot of difference in people who rule by intimidation than people who are in a position of authority just making sure things go as they ought to in the stores they oversee. Firmness and use of the authority of your position are not intimidation. (Many parents know the difference. Most used to.) I've said time and time again, "When these [higher-ups] come in here, I expect them to tell us what needs to be corrected. I expect them to notice what is not going as well as they want it to." But you can "mean business" and let people know that you want things a certain way without being an arrogant bully-- unless you have self-esteem issues of your own.

Anyway, saying that only means that the outcome of today's inventory means nothing to me. I'll just be glad when it's over. For one thing, if it's not good, it won't be "blamed" on this new manager anyway. The blame will fall in the lap of the the co-manager and her co-horts that were "ushered out" back in April by Loss Prevention.

My new year starts tomorrow.

All the "resolutions" and goals I set for myself.... I always put off until after inventory to think about. By then the issue of New Year's Resolutions is already beginning to wane in the news so there's not as much pressure to change anything anyway.

The bad thing about being content with your life is that sometimes you just don't want to make a push to change things--even things that would make your life better. Why bother when you're already happy?

NOT a good attitude. I really do need to make some changes.

I noticed the ones I need to make are NOT isolated to me.
Get in shape
Lose weight
Get organized

Just to name three. They make hundreds of people's list of resolutions.

Problem is it's so much easier just to be content ....


I need to be up, up and away from here. I work from 11 until 6 and then I need to come right back by the funeral home because the father of some friends will be in viewing there tonight.

But my new year starts tomorrow.