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this summer I worked at a national chain discount department store that starts with an R, and is also the name of a character from the TV show 'Friends'. moving along..

I was part of the stock team, so of course my job duties called for stocking shelves and once in a while having to answer the questions of customers who see me stocking stuff & decide to flag me down. I'm always friendly and happy to help, but that doesn't mean I'm going to shop FOR YOU.

I had this lady flag me down one day while I was stocking the ladies shirt section.. our conversation went something like this:

C: customer
me: *waves*

C: hey, I gotta question
me: sure! how can I help you?
C: where are your women's XL shirts? I can't find them
me: *points to the section right next to us* they're right here ma'am, and they stretch down this section. our sizes are organized by nub color. the XL sizes have black nubs on the top of the hangers, so look for the black nubs and you should be set!
C: well I really like this shirt *holds out it out* but it's green. I don't like green. I want it in black. find it for me in black. (no 'please'.. just.. FIND IT FOR ME.)
me: I'd love to help ma'am, but there are hundreds of shirts in this section and they aren't organized by anything other than size & nub color.
C: *scoffs & turns her back to me* whatever, I can never find anything in this store.. a lot of help you people are.. nothing is organized here.. blah blah blah.

you're bloody welcome, lady. yeah let me just stop what I'm doing and run over the 15 minute time limit I have to be out here just to help you find a black shirt in this specific style out of the HUNDREDS, perhaps thousands of shirts we have.

Sunday Macro! Click on the picture to visit the Criminal Macros blog. New macros are posted every day, and you can follow us on Twitter as well. Don't forget anybody can submit a macro! Kimberley and I may someday run out of macro ideas, you never know, anything's possible.

This is from a few weeks ago, and a recent post reminded me that I meant to post it.

I'm a character photographer at a major theme park where you can "ride the movies," and this particular day I was shooting a vary popular cleaning product that lives in a tropical fruit. We were returning from lunch and I had three families that wanted to wait for him to return, since it was only about 10 minutes. Family one was two kids, ages around 6 and 8, and were already here for 5 minutes at this point. Family two was a man and his 5-year-old daughter, his daughter wanted to play "under the sea" for a few minutes. We have no issue with this, as long as they're out of the way and in line when the character comes out. Family three was a family from "Give Kids the World" (for those not familiar, this group works alongside "Make a Wish" and "Children's Wish" to grant wishes for children that have life-threatening diseases, terminally ill, etc.). These families get to go first, regardless of when they arrive. It's part of making the kids' wishes come true.

When I realized that there was about five minutes left until the character returned, I announced nice and loud that he will be returning in five minutes and to get in line to meet him. The two sweet kids (I know, sometimes at a theme park this term is considered an oxymoron) got in line immediately and waited quietly and patiently (I wanted to take them home or show them off), and the man let his daughter continue to run around. I put the GKTW family by the exit, since they were going to be first, and explained to the kids in line that they will be after the other family. They smiled and cooperated without fuss (what a breath of fresh air!). I went to the man and explained that to meet the character he HAD to get in line with his daughter. He kept saying, "ok ok," like he understood.

Obviously not.

We're set up right near the exit for a ride, and I see the ride open. Families started filling up the line to meet their favorite character, and the man continued to let his daughter run around. I went back to him and explained again to get in line to meet the character because now there were a lot of people in line already. He nodded, said "ok" a few more times, and WOULDN'T MOVE. I check the time, less than a minute remaining. I set up the camera and tell the man one last time. Same reply. Girl still running around "under the sea."

Cue character. I explained the situation to the escort. She moves man and daughter to the side and tells them AGAIN to get in line. I let up the GKTW family.

RM: Rude man with daughter
SK: Sweet Kids <3
Me: Camera monkey
AE: Annoyed character escort (aka glorified character babysitter)
SB: The oh-so-popular cleaning product that lives in citrus

RM: No! We were first! We're already here!
AE: I'm sorry, sir. This family gets to go first. We've already told you many times to get in line to meet him. Now, please, get in line.
RM: No! We were here first! *pushes kid in front of camera*
Me: I'm sorry, sir, please wait your turn in line.
RM: Whatever. *pulls daughter to side, NOT in line*
AE: Alright! Next family in line, please! *SK comes to meet SB*
RM: No! We're next! We were here first! *pushes daughter out again*
AE: No, sir. They were next in line. They're next.
RM: No! We were here first! *gets in front of me to take his own photo*
Me: No, sir, these kids have been waiting for nearly 15 minutes and got in line when I asked them to. Please get in line.
RM: No! We're next!
SB: *looks at RM's daughter and turns around, facing the wall*
RM: Why won't he turn around to take a picture!?!
AE: Because he knows that these kids were waiting in line like they're suppose to. He won't turn around until you leave and get in line, sir.
RM: He has to take a photo with my daughter!
AE: Actually, sir, he doesn't. If you don't follow rules, he really doesn't have to do anything. Follow the rules and he'll be more than happy to take a photo with your daughter.
SK: *waiting silently and patiently*
RM: Whatever. I'm going to complain!
AE: You do that, sir.

Then he stormed off. His daughter never got her photo, and as soon as he left SB turned around to take the photo and the rest of the set went like clockwork. We apologized to everyone in line and they were all on our side. We also called the Escort Lead to let her know what's going on, and I informed my managers. Needless to say, no one ever heard anything on the matter, so I think Guest Services told them about the rules on the matter, which is a rehash of what we told them.

Notes to know about character meet and greets:
1. Character meet and greets aren't a "first come, first serve" policy. It's a "first in line, first served" policy, unless you're with a group like "Give Kids the World" or similar. Keeps the area clear and organized, as well as help us keep an eye on the character to make sure they're safe and okay. Which brings me to...
2. The characters have the full right to refuse photos if they feel necessary. So don't harass them, the escorts, or the photographers. Also don't attack them in any way. It doesn't matter if the kid is only 5-years old. You don't kick or punch the characters repeatedly and expect a photo. They're here as a privilege, not anything else. Just like how in retail, these guys have the right to refuse service.



Daily Suck (happens at LEAST 4 times a day with EACH CHARACTER): When we say a family is the last family, it means THE LAST FAMILY. We can't take "just one more," because that turns into ten "just one more"s. These characters have strict time limits for their health, and we MUST follow this. Sorry!

Edited it from "citrus" to "tropical fruit." My goof!

Anyone know what's going on with all the helicopters and police cars zooming around downtown? I'm in Oxford Center and a police helicopter flew by my window a few minutes back, it zoomed in between Oxford and the Grant Building, which was pretty crazy.

I know the Russell Crowe movie is filming on the Allegheny River bridges today, is this madness for that? Or is it other madness entirely?

1-54 ac milan (leonardo, pato, boriello, seedorf, antonini, abate, dida, hunterlaar, gattuso, ronaldinho, guest star: paloschi)
55-86 fc inter (mourinho, stankovic, mancini, zanetti, cesar, milito, maicon, vieira, eto'o, materazzi)
87-96 criminal minds (general season four)
97-110 matthew gray gubler (various)

Preview



here @heurex_hasard

Now I'm just killing time, LOL.

( here )

Hi guys - for the last seven months I have been working part time as a ride attendent at a local kid's fair. Yesterday my job finished, but I feel like mentioning a suck that happened a few weeks ago.

As people were getting onto the ride I worked on (a small train that goes around a track a few times) and I was making sure everyone was strapped in and stuff, I saw a small boy (accompanied by his mother) holding a large fluffy toy cat. D'awww! I thought.

"That's a nice cat!" I said, in a friendly manner to the kid. Kid was too shy to say anything back but continuing to be friendly I said to his mother.
"Awh that is such a nice toy. I have a toy like that at home." Mum very slowly turns her head towards me and says with the most biting sarcasm and disdain possible;
"*YOU* have a toy like that at home?" She snorts in disgust. Feeling rather flustered and completely taken aback, as I was just trying to be friendly and kind to her son I said
"Oh! Well it is a toy I had from when I was much younger." Mum sneers at me
"Riiiight." Then pointedly turns her head from me again.

WTF??? I was just trying to be friendly to her kid and that's what I get? And people wonder why I have no faith in humanity anymore...UGH.

In short - Kid on a ride has a cute toy, I compliment him on it, and Mum in return talks to me like I am a retarded moron when I was just trying to be nice...

I found out today that http://criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.com/ is now 'friends only'. Anyone know how can I get an invitation?

There are three things that are guaranteed to make me smile at my job as a video rental clerk. Those things are, in no particular order:

* Cute and laughing children.
* Cute old couples and/or friendly older gentlemen who call me "doll" (in the non-creepy way preferably).
* People who have their ID ready before getting to the till so I can look up their account.

So honestly, I'm not too hard to please. Most people fall into one of these three categories, or there are people around them that make me really have a genuine smile on my face instead of a fake plastic pageant smile. All is good.

Things that are guaranteed to make me FROWN include:

* Messing up the store by moving everything, and then complaining about not being able to find anything.
* When I ask for an ID, giving me a phone number. I didn't realize people had phone numbers as names! Sorry 867-5309!!
* Making terrible fun of the people who were speaking in Somalian in front of you and then letting your child go on and on after they left asking me questions about how silly they sound and how do I understand them and how do I check out movies to them and then the 8 year-old said I SHOULDN'T CHECK OUT MOVIES TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH! Geez, I wonder where little Timmy picked that up from!
* Stealing the pens from the cup. Now people can no longer sign their slips.
* Arguing with me and damning me to hell over a 40cent late fee. I'll pay the damn thing myself if it's that much of a deal! But I can not delete it from the system! No way, no how!
* ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ... now I know my ABC's, next time won't you sing with me and remember them so you know where you are going in the store when I say that everything is alphabetical around the wall? Thanks! (Example: "Yes! Last House on the Left is in! It will be in the L's!" and then they walk over to the P's and ask me if that would be before or after The Proposal. *facepalm*)

And last but not least...

* I am not in charge of what movies Corporate sends us, so please stop getting upset with me that we do not have Dexter/Season 2 of Friends/Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom/Titanic/Angus/Boondock Saints/Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas/more copies of blah blah blah blah.....

*ahem*. Thank you. *bow and scamper*

Here is a one that I had happen Thursday.

( Pay the bleeping attention to your proofs!! )

And a small one that is getting SO annoying: Why, for the love of god, are you handing me your CREDIT CARD for $0.11? Really? You don't have a dime and one penny in your car? Heck, I'll make it easy on you and just take a dime. A nickel? Something? We have signs that say we don't want to take under a certain amount. (Actually, we have six of them, on bright neon paper) Please read them.

[edited to elaborate a little]

http://www.snopes.com/photos/arts/musicmachine.asp

Have a look at this alternate viewer which uses a web cam to figure out what emotion you're expressing, and copies it to your AV! Don't know if it works or not. I have a web cam of sorts, but haven't tested it yet.

Just to share the great news. The house passed HR 3962 just after 11pm Est 220 - 215. I am so happy for this to move forward and hopefully we can see the same progress from the Senate.

And just for a litlle math 1.2 trillion is the cost over the next 10 years. Let's figure only 20 million are covered (I know this is an underestimate). That is just 6$ per year per person. I think we should be able to sacrafice that for the health and wellbeing of our fellow Americans.

Recap: I work at my university's library at the circulation desk. It's basically a long counter with four computers on it. Both ends of the counter are open and so is our back room (I'm not 100% why it doesn't have a door, but whatever). Basically, if you're standing in front of about the middle of the desk, you can see right into the very open room. We're also like five feet from the front doors of the library. At this time, I had a bowl of reheated pasta with a roll. I had been on my break, but my co-worker was ill and she had to make a run for the washroom. So I left my lunch on the counter and went out. And this is the basis for the most bizarre customer experience I've ever had.

It's a typical customer interaction. He is returning some books. I take them and sign them in, then bid him good day. Oh, wait -

Yes, sir, that is my lunch.

Yes, it does smell very good.

No, sir, I can't share, but I will laugh like I found your joke amusing.

You have a good day, too.

Next!

Wait, sir, you're not supposed to be back here -

....

Is that my lunch in your hands?

Sir?

It's not a bad day at work but I believe that it must create them for the employees who have to hear this all day.

Read the petition

Thanks bunches!

(none of these are major, they're just frustrating having to hear them every thirty seconds).

We have a sale on right now: Buy one Get One 50% off all Tops (excluding Clearance). Straightforward right? Of course not.

"Does this mean I can mix and match any shirt or does it have to be the same?" Good question. No, you can pick any two tops.
"What about this one that is under the clearance sign?" No, you cannot use this. Good question though.
"Are pants included?" No. This is a sale on tops.
"Can I mix this camisole with this sweater?" Yes you may.
"Can I use these pants and this sweater?" NO.
"This sale is too confusing. Why can't I get this sweater and these pants for the sale?" Because it is a sale on tops.
"I bought the velour suit and it was supposed to be buy one get one fifty percent off. Why isn't it that way?" Because you HAVE TO BUY TWO TOPS, dammit.
"Your advertising is misleading."

HOW? How is it misleading? Where does it say pants? I do not understand your logic, customers.

Wait, I got more.

We also do redline clearance, which means it's stuff that we want to blow out of the store. We used to ticket them to a slightly lower price but they got smart and changed it to a red slash so now it takes less time to set up. The prices we run on them start at 50% off, and drop to 70% off. Since we just started, they're at 50%, which is actually an increase in price, but shhh.

So a lady brings over a shirt and asks me to check the price. I told her it was 18.44, and she said, "Well I thought it would be cheaper, since it says off the lowest price." ...The price on the ticket was 36.95. I said as much to her, and she said, "Your signs are misleading."

HOW is it misleading? It says off the LOWEST ticketed price. There's only one price on it. How is that misleading? Goddamn.

taken from comments:
Only from the sale price it was the day before.
(I realized I forgot this piece when i posted it in my own journal as well).

We did the "redlines" on Tuesday. Monday they were 70% off the ticket price, so that 36.95 item was 12 bucks. Tuesday we set the sale again, so it was 18 instead. That's how it was increasing the price. Any sale does that.

Going on now at Sapphire Moon! A night of fun, music, dancing and best dressed movie character/costume!

Midalah Ballinger will be spinning the tunes as we dance the night away to songs from various movies.

$500L prize for the person wearing the Best Movie Character or Best Movie Costume. Bring your friends and join us for a great time!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chicahuac/224/224/2

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Okay so there is a rather large convention going on in the hotel tonight.
We have huge bathrooms on our main level that have about 15 stalls each which are all very private with huge wooden ceiling to floor doors on each stall.
Throughout this convention we have had requests to clean the bathrooms 3 times.
Each time the bathrooms have been ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.
Now the only people who would use the bathrooms would be whoever is using the conference rooms on the main floor, and random people strolling by on the way to their rooms (but most wait to get to their rooms and aren't really aware of the bathrooms on the main level.)

So the housekeepers are cleaning the bathrooms for the third time and we are getting complaints from the convention people that they cannot go to the bathroom while the women are cleaning it "and what are you doing to remedy this inconvenience?!"
I think it's inconvenient you have dirtied our bathrooms 3 times over in only 4 hours.
You are also the one that requested the bathrooms to be clean. (Even though we check them regularly any way and already knew to clean them, you DID come up to inform us very sternly anyway while our housekeeper was already in there)
and I told you that we told the housekeeper that if she sees someone walk into the bathroom, to excuse herself and wait while they go in. This is the only thing we can do. I'm sorry that it's not to your liking but we are trying to do the best we can with the fact that the bathroom gets filthy within an hour of cleaning it. Don't give me that look like I'm supposed to magically pull a clean bathroom out of my ass for you to use.

Come on...have SOME courtesy...