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Carlos Warehouse Chronicle II

Woodinville, WA - I'm just north of two months in the warehouse. I've learned so much about building life. Mostly by experience, observation, and being open to learn and be critiqued. For example, acronyms and short sentences are the preferred way of communicating what you need and quickly.

RTV is the acronym for Return To Vendor, which the item will be shipped back to the vendor. Or short phrases such as go-backs and box down are self evident tasks. Others are a bit obscure such as "I need a 99" or "a keyflick, please" as they are store specific.

I've been warned that the culture tends to reflect high school, but what the warning doesn't incorporate that I was successful in high school. Or at least from my perspective. I was one of the few that could seamlessly slip from one social circle to another without incident or roadblocks of social convention.

I decided that I'm not afraid of hard work so no task is beneath me. Go-backs are basically the world's worst episode of Super Market Sweep in reverse. You see, you must put back the unwanted items in their appropriate places. Sometimes, the item in your hand is the last one or foreign from another store.

Boxing down is basically bringing items forward to ease the effort of the member to purchase. That's not the trick to it. Because I have a welcoming demeanor, that makes me a perfect person to ask where a particular item is in the store. For the most part, I do know it's location and politely guide the member to find it. Sometimes, I find myself researching an item in the database called AS400.

Regardless if it's go-backs or boxing down, I'm usually pulled away from that task to cashier up front since that's what I was expressly hired to do.

One of the adjustments I made was being accustomed to being greeted upon arriving or departing the store each time. Over the years I became guarded and wanted to know a person's agenda, so I learned to let down my guard because they genuinely were greeting me. Sadden me, and cheered me up simultaneously.

Another adjustment is the weekly schedule when I'm still under this 6-month seniority suspension. I can generally count on Monday to Friday from store open and then plus 8.5 hours from then. But it's not always the case. I'm a long-range planner so this has been the hardest adjustment to make.

Definitely not any of the ones that my co-workers identified for me.

Long story made short (too late, I know!), I'm happy in the warehouse. I wish I had more quotable quotes, or funny anecdotes.

"I love that Mexican Coke!" ~ a member referencing the Cocoa Cola made in Mexico, bottled there and then shipped to us 
And the only other one is.
"Do you stock frozen?" ~ a member referencing frozen juices and fruits - NOT the movie of worldwide fame.
I've had members insult other members in my line, but none directed to me. Oh, and felt that I might have to break up a fight in my line AFTER the holidays. Again, none of this negativity was directed toward me.

That's it for now,
'los

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