Top 10 Types of Customers I Can't Stand

So most of you who know me, know that I have worked in a grocery store for the past eight and a half years (yeah, so much for a summer job when I was 15). Anyway, what my almost 9 years in retail has taught me is to identify the type of customers that I absolutely cannot stand. While there is a wide variety of customers that drive me crazy, here are the top ten types of customers that I really can't stand (in no particular order):

1. Customers who want their bags specifically packed: I don't mean someone who has their own bags or wants paper in plastic or wants their bags packed lightly. I'm talking about that customer who stands there and dictates where each item should go. Frankly, if you're going to be so picky, pack the damn bags yourself. And, if you want certain items bagged together, make sure you put them on the belt that way.
2. Customers who have no idea how to use self-checkout: I really don't get what is so difficult about the self-checkout machines--you scan the item, put it in the bagging area, and then repeat. You have these spazzes that come up to the machine scan an item, put it in the bagging area, take it, put it back in, take it out, etc. You are confusing the machine! Don't turn around and give me a nasty look because you don't know what the hell you're doing. Also, remember, you are dealing with a machine, not a person. Therefore, there will be crashes, lags, and technical problems. Use at your own risk. And please, only use if you are intelligent enough to handle it.
3. Extreme couponers: Ever since TLC aired their show, I have seen an upswing in these type of customers. Granted, I have never had a customer with seven carts full of items and be able to pay nothing, but I have had one cartload go out the door and the customer only pay the tax. I understand that people use coupons when they are hard to do or have a big family. However, I have no respect for the people that own little shops and take advantage of our sales and their billion coupons to pay next to nothing only to jack up the prices in their own place to make a great profit. Not only is this illegal, it's also unfair to the customers that are legitimately trying to buy the sale product. I also can't stand the people who brag about their couponing and are nasty about it, espcially when I can't accept a coupon based on our policy. Don't give me attitude. If you have a problem, call corporate.
4. Customers who stay silent when you talk to them: I'm not asking for a full-blown conversation. I'm not asking for small talk. However, I am asking for some human courtesy. When I say, "Hi, how are you today?" you should respond, "Fine, thanks, how are you?" How hard is that? When you stare blankly at me when I ask how you are, that's incredibly rude. Just be polite, that's all. I'm going to add, and don't talk on your cell phone. It's rude to me and the customers behind you. Not to mention, no one wants to hear about your family or work drama. Keep that to yourself, please.
5. Customers who abuse the WIC program: This bugs me to no end! For those of you who don't know, WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children, and it's a program that issues checks for certain products for families that are hard to do. I am all for government programs that help people in need...but it should really be for people who are in need. The WIC checks clearly state exactly what product and what sizes are permitted. Don't give me attitude when I tell you that the product you got is not WIC authorized. You have a copy of everything, you know what you can and cannot get. And I don't appreciate being told that I am wrong when clearly you are. Also, if you can whip out your iPhone to call hubby or wifey to find out what movie you're going to catch that night, then maybe you don't need WIC as badly as some other people. Also, you are given "X" amount of checks for the month in order to use a couple every week. If you save all 20+ checks for the end of the month, what are you doing for the whole month?
6. Customers who give attitude when I ask for their ID: I am required to ask for your ID. I can lose my job if I don't ID you and you happen to be underage. Don't get nasty because you have to go out to your car to get your driver's license. If you want to smoke cigarettes and spend over $8.00 a pack, that's your choice, but I'm not risking my job for you. And when you tell me "to commit it to memory this time" you can bet your ass I will ask for your ID every single time you come into the store.
7. The customers who habitually return items: I understand that sometimes we over buy, sometimes we purchase the wrong items, but there comes a point when you are returning all the time. What's the point of buying something if you're just goig to return it? Perhaps if you've never worked in retail, specifically the front desk or as a CSR, you won't understand what I'm saying. But if you have worked there or as one, you know that there are certain customers that are always coming in and returning items, most likely items that they didn't even buy in your store.
8. The customers who put items they don't want in random aisles or in the magazine/candy racks at the registers: What is so hard about walking up the to cashier, handing them the item you don't want, and saying, "I'm sorry but I decided I didn't want this product."? Don't you realize that anytime you put an item in a random aisle, someone has to find it and put it back where it should go. Also, it's really disgusting when you put a perishable item in an aisle, and then we find it hours later and it's melted or beginning to smell. Seriously, it's gross.
9. The customers who blame the store for their mistakes...even when they admit they were wrong: Case and point, I had a customer once who bought three items, believing that she would get an instant savings. Upon investigating on her own (i.e. rereading the flyer which clearly states four items must be purchased, not three), she says "I read the flyer wrong--I thought I only had to buy three items, not four. But you know, maybe you should hang up a huge sign so I remember what I'm supposed to buy." Umm...you misread the flyer. Just because you are illiterate, I shouldn't be blamed. Just admit fault. The customer is not always right.
10. The customers who think (and insist) that they are better than me because I work in a grocery store: I had a customer have a fit once because I wouldn't reopen a department for them at closing time. They insulted me to my face and told me that they were professionals and didn't deserve to be treated that way. Well...I'm a professional grocery store clerk and I don't deserve to be treated that way. Just because you might be on a salary and I'm paid hourly, doesn't mean I'm any less of a person. And frankly, if it weren't for people like my coworkers and me working in the grocery store, you would be harvesting your own food. Get over yourself. You're no better than me.

So that's it. Those are my 10 types of customers that I really can't stand. I'm sure I will think of more by tomorrow when I work my next shift. So until then...

I'll keep you posted xo

C25K-Week 1, Day 2

I just wanted to write up a quick post about my C25K Week 1, Day 2 experience. My friend, Caryn, was talking to me about the program and gave me some really good advice. Although I wanted to go to the gym to do Day 2 yesterday, she suggested that I take the day to rest, and I am really glad I did.

Today, it was a lot less crowded at the gym so I didn't feel so claustrophobic (and self conscious seeing as my cat clawed my face last night). My run was so-so today. Part of me was annoyed with myself because I had to pause for about a minute in the middle of my workout. While my hip didn't bother me so much today, I was having sharp pains in the side of my ankle and I was beginning to limp. I decided to pause because I didn't want to cause an injury. After massaging the area for the brief break, I felt better and went back to my run. The odd thing about this pain was that it only bothered me when I was doing the walking portion, not the running. Weird. Anyway, the good part was that I increased my run speed today, even though it wasn't by much. I felt comfortable at the faster pace but ended up slowing it down a tad after my leg started to hurt. My distance was about the same as Day 1. So all in all, I feel I made a lateral move--I didn't do better, but I didn't do worse so that's a positive to me! I plan on resting again tomorrow and probably doing my final run for the week on Friday.

I plan on stretching better and longer before my next run in hopes of avoiding my hip and leg pain because I suspect that that could be the cause of my aches. I also plan on drinking more water before my workout.

Oh, and I need to invest some money in a decent sports bra. Or a nice big roll of duct tape. Nancy Sinatra's boots may have been made for walking, but my boobs were not made for running.

I'll keep you posted xo

Why Do We Fall for Ones that Won't Fall Back?

Like a lot of things, I am guilty of this. I tend to fall for guys that don't fall back for me. It's frustrating right? You have these overwhelming emotions: you cry because you don't hear from them, you have those butterflies when you're in their company, you smile when you receive a text or a phone call from them. You have every stereotypical "love bug" symptom and don't know what to do with yourself.

Like I said in my last post, one of my biggest problems is my capacity to love and the fact that I can love unconditionally. While this is true, I also suffer from not being able to say it. I am so afriad of being rejected and not having the other person return those feelings that I clam up and don't say anything. In this day and age, I feel there is a lack of love and an abundance of not just hate, but "fake love" (celebrity marriages anyone?). What's so wrong with telling someone you love them? What's so wrong with loving someone so much that your heart wants to burst and you want to twirl around your living room channeling Julie Andrews as you burst into song?

I'm struggling with this now. I'm struggling because I thought I was over someone that I'm not. I'm in love and I can't say it because I don't think he feels the same way. Basically, I can't because it scares the shit out of me. No man has ever said he has loved me (I'm not talking about family love, but the "in love" kind of love). Not once has a guy wrapped me in his arms and whispered in my ear that he loved me. Okay, I'm old enough noq that I don't believe in fairy tales and I know that Walt Disney is a compulsive liar, but even a quick "I love you, Rach" would mean the world to me. More than the world, probably.

I feel like I'm being redundant. I feel like I'm talking in circles about the same thing over and over again. I'm sorry if I am; these thoughts just hit me out of nowhere and being the person that I am, I am compelled to write about it.

My advice to you all? Don't be like me. Don't be afraid to tell someone you love them. Don't be scared that they won't love you back. Maybe the won't, I can't promise they will. But at least you won't live with regret. You won't live with the aching pain I live with everday because I love someone and am too afraid to tell him. And most importantly, don't be afraid to love. It's such a wonderful thing--hard, but wonderful.

And because I can't say it to his face, I will just say it here: I love you.

I'll keep you posted xo

Judgement of Others (and Myself)

"We can never judge the lives of others,

because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.

It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path,

but it's another to think that yours is the only path."

-Paulo Coelho

Judgement. It's one of my biggest pet peeves and I got to thinking about it a lot this evening while I was driving home from work. In my first blog post I said one of the things I wanted to work on this year was not comparing myself to others. While I was driving, I had a sudden epiphany--by comparing myself to others I am judging them. I am taking what I see on Facebook and hear from mutual friends, and assuming that their lives are so much better than mine, so much easier, but honestly, what the hell do I know?!

I was talking to a friend today and we got on the subject of relationships. She asked about a relationship that I had recently been in, that ended about a month ago. We not only discussed relationships, but love and men in general. I said to her, "You know, I look on Facebook and I see a lot of our peers getting engaged, married, and/or having children, and I can't help thinking, what the hell is wrong with me? When will it be my turn?" I don't think it's wrong for me to be thinking these things--I have never been the most patient person--and I think my biggest problem is my own capacity to love. I tend to love unconditionally, and never receive it back. Instead of thinking, "maybe it's not my time to settle down yet" I think, "what the hell is wrong with me that no guy loves me?" But is there anything wrong with me? Of course I have my faults. I am in no way close to being perfect. But I do have a lot to offer. I am me and that should be enough.

I feel that I am judged for three main things:

1. The way I look (specifically my weight)
2. The fact that I still live at home
3. The fact that I don't have a "career"

To address #1: I know I'm not beauty queen pretty. I know that I am a full-figured woman in a world where being skinny is everything. I'm working on my weight, but not because I want to conform to society's view on what is beautiful, but because I want to make myself a priority in my own life and that means being more healthy. As a verteran online dater, it's hard when I see all these people look at my profile and not say anything to me or ignore my messages to them. Why state in your profile that what you're looking for is a sweet girl with a compassionate heart who can bring out the best in you? Nowhere does it mention that you must be skinny to fulfill the position. It's frustrating to me and not to mention disheartening. I want someone to accept me for me, whether I'm a size 4 or 40. I think I have some pretty qualities; my hair can be nice when the weather cooperates, I love my eye color, and have been told that I have really nice lips. What about me is not good enough? Why am I judged based on how I look?

To address #2: I live at home because I don't have a lot of money. I am a college graduate who is trying to pay off her college loans. Mind you, they are pretty expesive and I was a commuter who went to a state school. I also live in very affluent area so to find a place for a decent price in my locale is very hard to come by. Yes, I live at home, but I also pay all my own bills. Just because I don't have my own place doesn't mean I'm irresponsible or dependent. It means that I am not perfect, I probably spent more money than I should as a teenager (i.e. when I first entered college, I needed to have all new books, none used. I would have saved myself a ton of money if I had realized used books are a lot better sooner; I could have gone to community college for free but refused to because I was too snotty), and I only work part-time so all my money goes towards bills.

To address #3: When I went to college, I opted to get my degree in something I love rather than something practical. I went for a liberal arts degree (literature with a concentration in creative writing), and didn't want to go for teaching. I have been trying for a year and half to get a full time job as a copy writer, journalist, something in a publishing company or a newspaper, secretary, office manager, basically anything full time to get myself into "the working world". To those of you that are unaware, the economy is not the greatest at the moment. All the publishing companies seem to want someone with experience, not entry level. You think I like not being able to work in my field? And to be honest, I am a very hard worker. When I realized that my retail job was just covering my bills and I had no comfort zone (I couldn't call out if I was sick because I couldn't afford it) and I couldn't get a full time job anywhere, I opted to get a second part-time job to help pay my bills. I have found that a lot of people are negative towards this, treating me like I'm garbage because I work two jobs. Umm, excuse me but who are you to judge? I actually had a coworker make a comment to me saying "well at least I didn't graduate college...how long ago now?...and I still work at Acme." This infuriates me to no end! At least I have a job...actually I have two. I do what I need to do to pay my bills while I continue to search for a full time job.

Why can't people look at me for me? Why can't people see the girl who had to grow up at 9 years old to take care of her baby (literally, an infant) sister because her parents were getting a divorce? Why can't people see the girl that worked her ass off in high school to get into a good college? Why can't people see the girl who started working at 15 to gain some type of independence? Why can't people see that I'm a sweet, kind, caring, compassionate, loving girl who just wants to be loved in return? Maybe it's just too much to ask.

And I am just as guilty with the judgements. I get frustrated (and jealous) when I see people flaunt their "perfect lives" on Facebook--you know, they have the fiance/full time job/own place. And I'm still stuck living at home, working two part-time jobs, sleeping by myself with a heart that's been broken many a time. But the truth is, I don't know the truth about their lives. I don't know how hard they had to work to get their job. I don't know how many times they had to have their heart broken until they found the right one. I don't know them, and I shouldn't assume they have the perfect life that I so desire. It's a vicious cycle and I think a lot of us do it. And it's not right.

So, I'm going to work on stopping the cycle. I'm going to stop judging my life based on others, and I'm going to stop worrying about others judging me. Because the truth is I am me and I am good enough. And I deserve nothing less than that.

I'll keep you posted xo

C25K-Week 1, Day 1

So in my desire to make myself a priority in my life, I decided (along with porbably half the country) that I am going to make more of an effort to go to the gym. I think what a lot of people don't realize about full-figured girls (and guys for that matter) is that we are not lazy and unactive. I mean, I'm sure there are some people out there that are, just like there are skinny people who lay around who are lazy, but just because I'm full-figured doesn't mean I sit on butt all day long. I enjoy being active. I love playing sports (when I was younger I played rec soccer, basketball, and softball and took dance lessons throughout the year; I also played volleyball). Because I am too old to attend to my dance school and play rec sports, I enjoy taking walks, going on hikes, and going to the gym. Yet, like lot of people, I find excuses to not hit the gym because my jobs get in the way and I simply don't have the time.

Several months ago, a friend of mine who went through a positivity make-over, did this C25K program and recommended it to anyone who was interested in starting an exercise program. C25K stands for Couch to 5K" and it is a running program that has the users run 3 times a week for 9 weeks, and begins be alternating walking and running.

A few months ago I was diagnosed with a-typical fibromyalgia because most of my pain was in my joints (especially my wrists and hips). After seeing a rheumatologist and speaking with her, she said that the best way to manage the pain was to exercise. While I intend on beginning weight training in the future (current injuries prevent me from doing so at the moment), I decided to begin a cardio regimen. C25K worked for my friend, so why not me? I'm the type of person who likes structure, and I prefer someone "telling me" what I should be doing. Because I can't afford a trainer, I figured spending a couple of bucks on an iPod app was doable.

Yesterday, I shuffled into the crowded gym, found myself a treadmill, and set to work. In the beginning it was pretty easy--my warm-up was a brisk 5 minute walk followed by 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes and then a 5 minute cool-down walk. Midway through, my right hip was killing me and I thought for sure I wasn't going to be able to make it through the whole thing. However, I pushed through and finished without stopping. When I finished, my hip didn't hurt so badly by the end.

Now, it's the next day, and my hip is killing me, but that good kind of hurt. The kind that means I worked out and pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. I'm supposed to rest between running days but I think I might go back today to do Day 2 simply because I have off of work from the kennel and actually have the time. I only hope that this running program not only helps me view on taking better care of myself, but also helps with my fibro.

I'll keep you posted xo

Born and Bred in Jersey

As any of my friends and family members can tell you, I am an avid reader. I can always be found with a book (or two) and probably my Kindle in purse. I enjoy reading anything and everything, but there is something about books in a series that catch my appeal. One series that I really enjoy is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. I like the books for many reasons. For one, they are quick and easy reads and I can often finish them within a few days even with my busy work schedules. Secondly, the book takes place in New Jersey, specifically Trenton. While I have never been to Trenton myself, anyone from Jersey can tell you that there is a certain unity within the state (even though we all know there is a big difference between North Jersey and South Jersey). Thirdly, the main character, Stephanie Plum, is a quirky 30-something who lost her job as a lingerie buyer and finds herself in the employ of her cousin Vincent Plum as a fugitive apprehension agent a.k.a. a bounty hunter. The truth is, she's not very good at it, but with the help of family, friends, and co-workers, she almost always gets her man.

Anyway, I decided to start rereading the series (even though I haven't read that many of them) because the first novel, One for the Money, is coming out in theaters this month. One of my favorite quotes comes from the third novel in the series, Three to Get Deadly, and it deals with New Jersey:

"Adaptation is one of the great advantages of being born and bred in Jersey. We're simply not bested by bad air or tainted water. We're like that catfish with lungs. Take us out of our enviornment and we can grow whatever body parts we need to survive. After Jersey the rest of the county's a piece of cake."

In these modern times, most people associate New Jersey as 1 of 3 things (at least in my opinion):

1. The armpit of America--hey we've all heard it before.
2. Mobsters--thanks to shows like The Sopranos, New Jersey has come to be associated with gangsters and mobsters. While I loved the show, and I'm sure we have our share of mafiosos out there, not everyone in Jersey is like that.
3. Guidos/Guidettes--again, thanks to the show Jersey Shore most people assume that New Jersey is full of Italian-Americans who run around in wife-beaters, pumping iron at the gym for hours every day, having tanning beds in our homes, and styling our hair with a pouf or blow-out. While I will admit that this show is one of my guilty pleasures, I know for a fact that not everyone in Jersey is a guido or a guidette.

While New Jersey might not be anything close to what people think of when they hear "Garden State", I do believe that we are great at adaptation. Drive throughout New Jersey and you will hit the beach, the county, the Pine Barrens, urban settings, surburban settings, and anything and everything in between. I love that I can drive two and a half hours down to Seaside Heights to enjoy the beach and boardwalk for the day, and then be able to take a half an hour bus ride into New York City and take in the sites and culture the next. I can go out west to Sussex County and observe the country. I can look around my own neighborhood and witness suburbia. I can drive down down south to the Pine Barrens and canoe for a day in search of the Jersey Devil. I can go anywhere in New Jersey and adapt to what I'm up against.

Back in 2006, I decided to participate in a mission trip that landed me in South Africa for a month. It was my first time away from home for an extended period of time. It was only the second time I was a plane. And before I knew it, I was across the ocean in a completely different continent, in one of the poorest parts of all of South Africa. Was I scared? Of course. Was I intimidated? Most definitely. But I adapted. I made new friends. I reexamined my faith. I learned. I loved. I held deprived children in my arms and watched their smiles brighten when I look their pictures. I teared up when they told me they loved me. I struggled when they asked me to share tales of America. It was a very hard, but fullfilling experience. One that I think about all the time. I adapted.

In early 2011, I realized that I was struggling with my bills. While my retail job was covering them, I was left with little to no money at the end of the week. And calling out of work was not an option because I couldn't afford it. Because of the struggling economy and lack of full-time jobs for entry level positions, I decided to get a second job. Was it tough? Hell yes. Was it exhausting? Please, I used to work 8-4 at job #1 and drive an hour to job #2 and work 5-11 just to wake up and do the same thing the next day. While I still have my moments of anxiety, where I feel overwhelmed with work, I adapted and I can go from one job to the other, at least four times a week, and still function. Yes, I still don't get as much sleep as I should. Yes, there are days when I wish I only had one job. But with this new job came new friends, a new appreciation for animals and for what their owners will do for them, and an even greater passion to help those poor creatures that are spending their time in shelters.

Alright, so maybe adaptation is not necessarily a "New Jersey" trait; maybe I'm just biased because this is where I was born and raised. But I do think that culturally and geographically we live in a place that gives us prime opportunities to be able to adapt.

That's what I hope to do this upcoming year. I realize now I cannot always control the situations or the people in my life. I mean if I could, I think that would become boring after a while. However, just like I did in Africa, just like I did when I had to get a second job, I will learn to adapt to whatever life throws at me. And I will do it because I was born and bred in Jersey.

I'll keep you posted xo