What a Difference A Nap Makes

Yesterday I slept for 15 hours.

Given, that sleeping time was broken up when I fell asleep at 8ish, woke up at 11 p.m, brushed my teeth and had another good lengthy snooze until noon the next day...but then I had another good nine/ten hour sleep this morning and I felt...I felt good. I didn't have a headache, I wasn't feeling vaguely dizzy from lack of sleep. I felt fine and dandy.

In fact, I was really quite disgustingly chipper. I even felt sorta cheerful about my 8 1/2 hour shift. That was, of course, until my very young, very immature assistant manager decided to walk out on the job at 1 p.m and not come back.

Don't ask me why. I guess she was in a snit or something, because her mother came in to discuss her hours with my boss (who sends their parents in to negotiate work times?!) Or maybe it was for personal reasons. Whatever.

So they left me in charge. Left me in charge from 6:30 p.m- 9 p.m with ONE lone casual. And a whole lotta customers.

Gaaaargh.

See, the casual who was working with me is very patient. He is such a nice obedient young man that people take advantage of him and completely monopolize his time, which means that I was pretty much stuck by myself facing looks of pity from customers going, "Are you the only one on duty? Your poor thing."

It was at this point that I seriously started re-evaluating why I put up with $12.23/hr for this kind of thing.

I recently applied for a job as a audio transcription typist, and got a call back today for the screening process- they mentioned their rates, which ranged from $19-$27 depending on whether you can hit 100 wpm (my average is 92 wpm with 96% accuracy.) The hours are a bit demanding, and they're probably unlikely to accept me since I probably can't fit it in around uni, and not to mention how INSANELY BORING it must be to just sit there and type all day...and the fact that I'll probably develop Carpal-Tunnel syndrome or the most hideous RSI in the history of RSIs....but I just thought of the money and the fact that I wouldn't have to deal with customers.

Take Douchebag #1:

D/B: I need help with a rechargeable battery.
Me: Sure. How can I help?
D/B: I have an old amplifier.
(At this point, he hefts a small and ancient amplifier up on the counter.)
Me: Yes....?
D/B: It takes rechargable batteries.
(The batteries in question are two large black boxes situated at either end.)
Me: OK...looks like they're 6V sealed lead acid ones...
D/B: I already KNOW that.
Me: So what did you want to know?
D/B: There's a DC port here. I want to know if it will recharge the batteries when I plug it in.
Me: Well, I'm guessing so. Considering you have rechargeable batteries and a DC plug.
D/B: Can you be sure?
Me: Well, no...there's a probability that it will.
D/B: I don't want a PROBABILITY. I want to know if it WILL.

(It's YOUR equipment you moron. Surely in the bazillion years you've had it, you never thought TO REMOVE THE ADAPTOR AND SEE WHETHER IT FUNCTIONS OFF TWO 6 VOLT BATTERIES?!)

D/B: Does anyone else round here know?
Me: I'll ask my manager...

(D/B repeats the question to my manager)

Manager: Well, it probable that it will. Being rechargeable batteries.
D/B: So you don't know?
Manager: No.
D/B: Can you test it?
Manager: No.
D/B: Why not?

(BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU PAY TECHNICANS FOR, YOU TIGHT-ARSE. WE SELL BLOODY LABEL-MAKERS AND CD SPINDLES!)

Manager: Because we don't do that kind of thing here.
D/B: So you can't tell me for certain if it will charge?
Manager: Look sir, there is a very strong probability that it will charge.
D/B: I don't want a PROBABILITY. I WANT TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN.
Manager: Yes, but I can't really say for certain.
D/B: Oh, I see. So obviously SOME people at *insert company name here* are technically-minded and OTHERS are JUST SALESPEOPLE. *scoffs*

At this point, the Douchebag snapped out at me, "Thanks for nothing!" and left.

You might think that this was mostly a normal exchange, but this guy was extremely rude and dismissive in the way he treated us, and the fact that he was trying to get us to do what trained electricians are paid for was ridiculous. You wouldn't take a piece of crap like that to the laptop section at Myers and expect them to be able to test a piece of equipment that wasn't even bought from them in the first place. Let alone the last decade.

After he'd left, my manager said to me, "If I had a bloody degree in electronics, do you think I'd be working here getting paid nothing?"

And that was a very fair point.

And after that rather cathartic rant, I have a ten and a half hour shift tomorrow.

I think I need another nap now.