Who Thought This Was A Good Idea?

I understand cross merchandising, but I think this one is doomed. Last year Nestle bought DiGiorno from Kraft and someone thought this would be a hit. Sales are not supporting that idea. I believe this product will be gone by the end of the year. They also have one with 'Boneless Wyngz'. That one might succeed.

Sunday Song.

Post No Bills.

What A Week.

I went to work last night but I still am having lingering effects from the flu. All I am going to do this weekend is rest and work on three ideas that I have for posts for next week. One is a response to question about my employers social media rule. The second concerns a major league player who is going to enter free agency next fall and the Cubs are one of the teams expected to vie for his services. The last one is is a fun post where I will dissect a Batgirl story from 1969. Have a great weekend.

A Real Man's Bathroom.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.

I mentioned in my return entry that I am once again single. So what happened? I know it is a cliche when the man tells the woman it's not you, it's me. Well actually, it was me. I knew that for awhile I just wasn't as enthused about getting together with My Lady, but after spending most of two days with her last April where we went to the Chattanooga Zoo one day and the Tellus museum the next, that I really needed to end it. I have told you before just how much of a ladies man that I am, so all I needed to was to fall back on my vast experience and end it. Right. This was actually only the third relationship I had ever been in. The first ended in my wifes death, the second when She Who Left In the Middle Of The Night earned her nickname. Since My Lady had really not done anything to me, I wanted to let her down easy. In other words, I was a chicken to just let my feelings be known. I didn't want to hurt her and I knew that ending the relationship would.

I know that she sensed something was wrong, but I kept lying and saying everything was O.K. We went through a four week period when circumstances prevented us getting together. When we finally did she made the remark that she had begun to believe that I just wanted to be friends. The next week when she asked if we were getting together, I told her I just wanted her friendship. I know she was hurt, but it had to be done. We really are still friends and talk when we see each other.

Since our breakup there have been two other ladies who would liked to have started a relationship with me, but I quickly realized they were more interested in my wallet than me. Will there be another? Probably, but at this time I am not looking. Also, as Sean Connery learned, never say never. If it happens, I'll let you know.

I Have Totally Lost My Mind.

A couple of years ago I decided that I no longer wanted any part of retail management. I have managed a shoe department, an electronics department, the automotive/hardware department, receiving, and have been a salaried assistant manager. In addition to that I have been supervisor of laundry and housekeeping in a nursing home, and in two small grocery stores I wasn't technically a manager but I did all the ordering for the frozen foods and dairy departments. I know how to do the job, but there are stress levels there that I decided were no longer worth it. Anybody figure out where this is heading?

I have applied for the frozen foods/dairy department manager job at my current employer. So why have I changed my mind? Six months ago I requested to be moved from my current stocking position which is in both of those departments. I want to stock on the other side of the store, away from groceries. My body is talking to me, letting me know that the aging process does not go in reverse. Stocking merchandise on the other side of the store is still a lot of work, but the total weight of what has to moved is a lot less. I have been unsuccessful in my request. I was told that I am too good at what I do and they don't want to move me. It is a nice compliment, but the day is coming when I physically won't be able to keep up. I am 54 years old and do feel it. Using a baseball analogy, I would rather go out like Sandy Koufax than like Willie Mays.

So why get back into management if I am looking for something easier? For one as much as I try to forget it, I love a challenge. This definitely fits that. Secondly I really feel that I can make difference with the way things are going now. Lastly, the job is Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. That is actually the biggest reason I am going for it. Applying for it does not guarantee me the job. Being sick this past week may have cost me the job. I will not lose any sleep if I don't get it. However I will keep pushing to get moved. One of the managers has been accomodating me in getting me away from frozen and dairy most of the time, but when he is off I am back in the cold. I am giving them another month for some type of permanent change to take place. Inventory is coming. (Oh joy.) After that if they are not willing to work with me, I will start checking the available jobs at other stores in the area and will transfer. I really don't want to do that, but am willing to if I must. Had I been moved by now, I would never have considered a return to management.

I'm Still Alive.

When it comes to my health I have been extremely fortunate. I do have high blood pressure, but it is controlled by medicine. I get hit by colds and flu, but always the moderate dose and usually within a couple of days I am back in full gear. The worst I have ever been is when I had what I called my flu surgery back in 1999. This past week now ranks as number 2. A week ago Sunday I was feeling a little blah but I figured if I made it through until Tuesday morning I'd be alright. I'd have my two days off and be able to rest during that time. That plan went really well. By Wednesday afternoon it had hit me full bore. By Thursday morning I had lost 15 pounds in two days so I actually decided to go see my doctor. That is a very shocking behavior for me. I was so sick it took me a full hour just to get dressed and go. 

The only time I go see my doctor is to get checked up and my blood pressure medicine refilled. Usually I get lectured about needing to lose weight and quit drinking Diet Coke but he was actually sympathetic towards me. He asked if I wanted a flu test done which would cost me $25. It is a highly sophisticated test. His nurse stuck a cotton swab up my nose. It reacted almost immediately showing that I had type A flu. He gave a prescription for Tamiflu, something for nausea and a note for three days off. He told me if I needed off longer to come back Monday.  Since I still am not recovered I went there earlier and was told he won't be in until noon. I'll go back in a little while and get the note. Thursday I made the observation the Type A Flu inhales vigorously. That was an understatement.

Sunday Song.

This is one of my all time favorites.

I Have Not Been Drinking Officer.

This photo was taken by me last September in Springfield, Illinois.

Hogwarts Newest Wizard.

Type A Flu.

Inhales vigorously. It really hit just after I posted yesterday. The good news is that I have lost 15 pounds in three days. Long posts hopefully resume Monday. I have a couple of interesting pictures that I will be posting in the next couple of days. I'm off to bed. Good night.

New Name, Bad Math, And Resuming The Usual Nonsense.

So where have I been? Would you believe that I came into possession of this ring and I had to take it to a mountain to toss it into a lava pit to save all of mankind from being ruled by an evil despot? Not buying that, huh? Would you believe I went on a walkabout? Gee, tough crowd. Would you believe that I had a writers block? O.K., closer to to the truth but not quite. I had a slight block but burn out would probably be a better term. One thing is I am a one-fingered typist and if I have a lot to say it takes quite awhile to get that done. I had considered leaving a post discussing this hiatus, but laziness won out. After all, why do today what can be put off until tomorrow. Then tomorrow never arrives.

So what have I been doing since last June? Let's see, I totally lost my mind. We'll discuss that tomorrow. I am once again single. That will be Friday's topic. If you have been here before you will notice that I changed my name. After I started blogging I realized that using my actual name was not the smartest thing to do. I had considered several times changing it, but as I stated before at times I can be slightly lazy. (O.K. What joker cracked 'slightly'?) As for Jinxo56, Jinxo was my favorite one-shot character from Babylon 5. He will get his own post. I have been using some variation of the name ever since I started getting on-line.

Another change here will be any mention of my employer. In past posts I mentioned the name. Now I will simply say my employer. If you would like a hint I work for the world's largest retailer. So why not just say ***-****? We were informed in a meeting about a month ago that an eye is being kept on social media. I don't recall saying anything extremely negative but why take the chance?

As for the future, I am planning on posting something each day. If I don't feel like typing something out, I will be posting a picture. Some of them I have taken and others I have found online. Sunday will be a song video. As always comments are greatly appreciated and if there is something you would like cleared feel free to ask. For better or worse I am back.

Yes. You in the back? What does the bad math in the title mean and what was that countdown for? When I quit blogging I had been very close to my 500th post. Since I usually do something special for each 100 posts I decided to have a little fun and run the count up so this would be post 500. The bad math? I miscounted and did not realize that this post is number 501.

The Return Part 5.

"So Holmes, what do you think it all means?"

"Well Watson, everything shall be revealed tomorrow."

"How on Earth do you know that?"

"The deduction was elementary Watson. I read his comments the other day."

The Return Part 4.

The Return Part 3.

What is going on? You will find out Wednesday.

The Return Part 2.

4 more days.

The Return Part 1.