I'm Back...from Finals

Finals are over…thank God. I’m sure none of you noticed that I hadn’t written in a while, but that is the reason why. I already know that I got a B+ in my Managerial Economics course (good thing, since I’m an economist). I don’t know what to say about Statistical Inference class, yet, except to say that I needed at least a 74 on the final in order to pass the class. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. I look forward to not taking any classes this summer. I look forward to pouring myself into work and a glass of beer before starting school full-time in the fall. Me taking classes has always been sort of a punch line at work…now there will be no work, at least nothing as involved or stressful as working at NTB has been. I do want to try to find something part time and hopefully a little fulfilling. I’ve been told to credit my friend Bryn for the idea to go full-time, so there it is.

My June has been keeping me company while I’ve been studying. Her curious puppy behavior mellows out around nine at night and she usually falls asleep on the futon or at the top of the stairs. I don’t know if it’s because she likes to be closer to me or she likes the view, but I do know it makes me feel good to have her around. She helps me unwind a little and her goofiness is worth a laugh or two. She chewed the end off a plug on a lamp downstairs the other day. I don’t know what to say about that except to say that obedience training will begin in a month or so. She’s a little older than I’d like to have beginning starting obedience classes, but you can’t argue with the fact that she needs some serious training. I won’t get into all her bad habits because I don’t want to be talking behind her back, but there are some things she may find shocking.

I got called into the area manager’s office today for a little “come to Jesus” meeting about my sales numbers. This company has changed…completely changed. My combined, nonconsecutive time at NTB adds up to almost three years, and never have I ever been hounded about sales numbers as much as I have been since starting back this last time. First it was my discount percentage. Then it was my overall sales. Now it is my alignment ratio and my gross profit. I come from a customer service background, not sales, so when you say that numbers are important, I just have to cock my head and look at you thinking, “You need customers before you get numbers.” Regardless, I was a little defensive and probably deceptively laid back throughout the meeting due to the fact that I already know what I have to work on and I already know how to fix it, so having someone sit me down and treat me like a child about the whole thing is condescending a best (and insulting at worse, which this was). Come to find out, a couple hours after this farce of a meeting, my store manager gets a call from the area manager telling him to fire me because apparently I have a bad attitude and shouldn’t be allowed to talk to customers. Or course, my store manager was shocked to hear this, because he holds me in high regard. Anyway, he fought for me and now I’m on notice, meaning we have to email my sales numbers to the area manager every day until he gets bored with it and moves on to something else. The politics and back stabbing in the tire business is not alarming, but rather it just mimics every other job I have had, except my hands get much more dirty. So, I finally get out from under the stress of school and now I’ll be under undue stress at work…all because someone above my area manager told him to call me in and talk to me about my numbers. Bullshit…pardon my language.

It’s springtime in Texas, which is arguably the best time of the year. Spring brings with it the sun and the breeze and warmth, but if you’re from Texas, at least North Texas, then you know that spring brings consecutive days of rain (like the past three days) followed by overbearing humidity and heat (like today). I’m still baking in my own juices in my room with two fans on, windows open wide, and lights turned off. I sometimes complain about the dry, ridiculous heat we get here during the summer, but it is a welcome replacement for the humidity so thick you can barely breathe. The only reason I’m on this is because I work most of my day outdoors and sweat through two shirts in about thirty minutes this morning. I still love the unpredictability of Texas weather, but sometimes you just need to vent about it.

That’s about it as fair as catching everyone up. I had an uneventful birthday, so not much to talk about there. I saw the new X-Men movie and was more disappointed than jazzed, don’t get me started. I’ve been huddled over my books and laptop when not working for the past six days, so there is nothing going on. I lead a boring life. I had entertained the thought of talking about how I feel I’ve hardened myself more and more as my life has gone by, but opted against it. Rangers made it to a solo position in first place in the AL West, but who knows how long that will last. Mavericks are tanking themselves against Denver. I’m shopping for new golf clubs, but that’s neither fun nor interesting unless you like golf or reading my thoughts. Oh well.