RE: Job

Yesterday I worked the second day, in training as a block clerk for the
sale. There are 6 auctioneers, one per lane, and each has one or two block
clerks. If there are 2, one just gets signatures on the bills of sale and
hands out receipts, the other does all the computer work and reminds the
auctioneer of things he should say about particular cars, etc. It is very
fast paced and some auctioneers are much nicer than others, of course. We
happened to have one who was not so nice, but was OK as long as you did
everything right and didn't get behind. All I did was observe the whole 4
hours, but I don't think it will be any problem. The amount of information
you have to change or add to the computer as you go along is limited, and
it looks pretty easy. And it is certainly no more stressful than the ER.
I just found out yesterday that they actually hired me to train as an
inside/outside float who can fill in for anybody in the place on sale day.
Flattering.
But I had already found out that it is pretty rare for them to hire
somebody directly like they did me. Usually they hire from the temp
agencies, for people that have already worked there several times and
showed their stuff and have experience.
The first day was fine; you just have to ride along in the van to the
various dealerships over and over again, get a vehicle, check the oil and
water, put on your dealer plate, check for gas, and start it. Hopefully by
that time the van driver has written it up and you can go. I had to put
water in my very first vehicle, I had to get gas once, and one wouldn't
start until the lot guy came and disabled the alarm. I drove away, and at
the first corner the shifter knob came off in my hand. So it was a little
tricky to drive but I did it. They gave me that one in the first place,
evidently, because most people either can't or won't drive a standard
transmission. I guess I'll get them all the time then. In all, I moved 7
vehicles in 10 hours, which Bill says is quite efficient. He's been the
van driver at another auction 10 years, after all.
It was fun, although the pay is just a pittance compared to what I have
been making at the museum. I will just have to wait until I have filled in
at several different skilled jobs and then talk to them about a raise. I
do believe I get a bonus for the block clerk above my hourly, but I don't
know yet how much it is.
Good part-time jobs are hard to find, and I think this one will be fine.

AJ

New job tomorrow

Theoretically I started last week, at Metro Auto Auction in Phoenix.  After all, I worked Tuesday, the day of the sale in the Briefcase Check-In, and I went for a couple of hours Thursday and Friday for orientation, but those don't count.  The day every week that is liable to be hard, is Monday. 

It will compare to Bill's Wednesdays, when you go in early and don't stop until the work is all done.  That means you have picked up every single car from every dealer that wants his car to go thru the sale the next day, even if it takes until after midnight.  And you start at 8 AM.

I doubt if Metro will expect an 18 hour day like Greater (Bill's work) does.  I doubt if I will be willing or even able to work 18 hours, no matter what they expect.  We'll see.

But the orientation and just the whole general feel of the place makes me think that perhaps Metro is a kinder, gentler place to work and I'm willing to try it.  After all, nobody else has been trying to hire me.  The Town of Buckeye just never bothered to answer my application, period.  From what I have been able to glean, they decided not to have a part-time museum aide after all, but a full-timer.  And I put on my application that I was available part time.  Heaven forbid anybody should send an email or give me a call to see if I wanted to try it full-time.

The auto auction business doesn't pay much, but it is just Monday and TUesday every week and then I'm free until the next week.  And Tuesdays I think my regular job will be on one of the blocks doing computer work and invoicing for the auctioneer.  I should be able to handle that all right.  Might even enjoy it.

I do still have an open application with the City of Tolleson for a parttime Library AIde, and I think I would take that job above all others if I had a chance, but I don't think I'll get it.  They already posted the position once and turned me down, then recently posted it again.  I emailed to ask to be considered again, but no answer.

I just wish I would win the lottery (but I never play) and then I could thumb my nose at them all.  Bill says I don't have to work if I don't want to, but he doesn't want to give me money for the things I want to spend it on. 

Organic dog food, sewing machines and fabric, quilt camp, high quality yarn, classes.  Whatever could be wrong with him?

Love, AJ

 

 

AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker

ajwisch@joimail.com

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

 

 

Sammy is growing

ANd the little devil was just as hard to handle at the vet yesterday as he was the last 2 times. He is so smart and so much fun otherwise, but once he gets on the table he turns into a bundle of writhing muscles trying to get away. It took 3 of us holding him to get a temperature reading and then when Bruce gave him the parvo shot I nearly lost him. He doesn't try to bite and doesn't yike; just puts all his considerable energy into trying to get away. Of course getting shots hurts, because there isn't a relaxed place on his body to put the needle into.
Then of course as soon as he is on the floor again he is all smiles and pet me, pet me. And no, he's not afraid of heights. He pays no attention to stuff like that at all. At home he climbs up to the backs of chairs and jumps off when playing.
Gotta go. Doctor appt in an hours

New browser

I switched to the Opera browser because Firefox has just gotten so slow and full of detail that I can't stand it. I'm sure it is mainly to do with my incredibly slow and unreliable dial-up but STILL! Anyway, I was sure that Opera would be light and fast and I would really love it.

All true. BUT! Opera won't let me log in to Blogger, period. The lines where you enter your ID just won't come up. I have turned off the popup blocker and let it set cookies, etc. Nothing. I have even emailed Opera support but received no answer. Grrrrrr!
ANd it won't let me print a Paypal shipping label either. I have to open up FIrefox or IE to do that or this, and it pisses me off. It is a free browser after all, and you get what you pay for, but I was looking for something small enough that I could avoid viruses, etc. Firefox used to be great, but I have read that it has gotten so popular that hackers write viruses just for it now.
Firefox is also very annoying with its add-ons it wants you to download and update all the time. THere doesn't seem to be any way to get rid of them once you (in a weak moment) download the first time, and I never use any of them because they always want me to do a 30 minute or more update first.

AJ's August Socks

These anklets are my first pair for the limited edition Tofutsies Sock Club, Wild Kats. I didn't think the lace pattern would show up with this yarn, so used the cool ribbing all the way down. I started with sz000 HiyaHiya circs, 2 on 2, and switched to sz0 when I started the heel flap. This yarn is quite thin, and the fabric feels just fine with the tiny needles. But oh, it takes so long to knit anything with them. I have since ordered some sz00 HiyaHiya needles from the Knitting Zone, since that is the only place I have ever been able to find the size. That is the only place I have seen the sz000 also.

AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

Posted by AJ in AZ at 2:04 PM 0 comments

I'm baaaack.

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. I seem to post the most when nothing is happening and least when it is. Duh, wonder why that is.
Anyway, since I was last here I have had a major birthday, signed up to take BOTH dogs to obedience classes in Phoenix on Monday nights starting September 17, listed most of my yarn stash for sale on ebay, and come to to the realization that I am going to be unemployed at the end of this month.
Oh so very rude and uncaring Town of Buckeye has not acknowledged in any way, shape, or form that I was a longtime and valued member of the Buckeye Museum team and that I did as they asked and filled out an application to become the same when the Town took over the Museum. This is in spite of lobbying by both the curator and museum board members to have me hired. Oh well, if it wasn't for my credit card payments I could get by on teaching classes at Cotton Fields Quilt & Knit.
Good part-time jobs are hard to come by. This is going to take some thought. I suspect I will just have to set my jaw and go get a part-time job that I would never consider before having this great museum job for so long. It doesn't help that my fibromyalgia won't really allow being on my feet for 8 hours, so that leaves out any kind of retail sales.
I'll try to stay in touch.

Robin is spayed.

And a poor sad little thing she is too.  TO hear her tell it, she was tortured for hours and hours and barely survived it.  ANyway, she is taking full advantage of the whole sympathy thing and lording it over Sammy something awful.  Pretty quick I will stop preventing him from trying to play with her and she'll have to either play or discipline him herself.

She did have all her parts, unlike her litter sister.  She weighs 12 pounds  at 8 months and Sammy weighs 11.1 pounds at 4 monhs.  He also go his rabies shot and another parvo yesterday when I dropped her off.

Poor Sammy gets carsick every time he goes in the car, so he now has to ride in the crate.  I would much rather wash out the crate than have to launder the car quilt every time I take him anywhere.

 

 

 

 

AJ

ajwisch@joimail.com

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/