Training Day

Leave it to me to get lost in a parking garage. C'mon, someone's bound to be able to sympathize with me on this. I zoomed around the garage countless times before realizing that with a few simple turns (that weren't marked as such) I'd be able to level up. Much swearing ensued once this was realized.

Training was more boring than I remember it being. I only got the mildest sense of enjoyment during the diversity training CD. Hearing some grey-haired man imply that his younger counterpart is a fag made me giggle. It was ridiculous to hear it coming through the headphones. You'd have to have been there, I suppose.

I skipped through quite a bit of the register training (considering I've done damned near everything there is to do on it) and managed to sneak out of there an hour before I was due to clock out. Considering I'm getting paid full wages for training, I don't know why I didn't just fart around for the extra hour. Conscience? Boredom? Hunger? All of the above.

Tomorrow is my first day on the floor "mirroring" my counter manager. I'm pretty nervous. I still don't feel like I'm qualified for the job, but here goes nothin'.

Orientation

My drinking plans for last night were foiled by Nick being sleepy and ill. I spent the night making a cake for no reason, stirring the crock pot, and watching The Best of Mike Myers from SNL. Truth be told, the quiet was nice, but I was worried about him so I didn't make myself a drink and I tucked us both in around midnight.

I spent most of today wondering what I should wear to orientation and coming to terms with the fact that I was going to be stuck in all-black attire again. It makes shopping easier, but I was just getting back into wearing color....

Orientation wasn't as boring as I thought it would be, but I did have to bite my tongue numerous times. It's hard when you really do know all about something and you're trying not to come off as a know-it-all. I met two other new associates: Odessa and Trish. Odessa was startlingly pretty with long eyelashes and a shy demeanor, while boisterous Trish (who borders on audacious) stumbled in 5 minutes late. We toured the Macy's which is much nicer to the one I'm used to and I secretly shopped in my mind. God help my Macy's card.

My counter manager did place her hand on my shoulder and tell me that she was very excited to have me working with her. Honestly, that was the high point of my day. I thought I'd blown the interview with her and I just had the vibe that she didn't like me. Luckily, I've been wrong a lot lately.

Tomorrow morning I have more training. Oh, boy...

...at least my biggest worry right now is whether or not I gave them the right dress size for my lab coat. Once I have a paycheck most of my worries will have vanished.

And so it begins....

After enduring way too many interviews (the count ended around 8 or 9), I finally procured a full-time job with Clinique. Sure, it might seem like just another mall job, but there's really a lot of potential to be had if I play my cards right. All in all I'm pretty darned excited and I can only hope that my self-sabotaging and carpal tunnel syndrome sit and spin while I play "counter girl" for a living.

To be honest, I thought the phone interview the Lauder company put me through was going to be my hamartia. I came away from it in tears and essentially melted into the couch while the boyfriend consoled me with forehead kisses and hand-holding. But lo and behold, my phone interview went "great" and I was offered the job this morning. My wallet will thank me later, I'm sure.

Tomorrow: Paperwork & Orientation Macy's style...putting forth little effort and getting paid for doing so--the American Dream.

Thursday: Register training: which, as a former Macy's employee, I should blow through quicker than a stack of cash at a flea market. (What? I like flea markets!) Too bad I won't be getting paid for speed bonuses.