I'm really missing my camera. I'm dying to take pictures of the rooms before and after as we finish them, but without knowing what box my camera's battery charger(s) are in, I can't!
Our goal tonight is to finish texturing two closet ceilings, then priming the ceilings in 2 rooms and 2 closets, and caulking and priming the trim in the loft, closet, and office.
Tomorrow I plan to paint the ceilings, then start on the walls in the guest room, loft and office (plus both closets), and finishing off with the trim. I'll try to finish as much as I can tomorrow before dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Cochran! Rachel called a couple of days ago with the surprise that they were heading up this weekend for the Cochran family Thanksgiving dinner. So she's coming to see the house and have dinner with us.
I've been waiting for a day off during the week to get some stuff done and relax. Only tomorrow I'll be working on the house all day instead of relaxing. I guess in the end, it will be all worth it when we can sit back and look around at all the work we did and how wonderful it looks.
Work has been increasingly stressful. The first week, I marveled at how slow the store was and how there was so much time to sit around. This week I've been frantically trying to correct as much of the inventory that was done wrong before the deadline; plus figuring out what products I can send back to the warehouse that we have but don't sell; plus trying to brush off my assistant's almost constant need to correct the way I do things and/or jumping in and answering a customer's question for me; plus trying to avoid the old manager of the store who comes in and loves to tell me how I should run the store.
I'm glad for tomorrow so that I can be quiet and not talk. Plus, painting really helps me think and is a way for me to relax. I need to figure out how to manage like a guy. I've been lenient so far because I've been trying to get my assistant on my side, which is hard when the old manager comes in after I'm gone and tells him everything he thinks I'm doing wrong. In a week or so, it's really going to be my rules. I've fixed as much of the inventory as I can, and I'm sending back product that we need to get rid of, plus my assistant will be on vacation for the beginning of next week, so I can get more comfortable with everything.
And there will be lots of changes. Reorganizing the entire warehouse so we don't have a certain product in 3 different spots, setting a new standard for store appearance, cleaning, and getting organized. Once I feel like the store is efficient and runs well, I can go out and get more sales, make sales calls with reps, and promote our business. We're not ready to serve a larger volume because it's been so poorly run for the last few years.
My confidence at work comes from knowing that I've done a good job and made a contribution. Unfortunately, to be a 'Store Manager' that confidence should be built in. I think by the next time I work with my assistant, I will have it. I like working by myself because I know how everything is run, and there's not someone constantly critiquing me.
In other news, Bean and I celebrated our first anniversary with dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe the Saturday beforehand and then fondue and year-old cake with year-old champagne the day of. We did the tradition of only giving a paper gift, and I got tickets to see Celine Dion!
Now I know it's nerdy to admit that I like her, and although I don't listen to her all the time, I'm excited to see her perform. I just have the task of asking the embarrassing question, "So, do you like Celine Dion? Would you like to go to her concert?" Who will I be brave enough to ask?
0 comments:
Post a Comment