Friday, April 17, 2009

Flighty and unfocused. So what else is new?

Habit-kicking is kicking my ass. I'm so happy to be hearing from former smokers - ya'll are giving me hope that I won't feel this crazy forever...

So, since I'm feeling remarkably random anyway, here's a remarkably random post.

Random 1: An interesting fact we learned over the winter: basil will root from stem-cuttings. I dug up and brought in the last surviving basil plant last fall. It got pretty rangy and leggy over the winter, and I was afraid that I would have to pitch it out (after plucking it of its few leaves. Not enough for pesto, but enough to graze on...) Then we read that basil was rootable. Had to try it!

The plant had three branches - we cut one off, stuck it in water and waited. Sure enough, roots appeared. We potted it up, then amputated the other two branches and popped them into the water.(Note to self: wash kitchen window.)
On the left is the pot containing the original plant (the stem briefly showed signs of growing new leaves, but they dried up before getting more than 1/8 in) In the middle is the first branch we rooted, growing happily in its own pot. On the right in the red vase are the two other branches, rooting away. We'll pot them up shortly and have plants to set out in the garden once all danger of frost is gone. (Which is June, up here. Damn this Zone 3.)
Since we have time, we may even chop up that first plant and start even more plants. We've always had a hard time growing enough basil - we may have stumbled on a system for growing these tender little plants!



Random 2 - I finally finished (I hope) the pattern for the thrummed mittens. I've got it in PDF form, but don't know yet if I can put that up on a photo site (Like Picasa or Flickr). So, in the meantime, anyone who wants it, please leave a comment or email me, and I'll send you a copy. I'm particularly hoping to get some test-knitters who can give me feedback. I'm used to just dashing down a couple of notes on the back of an envelope and winging it from there, so any help you can give me on writing an actual pattern will be deeply appreciated!

Random 3 - still trying, but had a setback yesterday. Had the Customer From Hell at work. He ranted and raved and swore and stomped and was Generally Unpleasant (a euphemism for Total Asshole), and all because he couldn't understand that the "Store Credit Card" (which he didn't have) and the receipt for the Store Credit Card (which he had) weren't the same thing. He expected us to give him a $50 credit with only a receipt, but not the actual plastic card that the money had been scanned on to. When we (the asst manager and I) tried to explain it to him "It's like buying a gift certificate - the gift certificate is redeemable for merchandise, the receipt for the gift certificate is not", he started screaming about what rude f-ing bitches we were being and that he wasn't a f-ing sleazebag and we could cram that f-ing store policy up our asses and this was a f-ed up store with f-ed up merchandise and this f-ed up store must be f-ing proud that rude bitches like us were out there f-ing over the customers, etc, etc, etc. All at the top of his lungs. He finally made his purchase and left, still shouting and throwing things, and generally behaving like a homicidal 5yr-old.
I was so rattled I ended up outside, smoking 1/2 a cigarette, hands shaking and trying not to cry. Really really didn't need that kind of stress when I was feeling particularly vulnerable to stress anyway.

Random 4: There is no Random 4.

Random 5: I'm on row 5 of Maplewing. Step by step, inch by inch...

7 comments:

pacalaga said...

Darling, you didn't need a cigarette, you needed to call the police and inform the friendly man with the potty mouth that you were invoking your right to not serve him. May camels spit in his oatmeal.

Kaberge: said...

It really shocks me how many people can't understand a simple concept like not having a gift card is really not having it. We get that a lot up here too. It's interesting how offended people get when they think you're even SUGGESTING that they could be trying to get away with something sheisty. In fact, that's how I know when I _should_ call our loss prevention people - when people act extremely complacent about the information I give them.

*Huge hug*

Anna M said...

I agree, call the police. If your store balks at this discuss "hostile work environment" and how you need a policy about that. I don't blame you at all for a slip and it *was* only 1/2 of one.

Make this a reminder though.... Keep a pint of whiskey in your purse. Much better than draggin' on a fag for situations like this!

Maia said...

That customer was not acceptable at all! I agree about calling the police or at minimum telling him you will if he can't calm down.

Hang in there! I used to have a co-worker like that. I survived by reminding myself that no matter how bad it is to deal with him, I get to go home and get away from him. He is stuck with himself 24/7. It is much better to deal with that person than to BE that person.

Thalia said...

Wow, another story that reminds me why I was so stressed out working retail. I had previously thought that bookstores would be quiet places to work - HA! ha-HA! Oh. the insanity.

And pacalaga is quite right, you really needed to tell this jackass to take his jackassery out of your space.

No worries - each day is another day you take nicotine's name and kick its ass.

Thalia said...

p.s. I'd be interested in test knitting for you... in June. Does June work for thrummed mittens?

Laurie said...

Pacalaga is right on. Probably the explained action of going to call the police would have taken care of him. His behavior is not acceptable.