Work Shift

I began another gorgeous spring morning with Remember WENN. Everyone at the station is complaining over the roles they play and how they wish things could change. They all learn that the grass isn't always greener in someone else's work area when they "Work Shift" and change jobs on the suggestion of a self-help guru. Now, Scott's trying to get everyone coffee, Hilary's dealing with the switchboard, Betty is playing "Chopsticks," Eugenia has to handle the sponsors...and they all discover that teamwork works best when people do what they're best at. (If nothing else, this episode finally settles the question of what Mr. Eldridge does at the station - he runs all the little chores and errands no one else has the time or inclination to do.)

I wish I could say the same. The Acme has me doing bagging duties along with cashiering. They no longer trust me with a full day of cashiering. On one hand, I've said a thousand times that I don't like cashiering. It's boring and the customers get overwhelming. On the other hand, what I really want to do is stock shelves....but they keep telling me I don't have the seniority and haven't proved I'm worthy of a better job. I wish I could explain the concepts of sensitivity and introversion to these people. Story of my life. No one knows what to do with the shy girl. Where do you put the people who work differently than everyone else?

It wasn't so bad in the morning. I shelved stray items and returned carts. It was certainly a nice day to return carts. It was already in the 70's by 10 in the morning! The trouble didn't start until I had to go in the register around quarter of noon. The lunch rush hour was crazy. We were short on help. Not only was my break late, but no one told me if I had a relief or was supposed to shut down. I ended up getting out late because my line was so long.

It was such a nice day, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road to make myself feel better. The traffic wasn't great on Nicholson, but I didn't feel like dealing with the repair work on the Black Horse Pike, either. Besides, it was too nice to rush home.

When I did finally get in, I changed into regular clothes, then spent the next two hours working on my WENN fanfiction. I went back and re-did the opening to the "dream" sequences. We now begin with Elizabeth Robertson (Betty) on her way to Pittsburgh Village to work at the Monongahela Inn. Her coach is attacked by bandits, including one handsome, brazen fellow who calls himself the Crimson Blade. She defiantly tells him she won't give him her money, go away, please. He's amused by her boldness and intrigued by her beauty. Just as he kisses her hand, he hears horses on the road. He and his men take off as Victor Comstock, the head of the Inn, arrives to make sure she gets safely to her destination.

Yeah, I like this. Far more action-packed and a better way of introducing things than beginning with Victor leaving for Boston. Next, I'll skip ahead to Pruitt and Holstrom inviting everyone to a ball at the Governor's Mansion...one that will end up feeling a bit "Magic"-cal.

After I pit stop, I decided I needed to stretch and pick up some milk. It was the perfect day for a stroll to WaWa. It was around 5:30 when I got out, and fairly quiet. Most people were probably having dinner or just getting home from work. The neighborhood is looking prettier and prettier every day. The daffodils and forsythia are gone, but the azaleas, tulips, and lilacs are out now. The leaves are getting greener and fatter. Every lawn is a green carpet of thick, soft grass.

WaWa was really busy, but it was quarter of 6 when I got there. A lot of people were buying hoagies or hot dishes for dinner. I bought my milk and treated myself to a tasty Strawberry Chocolate Chip Smoothie. Oooh, very strawberry, with real chocolate chips on the top! I drank it on the way home, passing parents pushing their kids in strollers, chatting with their teenage children, or walking their dogs.

I ate a leftover chicken leg and steamed zucchini and yellow squash for my own dinner while watching action-themed Backyardigans episodes. I began "The Two Musketeers" before work. A masked hippo lass wants to join musketeers Pablo and Tyrone, but they insist they work as a duo. She proves otherwise when she saves them from the Empress' guards Uniqua and Austin. Uniqua becomes "The Masked Retriever" in Old California to stop Don Austin from taking an overdue library book across the border. "Robin Hood the Clean" (Pablo) has been barred from the stinky town of Filthingham, thanks to the evil Mayor Stinkypants (Austin). The villagers persuade Robin to return and show the Mayor how much fun taking a bath and staying clean can be.

Oh, and American Girl officially announced the archival of their 1812 character, Caroline. I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, I'm not really into the time period, and though I enjoyed her core stories, I liked the character but didn't love her. (Neither of her mysteries are all that great.) If I buy anything from her collection, it'll be for Josefina. I also heard her golden curls are a pain to keep in good shape. On the other hand, she only debuted in 2012. She hasn't really had the time to amass much of anything. Not to mention, while I'm not into the Regency era, I know a lot of people who are.

I do agree that, while I love 20th century history and am very much looking forward to the debut of their 50's girl Maryellen in August, I'm hoping they'll eventually try older, less well-known periods in history again someday. I'd especially love to see a girl representing the later Wild West/Reconstruction period of the 1870's and 1880's.