I don't have enough time for TT, so

“

I quit work.

Did it today. Friday, Dec. 20th, will be my last day. Then I will have more time for doing the things that I enjoy. I don't consider it a retirement, but a transition.

It was a difficult decision. I had to give up the illusion of being needed.”

“Can I have your job? I just quit school and my wife stuck the checkbook in my face--not good news!”

“Congrats Nowslimmer!!!!! Good for you! Have fun in the next phase. :-)”

“Slimmer, I just quit my job too!! Whooohoooo!
Friday was it...
=:0”

“Kewl... happy trails Nowslimmer and Amy!”

“stumprider - Sure, you can have my place bagging groceries. The only good thing is that it is in Florida. (Melbourne)”

“Way to go!!! ENJOY yourself. Dont' think being needed is an illusion though..you are needed somewhere else..you just don't know where yet.”

“That's pretty Heavy dude!! Good luck with the Jobless life!!

Good luck finding a job Stumprider!!

Amy G, Get A Job!!”

“Sounds like another long hike coming up. Enjoy!”

“Let me see if I got this right. The two gallons of milk go on top of the dozen eggs, right? I think I'm in!

Best of luck!”

“So, can I quit school and my job? Hmm....”

“stumprider - Nope! They are trying to improve customer service. You have to do things by the number:

1. Smile at the customer.
2. Verbally greet the customer.
3. Ask, "Is plastic OK." (A very crude way of asking, "Will plastic bags be all-right today?")
4. Crush at least 10 items in each bag. It does not matter what you crush, potato chips, bread, etc.
5. Wrestle the cart away from the customer and head outside with it without asking or saying anything.

They are spying on you from behind doors, etc., or with the inhouse TV cameras. You get graded on five items. The list above, your appearance in proper clothing (They don't like the color of my waterproof boots, which I wear when it is raining or when I do some of the wet jobs as custodian.), your grooming, etc. If you fail anything, you receive a week off w/o pay. The second time, the same. The third time you're fired. Several good people have already quit after before being fired. I'm one of their best, but I'm damned if I want to worry about whether I smile first, second or whatever. My smile is usually in my cheerful voice. I get along great with most customers. Some even return to the store from the parking lot to compliment my performance to management.

This new system allows them to get rid of anyone that want to remove.

But, because of this and several other things, they exceeded my limit today. I don't need the stress. So after 7.4 years, it's bye, bye, I don't work here anymore.

They asked me to stay until after the Christmas Rush is over. I said no thank you. They offered to transfer me to stock work. I declined their offer. Seventy years old, I want more time for doing things that I enjoy:

aikijutsu (and some out of class work on some things on which I am weak, like backward somersaults.)

workouts, swimming, bicycling, computer time for writing articles and investigating all kinds of things in this world, and TT.

More backpacking, hiking, and kayaking.

Take some courses like Chinese Culture, photo workshops, German and Spanish refreshers, geology, astrometry, etc.

Visiting and playing with my children and grandchildren.

Attending sunday school and church instead of working on Sundays.

Playing more one-pocket pool.

Attending more Civil War Battle reenactments.

Attending other interesting events and activities, instead of working every weekend.

Donate time to some worthy causes.

I will be busy and there still will not be enough hours in a day.”

“Your plans sound GREAT!

Wow, over 7 years! I probably wouldn't last a day. I know it's a tough job.

I could see me on the first day, "Hey, lady, you don't like the way I'm packing your bag, stick this ....."

I usually thank the bagger as I'm leaving the store.”

“YOU DA MAN NOWSLIMMAH!”

“Way to go dude!!!!!

8)”

“Get a job as a gear rep, sell gear at cost to your freinds here on TT, :). Just a suggestion.”

“It sounds as though you could have used a good union representative, Mr. Slimmer.”

“nowslimmer, your list of things to do is a very good profile of how healthy you are and how much you enjoy life. I'm sure that we'll be hearing from you for the next thirty years.”

“NS - you could get a job as a substitute or part-time school bus driver. Most of my folks are retiree's, work about 4-5 hours a day, mike some decent $. and get their summers off. Check it out!”

“Slimmer, that's awesome! It sounds like you've got some great plans in the works. :o)

I've only got a couple of weeks to play and then its back to work (another job). For now, I'll be living it up as much as possible.

We're heading to the Caribbean next week!! >:D
whooohooooo”

“AmyG - Have fun, and have a great trip. Hope your new postition is rewarding personally, financially and careerwise. Lots of luck.

I'm going to try to make the Dolly Sods Hike this spring. Maybe we'll get to meet, if they allow you any time-off at work.”

“nowslimmer - Have fun! My sister-in-law's husband got unjustly fired from an Albertsons in Melbourne, FL many years ago. Maybe it is the same one! (They live in Clearwater now)”

“Congratulation, Nowslimmer. I don't worry that your life will continue to be full and productive. I enjoyed your list of "hobbies".”

“All - Thanks for all the comments.

Phil - I work for Publix Supermarkets. The new program is a test in our district only. The district manager has to make a report to higher management in February. Then the plan may be implemented company-wide.

I did not experience any problems, but most of the people exiting the store are their best people. In my case it was just a cummulation of many things and even involves the stock market and my estimates of things to come. My financial adjustment will be difficult, but things will work out OK. The increase in physical exertive activities may add a few years to my life.”

“FYI: my dad worked for Publix too, when i was a kid. (this was back in '80-'81)... i don't remember a whole hellof a lot... but what i can 'member is him sayin they didn't treat their employees that well. he was a bagger too... bein' 66 y.o., it's the only job they were willin to give him at the time. it's stuff like this, that makes it hard for employees to WANT to stay at their jobs. i know i don't like it when i'm being critiqued (sp??) by someone....that's why i'm a loner. life is good that way.”

“What a great idea! Let's all go tell 'the man' to take this job and shove it!”

“Congrats Nowslimmer! I'm done w/ my job at the end of the month. Committing to more time w/ Newergirl!”

“driver and was fired from several places for trying to organize the labor there. finally he became a Teamster. I on the other hand, am supposedly a professional, a salaryman. I've been indoctrinated into the positives of a non-union environment. And in the line of work I'm in (mechanical engineer)it helps. But if I was an enployee of any of these places like Wal-Mart or a grocery chain I'd be doing my best to crush the management of these places. Even in the manufacturering environment my experience is that people in management get stupider and stupider as times go by. Sometimes I think they do things just to aggravate the workers.


So grocery store workers of the world... unionize, repeal NAFTA, and close the borders to ILLEGAL aliens. Or suffer.”

“We know they got fired for stealing company time. You don't get paid to post.”

“I didn't know you can quit a job!?!”

“that is the first negative comment that i have ever heard about publix or it's employment practices.”

“radagas - I'm not sure if you are referring to the post by xpoisonivyx or something that I said. Let me state that I feel that Publix is a good place to work, overall. But, just like in any large company, one's judgements are determined primarily by one's immediate associates and management. Just like none of us are perfect workers, neither is all of management.

This new policy is merely making others do the things that I have been doing all along. But Publix has made some other changes during the last year. One, was aimed at getting some of the people out of the medical and/or dental plans. When I first started (part time), I was able to get up to 13 consecutive weeks off without any penalty. Two years ago after I transferred, the new store restricted me to 30 days without going on leave status. With help from the District Manager I got it back to 12 weeks. Then a new company plan had two important clauses. 1. A third type of accounting year was established. You had to work 1,000 hours within that period to stay in the plans. Otherwise, you would have to reestablish eligibility again. 2. If you take more than two weeks off, you are automatically placed on leave status. Anyone on leave status is removed from the plans and has to reestablish eligibility again.

An older policy says that if you have been on leave status within the past six months, you do not receive any of the bonuses that you might otherwise be due.

The medical/dental change was designed to get rid of people, who do not really want to work, but are there just to obtain those benefits. But the change was more far reaching than that.

As I posted above, 'But, because of this and several other things, they exceeded my limit today. I don't need the stress.' (My action was not fully impulsive. I have been considering terminating for some time.) I could go on, but I just wanted to justify my feelings and work habits somewhat. I have worked hard. I try to treat customers as though I am the owner and I want them to return. I do the miscellaneous chores that others avoid, including bending over 200 to 300 times a day to pick up scraps, etc. There are five separate stores, whose top manager would give me an excellent recommendation, if asked. But, again, I am not perfect.

Sorry for being long winded. I goofed and got off on the wrong foot with you a year ago. I prefer and hope that we can be friends. I hope we meet someday. Will you be able to attend Ocala NF-2 this February?”

“Where is your trip report to the Smokies? I am looking forward to reading it. Congrats on the new chapter in your life. GL in future endeavors!!!”

“tango - Thanks for asking. I'm almost finished with section 7 of 11. Most of the rest should be short and easy, except for the photographs' section.”

“What? You didn't email the company president and divulge all the sorid middle management practices?

he he he”

“I had a little incident at a Publix a couple years age involving a smart a-- teenager employee and some fried chicken. I composed a letter of complaint and sent it to their CEO in Lakeland. The company response was to have a regional vice president phone me at home, apologize abundantly, and offer to buy my entire company (!) fried chicken for lunch. Since I didn’t like that company very much (that was when I used to post to TT often instead of working) I declined his offer to buy eighty people lunch and asked for a box of fried chicken and a greek salad instead.”

“i was surprised at two different negative views. i definately see your point, though. not everyone in a good company is contributing to a good reputation. middle management is a stressful job and can really weed out those that can't take the heat.

i'm not trying to butt heads, or anything. you did call me "radagas" and then apologized for being "long winded", though. i thought that was funny, in a sick, lyra-minded sort of way. LOL!”

“Yeah. Lyra's sick!

Hey! That's great Nowslimmer. I plan to do the same. Less than six mos and counting. Woo hoo!!”

“radagast - Thanks. Sorry for the mistake. Names are important to people. That's why I usually post them in bold text.”

“"Sick, lyra minded" doesn't that belong on the pleonasm thread?

Nowslimmer: It sounds like you have a great plan. Best of luck to you! (I'm jealous!)”

“I like your name that way, that's the way we'd drawl it out down here in Texas..lol

Glad to hear a new chapter is beginning, but I ad this chapter with the others you've created for yourself and this novel will definitely be a BEST SELLER!!!

And just a reminder, you are always needed somewhere by someone - the Big Guy has plans for you, just enjoy the ride, kiddo!! You're needed here on TT for balance, too!!! ;-)

I'm looking forward to hiking with you again in Ocala at the reunion hike in early Feb. It will be good to catch up and share pictures of grand babies, eh? I received my first grand baby this year at 40 y/o and have not quite recovered from the shock!!

Looking forward to your trip report from this fall and am anxiously awaiting the opportunity to hike with you again!!

Stay well, NS!! Miss Y'all!!

Tex”

“Thanks, tex.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again, too. Bring the baby with you to Ocala NF. My daughter's willing to bring her new one, HPM and Treebait might bring Laurel, and, if Big Coop brings his new one, we could have at four hiking babies on this trip. Gotta start'um young. I can picture the four of them on a blanket playing together.

Wonder what the 'other side' will think when they see some of those pictures. (Don't really care what they think.)

See you soon.”

“Ah, nowslimmer - you sure have a refreshing outlook on life.

When are we goin' hiking?”

“I've heard Melbourne is real nice, but not for me. My in laws bought a condo there.”

“.'When are we goin' hiking?'
tekapo

It may be a while. You have so many beautiful pictures with such great descriptions, that I need time to complete looking at them. I get slowed by the craving to view them over and over.”

“lipstick hiker - Should you come to visit with them, please let me know. It would be an honor to meet you.”

“Everybody needs a job...unless you're a monk, begger or hippie...than you just ask for handouts. Such is life.

Btw, enjoy life in between jobs....”

“You sick, twisted liberals. Enjoy suckling off the public welfare teat with your Cadillac driving welfare queen friends.

Anyone notice that Strom Thurmond is looking older lately?”

“awww, raddy still loves me! or at least still thinks i'm sick...what's the diff!
:-)”