You know you’ve been working too long at Target when:

- you refer to customers as “guests”…outside of work.
- you refer to fellow employees as “team members”…also outside of work.
- you abbreviate everything.
- you start having nightmares about not having stocked the shelves enough.
- you refer to the stuff sold at the store as “product” & “merchandise”.
- when you see someone in red and khaki, you assume they work at Target.
- you start referring to all meals, no matter what time, as “lunch”.
- you reach for your walkie-talkie…even at home.

and finally:
- you straighten shelves when you go to other stores.

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The following was dictated by my sister Gloria while I typed (the only way I knew I’d get a guest entry). Thanks, G!

The Best Thing About Summer:

When I was younger, I used to think it was the ice cream truck, because hearing it in the street made me run to mom, thinking I could weasle some money out of her.

As I grew up, I believed it was because I could skip out of dreaded homework assignments.

Now I’ve gotten older and wiser, and I’ve realized the deeper meaning of what makes summer so great.

It’s movies.

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I bought 7 goldfish a couple weeks ago, and a Betta. There are now 2 goldfish and the Betta still lives (although it does not eat as much as my last one). The other fishies went belly-up, one by one.

The security guy at work told us that a lady had a little dog in her shopping cart, and apparently she walked right past me at Guest Service without me seeing it. People that carry their little doggies in a purse or something…ugh.

I caught two boys playing baseball in the sporting goods aisle today. That seems to happen a lot. I also picked up a bottle of bath bubble soap that turned out to be VERY slimy and leaky. eww.

Other Items I Found Today:
- chewed lollipop stick
- bandaid stuck to the floor
- candy wrappers
- dead lightbulb
- a nice little collection of used tissues in Toys
- green marbles on the floor

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It has been
utterly gray outside
the kind that shifts my mood
from blue to almost purple
and back again to white
It has been filled with red
(I think that is the color of stress)
with a bit of green thrown in
for good measure.
I think brown poked his head in
for a moment there,
but scurried out when he saw
that yellow was nearby.
Orange seems to be non-existent
She took a sick day, perhaps.
Yes, today
was completely, utterly, gray.

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At work (Target) they play music videos on the TV screens in Electronics. They’ve been playing a lot of Modest Mouse and the Postal Service, as well as Los Lonely Boys. Therefore, I’ve had Modest Mouse’s “Float On” stuck in my head for the last week. And I own the the Postal Service cd, thanks to Adam, so that’s been in my cd player.

Also: if you have to return items, please do not yell at Guest Service. They are merely doing their job. We had 3 guests in a row yell at the poor ladies behind the desk on Sunday, and more yesterday and today. The nicer you are, the more likely they will go out of their way to help if they can.

The team members have begun referring to me as “the intern”, which I find amusing. One of them tried to use it to bug me, then got disconcerted when I laughed in his face.

A guest stopped me today when the store was closing. He was looking for “…fine point gel pens. They have the medium point, see, right here? But no fine point. Oh, you’ve never used gel pens?! They’re the best! Seriously, you should really try them. I want the 10-pack, but all I see is medium point…” Continued in that same vein. We never found the fine point. haha.

Did you know that the Target Corporation sold Marshall Fields and Mervyn’s to the May company, which owns Lord & Taylor? Sale is not final till mid-July, but it has been a topic of conversation.

Oh yeah, and the best information of all? Wal-Mart is opening next door in August. ewww.

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I tried this one in another place and got some really interesting responses. Thought I’d try it again.

What is the last positive thought you had?

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The reason I have not been online much: my Target internship. I’m loving it, but I’ve worked two 10 hour days and two 8 hour days so far, so I haven’t slept as much as I should and I’ve been on my feet.

Very sore feet, I must say.

I’m learning a great deal, and the folks at my store are helpful and friendly. It is hard to explain in this little space what exactly my day is like because every day is different. I have been training in Guest Services this week, which involves learning about cashiering, the Guest Service desk, numbers (sales, cashier speed scores, and Visas), and various other things. It is very hands on.

So every night I come home, collapse, and try to relax a little bit.

Also, whenever I see babies at work I go all silly and want to hug them. Can’t, of course, but dang they are just so cute!

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I’ve been eating a lot of chicken and yogurt recently. I wonder why.

In any case, the job is going well, I’m learning a lot although today was rough. 10 hours on my feet = pain. I’ll get used to it.

The link for the New Food of Life is here. Speaking of food and cooking, leave a comment with essential ingredients for any kitchen. I’d like to see what people think are essential. It can be a cooking implement such as a spatula or food processor, a spice, or something else. Talk amongst yourselves.

Chicago DOES have beaches. See?

View Image

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So in addition to Anna Karenina, I have picked up The Rise of the Creative Class from the library, as well as a couple of fantasy books. I also hope to start on a Baha’i book soon, I just haven’t decided which one yet. Expect all 4 books to be done by the end of June, if not earlier. I love reading books all at once. wheee!

I start orientation for work in 7 hours, so I should go sleep now.

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