ChocolateStrawberry Flambe

Hey all! I'm ChocolateStrawberry. Chocoberry, CS or Miss Strawberry to my friends. No clue what my enemies call me. This is just a little space where I'll leave my random thoughts and any news on planned absences. Unplanned will be pmed to my partners to explain.

To start off, I'm 30, a medical biller/coder student living in the east coast. I'm an Aquarius, my favorite stone is garnet, my favorite color is red, and I currently work as a cashier for Target when I'm not in school. I want to be a writer and am working on my first novel (one draft down, two more to go before my baby is ready to be presented).

My family is from NY, but I've lived in the 'south' for so long I've got a bit of an accent. Depending on who I'm talking to, it can be as thick as Paula Dean, or nearly non-existant. It's just part of my charm now.

As I said, I'm a cashier. It's a safe bet to assume I'll rant a bit on work. Normally, we have the nicest people who come in, but with our Walmart closed thanks to the blizzards we've been getting, we have to deal with misplaced Walmart shoppers in our store. Not a happy bunch.

Anyway, that's my hello. Feel free to ask me anything, or check back to see my thoughts. I'm real friendly.

You said you wanted to travel later in life, where to?

Oh, yeah, travel! I love it. I want to visit England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Japan and just laze around the Bahamas and Carabean. I also love cruises, having been on six. I also enjoy traveling around the US and want to visit several areas. I love culture and history, so any place I go to has to have something for me to experience. I have been to DC several times, but not recently. Everytime my family has gone, something (mainly work) has kept me from joining them.

Someday, I want to have the money to travel when I want to.

Other than Greece and the West Indies those are all on my own list.

Feb 15, 2010

Cruises

Since Arc brought up my travels, I thought I'd share a few of my cruising stories. Now, I call myself the Bad Luck Penny when I cruise. Something bad happens nearly 90% of the time, and almost always to me. It makes for some funny stories. To date, I've been on 3 Carnival cruises, 1 Norwegian, 1 Royal Carabean, and 1 Disney. Of those, I've had bad luck on four cruises. Though, my first cruise was nothing but bad luck, so it kinda evens out.

I love cruising, don't get me wrong, but I find it funny that I have the worst luck with myself. To date, I have gotten food poisoning, went on a cruise after a bad break up (which meant i was miserable), been beaned in the head with a rum bottle, pulled both leg muscles on the second night (damn high heels), nearly had a banana-related allergy attack (luckily, banana juice mixed in with a fruit punch doesn't pack the same punch as a real banana), did have a sunscreen attack that resulted in hives and no islands for the rest of the cruise and had to outrun a hurricane. The only bad luck to befall my companions: My sister lost her bikini bottoms while cave tubing. I am still waiting on the pictures.

And, believe me, there are stories to go with each of those little misadventure (it's funnier when in person, because I get into it and do hand guestures).

Feb. 19, 2010

The other day, a few things happened at work that just ticked me off. Now, normally, ordinary stupidity just rolls right off me and I go about my day. But yesterday, it was just one after another aftr another.

1. I know that we're all told that there is no such thing as a stupid question. That's a lie. It's a stupid question if it goes against not only the store's policy, but general common sense. The rule: In order to use a coupon, you need to physically have the coupon. Makes sense, right? Some lady came in and wanted to buy four of an item. Three of them had a coupon attatched, one didn't. She wanted me to use all three coupons for four items (each coupon was for one item, and one item only). When I said I couldn't, she insisted I ask my manager.

In order for us to get credit or whatever for a coupon, we have to physically have it to send it back to the company. Without a physical coupon to send back, we cannot give a discount for that coupon. She even tried to argue with my manager about faking that last coupon. Someone had taken it off the product, so she should get the discount because it should be there. Doesn't work that way (and the product was already on clearance, so she wasn't paying full price for it as is).

2. People, please read the signs. Venus razors have more then one name. There is Breeze, Embrace, Normal, and so on. If the sale is on one brand of Venus razors, then bringing up another one and demanding the same price won't work. It's in the computer, I will not give you a discount because you think one razor is the same as the other. It's on sale for a reason, and I need my job too much to risk it for you. Unless you're goign to be my sugar momma or sugar daddy until I get out of college and can support myself, I'm going by the rules.

Oh, and pouting or calling me names won't make me change my mind.

3. Again, with the coupons. If a coupon is for $1 off a product (excluding trial sizes) and you bring up the .99 cent trial size, you cannot use the coupon. Not going to happen, and yes, I will call security on you. The security guard and I are friends, he will back me up on this. Plus, it's store policy and no, you didn't get that deal at another store. Screaming at me won't help your case either. It's very clear on the coupon that you can't use it for trial sizes. Not only that, but use the brains God gave a sponge. A buck is more then 99 cents, thus meaning we'd owe you money if we used it. Not going to happen.

4. I hate working this one manager. Now, I'm a talker. I can't keep quiet. I've tried. I just have to ask my guests how their day is and coo to their kids and keep people happy. I can't work in silence. It just makes me jumpy when I have to. So, when I have people in my line, I ask them how their day is going, how their week was. I'm just friendly, and most of the regulars shoppers know this. They remember me, and they pick my lane. I've been told this.

This manager doesn't like to have us talking. She's always telling me to keep quiet. I've tried, I can't. I can probably stay quiet and only say 'hi' and 'you owe X' for 30 min. before I have to say something more. And if they have kids, forget it. I'm a sucker for kids. I'm really good, honestly. I've actually calmed a few tantrums through my lane.

What I really hate is when she reprimands me in front of the guests. It not only embarasses me, but it embarasses them. Especially since talking isn't really a sin. Shes' the only one with a problem. I keep my speed scores up, I'm in the green almost all the time, so it's not slowing me down.

March 29,2010

I think I'm taking a quick break from one-on-ones for a bit. I will be concentrating on the group roleplays for now, since it's less for me to concentrate on with my work and school. I will try to post to my one-on-ones, but it may take a while. Sorry everyone.