Saturday, February 17, 2024

Overnight, a little more snow fell, making this morning a freezer. Exactly as the current lousy February weather hit, an electrical component for the horses’ watering troughs failed, making the heaters quit. Since it’s too snowy and cold to work outside replacing an electrical bit, ice-chopping becomes, hopefully temporarily, another barn area routine.

The cold weather’s slick streets discouraged driving, so few customers entered the department store where I work part-time. My shift was quiet and boring, it felt way long. I’ll add that it will please my San Antonio reader, Ava, to know that her caution to “Stop buying!” stayed in my head, and I didn’t kill dull moments (as often happens) by shopping around for myself.

She works part-time at a Dollar Store, likely an optimal environment for us who shop where we work. That store carries most household needs, some food items on the cheap, and a few wearables on the sparse. A Dollar Store could be a wise alternative if I want to leave my current workplace to save more earnings.

Well, today is today–snowy and cold. Horses already are lined at the fence and watching for me coming with hay. Ahead, there’s hay to tow, ice to chop, and chickens to feed, and this afternoon, there are outside working hours–hopefully, not dull lags. But I see new snow falling again and curtailing potential department store busyness.

Dear Friends: The very beautiful outside mostly draws our area’s snow enthusiasts. Diana

Friday, February 16, 2024

A frozen morning, cold and snowy, a Christmas card image. Another day of schlepping outside for just long enough to feed my animals. The past two days, mine off from work became lost in the harsh weather. Today, returning to work might be a slower gig, post-Valentine’s.

In the header photo, my coworker, Johnnie, who works in Shoes, tries on a pair of knee-high crazy gold boots. The Store actually sold some of those; I can’t imagine who’d wear them, but my imagination has limits. I could barely grasp that high-schoolers attending February’s winter formals in very fancy dresses were accessorizing by wearing Converse Sneakers–the “in thing.”

Along that line, I have a pair of saddle oxfords. In my day, those were “the thing,” and I occasionally wear them to work these days. It’s surprising how many people notice and compliment me on those saddles. For many, the style triggers lots of memories.

There also were the old days of white buck shoes, with little powder pillows for dusting and maintaining the white. I might explore if white bucks are available still. Wearing them to work would be fun.

Dear Friends: Old and dated needn’t be awful; “from the past” so may delight. Diana

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Yesterday, falling snow all day created our latest wonderland. There were ever-larger-and-thicker falling flakes that interrupted my plan to go out and be about. That day became an inside one for me, except for a few downhill snow-kickers to the barn to take care of my outside animals.

Despite Central Oregon’s Valentine’s Day weather surprise, maybe the many shoppers I helped select Fancy Dresses in the department store where I work still wore their fancy clothes to pre-planned destinations.

The stress of selecting ought always to be offset by the fun of wearing.

While in the throes of thinking and writing, I sometimes overlook details. Yesterday, my header photo was confusing. I apologize for not explaining that the sparkling dress was a general image that represented popular fancy dresses. That photo way overpowered my new dress for wearing someday.

So much for partylike thinking. Today’s early task is to rev up the snowplow and blow a walkable path to the barn. The header photo is right on.

Dear Friends: We’re beyond ready for warm weather! Diana

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For a couple of weeks at work, I’ve been assigned to the fancy dress department; being there has been fun and interesting. I’ve learned that February is a very romantic month. Many customers were lookers and triers-oners, planning to celebrate this day or anticipating upcoming fancy affairs.

Those fancy dress customers’ age ranges were huge. I helped high schoolers who were focusing on upcoming winter formals, middle-agers planning to be out and about on Valentine’s, and older folks preparing for formal gatherings, like at the Moose Lodge.

Until now, the Department’s rows of hanging, glittering, and sparkling gowns haven’t attracted me. Honestly, I often wondered why anyone would bother to wear the things. Well, now I’m educated and can see differently those hanging fancy dresses. Yesterday, I surprised myself by selecting and purchasing an “on-the-fancy-side” dress, my first–not sequined but glittery. Maybe I’ll never have an opportunity to wear it, but having the dress (just in case) feels good.

On the other hand, if I happen to have an opportunity to wear something fancy, maybe this dress won’t fit the bill. However, now at least, I know what to look for, where to find something right, and how to make a choice.

Dear Friends: Exposure and learning fuel motivation. Dresses? Who knew? Diana

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The girls, Rosie and Pimmy, are chowing down after waiting for hours until my lunch hour. That’s when I can hurry home and give hay to the big ones.

Rosie is the boss mare and will share food with Donkey Pimmy but not with her sister, Sunni, who gets a hay pile for herself.

Neither horse objects to sharing with Pimmy. She often drifts between one horse and hay pile to another.

Throughout this year, I’ve worked away from home and kept the large animals in decent condition. It’s likely that we will cope with wintery weather for another month, so we’ll continue as we’re doing, but I’ll climb onto a horse once it warms up.

Now is a good time to start conditioning the equines and myself. I’ll work with them on my next days off and start doing some self-strengthening exercises. These aren’t wishes; they’re the plan. I’m serious.

I’m getting many hours at work and have been busy learning how to work in retail. It’s about more than correctly straightening and putting away articles. It requires a dimension that understands customers’ needs and wants. That means grasping elements of human psychology and understanding desirable end products.

Dear Friends: So, everything’s complicated; more for another day. Diana

Monday, February 12, 2024

I’m from Kansas City, so it’s easy to guess which team I hoped would win yesterday’s Super Bowl. I was at work and couldn’t watch the game, but the store manager regularly fed into my earphone score changes. During the last fifteen minutes of game overtime, I took my break and watched the Chiefs demonstrate their strengths.

Since I live in Central Oregon, it’s a no-brainer that my coworkers and the store’s customers are mostly San Francisco fans. I, too, am a Forty-Niners fan. I root for them when they’re playing against any other eastern team than KC.

Both of my parents and their families hailed from Kansas City. For years, I lived there, too, and still feel emotionally connected to the area–and to long-time friends, relatives, and the world-class Chiefs.

Dear Friends: An exciting game, completely, up to its final second. Diana

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Yesterday, I worked in the store’s upscale women’s fancy dress department, checking buyers out and putting away tried-on flowing long gowns and fancy short beaded dresses. This week’s schedule is crowded. The area’s high schools will host annual winter formal dances, and Valentine’s Day arrives on Wednesday.

Folks old and young were trying on dresses, and today, many of those and others will continue shopping for articles, fancy and bling-covered. Most buyers are in a good mood and fun–and some are very interesting. One woman purchased a classic formal, low-cut with netting that expands its lower portion. She will wear it while supporting a symphony performance by narrating the story behind a composition. (She teaches speech, communications, and theater at our local college.)

Our discussion reminded me that Central Oregon has a symphony orchestra. I had forgotten to find its performance schedule, but last night looked it up. The next concert is on February 24 (evening) and repeated on the 25th (mid-day). Maybe I can attend one of the concerts, and adding to my fun, see that nice customer in her fancy gown narrating.

My working schedule can be a problem, it forces me to plan ahead better. Today’s schedule makes me miss watching the Super Bowl and, hopefully, the Chiefs winning. Unless it’s too late, I’ll reserve a date for one of the upcoming symphony performances. In general, I will become more schedule-involved.

Dear Friends: This little city with lots going on invites greater participation. Diana

Friday, February 09, 2024

Google has upped its act, and this morning, my electronic feed is loaded with AI-generated information. Almost anything I’ve googled for information, articles I’ve opened and read, and topics addressed in my blogs reappear, updated, in my Google feed.

This new AI upgrade surprises and delights. Most topics I research and write about continue to interest me. Since AI now has the capacity to reach more completely into our homes, maybe it’s time we bid farewell to those original “helpers,” like Alexis and such.

All this surprises, delights, and is scary. Reviewing my phone’s electronic feed is like facing my brain’s and memory’s contents. I can’t help wondering what might happen in our brains and to our beings if retaining data becomes less organically necessary. Well, won’t we find out!

Meanwhile, my part-time department store job yesterday assigned me to Dresses, a department I’ve wanted to work in, to learn. Being there wasn’t very different from being in other departments because the work is mainly about interacting with customers, and that’s mostly fun.

The store manager asked if I’d be open for assignments around to different departments, and my response was an enthusiastic “Yes!” Her asking felt great and moving around will make my learning more rounded. Plus, I now have a backup in Google. Regarding workplace topics that I am considering and perhaps debating internally, Google may answer cogently with coaching on how to address situations.

Dear Friends: Modern challenges force us to get our heads in the right place. Diana