Wednesday, December 13, 2023

The local weather’s warm, the stock market’s hot, and today will be great. For the next couple of days, I have days off from work. I’m making plans: one, go riding; two, roam with the dogs; and three, sight through a camera.

Yesterday morning, while walking across a parking lot, I heard someone yelling hello and stopping her truck abruptly. It was Karmen! My ex-coworker at HD. We enjoyed some catching-up time. I gave two weeks’ notice at my former workplace and worked through them without speaking much about my plan to leave. Truthfully, I didn’t know where I was going; only that I wished to sell retail products other than tools. My informal goal was to find work in a retail clothing environment.

Karmen described her surprise on learning of my leaving, and similarly, among others we worked with. My former supervisor has told HD folks where I am working now, but until speaking with Karmen, I doubted anyone might have noticed I’d gone missing. On being reminded by her that relationships had been established and I had dropped the ball, I will visit my former workplace and say hi to folks.

I’ll visit there this morning, and anyway, I need a couple of its products. Like a baby gate to keep dogs from my spare bedroom; and clothing hangers because I’m kind of crazy in my new workplace. I’m a weird “kind of crazy.” Back while working at an animal feed store, I adopted chickens and puppies; while working in Hardware, I brought home tools and more tools, and now, working in retail clothing is a new round.

It’s fun, playing with clothing and combining items I’d never before have dreamed of wearing. The store is tolerant, with the motto, “Own Your Style.” Many of its insiders play with and wear unique clothing combinations. Today’s social environment allows almost any coverings, and I’m finding fun in being visual and creatively combining articles of apparel.

Dear Friends: Surprised to discover I’m a visual learner, way more than I thought. Diana

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Today will be the last in a “killer stretch” of my part-time work. It’s almost Christmas time, and some employees are not showing up. That is providing me opportunities to spend more hours on the job. It’s also having me learn more and more aggressively involve myself in the store’s routines.

Starting tomorrow, I will be off for two days unless called to cover for a missing colleague. Then, it’ll be next week’s killer days before Christmas.

There are constant pressures from constantly working with customers, straightening conditions of various merchandise, and being exhausted on coming home. But the job is fun. The store is friendly to its seasonal workers and encourages us to be ourselves. I feel propped above just being a gray-haired and slightly bent worker; I feel important.

I’m not particularly important, but I have more self-esteem while working in a women-managed environment–not a drop less profit- and performance-driven, but with a slightly softer management style. Generally, our inside observations and jokes relate to women’s interests. Our store’s female manager reinterprets the chain’s managing men’s directives and competently flows information and goals, keeping us informed and marching together.

Dear Friends: Another early arrival workday, and I must prepare. Diana

Monday, December 11, 2023

I wasn’t planning on working most of this week, but my workplace is dealing with a rush of customers and unanticipated employee absences. My hours are rescheduled, and I’ll be working more days, each for longer hours.

It’s okay because my working hours are passing more quickly. I’ve grasped the retail working routines and can stay busy and productive. Expanding working experience is a learning opportunity. A few weeks as a seasonal employee are remaining for me to achieve the max in my role.

My workplace has a motto, “Own your style!” Its double meaning refers to mixing and matching articles of apparel as one might wish, but thoughtfully. It also suggests being confident in one’s personal self.

The workplace routines are demanding, but the themes are good. I have a brief working timeline, it looms and leaves open what may come next.

Dear Friends: Have a wonderful day on what will be another relatively warm one. Diana

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Yesterday morning, I got my working hours mixed up; I arrived two hours early. My schedule on that day, anyway, called for long hours, and working the extra two meant ten hours. Those passed quickly because there were many customers. On arriving home in the evening, little was left of me.

Finally, I’m learning my job. I’m managing a cash register, handling routines involving the dressing room, locating merchandise and putting it away, finding various product areas, and meeting more of my coworkers. Managers are no longer hovering nearby and breaking in to assist with sales and thus train me. Their relative disappearance is good feedback.

All that’s exhilarating and tiring.

I’m making some lifestyle changes after visiting my new primary care doctor. They will involve my food intake patterns. For years, I’ve maintained a low-carb diet that helps with managing weight. However, now I understand I’m low on electrolytes, like potassium, and am pre-diabetic. Many foods not in a low-carb diet are loaded with electrolytes. My enjoyable wine is loaded with sugar. I will shift toward a Meteranian-style diet and generally avoid wine.

So, I’m saying.

Dear Friends: Know thyself! Both strengthening and diminishing require effort. Diana

Saturday, December 09, 2023

A vintage Star of David, which I discovered on the internet, arrived Thursday evening, exactly at the start of this year’s Hanukkah. I have begun wearing it to express my deep sympathy toward all who live in the Middle East, and my hope for an end to ferocious warring, and with a reasonable outcome.

This Star lives up to my expectations. It is in good condition, slightly worn, has a distinctively lovely design, and has its own history. It is feminine in appearance, making my imagination assume that one or more women of faith have worn it. I will continue letting this Star message, regardless of how much my perspective resembles or differs from the previous wearers.

Dear Friends: Interesting, our human affection for and responsiveness to symbols. Diana

Friday, December 08, 2023

It’s back to work today for me. And so close to Christmas! It’s hard to believe the holiday is almost a reality. This year, stores began stocking Christmas-related merchandise soon after having stocked for Halloween. Artificial Christmas trees and their associated twinkling beckonings managed to dim both earlier holidays, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Halloween passed without me so much as noticing. But, I enjoyed the Thanksgiving evening among friends. On Christmas, my home will be quiet. I’ll spend that day thankful the pre-holiday rush is over. I’ll also spend part dreading that it’s over. I am scheduled to work on the day after Christmas and am forewarned, to anticipate lines of customers with previously bought items and returning, returning, returning them.

I understand that in January we who are seasonal employees will be laid off. Then, in February, the store will begin calling ex-temps it wishes to keep to offer them jobs. Regardless of whether I am called, I’ll be pursuing working opportunities in retail clothing sales.

In this season, our weather hasn’t resembled its wintery norms. I’ve worn my new, warm plastic, blue puff coat only a couple of times. Our untypical warmth has brought us scattered light rains and last night’s dusting of snow.

I am determined to fulfill one New Year’s resolution: working out regularly in a gym and strengthening my core and upper back. I’ve tried doing that at home and have the equipment, but home isn’t an ideal location. Always, too much else captures my attention. My best exercising will come from regularly leaving home and working out elsewhere.

Dear Friends: On this chilly and petty day, enjoy planning and shopping fun. Diana

Thursday, December 07, 2023

It’s Pearl Harbor Day.

My new primary care doctor, whom I hoped would turn out to be older, very experienced, and wise, actually was someone young and fun, who could process information super-rapidly while talking either casually or professionally. As we chatted she busily tapped on a computer, reviewing years of my lab reports and pinpointing accurately my medical history’s most relevant bits.

She found me having a couple of new issues, a slight heart murmur, and a pre-diabetic condition. She ordered tests to explore them; didn’t consider either particularly worrisome now but encouraged baselining and watching them.

Well-O, well-O, well-Oh; heart and diabetes…who knew? It surely didn’t help that I had to spend two years before locating a primary care doctor available in Central Oregon. At least, now I am informed and have professional help going forward.

On arriving home, my phone rang offering an opportunity to work, and I accepted. On arriving, instead of supporting Ready-To-Wear, where I usually work, I went to the Home and Men’s Wear sections. Their stocks and routines were too new, made fly from my brain much I have learned about assisting customers and checking out merchandise. Long story short, a more experienced salesperson soon arrived; I returned to RTW and worked comfortably.

Dear Friends: A big day highlighting both my working- and living-styles. Diana

Thursday, December 06, 2023

There goes Chase, my varmint puppy and escape artist pièce de résistance. He wears me out by constantly climbing, digging, and exploring. He discovers escape opportunities from the large fenced dog area.

I’m committed to keeping this challenging puppy because few others would tolerate his energy. Someday, if I’m lucky, he’ll become calmer and less worrisome. If I’m not lucky, what the heck. It’s too late to say, “Chase, bye-bye.” Actually, he also has saving graces, a wonderful temperament with devotion for his person.

This morning I have a first appointment with my new primary care doctor. A couple of years ago, my long-time PCD retired and I began searching for another. This city’s exploding population gobbling up its doctors prevented my finding anyone qualified with an opening for a new patient. Recently, relief came; I fell into luck and found an available PCD.

Here’s a capture of my very winterized, wooly pony, Sunni. She seems disinterested in me and my camera, but has a busy eyeball!

Following my appointment this morning, and if the warm weather holds, it’s a fine day to saddle Sunni and go for a ride.

Dear Friends: Have a wonderful day! Diana

Tuesday, December 05, 2023

The header photo is of a vintage Star of David that’s on its way to me. I don’t know about this Star’s history, but I had searched for one that’s been worn. This one is beautiful, has a flavor of years past, appears somewhat worn and it suits me.

Two brutal wars are occurring now in different parts of the world. One involves Ukraine and the other Israel. Those battles worry the entire world for demonstrating the use of modern artillery and teaching its nearly unlimited possibilities.

I feel distantly connected to both wars. My maternal Jewish grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Odessa back when the city was Russian. My paternal Jewish grand-family immigrated to the U.S. from Poland to escape Nazism. Individuals on both sides of my family immigrated to Israel in the late 1940s when the independent Jewish State was formed.

I consider myself a Jew, but I am not religious. I enjoy the pomp and circumstance of all kinds of religious holidays as long as brutalities aren’t involved. The Ukraine-Russian war, on its surface, isn’t about religious freedom, but about territorial conquest. However, the Israel-Palestine conflict deeply involves religious and territorial divides.

I take a side in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, hoping Ukraine wins, period. I can’t as easily choose a side in the complex Middle-East war. I’m sympathetic to both sides and hope for a path toward a resolution, peaceful, and even perhaps lasting.

I will start wearing my vintage Star of David. It’s to represent my cultural and, by definition, religious heritage. A Star suggests favor for a particular side and also my intellectual involvement and sympathy toward eternally recurring human chaos.

Dear Friends: Hopefully, the Star will suggest wishes for peace. Diana

Monday, December 04, 2023

Yesterday, I stumbled across this 2016 photo of Kinny, at seven-years-old, a German Shepherd, and my sister Elaine’s dog. Both had come to live with me in Central Oregon. Discovering this image simply blew me away. It could have been a throwaway back then, depending on what I was looking for. Well, some mistakes are correctible, and this is one. It will become a print and framed for hanging on my special portrait wall.

This discovery especially was cool and meaningful for occurring near the fourth anniversary of my elder sister’s passing. In my heart, these individuals intertwine. Each was unique and unforgettable.

I’ve written about my sister and her dog and won’t again, right now. However, my joy in finding this image encourages me to comb carefully through all my past images. Surely, others exist that have captured some very special moods and moments.

Dear Friends: Great photos blast powerfully into desire and memory. Diana