This seasonal job is a bit much
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
Eugene, Oregon
December 17, 2017 10:31pm CST
With tomorrow's eight hour (longest yet) shift, I will have 22 hours in four days. With the longer shift, I will get a half hour "meal" time and two 15 minute breaks.
That is a good thing since standing in one place for some hours gets the old legs asking "whose Idea was this?"
But, there is this week and two more in January and it is over, so I will stick it out and it will more than pay for those plane tickets I put on my credit card for the San Antonio trip in April.
This is an experiment I won't repeat. It sort of takes the fun out of working in a book store.
22 people like this
26 responses
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
18 Dec 17
Well at least you have a plan for the money, well already used that mony.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
18 Dec 17
That's true, the money will be nice.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
18 Dec 17
The people and the customers are all quite nice.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
18 Dec 17
Yes, four hours is nothing. so we'll see how today goes.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
18 Dec 17
If I stand in one place for a long time, it's my back that starts hurting. Hang in there.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
Oh yeah and those yoga stretches helped a lot later.
1 person likes this
@DesirousDreamer (34776)
• Peoria, Arizona
18 Dec 17
At least you had the experience! And it is worth it to get the money you need. You are a trooper, don't know if I could do that since I get very antsy!
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
No time to get antsy this week with one customer after another ready to go. I keep water handy too.
@josie_ (10034)
• Philippines
18 Dec 17
I hope you make it through the last leg (forgive me but I couldn't resist) of your job contract. I know how it feels since I once work as a sales clerk and standing long hours behind a counter isn't fun. I was still very young then.
I couldn't avoid looking at the clock every so often wanting the hands to move faster.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
Funny! Worse now, there is a clock on the computer screen, but I lose track of time and take a late break sometimes.
1 person likes this
@nanayangel (7879)
• Philippines
8 Jan 18
Hi! I think it's still a great experience and it pays too! Having my own bookstore is one of my dreams and I hope that it will come true someday. Perhaps I will have time for it when I retire which is more than a couple of decades away.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
8 Jan 18
It does pay and has been fun too. I have two four shifts left, today and Thursday, then my seasonal work is over. Independent bookstores are a dying breed in the US. There are some really good used bookstores here.
I hope your dreams are realized.
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
18 Dec 17
A seasonal job in the bookstore will be fun for me but I'd be bored if I were to just stand in one place.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167434)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Dec 17
I'm so glad I am retired and do not work any odd jobs. I bet you will be glad when your time there is up.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (167434)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic ......A lot less work and headache.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
20 Dec 17
That I will be. I like the acting a lot better.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471740)
• Switzerland
18 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic At least you have enough money to enjoy your trip to San Antonio.
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
18 Dec 17
Same here, Anna. Yes, mid-January is as far as I will go, back to sometime acting for me.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121621)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Dec 17
But won't that trip to San Antonio totally be worth all that agonizing work you put in on the job?
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Dec 17
Oh yeah, eye on the prize. We were going anyway, but I saw this as a way to pick up a few hundred dollars.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121621)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic That will buy you a few nice meals in San Antonio!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
@moffittjc For sure and the Mexican food there is great I hear.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
20 Dec 17
I am a cashier and there are six or more registers running all day this time of year, with a line of maybe 25 waiting to buy. I am off today and tomorrow.
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
20 Dec 17
@poehere I did some yoga stretches after dinner last night, fell asleep on the floor for about 15 minutes, then slept quite well and feel fine today, so I will get through it.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
20 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic Wow, now that is a lot of work standing on your feet all day long. But, you did say that this will pay for your trip so it is worth the work and a bit of effort to do this job.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Dec 17
Seems like really long hours...The book store part sounds so exciting for me
Wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
26 Dec 17
Thank you @responsiveme! I like the bookstore part too, but the cashiering part is a bit much. I made it through three long shifts (8 hours) and two short ones (4 hours) last week and now have much shorter hours this week and the seasonal job is over in mid-January.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
26 Dec 17
@responsiveme I am a big LeCarre fan and have read a lot of Grisham as well.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic all the best...Check out the books too...Have got Le Carre's latest..A legacy of spies for my holiday reading..Finished Graham's the Pelican Brief yesterday
1 person likes this
@sw8sincere (5204)
• Philippines
18 Dec 17
yeah indeed the saying that goes" no pain, no gain" is very much true. =)
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Dec 17
One more long day Thursday, but now I know I can do it and survive.
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
21 Dec 17
the shifts do sound intense but it will be over before you know it
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
Yes, as busy as it is the time goes fast.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
21 Dec 17
Oh, I can get through it alright, and I discovered that if I did some good yoga stretches, the fatigue melted away that night. I have another eight hour shift tomorrow, but I have had two days off.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
21 Dec 17
You have a good plan in place. Yes, standing too long can become an issue.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
18 Dec 17
Oh wow, those are some long hours. Good on you for paying up your trip tickets tho
1 person likes this
