I’m sure the first thing y’all are wondering about is my (not-so) new job. Well, my vacation was great and I had a great birthday. Yes, I am now the big 3-0. Not so bad, IMHO. Tom was even home that week, although he didn’t get paid for it. *shakes fist at trucking company* He got me Bath and Body Works items – candles, etc. I *love* their candles. Especially Cinnamon Stick and Spice. (BTW, Spice candles are available in select stores! Yippee!)

Now, where was I? Hmm…oh yeah. The job!

I am now an order entry technician or an order completion technician, depending on who you ask and who’s doing the talking. *rolls eyes* I work 2 pm to 12:30 am EST (or EDT, depending on the time of the year). I really like. I’m more awake during work. Much more awake. I’m much more awake driving to and from work as well. I stay up to anywhere between 2 am and 4 am-ish most nights, so if you’re up late (or early, depending on your view of the world) feel free to plurk, lj, fb, tweet, im, etc. me. Training was great. Well, except for the tooth incident, but that’s another post. I started with another header tech and that was it. After two weeks of formal training, we were put out on the floor with buddies. After two weeks with the buddies, we were thrown to the wolves. Well, not really. We do have leads to ask questions to and supervisors, although there was a week when H was on vacation, RW went home sick, and that Thursday N didn’t come in either. Trying times. We did get rid of some of the stupider HE rules. We don’t have to shelf things unless we have a question and can’t find someone one. We’re allowed to return things (though we’re not allowed to cherry pick). And at the end of the work day we can return and leave. Since C (my fellow HE Tech) and I were on probation for the job but not initial probation for the company, we’re still allowed to start 5 minutes early and leave 5 minutes early, which is essential if you want a fast van trip. (Yes, I still ride the van but it’s not as much of a hassle) It strikes me as funny. When I worked 7-530, the first van was always filled up with HE techs. Very few OE techs made it into the first van, despite the fact that they are closer to the exit. Now that I’m on the late shift, OE techs get the first van (and we squish in if needed – the other van driver [if he's there at all] doesn’t leave until after 12:30, so you end up sitting in the van waiting which sucks) and I don’t see hide nor hair of the he techs. Of course, they often get VTO, so they might just not be there.

One of the things I was worried about was my speed. I know that one HE tech who tried to go to OE was sent back because she wasn’t fast enough. Well, it’s better than losing the job, it still sucks. Well, I need to have no worries. At two months after starting I’m well past the point where I would need to be as a regular employee. I’m in the seventies and they’re expected to be about 65. Now I just have to get my errors under control. I’m at 7+ thousand parts per million and I need to be between 3 and 4 thousand parts per million. My major problem is directions so I’m endeavoring to pay more attention to that aspect of the prescriptions.

I guess the most important thing is that I love it. I love it a lot more than HE and I loved HE. OE is more challenging, more complicated and a lot more fun. At least, IMHO. Now we just need to stop running out of work. We keep getting VTO, and although we’ve had enough work to enable me to work till the end of the shift, I keep getting nervous that we will run out. Another good thing – we get bonuses this week, which I should get because I did work for the company last quarter when it was earned. It is a 2.31% bonus (the highest I’ve ever seen) and it should be paid out based on my OE salary. Woohoo! Another perk? I work M-R, which means every week I have Friday off. This week I get Thanksgiving off as well. Four day weekend FTW! Although I will be working for a half hour on Thanksgiving since my shift doesn’t end until 12:30 am. Hmmm….I wonder if I get OT for working on the holiday? Somehow I doubt it. Oh well. It still rocks!