OfflineThe last blog I did was me complaining how much I hated my retail job, getting pissed off with the number of bastard customers and general nobheads there are in the world. But I can now reveal I've finally moved on from shitty retail and have bagged myself a good proper career!
Starting 3rd of October, I will be a trainee lab technician. The full details of exactly what I'll be doing aren't 100% clear to me, but I was shown around the place on the day of my proper interview, and have a good idea. They get these small bags of rocks shipped in from all over the world and we have to clean them up and examine petroleum and chemical levels, as well as identify any fossils embedded in them. I think there's a lot more to it than just that, but it's geoscience stuff, and they'll just train me up from scratch. I'll have a much more solid idea after my first few days there. Eventually, they send you overseas to places like the Falklands, Africa, Norway and other countries. I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing, but just gonna take it one step at a time. When you're overseas you get a big bonus each day on top of the salary too, so working overseas is where it's at.
It'll be a proper 9 till 5 job, Monday to Friday. So obviously the plus point is I'll now have all evenings and weekends free. Overseas work is 12 hours a day every day, which sounds bloody mental, but obviously the money bonus is the incentive to do it. Won't be sent abroad yet though. It's a 6 month probation, and if I do well enough they'll keep me on and then I reckon start sending me out of the country.
It's a huge step up from what I was previously doing, but it's a proper career and I badly need it. So I'm gonna try my best to stick with it.
For those curious about how I got this job, it was simply a case of looking on the Direct Gov Job Centre Plus website, and just getting lucky in seeing it. I applied on the off-chance, not really expecting to get anything out of it. But it just goes to show that if you don't try, you'll never know. So anyone else stuck in retail like I was, or just looking for a good job, or job in general, go for whatever takes your fancy. Even if you don't think you've got the grades to match, you can still land it on your personality and interview skills should they ask you in. Just be confident and calm and it can go a long way.
But I felt like sharing this good news with my mates here, and just to prove that good things can come to those who wait. I was in retail a good two years, not going anywhere, then all of a sudden I have this. So take Peppy's advice: never give up, and don't feel down if you're in that situation. It will come eventually.
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I think the full time work will perhaps hinder my gaming progress now though, which I am gutted about lol. I've got well over 50 games to finish and I have only just started in the last month to get through them. Plus I had a week holiday booked for Uncharted 3's arrival... now I don't know if I can take a holiday at the new place so early... Good thing about it is that I will now have every single evening free to play tennis and turn pro (lol).
Well this was a long blog, so definitely gonna be awarding stars to those who reply. And of course, I'm in a celebratory mood anyway. No more shitty customers! Time to crack on with Ninja Gaiden and slash shit up! Dead or Alive fans, did you know Ryu Hayabusa and Ayane are in this game? Ridiculous bouncy boobage in true DOA style are plentiful too.

Thanks for reading guys, and all the best to you.
This is more of a rant on my part but I kind of need to vent.
Why are so many people in the world just complete pricks?
I unfortunately work in retail at the moment. It sucks. I hate it most times, and it's hard to keep myself happy in and out of the workplace when I have such a poor job. I'm trying hard to look for new work, but with little success at the moment.
The worst part of the job is dealing with so many customers that can't help but treat you like shit.
Today I served one guy and forgot to ask for his membership card at the end of the transaction. He got funny about it, despite me apologising. I made a mistake. I can't be expected to be a machine. You'd have thought he'd just forgive it and get on with the rest of his day, but not this guy. He came back into the store at least twice more, which seemed purposefully just to stalk me and intimidate me. He tried to stare me out on both occasions. I didn't notice him the first time; my mate told me he did it. The third time he came in, I stared at him back.
The guy comes in a lot, and you kind of develop at least a little bit of a liking with most customers that you see on a regular basis. Not a friendship at all, but you see them so much that you kind of get along with them. I would have thought this guy would be okay about the situation because I see him often. But it just shows how different some people can be underneath. The way he spoke to me and continuously came back in just to stare me out and intimidate me made me realise he's so far up his own arse. I mean, look, I made a mistake, you lost a couple of points on your card, but why the hell are you holding a grudge and trying to make me feel so small? I know I'll see him again and guaranteed he'll be a twat with me. I'll ask him what his problem is if he stares me out next time and see where that goes.
Course, this was only one incident that happened today. There's always some arsehole being an arrogant impolite shit. No pleases or thank yous. Treating you without any respect. It's made me realise I just hate people, and that being a continuous arsehole is a full time job for some people. I just don't understand the way some people are. I simply can't act the way these people do. It's almost like, they don't come in to buy some groceries; they come in purposefully to see how they can cause an argument today.
I also think my being small is another factor in the situaion. I've always been a short guy, and I often feel that many people think they can get away with treating the young small lad like shit and take advantage of that fact. It's one of the reasons I'm trying to bulk up, going to the gym, because I hate people thinking they can just walk all over me. I wonder, if I was a massive 7 foot meathead, would this guy be doing the same thing? What if he got served by one of the older women of the store? Would he be speaking and acting the same with her? I think there's definitely some prejudice (right word to use?) there.
I know it seems petty. But it's just, nobody deserves to be treated like the way myself and other staff in retail do by these customers. If it was reversed, that is, if we spoke to the customers the way we get spoken to, I could understand customers going mad. But as it is, people just seem to be constant twats. Not everybody. The majority are friendly and decent. But so many are the complete opposite.
Another example of people being twats for no reason. I went to the pub last week with three others. We drank in the pool room, so I went to the bar on my own. There were a bunch of loud guys, in their 40s, 50s, at the bar too. One guy was evidently a bit drunk, yet I still see no reason for what he did. He was okay at first, and put his arm around me, asking what I thought of his mate's shoes. I kind of just joked along with them and went for a piss. Came back to the bar for a drink, but this time the guy and a couple of other started saying some things to me. I didn't take much notice, but I think they might have just been taking the piss out of my appearance or whatever, saying I might be gay (I'm not, but whatever). One of these guys was genuinely a good guy and told me to ignore them. This one fat guy who pulled me over before went to shake my hand. Not wanting to make a scene by declining, I went to shake his hand, and he pulled me in towards him and pushed my head down. This guy was big and drunk, so I couldn't really fight him off, but he let go anyway. While the other guy kept saying to ignore him, it seemed to make the fat guy do more. He put his arm around my waist, then started digging his fingers into my side, which actually hurt (I still felt it the next day). I pulled him off and told him to get the fuck off. It was only then that the girl behind the bar told them to leave me alone. The nice guy of the bunch came over and apologised to me and made sure I was okay. I was fine, but it just shows again how people can be pricks. I was a young, short lad who looked 'gay', with no mates with him. Easy target, right?
I don't give a shit if you've had a bit to drink or not, you don't do what he did. I know none of you guys here would do anything like it. I just don't understand why people like these do the things they do. Why are there so many people like this? Again, I reckon if I was a big guy myself, I wouldn't have had that problem. You think that guy would pick on me if I was tall and buff?
I hate myself for being the way I am sometimes, but I realise I shouldn't hate myself. Everyone should be who they want to be without being bullied or intimidated by others. It's the people that bully and intimidate that I hate.
My ex-girlfriend used to say how she seemed to hate people too and got along much better with animals. I kind of see exactly what she means now. I'm much more of an animal person now. I love cats and dogs. They can't treat you like shit or bully you. I often feel I'm starting to get along better with animals than people too.
Maybe I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean? Obviously I don't hate people, but god damn, when things like this happen, it really makes me question it. I'm just sick of so many arseholes in the world. Why the hell can't everyone just not treat others like shit?
Thank you for reading. If anyone wants to share similar stories, thoughts or feelings, please do. If no one replies, I don't mind. It felt good just to get it out.