technical issues and more

[sliqwill]

ok, so in the past month the wireless router died, a 2nd one died, and the 3rd wouldnt connect to my desktop computer for whatever reason...

then turbolister wouldnt allow me to do anything on the desktop because it wanted to connect to the internet, which it wouldnt do, so i couldnt do anything with it, and it was my computer for eBay stuff...

then my laptop crashed...

had to reload my laptop, and now my scanning program isnt working right with it...

so i went to factory install, and i think i lost my turbolister files in the process, ill have to check my other portable drive...scanning program still not working properly, stability of computer still iffy...

found out that the raccoon that i hit in December or February, not sure which one, as i hit two that did damage to my car, put a hole in my AC system in my car, so yeah, in the process of getting that fixed...

so i bought a new desktop, my one that wouldnt connect to the internet has a dialup modem and runs XP, i bought it in 06, so it lasted fairly long...hopefully i can copy the turbolister file over and get it to work on this one, otherwise ill have to completely start over, and that would suck since i had over 5000 built listings...

oh, and the desktop wont run the old scanner software, so now i have to spend extra time getting scans and rotating them and such...

on top of that, work has been nuts...if you didnt know, i have sleep issues, and have been taking ambien for over 10 years...and my schedule pretty much blows...its 'split shift' so often i work 5a-8a then 215p-520p, which sucks, but then on top of that, you throw in that i work almost every day...not joking...ive had 7 days off since January 4th...oh, and a grand total of 2 hours of overtime...since i started on November 30th, ive had a total of 11 days off...working 29, 27, and 22 days in a row, currently on day 11 in a row, with new schedule up, ill go to 17, but since ive never had a Saturday or Monday off, and for the past 6 weeks i run the place on Sunday, itll go to at least 20, but could extend beyond that even with requested time off for doctor stuff, as they will still schedule me when im available...so i have the union looking into the labor practices on it...i told the union guy that i dont mind working 7 in a row if im pulling at least 3 hours overtime during that week, but 7 days a week and 32 hours isnt my idea of fun, or anyone i know really...

/rant

at least i dont have time to really go out and spend money, but on the same token, not like im bringing in a ton of coin only getting 32 hours...and with getting a new desktop computer and fixing my car my account isnt going in the right direction the past couple weeks...might be looking at getting a new laptop as well in the next month or two, so more money out the window, but at least my technology will be fairly current...

 

[redwing40]

Sounds like your having some rotten luck and in need of a new job, hope things get better for you Those hours do suck like they stretch the days out of you so they dont have to pay over time, I say if you work 32 hours in five days, sat-sun should be counted as time and a half after 32 hours if they want 7 days a week, to much control on my life company for me.

 

[sliqwill]

what sucks is its the post office, and the way they hire is jacked...you cant get a 'career' position unless you are in the pool, and to be in the pool you get crap hours...

if i were 'career' id get 25% bonus pay on sundays, which i average 10 hours on, so that would be nice...they also get overtime for any hours worked that they werent initially scheduled, of which i get 2-5 of per week...but i have to suck it up because once i get out of the pool to career i jump in seniority because of being prior military, so id jump from my current max of 13 vacation 'days' earned per year (its based on hours worked) to an automatic 20 days, and get 8 years credit towards retirement, which is currently 1% of annual salary per service year, so after 22 years i could retire with 30 years credit, or at 30%, but figure by the time i retire, retirement age will be 70, so id be at like 40% of my regular salary as a pension, plus i could get social security, plus what i sock away...

its just demoralizing to be at work so much and get nothing out of it yet...

i mean, if i were a 'career' id be happy, as id be taking home almost $100 extra a week, and that is at my pay level...at career its a $2 or $3 an hour raise, so really an extra $150+ a week, and for that, i could work 7 days a week because id be socking away a ton of cash instead of a bit...

as it stands, i think my car is good for another year or two, its a 2005 with right about 150k on it that i bought with 3 miles on it, and at my current situation i wouldnt be able to take on a new car payment, and that is what i have to look at...and it isnt like i can pick up a part time job because my schedule changes so frequently at this point...if i had a 'stable' schedule it would be way different, if i knew i was working 5-8a and 215-520p daily i could find something from 830-130, but that 5-8 turns into 5-9 too often, and that 215-520 becomes 1-520 from time to time...so what place would want someone that cant for sure be there as scheduled?

 

[sliqwill]

oh, and i currently dont get holiday pay or anything extra for working holidays...but on holidays, minus xmas and new years which the place was completely closed, i work, and it isnt set hours, its open until the work is done...

 

[sliqwill]

guy above me got career track job, so now I am absorbing his hours in addition to mine...and will be until they hire in someone, which is likely a 6-10 week process, based on what I went through...so my hours still suck, im working 5a-730, then travel 8.5 miles to the next office, which is paid, work there 8 to 1210 (in 3 days weve had 6 transactions), then drive back to my home office where im on break for about 2 hours before my next portion of my day, 215-520ish...

last week I had 44 hours, but this week I started training, so I had a day off (yes this is random, as it was my 12th day off in almost 6 months) and put in about 50.5 hours...next week im slated for 53.5 base, but most shifts have me end up with another 20-30 minutes on those days...so when he leaves and I take his office, ill be looking at close to 60 hours a week...this makes me happy, well my bank account...ill still be working 6-7 days a week, but ill finally get decent overtime...nothing worse than working 14 days in a row and your check is for 35 hours each week...

also, with him getting promoted, I now become the top dog in the office, so if someone dies/retires/transfers, im fairly likely to get a career position...but what sucks is when you get promoted, your hours can be drastically cut...dude I work with is going from 25 guaranteed a week and afternoons free to work in other offices, down to 6 guaranteed....but he can still fill in at offices, but under a new title and more expensive...and you are required to be in that position for 12-18 months before transferring...so hopefully within 2 years I can have a job with the post office where im a full time regular, 30-40 hours a week guaranteed, raking in vacation and sick time, and nice coin...dude that got promoted is going to get a $3 or $4 an hour raise...so there is some light in the tunnel...