Clear Ups

A huge part of my job at LA Fitness is what we fondly know as clear ups.  These are phone calls made by myself and the other operations staff to members who are having issues with the credit cards or bank accounts and haven't been making their payments.  The goal here is to get them to "clear up" (see we're clever) the issues and get their status back to OK with the club.  If we do get these members to OK, we make $5.00 each on top of our hourly salary which can stack up and make some nice money.   

Our manager's goal for us at my club is to make no less than 15 calls an hour.  When you work a 4 hour shift you're on the phone a lot.  Unfortunately not all members are eager to resolve their billing issues.  Since working there I've been hung up on countless times, yelled at, cussed out, and other people will clear up but they'll just be super rude about it.  Most of the time however, you make all these calls and no one will even answer.  If that's how your whole shift goes it's super frustration and discouraging.

That's what my shift was like last night.  I made pretty close to almost a 100 calls and only one person answered their phone and it wasn't even the member that I was calling for.  I had no clear ups and wasn't happy.

Today I got to work and immediately jumped on the phones.  For the first two hours of my work day I got nothing.  No answers at all.  I literally kept hanging my head and rubbing my temples in frustration every time I had to hang up the phone without getting anything.  My manager went to lunch around noon and then magic happened.  In that hour I got 4 clear ups and the possibility of two more later when people got off work.  Then it just kept getting better.  A new list dropped, which means a whole lot of brand new issues were posted which means that people were more likely to clear up.  All of a sudden I had 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 clear ups! I was so incredibly stoked!  I had needed to get 9 clear ups over the course of 3 days to catch up to my coworker who was at the top of the clear up board and I passed her in 1!  Not only was I stoked but my manager was super happy with me.

So now I have tomorrow and Sunday to keep up my awesome clear up roll and hopefully it'll keep going like today did.

How are your weekends going so far?  I know it's only Friday but do you have any big plans? 

Breathing in Twilight

I walked outside as the sun was setting
The air was still warm from the heat of the day.

Moving barefoot across the grass
my feet eventually met the wood of the dock.

The boards were worn smooth and
looked as though they were glowing in the fading light.

Walking down towards the end
I  stared out at the now still water.

It looked like a slab of blue slate with
little ripples here and there etched into the surface.

Reach the end, I wrapped my toes over the edge,
I stretched out my arms and took a breath.

But this was not a normal breath.

This breath was deeper, fulfilling, and sweet.
This air smelled of summer and days spent on the river playing.

Weekend Nothings

 

I didn't do a whole lot this weekend.  Corinne came over and we spend most of the time, when I wasn't working, sitting on my bed watching Laguna Beach.  Let me tell you, this show makes me super grateful that my high school years were relatively drama free compared to this.  

We did get off of our lazy butts and worked out at the gym after my shift on Saturday.  I can't really lift my arms and my abs hurt when I move but I keep telling myself that it's a good pain.  I found out that only 12 pounds of my 106 pound self is fat and that I'm in the risky body fat percentile.  That was fun....not.  I need to gain some weight.  Any suggestions?

The weekend is just hours from coming to a close and I'm already dreading waking up tomorrow.  Actually I'm just dreading tomorrow in general.  I've got school, then work at Hollister, and the right after that I'm closing at La Fitness til midnight.  I have no idea what I was thinking when I said I would work both jobs in one day...oh that's right, I was thinking rent money. 

Has anyone else been keeping up with the Olympics?  I love them.  Team USA is killing it this year.  Can you believe we beat Canada at hockey!?! The home country's most treasured sport and we beat them.  I think it's pretty cool.  Right now I'm watching the men's skiing events and I'm pretty sure Bode Miller is going to get a gold.  Keeping that medal count high!

Alright well I'm gonna go clean up my room and probably head off to bed.  Hope you guys have a good week.  

 

Comfort Food

The summers spent at grandma's old house in Stockton when I was just a kid are still memorable, even now that I'm 21.

We would spend all day swimming in her backyard pool.  Candace, Rebecca, and I would live in our bathing suits and would be in the pool the second breakfast was over (and sunscreen was applied) and wouldn't really leave for any other reason than to eat lunch or get a snack.  By the time dinner rolled around, even though we had eaten several times during the day, we were practically starving.  It really is true when your mom says that swimming makes you hungry.

My Grandma Carol is an exceptional cook so even at such a young age I knew that I was going to eat a great dinner no matter what night it was.  This particular night wasn't different to me; it was just a normal dinner.  I had no idea what was in store for my taste buds though.  After getting dressed in normal clothes I wandered through the house and thought to myself that I had never smelled anything that good.  What was it?

Sitting down at the table with the rest of my family, I saw the source of that amazing smell. There in the midle of the table, sitting on a huge serving platter was a heaping pile of golden, crispy fried chicken.  Not only was it golden and crispy on the outside but it was super juicy and tender on the inside.  My little kid self thought I had died and gone to food heaven.  There was even fluffy mashed potatoes and gracy and sweet corn to go along with it.

I can't remember if I had even eaten fried chicken before, I really think that I must have, but this was the first time I remember falling in love with this southern food.  There's just something about it that makes you feel warm and loved.

That particular dinner was well over 12 years ago, however; fried chicken has remained one of my all time favorite foods and whenever I get a change to visit my grandma or she visits me, it's one thing I'll always request for dinner.  Luckily she'll indulge me and cook my up my sweet southern comfort food.


Side note - My mother can cook up amazing fried chicken too.  I just had to write about a childhood experience with food for my class.  = )

02/14

 

Sometimes being an Army girlfriend sort of sucks.  

The end.

Media Ethics: Death on the Luge

I'm sure that if you have watched the television in the last 24 hours or so you would have heard the news about the death of 21 year old, Georgian luger,  Noder Kumaritashvil .  If you've heard of this unfortunate death on the eve of the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, there's a chance that you might have seen the horrific video footage that many news channels aired over and over again.  Honestly I cried out "Oh my gosh!" the first time I saw it and the next several times it played I turned away.  I remember thinking that those news agencies had a lot of guts to air the last few moments of this young man's life and show the world his sickening hit on that metal pole.

I took a media ethics class last semester and I really wish that I could be taking it right now so I could be apart of the discussions that will no doubt take place in the classroom next week.  I think that there's no way I would ever allow that footage to air on my news network.  There were several still pictures taken from the beginning of Kumaritashvil's luge run and a somber picture of his empty sled continuing down the track without its rider that would be just as saddening and compelling.  No way was the video needed to convey this tragedy.  I'm really curious to see what Kumaritashvil's family thought of their son's last 48 seconds of life being aired so thoughtlessly on national television, over and over again. 

The Olympic ratings would have been just high without the video.  Some people might disagree with me, but personally as a journalist I don't see how that was a right move.  There's more tasteful ways of doing your job.   Here's another blogger's perspective that disagrees with my point of view.


Let me know what you think. I'm curious what you all were feeling if you did get to see the video.


I hope you guys are having a good Valentines Day weekend and spending it with people that you love.

Look Under the Dang Bed

This is my third poem for my class.  Honestly I think the reason why this random idea popped into my head is because last night I couldn't find my TV remote anywhere and this morning my bracelet, that only leaves my wrist when I sleep, was no where to be found for awhile.  Luckily the remote was at the foot of my bed under a blanket and my bracelet somehow ended up at the bottom of my purse.  I must admit that I did look under my bed for both items.  So here you go, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as Corinne did.  = )

Look Under the Dang Bed

I'm here, right here, tucked under your dang bed.
Quit running around and stop to really think.
Where was the last place you had me,
the last place you saw me?
Don't you remember?
We came in the door and you kicked me off your right foot.
I bounced and rolled 'til I ended up here.
Look! You have my mate in your hand,
you know I can't be too far.
Warmer...Warmer...no, Colder...Colder...
Yes, come back, stop, pause.
Now, bend down and lift the blanket.
There you go I've been right here the whole time.
It looks like we have a world to walk so let's get going.

Semi Good Start

Have you ever had one of those moments where you're clearly arguing with yourself in your head?  I had one of those moments this morning.  Here's how it went..

Good side: "You need to get up and get ready for school."
Bad side: "I really don't feel like going to my first class today.  It's way too early."
Good side: "Yeah it is, but you can't miss class."
Bad side:  "You always go to class, you can miss one."
Good side: "Nope, I'm getting up I'm going to school."
Bad side: "Ugh you suck."

Literally I was just laying there trying to talk myself out of going to school.  So I drag my sorry butt out of bed and got to school right on time.  I sat down at my desk and about two minutes later the Journalism Department's secretary sticks her head in the door and told us that our professor was sick and wouldn't make it to class.

What!?!  I literally jumped up, grabbed my bag, and headed for my car.  I had about two and a half hours before I had to be back in class and I wasn't going to spend it sitting around campus, I was going home where I could make breakfast and get free coffee.

So that's where I am right now.  Sitting on my bed watching the Today show, reading blogs, and drinking some good coffee.  This is kinda making me not want to go to my next class!  Just kidding, I'm going.

Alright, I hope you guys are having a good Monday and have a great week.

Randomness

Age: 21

Bed size: Queen. I love to be able to stretch out!

Chore I hate: Cleaning the bathroom...ugh.

Dog's name: Molly, she's my baby.

Essential to start my day: Caffeine or a shower.

Favorite color: Blue.

Gold or silver: Silver.  Gold seems kinda old to me.

Height: 5'6"

I am: Sitting on my bed watching The Hills reruns.

Job: Model at Hollister and Operations Team Member at LA Fitness.

Kids: Won't have them for awhile.

Living arrangements: Condo in Cypress, CA. 

Mom's name: Holly

Nickname: Manda, Manders...that's about all.

Overnight hospital stay: After I had my tonsil sliced open and operated on.

Pet peeve: When people wear socks with sandals.

Quote from a movie: "I don't actually know him...*flops on the bed*" - Meg Ryan, You've Got Mail.

Right or left handed: Right handed.

Siblings: Candace, Rebecca, and Matthew.

Time I wake up: I've been getting up at 6:30 a.m.

Unique thing about my car: It was recently flooded.

Vegetable I hate: I don't really hate any vegetable.

Ways I run late: Normally because I lost track of time but I'm really good at being on time.

X-rays I've had: I've had a lot.

Yummy food I make: Uhhh....peanut butter toast lol.

Zoo favorite: I love watching the tiger or other big cats.

Felt like doing something fun because I'm out of blog ideas at the moment.  I will say that I'm pretty sad that I'm stuck in the southland this weekend.  I wish I could have gone home.  Hope ya'll are enjoying your weekend.   

10-4

This week in my Creative Writing: Poetry class our topic is family.  Family can be a really broad topic which makes me happy.  As I sat down to start brainstorming ideas, in Starbucks, this just popped into my head.  I love my dad.  P.S. Feel free to tell me what you think, the whole point of the class is to get feedback on your work.  

10-4

Tan, gold, blue and black,
were the colors that filled my wide eyes of childhood,
during those welcome home hugs.
The star shaped badge gleamed bright,
pinned on my father's shirt right above his heart.
The black, shiny belt adorned with foreign objects fueled my curiosity,
that made me want to reach out and touch them.
The radio hanging at his hip would begin to crackle,
muffled voices on the other end saying words in code I couldn't understand.
It would disappear into his closet, not to be touched by my little hands.
When it was time for work again, red and blue flashing lights
sitting proudly over the white and black,
would put on a show in front of my house as he drove away down the street.
Highway protector, victim defender, and bad-guy grabber
was, and still is, what my father symbolizes to me.