I know you don't read LiveJournals, Alan, but I'm glad you're finally free from Wal-Mart--although I wish that the circumstances would've been better; i.e., you left on your own terms.
For those of you that haven't kept up in the news lately, Wal-Mart is losing money. Big time. Perhaps we are now starting to see what could possibly be the fall of Wal-Mart. It began innocently enough nearly a year ago when they decided they were going to try to fire anyone who so much as committed a minor infraction--as you recall, I was nearly a victim of such stupidity.
Six months ago, Wal-Mart announced that they are no longer going to be hiring full-time associates upon hire. Everyone starts out as part-time, and they must earn full-time status. Why? To cut down on labor costs, and insurance payments.
Three months ago, Wal-Mart, in an attempt to try to cut labor costs, decided to lay off all the specialty-trained managers for the specialty departments like Photo, Jewelry, Wireless--now they just have 1 manager running all the specialties. So Wal-Mart got rid of a couple thousand managers--they gave my former boss 3 months notice. Today was his last day. I called him up today, and I detected a trace of cynicism in his voice, something I never heard too much of while in Kingston. After all the work and training he's done, years of working for them, and they get rid of him, just like that. So tonight, the Photo and Wireless peons threw him a nice party--he's getting plastered.
And yesterday, Wal-Mart announced that they are going to end layaway service. Yep. Just in time for the holiday season when EVERYONE uses layaway. So what will become of all those layaway-trained associates? Either they'll have to be trained in other departments.
Ah, this is good. We may see Wal-Mart go under during our generation.
In other news, had my follow-up appointment on Monday, got the biopsy results back. The biopsy drove the final nail in the coffin--yes, I do have Crohn's disease. No doubt about it. Saw the results and everything. The RN who was with me, we spent an hour chatting about this disease, I had some questions, and he was very kind and informative. I'm gonna be on lifelong medication. So, I got a refill of drugs, and the weaning off the steroid continues, slowly.
Lately, I've been making a number of icons, and with a newly-discovered program on my laptop, I have begun making animated GIFs--my first one uses the Doctor (Doctor Who) and Wonka...and what happens when the TARDIS and the Wonkavator collide. All my icons and GIFs are here, feel free to take:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v242/LLoire/Icons/April and I got some professionally-done pics taken a couple weeks ago, we got them back today...damn, we look good. I liked them a lot. I want to take pics like that. I now have an excellent pic of myself.
So now, into the weekend. Going apple-picking tomorrow, then who knows?
One week until RenFaire, and a note to the NP group: WE MUST WORK OUT DRIVING ARRANGEMENTS. AND SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS FOR APRIL AND MYSELF. April's car can ONLY fit 3 more people. We will need 1 or 2 more vehicles.
On that note, I'm off to bed. It's 1 in the friggin' AM.
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