7.10.25
My new schedule is like a new dimension. I feel like I'm in a different world. The world of the living. When I get up, I know that I will be in this house by 6:30 pm and it is comforting because if I really had to do something important I could. I used to work 13 hours in a day and not see my family.
Two nights in a row of this schedule and I have hunkered down to watch movies. I fell asleep during Deadpool just because I was so tired and crawled into bed by 8:45 pm. Damn I got 8 hours of sleep last night! That was really nice. Plus, I saw my family LOL.
It is known publicly that my pharmacy store is closing. I had to keep it hush hush for a week or so. But now we are telling our customers. I am so thrilled that many want to come follow me to my new store. It warms my heart that they ask me where I am going and they tell me that they will see me there. Some unfortunately because of transportation have to switch to Cub right by us. They walk to the pharmacy. I will miss those folks. I have been serving them for 25 years.
When I first heard the news, I couldn't help but look at all of my regulars and think that I will never see this person again. That was hard. That was when I didn't know my position would be about 5-10 minutes away at the 24 hour location. HR still has to approve the switch but I don't see any reason I wouldn't be approved. I already have Hy-Vee coming into my store asking if I am looking for a home. It would be curious what they could offer me though. But being with a company for 25 years I have accumulated a lot sick time and PTO. Seniority. That is what you build with loyalty. You can't buy loyalty. This is a good characteristic of an employee. You don't see this characteristic as much these days.
My work out schedule has been hijacked. I didn't get my Wednesday dance and yoga, and I am starting to feel it. So, I will have to figure all this out. I find I am very tired after my shift. I can see why the 9-5 people debate on working out. You are just goddamn tired. I now see why people get up early and work out to at least get it in during the day. I'm just hangry when I come home. I am like a heat seeking missile, hitting that fridge and demolishing my food. So savage LOL.
I only have to have this schedule until 8-18 and then the doors close. My new schedule I have zero idea on what it will be. I requested some shifts of 12-8 if possible so I could work out in the morning. We shall see. I am in the unknown about this. But I will be working every 4th weekend instead of every other. That will be such a blessing. I no longer will miss weddings, grad parties, or special weekend events to any major degree. Obviously, it is possible but that is pretty damn good. Much better than every other.
My customers who really were not aware of my schedule, they would come in on the weekend and say, "oh working the weekend huh, you must have drawn the short straw". I let them know I have been working every other for the past 25 years. That surprises them LOL. I have kept that store afloat with many sacrifices. Ones that my kids could tell you about. I missed a lot of their school performances by working night shifts. But that is the medical field and I do important life sustaining work.
Can you imagine a world where it was hard to find a pharmacist to fill your medication? It's becoming that way. Scary. Very scary. Even the medications themselves are on backorder, and we can't get them.
We need more people to work by physically touching things and moving things around. Strong opinion I know. But its mind and I am entitled to my opinion. We need more people to go out into the world and work. Dare I say less influencers that promote product sales. Products we probably don’t need anyway. Less remote workers that refuse to go into a job space. MORE hands-on deck!!!!!!!! I would put 1000 explanation marks if I could. If that kind of job helps people take care of their kids, that’s great. We all need to find a job that works with our life or our say disability.
But truth be told. We need more workers. We have a world to run. There are massive shortages of employees, and it started during the "GREAT RETIREMENT" in 2021. We have never recovered. Google it for more information.
What would make people go to work? I was talking at work that I wished we could have massages while standing on our feet. Wouldn't that be awesome if companies hired masseuses to come and give people shoulder rubs while they worked. Goddam they would never call off if say Thursdays they were promised multiple should rubs. It's like that movie The Intern. They had that in that movie. I think people need something to look forward to. Whether it is a casual dress, or ordering out lunch, or a theme dress day. Something exciting or pleasurable.
At least that is what I have learned from working with a great tech manager. She is awesome about promoting team unity. We always get excited if we are going to order food together. Unity and team spirit is important in a group working together. You just perform so much better.
What kills this is people calling off (just because they can) and leaving all the work for the rest of the team and folks not participating in the group activity. You got to be a team player. You got to be hard working. You have to come to work with a can-do attitude. Leave your home life at home. I know it is hard. I had to put my husband’s cancer diagnosis in the back of my mind when I went to work. I still came to work with a “Let's kick some ass today together!” attitude. Community pharmacists and technicians are a tough breed. We are just cut different!
I was taught from a very young age that you go to work to make money. My mom was my example. You might have to work long hours or travel a long distance, but you go to work. I model myself after my mother. My goal was to be financially independent in life. I never wanted to depend on anyone in my life. So, I picked a career where I could help people, but it would also give me a good wage. Maybe not as much as other medical professionals, but a decent wage. I found out I was intelligent and that I could use that intelligence and hard work to do the job that I do. I feel blessed to do what I do. I value anyone that works hard. Doesn’t matter what they do. If they work hard, they are awesome in my opinion.
Though I do have other dreams of working remotely and being a stitch-fix consultant LOL. I love fashion and helping to dress people LOL. But I also know that my current job needs me right now. People really need me to use my knowledge. Knowledge that most people don't have, and I can't take that for granted. It took many years of college to earn that white coat and the title of Dr. (of pharmacy).
It also is not just what I know, it is the relationship that I can form. I can bond and connect with the people that I serve. I can be trusted. I care. We are still human beings that want to be looked after. We all have this need to be cared about. I provide that. You can't get that from Amazon home delivery of medication. NOPE.
That is all I have. I am not sure what this theme was. I am not getting down on people that love their remote jobs or their influencer jobs. Hey, if you are living the dream keep living it. But for folks that want something different and are tired of doing what they are doing...pick up that shovel and let's start digging. Let's go! The world needs you.
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