Halloween Haunt

On late Hallows eve, or Devil's night many call it, where all the mischief goes down. Aka. the tee peeing of houses, eggs connecting with front doors, and the traditional pumpkin smashing. I found myself attending the Halloween Haunt at Canada's Wonderland. There were a number of ghouls running around at the front entrance, and also a number of mazes "haunted houses" too walk through if looking for a good jump.

My brother had gone last year and the week prior to last night, he said last year was a lot better. Maybe it was because last year was his first time, or the haunted houses were just better executed. Last night, while walking through the mazes I couldn't help but things could of been done better in order to grab more screams. I think I went in with too many high expectations and not to mention I'm not easily frightened when I know people are there to scare me.
Walking through the mazes with a large group kind of killed the affect of scare factor when five people ahead of you the ghouls would jump out and you could clearly see where they were.

I give props to the cornfield maze, and the one that resembled a mine (if anyones scared of small places I recommend skipping that one)

This guy here is a pick I found on The Abattoir, a blog for Rue Morgue's Magazine, it's a pick of one of the ghouls from the cornmaze.

If anyone's easily scared and enjoys the feeling of being frightened I recommended heading on down to Canada's Wonderland during the weekends of October.

A preview of what's to come with the Blog change... Thoughts on Twitter

It all started with Tom who had no friends. SO he decided to make an online social network called MySpace so when people created a profile he’d be auto-friended.
Now we got Facebook, (something that is pretty much old news now) and Twitter (the new easy step to stalking and creeping). Way to ruin society Tom. How do you feel, bet you have no friends now, all left you to tweet and tell the world exactly what they’re doing every minute of their life.
Lets look on the bright side, at least stalking is a lot easier, heck, you don't even have to leave your house.
On the stalker note, I read the other day that Miley Cyrus, aka. Hannah Montana cancelled her twitter page. She had over a million followers (oh god, like seriously?) She cancelled her page despite the amount of followers she had, which was over 2 million, (come on people, get a life already. You;d think fans would have something better to do then follow a 15 year old and read exactly what she’s doing all day... No wait, they all pretty much do that anyways, They’re the people on Perez Hilton reading up on the celebrity gossip because their lives are more interesting then their own). Fans got so upset they started tweeting about it, begging for the 15 year old to come back and tell them about her fantastic life, so at every point in the day they can feel just that much closer to her. (Bunch of stalkers...)
Just now I was linked a rap video Miley Cyrus made that announced the reasons why she leaved Twitter, and watched it. It was very amusing, and almost sad due to the fact that she completely contradicted herself several times stating she wanted her private life separate and that she wasn’t living for the tabloids anymore. When in reality she is, and the video is going to be in the news (way t o suck...) I recommend you watch it if you're in need of a good laugh. (Sorry if you're a fan)

Blog Topic Change

Hello loyal readers, aka my bestie Jess Shrum, who I know for a fact goes on this blog religiously as she tells me... And to my 7 followers, and others who every so often decide to check out this blog, I plan on changing URL names and the initial theme/ topic this blog was officially started with. I.E. Customer relations with said employee’s i.e. me. I’ve decided to expand this very focused topic into something more grand and give this blog a broader scope, as I hope to flash it up a bit with pics and links to things I noticed and found interesting that day. A space to vent pretty much, and a space to chat. The URL will be changing to www.ventspace.blogspot.com, and the title will most likely be “Let’s chat” because lest face it, a blog is pretty much a space for social networking and a place to ... chat.
This way, I’ll be able to link the funny video’s I came across recently, link the sites I go to frequently and share my thoughts on certain things like, how much I despise Twitter, and how much I’d just love to shove over the displays of Twilight paraphernalia, every time I walk into a chapters or HMV...
Until then, happy reading =)
Here’s a sweet cite I just remembered about today while on the bus, it has a lot of funny video’s that have to do with this main character, a squirrel named Foamy. He continuously rants about things that annoy him in every day situations. I give props to the Creator ILL WILL PRESS, you make me laugh. Here's the link.

Jack In The Box

I still have been unlucky in terms of finding that video in relation to the PS3, BUT I did remember a little short video that made me laugh when I first watched it. It has to do a little bit with customers, if anything its a funny video that will make you laugh.

I kinda wish I as an employee had the authority to say something like this to customer's when they just aren't listening to you. Ofcourse I have been on the other end of a drive through, and it is hard for us to hear what the person is saying on the other end, although they can hear the customer clearly.

Here's the link.

Playstation 3

I’ve been trying to find this video I had seen last year where the PS3 had come out and they had police holding customers back way before the stores doors opened, and once the doors did open you could see a pack of wild eyed men ages 13-35 just bolt for the doors, it was almost frightening and yet humorous at the same time. I mean I know it’s an awesome gaming system that’s like “state of the art”, but I mean to lose your humanity over a box of plastic is just insane. That just goes to show how insane we as human beings can be when it comes to something we really want no matter how stupid the thing is. I mean do you really need it the day it comes out??
Actually I’m being somewhat of a hyprocite here, I myself go out and buy things the day it comes out...
Nevermind, I get where you all are coming from, but I mean, no pushing please.
I’ll keep looking for that video.

Urban Dictionary, Customers

I don’t know if a lot of you are familiar with the site urban dictionary, sometimes when I’m bored I look up words and find the nonsense people have written about such and such word. Most of the time the definitions are quite humorous. I decided to look up ‘customer’, and to my astonishment there were some pretty crude definitions, some that were in my opinion pretty funny.
Here are some that I found amusing,
The number one definition, by Stanzfield on Dec 18, 2005.
“An incredibly stupid person. These people are often found in department and grocery stores and show no signs of common sense. Many times they can be rude, cruel, and obnoxious.
This store has too many horrible customers ruining our job.”

The number two definition by Anonymous on July 22, 2004.

“Barely sentient, shambling creature. Close relative of the Zombie. Generally seen in vicinity of hassled shop staff, shaving points of their IQ with inane banter.
"Excuse me, where are your Dan Brown books?"

And definition number 6 by Adrian, on December 7, 2007.

“Some of the time, they can be very nice. Most of the time, unfortunately, they are pieces of shit that want you to bend the rules just for them. If they complain to your boss, don't bother telling your side of the story because you just can't win.
Customers make my work life horrible.”

I personally thought the second definition made a lot of sense, I myself refer to customers as walking zombies. I mean half of the time they have no reason to be in the mall, they’re just blindly walking and handing over there money...

Old Ladies No.3- An Interview

This is a little convo my sister, Micheline, and I had when I asked her about her experiences with customers.
Some background, my sister works in a kitchen section of a grocery store and makes chickens, and marks the prices.

Micheline says: its probably not even correct anymore,like she asked what was the 8.99 chicken so i pointed and showed her the 8.99 chicken. So she picked it up because it was what she wanted right?

J says: lol yeh

Micheline says: then a few minutes later customer service confronts me saying this lady is saying that I told her the wrong price of the chicken...
I was like what? “No I told her which one was the price she wanted 8.99”
So the girl went back, then a bit after that the lady comes back to me where I was, at the chicken heater
she says in this nasty little voice “I’m never coming to this store ever again because of you,
your a terrible person making me pay too much for my chicken I hope you burn in hell,” and she gives me these wild eyes and slowly leaves the store.
I dunno I can’t trust old ladys now.

J says: lol

Micheline says: I think they all want me to go to hell for some reason

J says: thats so &%$@#& funny

Micheline says: That came out of a sweet looking old lady
god ><
So whenever an older women comes in the store I try to look super busy so whos working with me deals with them.

Outfoxed Fox... or some other.

I know this post has nothing to do with customer’s but it does have a lot to do with dealing with people, so in some ways it does relate. However, this is just merely a response paper that I am required to post for class reasons.
I’ve always heard the jokes related to Fox News, and that most of it is just complete fabricated bull. It is funny when people say, “oh did you hear such and such” and it’s completely off the charts in realistic factors that people immediately ask what news station they heard it from. The immediate reaction after hearing ‘Fox News’ is the rolling of eyes. During the entire viewing of the film Outfoxed, nothing really caught my attention more then the interview with Jeremey Glick. Jeremey Glick was asked to appear on the O’Riley show after he had started a protest against the war of 9/11 even though his life was directly altered due to the twin towers destruction. Long story short his father was killed.
He was encouraged to go on the show, knowing that Fox would get a huge story out of this, and a big reaction from O’Riley himself. His reaction not only baflled me but made me laugh as to how stupid he looked in this video. Of course most people would assume what O’Riley said was true, but I also laugh at how funny he looks and makes himself seem like a tool when he starts twisting Jeremey’s words around. It just goes to show how twisted the media is, and how much we have to question what it is were watching , reading and listening too. If anything it makes a lot of people pretty paranoid. Not me of course, I barely watch the news at it is.

Oh Glorious Shoes and Fat Women with Huge Feet.

I love shoes, and when I was given the opportunity to work with shoes I snatched that up quick. It was fun, I got to try them on see the new stock coming in and help people find shoes and their sizes. I loved working with the shoes, it beat dressing men in suits. BUT there was an exception, and I believe that exception was the one thing that made me rather deal with clothing, the women with the fat feet. These women loved shoes. Loved shoes maybe just a little too much that they’d force these awfully small shoes onto their awfully large feet. This one lady I remember picked up these snake skin boots, I for one thought they were the ugliest things ever made from leather, but she just adored them. She adored them so much she asked for a size and tried to get them on her feet. I say tried because the was no way these shoes were getting past those cankles she called ankles. These ankles were huge, so huge they morphed with her calfs. She had the nerve to ask me to put them on her feet for her. I HATE FEET. I love shoes, but I hate feet and she asked me to touch her chubby bigfoot feet. Ew! I crouched down and tugged that boot on, but I refused to pull up the zipper, the zipper refused to move also. I think we were in an agreement this lady wasn't getting these shoes...

Old Lady No.2

Just like the other old lady i had mentioned in my previous post, most old ladies are similar, and a lot of the time I’d rather avoid them. Usually they aren’t the old nice nanny kind, if you know what I mean. A lot of them have teenager resentment, and if I do say so myself they like to make it clear (their hatred towards them rough-scallions... is that what they call us these days?) I remember this one time there would be this regular old lady that would come in almost everyday looking for something that was wrong with the store. Then she’d make a big fuss about it to the point that she’d want to see a manager and tell them for example, “They should lower the shelves so old ladies like herself can reach things” I don’t know, “Or make signs more visual friendly and at eye- level so she doesn’t have to strain to read them” You know, silly things like that. Attention seeker is more like it.

Crazy Lady

This crazy old lady one time I remember came in looking for a certain type of soup. It sounded like Cambell's but it was definitely not Cambell's because I showed her Cambell's and she went on this rant as to how it wasn't. Then she persisted on telling me about how teenager's do not listen and that we're all going to hell. I was well amused let me tell you. She then continued to tell me about how she came to be the way she was. Something about a stroak. Now I know, a stroak is no laughing matter, but a crazy old lady customer is >.>

Why all the HATE?

I think the one type of customer I hate the most are the ones that hate themselves. You know, the ones who hate their lives so much they go out in search of people whose lives they can make worse. I would call these bullies.

These "bullies" love confrontation, and if you have never come across a bully before, these types of human beings have a knack at creating situations where they have the upper hand. They will not go into a fight they know they can't win. The logical explanation for this IS, to create a situation where it's on sided. They need a handi-cap. SO, walking into a department store with employees who are no more then teenagers, whom they (the customer) can hassle with over stupid shit. Shit they do not even need to buy, nor care about, is a perfect one sided situation.

Because the customer is always right, right? I suppose... but in dire circumstances a situation arrives and you (the employee) do have some cards to play.

Scenario...

A customer (a hater) comes into the store, and finds an opening between you and your self- composure. Because customers believe they can say whatever they want to say to you when things don't go their way. They fail to grasp the notion that the customer is only right up till the point they start calling the employee stupid, ignorant, and other things that I will not disclose in this post (for the children's sake... their poor innocent ears). Basically they find a way to make you uncomfortable.

When this point arises. I urge you to not drop your guard. DO NOT shed one single tear. If that happens to be the case, they've won. You've lost, you've got nothing riding for you at this point, so DON'T cry in front of them (hold it in mate, you can weep and cry in the bathroom later, this is a mini war, losing is not an option)

Here's what you do... Say excuse me sir/madam (whatever). Tell them to Wait one moment while you go and get someone whom they can talk too. Then turn around, and walk away. Ignore their retorts and angry insults. They've already lost. Just turn and walk.

If they place a hand on you, I give you and I'm sure GOD does too, the right to right then and there round house kick them right in the FACE. (No... don't actually do that... just visualise yourself doing that, instead scream, "I need an adult!!!" lmao don't do that either, I'm just messing with you). No but really maybe run or walk at a brisk pace so they cant put a hand on you.

At this point they believe you have gone in search of the manager. Smile. Call security.

Was that CIBC

So I'm at the checkout right, and this woman is in a hurry, she takes out her bank card and places it on the counter. I scan all her items and I hit total and then ask her if she has a point card with us. She says she does, and takes it out of her wallet and hands it to me. I scan it, and tell her the total. She nods and frantically searches in her purse.

I wait. A line is starting to form behind her. I lean against the counter and place me chin in my hands and watch her go at her purse. I look down at the bank card that's been sitting on the counter since the beginning of this transaction.

"You wouldn't be looking for your CIBC bank card?" I ask her. I lean back and place my hands on the counter. The women looks up at me,

"How do you know it's my CIBC card?" I nod towards the counter. She looks down and then sweeps up the card with a slight chuckle. "Oh my god, it's been there this entire time" she says. I smirk and motion to the debit machine.

"Swipe stripe facing you" I tell her, and mentally laugh at her, what a tool I think, and then I say to myself, how sad that that's the highlight of my day...

The Food Tasted Bad

So I’m working the service desk. It’s the desk where customer’s who are pissed off about the merchandise they bought is unsatisfying, or a place for customer’s to complain about the cashiers incompetence to scan items and give out the correct change. I have had my share of customers and returns, but one that sticks out to me would have to be the couple that returned a barbeque.
They brought back the entire box that was ripped to pieces, looked like a dog ravaged it or something and the Barbeque was half taken apart. I had to ask what was wrong with it, it is mandatory to do so when a customer returns anything (especially a 300 dollar barbeque that other customers wished to buy but couldn't because we were out of stock). The customer looked at me, and then looked at the barbeque, (that looked used by the way)and said to me, “the food tasted bad.” Now I had to hold back a snort of laughter, what did they mean the food tasted bad. I said, “So... you’ve used the barbeque and cooked?” The customer interrupted saying, “steak, we made steak, and it tasted bad.” I couldn’t help but think, well it’s not the barbeque’s fault. Clearly you can’t barbeque, OR you didn't read the instructions on letting the barbeque heat for a while to get rid of whatever it is they spray on the grills. Heck probably poisoned yourself or something...
The manager came out and told me to just return it. I don’t know what we eventually did with the barbeque, couldn’t sell it now, it was used. -.-