The new holi-ducks, four kitty ducks, and an Angel duck in the center :)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
If you don't like the poultry industry.... wait a week
I can't tell you how many times my shift manager has said that, but I never knew it was so true!
Monday night
Our shift manager decides that she wants us to start learning more of the positions in the plant so we can be moved around to fill in as needed. Agreement is made that Lines C/D supervisor will spend the week learning how to run Tray Pack, and then in the following week, I will move back to shipping and learn those responsibilities and paperwork. Shipping is currently missing a lead, and in order for that supervisor to take his requested vacation in a few weeks, we need a back-up.
Tuesday night
We got word we were opening the cone lines back up on night shift. When? The very next night... We thought at first it was just going to be a temporary thing, but now we have new business, and instead of just hiring for one line, they're supposed to be hiring for all four. Decision was made to move lines E/F supervisor over to supervise the cone lines, leaving lines E/F without a supervisor. Additionally... Line C/D supervisor's training of Tray Pack is cut short as he has to return to help me run our room.
Wednesday night
Fourteen new hires, split into two orientation groups of English and Spanish speakers, and we have cone lines running. In talking the night before, we discover our lead/trainer for our room also knows how to work on cone lines, so he spent most of the night over there teaching the new people. We begin discussions about promoting new people to leads, and eventually our lead to the next supervisor. He accepted the challenge.
Thursday night
Calm... Lots of talking with our lead about his upcoming responsibilities, pouring over information currently in our supervisor's manual, and information I have promised to help write to make things easier for him to learn.
Friday night
Hour long meeting in the middle of the shift. A decision has been made upstairs to change the typical line arrangements of night shift and instead of 4 lines of Chipotle and 2 lines of zero bone, we're to have 3 lines of each. In order to successfully do this, the experienced line D will switch places with the mostly new hires line F. Line C, a former chipotle deboning line, is basically handed a 4 cent per pound pay cut. We spent most of the rest of the night fielding requests from all of the experienced employees from line C asking to move to lines A/B or the new version of line F. It is believed that our lines are not productive enough, and re-aligning our lines will help allow the plant to run 1-million plus pounds in a five day week instead of a 6 day week. There is much discussion on the fact that currently 4 lines sometimes have trouble meeting chipotle orders and we have no idea how only 3 lines will accomplish this alone. I could go much further, but there's only so much that makes sense without writing you a complete book...
So to recap the week......
We opened a cone line and hired 14 new people, we moved one supervisor to the other room, we promoted our lead to supervisor, promoted a deboner to a new lead/discussion, promoted a meat dumper to the shipping lead. Made a list of 15 people we needed hired in our room to make full lines, 10 more people needed in tray pack, and who knows how many needed to fill the cone lines.
Needless to say....... Tuesday at work should be hell. I hope I have enough chocolate!
Monday night
Our shift manager decides that she wants us to start learning more of the positions in the plant so we can be moved around to fill in as needed. Agreement is made that Lines C/D supervisor will spend the week learning how to run Tray Pack, and then in the following week, I will move back to shipping and learn those responsibilities and paperwork. Shipping is currently missing a lead, and in order for that supervisor to take his requested vacation in a few weeks, we need a back-up.
Tuesday night
We got word we were opening the cone lines back up on night shift. When? The very next night... We thought at first it was just going to be a temporary thing, but now we have new business, and instead of just hiring for one line, they're supposed to be hiring for all four. Decision was made to move lines E/F supervisor over to supervise the cone lines, leaving lines E/F without a supervisor. Additionally... Line C/D supervisor's training of Tray Pack is cut short as he has to return to help me run our room.
Wednesday night
Fourteen new hires, split into two orientation groups of English and Spanish speakers, and we have cone lines running. In talking the night before, we discover our lead/trainer for our room also knows how to work on cone lines, so he spent most of the night over there teaching the new people. We begin discussions about promoting new people to leads, and eventually our lead to the next supervisor. He accepted the challenge.
Thursday night
Calm... Lots of talking with our lead about his upcoming responsibilities, pouring over information currently in our supervisor's manual, and information I have promised to help write to make things easier for him to learn.
Friday night
Hour long meeting in the middle of the shift. A decision has been made upstairs to change the typical line arrangements of night shift and instead of 4 lines of Chipotle and 2 lines of zero bone, we're to have 3 lines of each. In order to successfully do this, the experienced line D will switch places with the mostly new hires line F. Line C, a former chipotle deboning line, is basically handed a 4 cent per pound pay cut. We spent most of the rest of the night fielding requests from all of the experienced employees from line C asking to move to lines A/B or the new version of line F. It is believed that our lines are not productive enough, and re-aligning our lines will help allow the plant to run 1-million plus pounds in a five day week instead of a 6 day week. There is much discussion on the fact that currently 4 lines sometimes have trouble meeting chipotle orders and we have no idea how only 3 lines will accomplish this alone. I could go much further, but there's only so much that makes sense without writing you a complete book...
So to recap the week......
We opened a cone line and hired 14 new people, we moved one supervisor to the other room, we promoted our lead to supervisor, promoted a deboner to a new lead/discussion, promoted a meat dumper to the shipping lead. Made a list of 15 people we needed hired in our room to make full lines, 10 more people needed in tray pack, and who knows how many needed to fill the cone lines.
Needless to say....... Tuesday at work should be hell. I hope I have enough chocolate!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
New Food Critique #4
Has it seriously been since March that I did this? Geez...
The next selection!
Green Giant - Just for One Vegetables
Broccoli and Carrots in Italian Seasoning - YUM
Nibblets Corn and Butter Sauce - YUM
Broccoli and Cheese Sauce - YUMMMMMMMMM YUMMMMMMMM
They're all delicious, come four in a package, only take 2 minutes to heat up, and comes out to about 75 cents a serving. After trying the Broccoli and Cheese, I picked up the other two flavors next time I was at the store :)
Try them!!!
The next selection!
Green Giant - Just for One Vegetables
Broccoli and Carrots in Italian Seasoning - YUM
Nibblets Corn and Butter Sauce - YUM
Broccoli and Cheese Sauce - YUMMMMMMMMM YUMMMMMMMM
They're all delicious, come four in a package, only take 2 minutes to heat up, and comes out to about 75 cents a serving. After trying the Broccoli and Cheese, I picked up the other two flavors next time I was at the store :)
Try them!!!
Friday, August 22, 2008
More Skills updates
Was looking through old posts, found this one and realized I have accomplished a few more things!
I cannot:
* Operate the cryovac packaging machine
Finally had Jose teach me, I'm a pro now :)
* Operate the device that tests the CO2 to O2 concentration in the cryovac packages
yeah, still haven't done this one. But in my defense, the little thing has broken several times and there's a sticker that says "Do Not Touch" So umm.... I'm not touching, yeah, not touching :)
* Operate the strapper machine that puts the hard plastic straps around boxes to keep them closed
I can doooooooooooo it. But don't ask me to fix it if it gets jammed. On a related note, I can completely assemble and strap a tote bin myself with the big strapper.
* Drive one of the jacks loaded with a pallet
I'm still working on this, hehe. My legs and the pallet jack don't coordinate well. I'm working on moving them short distances at a time :) Getting more confident though. It's hard to drive one because I don't want anyone to watch me, and it's hard to find one alone without people nearby!
* Understand how in the world they figure out payroll!
Payroll is still pretty much a grey area......
* Fix the scale settings on the indexer bagging machine.
Mastered! It really was simpler than I made it out to be, the only hitch is that you have to slow down the belt, and I don't like climbing up on the line to do it, so I call maintenance :)
* Operate the lift on the bone trailer
We now have tote bin dumpers on our lines, and they work the same, so this is another mastered task :)
More things I've learned about that I can't do...... (and still have never tried)
* Run/Set up the sizer machine
* Run the marinator in coneline, or the slicer
* Drive the yard dog (the truck cab we use to move trailers around the lot with)
I cannot:
* Operate the cryovac packaging machine
Finally had Jose teach me, I'm a pro now :)
* Operate the device that tests the CO2 to O2 concentration in the cryovac packages
yeah, still haven't done this one. But in my defense, the little thing has broken several times and there's a sticker that says "Do Not Touch" So umm.... I'm not touching, yeah, not touching :)
* Operate the strapper machine that puts the hard plastic straps around boxes to keep them closed
I can doooooooooooo it. But don't ask me to fix it if it gets jammed. On a related note, I can completely assemble and strap a tote bin myself with the big strapper.
* Drive one of the jacks loaded with a pallet
I'm still working on this, hehe. My legs and the pallet jack don't coordinate well. I'm working on moving them short distances at a time :) Getting more confident though. It's hard to drive one because I don't want anyone to watch me, and it's hard to find one alone without people nearby!
* Understand how in the world they figure out payroll!
Payroll is still pretty much a grey area......
* Fix the scale settings on the indexer bagging machine.
Mastered! It really was simpler than I made it out to be, the only hitch is that you have to slow down the belt, and I don't like climbing up on the line to do it, so I call maintenance :)
* Operate the lift on the bone trailer
We now have tote bin dumpers on our lines, and they work the same, so this is another mastered task :)
More things I've learned about that I can't do...... (and still have never tried)
* Run/Set up the sizer machine
* Run the marinator in coneline, or the slicer
* Drive the yard dog (the truck cab we use to move trailers around the lot with)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
My Own Personal Shopper
Some of the Wal-Marts are re-inventing themselves, mostly the older ones. The one in Rogers on Walnut is one of those trying to change everything under the roof. New floors, new lights, new lay-out, new registers, you name it!
So here's some of my experiences in the last few weeks... I wish I'd thought to take a few more pictures.
* Spices in carts in the aisles with a note of A-H, H-R, S-Z to know which are in which cart.
* Men using a saw to cut plywood in the middle of the produce, getting sawdust all over the place, smoke in the room, and fumes half way across the store
* Aisles on wheels in the middle of the main walk ways running the entire length of the store with no break! Why is this notable? I was trying to go from the middle of the store to the toy side of the store, walked all the way down, only to find that it was roped off before the end. So I had to walk all the way back toward groceries, go around the aisle, and walk all the way back!
* Pet food relocated from the front left side to the center of the back where baby items used to be.
* Aisles on wheels, turned sideways in completely empty spaces (see picture below)
And the best one yet, my personal shopper! When I went in tonight, I needed milk, eggs, and sour cream (among other things). Since they were re-tiling the back section, things were turned in all directions and there was orange fencing blocking a lot of stuff. I couldn't get to the 1% milk, so I settled for 2%. But then the eggs and sour cream were completely blocked, so I went up to 4 associates standing there talking and asked which one wanted to run an errand for me. One of the girls asked what I wanted, and went to fetch my groceries :)
So this is what my Wal-Mart looks like now... how about yours?
So here's some of my experiences in the last few weeks... I wish I'd thought to take a few more pictures.
* Spices in carts in the aisles with a note of A-H, H-R, S-Z to know which are in which cart.
* Men using a saw to cut plywood in the middle of the produce, getting sawdust all over the place, smoke in the room, and fumes half way across the store
* Aisles on wheels in the middle of the main walk ways running the entire length of the store with no break! Why is this notable? I was trying to go from the middle of the store to the toy side of the store, walked all the way down, only to find that it was roped off before the end. So I had to walk all the way back toward groceries, go around the aisle, and walk all the way back!
* Pet food relocated from the front left side to the center of the back where baby items used to be.
* Aisles on wheels, turned sideways in completely empty spaces (see picture below)
And the best one yet, my personal shopper! When I went in tonight, I needed milk, eggs, and sour cream (among other things). Since they were re-tiling the back section, things were turned in all directions and there was orange fencing blocking a lot of stuff. I couldn't get to the 1% milk, so I settled for 2%. But then the eggs and sour cream were completely blocked, so I went up to 4 associates standing there talking and asked which one wanted to run an errand for me. One of the girls asked what I wanted, and went to fetch my groceries :)
So this is what my Wal-Mart looks like now... how about yours?
Monday, August 11, 2008
My Big Dreams Wishlist
I'm bored..... Here are some of my wishes. Although I think wish #1 needs to be winner of like a multi-million dollar tax free lottery :)
1. Hybrid/Expandable Travel Trailer
2. Chevy Trailblazer (to pull the trailer)
3. Land with lots of trees and a great view
4. Custom built house on that land
5. Calico kitten for Oyster to play with (aka terrorize)
6. Boat for the lake
7. Island Resort Vacation
8. Tropical Fish Tank
9. Screened-in Pool and hot tub
10. Clydesdale horses to hitch up and take to shows/festivals
That's all I can think of right now... It's enough dreaming for one evening :)
1. Hybrid/Expandable Travel Trailer
2. Chevy Trailblazer (to pull the trailer)
3. Land with lots of trees and a great view
4. Custom built house on that land
5. Calico kitten for Oyster to play with (aka terrorize)
6. Boat for the lake
7. Island Resort Vacation
8. Tropical Fish Tank
9. Screened-in Pool and hot tub
10. Clydesdale horses to hitch up and take to shows/festivals
That's all I can think of right now... It's enough dreaming for one evening :)
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