MONA

Actor James Franco recently helped to create the MONA. The Museum of Non-Visible Art. And no, this is not a joke. Check out the article here.
Along with two others Franco is now making money selling plaques describing artwork. So basically they are making tons of money selling pieces of paper describing something that none of these people could probably ever paint/create. In a way I want to say props to James Franco, I mean if you can find people dumb enough to buy something like that maybe you deserve to make money off their stupidity. I'm not saying everyone who goes to this place or buys a piece of its "art" is an idiot, I get that the MONA is trying to be modern and innovative. It's a way for people to express themselves creatively, and there are probably some rich people out there with way too much money who will spend tons to have the first invisible art. However, for the majority of the population I think this will be seen as a waste of time. I mean I could write up a description of something on a piece of paper, does that mean I could actually paint or sculpt it? No, it just means I can write creatively, and I don't think I should make money off that (unless I am turning it into a book or something). Leave the artwork to people with genuine talent, who can turn a good eye into a photograph, or a lump of clay into a vase.

Besides, would you want to pay admission to a museum only to walk inside and find the walls blank except for plaques reading something like:

Orange and white cat slaps person in face while jumping in the air

I sure wouldn't. 

4 Weeks In

It's so nice to touch base with other Executives in Training. Makes me feel like I'm on the right track and that its totally normal to still feel a bit overwhelmed and lost. I'm in week 5 of my training, so only a week to go! I can't believe that in a couple weeks I'll be at my home store. Yikes! I know I still have a lot to learn, and it's going to be weird to be a total newbie in charge of a bunch of people who have worked for Target for years. This week we have a lot classroom days, which means it will be hard to get 50 hours but it's really nice to hang out with other people in my same situation. Being able to compare experiences, training and feelings about our new ETL positions is great. Knowing that other people feel the same way I do and have the same worries I do is so reassuring.

In other non-work news, this past weekend was my weekend off. Ryan came up during the week for a baseball game and then after a trip to Oklahoma with his dad for business came back Friday. We went out in uptown Friday night with a few people. Then on Saturday our friends Ellie and Barrett came up from Waco. We all went to Six Flags, which of course was a lot of fun. We are also trying to plan a trip to Schlitterbahn before the summer is over. Saturday night we had people over to my apartment to hang out. Sunday we took Ellie to get her first In N Out burger and then Ryan and I went to see Bad Teacher. All in all, a great weekend! I have the 4th off but no plans as of yet, hopefully I'll make it down to Houston sometime soon.

Busy Busy

Wow, I can't believe it is already week three of training. I feel like I've learned so much, but I still have so much more to learn. Things are going so fast, and on the days that I work I don't hardly have time for anything else. My day off is a welcome break every week.
Lets see, in the last three weeks I've gotten my first paycheck, gotten a Target debit card, enrolled in benefits, paid my first bills at this apartment, and added a few new things to the place (like pillows, and decorative stuff). I've done a lot of online training, learned how to do a business walk, use the LPDA and learned a lot of rules and policies but I definitely need more hands on experience in my actual job figuring out everyday things.
Last weekend was my first weekend off and I spent it in Austin. One of Ryan's friends got married on Saturday so that afternoon we drove out to this little place in Kyle, Tx for the wedding. Although it was hot out the wedding was very pretty. It was on this property with a big white house and a little gazebo out back along with a covered area for the reception. They had a photobooth and everyone could take pictures and write notes to the bride and groom in an album. So cute. We had steak, chicken, and veggies along with an open wine/beer/margarita bar and cake. After the wedding we hung out with a few friends on 6th Street. Sunday we watched the Mavs become NBA Champions with some people in Austin. It was a lot of fun and an exciting game.
Monday and Tuesday have been work days, nothing too exciting. Tomorrow is total store inventory so I'll be working all night long.

 Hanging out at the Wedding

Shoplifters and Scan Downs

First closing shift at Target and it was a long one. After a day off Friday I went in at 3:00 today and didn't leave till around 1:15. I worked on one of my online lessons and then joined one of the Leaders on duty for a store walk before my trainer Reggie arrived. We spent a lot of our night walking the floor, zoning (straightning) and making sure everything was covered because there were a lot of call ins. I learned how to sign off on delivery trucks, and check the food temperatures. Tonight was also ad scan down. Starting around 10 we walked around taking down all the clearance and price cut signs that ended today. It took hours to do this, each card in each isle has to be scanned back into the system and taken off the shelves so that the new ad can be put up overnight. The most exciting part of the evening however was catching shoplifters! The asset protection team (people, including police officers, who monitor the store and take care of theft and other issues) caught three 13 year old girls stealing $600 worth of merchandise including many boxes of condoms. So tonight I got to see the monitors and the holding cell and the police had to come and take the girls. It was kind of exciting, I wish I had gotten to be the employee sitting in on all the action. Hopefully tomorrow's closing shift will be quieter, the store closes an hour earlier so at least I should be home before 2:00.

First Days

I have now completed two days at my new job. Getting up early is going to take some getting used to. Yesterday I had to be at the Target in Euless at 9am for the first day of Business College. We spent the day watching videos, filling out paperwork, and talking about what to expect over the next six weeks. In total there are 11 new EITs (executives in training), 5 are pharmacists, the rest of us are in various areas around the store. At the end of the day we got our training calenders and surprise, we all had different stores to be at the next day. We meet in Euless four more times for classes and all the other days are spent at a training store.

Today was my first day at the training store and I had to be there at 7am! So early. The day passed pretty quickly once we got started though, and now I'm wondering how we will possibly fit everything in each day. My trainer's name is Reggie and he is originally from the Wichita area, and coincidentally remembers my mom from when she first started at Target! I spent a lot of the day walking the store learning about the different areas and meeting people in them. I also trained as a cashier and at the guest services desk. I also got to sit in on an interview, and see schedules and things like that. It was a long day, but it was good. Tomorrow Reggie is off, but I'm still working 7-5 and will probably spend a lot of the day working on my online training and getting certified to use the various tools in the back. Then I am off Friday, and work 3-close the rest of the weekend. During my training I will also get to participate in total store inventory, which happens over night. So that is pretty cool. I've got my to-do list of everything to finish tomorrow and hopefully I can fit it all in!