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One long day...
Aug. 21st, 2006 09:07 pmThe day started with my sending off the translation that was due by 10 am, after which Galina dropped me off at the store to kick off the festivities while she returned to the house to take a shower.
There wasn't too much change in the till from Saturday, which is to say there were a couple of twenties in the cash drawer, along with a bunch of ones. The first four people to walk in the door made purchases of under a dollar that they proceeded to pay for with $20 bills. Customer number four got a roll of quarters and my remaining ones; I got a dirty look. Afterwards, I took advantage of there being nobody in the store to walk (not run) to the bank for change.
The popular reaction to our store going away has been pretty supportive of us, generally speaking. Then again, there are exceptions, such as the woman who felt positively offended when Galina asked if she'd mind paying for her $1.35 postage purchase with cash or a check instead of an American Express card?
"I pay for all my business expenses with my American Express card," she whined. "What am I supposed to do, go downtown to the post office?" As I ran her card through the machine, I couldn't help but tell her, "Well, you know, in a couple of weeks, when we're gone, you will have to go downtown to charge your stamp purchases." (I probably shouldn't have smiled, but what's she gonna do, stop coming to the store?)
The rest of the day was pretty hectic, and three clients called with jobs, one of which was due earlier this afternoon and thus, was a job I had to refuse. The other two I finished just a few minutes ago, and I'll wait until tomorrow morning to send them off.
I've been downloading French podcasts from Europe1 and RFI the past couple of days, and I've come to the conclusion that Barry Farber is right when he dismisses semiconscious (or unconscious) listening to spoken language as a waste of time. I've been finding I get much better results when I pay attention... close attention... to what is being said, almost to the point where time seems to dilate as I attempt to make out each word.
Sometimes, that's simply not possible, due either to me not knowing a word or phrase, or not understanding the speaker's enunciation. Interestingly enough, no matter what, I start to experience fatigue when listening like that for any length of time; it's an apparently marvelous soporific.
Time to hit the sack and get ready for more of the same tomorrow (though if experience is any guide, Monday is typically the worst - i.e., most busy - day of the week).
Cheers...
There wasn't too much change in the till from Saturday, which is to say there were a couple of twenties in the cash drawer, along with a bunch of ones. The first four people to walk in the door made purchases of under a dollar that they proceeded to pay for with $20 bills. Customer number four got a roll of quarters and my remaining ones; I got a dirty look. Afterwards, I took advantage of there being nobody in the store to walk (not run) to the bank for change.
The popular reaction to our store going away has been pretty supportive of us, generally speaking. Then again, there are exceptions, such as the woman who felt positively offended when Galina asked if she'd mind paying for her $1.35 postage purchase with cash or a check instead of an American Express card?
"I pay for all my business expenses with my American Express card," she whined. "What am I supposed to do, go downtown to the post office?" As I ran her card through the machine, I couldn't help but tell her, "Well, you know, in a couple of weeks, when we're gone, you will have to go downtown to charge your stamp purchases." (I probably shouldn't have smiled, but what's she gonna do, stop coming to the store?)
The rest of the day was pretty hectic, and three clients called with jobs, one of which was due earlier this afternoon and thus, was a job I had to refuse. The other two I finished just a few minutes ago, and I'll wait until tomorrow morning to send them off.
I've been downloading French podcasts from Europe1 and RFI the past couple of days, and I've come to the conclusion that Barry Farber is right when he dismisses semiconscious (or unconscious) listening to spoken language as a waste of time. I've been finding I get much better results when I pay attention... close attention... to what is being said, almost to the point where time seems to dilate as I attempt to make out each word.
Sometimes, that's simply not possible, due either to me not knowing a word or phrase, or not understanding the speaker's enunciation. Interestingly enough, no matter what, I start to experience fatigue when listening like that for any length of time; it's an apparently marvelous soporific.
Time to hit the sack and get ready for more of the same tomorrow (though if experience is any guide, Monday is typically the worst - i.e., most busy - day of the week).
Cheers...
