Ale for the Soul

Typically hard times get worse before getting better, at least that is the case for me.  This could mean becoming more ill before fully recovering; time slowing down waiting for that first payday after experiencing prolonged unemployment; a project that never seems to go right until that breakthrough of success arrives.  Currently I have a bed bug infestation in the apartment.  Ugh!  They migrated from one apartment to another till they finally arrived at the last "house" on the block, so to speak.  The issue came to a head Sunday night/Monday morning when they were out in full force keeping me from a much-needed night's sleep.  As a result, I called in to work knowing I would be worthless to both myself and the company's customers if I tried to work productively.  I hated to burn a personal day, but I felt as if there wasn't much choice.  Later on that afternoon, the exterminator paid a visit to diagnose the situation.  Next Wednesday, he wi...

Throughout life, I have experienced various prolonged nuisances that have kept me slightly off kilter and agitated.  Whether these issues are designed to keep me both humble and grateful for God's many blessings, I still find the underlying culprit a pain in the backside.  Recently I have been dealing with bed bugs in the bedroom of the apartment.  My next-door neighbor and I believe they came from his neighbor in #4.  In the seeming migration from one residence to another, they have made their presence known and are beginning to make life rather unsettling.  As a kid, I would often hear, "Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite."  In my young mind, I simply believed this was a humorous phrase to say upon retiring for the evening as there were no such insects as a bed bug.  Now I have been enlightened, dispelling my once youthful ignorance.  Ridding myself of the mattress and boxspring, which were in need of replacement anyway, I began to stri...

Websites and blogs periodically undergo maintenance by the host company, as did mine, and I couldn't seem to find the correct tab to click in order to post a new journal.  This is largely due to my lack of computer knowledge in learning how to navigate unfamiliar territory.  Just when I seem to master an area, it changes.  Ha!  I was bummed out about not knowing how to add my thoughts and struggles to the forum.  As you can now see, I have finally discovered how to go about adding an entry to Ale For The Soul.  Quite a bit has occurred since we last fellowshipped.  First, I celebrated two three-month anniversaries: the first is the amount of time that has passed in working for Enterprise Rent-A-Car; the second is the swiftly dwindling amount of time remaining on the legal obligation with the State of Texas.  Of course, both events are great mile-markers, but I must admit the excitement is greater for the final release of the legal constraints on y...

The Corona Virus has everyone up in arms about getting too close to others, washing their hands as often as they think about it, and so much more.  Even though we should all implement good social skills and hygiene practices, I firmly believe this whole "pandemic" is overblown and causing a form of social neurosis that will scar the psychology of America and its populace for years to come.  Thankfully I have been shielded from a lot of this as I already work from home and have managed to dodge several company-wide furloughs.  Certainly this doesn't mean I am insensitive to the plight of my fellow-man; however, I did see proof of a long-standing belief I hold, and that is people are one paycheck away from seeing their house of cards collapse in on them.  This world and economic system is very fragile.  What we are currently experiencing is evident of that.  I often hear people say they are prepared for the future, but I don't see the proof in the pudding....

On Friday, March 20, 2020, I successfully graduated from the Enterprise training program.  Does this mean I know everything I need to in order to flourish with the company?  On a limited scale, the answer is "Yes!"  Albert Einstein once stated, "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know."  Wow, what a jam-packed morsel of truth that statement is!  Even though I was given tools to use for a future with the company, I also recognize there is so much more that could have been taught in the five weeks I was in training.  I do feel adequately trained; however, the training material could have been greatly expanded to include basic information that would connect the dots in much of what we do as customer service representatives.  For my first week out of training, I felt the the phone calls were generally good overall.  There were a few potential difficult customers, but the safety net for such incidents is the Escalations Department....

On Monday, I will enter week number five of training with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.  Even though I'm still technically in training, I have been on the phones for the previous four-and-a-half days.  There is some sort of safety net in place during this time, but I am largely at the mercy of what I have been trained thus far.  For what remains to be learned, I must now do so on my own.  Thankfully, my new team supervisor has been helpful in reaching out to me a few times.  (Once out of training I will report to Team Sindwinder under the Superteam Dodge.  Very appropriate names considering who I work for.)  With each and every day that passes, I am becoming more confident with a good portion of what is required of me on a daily basis; however, I am also becoming increasingly aware of how much I don't know and have yet to learn.  Ugh!  Just when I think yours truly is getting a handle on the job, some aspect of navigating the software pops up that I...

After an almost three-month "vacation" from work, I am proud to announce yours truly is once again employed.  Getting fired from the last job was a blessing and had a great sense of timing about it.  Since it was the week before Thanksgiving, I simply decided to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.  Thankfully the savings account allowed me to do this.  Had I been barely scraping by, the outcome would have been much different.  By January 1st, I began to look for employment rather sporadically.  In not wanting another dead-end, low-paying job, I was dumbfounded as to where to look for work.  Other than my retail and shoe-selling experience, I wasn't really qualified to do anything else.  As ideas and opportunities presented themselves, I would place an application or submit a resume.  Finally, I stumbled across a work-from-home customer service position with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.  I don't have any call center experience, but I th...