Hello.  As promised here is another in my series of pre-OpenSalon blogs.  Enjoy!

I work at a Very Big Department Store, who will remain unnamed for certain purposes like, as much as I dislike it, I'd actually like to keep my job, or as it is better known, the cash flow.

Let's just say great things can be expected by the folks who shop there.

Now, this Very Big Department Store has been one of the few businesses to show a profit on the books through the last Christmas season and up until this month. Because we don't rely on big purchases (washers, driers, TVs, etc.), our profit margin has been higher than most other department stores (or any stores for that matter). Just as well, in my little community when the Christmas season was upon us (and at timese since then) it has seemed that the shoppers there weren't aware of the economic trouble of our country. They came out in droves to our store while others felt the heat of the economic crisis.

The store is so economically healthy that we are actually hiring this month.

So why do I feel severely overworked the last few weekends?

The last few weekends I have experienced a scheduling phenomena I'd heard tell of but had not been privvy to myself: I was scheduled late one night and early the next day. For instance, last night I worked until 10:00 and was expected to be at work at 6:45 this morning, barely a 9-hour turnaround. Now, this might not be too noteworthy except for the fact that, within the space of two weekends, they did it to me three times - twice in one weekend. I have worked at the store for more than four years and never had this kind of schedule.

I can only hope that, as more people get hired, the workload may be taken off myself and my fellow workers.

I can also hope that my good friend who just applied there will get an interview, especially since I put a good word in for him with my manager.

The surprising thing about recent hires is the fact that a number of them walk off after a couple of days or a week. I understand that this is a fairly regular practice in the retail world, but you would think that in this economy people would be greatful to have a job and not just throw it away.

Oh well, I suppose there is no accounting for class or taste when you need warm bodies to press buttons and hawk credit cards.