So...This Was Christmas

Just realized it has been 10 days since I posted anything here. Where did the time go? What was I doing anyway? In some respects, I really wasn't doing that much -at least not by comparison to things I have done in the past, that's for sure! For one thing, this year, although I got some Christmas cards and fully had intended to get them ready to mail out, that plan never materialized. Well, I did manage to get one card mailed out to my best friend for the past 40 plus (almost 50 years) now who used to be my supervisor a long, long time ago when I worked in D.C. But that was it. The two boxes of cards are still sitting atop the china cabinet, unopened, ready and waiting for me to sit down, pen in one hand, address book (such as it is -a confusing mess) at my other hand, and start writing the messages in those cards, addressing them and then, getting to the post office to purchase stamps and drop them into the mail box. I have been giving thought -some, anyway -to maybe addressing them now and mailing them out as late comers with mainly a New Year's greeting or, perhaps getting them all ready to go and then letting them sit up on that piece of furniture in wait of next Christmas season and then send them out, hither thither and yon. Surprise people when they get a card early from me, ya know. Then again, I may just sit back and take the really lazy route and do nothing at all with them now -or who knows, maybe never! I had other things to do though that had to be done, that took priority over something like sending Christmas cards. For openers, I had an Avon order to get delivered and that, was something I dreaded doing after my order arrived last week! I didn't have all that big of an order -considering it was the last campaign that would be arriving and could be delivered before Christmas. But if there had been a bit more cooperation on the part of the management, this might have been a decent enough campaign then after all. The problem I was facing with the order was that many items -items that were brand-spanking new on this campaign book -didn't arrive in my order! For whatever reason the company may try to foist on the reps who go out and try to get these orders as to why so many items were short in our orders, you know what? I really don't want to hear it! This has been a very frustrating time for me having just returned to selling these products after a 22 year hiatus and in the short six months since I started doing this again, I have had more shortages on the orders I submitted than I had all during the 18 years I sold this stuff back in the 70s and 80s! Very frustrating indeed! When you submit an order, you try to get a bead on how much you will earn in order to determine which new products you really should purchase then to "demo" the new items and try to entice your customers to purchase those things. But when you think you have an order that will gross you X-amount of money (based on the orders you have received) but only three quarters of the items people have requested get shipped to you, then your profit margin begins to go down the tubes. And if, like me, you like the products you are selling and wish to order some things to be used for your own friends and families gift list, you take a double whammy then on the profitable scene! Let it be known here and now, much as I do like their products and purchase as much as I feasibly can afford (or at least "think" I can afford), I don't do this just to become their number one customer! I actually do this as a job and one that has enough difficulties that come with the turf without the company itself making my life that much harder! I do this to -hopefully -earn enough extra money to keep myself afloat! But with all the shorts in my orders, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do that. I survived this debacle but just barely and no, as you probably have gathered by my words here, I am still not a very happy camper over the way things have gone since I started doing this job again. The upper echelon of management has sent out a video to all the reps and promised, faithfully, that they will improve their style. Great! Do that! Please do that!!! But to be honest, I'm not looking for any major turn-around to happen. Not quickly, at any rate, if in fact they do change their methodology. I can think of a lot of ways they could change things to help the reps to maintain at least a half decent profit margin but I doubt seriously that the management would approve of those thoughts of mine. Nice as it is to get a little pin or some other little "do-dad" type of award for submitting an order in a timely fashion, for getting a little increase in customers or sales, making a better profit from this is what I'd rather see take place! And, if they want to maintain their reputation with their customers, they better get those tail feathers shaking and shake them hard and fast too! If my customers get upset over this type of service I'm being forced to offer, I will take the hit first but sooner or later, the company is going to feel that bit of a crunch too then. And now, I've said my piece -or most of it anyway -and I need to get some sleep tonight after what has been a very hectic time with the holiday, with my "job", with meal preparations, and for the good part of things though, with having the grandkids here at least till this coming Saturday but that might get extended to next Tuesday too -depending on the weather and travel conditions! No, I don't want a bunch of snow and heaven forbid, definitely don't care to see ice and/or freezing rain under any circumstances but the thought of not having the kids have to return to their new home away from here, away from me, well I sure wouldn't mind if they can stay a little longer! It's nice having these two sweethearts here with me to brighten my day more than just a little bit! Kind of helps to mellow my mood with the other things beyond my control that have been working against my mood for the past several days! Peace and hugs to one and all. Hope your Christmas was merry and bright and full of the light that comes from the true reason for this season of the year, that makes it so special. Oh and also -here's wishing one and all a very Happy New Year too!