So I saw the blog post where Spauldo was asking more people to blog on here.  Well I can be a "blog posting fool".  (But she doesn't know that...lol)

Just wanted to get your opinion on something that happened recently at work.  I haven't been working long enough to get the feel of what exactly is going on.  Usually I have a pretty easy time reading people and situations, etc. but the post office is totally foreign to me.  It's so unlike any other place I've ever worked.

Here's the deal.  Two weeks ago I was called in to work several different routes.  One of the days I was called in by another supervisor to work a route which has no LLV.  Anyway, on the Saturday of the week I worked my primary route for my regular and as is typical I worked over the evaluated time to clean up the route for him.  I was not expecting to be called in to work for four more additional days that week.  Being as how I was working 2 or 3 different very new routes, I believe I may have gotten about 5 or 6 hours overtime without realizing it.  No one ever said anything to me.

So then this week, I get called in yet again to work a totally different and new route for 3 days after having worked a route on Saturday.  They actually had wanted me to work on Thursday but was "dangerously close" to overtime so now I'm off tomorrow.  The union representative or steward or whatever comes over to me yesterday (the 2nd day I'm on this HUGE route) and suddenly acts concerned.  (I'm like where the hell were  you yesterday)  And was giving me words of encouragement and said that I should probably only work the 9 hours evaluated time and curtail all of the presorts.  In other words let it pile up and go home.  I got a funny feeling that her little talk to me wasn't about her losing sleep at night because I might be having a tough day.  Do you guys think somebody spoke up about me possibly getting overtime during the Christmas season and that's why she came and gave me the fake pep-talk?  Or do you think the supervisors or mgr's got into it over me getting overtime the previous week?  

Just wondering because the supervisor hasn't hardly said two words to me this whole time.   I certainly didn't mean to do anything wrong.  I always try to check with her to see if she wants me to stay and clean up a route (work over the evaluated time, etc.)  But they say one thing in their meetings and then turn right around and say something totally different to your face.

No wonder I'm new and confused!

 

 

Just wondering if any of you "seasoned" carriers have any hints or tips for increasing my speed on my routes.  Seems like I'm always one of the last carriers out of the building and last to leave the office.  Any help would be appreciated.....

I worked today and noticed that I am not scheduled for any more days this week.  As an RCA, what can I expect during December?  Can I expect to be called in a lot or every once in awhile or what?  Will it be madness the closer we get to Christmas?  I just want to be prepared.  I'm hoping for as much work as possible :)

I have 2 boys ages 4 and 8.  With Christmas coming up I've been doing a little research into possibly getting them a puppy.  (Not necessarily for Christmas but soon after)  Anyway, I've been looking into either a beagle or a golden retriever.  I cannot decide.  Our last pet was a labrador retriever and he died just 2 years ago at the age of 14.  He suffered with hip dysplasia for about a year.  My family dog before that was also a labrador and he had hip dysplasia as well for about 2 years.  I love the retriever-type dogs but just don't know if I can watch another dog go through that.  I'm not too familiar with how a beagle would be around my kids either.

Anyone have any personal experience with either breed?  Pros or cons or anything like that? 

Thanks!

Yesterday I get called into the post office (surprise, surprise).  After I get there I realize that I'm going to be put on a route with no LLV. Only 1 or 2 routes at our office do not have LLV's.  So, when I was hired I knew there was a possibility that I'd have to use my own car and I was told that others used a Ford Taurus like mine and sat in the middle to deliver mail. 

Here's what they FORGOT to mention:

1.  There's a seat belt contraption in the middle that you can't do anything with.  Therefore bruises on my you-know-what!

2.  I can't reach the dang mailboxes from the middle!

3.  If it's cold and raining outside and you have 4 or 5 lockboxes on your route....it's only going

     to POUR RAIN exactly when you pull up to EACH LOCKBOX!

4.  You can't maneuver close enough to the boxes in a regular car.

Anyway...that was an experience and a half.  Hope everyone's having a nice Thanksgiving!