Hum..Guess you all would like an update...
Yesterday was my first day taking live calls.

Yeeeuuugghhhhh.......

The good news is that I survived. The bad news is that I have to do it again.

And again...and again...and again...

That was the most nerve-wracking 8 hours of my life. My shift started at 4:30. I went on my first break at 8:30. I went to lunch at 11:15. I went home at midnight. I didn't get to take my second break, and I wasn't working an extra 45 minutes just to get it. Why did I *not* take both breaks and my lunch at a decent interval, instead of working 4 hours before my first break and going to lunch 45 minutes before my shift ended?

Because, instead of *scheduling* breaks for employees, you have to call the command center and "ask" to go on a break or go to lunch. For example, I *asked* to go on my first break at 7. I was told I could go at 7:30, but didn't get off a call that started at 7:25 til 8:30. Similar experience with lunch. Add to it that we spent 7 1/2 hours of an 8 hour shift 100 deep in queue (ya know when you call customer service and you have to "wait for the next representative"? You're in the queue. Now you know why your hold times can be insane!

So, now, not only am I not sure I *want* to do this job, I'm not sure I *can* do it, since I need breaks and they need to be relatively regular. Otherwise, I'm squirming in my seat (need bathroom break), and my blood sugar is bouncing all over the place.

Breaks and the eternal queue aside, the job isn't bad. As I had suspected, my mind was making the experience worse than it actually was. However, it was still nerve-wracking, mind-numbing (except for the sharp pain shooting through my skull), and downright aggravating at times. When people call and say "my dsl isn't working" and you ask them, "how many lights are green on your modem?" and they reply "what's a modem?", it makes you rethink your purpose on this earth.

Today, I didn't go to work though. Why? Because, a check that was "supposed" to be here over the weekend still hadn't arrived today, so I was outta funds to make the 5 hour round trip. So, I called off today. No big deal. I also applied for several other jobs..so it was a productive day. hee hee

GOOD NEWS
Lou's training class is back on, so he starts training a week from this coming Monday! Hooray! Provided out state check arrives tomorrow (prayer..juju...good vibes this way please!)we can get into our apartment on Friday morning, get the utilities turned on that afternoon (already scheduled), get the furniture delivered on Saturday (it's already set up also, and I'm going to be CRANKY if I have to reschedule)and be officially in the apartment by Monday.

It's going to be a LONG weekend! LOL

Well, that's it. I start the annoying commute again tomorrow (my parents said that if I need cash, they'd float me a loan...and they came to ME..I didn't ask. Amazing, huh?). Anyway, I'll check in later this week and let you know whether I'm sticking it out or running for the hills.

Namaste!
- posted by Kim @ 11:48 PM