Going To Hell in a Shopping Cart

"Welcome to Wal-Mart! Do you need a 'buggy'?"

First off, how many times have you heard someone say this and wonder why they call a shopping cart a "buggy"? I seriously cannot figure it out to save my life. I have even tried researching the origins of the word and still have found nothing linking them together. I mean, seriously, how does a shopping cart have something to do with a bug? Typically, a buggy would be something you usually tow behind a vehicle or an animal. There are even buggies that you can drive over sand and rocks. Another thing called a buggy is usually a small infant. I don't know why, but they use the word for it.

Aside from the brain teaser that is the wheeled shopping companion, there are other more dangerous and confusing wild animals in the retail kingdom. Very rarely do you NOT see one in their natural habitat, sucking away at your very life essence as you try to escape their stupidity. Oh how I wish I had a bounty hunter license to help "control" the population. Anyways, aside from my demented realism of the store, here are a few encounters that I've had in the past that would most likely explain my insanity without any questions. Grab a snack and a comfy seat, this is going to be a wild ride. Pants not necessary.

Let's start with the religious group. Yes, I know, religion is a hot topic with everything in the media these days. However, this is the more laid back sense of the world view. Believe it or not, religious people are usually the worst complainers when it comes to anything that they have to purchase. It's as if they are trying to push their own self righteousness down my throat to swap out their phone because they dropped it on the floor, cracked the screen, and tried to blame it on an act of God. In fact, one of the worst people I had come up to the counter was probably one of the least expected type, the elderly vixen. This wild animal looked as though it had seen some hard times with the battle of her will versus the dreaded prune juice. She walked up to the counter and simply exercised her territorial cry.

"You know you are going to Hell for working for Wal-Mart on a Sunday, right?"

Really? REALLY!? At this point I was just overwhelmed with the vision of a giant number floating in the empty space of the world. This number kept going down and down, faster and faster. This number was my IQ. Her attack had caught me off my guard and I had little to retort in the matter. In fact, by the time I regained my consciousness, the only thing I could think to say was "Well I guess you are riding shotgun for supporting my filthy habit since you are in here buying something from me on a Sunday." Of course, I didn't say this out loud because it is against policy to use common sense at Wal-Mart. Instead I just said "Thank you for your insightful opinion. You have a great day now."

This is just the tip of the iceberg folks. There are plenty more customers where this came from. How about another, you say? Refill your drink and let's get rolling!

You like iPods, right? Lots of people do because they do more than just listen to music. Remember when MP3 players ONLY played music? Better yet, remember the original Walkman? I do because I had one. It was a nice one made by Sony. Oh you knew you had the good one because no only did it play tapes, it also had an FM radio in it! Whoooo boy were you high and mighty! Anyways, this athletic woman decides to stop in and purchase an iPod Touch one day. We were going through the transaction and everything was normal for once. In fact, being normal was probably the first warning sign of trouble. This was a sneaky creature indeed. Its main method of attack was pretending to be harmless, reeling in its prey into the attack that would paralyze it. When asked if the customer wanted to buy the protection plan that would protect the iPod from any damage that could happen to it, the sly creature had this to say.

"Oh I don't need a protection plan. I found Jesus. The rapture is coming soon, so if you haven't found Jesus, you need to. Thanks anyways."

What the hell? Seriously? I was so confused at what she just said that I stood there for at least 15 seconds not knowing what to do. I just finished the transaction and sent the customer on her way. Paralyzed with stupidity, I stood at the register for another 30 seconds just staring blankly into space. After a slow recovery from a very painful attack, all I could think of was "I wonder what would happen if I found Jesus, too... Would he also buy me an iPod for the rapture? Hell, if anything happens to it then he can heal it with one touch!"

I would go into more detail about the wonderful wildlife preservation system that I work in, but to see everything for yourself, and maybe learn a bit about yourself, I suggest you take the tour. We offer motorized carts for those who need the assistance, granted they have batteries that can carry you. You might want to bring a seat cover or some pocket disinfectant wipes. Don't ask, just trust me on this one. No shirt no shoes no service says nothing about the quality of pants you can wear, if any. Make sure to go to a doctor after your tour is finished. You can thank me later.

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Know any stories? Have a personal experience to tell? Why not leave a comment? As always, any feedback, positive or negative, is always welcome.

Thank you for choosing your neighborhood Wal-Mart!

The Aim of the Game

"You can take this job and SHOVE IT!!"

How many times have you heard or actually said that to your manager? Anyone? I'm pretty sure we all have thought about it a time or two. However, when you think about it, is your manager really to blame for the conditions that bring you such frustration at work? After all, they are just doing their job like everyone else. Sure, sometimes they are to blame for specific situations here and there, but, for the most part, it's all the handy work of the higher ups. The fabled crack crew of the law makers, the play makers, the REAL masterminds behind every operation. So, again, is it really your direct manager's fault that your job sucks?

I work at Wal-Mart and I have been there close to three years at this time. It'll actually be the third year for me in March 2014. If you combine the other two times I have worked for Wal-Mart along with this one, you can say that I have been a part of the company for close to five years. All in all it has been a pretty good run so far. I have had plenty of ups and downs during my "career" in retail. Just like every job out there, there will always be the group of people who hate and loathe it with a passion, yet never do anything about bettering themselves and moving on to greater things. On the flip side of the coin, you have that other group of people who are thankful for every moment of being there and saying that they have a job. Rather mundane, don't you think?

Regardless of your particular working environment, there will always be problems. Some problems are simple and can be fixed with just a polite conversation. Others tend to stick out like a sore thumb and can only be removed by time. Then you get the problems that hang around like a stale fart in a small room. You want to ignore the fact that it's there, but nothing you say or do makes it any more pleasurable to be there. Also, you might be holding your breath for quite a long time while trying to make your escape. Pro tip: Don't eat Taco Bell on a busy day. If you do, bring extra pants. All in all, every job has something similar to bring to the table during family meals, whether you like it or not. We all have that one cousin that is proud of accomplishing nothing with their life, don't we?

The same can be said for working at Wal-Mart across the board, and it is being said right now across the US. As the growing number of concerns regarding the integrity of Wal-Mart are being introduced, more and more strikes are showing up all over the United States. This is a big concern for members of the management team due to the fact that they know their employees have access to this information. In fact, some stores have gone to great lengths to try and squash the so-called "rumors" about the truths behind Wal-Mart and how it operates on a day to day business scale. The real truth of the matter is that they cannot be silenced. Every time one story or rumor is supposedly misdirected or proven to be a false statement, another shows up to counter the recent counter on the previous issue. This overwhelming concern is putting a strain not only on the management team of the stores but also the associates. Who are they to believe? What are they to understand? After all, we are trained to do rather mundane things in our work areas and we are expected to perform with 100% loyalty and devotion to the company that is apparently doing double dealings behind the scenes. Why would we not want to be concerned with the integrity of those we work for? After all, if it wasn't for those at the bottom of the ladder, supporting the corporation by providing customer assistance and selling their products, then the people sitting in the penthouse on top of the ladder would have no income, right? We are asked to do so much, but we are not allowed to voice our opinions regarding our own integrity in the matter. Is this management's fault once again, or are they just doing what they are told and they are in a similar position such as we are?

In my opinion, I know that I work for a company that has very questionable intents and a jagged history. I know that there are things I do on a day to day basis that are wrong and unjust and unfair to those who shop there. I know that I have to sell my own dignity to keep my employment. I know all of this, yet I still choose to work there. So who am I to complain? Who am I to judge? Who am I to say that the company is doing wrong with what they demand of their employees and how they treat said employees? In the eye of the corporation, I am a nobody. I am disposable. I am just another number in the system trying to work my way through life and stay alive. Do you feel the same way? Do you feel as though your company does not truly appreciate what you do for them and what you have to deal with in order to maintain customer satisfaction? In essence, this is a major part of the current situation in regards to all the protests against Wal-Mart as a whole. Some of it has merit while other information and complaints do not. However, instead of looking at the situation as a whole, why not break it down to, say, a single store and a single worker inside that store. Have you asked their opinion on the whole matter at hand? If not, let me give you one.

Yes, I work at Wal-Mart. No, I do not like some of the rules and the ways that we are treated. There are a lot of things to complain about, but the big question remains of why I still work there. The true Wal-Mart, in my opinion, is not the company as a whole and what they stand for. The true Wal-Mart is made of the people you work with. After all, how often do you really get to talk to, much less work with the higher management team? You spend most, if not all of your time working with people on the same level in the same situation as you are. These people are what make Wal-Mart worth the time and effort of working there seem tolerable at best. We all have good days and we all have bad days, but the level of understanding from one another in the same area of the store is such a relation that they might as well be a part of your biological family. It is within that regard that you find the motivation to continue through the work day, making the best of the bad situations you may run in to. After all, for every bad customer we have to handle, that's one more story to tell in the break room for people to enjoy.

In several instances, there are several employees and even members of management that make the act of working at Wal-Mart a good experience. Our management team at my current location is composed of some great people. Not only are they understanding managers, outside of work they are your friends. They joke with you about customer experiences. They share their history with you. They understand you because they have been in those situations before and somehow they made it through okay. Of course, at every place of business, there will be a small contingent of management that nobody really favors. These people are usually misunderstood at first and they tend to make a come back on the positive side of things, however, there can be a select few that leave their mark of disappointment on everyone they meet. Thankfully at my location we don't have very many of these particular people, but that could change at any moment, as is the case with anywhere you work.

Case and point for the time being is that, no matter where you work or what industry you work in, there will always be problems that you cannot avoid. Although it goes without saying that you need to make the best of everything you have, this goes double with your job, career, or profession. Why do something you don't enjoy? Honestly, we have to. No way around it. I personally do not favor working at Wal-Mart for a career because I know I have more potential. For the time being though, it's just a lot of hurry up and wait for the right opportunity to present itself.

With everything being said, it now brings me to the surprise ending of the plot twist. I am a member of the OUR Wal-Mart group, the Organization United for Respect of Wal-Mart workers. I support what they are doing to try and make working for Wal-Mart a fair and pleasurable experience. I have seen and been subject to the things that Wal-Mart does to force their employees to be silent and to work without question. I have been subject to hurtful assumptions from members of management in the past and I am still experiencing these issues today. I have seen the hard working employees be ignored and tossed to the side, being told they were "not qualified" for positions or being told to "underachieve" at their job, whereas the employees that fail to achieve anything get promoted for their short comings and never get disciplined for their lack of work ethic. I support the movement for a fair working environment and I believe that it can be achieved through understanding and teamwork.

Think of me what you will for the truth within the reality is not what can be seen, but what can be felt. And truth be told, I feel that there is something very, very wrong with Wal-Mart as a whole. I feel as though the time is coming when they have to make a choice, and I feel as though they will punish those against it as they have in the past. OUR Wal-Mart has my support and understanding as does any other Wal-Mart worker or any other worker in a similar situation. Your voices are being heard, and they are appreciated.

Lying About the Truth

What's in a name? What's in a personality? What's in the imagination of someone who just wants to be different, be unique, be themselves? Is it really that bad when you can't even express yourself without having others bring you down or shun you for your individuality? When did it become politically correct to lie about the truth yet wrong to tell it? What do you think? Are you right? Wrong? Misunderstood? Forgotten? Rejected?

The truth is that we may never know the right answer to whether or not being ourselves is right or wrong. After all, social media proclaims the image that it wants everyone to be. Yet, for most people, attaining that high stature of idolism is near impossible due to limitations such as income, weight, heritage, orientation, and even religion. Why did the act of being yourself turn into a crime against humanity? Do you really want to know the answer? If you have to ask the question then you will never know. However, if you already know, then why ask the question?

There is much more to life than what lies in front of you. Sometimes we take what we have for granted without realizing our potential. Once we are shot down to the point of rock bottom, we think that there is no redemption. Redemption, however, can come in many forms. Some forms will be as plain as day, as right as rain, and as obvious as a swift kick in the ass. Other forms tend to be a little tricky to find. The reasoning behind that is because you haven't realized, much less understood why you already have it, but can't find it. Everyone has equal potential to do their best. Everyone has equal potential to live the life they want. The reason why we can't is because we live by the rules set by others. These "others" are the compounds that make up the modern day society. But the real question lies within yourself. That question is what makes you wake up each morning and try again, regardless of how many times you think you might fail. The question is "Why should I do what they want me to? Why shouldn't I be myself?"

My name is Mike Alcantara Jr. I am well known as probably "The whitest Cuban you will ever know." My father was born and raised in Cuba before coming to the states. Although I go by Mike, look as white as anyone else and have no accent, I claim myself as Hispanic due to my roots. I know it goes against the subject of this writing, however, some sacrifices must be made in order to obtain what you truly want in life. Keep in mind that those sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes great, will always come back to help you when you least expect it. If you are not willing to change to make your way, to pave your path, to leave your mark, then why expect the world to change for you?

I didn't exactly have the model childhood when I was growing up. My father went to prison for almost 10 1/2 years and my mother was in between jobs and husbands almost every few years. I never had all the nice clothes and nice gadgets the other kids did. In fact, when I turned 16, my mom sent me off to school with the words "Happy Birthday! Don't come home without a job!" Needless to say, when I was job ready, I had to help pay the bills and buy the food. It was not the easiest life, but it taught me to truly appreciate what I have and to take pride in all I do. If nobody else appreciates it, at least I will. I saved up money to buy my first car. I saved money to get my driver's license. I saved money to get what I needed. The beauty of all of this is that, even though what I purchased was either used or out dated, it was mine. I worked for it. I earned it. I deserved it. Nobody else could take that away or tell me otherwise. I was determined to make a life for myself whichever way I could.

My how things change over the years...

As time went by, I moved out on my own and struggled to keep from drowning. I had late car payments. I had late bills. I could never buy anything I needed when I needed it. At one time I was going to college full time, tutoring at the same college after hours, working a part time Job at Target, and donating plasma to make my car payment. I was falling behind no matter what I tried. Whenever I tried harder, it came back to hurt me even more. I had to change. I had to adapt to a lifestyle I didn't like. I had to make sacrifices that I will never get back. I had to do it all to stay alive, and it was hurting.

Throughout these times I had several relationships with different women. Some would last for months on end whereas a few would only last a few weeks. The one thing I learned from most of this is that they didn't truly appreciate what I had to do and what I was capable of doing. They never gave me a chance to prove that I could exercise my potential and graduate from college. They never let me show them that I could get more than just a part time job. They never truly understood what I had to do to keep a positive perspective in the face of my downright fall into rock bottom. They never appreciated me for me. It hurt very, very much.

It was at this point, the point of nearly breaking down and giving it all up to admit defeat, that someone gave me one piece of advice that I will never forget. My father, who had been away for most of my life growing up, had simply this to say to me. "Son, you need to stop worrying so much about what other people think of you. You need to get your head out of the ground and get your life figured out. Get a good job, even if you have to start at the bottom. Stick with it, no matter how much you hate it. Take things slowly and go little by little. Once you get your life in order, the money and the help will be there for you. Don't worry about not having a girlfriend either. You need to stop looking since it isn't working. I'm telling you, you get your life straight, she will come looking for you. I promise."

In 2011 I moved away from the big city and moved to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. Although I had to stay with my mother for a few months to get on my feet, it was a chance to reinvent myself. A chance to start from scratch with some experience. A chance to prove that I can make it. I started working at the local Wal-Mart in March of 2011 as a cashier. I know it's not the best job in the world, but they were the only place that would hire me. I made the best of a bad situation and stuck with it. It was tough making new friends and getting to know people in this new town, but you have to keep trying to make it, no matter the circumstances.

Later that year near the end of April, a new group of people were hired. One particular cashier named Michelle was there. She had worked in the store previously and came back to work because she needed a job. She had just moved back to her father's house from Kentucky after a bad relationship breakup. She was an okay person and usually not the typical type of person I would talk to for idle chit chat, but I was determined to prove that I could make a difference and be a more sociable person. The months continued on and I got to know everyone a little better, including their friends. Michelle and her friend Alicia had deemed me "The weird geek at work with the glasses." We joked about it here and there and I started to become more friendly with everyone. Things were going okay, but I still thought about what I wanted and didn't have.

As the summer rolled through, I was faced with having to find a place of my own. My mother was asking me to leave the house since I was able to support myself now. She wanted me to go make friends and go out with people to bars and the mall and whatnot. Besides, she said, it's better than hanging out on a farm with two old people who only play games on Facebook and drink beer. As luck would have it, fate is also unpredictable at times. It just so happened that Michelle was also looking for a place to stay. We talked about it and decided that, even though we only knew each other from work, we could trust each other well enough to rent a place as room mates.

In late August we found a small place to rent. It was just me and her, so we didn't need an upscale apartment or some penthouse off the town square. Although it wasn't much, it was a place we could both call home. Over time, we got to know each other better. We started talking more about our likes and dislikes and what we want to do with our lives.. Eventually it got to the point to where everyone was assuming that we were dating. I can see why they thought that since we always stayed together and tried to only take one vehicle wherever we needed to go. It was a smart way to save money, and besides, we were just friends. Or so we thought. It wasn't too much longer after all of this that we decided to start dating.

Things were looking up for me. I had a good job. I had plenty of new friends. I had a place to call my own, even if it was being rented. I had someone I can share my time with. For the first time in a long time, I had my life in order, and everything that I wanted slowly started coming back.

Fast forward to today...

Almost three years after we started to date, I am now married to Michelle. She is the best friend I never knew I wanted, and the one I never want to lose, no matter what. We both still work at the same place we met and I also work for Jackson Hewitt during the tax season. We still live in the same place, although we did move next door to a nicer home. We have a loving family of three dogs, a cat, and a fish. It doesn't really matter what we have though. The true value of our lives is what we do with them. Why should we let others tell us what to do with our lives? Are they living them? Are they paying for everything that you own? You are yourself, and nobody can change that. Sure, you may need help on the way in the form of advice, guidance, money, food, belongings, and whatever else you might need. The one thing that everyone needs, but cannot be given, is the ability to tell yourself to never give up, never lose hope, and to never worry about whether or not you are good enough for anything.

I used to be down and depressed all the time. I was worried about not being able to do what I wanted. I was worried about being judged and rejected by everyone. I was worried about being myself. People were punishing me for being myself. It was wrong, and always is wrong.

No matter how bleak everything may seem and no matter how people treat you in life, you will always be yourself. What you need to do is make the best of it. Everyone is trying to be something they are not, but when you try to be the person you really are, you will realize that what you are cannot be duplicated. You are original. You are unique. You are what you make yourself to be. If you want to be happy in life, you need to get your priorities straight. You need to get back on track. You need to sit down and realize that there are more important things to do than worry about what people think about you. If people can't love you for being yourself, they are not worthy of your time. Never, ever, EVER let anyone tell you any different. Take care of yourself and the rest will fall into place. I promise, just as my father promised me.

I want to dedicate this posting to two friends of mine.

The first is Candy Daniels. She posted a blog about her childhood and it motivated me to write this one. Everyone needs a way to tell their story. Without a story, no one will truly understand the complexity of your personality. If they never understand, they may misjudge you in the wrong manner. If they do understand and appreciate you for who you really are, then you will have a happy, promising life ahead of you. I want to thank her for opening up and helping me understand that there is more to her than meets the eye. For that I am grateful to call you my friend.

The second is Colton Brown. I understand that you are going through some rough and questionable times in your life. Although I may not understand every aspect of it, I know enough to be able to tell you to stay strong and that you will be okay. The decisions you make are yours alone to make, but know that, as your friend, I will support your choices and offer my advice or opinion if you need it. Unbiased, uncensored, and understanding. I hope that you find motivation and determination from my post to power through your tough times.

So here's to you Krshna and Brighthorn. May you raid forever and win phat lewtz.