Universal Chat Thread

[Maniakkid25]

Ah, so I guess you were put on new meds because the previous ones weren't effective enough any longer?
What signs are there for a flare up if there's no abdominal pain? I'd figure that would be a common symptom so I'm surprised to hear it can actually just not be involved with a flare up. o.o

Uh, let's put it this way: there's blood involved. That's usually a sign of a severe flare up, though. Normally would be softer stools, up to and including diarrhea, loss of appetite, and dehydration. It's awesome.

[Mr EliteL]

Yay I've had my share too of er...well hasn't been constant pain but two instances in the last month of I'm assuming it's something I've eaten messing with my stomach, thus leading to...stuff.   I'll be fine though.

Speaking of abdominal pain though I did find out what was probably causing my stomach issues lately. Turned out the soda I bought was expired when I bought it but I didn't think to read the dates on it until I'd drank 11/12 of them. Since I stopped drinking those (not that it was hard with only one left) I've not had the problem.

Aye, yes the old workers not making sure they have the use by/best before dates towards the front or warehouse stock never gets touched, but when they do or stock gets low enough for the old to come out, oops. The amount of items I've seen that clearly shouldn't have gone beyond the dates, talking about non-fresh/chilled items like bottled/canned drinks, chocolate, crisps...*sigh*. Freakin' Roses and such tubs were most recent at my place, wonder what'll be next, frick sake. 
Ha, almost didn't check my cans of Pepsi in time that I bought a little while back but had them for a good amount of time, wasn't drinking them frequently so had two left then saw they're to be used by that month. Drunk the last one in time, with a dentist appointment looming no less (used my straw cup).

[ShiraNoMai]

I've been getting a sneaking suspicion that soda is either really far behind in production, or they're utilizing less preservatives than usual. Every single bottle I've come across lately has a shelf life of at most a couple months. I recall soda having at least a year's shelf life, cuz you know, it's a non-perishable product. I've got milk with longer shelf life than some of these bottles.

i don't remember hearing about any preservative legislation being passed by the FDA lately, but who knows. Moony and I did come across a Fanta POP display tonight that displayed the new logo on it, yet none of the bottles matched (using the existing logo).

[Nebulous]

Hello friends! Hope you had a great weekend!

[Maniakkid25]

I was until I got the message today that my Grandma died. So, that's awesome. Gonna get pulled up to Pennsylvania for the funeral, so that's just a nice monkey wrench in my life.

[Moonface]

Ah, so I guess you were put on new meds because the previous ones weren't effective enough any longer?
What signs are there for a flare up if there's no abdominal pain? I'd figure that would be a common symptom so I'm surprised to hear it can actually just not be involved with a flare up. o.o

Uh, let's put it this way: there's blood involved. That's usually a sign of a severe flare up, though. Normally would be softer stools, up to and including diarrhea, loss of appetite, and dehydration. It's awesome.

Ya know what, abdominal pain doesn't sound so bad now for a symptom.

I've been getting a sneaking suspicion that soda is either really far behind in production, or they're utilizing less preservatives than usual. Every single bottle I've come across lately has a shelf life of at most a couple months. I recall soda having at least a year's shelf life, cuz you know, it's a non-perishable product. I've got milk with longer shelf life than some of these bottles.

i don't remember hearing about any preservative legislation being passed by the FDA lately, but who knows. Moony and I did come across a Fanta POP display tonight that displayed the new logo on it, yet none of the bottles matched (using the existing logo).

I find in general dates are a lot shorter than they were on certain food items. For example all the pizza I keep getting sent in is due to expire within the next three months, and some of these are new packaging designs and so I know they can't have been sitting around in a warehouse for ages. Even stuff with longer dates on frozen food is rarely getting a 2024 expiration (for the ones I pay attention to dates for anyway).

Hello friends!  Hope you had a great weekend!

My weekend was a mixed bag, mostly caused by work, but it wasn't a bad weekend per say, I was just very tired for a lot of it. XD

I was until I got the message today that my Grandma died. So, that's awesome. Gonna get pulled up to Pennsylvania for the funeral, so that's just a nice monkey wrench in my life.

Aww man, I'm sorry to hear about your loss dude. I hope she was able to pass peacefully.
Also gonna guess you dislike Pennsylvania? Or is it just the idea of having to travel out of state for anything anywhere period?

[Maniakkid25]

Just having to travel away from home and stuff. Plus work. It's kinda difficult to just up and jet off with work, but no, I'm part of the family, so I HAVE to be there, even if I won't be getting paid for it at all (Bereavement pay is only if your full-time). I haven't mentioned that bit to my family because they're just gonna get mad at me for looking for any way out of this. Assholes...

[Moonface]

I didn't know bereavement pay was full time only. Ugh, just another reason for me to hate the part-time/full-time system American jobs have.

I guess the only alternative you could try (although I'm sure you've already considered this) is to see about shift swapping with someone so you don't lose as many hours?

[Maniakkid25]

I'm gonna be gone for 4 straight days. Friday to Monday. Where am I gonna be able to take someone's shift so that I can make this trip? Yeah, no matter what, I'm screwed, so F*** IT! Why fight the tide?!

[Moonface]

Hmm. It would basically require you to find someone who wants to cover the shifts or if your manager would be willing to give you extra shifts to make up for the lost ones. The latter option might work if your manager isn't a heartless bastard and sympathizes with the fact you have a funeral to attend but don't want to really lose money.

Also if you don't mind me asking I'm curious if you were particularly close to your grandmother or not, only because I get the suspicion that you're not overly fussed on attending as is and losing out on shifts is just an additional deterrent from going.

[Maniakkid25]

I wasn't close, no. She was in Pennsylvania, which is about 2000 miles out. It's not an easy trip to make for frequent visits. I knew her, sure, but I'm not that close to her, so I am annoyed that I'm forced to go to the funeral and I'm extra annoyed that I'm missing shifts for it. Especially considering I wasn't getting that many hours these weeks anyway, so having something eat into that is just further down a hole I'm trying to climb out of. If I had a choice, I wouldn't go, but I don't, so I am.

You also don't realize that my store is TINY. They aren't going to randomly authorize more hours for me just so I can play catch up if they don't have the demand for it. Especially considering that the schedules are all computer-made; the managers only edit them to make sure they don't rub anyone the wrong way (hours they can't work, etc.).

[Moonface]

Ah, I had hoped that your store wouldn't be stuck in the trap of "out of season = no hours for part-timers" given you're so far from where I am, but in hindsight it wouldn't make any sense for a company policy to not affect all the stores.
That sucks you have to go to it though given you should get a say as an adult on what you do or don't do (outside of things that make sense, like claiming what you will/won't do under your parents roof or something). I should loan you my parents who have more than happily told me that if I do not wish to fly from the US to the UK for whenever my last remaining grandparent passes away that they won't blame me, because they wouldn't do it for them either. Not necessarily because of a huge dislike but that to them unless you're super close, that's a lot of time and money to lose for a funeral. Before I even moved to the US it was instead they said if I work on the day of his funeral to not book the day off work if I'd rather be at work that day.

[ShiraNoMai]

I think it's more he works CS, and CS works on a completely different routine than the other departments (tasks are done by the day in CS; other departments work by the truck/assignment). So all CS will need to do is just compensate for the lack of manpower for those days.

I forget, @Maniakkid25 , did they not allow you to get full time? Or is there a reason other than that they're not allowing you to get that?

Oh and sorry for your loss, forgot to mention. A loss is a loss even if you weren't necessarily close to them.

[Maniakkid25]

I haven't moved to full-time yet. I've just been dragging my heels on that, but it doesn't help that this store doesn't hire baggers and cashiers for full-time, so I have to be promoted to a position I really don't want to be in, and I don't want to transfer stores just for that reason.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah, sorry for your loss. But dang really, 4 days you'll lose? That's a bit much, I suppose the travel warrants that but I'd thought maybe three at most, one to go, one for the funeral, one to return. Part-time so should have included bereavement pay, frick the system.