I'm back, but probably not for long

[uberreiniger]

This new job keeps me busy. It looks like you'll be seeing a lot less of me on LJ than you might be used to :( Sorry about that, but I'll try my best.

The first few days have been not too bad. Lots of tedious training modules along with some training on the registers and receiving. I'm afraid of winding up the odd man out on the management team; they all really love sports and going out drinking and then... there's me. It's kind of like working in a frat house really, and they're the kind of people who all socialize outside of work. But they seem very happy to have me working there, so hopefully that will remain.

Something noteworthy. On the module on opening the store, they listed turning on the store's Muzak among the steps. Now if you have ever stepped inside a store of the company for which I work (herein after referred to as VOID CIRCLE PHARMACY to protect the innocent,) then you know they have the most horrific muzak you could ever hear outside of a doctor's waiting room. I'm just amazed that in their own material they actually call it "muzak." I would think they'd call it something awful like the Shopping Experience Soundtrack or VOID CIRCLE PHARMACY RADIO or something of that nature. But no, they admit it is muzak.

And I am a little frightened by what is considered "muzak" these days. I always thought that for a song to be muzak it had to meet two criteria. 1) To not have been recorded after 1983 and 2) To be so bleak and weepy that it makes you want to give a slow sensual blowjob to a shotgun. And our company's muzak does do that. All the expected players are there: James Taylor, Jim Croce, that weepy "Cat's In The Cradle" song. But "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan? Granted, it's a downer of a song, but it's not "muzak" is it? Someone thinks it is and that makes me sad. And "Downtown Train" by Rod Stewart? COME ONE! That's a great song!

If I had it in me I would find out who is responsible for these attrocities and write them an angry letter. But alas, they're already so vain they would probably think that letter was about them wouldn't they? Wouldn't?

Comments

[stitchedsutures.livejournal.com]

I knew the end was nigh when I heard a KISS song being parodied by Muzak back in 1997 at my then job.

I had to ask about three people just to make sure that I was hearing what I knew I was hearing.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

Muzak remakes are one thing. Hearing the actual song as muzak is another animal entirely.

Best muzak remake ever: "Losing My Religion" by REM.

[duendegrrl.livejournal.com]

I considered the occassional good song on the Void Circle Pharmacy playlist to be a gift from the Gods while I was working there.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you worked there.

[duendegrrl.livejournal.com]

I did, back in Davenport. I was a photo girl for a while, and also a clerk. I always liked the mechanical aspect of the photo business. It's fun fooling around with the machine and the film and all that.

[germsama.livejournal.com]

Guh. We have Muzak where I work, too. It gets even worse after a week, when you realize the muzak playlist almost never, ever changes.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

Ours varies, however at least twice an hour now we get the same Olivia Newton John song because we're selling her new cd to raise money for breast cancer awareness... which is certainly well and good. I'm just thankful it's actually a pretty song or this would get old very fast.

[duendegrrl.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I remember only hearing repeats once or twice a day. But day to day it was mostly the same. MUCH better than B&N, where songs repeat every hour or hour and a half. GAH!

[arphaxaad.livejournal.com]

When I was at Toy Store 2, we could choose CDs from a small list of titles that the company wanted to promote each month, plus 2-4 "store favorites" from the product on the shelves. Being the MultiMedia guy, I got to choose the music, which was fortunate. The unfortunate bit was that all we sold was children' music.

I really like Trout Fishing in America.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

Was Kidz Bop on your playlist? That would be horrific.

[arphaxaad.livejournal.com]

there were similar offerings, yes... and those were usually chosen over anything Barney related....

[elvinborn.livejournal.com]

Just think of it as Muzak getting better rather than assimilation of perfectly good songs. And it's all good so long as you don't have to listen to Yanni all day.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

Or John Tesh. At least I can be glad I dodged that bullet.

[elvinborn.livejournal.com]

oh gods forbid anybody should have to listen to John Tesh for ANY portion of their day. *shudders*

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

We had fun too. Thanks for hanging with us.

[rustie25.livejournal.com]

I am so glad to see you back and posting! I love your kitties, but mels post with the pictures has been the top of my friends list since thursday...its nice to see something new!
I like muzak....but I am weird. I find it peaceful, and I can sing along with the songs. I wouldn't mind a muzak cd for my classroom. I wouldn't have to worry about lyrics that might push my kids to bring guns to school and shoot all the girls in my room...which would be the teachers. *sigh* Is the world crazy or what?
Great to see you back!

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I brightened your day :) See, I would think muzak would make people more likely to initiate violence on account of how depressing most of it is. I mean surely all those offices that get shot up by disgruntled employees weren't blasting Ludacris over the speakers.

Oh well, I'll try to update and comment as much as I can. We'll just have to see how it all goes!

[raihaannah.livejournal.com]

You are now going to be working with these people day in and day out. Trust me, you do not want to socialize with them any more than you have to.

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

That's always been how I've approached things. I guess if you have no friends at all outside of work it's okay, but I have a lot of people I want to see and none of them work for my employer.

[darkemoone.livejournal.com]

Bah, I've been awful with keeping up with the people I care about lately. I'm finally getting a few minutes to catch up.

Anyway, I'm so glad you got a new job. Even though you're babysitting warehouses a little as well, I hope that it's at least more fulfilling than the last one you had. On the bright side, at least there's no more Spummy (though, sad for us for the lack of Spummy stories).

Anyway, I hope that you and Mel are well. Have a splendid day!

<3

-Astra