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Al and I are thrilled that you have found your way to our blog. We hope you enjoy reading our journal and viewing our photographs of the natural wonder of our United States of America. Let's hit the road together!
Homer, Alaska

Friday, December 6, 2013

They Just Keep Coming...

Tote after tote after tote after tote, that is!

(photo courtesy of Amazon)


I really am sorry! I know many of you like to read about the Amazon experience, but quite truthfully, after working a shift there, one really doesn't feel like sitting down and writing about it :-)! This year, my feet are doing fine, but my fingers and forearms are getting very sore and stiff. I'm working a new department this year, called single toys. The single part is accurate, however, we don't pack just toys...although we do pack many many toys! In this department, it is orders of single items only, larger than a gift card, cd/dvd or small book...those items are packed somewhere else, called VDF. One item, one box. I'm on the slower side of packing, averaging between 60 and 70 boxes an hour. Yes, my over-achiever status from the first season has fallen by the wayside...I am at the point of being happ doing a correct, quality wrapped package rather than speeding through everything. Even so, that is quite a few boxes made, taped, packed, surrounded by cello (airpacks) taped again and put on the conveyor to shipping. I do like Single Toys department very much. The managers are very nice, the full time workers are nice and helpful, the music (generally) isn't too bad or overly loud, the packing carts are much bigger and neater, and the equipment (generally) is in working order. There's fatigue mats to stand on while working, which makes a huge difference in how your feet and knees feel.

Unlike Crisplant, the multi-item packing plant I've worked in before, the items come to you in totes, rather than you bringing the cart to the packing chute. When I first started, Singles wasn't as busy and we quite often found ourselves being shuttled off to other departments to help. But now, it's like the item faucet has been turned on full blast, with the totes coming one after another after another, seemingly never-ending. The march of the green and yellow totes, all attesting to the thriving market of American consumerism. Ah, I shouldn't be that way, after all, it provides me with a seasonal job and I also am a user of Amazon, quite often as a matter of fact :-). As a full-timer, it is so convenient to use their Prime service, and have my brand of toothpaste delivered to me wherever I am :-). If you missed the "60 Minutes" segment on Amazon last Sunday, you can watch it here, it was pretty interesting

It is cold and raining from winter storm Cleon as I woke today. It could be so much worse, but we are forecast to have lows in the teens for three nights after these storms pass through. I am so not looking forward to that. What happened to my flip-flop strategy??

So, anyway, just wanted to give everyone a quick update on where we're at...we're alive, relatively well, looking forward to getting back to the warmer weather in Florida :-).



14 comments:

  1. And warmer it is...85 right now :) Sorry. I know you will be happy to get here!

    Amazon Prime is my favorite thing and when those drones start delivering right to my campsite, I will be in 7th heaven :)

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  2. Thanks for the very interesting tour and explanations. While I often order from Amazon Marketplace, I didn't realize it did so much business. Heck... those folks who bad-mouth Wal-Mart will be on Amazon's butt next if they get wind of all that happens there. Say... Amazon doesn't have free overnight parking do they? ;-)

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  3. Sounds like you guys have definitely gotten busy. Over in Inbound we are starting to run out of work in the afternoons. We got calls yesterday cancelling our mandatory OT for today, and I was ok with that. I had forgotten how nice it was to have three days off. Our time here has been good but we are looking forward to getting done.

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  4. We are looking forward to working there next year. It is nice and warm here in Florida, 85 today. Hope it lasts!

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  5. We watched that 60 Minutes segment the other night and thought of you two. Sorry to hear about the cold temps. We've been in the Keys for almost six weeks now so 65* sounds kinda chilly to me. Merry Christmas!
    Syl

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  6. Well I've done my part in ordering this year and amazon has cut my orders into pieces, some of which are single items so maybe your very own hands are packing my order. Now that would be fine! I see everyone likes Prime but I find that the things I buy usually don't say they can qualify for Prime shipping. I assume that only the things with prime mentioned qualify. So it seems not helpful to me given what I order. Two bad since two day shipping sounds nice. Hope to see you when you get to Florida. Weather's fine down here or at least on the East coast by the water.

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  7. Everytime I think about or see the word Amazon, my feet hurt! I know you're counting down the hours. We leave for Florida Tuesday. Hope to see you there.

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  8. Well, you are coming down the home stretch!!! Know you will be glad to pack your last box and be heading to Florida:o))

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  9. Not much time left. Hang in there. Florida and its warm temps will be here.

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  10. Survival mode. . .reminds me of Christmas Season at the Post Office. . .just ducking the head and plowing forward. . .ugh! Bless your heart. . .hope the time goes quickly!

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  11. I wasn't aware this icy mess had a name! Now I can hate it on a more personal level. LOL ...... 2 more weeks!

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  12. It is cold in PA too..Neil & I are still working hard at our jobs. We are also looking forward to some time in Florida…hope to see you soon! Hang tough!

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  13. You have music at work! Oh wow, I'll have to give Amazon some thought for next year.

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  14. I had no idea that they name winter storms. You are almost done and on the road! It is time for warmer climates.

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