How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Newspaper

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.12.10
Current Song - Let's Groove (Earth, Wind and Fire)

Sometimes silence can be golden. I've often been that. When it comes to here, however, I'm not as tight-lipped. Once again, I was quite angry and posted something bone-chilling against the local newspaper. It just takes me a little while to realize that doing this over and over again isn't going to help matters.

What I posted is probably etched somewhere in history. Now I have to work my way back up out of that.

Hopefully we can agree to disagree on certain things. If we can agree on that, I would be more than willing to work alongside them (note: I didn't say "with" because I probably jinxed that). I would be more than willing to work alongside them if we can agree to disagree. If they choose to push me around, I'm not going to just lie there like a coward. All I'll do is just get back up again.

I guess the word is out: I can't work well with authority. However it takes a strong person to convince me otherwise, and still make me feel good about working in the high school sports world.

I Won't Bow Down

Cutter's Log - 0102.91.10
Current Song - Hold The Line (Toto)

It's nice to know I have some followers on here.

I was confronted by someone regarding something I wrote on here. A lot of it was just frustration and wondering. A week ago I wrote something about newspapers and wrestling coverage. I think it was this one that was troublesome:

"Basketball-oriented reporters simply do not know the basics of the moves ... If I want bout results, I will look at the box. Some reporters have a habit of not wanting to learn the detail of something new."

Apparently that didn't bode well with someone I know. I know this person is real good at wrestling. I was simply applying that statement to those who don't do a whole lot of wrestling meets: "basketball-oriented reporters." At first I couldn't understand why he had a problem with it. Then it hit: we're dealing with a newspaper that wasn't all too great back then. Now they are winning awards. I was told of one of them tonight.

Is this what they do to make people shut up? Say they won an award, so back off?

The readers didn't give out the awards. Executives from far away did. It's one thing to prove it to them, now can it be proven to the readership? Or do we all just not get it? Don't tell me about awards.

Oh, so now I'm the biggest tool in the prep sports scene? I'm a disease to businesses? I don't have people above me on any ladder telling me what to do, or what to write, or how to write. I don't conduct my work in the high school sports world wearing a business cap. I don't write with a survival slant, or a notoriety slant. If I did, I would have a much larger website by now. But I don't. I'm fine with that. I don't have anyone else to worry about except the high school sports world.

If I have a problem with something, am I going to write it on here? Hell yes.

I enjoy what I'm doing. I don't need to bow down to anyone.

Things looking good for NISB

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.51.10
Current Song - Red Red Wine (UB40)

17 new posters in the past 15 days. Much of it due to the decrease of popularity in the Illinois Hoops boards. I'm glad they came to NISB. Hopefully the rest of us can learn more about what's up their way, and they can learn more about what's south of them.

I say that because most of the new posters are coming from the northern part of the area, noteably Winnebago.

It's things like this that make me want to think about leaving the Shell station and putting focus on the website.

Conference Conferences

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.41.01
Current Song - Right Place, Wrong Time (Dr. John)



It's a fact: I get nervous when interviewing people like athletes and coaches. There's another group of people I get EXTREMELY nervous trying to interview. That's athletic administrators, principals and superintendents.

These kinds of people are sources for whenever a conference affiliation change takes place, such as what's happening with Rock Falls. I wanted to do something full-blown on it, but I decided not to touch it, except for writing about it in the Friday 5.

Here's Why:


Back in March, I had some trouble trying to find out an affiliation situation regarding the Lincoln Trail. The Aledo radio station tried to cover the meeting, but was shut out of it - a day before the meeting. The reason for the shutting out, according to the conference president, was pretty much a fear of being misquoted. I didn't quite understand this. So I tried to get some answers. I was pretty much told the same thing.


So I sent the president an e-mail. The response is to call him. Trust me, e-mail is so much better when it comes to these things. You can't use a delete button in a phone conversation. You can in an e-mail message.


That's not the real problem. The problem was that the meeting was supposed to be secret or something. Do athletic conferences NOT want you to know whether or not schools are looking at joining? What's not being told here?


Go back about 3-4 years, when I was writing a summer series on changes in many athletic conferences. I did one on an NUIC restructuring. Did the e-mail thing. Someone I e-mailed was apparently "uncomfortable" with answering the questions I had. So he directed the question to someone else. I can't understand what would be so "uncomfortable" about discussing a conference realignment.


When I do get the chance to talk, I have to introduce myself and what I do. When I tell them "I'm from Northern Illinois Sports Beat," they respond by asking my if I'm a newspaper. Apparently me not being a newspaper writer raises a red flag. It's like they think I'm the Perez Hilton of high school sports or something.

Thoughts to the "Out" Box

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.21.10
Current Song - I Saw The Light (Todd Rundgren)

I've got a bunch of things piled in my "In" box on top of my file cabinet: game rosters, game notes, programs, etc. I'm just now sorting it all into my file cabinet. The bottom of the stack is Kewanee-Princeton football stuff.

Not only do I have a box for the file cabinet, but today I have a bunch of things that need transferred from the brain to the blog.

One of my regular customers at the gas station, who is an assistant wrestling coach for an area high school, was talking to me one day about wrestling coverage in the newspaper. There was this quad one day and it didn't get a whole lot of press in the newspaper. The local paper didn't cover it, but another paper did. This led to the whole "basketball gets more press than wrestling" debate. I didn't take a stance, but I wanted to try to figure it all out.

I haven't made it out much to high school sports events this winter, and when I do, they are usually basketball games. I had yet to cover a wrestling meet all winter. One day I picked a good one: a triangular between Newman, Erie and Dakota @ Dakota. I did not cover it. I just wanted to observe a couple of things. I wanted to try to figure out what makes it so difficult to cover these events.

The first point was obvious: basketball is more popular. There were no reporters covering this particular meet, which took place on a Wednesday. I was listening to the local radio's sports news on the drive up, and they mentioned there were a few basketball games going on. I easily predicted the winners of these games, so they weren't going to be good. I came to the conclusion that the reporters are simply in a basketball mood throughout the entire winter season, and they would have to go out of their way in order to figure out exactly how to cover a wrestling meet. It's a big snowball effect.

Observation No. 2 may be unique to this particular meet, but because of the "size" of this one, I had to judge the book by the cover. There were no rosters available at the door. No big whoop, but it saves the reporter time so that he/she doesn't have to bug the scorer's table.

3. Basketball-oriented reporters simply do not know the basics of the moves. They know that when a wrestler is forced down onto the mat and continues to have clear control of the opponent, it is a two-point takedown. They aren't as educated in back points, the names of the moves, what a tech fall is, etc. Therefore, they will simply recite bout results. If I want bout results, I will look at the box. Some reporters have a habit of not wanting to learn the detail of something new.

4. There's no identifying mark on the wrestlers. Basketball players wear jerseys, and the ones you want to quote has been a familiar face to you for the duration of the basketball game. Wrestlers are only out there for six minutes. Again, no big whoop but just a small observation.

The four points above are really the reason for the whole debate. However, they only serve as a lead-in to the REAL reason. Space. Newspaper space has decreased, we all know that.


***
The wrestling coverage observations had me thinking just recently, what would the public reception be like if a new sports editor at a newspaper decided to give equal coverage to all high school sports? How would the basketball fans react?

Does the number of new subscribers due to the coverage increase outnumber the loss of subscribers due to the cuts in popular sports? I'm not sure if newspapers have tried this experiment. I would like to try it.

In June's NISB State of the Site Address, I will announce a plan for equal coverage. On the wrestling front, I would like to commit to Dvorak, PIT and the Bi-State, as well as Team State. Dvorak is easy because it falls on a weekday. If I'm still working at the Shell station, priority will be given to weekday events.


***
I hope to go the final day of Hononegah's MLK Shootout on Monday. Hopefully I am not working.

***
Speaking of work:

I will be putting in a 11-4 shift at Route 30 today. It'll be the first time I've worked there in nearly 8 months. I was only scheduled 24 hours this week. I gained two more on Tuesday afternoon, filling in for someone on a doc appointment. So there'll be five more today. Thirty-one hours this week. Not bad, considering I spent most my money on errands yesterday (insurance bill, plate stickers, oil change, headphones and batteries, stamps, and a new basketball scorebook).

Today will be challenging. I have Tech Zone this morning, followed by work, and followed by my first speech class.

On Thursday, I plan on going to the Big Northern Conference meeting. They are meeting to determine a new addition to the conference. That's at 1:00, and I want to go to the HBR-Newark girls game that night.

Friday morning will be spent in the Tech Zone. Then I'd like to see the DeKalb/Sycamore wrestling dual that night.

Back to School .... Back to School ...

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.11.10
Current Song - Georgy Porgy (Toto)

For the first time in 4 1/2 years, I took at class at Sterling High School. Actually, it was a Sauk class that was being taken in the school's Tech Zone. Graphic Design II.

I am a TZ alum, having taken Media Arts during my senior year. That was such a long time ago, and with the way technology had changed four years ago seems like the Stone Age. It took a while to get used to the servers and such. I had an assignment already, and that was to create a desktop background. It's basically an ID badge. Going through Photoshop took a bit of time, but there were some things that I remembered from last time.

The badge had to be redone a couple of times because I forgot to save the file in the correct format.

It was like going back to high school again. Now if I can just write neater notes in my notebook, I should be fine.

Resolution: Pick up pieces of the past

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.30.10
Current Song - Two Hearts (Phil Collins)

I don't get into New Year's Resolutions too often. I know that they won't last, so why bother doing it? It got me thinking, what is a resolution? Everyone says "lose weight," or "quit smoking," or "quit drinking, or quit this or that. A resolution is something you want to do that is somewhat attainable. Moving out of the house is probably not attainable yet, but neither is getting my degree (which is something I know I'm going to get). It takes some might in order to do it.

I'd like to scrap up the remnants of the girlfriend searches from school days, and repatch them together to finally find a solution. In other words, get a girlfriend.

Looking back, I'm glad I didn't get involved when I was in school. I don't think any of my friends have the same partner (save one couple) today that they had during their freshman year. It kind of made all of those failed attempts worth it. They now tell me, "Cody, it's not worth it." All of the girls I had crushes on are probably involved in a very strong relationship right now.

The problem back then was going a bit too fast. Something attracted me and I wanted to go right for her. Truely stupid on my part. I think what has to be done is to have one land in front me. Seems like a huge longshot.

New Year's Resolution

I made one last year, and that was to weigh less on January 1, 2010 than I did on January 1, 2009. About six months ago, I was going the wrong direction. From that point until now, I have lost 31 pounds, and still down 13 overall since a year ago. I'd like to keep that going for another 12 months. If I do that, it'll mean I'm looking at a goal of -60 from now to a year from now.

We lost our manager today

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.10.10
Current Song - Follow You, Follow Me (Genesis)

Mary is no longer at the Shell station.

It was a decision made by upper management. She has been grieving from losses of her son and sister in the past year. Certainly a rough year for anyone who has had similar feelings. It affected her focus a bit too much, and the plug was pulled.

Mary was a popular manager with the morning customers. She kept them coming back each morning, and that's where most of the revenue comes in. It will be extremely hard for them to realize that she's not there anymore. I can't imagine how customers felt after seeing a new manager in 25 years at Route 30.

I know how it feels to lose a real good manager all of a sudden. I was witness to Janyce's departure from BP over two years ago. That place has yet to recover. However, Janyce was up to par when it came to running the place while her husband was on his deathbed. Mary wasn't. I can understand that: no mother has to bury his son (ask my grandma about it). I feel that management letting her go was probably the best thing for her, as it takes a heavy burden off her. My best wishes to her as she moves on to a new chapter in her life.

Sheila, the manager at the Clinton Shell, will be taking over. She's been around the block here before and at the other S/RF stations. She's big on cleaning, which hasn't been our strong point as of late. It's already been a difficult winter for me, having to deal with all of this snow. I had a real bad New Year's Eve, and didn't get out until late. When it isn't as busy, I've found some time to get things done and get out at a decent time. I can only guess there'll be added chores.

Here's hoping the transition is a lot smoother than the one I experienced at BP.

We'll Go Dancing in the Dark, Walking Through Downtown ...

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.82.21
Current Song - That's All (Genesis)

Tonight's meeting of East End's evening coffee clatch brought up the topic about how Sterling has gone downhill. It's a common topic.

This time, we talked a little about the "old" downtown. Places like Fourth Street Methodist, the Lincoln Hotel, Emil's, Susan's, etc.

For those who remember these places, the word "businesses" is the synonymous word. To me, that word is "destruction."

You see, I was a five-year-old kid when these places fell to the wrecking ball. It was my first visual experience with things ceasing to exist. When you are that young, you think everything lasts forever. Then, "out of nowhere" there's a big hole in the church building. Then more buildings had big holes in them.

Pretty soon I thought every building would have big holes in them. My house, my neighbor's, the Synagogue, the old chiropracter's home, Wallace School, grandpa and grandma's house ...

I thought the whole town was going to be destroyed. Where were we going to live now??

I didn't say anything until the Wayne-Burdue building (in the other part of downtown) had holes in it.

"Are they going to tear down Sterling?" I asked either mommy or daddy.

(That building was actually being renovated)

It was extremely weird seeing these buildings just not there anymore. The KFC was where my grandma was an assistant manager. On a pre-school walking trip, we stopped at the Kastle for ice cream - and Mr. Fell of Fell's Barber Shop (remember "New Bosnia?") invited us all in and we each got a piece of candy. Eberley's Drug was a frequent errand for the family.

The specific area I'm referring to (if you don't know) is bounded by Locust Street on the east, Avenue C to the west, Fifth Street to the north, and Third Street to the south.

I found an online archive of the old buildings. It's from the Sterling Public Library's photo album. A lot of the pictures are of the library's new addition.

Work

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

My fill-in assignment at Dixon appears to be over. They hired someone.

I really enjoyed working there. Some of the things I learned there that I can bring back to my store include: making sandwiches faster, facing bills, and caring about the coffee.

This is why I like working at different stores. I get to learn things that can help me at my own station (see how). But the biggest thing I will miss about Dixon East is getting to meet a lot of new people. The customers there are more friendly than the customers who come in my store. I find myself not stereotyping customers there compared to East End. It actually made me look forward to working THERE, compared to my place.

I'm going to miss it there. I'm going to miss getting along with everyone there. Can't say that same thing about my place.

Call it the generation rivalry rekindled. I thought things were getting better about a month ago, but lately things have been going down a slippery slope. A bad chord was struck when it came to the super-regular customers. "Those people." Those people? You aren't going to talk to my regular customers, then I won't talk to your regular customers. Plus, I don't like talking to other workers about work gossip. I don't bring my personal life to work, I leave it at home. That way I don't let it get in the way of my performance, and my customer relations.

I'm doing just three days this week: Christmas day from 10:00 to 6:30 p.m. and the usual weekend nights. I'm working one extra hour on the weekend, plus the Christmas shift is a 2 1/2 hour extension of a normal shift. Holiday pay for me is $12.37/hour. I'm probably going to make just over $200 for the week, which is roughly $100 less than doing two stores.

So I'm going to go back on the floating block: One day a week at another store.

Computer is Back

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.32.21
Current Song - Hello News

Another virus came. Another virus gone.

Now it's time to get the website back on schedule.

Without a car

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.41.21
Current Song - Stormy (Classics IV)

I've been battling a cold/sore throat/runny nose/headache/cough, and just about the whole nine yards on a Nyquil bottle. I've been staying at home lately (aside of work) to try to make myself feel better. I don't think there's much out there as far as sports in the coming days. I can only imagine what's out there - rides to and from places only close by.

I'm working the nightshift up in Dixon tonight for the second time. Most of the sandwiches were made over the weekend, so that cuts out some time. The cooler isn't what I thought it was, so that's cut out. I think I'll be okay.

I'm off Tuesday and Wednesday all day. I'm working Thursday and Friday midshift, and the usual weekend close, along with Sunday afternoon at Dixon. There's a wrestling meet in Dixon on Thursday vs. Rocky, and that's about it. Hopefully I get the car back by Friday. I really want to go to Hononegah-Boylan on Friday night.

What was supposed to be a couple of days at Dixon has now turned into a month and a half.

Also, there's supposed to be some Christmas get-together of the store's employees on Saturday. It's going to be AT the store. When I'M working. My performance may be judged or something?

I hate Winter

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.01.21
Current Song - Deacon Blues (Steely Dan)

When I was younger I never really cared about how wet my clothes were. Now I can't go outside without trying to figure out how NOT to get them wet. This always ends up failing. There's nothing I can do about it, though. It's a texture thing.

We don't have a garage at home (well, we do, but it's filled with junk), so our cars are always outside. Mine and Chris's are out on the street, and they either get plowed in or snowed in. So we have to dig our cars out and try to get them over the pile of snow that's in the way of the street. It takes a lot of driving and reversing to do that. I got it out and headed to work in Dixon.

I get halfway there and my car starts to vibrate. So I think there's something stuck between the car and one of the tires. I clean it out and proceed to Dixon. The same thing happens. So I turn onto another road and it seemed to have cleared out. Now I needed to turn around and go out. I pull in a driveway, and put it in reverse, and I hear a bunch of clanging. I get the car back on the road, but I can't move anywhere.

I go to a house and call a tow place, and call work and tell them I'll be late. My car is towed back home and I get a ride to work. The problem, we think for now, is a broken drive axle on my front side. A rough estimate is $250 to get it fixed. It won't be looked at until Monday.

I feel like Greg Oden.

Of course, the stretch where I plan on covering things is the same stretch my car breaks down. So I'm going to have to come up with backup plans. I think I can get rides from my parents and my brother. Chris is going to work the Carson on Saturday, and I already told him to have me tag along and take some pictures.

I'm pretty much limited to Sterling, Rock Falls and Newman until the car is fixed. Absolutely okay for anyone, but most of the events are going to be yawners for me. A quick look at their sports schedules for the week shows there's not much excitement going on for the next week or two. Many away games, some absolute yawners, etc.

Wow! Been a while

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.70.21
Current Song - All I Want (Toad the Wet Sprocket)

My wall calendar is still on November - which should give you a glimpse of how far I'm really behind because of work and school.

Part one of class is now over with. I just took my Film final tonight. Half of it was to be done over the course of the week in the form of essay questions. I could only try to put together a mildly coherent thought as I was answering them. I'm making a guess at high D or low C. This leaves one more day left, and that's the Math final. I'll prepare for that all day tomorrow.

Because I've been spending a lot of time worrying about finals, I've been very slow at keeping up with NISB. I didn't even get a F5 piece in last week. Things I've been putting off are noe too late to be put up. Since school will be out of the way for the time being, I have more time.

Plus - I was able to reduce my work schedule to the point where I am off of East End for four days, but in Dixon on Wednesday afternoon. I'm working Friday afternoon at Sterling.

This means I have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights open - and possibly Saturday morning if I can muster it. I have four of the five Friday bits figured out so far, so I guess I'm doing okay.

Saturday afternoon - Carson DeJarnatt Wrestling Invite (hopefully a gamer)
Friday night - South Beloit @ Pecatonica boys basketball (gamer)
Thursday night - Bolingbrook @ Morris wrestling (pics) & Ottawa @ Morris girls basketball
Wednesday night - Rock Falls @ Dixon wrestling (pics)

... and hopefully I follow this.

What strikes my nerve

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.72.11
Current Song - Sweetheart (Franke and the Knockouts)

It's Friday afternoon, and both East End and Dixon East schedules are not made yet. That's really odd.

This is the kind of thing that irritates me. Not knowing my schedule until the last minute isn't good when I try to figure out what to do in my off days.

Plus, Dixon has to know what I'm doing in Sterling before they make their schedule. Yikes!

Doing What I want to Do

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.52.11
Current Song - Across the Universe (The Beatles)

Today was one of those days where I wanted to just walk out and leave.

After trying to get new pumps at our store, we finally got them last week. We were toward the bottom of the list for some reason (along with Walnut and maybe Davis). There were many times the credit card readers would not work. This was one of the reasons why I yearned for new pumps.

We got them. But the network connecting register and pump doesn't want to cooperate. That's just one problem: the other involves the collective consciousness of the store's customer base. Let's talk about the latter.

There's a certain procedure to operate the new pumps. 1. Lift up the nozzle. 2. Select the grade of fuel. 3. Wait for the pump to authorize. 4. Begin pumping. Sounds like any pump out there, doesn't it?

However, there are many older customers who seem to think that their own way of doing it is the only way it will work. To them I say, please understand the English language. There is a screen on the pump. "Please wait" means please wait. "Please wait" does NOT mean hold on to the lever, or lock it. "Please wait" is not directed to the gas that's coming out, but rather a direction to you the pumper.

If anything it made me more impatient having to walk this through the customers than the impatiences of the customers themselves. I darn near had a brain hemorrhage at the end of my shift. I think I pissed off many customers today, and even a few friends. I don't normally do this, but the emotions just kept coming back with each error.

During each period of calm, I tried to imagine myself following my dreams and escaping this joint. Then it would disappear.

When I got back home, I wrote something (with the Beatles' Across the Universe humming in my head):

"I want to fly away. I want to escape from the problems that are bugging me. I can't be frustrated many times. It's happened before.

When I get tense, I imagine myself accomplishing my dreams. I lose all focus of the present. The constant interruptions get annoying. I want to break free from the annoyance and fly away toward my dreams.

I am where I am because it contains a couple of things that I want: money and friends. I have made some money and garnered a few friends. But I'm still unhappy inside.

I want to fly away and toward my dreams. But what may be in my way? If there's something, I want to rid of it.

There are those who say it cannot be done anymore. That it's closed off to new people. But not if it can be re-revolutionized by my presence.

With each passing day I dream of new ways to enhance my dream. I dream of making new friends in thise quest and establishing a friend base I can always lean on in times of need. At least they can understand where I'm coming from.

Probably the biggest obstacle I have is the timing of this dream.

I'm 23 years old. I have a lot of life left in me. If something were to destroy my dream with plenty of time left, I'd have a life for not. Thus I can create a backup plan. I know what I can do. I can create new dreams based on the experiences of prior ones. It'll be a cycle, with each version being better than the previous one.

However, what I want now is something I want to do for the rest of my life.

I have the support. I will end up having the time. But will I have the fuel to accomplish my dream? And thus fly away from the problems that are in front of me?

I want to fly away. I want to be myself, and I want to enjoy doing what I want to do.

My dreams - here I come."

Nothing's gonna change my world.

It starts with some cutting back and preservation measures.

Clawing back

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.52.11
Current Song - Open Your Eyes (Doobie Brothers)



Another virus hit the computer. So I just got it back, and am in the process of trying to make sure this doesn't happen again.

I think this happened because of the long process of using HighSchoolSports.net's scheduling service. I wanted to create a master schedule of all of the NISB teams. However, the process ended up nearly crashing my computer and therefore letting a virus come in. So much for that project. So I went ahead and deleted my account with it.

I also deleted several accounts on websites that I don't go to anymore.

The Week Ahead

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.71.11
Current Song - Virtual Insanity (Jamiroquai)

I don't have class today due to Sauk's inservice. So that frees me up to go anywhere tonight. I'm going to the opening night of the Bureau Valley Thanksgiving Tournament. It is one of two new Turkey tournaments starting in the area: the other being in Rochelle.

I also have Wednesday open, as I usually do. I may wind up doing some website cleaning all day.

I'm working the Thursday midshift and get off at 5. I'm working the Friday night shift @ Dixon. I plan on covering Morrison's semifinal game vs. GCMS on Saturday afternoon, then heading to work afterward. I've already been okayed for a late start.

Pulling off another double-shift on Sunday.

I'm trying to find something for Wednesday the 23rd. I will be covering the final day of the Sauk Valley Shootout on the 28th.

---

I worked the midshift on Monday afternoon, and was unexpectedly asked to train someone. This was also inventory day, so it was absolutely nuts. I'm training her once more on Friday. So I get to train someone how to close a store that I have never closed before. How weird is that?

Work Never Ends

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.31.11
Current Song - Pray (MC Hammer)

I'm working today from 11-5 in addition to the usual weekend nights.

I'm working the mid at Dixon, and once again rushing to get to my film class. If I'm not working at my place on Tuesday, I'm going to see the debut of the Bureau Valley girls Thanksgiving tournament that night. Most likely working at my place Wednesday and Thursday. Working my first close at Dixon on Friday night. Doing Saturday night at my place, and once again going double on Sunday.

At least that's what I think I'm doing.

I know I'm going to write girls basketball previews this weekend.

This is the time of year I hate -- when sports and work collide.

Cards: What's For Sale

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

Information on the thousand-for-a-hundred set ($100)
Information on the other starter sets and certain cards

Just added:

Box of 64 super-star cards (including game used, rookies, couple of autographs): Book value nearly $400 ... selling it for $75.

Or just take the entire collection of available sale items for $400.

Wednesday Free Day

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.11.11
Current Song - Biggest Part of Me (Ambrosia)

Today is Veteran's Day: I'm going to use this day to buy five of the Veteran's Cash scratch-off tickets. I really only buy scratch-off tickets during holidays.

I'm also going to be registering for spring classes at SVCC today. I have to do it through an advisor because of a prerequisite conflict. I was suggested to take ART 231 in SHS's Tech Zone, but a requirement for that class is a lower level one. But I was given "consent of instructor" to take it. After I get that registered, I'll have to call the TZ and create a class time. Once I create a class time, I'll then pick which speech class I will take.

Once my spring class schedule is determined, I'll create my custom work schedule for the semester. The semester ends on December 8 and begins January 11.

Really that's all I have planned for today. I'll be going to the Morrison-Orion football game on Saturday. I'll also have to find something to do for Tuesday the 17th, because we have no class on that night. I may get started on the F5 today.

As far as work is concerned, I'm expecting a 5-day check tomorrow and a six-day check next Wednesday.

Other Stores

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

I finished my third day at Dixon East. I'm not going to be needed for the rest of the week, and I don't know the possibilities of the week after. I'm going to assume that they'll get someone hired by then. So I'm going into today thinking I've worked my last day there.

I found the experience working there a great one. I don't know if that's how the others feel, though. Personally, I've learned a thing or two from the way they run things there, which I can carry over to my own store.

1. Mystery Shopper - I have NEVER been that fond of the whole Mystery Shopper thing. Sometimes I think it's only out there to ruin employees. I was that lucky person seven times. I passed 6 of 7. The one I didn't pass was a November one. We never had that at BP, and I kept saying, "have a good day" after every customer. That soon changed to "we'll see you later." I've passed "shoppers" that way.

Apparently the correct salutation is something in the tune of "stop in again." I tried saying that early on at my store, but it felt very awkward after saying it. Especially because I get the same customers over and over again. So I started saying that. I'm going to retry this at my store, and see if this still feels weird.


2. Facing Bills - Someone please comment on this one and explain this to me.

I never face my bills. Here's why:

Take two pop cans. Put one on the table and ask yourself if that is a pop can. Now, take the other can and flip it over and put that on the table, and ask yourself if that is a pop can. Do the same with five-dollar bills. Put one on the table right-side-up and ask yourself if that is a five-dollar bill. Now, take another five-dollar bill and flip it over and put it on the other bill. Is that a five-dollar bill?

I've always thought this was some sort of OCD thing. After looking up the whole phenomenon on the Internet, I found out that banks HAVE TO have their bills upright. The money we get in the register goes to banks eventually. Facing them before entry in the register cuts time.

Now, banks have to have it that way. But people? I guess it depends on how much flexibility one can handle. I have found myself able to have a TON of flexibility, do I consider this a talent?

Another thought on this: if you keep doing it, does it really get contagious? It's like I'm being forced to change to accommodate those who can't count as quick as I can. And another: I don't face my coins.


3. Sandwich making made easy - I had to make 24 salad sandwiches the Sunday afternoon I was there. I don't make more than six in a month at my place. After looking at the list of sandwiches I nearly gasped. That was until I was shown how to make six of them at a time.

I never made sandwiches until a few months ago. I now make them as needed, which isn't often.



I changed my salutation to "we'll see you later" after finding out "see 'ya" didn't work. That was a pickup from Route 30. Another pickup from Route 30 was the amount of money per drop. Theirs is more than ours, and I have found that a more confortable way of dropping.

Ripped?

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.01.11
Current Song - Ah Leia! (Donnie Iris)

Advice on finding plagarism: If you suspect plagarism has occured, please make sure you've read the piece first.

Really.

I did a take-home essay for my film mid-term about a month back. I was to discuss a significant moment that lighting was used well in a scene from Citizen Kane. I was also to do the same about a camera angle. The way I looked at this - it was 1/4 of the whole mid-term. Something that large had to be well-done.

So I rented Citizen Kane and played it in my DVD player. I was armed with a notepad and the textbook (and I think popcorn and pop). I watched the entire movie and paused, rewound and fast forwarded to try to put together some good notes. I then took the notes and wrote five paragraphs to answer the two questions.

I took the mid-term the next night. I couldn't answer any of the other essay questions because I had only seen the movies once and couldn't find a way to rewatch them. So with the other essay questions not answered, and this one completed, the instructor called me into his office. He thought I ripped the take-home essay from elsewhere. Apparently it was only supposed to be two paragraphs.

So I explained how I wrote it and showed my notes, all while rolling my eyes behind his back. He then read it, and saw that the piece had a poor amount of film vocabulary, he then knew it was not another product.

Problem rectified = 68%, which was "good compared to the rest of the class."

NOW ...

There was a 50-point paper due tonight. I never did it.

It was supposed to be a critical analysis paper on the film I did a review on: De Sica's Bicycle Thieves. I got as far as the prewriting stage. I found things to write about, such as why the onlooker of the theft acted all "ho hum," the double-life of the thief, the similarities of the movie's opening to the casting of the film, and the whole "distruption in a church" thing. These were the main points and I had to try to find something to string them together with - which is something I can pretty much do in my sleep.

However, my plan for the paper was not one of the suggested ways to write the piece. After finding this out, oh a couple of days ago, I was back at square one and dead in the water. I had to work (more on that later).

With the realization of this analysis piece not being turned in, and the suspected "ripping," somehow I think I'm going to relive this moment next week.

For the record, I did complete a 25-point review of a review (Ebert on Freddy Got Fingered) earlier in the semester, and the 25-point review on Bicycle Thieves. I have also aced every quiz we have taken thus far.

I'll just have to see how this plays out.

"The World According to Mister Rogers"

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.70.11
Current Song - Praise You (Fatboy Slim)

The book I'm reading right now is called "The World According to Mister Rogers." It was a book I got for my 19th birthday, but never really read until now.