After the disaster that was last week, I did some thinking over the weekend, and I came to the conclusion, that I am simply not ready to be the one who closes the warehouse. It was way too early to give me that responsibility, which I told my boss today.
I relayed what happened last week, and I told him straight up, that it was way too early for me to be able to close by myself, and that I required more training in order to do that. Ease me in to the whole closing routine. I also need my other coworkers to play ball with me, and make sure that I take over something that isn't a total dumpster fire. By 4 pm, we need to have everything packed up, so I only have to focus on the remaining few orders.
My boss was very understanding, and told me that he heard a similar story from one of the other people that work there, so we both agreed that I need more training. Now, I'm gonna be trained properly, this time. Maybe in a few months, I am ready to have the responsibility of closing up shop, but until then, it's business as usual
You know, one of those days where you've wanted to quit on the spot.
Today was one of those days.
We have something at work called innight. It's where all the next-day orders are packed and shipped at around 5 pm. It's separate from the other orders we process, and they usually being picked after noon. There are two types of orders: Customer orders and stock-orders. Customer orders are self explanatory. The stock orders are for overflow or just for stocking up at the various garages. On a busy day, we get perhaps 40 innight orders, however today was different. We had 40 orders by 10 am, and they just kept coming. My boss is on holiday this week, so I run the innight show. Sometimes I wish I didn't.
It got so bad, that we only focused on the orders for customers - stock orders had to wait. If we had the time to pack stock orders, we would pack those as well. Spoiler alert: We didn't have time for those, so they are waiting for the morning shift.
We have been told time and time again, that stock orders would stop coming - but they are still coming in. I will give credit to the new hire. He did a fantastic job. I just hope tomorrow and Friday will be different.
And just to clarify: No, I am not quitting my job anytime soon. They will have to fire me, which isn't going to happen any time soon, thankfully.
For the past 25 years, I have been eating very unhealthy food. Lots of fatty dishes, with no vegetables at all. My burgers are huge, with lots of bacon and cheese, with no lettuce in it at all. I scoffed at the mere suggestion of lettuce in my burgers, going so far as to say "are you completely insane?", when I was asked if my burgers had any sort of healthy stuff in it. I can feel my health being worse, even if I walk a lot at work. I don't sleep much, and my daily sugar intake is alarmingly high. I'm amazed that I aren't diabetic at this point, because.. Well, it's bad.
My current weight is 96.2 kilos, or 212 lbs, and my height is 178 cm, or 5 ft 7 in, which is giving me a Body Mass Index of 30.4, which is obese.
So judging by that, and the fact that my heart races after climbing the 2 flights of stairs at the train station when I leave for work, I think it's time to get rid of some of my weight. I am aiming for 20 kilos, or 44 lbs.
First step is to cut out sugary soda completely, but that will take quite a while, since I get very cranky when I don't get my sugar and caffeine. I could drink caffeine free soda to begin with, and gently cut back until I am completely free of the sugar/caffeine grip. I also need to eat more vegetables, so I think I'm gonna start doing that from next week. That gives me enough time to find good recipes with lots of vegetables in it.
It's gonna be a struggle for sure, and a battle that I am determined to win!
Wish me luck
I am typing this on the final day of the month, September 30th. Tomorrow, on October 1st, I am starting fresh with more healthy eating. To do that, I have bought a few ingredients that - hopefully - is gonna take me down a path of more healthy eating.
Change will not happen over night, but over several months. I don't expect to be a changed man tomorrow, just because I have started eating more salad and vegetables. The first thing I have to stop eating is chips. I eat way too many of them, but they're an easy thing to eat, but not very healthy or filling, so they have to go.
The next thing on my list: stop drinking so much soda. Switch it for water or flavored water. This step is undoubtedly going to be the hardest step, because I'm addicted to coke. Not the powder, but coca cola. I have been drinking it for over 35 years, so kicking the habit completely is going to be VERY hard - but very rewarding, in the end. Hopefully that will see an improvement on my overall body, as well as on my wallet. I bought 5 crates today, which sat me back 565 kroner, or about $80.
Every day at work, I drink 4 cans. The plan is to slowly bring that number down to 0. Some people might be thinking "What about diet soda? Isn't that better?".. I have heard somewhere that diet soda is worse than regular soda, but I am not sure if that's true or not. I might have to ask a nutritionist about that.
But - starting tomorrow, I will begin my quest for a healthier lifestyle. It's gonna be hard, but rewarding in the end!
About a month ago, I published a blog, where I essentially said that I wanted to be more important at work, because I felt that I deserved it.
A few days ago - it happened! At first I thought I was in trouble, because he opened up with the classic "I need to speak to you in an office, privately". My mind raced, thinking I was gonna get fired. However, it was not the case!
We have had a temp worker for the past 2 months whom we are hiring, so my job is about to change. I was given the key to the main gate, and I was told that I was gonna be in charge of closing up the warehouse when my shift ended, essentially replacing the current person who does that, which is my team leader, and I will have our newest employee under me, doing my job. What it means, essentially, is a promotion. I am not sure if my pay is going to be higher, or if it's the same wage, but what I do know, is that hard work pays off!
I, for one, am thrilled!
My current living situation is this: In a house with 8 other people.. Well, 6, now that 2 have moved out, but usually, we're 9 people in this house. For the past three years or so, I have been wanting my own place, so I signed up for a few housing companies, to register my interest in a 1- or 2 bedroom apartment. I would like a place that's not too far from where I work.
On the housing companies websites, you can see your place in the queue, when the last bill was paid and when the next bill is due. Payment is yearly, and the amount is 165 dkk, or about $24. I can sign up for pretty much any apartment complex in their catalogue, but I have picked six complexes, that I would like an apartment in.
So, how far away am I from getting an apartment? Let's break it down, shall we? Four of the complexes are where I have lived before, so I know the areas well. One of them is my childhood complex. I am number 970 on the list, down three places since yesterday. Not a bad start.
The next complex is where my mother moved to, after her and my father divorced. This particular complex is split into 2 different "divisions", so to speak. In the first division, I am number 628 in line for a 1 bedroom apartment, and 1096 for a 2 bedroom apartment. In the second division, I am number 529 in line for a 1 bedroom apartment, and 925 for a 2 bedroom apartment.
Up next, this is where my mother and now-deceased stepfather moved, after they wanted a garden. There are two types of apartments there: Row of flats and apartment buildings. The row of flats has a garden, while the apartment buildings doesn't. I am number 1137 at both places.
The next complex is where my mother, brother and aunt live. Fantastic apartments, close to pretty much everything. I am number 542 in line for a 1 bedroom apartment, while I am number 828 in line for a 2 bedroom apartment.
The final complex is one I haven't lived in, but I once had a friend who lived there. I am number 539 in line for an apartment there.
So to answer the question I called my blog: How long until I'm getting my own apartment? Quite a while. The first complex I mentioned, the average waiting time - average - is about 30 years, since it's extremely popular with families, because of a primary school that was located on the other side of the bike path. That school burned to the ground back in 2019, so maybe people are moving out and are finding a place closer to a school. Before the school burned down, three primary schools existed within a fifteen minute drive.
I did the math - if I continue to move down three places on the list every day, in 323 days I will be offered an apartment there. IF that happens - and it's a VERY big if - I will say yes immediately! It's where I grew up, and my other aunt and uncle live in that complex, so it would definitely be a great thing if it happened. There's a Lidl close by, so grocery shopping would literally be a 10 minute walk away.
But - I am not expecting anything to happen for at least a few years. The thing about waiting lists, is that everything can change from one day to the next. Tomorrow, I could be number 2500.. We'll see when I get offered a place to live in either of the complexes I have listed above. I will keep you posted!
Sisu. Noun; White knuckled grit and determination!
I saw a trailer many months ago for a Finnish movie, where one man absolutely eviscerates a Nazi, but I never got to see it in the cinema.
Today, I bought the movie through Blockbuster, and gave it a look. What a movie!
The story of the movie is very simple: During the last desperate days of World War II, a solitary prospector, played by Jorma Tommila, crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word "sisu", this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. No matter what the Nazis throw at him, the one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back - even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path
The many ways he kills said Nazis are VERY creative. We're talking landmines to the head, stabbings, shootings and various other means of disposal.
Now, with a description like that, you'd probably guessed by now, that it's a pretty violent movie. Think Quentin Tarantino levels of violence, and you get the idea.
Lots of blood, but no guts. Well.. Some people meet their end at the bottom of a tank track, so some guts are on display, however they are very well camouflaged because the soldiers wear black clothes. A very clever way for the filmmaker to add graphic details without actually showing them.
As a movie, Sisu is VERY well shot. One shot in particular left me stunned. The acting is also pretty good, but the villain is a bit.. Well, wooden. But I suppose that nobody wants to play a truly brutal Nazi SS officer on movie.. Well, apart from Pilou Asbæk in Overlord. My lord, that was grim!
If you are looking for an extremely violent, but also decently funny movie, give Sisu a view. It's about two hours long, but it doesn't feel like it.
10/10 - highly recommended!
On today's episode: Decorations!
My birthday is nine months away, so it's time to start buying all the decorations for the party. We're talking flags, buntings, cups, plates.. Pretty much everything that needs to go on the walls or on the tables. I need a special type of tablecloth, that is reusable. I found one online, which measures 51 by 70 inches, or 1.3 meters by 1.8 meters. I need three of those, and they aren't expensive at all.
The next thing I need are foil curtains. I also need three of those.
My entire shopping list is as follows:
Tablecloth
Foil curtains
Balloons
Red solo cups
XL cups
Stars and stripes serviettes (or napkins, for you Americans)
Cloth buntings
Garlands
Party tape with American flags
Small flags on picks
Big flags
I also need a costume for myself, but luckily, the birthday is pretty far away, so I don't have to think about that at the moment. For all the decorative things, the total cost is 1473 DKK ($211.50, €197.50). A part of me just wants to buy it all tomorrow, and just get it over with. Once I am done with decorating, it'll be the best thing you have ever seen! It's gonna be legendary! One of those parties that people will remember, even after ten years. After fifteen years. After 25 years! It's gonna absolutely rule!
Today, we had our monthly cousin-get-together, and the conversation fell on my 40th birthday. Her husband and her are pretty much obsessed with the US, so they have an Uncle Sam poster hanging, as well as other USA stuff. I looked at it and went "Hang on, I want to make it a themed party", so guess what: The theme is going to be USA, so I need to find out what to make for food.
Forget the huge shopping list - I need to make three or four things. Sliders is definitely gonna be there, and so will hot wings. I am also thinking of adding hotdogs to the list as well. The sides are potato salad, regular salad, mini baguettes and cornbread - if I can make it.
Let me know what else I could possibly make. Bear in mind, I have to make food for 30 people..
I also need to find a lot of decoration, and I mean a LOT! We're talking tablecloth, balloons, buntings, confetti, large flags, small flags, hats, solo cups.. It's gonna rule!
Helium for the balloons is also on the list, which I can get at local party stores. Or - I might just do it the old fashioned way - with my own breath!
Last but not least - I need a costume for the party. I have my eye on a few that I would like to get.
The next big party coming up is Halloween, and I already have my costume for that
I am currently in the process of listening to every episode of a show called The Casual Criminalist. It's a true crime show, where the crimes can be horrific. Each episode is about a new person, and they detail the crimes they did. It's not for the faint of heart, and some of the crimes are just down gruesome.
One episode was about the Dunblane massacre, where a lowlife ended the lives of 16 children, aged between 5 and 6, and their teacher, while injuring 15 other people.
That episode left me shocked to my core. Who on earth decides to end the lives of 16 children aged 5 to 6? The lowlife did us all a favor and ended his miserable existence right there, but still. Something MUST have snapped in order for someone to slaughter 16 innocent children..
Today, my day started out pretty normal. I had breakfast, brushed my teeth and left for work, like I usually do. However, at about 9.30 am, I was suddenly hit with a specific sense.
You know that feeling when nothing you love to do makes you happy? The sense of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness? It was like that. I had a google at what that could mean, and it's some of the symptoms of depression. I'm not saying I suffer from depression - yet - but I will suffer from it if I continue to listen to true crime podcasts 9 hours in a row, because that's what I did on Sunday, while I was playing truck simulator games.
So I have made a decision: No more true crime podcasts for at least 6 months. I will find something else to listen to. Luckily there are millions of songs to consume while I am playing truck sim games.
Ah yes, the inevitable 40th celebration draws close. Only 309 days to go. It's time to plan for that evenings shenanigans!
First up, securing a place to throw the party. I had my mother book the party venue where she lives, so that's nailed down. I just need to pay the 1800 dkk security deposit, which should be due sometime next week. Once that's been paid, the next stage of the planning begins: Inviting people. So far, I have invited 23 people, 24 with me. Some of the people I want to invite does not have a Facebook account, so I am estimating that 30 people will be there, so I have to order food for that amount of people. I need to make sure that there is enough for everyone to eat. Even if we're not 30 people, I will still order that much food. Nothing worse than running out of food halfway through meal service. I am in touch with a catering company that can provide me with food for 30 people, at 129 dkk per person, so I am looking at 3870 dkk for the food alone.
I also need soda, beer, wine and alcohol. The beer is 744 for six crates plus the fee on the cans as well. 24 cans per crate, that's 144 extra. 744 for the beer alone. Then comes the soda. I need six crates of coke as well as six crates of various mixed soda. Six crates of coke for 744, the same price as the beer. The other six crates of mixed soda is 447 dkk, meaning that for the beer and soda, I'm looking at 1935 dkk. Then I need wine and alcohol.
Wine is relatively cheap, at around 70 dkk for a boxed wine. I need five of those. That's 350. I also need bottles as well. I am not really a wine guy, so I don't know what I will have to pay for that. I do know that I need seven bottles of red, and seven bottles of white. They usually have an offer where you can get six bottles for 350 dkk, so let's go with that. That's 700 dkk for the wine. I then need the rest of the alcohol. One bottle of whiskey, priced at 177 dkk, three bottles of rum, priced at 100 each, so that's 300 dkk, one bottle of champagne priced at 500 dkk, one bottle of licor 43, priced at 120 dkk, two bottles of Malibu rum, priced at 110 dkk each and two bottles of bacardi rum, priced at 100 dkk each. Adding all that up, I'm looking at 2667 dkk for the wine and alcohol.
Then we come to snacks! Nothing fancy here - just the cheapest I can find. I might just go for ten bags of various chips. One bag is about 15 dkk, so that's 150 dkk in total. Next up is the party sticks. No party is complete without party sticks! Two packs of those, priced at 17 dkk each. I also need a load of candy and chocolate. I expect to pay about 500 dkk for that.
Then, we come to the final expense: Coffee! I think six bags will be enough. Luckily, they are 25 dkk each, so 150 dkk for that.
Now comes the grand total. I'm almost scared to add it up.
With the venue, the food, the drinks and the snacks: 9306 dkk for everything - spared no expense. 9306 dkk is $1367. The price can be more or it can be less. This is just a rough estimate.
I also need some confetti cannons, but they are pretty cheap. 59 dkk each, and I need 10 of them. I can buy one each month, so it's not something I will add into my budget here.
The party is gonna rule, and I can't wait!
It's not to become leader of a country, though. I feel someone else might be WAY better suited for that than me. If I ran a country, I would mess it up instantly. Although, I do seem to have quite a good thing going for me in Government Simulator.
I might hear you ask "What is Government Simulator?".. I'm glad you asked. You see, Government Simulator is a is a simple economic and political simulation game based on real-world data, so technically, the game is pretty close to what happens in real life if you implement the changes.
The last time I played, I tried my hand on fixing the USA.
I implemented some of the things that we have here in Denmark, to see how that would fare in the USA according to the game. I was quite surprised.
Here's a list of things I have done, and the effect it's had:
40 hour work week
Legal minimum restricted work age: 15. Unrestricted: 18
Hourly minimum wage: $15.40
Unions allowed
Retirement age for both men and women: 66
Abortion allowed
Guns not allowed
12 month maternity leave after birth. An additional 12 months entitlement to exemption thereafter
A 100% health insurance reduction. Essentially it's Universal healthcare
Strict punishments for crime
No death penalty.
Very strict punishment for pollution
35% income tax, 50% corporate tax. 2% property tax, a 1% fuel tax, a 15% alcohol tax and a 75% tobacco tax.
Total income is $2.872,22 billion.
Total expenditure is $2.2.497,22 billion
Surplus: $374.71 billion.
The debt is $10.465,91 billion
Approval rating is 91%
It's important to stress out, that this is a video game, so it might not be accurate. But, the game runs on real life data, so some of the things might be real.
But that was a detour - time to talk about my ambition.
You see, ever since I was told I would be a great supervisor, I have been thinking: What if I end up being a team leader? Or a trainer? Or a supervisor? Maybe even a boss? Sure, the pay is better, but the amount of responsibility I would be getting is insane. Lots of things to do, people to manage, schedules to plan, phone calls to take.. I have seen how many phone calls my team leader gets on a daily basis, and it's quite a lot. IF I was given the option to become a trainer, I would gladly take it. I enjoy teaching new people about the systems, give them small hints or straight up tell them my favourite way of doing a task. Like, for example, how to pick the best way manually.
So yes, my ambition for my job is to become more than just a regular employee. I want responsibility. I want to be more important, because frankly: I deserve it. I have been pulling extra hours this past month, and I'm already sort of training our new temp workers. I'm gonna have a word with my team leader when he's back from holiday on Monday.
Speaking of my place of employment: I have been there one year today! I started as a temp worker on August 8, 2022. Time really does fly..
online today!Philipsen Blog (559)