The Year's Final Touches
Another evening at home alone last night . . . I came relatively close to watching a movie for review on Amazon, but that got chucked out the window when I discovered Katy Perry put out a new album this year—on fucking August 28! How the hell did I not know this? I only learned it yesterday because Hayley asked me to participate in a new video sing-along she's going to work on, apparently with a slightly modified version of the lead single from that album, "Never Really Over."
Hayley sent me the link to that lyric video, for me to use as practice and then sing to a capella using headphones by January 11 (we'll see), and I kept thinking, I don't recognize this song. What gives? Well, turned out she had a new album! I mean, it sold abysmally, it turns out, which might be a big part of why I never heard about it . . . I bought it on iTunes immediately anyway. And while it doesn't come close to comparing to her breakout 2010 smash album Teenage Dream (none of her follow-ups have, and what could?), it's at least better than her last album from 2017, Witness. I immediately listened to it three times. If I manage to listen to it even three times today (still iffy, but maybe), I will have to retroactively update my "Top Ten Albums" pf 2020, already posted on Monday.
And I listened to it while putting the finishing touches on the "2020 at PCC" email I sent out early this morning, right after getting out of bed—last night I even had to restart my work computer in order to get the few more select work email addresses I wanted to send this one to. I wound up asking Steven via Facebook Messenger for Terry's personal email address now that she's retired, and that was waiting for me this morning as well. After sending the email this morning—which has already gotten a lot of very positive response, including the "Customer Feedback Hall of Fame" I tacked on to the end but did not include in my blog post version—I also shared, finally, the "2020 in Ten Minutes" video, to Twitter, Facebook, and even Instagram somehow allowed me to post it directly to that platform without any copyright complaints (so far, anyway). And then, of course, I also posted it to this blog as usual and as always. I always love those videos once they're done, and it's gotten a little bit of response on social media as well.
Even before closing out the evening with the final touches on year-end projects and listening to a new album, though, I finally finished watching the Hulu special Gabriel and Lea had me start right after we had finished the Dina Martina Christmas Show: The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special, which was not only far better than I expected, but was probably my favorite holiday content-viewing of the entire season. It was so good, I may bookmark it to re-watch next year. I really loved it: delightfully raunchy and blasphemous, but imbued with sentiment and heart that deceptively gave it some real depth in certain moments.
And now, I've just got to say, I sure am glad I have tomorrow off, and that the work day is closing early at 3:00 today. Half the office is taking PTO either all or most of this week, including both Cathryn and Steven—and although Cathryn has backup people in the Deli department who can step up with POS issues I would never be able to figure out, Health and Body Care, especially today, has been a different story. I don't blame Steven for this at all; he remains in the unenviable position of having been promoted to HBC Merchandiser without getting any replacement hired for the position he ostensibly vacated, leaving him to juggle all responsibilities for both positions. They have brought in a store staff person to help him with certain reports and receiving discrepancies (thank God I don't have to pick up the slack on that), but that's just a small portion of what he should really be getting help with. And I've had to figure out fixes to several HBC data issues this morning, making me take a lot longer to work on the Grocery stuff that is supposed to be my priority.
At least all the POS people go home at about 3:00 themselves. Whew! If they have any issues tomorrow, however, they're shit out of luck. Oh well!
[posted 12:34 pm]