My, how our world has changed. Needless to say, the aftermath of our world with Covid is markedly different from what was… to what is. Huge changes in the workplace are those that are most noticeable to me. Empty offices across our cities are the norm. Employees forced to work from home have taken to this trend and prefer to continue on like this. Many workers have just left their jobs altogether. Now, I am not one to pass judgement either way but I too became somewhat spoiled. Being closed for four months during the lockdown and then deciding to only open three days a week for the remainder of 2020 and throughout 2021 really turned out to be a game changer for me. My business numbers were excellent! My customers got used to our new hours and Thursday, Friday and Saturdays were constantly busy. Every normal full five day business week condensed into three days. Sure, some people found the hours inconvenient, but we made it work.
I started working in the retail industry when I was 18 years old. I graduated from several labor jobs and a decent stint as a grill cook at Roy Rogers(I made fabulous Roast Beef sandwiches) to a counter position at the Pep Boys Auto store across the street. How great was that! I loved cars and got discounts on parts for my 1975 Pontiac Firebird. Bottom line, I’ve worked retail hours for forty two years and for the first time in my life, my healthy life, I had four whole days a week to just chill. It was fabulous! No…Glorious! Christmas time was different. It was always seven days a week from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. Usually, twenty seven days in a row. Longer days, hard work, super stressful. It was very tough going straight from a three day to a seven day work week. This 2021 Christmas was another extremely successful season. A very successful year. One month of crazy I can handle.
During this time, the boys were thriving too. Nick had a tremendous year that would land his handsome face on a full page bio in Philadelphia Magazine as one of the top 80 Real Estate Producers in Philly! An amazing feat for such a young guy, as he was noted to be one of the youngest of the top producers. Very proud! Joe was also moving forward. Covid proved to be a big factor in his decision to hang up his skates and pursue other ventures. For many years he worked summers detailing cars after his seasons around the hockey world. He became an expert in the detailing craft and often worked at shops in towns where he was playing hockey for extra cash. In 2021, Joe decided to move to Ohio full time and live there with his girlfriend Kara while she finished her Batchelors degree. He would take a management and hands on position at a new detail center there. Things were moving along well for him. Lor was back to her status quo as the Library Chair in her school district and working her butt off in a new world as the education game had changed in stride with everything else. I was feeling a bit guilty with all of this action going on. Starting in 2022, I would start opening four days a week!
Dr. Luger was happy to see me for my January appointment. It was officially three years, almost to the day, that we first met. My situation was a bit dire then. Now, we were riding a wave of success that only a Cancer survivor can appreciate. Especially me. I’ve ridden too many of those waves. My lab reports were again, consistent and completely normal. I told her that I was increasing my work week by twenty five percent to four days a week. Boy was she impressed! Lol! I have to say, I have had the best collection of Oncologists over the last twenty five years that anyone could ever ask for. I owe them my life. Dr. Luger is one of them. Let’s hope that my current situation lasts for a long time to come and she doesnt retire too soon. Now, I need to handle this four day work week. I am not complaining, but after twenty one years of taking Chemotherapy medication everyday…it has taken a toll on me. Having four days off a week was nice. Oh well…LFG.
Next up: Big Changes