ok, maybe i didn't time travel ... but i may have entered an alternative dimension

i have been collecting evidence at my new digs ... you know, figuring out how things are run, how best not to make waves and so on and so forth. as i told you, there was the first clue of the congratulatory bulletin board (only happy shiny workers make happy shiny congratulatory bulletin boards). then, i've encountered the follow strange alien behaviors.

1. i explained that i will be taking a novel writing class on monday nights and i asked that, when possible, i'd like to be given the earlier shift so i don't miss my class. i even said that i wouldn't mind missing a class or two if i had to, just that i'd like to have the early shift on as many mondays as possible. i also offered to work the later shifts on all others days whenever needed, to compensate for any inconvenience. the assistant manager immediately took out her pencil and began erasing and rewriting my schedule to accomadate my needs. crazy, no?

2. i told the assistant manager that i had a doctor appointment and that i'd like to work 9:30 to 5:30 so that i could leave in time to make my evening appointment. she said it was no big deal and began to change my schedule in the schedule book. then she looked up at me and asked, "would you like to work 9:30 to 5? you can just take a half hour lunch and that way you'd have more time to make your appointment." indeed, i could use more time to get to my appointment on time. i gladly accepted her offer.

3. i realized i had a class visit scheduled on my day off, so i asked if i could switch and have my day off some other time. this was not a problem. then, the teacher called and cancelled her class visit. so i asked if i could re-switch my day off back to the original day it was scheduled for. this was easily accomplished. i thanked the assistant manager and she encouraged me saying, "whever you need to change the schedule we'll try to do whatever we can."

wow. such friendly reasonableness. i love reasonableness! i mean, they're acting as though the schedule is something that's just written in pencil and can be erased and re-written at whim! oh wait, it is.

oh how i heart it here ... let me count the ways.