Most interesting work week EVER!!!

sweety, i do not know how old you are but you don't look over 30 and those blood pressure reading are going to take you before your time.
EVALUATE your life. I know that a job is like gold right now, but maybe it is time to find something less stressful. I can imagine that sales is high pressure, no sales = no money.
Are you taking water pills or anything from the doc to get that under control? That ish could give you a stroke! Please take care of you!

I'm 26, but I don't work on straight commission, I just work for a bunch of dinosaurs in a big corporate dreadnaught.

As of now, I'm taking TwinLab Blood Pressure Control, as well as supplemental garlic and magnesium. I also purchased two books on Amazon about reversing hypertension without prescription drugs.

I am also looking for a less stressful job. I have the BBA now. I can't help but feel absolutely crappy at work. I get these sharp pains in my head and my limbs feel all tingly. Then I check my blood pressure, and it's so high I feel like I should draft my will now.

Ari, you are a heart attack/ stroke waiting to happen. You need to find another job quickly. Those readings are in the dangerous level. Girl, we need you around to tell off the jokers that come in here and bash. I hope you find something less stressful soon.

Wow... my friend isn't 30 yet and she has diabetes and hypertension too. I had high blood pressure when I was pregnant, but it hasn't been an issue since.

I am not a believer in a lot of the holistic medicine out there. I see a lot of it as either fad or scam. I know holistic medicine exists but I think you need to see a real shaman sp? to get it. I am not a pill popper either. I have lupus and I refuse to take all of the drugs the doc wants me too. I only take one pill a day for a neurological condition that I have because that drug keeps me balanced and able to get through the day.

I do to. Granted I don't like the idea of growing old and being grouchy like some of the people I have to deal with, but I don't want to kick the bucket now! My husband said he didn't even care if I got sacked, just as long as I'm still alive. I am on the prowl for something more normal!

Ari-----I can't help but agree with your husband. It would be much better to have you alive and poor than dead. At the risk of sounding like your mother I am going to say that no job is ever worth risking your health. I was your age and had an extremely stressful job. It paid excellent money and was like a dream control. I worked there one year and ended up being hospitalized with depression, anxiety, you name it. I was eventually fired for my attendance. I couldn't function because of the depression and couldn't make it to work or be on time. I will say they had an extremely rigid attendance policy (3 occurences during a year, which could mean absences, being 30 seconds late, etc. Use those up and you were fired) It drove many people to insanity (almost). Take it from me---the money was not important.

see Lorri I couldn't work like that. i have not had to punch a clock in years. that would stress me out!

What you have just described is the exact situation I am in with my job. Chasing my tail rapidly to be on time and driving myself crazy doing so. I have no beef with management or anyone I work with, it's the callers. I am one more push away from telling them to f-off.

I was just listening to "always look on the bright side of life" in LessIsMore's music archive. It really does put things into perspective.

Ari you really need to take care of yourself. You need to find a different job, that one is killing you. I hope things get better for you soon.

Ari, I'll be praying that you find something else QUICK.

You can't be jeopardizing your health for any job. I was about to lose it at Matt. Firm a couple months back. And from what I hear, it's not getting any better. I got out of there just in time. Apparently it's one step below Hell over there.

Have you thought of doing some sort of an office/admin type job? Or even security...Check and see if there is a Guardsmark branch nearby..If so, I can get you a very excellent reference from the branch I worked for..

Ari, I too had a job when I was 22 that almost killed me. I lost a lot of weight, worked 7 days a week, answered phones for a "help desk". It does not get any better. Just worse. People talked down to me and I would go home so mad and tired that all I could do was go to bed. My blood pressure shot up, and I was losing weight at the time due to stress. Didn't make much sense. I mean, rapid weight loss. Just a very unhealth situation. I would come home, and go to bed and get up at 3:00 the next morning and start again. Every day of the week.

You have no life when you put yourself into a job like that. It takes away from your personality and happiness at home. I didn't have any. All you have is your job. I was mean to my family and I just could not help it. It was killing me. Literally. Please try to find something else quickly before you really harm yourself and your family emotionally. It's not worth it. Flipping burgers or being a waitress would leave you less stressed out.

Thanks you guys, I really appreciate your support. Todays my day off and I'm chilling. I may also do some online job hunting.

It's so funny. When I applied and interviewed for my job, I thought to myself "This is where I need to be when my degree comes. This is a big corporation, it's perfect!" and I was doing cartwheels when I got hired. Now, when I'm there, I just want to hang myself with a telephone cord because in seeing what I'm seeing, there is not future there. This corporation wastes perefectly good talent! I've met people who have been there over a year, also have Bachelor's degrees, but because they are not "Yes people" they are still hanging at the very ass-end of the food chain. Then they also go ahead and write people up and sack them over penny-ante things. I feel that this company is cannibalizing itself!

And they wonder why morale is low and turnover rate is high.

Big business has no clue.

And the bigger they come, they harder they fall. West is huge! They have an annual sacking rate in the thousands! If they want productivity and growth, then what the hell are they doing?

What they are probably doing is micromanaging their budgets and business to death. I've been there: Sprint PCS. That's all they did there was manage us down to the second, and complain if we spent too much time with a customer. "Oh, I'm sorry - I'm NOT supposed to fix their issue, just sell them MORE features that won't work until I resolve this problem? Duh....OK!" It was always funny when every three months we would receive memos on how to explain why we were ranked as the worst cell phone company in the biz if customers asked.

Losing that job did not make me sad. I am so much better now.

Right on! There is no need for that! What you have just described doing for Sprint is precisely what I am doing for American Express and it is a farce! They think that by selling them protection plans that are basically useless, I am actually helping them? Come on!

Oh Ari..
I'm sorry. I hope things pick up for you..Yep, you need a new job..And you need to take care of YOU!
For the record, I am an enormous believer in Holistic healing. This is a subject very near and dear to me...Nope, I won't preach to you, but a kinesiologist or nutritionist can make you feel wonderful!
When my Dad was first diagnosed with cancer, he was given 6 weeks to live. He and my mom went out to Phoenix, my Dad was determined to do whatever he could..He saw a medicine man. He died 18 months later. You never know...

I'm sorry to hear about your father. That's a tragedy.

I have applied for some good positions now that I have graduated. I've also changed the diet. I also concur with you that prescriptions are not always the answer. The drugs they prescribe for blood pressure are expensive and not always effective. I'm just not going to go in that direction, depending on pills is not living! There are natural resources I can turn to in correcting this. But I do realize that my first priority is to change jobs.

Ari-I agree,you need a new job! You might be surprised how much your health improves too. After I lost my job,thought it was the worst thing to happen,but the stress was gone and my health improved. I'm not sick all the time like I used to be,course I was in contact with alot of people,too. I found out there is NO job worth risking my well being,whether it be physical,mental or sriritual. Hope everything works out for you. :D ...Karen

Honestly, changing your job might be the answer to your health problems.

Has to be. I feel at my absolute worst when I'm there. On my last day, I should parade through the office with a Karaoke machine singing "Take this job and shove it" and maybe I'll sing "The Lumberjack Song" and after that I'll take requests.

Now thats the TICKET! Kick their butts and take names! And say "ARI HAS LEFT THE BUILDING".

No, what I would do, is in the last 10 mins of your last day, TOTALLY wreak havoc on the phone lines. Tell those customers just exactly what's on your mind. LOL

Oh I fully intend to! I'm going out with a bang, and when I do, just watch as my blood pressure fizzles down to 120/80

Yea for Ari :D I would tell all the customers exactly the oposite of what they tell you to tell them,then give your bosses name and direct line to all that have problems and qyuestions :lol: ...Karen

You do activations right? You should say, "Activate your card?? Me? Do it for you? Well what do you think I am? Your MOM? Do it yourself and quit bothering me, I'm trying to pluck my eyebrows."

I was thinking that very thing Jess! I was thinking that on my last call, I'd jerk him/her around for a bit, and then say "Wait a sec, I don't want to activate American Express cards! I want to be....A LUMBERJACK!" Then I'll go into song "I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok..."

LOL That would be HILARIOUS! You'll need to find some way to record it...lol

I felt that same way as Ari when I quit my "help desk" job. I didn't give out the wrong info, but I sure as heck didn't put any thought or effort into what I was telling people. I was a serious burn out.

Ari-find you a lumberjack hat and boots,then march through the office singing you song,then when you get a customer,start singing it and ask they if they have a camera phone and you would like to send them your picture to gowiththe song.Everytime someone gripes about something,burst into song :lol: ...Karen

Novel idea Karen! I can just hear how that will go:

"I think this line of credit is too low."

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok...."

"And this interest rate is too high"

"I sleep all night and I work all day..."

"This call is too long"

"I cut down trees, I eat my lunch, I go to the lavatory..."
"I don't want to pay the annual fee!"

"I put on women's clothing, and hang around in bars..."
"I can't find the signature panel!"

"I cut down trees, I wear high heels, suspendies and a ****. I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear papa..."
"Why do you have Customer Service in India where they can't speak English???"

"I'M A LUMBERJACK AND I'M OK....."

And now it's time for a Spanish Inquisition!

[color=Red]****Adult term removed - Jason[/color]

lol at Ari-Head 'em up,move 'em out boys-time for the inquisition-we can be like thos flying monkeys in Wizard of Oz :lol: ...Karen

I'm so psyched about this job interview that I have tomorrow that today's reading is 188/127. I'm afraid that when I complete the interview, if I get offered the job I will drop dead where I stand! What am I going to do about me?

Ari..
I think once you have a different job, that WILL take care of YOU!!
Good luck with the interview, I have my fingers crossed for you!
BTW..I will never be able to watch another Python movie without thinking of you. My husband has a vomiting Mr.Creosote doll sitting on the dash of his truck..I got it for him for father's day..LessIsMore gave me that idea!

Ari-good grief,girl,you better take care of yourself with that reading!I know alot of my health problems in the stress area took care of themselves after I lost my job,I think yours will too.Good luck on your interview and remember to breathe :lol: ...Karen

Thank you! I have been running rings around this because this interview is with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and this could change my life!

Ok, I went to the interview, it went well, but I'm disappointed. It's another f'ing COLD SALES job with a crappy base pay! WTF! What is wrong with this town? There are no real jobs! I feel like I just took out all those student loans for nothing. I might as well just stay where I am because at least I can afford things. This is just so rediculous! The job posting said that the annual salary is between $30-40k so why did they lie? I got so excited for nothing!

I'm sorry Ari.
Don't give up..Something's going to come along.

And trust me..I know all about the waste of student loans. I have a useless philosophy degree. All I can do is HR!

Thanks fins! My husband gave me some alternative advice to online job hunting that I think may be valuable.

Your degree isn't useless! You're on my editorial staff! I'm still waiting from three other writers to date.

Ari.. those BP readings are more than high, some of those are potentially life threatining. If those readings continue u should see a doc asap adn may need meds. DO Not Mess around with it. please. I had a friend a few years ago who did and he had a stroke at 28. Take care of yourself

Thank you JJ, I hope your friend is alright. I am taking preventative measures for the blood pressure. I did change my diet, still exercise, but now I also take supplemental magnesium, garlic, coq10, flaxseed oil, and essential amino acids. I also stopped using caffeine and ibuprofen. I have two books on the subject of lowering it without presecription drugs. I was on an ACE inhibitor three years ago, it didn't work.

Ari..
Does caffeine raise your blood pressure? I didn't know that...

Ari---you don't smoke do you? How have your BP readings been?

That sucks about your interview, Ari. :( I hope you find something different soon, I worry about you. :) Just keep digging through the classifieds and something will turn up. Does the school you went to have a job placement department? That was a huge benefit to mine, I can call any time up until I retire and they'll help me find a job.

Ari-tha's pretty sucky about that interview :evil: But that is not the job you were meant to have-I really believe that what ever job you are meant to have will come,and nothing will stand in your way,if you aren't meant to have it,nothing you do to get it will work.So your perfect job is waiting for you to find it!!Good luck...Karen

I should talk to my school about that...

No smoking here, and caffeine can raise blood pressure. I hope to god youre right about that Karen, thank you!

My school has a specific lady that deals with placement..She works with the recruiting dept, except she helps get us jobs. It's an awesome benefit if your school offers that...They don't actually GET you the job, but they do all the sending out resumes, making phone calls, making appointments, etc. Especially since you're working, it's hard to get out there and LOOK for stuff.

Well, well, well, the inevitable finally happened. Something I said was taken way out of context and I got the axe. They did me a favor, I was about to crack anyway.

Ari-they have dubbed me the Spam Queen here.,so I am declaring you do nothing but relax,have some fun and laughs,at their expense,of course,a blow a raspberry at them :lol: ...Karen

Next time my best bud JT needs a ride to work, I will gladly escort him so I can do a drive by mooning!