Thank all the Gods we are almost half way through our assignment at Amazon.
I have Bobbie's cold - just not coughing my head off like she is and so far have been able to work anyway. This was a tough week as they we worked 5 - 11hr nights - do I need to remind everyone this is hard physical labor?
We all did our best and did manage to work that extra night as it meant an extra $360 between the 2 of us. After all we are ONLY here for the $$. I can't say I was very effective the last 2 hours or so - but I was there, I hit the wall - as we say here - and hardly knew what I was doing minute to minute.
Last year we worked the extra days near the end of our assignment in shipping, and we were way too tired - couldn't even work our normal 4 days the next week. Hopefully we can make it OK and they won't make us do it again - the outbound group should pick up big time next week. We are inbound (receiving & stowing).
Managed a quick trip to our favorite chiropractor, Dr Steve Chapman, here in Independence KS Fri and today - Sat it's laundry and grocery shopping - what a life!
Thanksgiving week this coming week and we don't know if they are going to ask/tell us to work an extra shift Thurs or not. If we have it off we will probably go to a casino near here for dinner.
Time to get the housekeeping chores done for the week.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Amazing Amazon.com
We all started work Oct 25th on the night shift, the 1st week was light 2 - 5hr nights, then 2 - 10hr days. For the most part we all felt pretty good for a bunch of "old farts". The new shoes are working great, the feet don't hurt; NOW if there was something to make the lower back pain disappear we would all be in heaven!
Our countdown started with 32 working days (without overtime days), and now that we are into our 2nd week we have only 27 working nights left as of today Nov 2nd. Thankfully we are scheduled for only 4 - 10hrs nights this week, because next week is 4 - 11hr nights. We keep our spirits up with the daily countdown and knowing the $xxx amount of money goes into the bank account every night we work.
It's like the Little Engine that Could "I know I can - I know I can".
I don't have any pictures of the areas we are working in this year - but I'll post a couple from my library so you can see the some of the massive operations.
A view of the conveyors in shipping
Bobbie and Jim are working on the receiving line, where they scan into the computer every item that comes off the delivery trucks, put it into a plastic totes and send it downline on the conveyor.
Bill is currently stacking those totes on wooden pallets, shrink wrapping them for safety before a mobile fork lift truck takes them to the areas where the items will be stowed. Later this week Bill with be driving the "PIT" vehicles, he certified on 5 different pieces of equipment - so we will see him zooming all over the facility beeping his horn soon.
Bill driving a PIT vehicle
I am stowing the stuff, and belive me it's an amazing amount and variety of items. Amazon is now carrying directly used books for those of you on a budget - I am always impressed with the supply of books. Stowing the big down coats are a pain because they are so bulky and take up a whole bin, but again the selection is extensive. And don't forget about all the kitchen items, toys of every type, automotive stuff etc. They are also handling a line of perfumes and makeup (I don't know what as I haven't worked in that area yet), the Bebe line of shoes and clothes - fairly high end and high fashion; and the Lacosta line - again high end shirts etc.
I stow on 1-4 floors of "mods" these are heavy duty units obviously, the PIT vehicles bring the pallets loaded with totes and lift them up to whatever floor we are working on - we stow them them into the appropriate bins by scanning each tote, then each item in the tote is scanned into a specific storage bin. Sometimes we walk for quite a bit to find an empty storage bin,
The pickers come along behind us - and pick the items that have been ordered put them into totes - all properly scanned of course - and send them onto to a shipping group. The management can track a specific item from start to finish and everyone who has laid a hand on that item.
This company was built by computer geeks, is run by the same and automated to the max. They can change direction, staffing, whatever on a dime; we can get one set of instructions at our twice daily meetings (standing of course), and a completely different set of instructions at the 2nd meeting. That's one of the reasons they are so successful and profitable. Of course the marvelous workkampers they hire really contribute to that success for the Holiday shopping frenzy.
So shop away my friends - keep us busy!
Our countdown started with 32 working days (without overtime days), and now that we are into our 2nd week we have only 27 working nights left as of today Nov 2nd. Thankfully we are scheduled for only 4 - 10hrs nights this week, because next week is 4 - 11hr nights. We keep our spirits up with the daily countdown and knowing the $xxx amount of money goes into the bank account every night we work.
It's like the Little Engine that Could "I know I can - I know I can".
I don't have any pictures of the areas we are working in this year - but I'll post a couple from my library so you can see the some of the massive operations.
A view of the conveyors in shipping
Bobbie and Jim are working on the receiving line, where they scan into the computer every item that comes off the delivery trucks, put it into a plastic totes and send it downline on the conveyor.
Bill is currently stacking those totes on wooden pallets, shrink wrapping them for safety before a mobile fork lift truck takes them to the areas where the items will be stowed. Later this week Bill with be driving the "PIT" vehicles, he certified on 5 different pieces of equipment - so we will see him zooming all over the facility beeping his horn soon.
Bill driving a PIT vehicle
I am stowing the stuff, and belive me it's an amazing amount and variety of items. Amazon is now carrying directly used books for those of you on a budget - I am always impressed with the supply of books. Stowing the big down coats are a pain because they are so bulky and take up a whole bin, but again the selection is extensive. And don't forget about all the kitchen items, toys of every type, automotive stuff etc. They are also handling a line of perfumes and makeup (I don't know what as I haven't worked in that area yet), the Bebe line of shoes and clothes - fairly high end and high fashion; and the Lacosta line - again high end shirts etc.
I stow on 1-4 floors of "mods" these are heavy duty units obviously, the PIT vehicles bring the pallets loaded with totes and lift them up to whatever floor we are working on - we stow them them into the appropriate bins by scanning each tote, then each item in the tote is scanned into a specific storage bin. Sometimes we walk for quite a bit to find an empty storage bin,
The pickers come along behind us - and pick the items that have been ordered put them into totes - all properly scanned of course - and send them onto to a shipping group. The management can track a specific item from start to finish and everyone who has laid a hand on that item.
This company was built by computer geeks, is run by the same and automated to the max. They can change direction, staffing, whatever on a dime; we can get one set of instructions at our twice daily meetings (standing of course), and a completely different set of instructions at the 2nd meeting. That's one of the reasons they are so successful and profitable. Of course the marvelous workkampers they hire really contribute to that success for the Holiday shopping frenzy.
So shop away my friends - keep us busy!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Hey Toto - we're back in Kansas
We had an uneventful trip from NM to KS via Amarillo TX, Norman and Quapaw OK and Branson MO. We utilized the casino parking at both stops in OK one was with no hookups the other had electric and water - both were free.
I really wanted to go to Branson and when we got there I was so tired that I couldn't decide on a show so we just relaxed and enjoyed the campground.
Lake at the SKP campground - just outside our front door
Bobbie and I did get a pair of shoes for our work stint at Amazon at the Easy Spirit outlet in Branson. Jim, Bobbie and Bill did not care if we went to a show or not; so maybe during a later stop in Branson we will try again.
Show Theater in Branson
Driving off into the fog - AGAIN! Seems we drove in fog for days
Since I am driving the little car I don't get to nap while Bill drives the truck and rig - it's a real bummer and I do get tired. The big advantage is to have a great gas mileage vehicle to do all the local driving when we stop. You should see the 4 of us climbing in and out of the car - it is such a hoot that we named the car the "clown car" or CC for short. We look like a bunch of clowns - all we need is a little white face makeup some colorful clothes and big shoes to finish off the "Look". Hummm sounds like a good picture idea - we'll work on it.
Beautiful Fall Colors!
We arrived back in Coffeyville KS Oct 18th and it was our good furtune that a couple we had worked with at KOA was already here managing a campground. We called Susan a couple of days out and she reserved 2 spaces for us. Thank God for that because this campground is dry and has full hookups. The park we were in last year was very soggy, downright muddy in many places and the open sites still had no sewer hookups so we would have had to deal with the honey wagon 3 mornings a week. That's not fun when you have just gone to sleep!
It's been a lazy week - touring around the area, checking in at the employment office, eating in and out and doing a little grocery shopping. We invited another couple to join us at Kings Table in Dearing KS for lunch Sat and they fell in love with the quaint restaurant also. Homemade soups, breads, fillings, pies and cakes, with speciality coffees and teas also available.
Kings Table restaurant in Dearing KS
Old time gas station in Dearing - check out the chimney behind the station
We all got our requested shift - Sun - Weds nights 5PM - 3:30AM in the receiving department. This leaves our weekends free to visit the local fairs and festivals which we missed last year.
we went for orientation, safety training and to see our work area; then it's 8 weeks of long hours, hard work (physically), lots of moaning and complaining about sore this and that! It's a good thing the money is worth the groaning.
I really wanted to go to Branson and when we got there I was so tired that I couldn't decide on a show so we just relaxed and enjoyed the campground.
Lake at the SKP campground - just outside our front door
Bobbie and I did get a pair of shoes for our work stint at Amazon at the Easy Spirit outlet in Branson. Jim, Bobbie and Bill did not care if we went to a show or not; so maybe during a later stop in Branson we will try again.
Show Theater in Branson
Driving off into the fog - AGAIN! Seems we drove in fog for days
Since I am driving the little car I don't get to nap while Bill drives the truck and rig - it's a real bummer and I do get tired. The big advantage is to have a great gas mileage vehicle to do all the local driving when we stop. You should see the 4 of us climbing in and out of the car - it is such a hoot that we named the car the "clown car" or CC for short. We look like a bunch of clowns - all we need is a little white face makeup some colorful clothes and big shoes to finish off the "Look". Hummm sounds like a good picture idea - we'll work on it.
Beautiful Fall Colors!
We arrived back in Coffeyville KS Oct 18th and it was our good furtune that a couple we had worked with at KOA was already here managing a campground. We called Susan a couple of days out and she reserved 2 spaces for us. Thank God for that because this campground is dry and has full hookups. The park we were in last year was very soggy, downright muddy in many places and the open sites still had no sewer hookups so we would have had to deal with the honey wagon 3 mornings a week. That's not fun when you have just gone to sleep!
It's been a lazy week - touring around the area, checking in at the employment office, eating in and out and doing a little grocery shopping. We invited another couple to join us at Kings Table in Dearing KS for lunch Sat and they fell in love with the quaint restaurant also. Homemade soups, breads, fillings, pies and cakes, with speciality coffees and teas also available.
Kings Table restaurant in Dearing KS
Old time gas station in Dearing - check out the chimney behind the station
We all got our requested shift - Sun - Weds nights 5PM - 3:30AM in the receiving department. This leaves our weekends free to visit the local fairs and festivals which we missed last year.
we went for orientation, safety training and to see our work area; then it's 8 weeks of long hours, hard work (physically), lots of moaning and complaining about sore this and that! It's a good thing the money is worth the groaning.
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