Losing my Confidence @ my new job

My first week at work, but not much progress at all.

I am actually doing the side of marketing I don't like: i.e. calling people up and convincing them to advertise with your paper. What's worse, out of all the few hundreds of calls I've made, 60% has rejected. The remaining 40% has requested me to email over our media kit and advertising prices, which I've done so, only to finally getting a reply that they are running low on budget; or they have already laid out plans for advertising for the rest of the year; or will put us on file for future advertising consideration. In the end, I got nothing. I am really really keeping my fingers crossed for CAE to reply with a YES. They are the only ones whom I've talked to who are seriously interested, and will definitely advertise with us if their costing is OK and their top management decides to go ahead.

My focus for the paper will be EDUCATION for now, until further notice. I have been calling the zillion of institutions here - universities, private institutions, TAFE etc... I'm either researching, or calling. And cuz the June edition is pushing dateline and we haven't got enough advertisements, that is why calling and getting sales is so important.

Haven't been very productive. Especially for someone like me who doesn't like to sell, or even talk on the phone. Sigh... I really wish when I get back to work next week, I will get some results...

My work desk...
The entire day I will be facing my computer screen, phone in hand, scribbling notes in my notebook, and referring to my rate plan... YAWNS

I am still not a morning person... After all these times when I was working at the restaurant with no early mornings, it kinda suck that I have to be at work at 9.30am in the city for 3 days now. I mean, 9.30am, as compared to other companies starting at 8.30am or 9am, is not so bad, relatively speaking. In fact I like later starts cuz before long it will be lunch, and afterwards time just whiz by. However, I have to wake up at 7ish so that I can at least make myself presentable (cuz i can't just simply drag in with my jeans, t-shirt and converse shoes like I always do when I work at Sozai). And then it's the same story of rushing for trains and then wrestling the mad morning rush. ARGH. I still don't like office hours!

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On Wednesday morning, I went back to my old house at Elsternwick, and together with Rich and Charlton, cleaned up the entire place. Literally scrubbed the place down. Even cleaning down the places where we haven't been cleaning for the whole time we were staying there, therefore it is so dirty it was quite disgusting. We have a choice to either clean the place ourselves or hire someone to do it professionally but pay like $200 ++ for it. Rich has decided to only pay for carpet cleaning, so we got to do the rest ourselves.

We also cleared out all the remaining stuff. Many of them were rubbish, and I have my 10 odd bags and boxes to donate. Zhan came over to help me with bringing all my stuff for donations. Donated all my stuff to Vinnies (the proceeds go to St. Paul's Church).

Now the house is totally vacated. HOLLOW & EMPTY. Actually, with all our stuff out of the way, the place looked really spacious. I actually miss the place now, having stayed there for over 3 years. Too bad I didn't take a final photo... I should've, but I was too absorbed in getting the place cleaned out and all our stuff out of the way before the steam cleaners arrives...  

To thank Zhan for her time and effort, I treated her lunch at Las Chicas in Balaclava. I've read raves about this page, having won prizes before for their food and coffee, so I thought I should try it out. Their coffee was really good, seriously! Their food tastes good too, though I wouldn't go all WOW and salivate, but then it's reasonable enough for them to win that many prizes. 

Pretty and delicious lattes 

My lunch - egg benedict, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce with bread.
Pretty yummy... 

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Winter is here and the temperature has dipped quite a bit. Honestly, the only thing I don't like about my room (or the house) is that there is no central heating. So in the end, I got to switch my own portable heater when I am at home at night (which might add to the cost of electricity). In addition to that, I also got myself an electric blanket cuz it can get so cold at night I couldn't sleep well cuz of that. The electric blanket is so comfortable to sleep in!! I realized that with that blanket I am able to have a much more quality sleep. Love the blanket!

And because it's winter, and also because of the negative news reports on the effects of the Japan earthquake, the restaurant has been pretty quiet recently. Honestly, it is not unusual for business to be slightly slow over the winter months, but our younger boss was starting to feel 'threathened' and proposed to cut the number of people working per night. He is changing lunch shifts back to the old system - where there will only be one person for the entire shift. He also made the rule that those who has 4.30pm start HAS to finish by 8.30pm (unless it's really busy). Then he is only willing to let 3 people work on Monday's dinner shift, and 4 people on other nights. I think he must be f**king crazy! 3 people?! I probably might be rostered on Monday, but I am NO superwoman who can look after all the juniors and at the same time handle my own section if it gets busy! Sometimes I really can't understand what the younger boss is thinking! He's just earning a bit less. He's not making a loss! Does he have to treat us like that?!

Saw next week's timetable, and Benise has arranged me 7 shifts - 6 dinners and a lunch. Not bad. At least I wasn't cut. I am grateful for Benise to understand the fact that I need the money, so she chose to let me work instead. 

Yesterday (Friday) I feel dreadful because a nasty cough suddenly just decided to 'fall in love' with me. I have been talking too much (job-related), and have been pressurizing myself at my new job because I am new. Already felt like a cough is coming up last night, however when I woke up this morning I felt weak. I couldn't really open my eyes cuz my eyelids were so heavy. The uneasiness of falling ill struck me and when I finally sat up, I couldn't stop coughing. Before heading to work I dropped by a pharmacy to get a cough syrup so I can quickly recover. Stepped into Sozai realizing that I was assigned to be in the Bar, and it was busy - at least, as compared to the rest of the week. In an instant I forgot that I was sick and worked really hard. But when I got home I feel like I am half-dead already. Maybe I should seriously be considering getting into bed for some long, long, long sleep. Luckily I have a day off tomorrow!

Wish I can recover soon~ ARGH! I hate to be sick!!