a friend at borders told me they've been ordered not to throw away anymore stripped mags or mass markets.  not sure what they're doing with them, just being stored in their back room for now - maybe sent back to their distribution center for recycling?  wish my store did that.  any of you b&n's out there recycle your mags and mms? 

2amtomorning
If you find yourself at the crossroads of insomnia and insanity, this is the place to channel those demons that keep you sleepless. Vivid pictures, poetry, ruminations, and confessions from the nether hours between dusk and dawn. Originally formed to celebrate the city at night, there's a strong urban theme.

green_future
Dedicated to promoting global sustainability, this community offers a forum for discussing current environmental news, research, and issues with tips on how to make positive, pro-active changes to reduce carbon impact. You'll also find information on how to get involved in eco-activism and learn about events near you (i.e., act local; think global). Offering a wealth of data on earth-friendly products and practices, you'll be inspired to don an organic bamboo cape and save the planet.

wtf_sexism
Self-described as "a little community with a lot of rage," you can soak up impassioned vibes and read blistering exposes detailing sexist attitudes in the news, pop culture, and science! A must-join community if you are, or love, a feminist. (NB: the topic of whether a "man" can be a feminist is outside the scope of this spotlight, but will probably wind up on the Writer's Block.)

This is just purely me ranting about my dept. (I'm a Bargain Lead/Head Cashier) So forgive me. It's been a long week, as every one well knows.

Is it just me or are we getting some awful junk back in bargain? I mean I'm getting titles that took me FOREVER to sell the first time, no matter where I merch'd it.  Ugh.  And why why why why is it necessary to have the same title on multiple displays when it is not that great of a title? And I only have 6 copies to put in 4 locations?
Another big issue is time.  Fortunately I have a rather understanding SM that isn't harping on me for being behind.  I have gotten so many boxes, in such a short amount of time.  I have two e-planner projects that are days overdue because I don't have the time to dig through the 65 boxes in receiving.  Plus when I am able to work in my section I end up running around answering cashier calls for returns. 

I like my job, really I do. I don't like having to be two positions. (no i don't get paid for it) There are no lead positions in our store so I have to be labeled as a Head Cashier.  But the kicker is that I'm not listed on any reports as being a HC because we have too many. (4) I'm not listed as a Bargain lead because there are no leads in our store other then the Kids Lead. But yet I'm required to be both.  I would love to find a better solution or have help but it's just not going to happen. It's a little frustrating but that's just the way life is.

I've been at B&N less than a year, and have a few questions:

Most importantly ;) is there only one employee appreciation week per year?

Second of all, we hired a bunch of "temporary" employees open-endedly for Christmas. They were apparently told that some of them might stay and some might not (we had a few spots open up since the summer). Any managers/booksellers have any thoughts about when final decisions about that might be made? I have to assume it'll be soon? (The "temporary" employees are starting to get twitchy, which is making me twitchy.)

How often do full-timers get dropped to part-time (because of lack of hours available to the store, not because of performance issues)? Would they be warned first, or would it just be an hour cut?

Thoughts appreciated :)

I am going through a really really hard time right now in my personal home life. I'm extremely stressed for numerous reasons, and those reasons, I'm sure, don't matter to management. I really broke down last night and I feel like I am really close to breaking again. Is it bad to call in first thing in the morning tomorrow and ask if there is anyone that would be able to pick up my shift tomorrow night because I can't mentally handle it? I'm afraid of being short with the customers. I was forgetful during today's shift because my head is somewhere else. I'm pretty much freaking out right now and I'm really afraid that if I go in tomorrow and don't confront some of these things going on in my life and try to straighten my head out, I feel like I'm going to break down tomorrow. If any of you are managers, would you understand this? I also don't want them to think I was partying all night and am calling out because of a hang over. I don't drink at all. I actually had a fairly quiet night, until shit exploded again about two hours ago. Now it's 2:00am. Yay for the new year... Also, my last day off was Monday and my next day off is Tuesday, so it's not like I have sat, sun or even monday off to take care of my personal issues right now. Please reply soon. I'm really freaking out.

renaissance2010
Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.

curiouscupcakes
Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.

mission101
With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.

So...the season is over, 'cept for returns.....w/o specifics, of course, how did you do? How is management responding? What abt. hours?  Worry abt. bonuses? What could have helped?  To make sales, booksellers are needed!  Between Nook requirements and short staff on floor...what could be expected???

So did anyone elses receiving department get screwed over by the "we're not getting a shipment: oops, scratch that. We ARE getting a shipment" extravaganza on Thursday? All of our receivers were told they had the day off and scattered to the four corners for the Holidays. Then of course, just to show that they can, corporate decided that we WOULD get a shipment. So we had to pull valuable booksellers off the floor to bring in te truck, causing mayhem everywhere. So a big Thanks to corporate for showing badly things can be run. Im sure it wouldnt have helped to complain to the home office as Im sure they had gone on Vacacatin Tuesday. Poor babies work so hard dont ya know.