Blogger 365 Day 310- I can't even when I want to

     Excuse me for a second while I get my Pandora on here.  Just trying to cue up some blogging music.  Okay, that's taken care of.  Now, as for my absence yesterday, well I ended up at the bar again.

     It really wasn't my intent, I swear.  I was at work yesterday and Ed has been considering making some changes recently, including with the staff.  So he had me put an ad on Craigslist and we have been taking applications, and he has conducted a couple of interviews.  No major staff changes yet, just more or less seeing what will come of it I think.  But one of my friends, Connie, had asked if we were hiring and I said yes, because we very well may be. 

     The reason I know Connie is because she is one of the regulars at the bar.  That being said, just because I know someone doesn't mean that they get a recommendation from me, I know plenty of people that I can say would be a very bad fit where I work.  Either their skill set doesn't mesh with what we do, or they think that simply because I am in charge I will somehow go easier on them, which isn't the case.  Friendship is one thing in my world, work is another and I keep the two very separate.  Anyway, since I said we were hiring Connie decided to stop by the store yesterday and ask for an application, so I gave her one. 

     Around 5pm I am still working at my desk, another one of those long days that I have been putting in, and my cell phone rings.  It is Connie and she says that she wants to give me her application, she is finished with it.  The fact she wasn't even bringing it back to the store but expecting me to go pick it up already throws red flags up for me, how much does anyone want a job if they can't even be bothered to drop off a completed application?  So I said that I would call when I got done with work, and I did call on my way home and said I would just meet her at the bar to get the application,  I don't know where she lives, nor do I want her knowing where I live and that seemed to be as good a place as any to meet.

      I get there and she hasn't arrived yet, so I have a beer and put $5 in the poker machine.  Problem was I kept winning.  At one point I was up to $160, but as long as I was winning I kept drinking and then it was playing the jukebox.  Finally she arrived with her boyfriend, I bought them each a couple of beers and kept playing and kept winning.  I eventually cashed out at an even $100, which still isn't too shabby on an initial $5 investment,  grabbed her application and resume and finally headed home, but by the time I got home and made something to eat I had neither the desire nor the energy to try to write anything of merit.

     As for Connie's application?  I gave it to Ed today with the stipulation that I know this person, but I am not acting as their reference.  The application thing obviously sets off one red flag for me, but not the only one.  I also know a little about how she lost her last job and I have seen on more than one occasion the people she hangs out with and I would call them to be less than model citizens and really wouldn't want them hanging around where I work.  I have enough problems with that regard already without inviting more problems upon myself.  Ultimately though I told Ed the decision is his, he can bring her in and talk to her if he wants, just know that I am not acting as a reference by any means.

     So now you know why I wasn't here.  Now if you will excuse me I have another entry to write.