I thought we weren't getting a day off until the 14th, but I was wrong. We're off today. And also on the 14th! I decided to go to Costco today. It was a madhouse! When I go to Costco, I open the field agent app and look for side jobs at the location I'm in. Normally, field agent will have several small jobs at one Costco location. I do as many as possible and also browse for deals. Today, I spent $92 and made $39 in field agent jobs. Not bad. The 24-pack energy drinks are such a good deal that they are practically “earnings” themselves. I also got a white bathrobe (the house is cold this time of year, and I often don't feel like moving the space heater to the bathroom to warm it up before my shower) and a large bag of “Dubai-style pistachios”. They have some sugar, but are good when I have a sweet tooth, because there isn't much, and pistachios are healthy. I could have done more side jobs, because every time I submitted one, another one would pop up for pictures of another aisle. I couldn't take the crowds anymore, though. There wasn't just the normal Sunday crowds, there was one group of about 30 people all shopping together and getting in the way a lot.
The chain of stores we are doing inventory at for about the next two weeks is my favorite client and only comes around once a year in December. It's the easiest type of inventory, and the stores are just a fun atmosphere. They are grocery stores, but only about half the size of regular grocery stores, and are full of imports from Latin America. Their deli is also amazing. They play Spanish Christmas songs on the overhead, and they are the same rotation of songs that I remember from past December. I even remembered the words to a lot of those songs. The only problem is that I have a hell of a time ordering food from the deli. The ladies who work there always act like they can't understand you, even if you're speaking Spanish. Last year it made me feel like something was wrong with my Spanish, but in literally every other circumstance where I speak Spanish in public, no one ever acts this confused. It's just something about the ladies who work in the delis at this chain. I've resorted to just pointing to what I want in the case. One woman got my order wrong, but it was close enough. The thing that happened last year that made me question my ability to speak Spanish was that I was ordering tacos and the woman asked “Maiz or Harina?” (corn or flour tortilla) and I replied, “Harina.” (Flour) I rolled my R and everything but she still said loudly and incredulously, “QUE??” So I said it louder, “HARINA.” She held up a flour tortilla and asked if that was the one I wanted. I was like sí, wtf, how did she not understand that? A year later, and I'm still not over that interaction.
Other than that minor detail though, I love doing these stores! We deviate from it this Tuesday when we do a privately owned grocery store near Conroe. This particular store gives us wall calendars every year. We always get three. One for the kitchen, one for above my desk, and one for my mother-in-law. This saves almost $40, honestly. Speaking of my mother-in-law, I got her and my mom matching
Oyster shell crosses from an Etsy shop. I stopped at Dollar Tree on the way home from Costco and got them gift bags and tissue paper. I also got 15 rolls of burlap ribbon. Speaking of Etsy shops, I'm determined to open mine in 2026.
Here's to a busy December and a relaxing Christmas.
