Morning, couch.

I survived CVS and I got an "extra" 20 minutes paid time. I was scheduled 4-10, which is 6 hours...which means I am supposed to take a break (paid work time being 5.5). If you don't take your break and hit six hours, they automatically dock you half an hour assuming you forgot to clock out for your break. We were really slammed and short staffed, so I asked the pharmacist on duty if she wanted me to take my break or just clock out 10 minutes early, so I did not hit the 6 hour mark. She said it was up to me, she would be fine with either one, so I chose no break...yay extra pay. I just clocked out 10 minutes early, but because were were still really busy then (last 10 minutes we were open), I stayed and worked off the clock for 10 minutes (yes, technically not supposed to do that, but if I waited till 10:00 to clock out, I would hit 6 hours and be docked 1/2 an hour and have worked 30 minutes unpaid...so I was okay with doing that).

It's the same pharmacist working tonight (the pharm manager is still on holiday vacation in Canada (where he grew up) until this afternoon), so I am hoping I can do the same no break and clock out 10 minutes early tonight. I am nowhere near 40 hours this week, so it's not going to cause me to make overtime pay and the store get in trouble by corporate. I will probably have to take my break on Wed. and Thurs. as the pham manager is working...though he has let me do the 10 minutes early thing before (depending how busy we are). I am off on New Year's Day, but one of my coworkers is working n the afternoon and doesn't want her shift. I offered to take it of the pharm manager was okay with it. She is going to ask him when he gets in tomorrow. I hope he'll agree. I'd love to make time and a half and have something to do on that day. I am a boring person...I need reasons to get out of the house.

This coworker never wants to work the holiday shifts she is scheduled for. I don't mind working holidays, so I always offer to take them if I am free. The pharm manager must think I am crazy for being so agreeable. I still like the one week where he told me since a tech was on vacation, he needed to schedule one of the part-time techs 40 hours and 7 days that week and chose me because he knew I was the one who wouldn't complain about it. Hell...I'll work...it gives me more money to eat out and treat myself with things.

Before Christmas, I applied with the University of Phoenix to get my master's degree through one of their online programs. All the education master's degrees are only online for FL students. Online works best for me anyways (with 2 jobs). The next cohort starts 2/16/16. So I have a little while to change my mind if need be. A master's wouldn't get me any higher pay at CVS, or if I stay an instructional assistant in the school system, If I were to get a teaching job thought it would get me an extra $2000 a year on top of the teacher base salary. And it would probably help me obtain a teaching job as well. It's an 18 month program, so I wouldn't finish for a while, but even being "in progress" would probably make myself more marketable as a teacher. And the school board in my county for the support positions offers partial tuition reimbursement for obtaining a higher education degree...so since I am currently in a support position, I can apply for that as well (less money I have to take out in loans). And my school board is contracted with about 10 schools for offer tuition discounts for employees. University of Phoenix is one of them, so I get a 10% tuition reduction. If I go though with it, I would be working on my Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. I wanted the Special Education one, but the enrollment counselor said that was for non certified teachers to obtain certification and required student teaching for a year, so she offered two programs for currently certified people and I chose the one I did. The other one was in Administration of Education. I have no interest in becoming an administrator, so I chose curriculum. I don't know why I am into furthering my education. It's expensive, but I have a love of learning.

Well, I need to go take my meds and then start cleaning out my car...which I failed to do yesterday. I'll be back later couch.