I don’t even know what to say right now.  In just one more day, I will be working my very last shift at Little Caesars.  To put things in perspective, Me & My Muse didn’t even exist seven years ago.  This website did, but things were totally different back then.

For today, I pretty much just need to get ready for tonight.  I will be heading down to Flint, to an Open House that will hopefully be well attended.  When I get home, I will go to bed, and then get up for the very last day.

 

Seven years is a long time when you are working in food.  I arrived as a mere fledgling, sitting down with Jenn for an interview.  I knew about the cereal question, since my brother told me about it already.  “If you could be any kind of cereal, what would you be?”  My answer?  Total.  Because I always give 100%.  After that interview, the rest was history.

I met a lot of interesting people in my seven years of working at Little Caesars.  Some were strange, but the ones that really stand out to me are the ones that shaped the way that I worked at that store.  When I was trying to get a leadership job elsewhere, It prompted me to try for management at Little Caesars.  Having been in Toastmasters, I knew a thing or two about leadership already.  I answered every phone that I could and learned all the other things that I needed to be ready for a management role. I was promoted to Crew Leader.

During that time, I had some good leaders that taught me the proper way to run that store.  These are principles that I still use today, and ones that I have never seen replicated with any other manager that ever worked there.  I got my hands dirty and started working a bunch of closing shifts.  They were late hours, but they definitely taught me how to close a store.

Then came the time that Jenn left our store.  One of our stellar leaders was promoted, and a new era began.  Things ran very efficiently, but at the expense of an an overwhelmed general manager.  The poor guy didn’t get a break. He covered many shifts that people could work and he could always be depended on in a store emergency.  I saw a different side of him.  A more tired side.  One that was exhausted and wanted something better than being bothered by the young crew members that had so many needs.

At that time, I was moved to mornings, since there was more than enough management and experienced crew members that could close.  I was tasked with making dough every morning.  A task that I still do to this day.

Eventually, Kelson had to step down.  He couldn’t run the store anymore, so he taught a morning manager to do it.  She had to work a few evenings to understand how the store runs.

The next era began.  With her in charge, things were run a little differently.  I noticed the changes right away and adapted to them.  Through all the ups and downs, I was able to work with her management style.  I got to see the franchise owner a lot since I worked mornings, and I got to know him well.  Whatever he wanted, I made no hesitation to fulfill that duty.

A couple years later, the new leader had to leave for a couple months, due to medical complications.  The store was held together with all the other management running it, filling the various duties that our leader usually did.  It was a different time, but we all managed.

Then it happened.  The entire store got remodeled and I had to work around the sound of power tools.  It was a little crazy, but I just went with it.  A few weeks later, the remodels were done.

A few weeks after that, the electronics were installed.  All the monitors plus the three LED displays in the lobby.  The remodel was now officially complete.

The turbulence continued and I hung on through all the shaky moments.  I then received some very good news.  I was offered a job at Dow Chemical.  Upon hearing this, I put in my almost four weeks notice and the countdown began.  A clock that has been continuously ticking up to this day.

And now we are at today.  Just one day until I leave the store forever.  In the seven years that I have been there, I will never forget the memories and important lessons that have shaped me to be the person that I am today.  From all the previous leadership that came before me, I have them to thank for learning all the best skills that they could teach me.

Farewell Little Caesars.  It was a good seven and a half years, and it surely won’t be eight.

 

Muse:  Beautiful!  I wanted to stay quiet for the whole thing.

Thank you for your patience.

Muse:  Aren’t you excited?

I’m very excited.  I finally get to make some real money.

Muse:  And you will meet some real people who are doing the same.  Can you come over to Spark Tower tomorrow?  I have what I consider to be the best going away party ever!

I’ll have to take you up on that.  Anyway, I need to get ready for tonight.

Muse:  I’ll let you.  I need to finish the preparations.  This is going to be great!

I’m sure it will.  See you later!

Muse:  Bye!

*Muse teleports in a beam of light*

Just one day left.  I will now get ready for tonight.

Today’s high is going to be 63 degrees and the silver lining is it being only one day before I finish Little Caesars.

To those of you who like counting down the days at their old jobs, I hope that you all have a fantastic day.

 

Muse:  The decorations are coming along nice.  J.A.N.U.S., make sure the food is taken care of, too!

J.A.N.U.S.:  Certainly, Miss Spark…