The "One Rule"s of Mel

So...I got a new job this summer.

I am still working part time at Famous, but I am also working at Utah Community Credit Union as a teller. I was an intern last year for the Credit Union, so I thought I had the hang of things, but boy was I wrong. Within the first 3 days I was "off" in my checks 3 of those days. In the first 3 weeks I was off in my checks....oh...80% of the time. There is so much information to memorize and procedure to follow that they don't teach you or even mention in training, that its hard to adjust to the real thing. It has been quite the experience trying to learn everything and become more detail oriented with numbers and where you put them(and I thought my accounting class was bad). Because I made manya(pronounced men-ee-a) mistakes, I have now learned all 10 of Mel's "One Rule"s.

Explanation: After I mess up at the Credit Union Melanie(my supervisor) will say "Okay, here is my one rule" or "Do you want to hear my one rule?". After the first few times, I started catching on that she doesn't have one rule, she has lots of "One Rule"s.

So, after a long explanation, here are the Ten "One Rule"s of Mel:

1. Cash needs to all be face up when you trasfer it to the vault(it throws off the cash counter)

2. Write down the cash that you recieve or disperse on the receipt.

3. Balance checks after each bill payer envelope(and/or halfway through your mail)

4. Do not do a transfer on the computer until Mel has signed the transfer slip.

5. Write down the amount on the coin machine(on the transfer slip) before you push accept.

6. Push your checks together before you put a rubber band around them so that they are neat.

7. Check with Mel before you do reversals and corrections(emphasis on the corrections).

8 .Make sure Mel signs the transfer slip BEFORE it is ripped. a. She REALLY likes to rip them herself, btw.

9. Put a 4 before your teller number on the transfer slips.(Because thats how Mel puts it in the computer).

10.Balance your cash every time you balance you checks. Especially when you have a huge stack of mail.

18th Birthday

My birthday is July 7. I have never really like birthdays, but honestly, this year was the best birthday I have ever had. I just loved it. I have been going through training to be a teller at Utah Community Credit Union and it has been from 9am to about 12:30 all this week. I had talked to a few people at the Credit Union, and they had seen that it was my birthday on facebook, so I knew that people knew, but I didn't ever think they would do anything. Right when I walked into the room where I was being trained, Jason(the training guy) wished me happy birthday and so did Tanya from H.R. Lisa from the Riverwoods branch came in to visit and brought cookies and a balloon and then halfway through training Brandon(my branch manager) came in with cinnamon rolls and made everyone sing to me. I was totally shocked that they had all gone out of their way to do something for me. All day I was getting texts wishing me happy birthday and I had like 30 wall posts on facebook from tons of people saying happy birthday. Karla had texted me and told me that she was taking me out for dinner at 4 and I had to choose where we were going. I went up to Famous Footwear to pick up the present that I had left there the day before from Chelsey, my manager. When I walked in Tiffany and Chelsey both sang Happy Birthday to me. It was way nice of them. My Dad's Mom called me right before I left to sing to me and to tell me how much she loved me. Karla came just after 4 with a cake, balloons, and a present.
We ended up going to Cafe Rio and at a ton. After that, we met up with my friend Andrea and we all went to Dairy Queen to eat blizzards. It was so much fun to just hang out, and the food was really good. Karla and I hung out for a little bit and just talked, which was nice. After we went out, I came home and watched/played Mario Party with Peter, Joshua, and Maria. Peter kept asking if I was going out anywhere that night, and if I was doing anything else. I kept telling him no, and I wasn't sure what he was talking about, because he wasn't very suttle. I kinda just pushed it aside and kept playing Mario party. A little bit later (around 9:30) the door bell rang and Mara answered it. Much to my surprise, Chelsey (My Manager at Famous Footwear), Tiffany (another manager), and Hollie (a sales associate) came over to kidnap me and take me to get icecream at Sub-zero. I was seriously so shocked to see them but it was so nice that they came to get me and to spend time with me. We sat outside with our ice cream for like 45 minutes and just talked. It was a lot of fun and I'm really grateful that they came to kidnap me. It was a perfect way to end my day.(Chelsey and I are signing FF4L)
Trying to help Chelsey do the "west side"/"walmart" gang sign



When I got back from the whole kidnapping and ice cream trip, I blew out the candles on the cake that Karla gave me and made a wish.After all of this, Peter and I both fell asleep on the couches watching The Secret of Nimh. We finally went to bed at almost 2am. It was a great day. Thanks everyone!
Well, my birthday wasn't quite over yet. Today, the 8th, Hyrum, Jacob and I(my brothers that I share a birthday with) decided to go to Tucanos because Jake and I have free birthday meal passes. So we(Jake, Jen, Hyrum, Samuel, Genevieve, Josh, Peter, and myself) went today at 1pm to eat a birthday lunch.



It was so much fun. We had the best wing man bringing us meat. I have never been served that quickly. Jen had told the waiter that we had three birthdays at the table and specifically requested male waiters for me because I'm single. The waitress laughed but said she would get some. We ate for a while and then the waitress came back to double check on the whole birthdays thing and asked if I had any requests for certain waiters. I told her no and then Jen said "Do you have a request for any customers?" I jokingly looked around and then told her no again. The waitress said that she had seen a few 12 year olds on the other side who would be single and they could come and sing. I was shocked that she was offering 12 year olds when I had just turned 18! Everyone was laughing and I told her that it was very tempting but I would pass. She decided to get them anyway. I was sitting in my chair behaving and minding my own business, when I see our waitress, named Barbie btw, walking over to a group of boys and talking to them. My mouth dropped! I couldn't believe that she was doing that. She saw me out of the corner of her eye and I shook my head at her while she just laughed. When they had the other workers there come out with the drums to come sing to Hyrum, Jacob and I, Barbie went over and got the boys and they came to help sing and clap. They stood off to the side kind of awkwardly but it was way nice of them to come over. Everyone thought it was hilarious and we were all cracking up. (The boys that Barbie recruited are standing on the right. Not exactly 12 I don't think)
After they sang to us, the waitress appologized a little bit, but I told her it was fine. It definently made my trip, and it was just funny in general.
I Like Josh's wet spot on his shirt. I'm not sure where it came from.

At Tucanos when the meat guy comes around, he tells us what kind of meat he has and asks if we want some. There was one time where he came around with cod fish and asked if we wanted any. We all said no except for Josh who shouted "Oh Yeah!" We all busted up laughing and let him have some of the cod fish. Josh ate everything that he could and loved all of it.

The Weekend at Anthony and Missy's

So I graduated.....
and Anthony, Missy, and their kids weren't able to make it because of some scheduling conflicts, so instead of coming to the ceremony they wanted to make me dinner. I was excited for that because I love food and I would get to spend time with them. I talked to like ten different friends that I knew trying to find somebody that would go with me, but no joke everyone was out of town, working, or already taken for this weekend. It was a mess. So, I asked my sister Maria if she would come with me. I know it sounds like Maria was my VERY VERY VERY last choice, but she wasn't. I love hanging out with Maria. We both love a lot of the same things (except we disagree on Asian noodles and Mom's beef stroganoff) and it is just so much fun to hang out with her.
So we both packed for the weekend and headed off at around 3pm on Friday the 19th of 2009 to go all the way up to Anthony and Missy's. It is about an hour and a half ride, so we had a long way to go. We stopped by my work(Famous Footwear) to pick up my cd that I had left there. We had printed out a map from google and Maria was reading me step by step instructions. We had only been going for about 15 minutes when we passed a huge big deer on the side of the road. Maria thought that it didn't have a head because its neck was twisted back a little bit. It was really gross and we felt super bad for the poor deer. You would think that when a deer saw massive objects moving at more than 60mph, they would head in the opposite direction. I mean, accidents happen, but really? Anyway, when we got to the point of the mountain traffic really started to pile up. It was really frustrating until I realized that it was because of an accident that had happened. There were like 3 cars involved and one of the cars was in pretty bad shape. We hope everything is okay with the people involved.
I drive a white PT Cruiser, and if you have ever driven in one you will know that there are a lot of really bad blind spots on this car. Because I have been driving it pretty consistantly for the last year or so, I have gotten into the habit of just being more aware of the cars that I pass as well as the cars that are coming up behind me. That way I can just double check my mirrors and the spaces right next to me and I don't even worry about the blind spots. The only problem is when I don't pay attention all the time and so I miss a car that is coming up behind me really fast or that switched lanes so now they are right next to me. This happened just after the point of the mountain. Traffic had opened up a lot, and so I wasn't too worried about hitting anyone when I was getting out of the car pool lane. I almost hit this little red car that had driven up from behind. I felt really bad and kept apologizing(even though he can't hear me. I get it from my Mom) to the guy in the car. He kept yelling things at me and would give me dirty looks. Maria took a picture of the car.
We made it to Anthony's house without any other major problems, but traffic did get a little crazy every once in a while. That night, we had steak and mushrooms for dinner and lots of peanut butter bars for dessert. We watched Indiana Jones(The one with the little Asian kid and the evil guy who pulls out hearts), and it was my first time watching it all the way through. Its a pretty funny movie. After we finished the movie it was pretty late, so we all headed to bed. It was REALLY obvious that Anthony and Missy are parents because they kept texting me to tell me that if I need anything at all, they are just upstairs, and that its okay to wake them up, and to just let them know if we need any help or if we want anything. It was funny, and nice to know that they care.
The next morning, Anthony, Missy, and their two kids Zoe and Sam went to check out some yard sales and to pick up Carson and Parker. While they were gone, Maria and I ate breakfast, and then got bored so we left to go drive around places. Maria has this thing for quarters and quarter machines, so we found the closest Walmart and played on their quarter machines for like an hour. After that we kinda thought we were hungry, so we drove around town looking for something that sounded good. While we were driving around, Maria and I saw this baptist chapel that had an extremely tilted steeple on it. Like, really slanted. It was pretty funny. We didn't find anything good to eat, and we ended up just going back home to hang out there. We spent the day watching all of the kids while Anthony and Missy went to the temple. Those kids are really funny to watch and play with.Sam was feeling pretty sick, so I held him for almost the entire time. It was really cute have a little baby cuddle with me and sleep in my arms. He slept for most of the day and Carson, Parker, and Zoe entertained themselves all day.
We made a tent for the little kids while Sam slept in his bed, and they loved it! Parker had his pant on backwards all day and refused to let Maria or I help his switch them around, it was pretty funny. When Anthony and Missy came home we ate Cafe Rio and then headed home. We had a blast up at their house and it was really cool to get to know Anthony and Missy better.

Bowling With The Family

So I generally work almost every day out of the week, so on the days that I don't have to work I tend to get REALLY bored sitting at home. Last week, Joshua, Maria and I were going crazy trying to find something to do. Finally, we decided that when Mara, Gaby, and Emma got home we were going to go bowling at BYU. After waiting for like an hour, we all went (dragging Karla along) and went bowling.

Joshua looks like he is in a dress...but its a cool pose.

Whoot whoot! First strike pose.

Its super blurry and hard to read so I will tell you the scores:
Mara-85, Joshua 100, Emma 82, Karla 93, Kaytlyn 94, Maria 76, and Gaby 100. It was a crazy game. Gaby came out of nowhere to tie it up with Joshua in her last bowl where she got a strike and got to bowl again. Karla and I were all one point apart, the same with Mara and Emma, and then Maria was....well....somewhere.

And this is my losing face.

Pay Back From California

So in California I had this weird but really funny goal to get a picture of everyone sleeping. I think the only person I didn't get was Mom, and I only got one blurry one of Joshua. Joshua would stay awake on purpose or kind of hide himself so that I couldn't get a picture of him. On our way up to Anthony and Missy's house for Sam's baby blessing he fell asleep pretty quickly and so I got payback from California. Here they are......



And here are pictures of the rest of the trip.

Parker

Carson

Zoe and Me

Leah, Joshua, and Maria eating sandwiches

Me and PeterMara sleeping on the way back

Mara doing a puzzle...as usual

Mom and Peter fighting over who would hold the cookie sheet