Working for Amazon

Orientation for Amazon started at 6am and ran til 4:30pm.  We sat through classes, videos, got our name badges, history of Amazon, etc.and found out that we will be working nights and in shipping.  We wanted nights because you get paid more but thought they would start at 11pm but no, start time is 6pm and get off at 2:30am for the first week, then it will be 4:30am the second week, 10 hour days.  Our shift is Wed thru Sat so we have off 2 days before we start.

Wednesday

We have been staying up late trying to get use to the shift.  Our job is being a shooter.  Basically we work a line packing up items to be shipped out.  You have zone assigned and a work cart with a computer, taper machine, boxes and bubbles for packing.  There is a upper and lower shoot that items are dropped into off of a conveyor and when all items are in it a light comes on telling you it is ready to be packed.  You scan the shoot which tells you what size box to make and what is to be packed in it, scan the items, then put a Spoo label on it, tape it shut and put it on the line headed to outbound.  It is repetitive work and your feet, wrists and elbows hurt and some of the boxes are heavy.  Things go well when everything is working properly which doesn't happen often.  Numbers are very important, that all you hear about.  Got to get your numbers up, they expect you to be able to pack 150 items in an hour.  Your first break which is only 15 minutes is at 8:30.  You will spend at least 2 minutes getting to the break room depending on where you work, have maybe 10 minutes then it's back to work.  Lunch is at 11 and only 30 minutes.  Second break is 2:15.  After every break and lunch you change work zones to try and not get repetitive injuries and after lunch you have a short meeting and do stretches.  So it is fast paced, noisy (we have to wear ear plugs) and abit boring. 

Work week runs from Sunday to Saturday.  Overtime is offered on Sun, Mon or Tues, we signed up for Sun so we can have 2 days off in a row.  It's not mandatory right now for overtime but will be soon.

   The weather is starting to get cold here and the leaves are changing color.  This is my picture window.

We have had it as cold as 19 at night.  Amazon doesn't pay for your electric or propane and it is obvious we will be using alot of it. 

Don't know how often I will be updating the blog as there isn't much time for anything other than work and sleep.

                 I will leave you with this picture of this dog that has a birds eye view from the upper bunk             in a Class B motor home.

Lake Tahoe

The weather has been fairly decent so we decided to check out Lake Tahoe before it gets too cold or snows, come on along for the ride. 

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of 6,225 ft, it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America.  Alpine lakes are classified as reservoirs or lakes at high altitudes, usually starting around 5,000 ft in elevation above sea level or tree line.  Alpine lakes are usually clearer than lakes at lower elevations due to the colder water which decreases the speed and amount of algae and moss growth in the water. Its depth is 1,645 ft, making it the USA's second-deepest (the deepest is Crater Lake in Oregon, being 300 ft deeper.  Additionally, Lake Tahoe is listed as the 26th largest lake by volume in the world at 122,160,280 acre foot.

I thought this was a pretty cool overpass.

It was a wonderful ride with beautiful sights around ever turn.  The temps got cooler as we climbed higher and I was glad I made the decision to wear my leathers. 

We are getting closer...

                                                   Cave Rock Tunnel on Nevada side.

                                                                        Lake Tahoe

Now you don't see a sign like this everyday.

 The south shore is dominated by the lake's largest city, South Lake Tahoe, CA.  

This is your tourist area with casinos on the Nevada side and lots of shopping, lodging and dinning in South Lake Tahoe.  Once we got through the congestion and on the west side of the lake we found a nice place to take a break and check out the lake. 

 The water is so clear.

Continuing on the road takes you once again through beautiful scenery and out of the residential area on to Emerald Bay.

Boat rides around the lake are a popular attraction.

     Emerald Bay

Besides being a sun filled summer destination it is also a winter wonderland filled with lots of winter time sports.  The majority of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region are on the northern end of the lake, near Truckee CA and Reno, NV.

The Ponderosa Ranch of the TV series Bonanza was formerly located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.  Several other movies have been filmed here including Godfather Part II.  The Winter Olympics was held at Lake Tahoe in 1960.

It was a great ride!

Orientation for Amazon on the 16th October.