Sunday, June 29, 2008

The Way I See It # 277: IE: FUCK MY LIFE

I was invited to a party tonight with the Senior drama girls. I would go except for the fact that a lot of people that are going are people I don't like. I wish it had all been different. I wish I had ended up liking all of them, I wish I could have been closer to genuinely nice people. Emma is a genuinely nice person, and she always extends an invitation to me, and I'm grateful for that. I think without her kindness I would feel completely betrayed. I wish I had ended school with a group of awesome girl friends. I wish I had found more girls like me at VCU this past year. I'm of course going to make a huge (ENORMOUS) effort next semester. I'm going to join activities, and I've been thinking about rushing.

I know Abby would be horrified, but Abby doesn't know what it's like to be in my situation. Maybe being in a sorority will help me make friends. I've heard that from everyone who has ever been in a sorority. I can either do that or get involved on campus with a job, or something.

All I know is that I'm hanging around waiting for Sid to get off work so I can fix my freak out last night, and I'm watching my Dad cook chicken. I don't like Chicken, and I don't like my Dad.

I need to go out more...... I guess. I think that it's time to start hitting up Georgetown and the greater Washington D.C. area for places to go and things to do. I can't be cultured and satisfied in Vienna, VA.

I've been skimming the VCU website looking for activities I can take part in next semester. I've come up with "Literati" which is a club devoted to writing, literature, music, and movies, The Anthroplogy/Archaeology club at VCU, Swing Dance @ VCU, and possibly writing for The Commonwealth Times.

what would be cool is to blog for The Commonwealth Times. Or at least do Editorial stuff.

Kara and I made cupcakes tonight, and I think it's time to frost them.
I'll be back.

The Way I See It # 276

I'm getting ready for work now, I better get moving because I have to leave in half an hour to get there at 10. Being 30 minutes from Tysons blows.

I mentioned the Letters video. it's great that you could vent your feelings like that. I guess that's the only thing I liked about the video. I didn't like what you said about me. I guess I can't change that. I've said I was going to put in an effort to be more supportive, but I guess it isn't showing. Sorry. I don't think you're weird, I've never thought that, and I don't know where you're getting that from.

I work 10-2 today, and mom is going to pick me up. When do you get off work?

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Way I See It # 275

I'm considering putting ads on this blog for some extra revenue, but I don't think I'm actually going to do it. The Tax implications are scary enough, and I don't even think it would be worth the trouble. It was a thought after I read a financial article in some magazine at the doctor's office. However, it's glamour has somewhat waned. I finally payed off my debt for the car accident so now that's off my chest. I am now 50 cents shy of $400, probably the most financially stable I've been in a really long time. This coming week I wont be working nearly as much (just 16 hours), but I'll be happy to have some relaxation time. Sid just invited me to dinner at Brio or Gordon Biersch and a movie. It's a generous offer and to be honest I have an eyebrow raised. It's wonderful that we're going to go out, but unexpected as well. I shouldn't complain, I love going out!

I ran again today. I ran steadily at 4.5, raised it to 5.5 and then back to 4.5 for 15 minutes straight. That might not seem like a lot, but I was really proud of myself! I didn't think I could do it. I pushed myself at the end towards 6mph and gave myself a huge cramp in my chest. I guess I deserved it for amping it up like that, but I was satisfied. To be honest I've had a rough couple of days at work, and been kind of isolated, and needed to sort out my feelings. I was surprised to find myself excited to run when I got home. I don't think I've ever felt like that before. Running gives me time to think, burn a couple calories, and get my head straight. I wasn't supposed to run today because of the plan but I just thought "Fuck it."

I haven't really talked to Sid all day except for his phone call a couple minutes ago. He was hanging out with Julia, and now he's hanging out with Mike. I should be asleep now because I have work at 10, but I was really looking forward to talking with him, and he won't be online anytime soon. I'm jealous that a lot of people get to hang out with him during the day like I can't. It makes me wish I had people I could turn to on my days off when Sid is working.


Sid made a video on Youtube called "Letters"
One of them is about me, I'm certain.
If there is more than one, I can't be sure.
I suppose I'll keep my thoughts to myself from now on.




I don't know how to end this.

Friday, June 27, 2008

The Way I See It # 274

It's 11 AM and I'm getting ready to go running again. I've been up since 8AM when my alarm goes off, but I've stayed in bed for three hours. Curiously no one has opened my door to inspect about my lateness. I can't complain, I hate it when my mom wakes me up. However, when I sleep in, it's always the sounds of social interaction and the tinking of breakfast plates that pulls me from my bed and down stairs. I guess I feel lonely when I try to sleep in, however comforting the down is.

Sid and I double dated with Abby and her boyfriend Rich last night, and it was fun. What wasn't fun was getting lost and me freaking out as the driver. The speeds were fast, and I didn't know where I was going. Sid was navigating, but I was having a hard time anyway. He drove home, which made me feel better. I don't know why my driving was so shitty. I didn't like it. Sphinx was nice though, although the DJ was making some awkward moves toward the woman on the big screen TV. After Hookah-ing it up we went back to Abby's house and played Smash Brothers melee. It was fun, but we were all tired, especially Sid who went down to Richmond early yesterday.

Yesterday I went to the mall and bought a dress for the wedding because all of the frocks I own are either black, white, or a mixture of the two. Not really appropriate for a summer wedding. So the dress I bought is from Banana Republic and was on sale, go me! It took literally no time to find it, and it's very pretty.

I have to work at 3 today, but at least I get paid, and I think Russel is working, which will be fun. Maybe Jessica is working too. I hope so, when I'm the only young person in the store I feel very.... alone. I cursed in front of my manager the other day and I cringe to think about it. I apologized, but still.... it's my fucking Hiring Manager. Ugh. I have to get my schedule for next week so that I can figure out if I can go down to the wedding early and stay over night, which would be cool.


I keep thinking about my driving last night. it's kind of humiliating to me. I hate the way I think about driving. I get anal when other people drive, and then my own driving can really suck sometimes..... it's not a good feeling. Abby asked if I was okay at the hookah bar, I guess I looked really rattled. I'm still rattled. I'm wondering if I'll ever be normal again.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Way I See It # 273

I've decided to make more of an effort to make friends with the people I work with. Sure I won't see them over the course of the school year, but that shouldn't mean that I shouldn't make the effort.

Today was a weird day. I ran, which was good, and then I didn't do much of anything until around 3 when Sid and I hung out for about an hour or so before he had to go to work. He was stressed out, so our time together wasn't exactly peachy. Things I think are getting hot as school approaches, and I should start to adjust accordingly. Perhaps a thicker skin is required and a set of friends to surround myself with. Maybe running will do me good, it will give me time to think and help me drop a couple in the process. The top items on my mind lately have been work, Sidney, furnishing my new apartment, and my family situation. I shouldn't be stressed out about family, but certain events have been brought to my attention that can't be ignored. I'm prepared to do what it takes to be accommodating for the changes we're all going to have to put up with, but none the less it's..... disappointing. I think that the word "disappointing" there is actually selfish, but I can't help what I feel. Knowing what I know about the intricate processes my family goes through day to day, makes me feel like this disappointment is deserved. I'm going in to Financial Aid to look into some merit scholarships when I get back to school, so maybe this can grease the wheels a bit. I'm happy to do it, and I know I can keep up the grades.

I like taking the easy way out, and I haven't had to make a lot of hard choices, but I think it's time I start stepping up to the plate and helping out around here. Recently it's been my prerogative to help out my mom in any way I can. I think deep down I feel that she's been treated unfairly, and she's the last person out of all of us that deserves shit from anyone.... not that she willingly takes it. She's strong, but there are some things that she can't change no matter how firm she is. I'm making it my job to speak for her when she feels she can't, and in turn take the bullets. I'm glad I'm not afraid anymore. I'm holding up a bargain, and as long as I'm keeping up my end I have nothing to worry about.

This have been getting harder but I just think these are growing pains. It's hard to deal with growing up, some of us are doing it faster than usual, and some of us are avoiding it. I like to think I'm taking it in stride, but everyone's a little lost inside, I think. Lately I've been remember the old days when my sisters and I were growing up. I've been remembering the food we ate, the activities we did. All of a sudden it's all coming back to me, probably because we were in a situation similar to the one we've been thrown into now. I just have to take it in stride and protect what I care about.

I think about who I was a year ago, and part of me thinks of myself as the same person, but I can't deny all of the growing I've had to do. Inside I still feel like I'm trying to find myself and project to the world who I am. Sometimes I feel detached, and that I'm pedaling a bike, but I'm not going anywhere. I think about the future and there are so many uncertainties. But I can't change that, so I shouldn't be hung up on it.

All I can do right now is Keep on Keepin' On.
And that's what I'm going to do.

The Way I See It # 272

I ran this morning and to be totally honest it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be. I'm running this program in order to get myself from sitting around all day to running 30 minutes straight... and more. So I'm excited. granted it is the first day, but the entire routine only takes 20 minutes, so It shouldn't be hard to do this even when I work. Meaning, I have no excuse not to do it. I felt like I could run longer, but I'm just going to follow the plan, because I know that if I push myself too hard, I'll just give up sooner rather than never.

So I'm waiting for the shower now, and I've got some time to Kill. Sid and I saw Get Smart last night and I thought it was cute/amusing. I'm not a big fan of Anne Hathaway, but I liked Steve Carrel enough to supplement.

I have no plans for today, Sid is currently at a dentist appointment, and I'm in a steady state of waiting. My room is clean, for once, I took the time to make my mom happy and clean it. I can tell that she is at peace when we do what she says, so I've adjusted my reasoning accordingly. Sure I don't want to clean it, but for right now making my Mom happy is just about the most important thing.

Dad talked to me about furniture for the apartment next year and I got the very clear impression that he won't be paying for any of it, or at least that's what he thinks as of right now. I can't afford any furniture at the moment, however, so i don't know how that's going to fly.


whatever. Time to shower!

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Way I See It # 271

I'm off for the next three days and I feel amazing about it. Work was hard tonight, but knowing that I get paid on Friday, and I don't work until then made it tolerable. The store was a fucking mess, however, when we closed to cleaning up until 11 sucked. Oh well. As for getting the fourth of July off, you'd think I had done the company a great injustice. Bullshit since I've worked my ass off trying to please everyone and taking on more hours. I should at least get my first request off day. But I have it off, and Ehsan is a savior, and that's that.

My feet are in terrible shape. I've been wearing the wrong kinds of shoes (flat and high) and I'm feeling the repercussions. Did Carrie Bradshaw ever have this problem? Speaking of Carrie Bradshaw, Sidney got me the Sex And The City movie poster for me from work! Now I have something to put up in my apartment next year! I thought he was going to get me the Indiana Jones poster, but this is so much better. Thanks Sidney :).

So tomorrow my plan is to sleep in, call Abby, and get lunch or something since we never have our days off on the same day. That should be fun. There are a lot of people I want to hang out with including Julian, Michele, Abby, Ebbie, the guys from school like Evan, Dombrowski, and Geoffrion, and Coppola. I kind of miss everyone. lately my life has been very scheduled. I'm working all the time, and when I'm not working I'm with Sidney (Not that I don't love that), but I need to keep in touch with other people otherwise I'll go into another year with a deminished supply of friends.

I'm going on a diet. I thought back on the time that I was at my desirable weight and that's when I ate nothing. No breakfast, half a sandwich for lunch with water, and then maybe half my dinner. That was so long ago. So I'ma take a stab at getting back to where I was. And the running thing I still want to do. Sid's taking up running again so that's cool.


I should go to sleep, it's cold and late.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Way I See It # 270

I need to be proactive. Fuck this whole "Not doing anything" thing. I don't do anything except work and stay at home. I need to start an activity.

I'm going to start running.

Fuck what I've said in the past. I need to do this. I want to know for sure if I can have the will power to do something like running habitually.

I need to lose a few (a couple..... a lot) and this is the logical way to do it. I barely eat anything now, it's not like I could diet.


So I'm going to start running, on my terms, and I have to do this. I need to.

Friday, June 20, 2008

The Way I See It # 269

So I have a place to live! I went down to RVA and got that mo' fo' apartment and I couldnt be more excited! YESSS. I am so relieved.

And to top it all off, I made the Spring 08 Dean's List!


My life is sunshine and chocolate bars for the moment!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Way I See It # 268

I'm so fucking nervous it's ridiculous. I'm sick of dealing with housing, I'm sick of working.... I want to go to the beach and just relax. I'm making it my job to plan a day that Sid and I (and a couple of friends..... I'm talking to you!) can head down or up to a beach for a night or so. We're both not going on vacation this summer, so I think a two-day trip is just the ticket.

My friend Julian reads this blog, and has so nicely linked me in his, that I've returned the favor. look to the "Favorite Roasts" on the right hand bar to find the link to his "Challenging The Doors Of Time". Holla atchaa boooyyy!

I'm off to Richmond tomorrow morning to get my shit done and over with. One of the perks with having a year lease will be that, if I choose to, I will never have to come back and see my Dad if I don't need to. I'm sad that things in my perspective have gotten so deteriorated. I'm sure he doesn't see it that way. I can't relate to the man, I don't like being around him, and he makes life hard. Life is going to be hard for the next six months to a year. I'm forcing myself to not go into detail so that I can truthfully say that I didn't let my mom down. She wants me tight-lipped.... not that being discreet isn't appropriate. it is. I just wish I could talk about it with someone outside my family.

Sid and I went to Tysons II Galleria because Tysons I is certainly tiring at this point. We went into Saks Fifth Avenue so I could window shop, and I'm afraid I made him feel really uncomfortable. Some people just don't see the point in looking at stuff like that. Sid didn't, but that's not unusual. I'm just being a girl. We went into a store called "Anthropologie" that sells clothing and housewares. I loved all of the house wares. Jesus Christ. I get excited about door knobs. What the fuck is with me? Maybe I should have studied Interior design like I had thought to. I'm just not artistically talented in drawing and things like that. A lot of the people I work with at Resto. got the job they have because they're studying Interior Design somewhere. It's funny because I applied for the job there because I'm interested in the subject.
At any rate, I thought Saks was nice, but uneventful. Maybe if I had thousands of dollars in the bank I might have bought that Prada handbag lying in the sale bin for 1014.00.
Or maybe not. :)

Wish me luck, I travel to Richmond tomorrow to fulfill my destiny.

The Way I See It # 267

So my father is an asshole... but I think we all knew that right? There have been some problems with getting the studio i want, and I'll be going down to Richmond to sort everything out. Hopefully no one will have put down a deposit by then. I can't say that I'm going to get it, but I know that if I do, that's wonderful, and if I don't... then it's just not the right place.

This place was built in the 1800 and is completely original except for the hookups and appliances. The architecture is original, and it's awesome. It's charming, in a great location, and the right price. The cons to the place include no dishwasher, an old shower, no closets, and I have to buy furniture. I can deal with the shower and the dishwasher no problem, but I'm going to have to really think about the space (if I get it) and how to arrange it so that I will have storage and a nice place to stay.

With studios you have to choose whether or not your place will be used for entertaining or sleeping, and it's hard to mix the two of them.

IF I get the place, then I'll think about that seriously, but right now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Way I See It # 266

I'm trying not to get my hopes up over a studio I found today in Richmond. My mom and I went down early after lining up just about a dozen places to look at. We talked to housing and they told us we should seriously consider finding something off campus. I finally heard a definitive "no" in Barbara's tone, as to whether or not I could get housing. Though the outcome isn't what we wanted, at least we have an answer. I saw a lot of wonderful places, and I still have a lot of options when it comes to where I want to live. A lot of people told me that I was going to get screwed and that I wouldn't be able to find a place to live, but I think I'm going to do just fine.

I've found several places really close to campus that are just in or a little bit beyond my price range, and I fell in love with a studio we saw today. It's the back and from parlor of an old Victorian, so it's really spacious, has a large bathroom, common area, and a large kitchen. The landlord seems a little weird, so it's not for sure if I'll get it or not, but it's exactly what I wanted. The guy that lives there now trashed it, but it has a lot of potential. I would post pictures, but they're on my mom's camera.


I need to sleep, I'm so tired!
We're calling the landlord tomorrow to fix the lease and hammer out the details. I hope it all works out.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The Way I See It # 265

I worked 2-11 last night and I am so exhausted. Too bad I have to go in today at 1-6. Tomorrow is my day off and I'll be spending it in Richmond looking for a house/room/roommate/apartment.... whatever the fuck I can find. I'm going to see Linda, who has been giving me a run around however nice she has been to me. The cleaning woman Tanya is here. I like her I guess. She's taking over for Dominga who is too pregnant to work. Resto. has a new Baby line and I think we should get her something from there, but it's really expensive and I don't get a discount.

Yesterday the VP of Resto came in and he was really nice. It was intimidating at first to meet the Senior VP of the company, but he was really cool and laid back, and really West Coast.

After work I got to see Sid, Alejandro, Nick, Evan, and Danny so that was nice. It was nice to be around people that are my age. Everyone I work with at Resto is so much older than me.... some have white hair. But the job is sweet, I can't complain.


I have a headache right now.... maybe I'll develop chronic ones like Sid.... ugh.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

The Way I See It # 264

I've never been too tired to eat before. But I was tonight at Dad's "Father's Day Dinner". I was tired, so tired in fact that everything was funny to me. Has that ever happened to you? Where you've been so exhausted that even the stupidest thing makes you crack up. I was so annoying at dinner, but no one seemed too especially annoyed. Dad likes his gifts, and he was nice. I worked all day at Restoration today, and tomorrow I'll be working 8 hours. I then will work on Tuesday 1-6, and then I'll have 2 days off. I can't wait for those two days. Even if I am bored, I will be well rested.

I've calmed down by now, and I have to wash my hair. It's in that awkward phase after it rains where it isn't exactly dirty, but isn't styled either. So I have to fix that. I'm going tomorrow to get a pedicure before I go to work because 1. I need one, and 2. My feet have to look nice in my new shoes for work, since the VP will be there. And I'm sick of looking at my feet. Anyway, it's got to be done.

I saw Sidney for all of about 5 minutes today because he visited me at work while he was on his break. It's nice that we work in the same mall because otherwise we would never see each other.


The Way I See It # 263

Working at Resto is getting to me. I love it there, the people are nice, and I get sweet money, but every day is a struggle. Over the last 5 days I've had terrible customers while everyone else has had an easy time, it's hard to keep working and feel confident when some middle aged woman is convinced that "You should be smart enough to know where the receipt roll is!" I'm frustrated because I have to know my schedule 2 weeks in advance, and know when I can't work a month in advance. I was late to Dorothy's graduation party yesterday by three hours, I'm barely missing our Father's day brunch and tonight I can't go to JB's party because I have to spend that time with my Dad.

I wish I had just had yesterday off. I wouldn't have been tired, and I could have stayed at Sid's house longer.

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Way I See It # 262: Here I Go

This entry will be exceedingly "girly", so for the male readers... I apologize. Every girl has her type: handbags, shoes, jewelry, jeans, coats.... whatever. Every girl has got a vice for their particular preference in which they pay homage to the fashion world they cannot (even with effort, and even if you wanted to!) escape. I am a shoe girl. I've always known that, but I've learned from a woman who take comfort first that high heels, while beautiful, are not practical and shouldn't have money wasted on them.

I'm moving on.


It's time I grow some... balls.... and take a leap into the adulthood of shoe-wearing. I've graduated from sneaker to flats, and now it's time to transcend (literally) my comfort zone.


My first step:



Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Way I See It # 261: My picks

I'm on the hunt for new style inspiration, and of course I found it at the most expensive store imaginable (almost). Cusp is a womens fashion store owned by Nordstrom that boasts high fashion retail. There's a store located in the mall I work at, and I often don't go inside because that would just be too painful. The clothes are gorgeous, so I'm posting my picks.


Kors by Michael Kors Zebra print pump: $255

Luciano Padovan sparkle patent pump: $575


Manolo Blahnik Satin Buckled Sandal: $805

Nanette Lepore Strapless Pique dress: $240



Elijah Backless tank dress: $330

The Way I See It # 260

Like many other girls my age, one of my truest and deepest desires is to live my life like the women in Sex And The City. Gorgeous clothes, hot restaurants, drinks all the time, and living in New York City. I saw the movie today and afterwards I had the desperate urge to wear high heels all the time and to go on a shopping spree. Of course life isn't like that, but isn't life what you make it? Kick Ass is a comic book about a boy becoming a self-made superhero because he doesn't want to do anything else with his life. Certainly being a stylish woman living in a big city is something that can be accomplished, comparatively. Can't I manipulate my life decisions so I get the results I want? Do I have to dream big, and then leave it as just that-- a dream?

No, I certainly don't. I'm going to make myself into the person I want to be, and that decisions in and of itself is very empowering.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Way I See It # 259: "I've Heard there was a secret cord that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do you?"

For the first time in a while I don't know what to write about. It must be my brain acting up. I worked 12-7 today at Resto. That's 2 hours more than normally scheduled. At least I got a break. I went to The Soup Man for lunch, and it wasn't that good. However, I learned that they have actual ice cream there! I had no idea.

Work was good, as it generally is, but I'm being given more responsibility and that's pretty nifty. I'll be organizing and sorting "signage" (which is the sales we run and how to mark them), which apparently is the one of the weakest parts of the company. Sounds like a challenge to me, and a good opportunity to prove myself. I also sold over $1000 in bedding, so way to go me!

After work I went to Sidney's house to watch television and fall asleep; I was so exhausted after work. Dorothy invited me to graduation, and I might go if I'm not going down to Richmond on Thursday to hunt for an apartment or hound the VCU Housing staff. Hopefully I can do both!

Tomorrow I don't work, and I'm going to go see Sex And The City with Mom, Stini, and Kara. That should be fun, we haven't done anything like that yet, and I hear the movie is really good.
Maybe after I can head back over to Bakers Shoes (where I spent some of my break today) and get some sandals for work. I need a new pair of shoes pretty badly.

Working at Resto. has basically forced me to be a housewife. I've learned all about home furnishings, draperies, and soaps, and paint, and I've also learned a lot about cleaning. I learned how to Iron sheets for the very first time yesterday (To one of my coworker's dismay) and now I'll be able to starch and iron my own clothes. The thought of charging for ironing next year at school vaguely crossed my mind. Never mind ironing, I've learned how to appropriately fold bedding, towels, blankets, sheets, and down comforters to Resto. Standards. I also learned how to steam things without getting the dust that settles wet and sticky on the fabric, and how to display items on a table top so they look appealing. I never thought I would learn such womanly crafts on the job!

besides the information I'm sure I'll use again, I'm extra excited to see my paycheck on Friday. It's hard to work so much and not see a decent paycheck for a while. hopefully this will pay off my car payments that are looming over my head. I also hope that I can someday invest the money I make into the stock market. I haven't had another stock market lesson, but I still remember everything I learned. Hopefully that will all work out eventually.

Well, It's 3 AM and that's my cue to exit.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Way I See It # 258: "Nothing Makes Us So Lonely As Our Secrets"- Dr. Paul Tournier

I often think about the secrets we all keep, the secret lives we all pursue and the repercussions of having a private life.

Another blog on this server is all about secrets: http://postsecret.blogspot.com. Like most people, I selfishly read the new entries every Sunday, and some of them always leave me startled, inspired, or upset. I think it's amazing that secrets can hold so much power.

Personally I like being a closed-book of sorts. While some may argue that writing in a blog for over a year isn't exactly "closed" of me, I still like to think I don't put everything on the table.
Whenever I try to make new friends and encounter new people I have to accept that they aren't going to share their secrets with me (nor mine with them) and that sometimes people manipulate their past to appear better in the present. Especially in new relationships this has to be considered, but someone once told me that to keep things from your partner is a good thing, and generally makes things smoother. Is that true? I don't think that keeping everything in the shadows is a good idea, but I can understand that some secrets are too painful to be exposed, and perhaps in time they will surface.

I feel inclined to write about lying. But the point should be made that while all lies are secrets, all secrets are not lies.
We all learned to lie at a young age. when I learned how it was to avoid hurting other's feelings, but the idea of making people believe me became a game in grade school and I began to lie about everything. I made up fantastic stories that I was sure everyone believed. It was empowering, as lies can sometimes be. I learned that lying wasn't right in 6th grade, when a teacher caught me in a lie, and that "slowed my roll". However lying set me off into different things in my life, some good, and some not so good. I turned to theater and acting in high school so I could flex my deceiving powers into something useful. While my acting isn't exceptional, the two things aren't exactly the same. I also learned that lying made relations with my Dad better. If he thought I had done something wrong, I would lie and say I agreed with what he was saying. While it was just to get out of the argument, it made my situation better, at however shameful some of you may think that is.

But as I have gotten older I've learned to appreciate the truth. I've learned how to talk honestly and openly with the people I love, and that whole bit about how you should keep things from people to save a relationship? Untrue. I guess this new chapter came a while ago, but I'd never really talked about it before.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Restoration: A Synopsis (#257)

I've been working at "Resto" for a couple weeks now and I've gotten to know my coworkers pretty well. I like them all, and I think that to say that they could all be on a TV show is the way to say it best. They all have interesting characteristics-- the type of diversity one only finds in the retail environment. I've decided to describe them for you.

Johnny: GM
Johnny is an easy guy to talk to, and if you want to know why, don't ask him. You'll never get a straight answer from Johnny, who likes to ask open-ended questions to solve your problems. More likely than not you'll answer the question yourself, so it's best not to ask Johnny where anything is, or how to handle a customer, as he'll often retort "How would you do it?" Johnny hired me on the spot for my sociable nature and my keen interest in human culture and the holistic view of human interaction. In some sense, I believe he thinks the best way to interact with others, is to let them do all the interacting for him.

April: HM
April is spunky, is studying Interior Design, and has a Chinese symbol tattooed in green ink on her right arm. She's always willing to help, and talks extremely eloquently on the telephone. If you have a problem, bring it to her, and instead of talking down to you, she offers clear, concise, help when and where you need it. She sets the schedule, so having her on your side is always a plus. She handles tough situations with ease, and has guided me through my adjustment at Resto.

Jill: M
Jill moved to the place I work at from one in Maryland because she is the best of the best at doing "Floor Set" which is when we set up the store to look exactly like it does in all the others. She taught me how to fold towels correctly, and has the audacity to wear heels to work (You go girl!). She's not too talkative, which is good. She a detail oriented person, who will adjust a crease in a pillow if necessary to make it look not only good, but "Resto. good"

Sunny: M
Sunny is a middle-aged Indian man who has been with the company for years. He's anal about everything, and gets annoyed when people are disruptive. He handles customers with ease, however, and on my first day of work he thought I was a rogue customer trying to break into the back of the store. Silly Sunny.

Deeqa: M (Pronounced Deca)
Deeqa is 4 months pregnant with a baby boy and I often worry that she lifts too much. She's an Indian woman who is glowing with motherhood, but she isn't afraid to get work done when she needs to. She is enjoyable to work with, and I don't know how she manages to work in high-heels all day long. She is the nicest manager and always helps me out even when she's busy.

Harry: Sales Associate
Harry is an elderly man who has worked at Resto for at least 5 years. He hails from the U. of R. "I'm a spider myself," he told me when I said I went to VCU. His son just graduated from college with a degree in msic performance, and hopes to join a group somewhere in Pennsylvania. Harry enjoys tinkering with the toys in the store and annoying Sunny. Harry likes working at Resto. a lot, but keeps quiet most of the time.

Karen: SA
Karen is older than middle aged, and has an accent that I can't place. She wears docker shorts, clogs, and sweaters tied around her shoulders, and her blond hair in thick headbands. She is the epitome of "Preppy" and is one of our best associates. Her face graces the employee of the month wall a total of three times over the last year. She, however, is too loud for her own good, and when she was making fun of a customer, she was overheard..... not that she noticed. It seems Karen only cares about customers who buy things, and not about the customers we lose. I'm not sure if I like Karen.

Russel: SA
Russel is one of the only associates at Resto who is my age. Though only 19, he will be a Junior at NC State next fall. He likes to act goofy (April says it's because He thought I was single) and gets up on all of the other SAs. He likes to talk about all of the crazy things he has done, including drop acid ("...by accident!") and he enjoys vacuuming the store. He's been with Resto for about three years, and he knows everything. He makes work fun, as he's just about the only person I can relate to on the job.

Gretchen: SA
Gretchen is the daughter of my sister's old orchestra teacher (what a small world). She's nice as can be, but I don't know her that well. All I know is that she does a lot of visual work for the store, and sold 4,000 worth of draperies, therefore making her a "High Roller" in our store.

Adam: SA
Adam lives right on capital hill, folds towels a lot, jokes around with me, and talks about his partner all the time. One of the first sentences I heard from him was "Lisa, you're going to see that Deeqa throws around the Pregnancy card a lot, don't let her, she can handle an 70 lb mirror just fine. okay?" He always says hello to me with enthusiasm, and when he cant wait to leave, I'm right there with him.

James: SA
My sister's boyfriend is the identical twin of James. He's tall, curly hair, glasses, the works. He is basically my sister's BF, but not. I've only worked two days with James, but he's nice, well-spoken, and interested in boats, apparently. That's about all I have to say about him...

Massaya: Stock room
Massaya's age is questionable, as he looks to be about 5 years old, and yet says he's done at Langley HS. Massaya's descent is questionable, his name marks lebanese, and his looks appear Asian, but what matters is his smell. Massaya has strong body odor from lifting heavy boxes and running around. he has 7th grade facial hair and sunburnt cheeks. Massaya asked me on a date, and all interaction with him has been awkward since. I count on him for stock checks, but not much else.

Ehsan: SA
Ehsan really taught me how to fold towels and pay attention to detail. Sometimes his english isn't good, but he's the dark handsome type who smiles his way through things. he's a great guy, and takes every effort to make customers laugh and be comfortable. he's a favorite in the stock room, and everyone appears to love him to death.

Joey: Stock room
Joey is probably older than me, but not by much. Off duty he wears a green trucker hat which doesn't balance out with his pinstripe pants and crisp shirts for work. he smokes Marlboro menthols, and has a black Razr just like mine. He does project for management, and provides sales support when it's busy. He's the mast of visualization and he also handles Signage (setting up the sales and organizing them). he's a nice guy, and always remembers my name.

The Way I See It # 256

So this blog starts out on # 256. I have another blog, located in the links section that I've written in for the better part of a year. Feel free to spend your sleepless nights re-reading my life for the past year. It would take me the better part of a month to copy-paste all of the entries into this new server (Google apparently doesn't make it easy to upload a blog to another server). I've been looking for a new server for a while, and though this isn't as creative as the other, it definitely provides more perks.


hopefully this transition proves smooth!