12.05.2002
I'm sure everyone reading this has had snow in the last 24 hours... we sure did, even though it didn't start until the middle of the night last night. That was such a nice way to wake up, though... Jack rolled over, both of us half-asleep, and muttered, "Hey, look out the window." =) Anyway, I took the trolley into the city for class this morning, and 5 out of the 8 people in my class were there! I was surprised that only 3 people didn't come, since we had about 6 inches on the ground and it kept falling into early evening. Anyway, I got home from class just before 2, and Jack and I went and played in the snow with our camera. We even took a couple of pictures with our cat outside, just to be mean (or at least that's what she thought). She wasn't happy, so I took her back inside real quick. Our new digital camera is a bunch of fun, and hopefully tomorrow, on Jack's second day off, he'll put some of our pictures on the site. Hint: Snow angels were made.
Grad school applications and things are creeping along... I'm working on my Rhapsody in Blue paper, and it's a huge assignment, so I feel quite overwhelmed since it's due next Wednesday. I'm also trying to write my own little paper about a Chopin prelude to send to grad schools (a suggestion from one of my Temple profs), so I'm busy. Thankfully, I finished all my work for my other class, and our last meeting is next Tuesday to talk about the exam, which I'm not too apprehensive about. It's just this paper for the other class... but it'll get done. There are just so many books and sources for me to consider! Yipes! However, I'm getting a great sense of what my work load in grad school will be like, so it's good.
Borders is sort of the same, though business has definitely picked up in the last week. Supposedly, in the next two weeks, the store will be so packed that we won't be able to move (this is what we hear from our co-workers), so that should be an adventure. We're already sort of understaffed and we have a lot of new people who aren't comfortable doing everything yet, so at least the time will go quickly while I'm there. =)
Thanks to everyone who's sent a reply card to my mom... if you haven't sent yours in, please do so that we know a number! I think I'm preaching to the choir here, but if you know someone who hasn't sent it in because they have a question or because they've forgotten, please remind them. That's about all I have to say regarding the wedding... I'm looking forward to it, of course, and I'm REALLY looking forward to the vacation Jack and I get to have afterward. It will be needed, I can assure you. Must go... too much computer for one day. ~E
Grad school applications and things are creeping along... I'm working on my Rhapsody in Blue paper, and it's a huge assignment, so I feel quite overwhelmed since it's due next Wednesday. I'm also trying to write my own little paper about a Chopin prelude to send to grad schools (a suggestion from one of my Temple profs), so I'm busy. Thankfully, I finished all my work for my other class, and our last meeting is next Tuesday to talk about the exam, which I'm not too apprehensive about. It's just this paper for the other class... but it'll get done. There are just so many books and sources for me to consider! Yipes! However, I'm getting a great sense of what my work load in grad school will be like, so it's good.
Borders is sort of the same, though business has definitely picked up in the last week. Supposedly, in the next two weeks, the store will be so packed that we won't be able to move (this is what we hear from our co-workers), so that should be an adventure. We're already sort of understaffed and we have a lot of new people who aren't comfortable doing everything yet, so at least the time will go quickly while I'm there. =)
Thanks to everyone who's sent a reply card to my mom... if you haven't sent yours in, please do so that we know a number! I think I'm preaching to the choir here, but if you know someone who hasn't sent it in because they have a question or because they've forgotten, please remind them. That's about all I have to say regarding the wedding... I'm looking forward to it, of course, and I'm REALLY looking forward to the vacation Jack and I get to have afterward. It will be needed, I can assure you. Must go... too much computer for one day. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, Philly, school, tying the knot
- posted by erica 12/05/2002 11:23:00 PM
- 0 comments
11.02.2002
Hi, everybody! Well, life is pretty good... Jack is on his cell phone in the other room catching up with Arun, one of his groomsmen and a friend from Queens, so I decided to come in here and monopolize the other phone line to post one of my all-too-infrequent updates. =) If you haven't been reading Jack's updates, read them... he's just gotten a temporary promotion at work, so he gets to be inventory supervisor for a month at Borders while two of our supervisors are off helping open other stores. He's begun his training, but he still has to learn paperwork, how to open the store, how to take crap from mean customers, etc... that last one will be the hardest for him, I think, but he'll be great. That's what I'm here for... so he can smile at them and do what he can to fix their problem even though he really doesn't want to, and then he can come home and say "You won't BELIEVE the horrible customer I had today!!!!!" And I will listen patiently. =)
Things are looking up for me, particularly since I decided to drop back to part-time hours at work. This sort of sucks for them during Christmas season (you weren't thinking about Christmas, but trust me... we are), but a bunch of newbies were just hired and trained, and I HAD to drop back my hours to get things accomplished in my life. So I'll be working full shifts (mostly with Jack) three days a week instead of five, and I get to spend all my newfound extra time applying to grad schools (Yale is the top-seed right now), doing homework, taking care of my cat and my fiancé, finishing wedding plans (even though it's pretty much planned), and contemplating life. I'll be visiting Yale on November 20-21, meeting with professors and students to see how things run there and see if they might want to let me in so I can learn about all this awesome music stuff I only know a little about right now. =) My classes are so much fun this semester, and I've written compositions for Counterpoint that I actually like, which is more than I can say for the things I wrote at Queens! Anyway, I need to go, but I hope everybody I haven't talked to in a while is doing well. Anyone else out there planning on starting a website like this? You should! It's great, even if you usually forget to update it. That's what fiancés are for. ~E
Things are looking up for me, particularly since I decided to drop back to part-time hours at work. This sort of sucks for them during Christmas season (you weren't thinking about Christmas, but trust me... we are), but a bunch of newbies were just hired and trained, and I HAD to drop back my hours to get things accomplished in my life. So I'll be working full shifts (mostly with Jack) three days a week instead of five, and I get to spend all my newfound extra time applying to grad schools (Yale is the top-seed right now), doing homework, taking care of my cat and my fiancé, finishing wedding plans (even though it's pretty much planned), and contemplating life. I'll be visiting Yale on November 20-21, meeting with professors and students to see how things run there and see if they might want to let me in so I can learn about all this awesome music stuff I only know a little about right now. =) My classes are so much fun this semester, and I've written compositions for Counterpoint that I actually like, which is more than I can say for the things I wrote at Queens! Anyway, I need to go, but I hope everybody I haven't talked to in a while is doing well. Anyone else out there planning on starting a website like this? You should! It's great, even if you usually forget to update it. That's what fiancés are for. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, school, tying the knot
- posted by erica 11/02/2002 11:46:00 PM
- 0 comments
10.09.2002
So the "occasionally updated" part over at the left is more true than I had first imagined... I don't have to tell you again that I've been busy; you've probably gathered that! If you haven't seen yet, we just put our kitten on the web!! Visit her page, small though it is... we'll be adding more later, like an advice column, Patti's favorite things, and updates on what she's been up to lately. For now, there are pictures with captions added by Jack. =)
Today I get to turn in my bibliography for my 15-18 page research paper. Woohoo! I'm writing on Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; at least I think I am. My professor said I might not be able to find enough stuff, but to try anyway, and we're going to discuss today whether it will work. I have a couple of backup options, but I'd really like to write on this, especially since most people don't have the respect for Gershwin that they do for "classical" composers. Ignorant sluts. One of the interesting things I've read, though, was something Leonard Bernstein wrote in an introduction to a book I checked out of the library. Apparently, when Bernstein was in college (I guess in the 30s or 40s), he expressed interest in Tchaikovsky, and everyone laughed at him, because at the time, no one thought of Tchaikovsky as anything more than a second-rate Russian nobody. Anyway, his point was that he thought Gershwin would earn the same respect over time, but enough time hasn't passed for people to get him yet.
Borders is good, and we're gearing up for the Christmas rush. We put our holiday music and cards out a couple of weeks ago, so as far as we're concerned, Christmas is just around the corner. They're starting to hire temporary holiday help, which will be good, since our turnover has been pretty high since Jack and I started working there. Last night, two people were sick, so Jack and I were two of the three sellers in the entire book and music store. We had two managers and someone in the cafe, but it didn't quiet down until about 9 p.m., so I was quite fatigued by the end of the night and was ready to have a day off today. We took my baby into the Saturn dealer to have an oil change today, and I asked them to order me the parts for cruise control, so hopefully they'll be able to put that in sometime next week before Jack and I drive to Winston (the 19th through the 21st, for those keeping score at home).
On the home front, I've been branching out with my cooking, and I bought a French cookbook the other day at work. It has recipes for all sorts of really yummy desserts and soups. I don't have half of the space or equipment I need to make most of it, but eventually we will have a real kitchen with real counter and storage space, and I will be able to be a whirlwind master chef. It'll be great. The latest project for me to improve on is my bread making, so wish me luck as I subject Jack to all sorts of taste tests and other things to which he regularly objects (yeah, right). Bye for now!
Today I get to turn in my bibliography for my 15-18 page research paper. Woohoo! I'm writing on Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; at least I think I am. My professor said I might not be able to find enough stuff, but to try anyway, and we're going to discuss today whether it will work. I have a couple of backup options, but I'd really like to write on this, especially since most people don't have the respect for Gershwin that they do for "classical" composers. Ignorant sluts. One of the interesting things I've read, though, was something Leonard Bernstein wrote in an introduction to a book I checked out of the library. Apparently, when Bernstein was in college (I guess in the 30s or 40s), he expressed interest in Tchaikovsky, and everyone laughed at him, because at the time, no one thought of Tchaikovsky as anything more than a second-rate Russian nobody. Anyway, his point was that he thought Gershwin would earn the same respect over time, but enough time hasn't passed for people to get him yet.
Borders is good, and we're gearing up for the Christmas rush. We put our holiday music and cards out a couple of weeks ago, so as far as we're concerned, Christmas is just around the corner. They're starting to hire temporary holiday help, which will be good, since our turnover has been pretty high since Jack and I started working there. Last night, two people were sick, so Jack and I were two of the three sellers in the entire book and music store. We had two managers and someone in the cafe, but it didn't quiet down until about 9 p.m., so I was quite fatigued by the end of the night and was ready to have a day off today. We took my baby into the Saturn dealer to have an oil change today, and I asked them to order me the parts for cruise control, so hopefully they'll be able to put that in sometime next week before Jack and I drive to Winston (the 19th through the 21st, for those keeping score at home).
On the home front, I've been branching out with my cooking, and I bought a French cookbook the other day at work. It has recipes for all sorts of really yummy desserts and soups. I don't have half of the space or equipment I need to make most of it, but eventually we will have a real kitchen with real counter and storage space, and I will be able to be a whirlwind master chef. It'll be great. The latest project for me to improve on is my bread making, so wish me luck as I subject Jack to all sorts of taste tests and other things to which he regularly objects (yeah, right). Bye for now!
Labels: bookstore life, felines, holidays, kitchen adventures, school
- posted by erica 10/09/2002 02:47:00 PM
- 0 comments
8.21.2002
As Chanda, one of my sorority sisters, said, "Let us now have a moment of silence for the Blue-mobile." My car has officially moved on to a new owner, this girl that we got in touch with through the United Way. We went to AAA today to sign over the title, and since I'm an idiot and forgot my driver's license this morning (it's in my other shorts), they were REALLY nice and took my social security card and my International Student ID, since one had my signature and another had my picture. =) We got that all taken care of, and I showed her the little idiosyncrasies of my beloved car, like the fact that the rear defroster has never worked, and the way the hood opens backward so that you have to stand beside the car, rather than in front of it, to do anything to it. Anyway, it was fun, and I kissed my car and patted it goodbye. Mom and I were talking as we drove out of the parking lot, and I decided that it's the same feeling as when you have to put an old doll out at your yard sale, and then a really sweet little girl comes and buys it with her 50 cents out of her own pocket. Of course, this specific situation has never happened to me, but it's a metaphor.
Well, I bought Granny and Uncle Mark a Gateway computer last week, so they've set it up and Uncle Mark has started to use it. He said Granny would start small, like learning how to turn it on, and maybe soon she'll be reading the updates here for herself and emailing me! That would be exciting. I still can't picture a computer in her house, but I'll see it soon enough. =)
Our weird customers continue to amuse and/or annoy me, including this one woman who is obsessed with my music supervisor. She comes in almost every day looking for him, and she's a really fast-talking Hollywood agent type who wants everything right that minute, so I can't lie to her because she talks too fast and confuses me. =) Anyway, we always roll our eyes when she comes near, and sometimes I get to warn him before she gets up to the desk. She didn't know him from Adam a month ago, and now she's bringing him lunch (which he never eats, thank goodness), trying to get him a radio job, and giving him Borders gift cards. We haven't figured out what's up with her, but my supervisor is starting to think that maybe she's just lonely and bored and needs someone to "take care of" if that's what she feels like she's doing. No idea. Anyway, she's a trip, and everyone in the entire store is getting to know her now, not just our little music department. It's a real joy. It's always fun to sit in the back and talk about our customers, including one guy last week who apparently shoplifted for some friends and then called later, feeling horribly guilty, to ask if he could come in and pay for the stuff he stole. Yes, he did. I'm not joking. Jack was there.
Anyway, I'm still in Lancaster, and we're at Mom's school, though Mom has wandered down the hall to help a teacher with something. Maybe we'll make it to the craft store tonight before it closes, so I can get home before all the crazy people come out on the roads. Oh wait... I live in the North now. They're ALWAYS on the roads.
Well, I bought Granny and Uncle Mark a Gateway computer last week, so they've set it up and Uncle Mark has started to use it. He said Granny would start small, like learning how to turn it on, and maybe soon she'll be reading the updates here for herself and emailing me! That would be exciting. I still can't picture a computer in her house, but I'll see it soon enough. =)
Our weird customers continue to amuse and/or annoy me, including this one woman who is obsessed with my music supervisor. She comes in almost every day looking for him, and she's a really fast-talking Hollywood agent type who wants everything right that minute, so I can't lie to her because she talks too fast and confuses me. =) Anyway, we always roll our eyes when she comes near, and sometimes I get to warn him before she gets up to the desk. She didn't know him from Adam a month ago, and now she's bringing him lunch (which he never eats, thank goodness), trying to get him a radio job, and giving him Borders gift cards. We haven't figured out what's up with her, but my supervisor is starting to think that maybe she's just lonely and bored and needs someone to "take care of" if that's what she feels like she's doing. No idea. Anyway, she's a trip, and everyone in the entire store is getting to know her now, not just our little music department. It's a real joy. It's always fun to sit in the back and talk about our customers, including one guy last week who apparently shoplifted for some friends and then called later, feeling horribly guilty, to ask if he could come in and pay for the stuff he stole. Yes, he did. I'm not joking. Jack was there.
Anyway, I'm still in Lancaster, and we're at Mom's school, though Mom has wandered down the hall to help a teacher with something. Maybe we'll make it to the craft store tonight before it closes, so I can get home before all the crazy people come out on the roads. Oh wait... I live in the North now. They're ALWAYS on the roads.
Labels: bookstore life, car issues, family
- posted by erica 8/21/2002 04:05:00 PM
- 0 comments
8.13.2002
Hi all... I was going to come update the site yesterday evening, but I had some mildly disturbing news and had to take care of it quickly. Basically, the David's Bridal in Charlotte ordered the bridesmaids' dresses I picked that happened to be discontinued, and they actually found the 8 I needed, but then the girl handling our order quit, and so when the dresses came, nobody knew what they were, so they put them out on the floor and SOLD THEM. Anyway, we knew something fishy was going on since they hadn't been delivered to us yet, but Mom called me and told me this last night, so I made a fun trip alone to David's Bridal near where I work and found something else really cool. It's not navy, so the color scheme is slightly shifted, but I'm still going to have lots of white, silver, and different shades of blue (for a sort of wintery/ice castle look with lots of ivy thrown in). Most brides would be more upset by this sort of thing, which I was a little bit, but I'm better now that I've realized there are many worse things that could have happened to me than that. =)
Jack just finished his second day of training at my Borders (in case you haven't been reading his updates, he got hired there as a bookseller). It's kind of fun to be here while he's not here for a few hours a day, especially since the cat plays with me more. I guess when it's a choice between me and sheer boredom, she picks me... I should be flattered, right? Right. Such is my kitten, but I love her. The new car is still fabulous, especially since I'm getting to listen to more of my CDs than I ever thought possible! I got a call this morning from the professor who teaches the grad seminar I want to take this fall, and he said, "well, you have a music degree, and this is a beginning Master's level class, so I think you'll be fine." I was excited to hear that my degree means something to someone there. =) I think things are going to work out fine, but it's been a bit of a rocky start. I'm really looking forward to taking some upper level stuff that will expand my schema of this career path I've chosen here.
Friday, I'm going to State College, PA, to help Lauren move into her new place for grad school. She and Katherine are driving up from Winston-Salem with Lauren's family, and I'm driving over (about 3 hours) to help with the move, hopefully repaying any debts I may have incurred while moving earlier this summer. Hehehe... just kidding. I've gotten to withhold Katherine's birthday present, but now I have to give it to her, and she's actually going to find out what it is instead of my being able to taunt her about getting her a new espresso machine, an array of flavored syrups, chocolate powder, and a set of twelve coffee mugs. Oh, Jack's home... I must run along. ~E
Jack just finished his second day of training at my Borders (in case you haven't been reading his updates, he got hired there as a bookseller). It's kind of fun to be here while he's not here for a few hours a day, especially since the cat plays with me more. I guess when it's a choice between me and sheer boredom, she picks me... I should be flattered, right? Right. Such is my kitten, but I love her. The new car is still fabulous, especially since I'm getting to listen to more of my CDs than I ever thought possible! I got a call this morning from the professor who teaches the grad seminar I want to take this fall, and he said, "well, you have a music degree, and this is a beginning Master's level class, so I think you'll be fine." I was excited to hear that my degree means something to someone there. =) I think things are going to work out fine, but it's been a bit of a rocky start. I'm really looking forward to taking some upper level stuff that will expand my schema of this career path I've chosen here.
Friday, I'm going to State College, PA, to help Lauren move into her new place for grad school. She and Katherine are driving up from Winston-Salem with Lauren's family, and I'm driving over (about 3 hours) to help with the move, hopefully repaying any debts I may have incurred while moving earlier this summer. Hehehe... just kidding. I've gotten to withhold Katherine's birthday present, but now I have to give it to her, and she's actually going to find out what it is instead of my being able to taunt her about getting her a new espresso machine, an array of flavored syrups, chocolate powder, and a set of twelve coffee mugs. Oh, Jack's home... I must run along. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, friends, school, tying the knot
- posted by erica 8/13/2002 11:29:00 PM
- 0 comments
8.07.2002
Well, Jack and I just started watching The West Wing on NBC tonight, and let me tell you, THAT is a well-written show. I'm hooked. =)
I've been working on registering at Temple, but the professor whose seminar I want to take hasn't been around much, so it's kind of slow going. I spoke with the Assistant Dean today, and she said there really wasn't a rush, as long as I got it done before classes started, because I wouldn't have priority over matriculated students anyway. Hmph. It makes complete sense, but that started within me a whole new fear of losing my spot even if I do get into these classes. I can't wait until September 3rd, the day classes start, so I'll actually know what's going on and why we're in Philadelphia.
Borders is still good... I'm full-time in music now instead of being split between music and books, and it's good for several reasons. First of all, the section is a lot smaller, so I can get to know what all we have and where it is much easier than in the bookstore, and second, it's not nearly as hectic in the music store... especially since we don't have summer reading. Do me a favor, if you're reading this... if you have or ever will have children, get their summer reading books EARLY. We don't always have everything, because we sell out of it as soon as it comes in, and we have so many angry, irresponsible parents who waited until now to get their kids' books and are outraged that we don't have everything they need right there for them. This is most unpleasant. I've done a bunch of special orders. On the other end of the spectrum is the sweet, quirky customer like the woman I tried to help the other day... I somehow got trapped in the kids' section, which happens every time I walk over there, and this woman who was someone's kindly, well-meaning grandmother was looking for a children's book on Colonial Architecture. Is that specific, or am I crazy? (Both, you say? Well, be quiet.) Anyway, I looked high and low for something that would work, including several books about the architecture of the pyramids and the Golden Gate bridge, but she was apparently dead-set on Colonial, so she thanked me very much for trying and walked away empty-handed. If she were in Williamsburg or Monticello, she could buy 6 or 8 different books in their gift shop, but not at Borders, apparently. This is what I'm learning. I wouldn't trade it for any other retail job, though; I can say that for certain. I've never enjoyed selling things before, but with this, it's not like a mall where they just wander in off the street. They come wanting to browse in Metaphysics or wanting the new Tom Clancy book that just came out Monday, and I get to point them to the display and then show them where his other books are and tell them to have fun looking around. It's good. I also get to talk with all these charming old men who come in wanting to discuss Wagner and Mozart with me, so that's good too. They teach me more than I teach them, so I'm not really sure it's fair, but that's okay. Eventually, it might be the other way around, right? Only Temple has the answer to that right now. ~E
I've been working on registering at Temple, but the professor whose seminar I want to take hasn't been around much, so it's kind of slow going. I spoke with the Assistant Dean today, and she said there really wasn't a rush, as long as I got it done before classes started, because I wouldn't have priority over matriculated students anyway. Hmph. It makes complete sense, but that started within me a whole new fear of losing my spot even if I do get into these classes. I can't wait until September 3rd, the day classes start, so I'll actually know what's going on and why we're in Philadelphia.
Borders is still good... I'm full-time in music now instead of being split between music and books, and it's good for several reasons. First of all, the section is a lot smaller, so I can get to know what all we have and where it is much easier than in the bookstore, and second, it's not nearly as hectic in the music store... especially since we don't have summer reading. Do me a favor, if you're reading this... if you have or ever will have children, get their summer reading books EARLY. We don't always have everything, because we sell out of it as soon as it comes in, and we have so many angry, irresponsible parents who waited until now to get their kids' books and are outraged that we don't have everything they need right there for them. This is most unpleasant. I've done a bunch of special orders. On the other end of the spectrum is the sweet, quirky customer like the woman I tried to help the other day... I somehow got trapped in the kids' section, which happens every time I walk over there, and this woman who was someone's kindly, well-meaning grandmother was looking for a children's book on Colonial Architecture. Is that specific, or am I crazy? (Both, you say? Well, be quiet.) Anyway, I looked high and low for something that would work, including several books about the architecture of the pyramids and the Golden Gate bridge, but she was apparently dead-set on Colonial, so she thanked me very much for trying and walked away empty-handed. If she were in Williamsburg or Monticello, she could buy 6 or 8 different books in their gift shop, but not at Borders, apparently. This is what I'm learning. I wouldn't trade it for any other retail job, though; I can say that for certain. I've never enjoyed selling things before, but with this, it's not like a mall where they just wander in off the street. They come wanting to browse in Metaphysics or wanting the new Tom Clancy book that just came out Monday, and I get to point them to the display and then show them where his other books are and tell them to have fun looking around. It's good. I also get to talk with all these charming old men who come in wanting to discuss Wagner and Mozart with me, so that's good too. They teach me more than I teach them, so I'm not really sure it's fair, but that's okay. Eventually, it might be the other way around, right? Only Temple has the answer to that right now. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, school, what to watch
- posted by erica 8/07/2002 11:02:00 PM
- 0 comments
7.17.2002
***ERICA'S HOPES OF GRAD SCHOOL NOT DASHED AFTER ALL***
I met with the head of the theory department (Dr. Folio) at Temple yesterday morning, and she seems to think I'll be fine in the counterpoint class they offer this fall. There was an orchestration class that looked neat, but apparently it's full, so I'm going to check on Keyboard Harmony, something I desperately need to work on anyway! I might be taking two music classes and a German I class, depending on availability, but at least I'm in the door and can officially register now. Yay! I had a semi-breakdown Sunday night, wondering if I should even be trying this, but now I'm good, and Dr. Folio was very cool to talk to.
Work continues to be good, even though I'm looking at investing in some Dr. Scholl's arch support thingies because my feet and lower back hurt so much when I get home from work. That's okay, though... it's very fun. Even today, when we had two new registers, including the only one in the cafe, so the cafe people had to make the drinks and then send customers over with a little piece of paper with their code written on it for those of us who didn't have the codes memorized. =) It was exciting. Just after lunch, our manager who had been on the phone with tech support since 6 a.m. finally got everything up and running (well, almost... credit cards won't scan...). Hmm... what else? I've made dinner, but I'm waiting for my beloved to return home (he had to drive really far for a job interview with RadioShack), so I'm killing time after Jeopardy. Yes, Jeopardy comes on BEFORE Wheel of Fortune here... this is the sound of a schema breaking... I'm also making strawberry pancakes for our dessert, since Jack bought me strawberries that were buy one, get one free yesterday. He's such a good shopper. Bye now.
I met with the head of the theory department (Dr. Folio) at Temple yesterday morning, and she seems to think I'll be fine in the counterpoint class they offer this fall. There was an orchestration class that looked neat, but apparently it's full, so I'm going to check on Keyboard Harmony, something I desperately need to work on anyway! I might be taking two music classes and a German I class, depending on availability, but at least I'm in the door and can officially register now. Yay! I had a semi-breakdown Sunday night, wondering if I should even be trying this, but now I'm good, and Dr. Folio was very cool to talk to.
Work continues to be good, even though I'm looking at investing in some Dr. Scholl's arch support thingies because my feet and lower back hurt so much when I get home from work. That's okay, though... it's very fun. Even today, when we had two new registers, including the only one in the cafe, so the cafe people had to make the drinks and then send customers over with a little piece of paper with their code written on it for those of us who didn't have the codes memorized. =) It was exciting. Just after lunch, our manager who had been on the phone with tech support since 6 a.m. finally got everything up and running (well, almost... credit cards won't scan...). Hmm... what else? I've made dinner, but I'm waiting for my beloved to return home (he had to drive really far for a job interview with RadioShack), so I'm killing time after Jeopardy. Yes, Jeopardy comes on BEFORE Wheel of Fortune here... this is the sound of a schema breaking... I'm also making strawberry pancakes for our dessert, since Jack bought me strawberries that were buy one, get one free yesterday. He's such a good shopper. Bye now.
Labels: bookstore life, kitchen adventures, school
- posted by erica 7/17/2002 07:36:00 PM
- 0 comments
7.10.2002
Work was good the last few days, now that I'm actually working and not just "fake" working, the way I was during training. =) The excitement of yesterday was helping a man in a wheelchair find erotica books, and he was very specific in wanting something with pictures to "spice up" his and his girlfriend's sex life. Yeah. He went into much more detail than I'm going into here, because it was thoroughly strange, but I handled it well and was very polite, I think. I chuckled about it later, though. Patti has been getting into boxes as usual, especially here in the computer room, but now Jack is in the process of converting her into a lap cat. She's been a little skittish as long as I've known her, since she came to my uncle from another home, but she's finally realizing that we're not going to hurt her and she can get us to pet her a lot if she'll just stick around where we can reach her. =) We got her a toy that Jack's cats have: a ball in a track. It's about a foot and a half in diameter, and in the middle of the track is a cardboard mat that we get to put catnip in. So basically what happens is that she eats the catnip, gets high, and then rolls around and becomes fascinated with the ball for twenty minutes or so. Just say no to drugs...
Jack probably has a job with RadioShack, because they seemed very excited about him when he went in to their store on Monday, but no promises... hopefully, my writing this won't jinx it, but he's excited, and he's also gotten a lead on a new web project he might get to do. Yay! Today is my day off, so I'm being lazy, and it's wonderful. The last two days, especially yesterday, I ran around so much at work that I came home feeling, as my dad used to put it, like a train had run over me. Luckily, I have a nice boy in my apartment who will massage my feet for me after dinner while we're watching movies on the sofa. Sometimes, our cat even comes up to us wanting to be petted. I get my first paycheck on Thursday. Life is good.
Jack probably has a job with RadioShack, because they seemed very excited about him when he went in to their store on Monday, but no promises... hopefully, my writing this won't jinx it, but he's excited, and he's also gotten a lead on a new web project he might get to do. Yay! Today is my day off, so I'm being lazy, and it's wonderful. The last two days, especially yesterday, I ran around so much at work that I came home feeling, as my dad used to put it, like a train had run over me. Luckily, I have a nice boy in my apartment who will massage my feet for me after dinner while we're watching movies on the sofa. Sometimes, our cat even comes up to us wanting to be petted. I get my first paycheck on Thursday. Life is good.
Labels: bookstore life, felines
- posted by erica 7/10/2002 11:51:00 AM
- 0 comments
7.07.2002
Yeah, so Jack's car has had some issues... this is part of the reason I haven't written in over a week. =) We went to Baltimore as scheduled to help Jack's sister move down the street from her old apartment to the new one, and that was fun, but when we tried to leave and got onto the highway, we ran out of gas because neither of us was paying enough attention to the gas gauge. Long story short... we ended up frying his fuel pump, which, in a '95 Cavalier, requires taking out half of the gas tank... so we spent $800 on the repairs, plus our train tickets to get back home the NEXT day, after we had the AAA guy tow the car to the Chevy dealer down the road. Earlier on Saturday afternoon, we had realized that the A/C was broken yet again, so now that the car is finally back up in Philly (Jack went to get it yesterday), we can take it back to our Chevy dealer and have them rethink the problem, since it obviously is not just the valve they've replaced twice already. Enough about that... the weather is a little cooler this week, so we are not quite so unhappy as we might otherwise be. =)
I had training at Borders all this past week, which was really cool, so now I know all sorts of stuff. I don't know how I ever found anything in the store before, honestly, because you really have to have help to find a LOT of stuff there. =) I guess that's how the company insures that the employees will not become obsolete. I get to work in the music section a few days this next week, and I'm also going to be "cross-trained" in the cafe. We watched this video on Saturday called Espresso 101, and I learned that basically everyone I know (including me) stores their coffee the wrong way. It was exciting. (Hey, Jack just broke a glass lamp shade. Random occurrence. He's okay, but he's mad because he liked that lamp.) Anyway, I'll basically be the person who knows a little bit about everything in the store, because I couldn't narrow myself down to one area (sound like me??), so I'll work in music, the book info desk, the registers, and the cafe depending on where they need the most help. Yay. =)
Today we went to Lancaster, because Mom and Bill left and needed us to take Daisy to the kennel. They went on a cruise with Mom's brother and sister-in-law and my grandparents, because June 14th was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary! It was very exciting, and they wanted to share it with their kids, so they're on a cruise for a week from NYC to the Bahamas and then back. Woohoo! Anyway, the kennel opened today after they had to leave, so we took the wonder-Lhasa to camp. =) I had a nice day off, and I get to go back to the working world tomorrow, this time not in "training" mode! The other three people I trained with and I did some real work the last two days of training, like working the registers and helping people from the info desk, but we get to do it all day from now on. I'm excited. I get some great benefits at this place, and I think it's going to be a neat job to have... plus I'll know when Harry Potter Book 5 is coming out before ANY of you will, so ha. Just kidding. ~E
I had training at Borders all this past week, which was really cool, so now I know all sorts of stuff. I don't know how I ever found anything in the store before, honestly, because you really have to have help to find a LOT of stuff there. =) I guess that's how the company insures that the employees will not become obsolete. I get to work in the music section a few days this next week, and I'm also going to be "cross-trained" in the cafe. We watched this video on Saturday called Espresso 101, and I learned that basically everyone I know (including me) stores their coffee the wrong way. It was exciting. (Hey, Jack just broke a glass lamp shade. Random occurrence. He's okay, but he's mad because he liked that lamp.) Anyway, I'll basically be the person who knows a little bit about everything in the store, because I couldn't narrow myself down to one area (sound like me??), so I'll work in music, the book info desk, the registers, and the cafe depending on where they need the most help. Yay. =)
Today we went to Lancaster, because Mom and Bill left and needed us to take Daisy to the kennel. They went on a cruise with Mom's brother and sister-in-law and my grandparents, because June 14th was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary! It was very exciting, and they wanted to share it with their kids, so they're on a cruise for a week from NYC to the Bahamas and then back. Woohoo! Anyway, the kennel opened today after they had to leave, so we took the wonder-Lhasa to camp. =) I had a nice day off, and I get to go back to the working world tomorrow, this time not in "training" mode! The other three people I trained with and I did some real work the last two days of training, like working the registers and helping people from the info desk, but we get to do it all day from now on. I'm excited. I get some great benefits at this place, and I think it's going to be a neat job to have... plus I'll know when Harry Potter Book 5 is coming out before ANY of you will, so ha. Just kidding. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, car issues, coffee, family
- posted by erica 7/07/2002 11:18:00 PM
- 0 comments
6.27.2002
***NEWS FLASH*** Jack's A/C has been fixed. That is the big news of the day. The Chevy dealer called us about half an hour before they closed yesterday to tell us that the same valve they replaced was causing the problem this time, so they didn't charge us... nevertheless leading me to wonder how many times they'll have to replace it. =) We'll see. Anyway, I got to take his car to work today, which was SO nice. The half-hour drive is a lot shorter when I doin't have to stick my head out the window to catch a breeze. It's probably safer too.
Work was good today. The guy I've been working with (he's been unofficially training me) said that I'm the first person they assigned to help him sort that actually did it right. It's sort of like all the work I did at the hospital in W-S where they were amazed that I could file so quickly and that I actually knew how to alphabetize. Go figure. I learned to alphabetize shortly after I learned my alphabet... did everyone else not do this??? Anyway, it rained a lot here today, which was sort of bad for the store because they had the bargain books outside, and the security guard (I've heard she's a bit of a moron anyway) told people that the books were free since they had gotten wet. We have no idea how many got taken before the manager figured this out. Some people should just sit at home instead of having jobs. I think some rich person should pay a living wage to stupid people if they'll agree to learn how to get a clue. There has to be a school for that, and then upon completion they can re-enter the workforce, no longer a threat to themselves or their co-workers. Geez.
Not too much else going on today... we're going to Baltimore to help Jack's sister move this weekend, so that should be exciting. I love carrying boxes! =) We do get to go to some kind of show and stay with her Saturday night, so I'm looking forward to it. On a side note, Patti is starting to eat more, so we're becoming wary of leaving her when we go out of town... could be a problem. Any suggestions on how to curb a pet's eating would be much appreciated. I certainly can't rely on my experience with my parents' dog, Daisy, the Lhasa snatch-food-out-of-your-hand-if-you-put-it-too-close-to-the-ground Apso. She's a pig. ~E
Work was good today. The guy I've been working with (he's been unofficially training me) said that I'm the first person they assigned to help him sort that actually did it right. It's sort of like all the work I did at the hospital in W-S where they were amazed that I could file so quickly and that I actually knew how to alphabetize. Go figure. I learned to alphabetize shortly after I learned my alphabet... did everyone else not do this??? Anyway, it rained a lot here today, which was sort of bad for the store because they had the bargain books outside, and the security guard (I've heard she's a bit of a moron anyway) told people that the books were free since they had gotten wet. We have no idea how many got taken before the manager figured this out. Some people should just sit at home instead of having jobs. I think some rich person should pay a living wage to stupid people if they'll agree to learn how to get a clue. There has to be a school for that, and then upon completion they can re-enter the workforce, no longer a threat to themselves or their co-workers. Geez.
Not too much else going on today... we're going to Baltimore to help Jack's sister move this weekend, so that should be exciting. I love carrying boxes! =) We do get to go to some kind of show and stay with her Saturday night, so I'm looking forward to it. On a side note, Patti is starting to eat more, so we're becoming wary of leaving her when we go out of town... could be a problem. Any suggestions on how to curb a pet's eating would be much appreciated. I certainly can't rely on my experience with my parents' dog, Daisy, the Lhasa snatch-food-out-of-your-hand-if-you-put-it-too-close-to-the-ground Apso. She's a pig. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, car issues, felines
- posted by erica 6/27/2002 11:06:00 PM
- 0 comments
6.26.2002
Okay, it's freaking hot up here... I'm sure it is everywhere right now, but good grief... 90+ every day of the last two weeks! I especially notice it because neither of our cars has A/C right now. In case you missed it, the Honda people told me it would be $1000 to fix mine... yes, that's three zeros... and Jack's car has some kind of leak in the coolant containment area. The Chevy dealer fixed it just long enough for us to drive away and think for two days that it was fixed and we wouldn't collapse from heat exhaustion this summer, but then Monday, we realized that the "leaking part" they claimed to have replaced apparently wasn't the entire problem. So his car is there again, and we took my car to Harrisburg today (2 hours each way). We were meeting Lauren (one of my bridesmaids/close friends) who was visiting Penn State, because she's going there for grad school next year, so she and her mom had lunch with us on I-81. It was very fun, but the drive back was no fun at all. I jumped in the shower practically the minute we got back, so now I feel better, and I'm very excited that our apartment has effective A/C and a fan in our bedroom. =) It's going to be a long summer.
My job is going really well, except that last night the conveyor belt broke. See, I work at one of about 3 stores in the country that doesn't have a loading dock, so we use a conveyor belt to get new shipments down to the basement and then back up to the store level once they've been sorted. Last night, my second night on the job, I spent about 4 hours sorting books down there, and right after I boxed up a bunch to send upstairs, the thing broke, and apparently it'll be down for two weeks to get fixed for good. This means I get to relive my spectacular moving experience and probably carry boxes up and down the stairs every day I go to work. =) That's okay... that's why they pay me. A side benefit I think I forgot to mention before is that I get to borrow two books at a time for up to two weeks as long as I bring them back in sellable condition, so I got a web design book for Jack last night so he can learn more things. Yay, learning! I've already found a bunch of novels I want to borrow, but I'm making myself finish my library books first so I can get them back (Invisible Man and The Poisonwood Bible). I think I'm going to take a nap now, because I'm tired and it's my day off, so I CAN. Hahahaha. ~E
My job is going really well, except that last night the conveyor belt broke. See, I work at one of about 3 stores in the country that doesn't have a loading dock, so we use a conveyor belt to get new shipments down to the basement and then back up to the store level once they've been sorted. Last night, my second night on the job, I spent about 4 hours sorting books down there, and right after I boxed up a bunch to send upstairs, the thing broke, and apparently it'll be down for two weeks to get fixed for good. This means I get to relive my spectacular moving experience and probably carry boxes up and down the stairs every day I go to work. =) That's okay... that's why they pay me. A side benefit I think I forgot to mention before is that I get to borrow two books at a time for up to two weeks as long as I bring them back in sellable condition, so I got a web design book for Jack last night so he can learn more things. Yay, learning! I've already found a bunch of novels I want to borrow, but I'm making myself finish my library books first so I can get them back (Invisible Man and The Poisonwood Bible). I think I'm going to take a nap now, because I'm tired and it's my day off, so I CAN. Hahahaha. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, car issues, friends, what to read
- posted by erica 6/26/2002 04:46:00 PM
- 0 comments
6.21.2002
Today I spent entirely too much time at the King of Prussia mall with my mom. =) If you've never been there before, it's HUGE. Bigger than Hanes Mall, bigger than anything in North Carolina, actually. We were looking for a rehearsal dress for me and a dress for her for the wedding, and we found a few things that might work but nothing spectacular. At least I know I can go back to Macy's later, because they had a whole lot of stuff on clearance, which makes them actually affordable! It was great. In addition, The Museum Company there was going out of business, so they had everything at least 60% off, even though 2/3 of the store was empty. I got presents for lots of people, so it was exciting. (Haha, Katherine, I have presents for you and you don't know what they are!) I also found a few cute things I might get for my flower/ring girls (my cousins, Shelby and April), but we'll see. The search continues. I have months left anyway. Jack and I are going to Lancaster tomorrow to spend some time with Mom and Bill and possibly see a movie tomorrow night. On a different note (C#, I suppose), I spoke with the Borders people last night, and they officially offered me the job! So I'm employed, and I start Monday evening sorting books. I get to sort books for a week because training doesn't start until July 1, but at least I get to go in and get paid and learn my way around a little. Yay, employment! I'm very tired now from walking around all day... I had to run to keep up with my mother's breakneck speed (she's a fast one), and we were both wiped out when we stopped for our 5:00 ice cream. Hehehe. I'm going to bed very soon. Later, all!
Labels: bookstore life, family
- posted by erica 6/21/2002 10:30:00 PM
- 0 comments
6.19.2002
So, I almost got a job today. =) I interviewed at Borders, and the manager I spoke to told me that as soon as she contacted a few of my references tonight or tomorrow, I would have a job, and I can start training next week! Woohoo! It pays a bit more than minimum wage, I get a 25% discount that becomes 33% after 60 days, and I'm very excited about working in the music section and also helping people with books. It should be lots of fun. Maybe after a few months I'll decide I want to work in the cafe so that I can make coffee and stuff for people, because that would be very cool too. I suppose that if Bed Bath & Beyond or Blockbuster calls me, I'll tell them that they should have called me sooner because I am a hot commodity. Yes, I believe I'll use those words. Jack is sitting on the floor sorting through some of my dad's computer CDs to see exactly what we have, which is a WHOLE lot of stuff! Patti is keeping us company by lounging around the room looking distant and unconcerned, but we know she just wants to be petted and annoyed by us. =) Maybe I'll brush her in a minute. Ha ha ha ha ha!! That's all for now. ~E
Labels: bookstore life, felines
- posted by erica 6/19/2002 09:28:00 PM
- 0 comments
6.17.2002
Here's today's update... I have nothing to report. I've applied at a sketchy Bed Bath & Beyond and a nice Borders bookstore, and I'm still waiting to hear from them and the Blockbuster across the street. I'd love to work for Blockbuster, because I wouldn't have to drive there (Philly traffic is an amalgam of stupidity and wasted time), it would be fun, and I'd get to rent all the movies Jack hasn't seen so he can actually learn something about pop culture. When I asked him this morning if he knew that Frances McDormand is married to Joel Coen, he didn't know who Frances McDormand was because he had never seen Fargo. Hmph.
I took several pictures of our cat, Patti, today, so as soon as I develop the pictures and get near a scanner, I'll put those up. My camera is very old (a hand-me-down from my step-dad), and it took forever for the flash to prepare itself, so she kept walking back and forth in front of me, playing with various things and being cute. I kept waiting for her to say, "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Spielberg..." Silly kitty. Damn cute, though.
I took several pictures of our cat, Patti, today, so as soon as I develop the pictures and get near a scanner, I'll put those up. My camera is very old (a hand-me-down from my step-dad), and it took forever for the flash to prepare itself, so she kept walking back and forth in front of me, playing with various things and being cute. I kept waiting for her to say, "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Spielberg..." Silly kitty. Damn cute, though.
Labels: bookstore life, felines
- posted by erica 6/17/2002 03:50:00 PM
- 0 comments
