To get started:
1)
I'm 35 (going on 36) and pretty cranky about it, too.
2)
I've worked retail my entire professional life. 14 years this June, 13 for the same company this August, 11 this year at the same location, in a management position. I have never been a store manager, nor do I intend to be.
3)
My job defines me most. Sad but true. Pretty much all of my friends are co-workers, employees, or former co-workers and employees. Part of this is a function of the fact that--
4)
Our store is weird. Turnover usually happens early and often in retail--people tend to move up and/or out pretty fast. Not our store. The staff comes and goes--but not as fast as you'd expect. I've had the same boss for the last 11 years, and I've known him since I started with the company. My only ranking equivalent has been at our store since it's been open, and all of our direct report supervisors have been with the store at least five. It's made for a very unique and positive environment, despite the fact that the work itself can be very unrewarding. Yes, the people are by and large fun and a little wacky. It's the only that keeps me going, usually.
5)
My parents are cool. Yep, I get along with 'em just fine. Mom likes lots of the stuff I like. She loves action movies. She doesn't read comics (except for "Get Fuzzy") but she loves superhero movies and was a devoted fan of the X-Men cartoon from the 90's (Wolverine and Beast are her favorites). I got her into
X-Files, she got me into
Heroes. She also is a great cook--her holiday cookies are legend at our store--and an amazing decorator who has done (with Dad's assistance) some great things with their house. Dad just makes me proud. He reads a lot of history, and has been learning Japanese, which has given us an excuse to watch
Anime together. His favorites are the
Miyazaki and
Satoshi Kon films. He also enjoyed
Cowboy Bebop, and
Full Metal Panic? Fomuffu!--the latter because the pithy dialogue came in smaller bits that were easier to follow. He's done counseling, and in "retirement" he's actually working at the same store I started in as a part timer. We're driving Mom nuts with Borders talk. Mom and Dad renewed their vows on their 25
th wedding anniversary--Mom got out her old dress and everything. They used to get up every Saturday morning and watch
Pinky and the Brain together. You cannot beat that.
6)
My younger brother is more mature than I am. I just realized this last year. He can still have fun, but he's more emotionally balanced, naturally polite, and quick to help. And he has a "real job" where they wear ties, but it's not a corporate drone thing--he's the curator at a small museum, which is infinitely cool.
7)
I have a big, fat, angry kitty. His name is
Maximus--also called Max, Fort Max,
Catloaf, His
Girthness, His
Lardship, Tub o'
Lovin' and most infamously Burly-Butt. His hobbies include playing death marks the spot, eating, sleeping, and bugging me when I'm trying to work. But he's my little
Pudgebuddy and I love him.
8)
The other thing that defines me is my nerdiness. I collect and read comics, action figures, animated DVDs and
Legos. My idea of supreme fun is watching a Godzilla movie.
Sosuke Sagara is my hero. Alyson
Hannigan is my crush. Barbara Gordon rocks my world, and Bruce Banner and Jen Walters are my favorite related duo. I was raised on Star Wars, came of age in the
Hasbroverse, and ventured out into the world amongst the superheroes of the Marvel and DC Universes. And I live alone--are we surprised by this? At least I'm not in my parents' basement.
9)
I have delusions of creativity. When time permits (rarely) I write and I draw. People who are not artists themselves tell me I'm good. Other "hobby" artists who I know on the web share tips with me. I shudder to think what a professional comics artist would say. I started a
webcomic last year that sputtered out over Christmas and I'm trying to start again with little success. I also have an old character in high school that I will have been drawing for 20 years this year. My Grandmother has repeatedly said she wanted to see me "do something" with this, and I desperately want to. But part of me fears I'm an old person trying to break into a young person's field.
10)
My two best friends are Nimbus and Brelle. I don't see them as much as I'd like anymore, but we used to be constant companions, and they're the only two people I really feel close to outside of my family. Maybe that's because everyone else I know is from work. They've moved on to lives of their own--Nimbus to school and
Brelle to a new job, a new town and a relationship that's been going on for many years now. Even though we don't see each other in person too much anymore, we still keep up with each other's happenings. Thank goodness for the
internet.
I wasn't sure why I set up this blog exactly, except Nimbus has one and I guess it gives me somewhere to talk to. I feel like I've been needing that more lately.
So if you've stumbled across this, lucky you. ;)
'Till next time,
DF
