Attitude of Gratitude #8

The three things for which I am most grateful on this day are:

 Navy DEP Meetings

Once a month, every second Tuesday of every month, I meet with my recruiters and other DEPers and we discuss things that will help us before we get into basic training. Tonight's topic was boot camp. We watched a video on what to expect and then we talked about it. Overall it was good to hear that others have the same questions and fears that I do. I am a good, healthy mixture of nervous, anxious, pumped, afraid and excited for boot camp. I know it's going to be tough and rigorous and unlike anything else I've ever done, but I also know it's going to be the beginning of a great adventure in my life.

 New Girl

Oh, Zooey Deschanel, how I love you and your awkward, quirky humor! This is one of my new favorite shows. A favorite scene from last week's episode was when Nick was trying to get Jess to say "penis" but she couldn't say it. Tonight's episode's favorite quote actually comes from Cece, Jess's best friend who is a model: "You tell anyone we held hands, I have two people in my phone who will kill you. Really."

Tessa's Off Day

Tessa is one of my favorite co-workers. She and I get each other because we've both been with Deseret Book for a long time. Her 18 years make my 4 years look pretty pathetic though.  Today she was quite entertaining. It's fun to be able to laugh at ourselves at work especially with the busy season coming up and we don't want to take things too seriously and get overly stressed. Sorry, Tessa, but your off day made my day!

Attitude of Gratitude #7

On this Monday, I am grateful for:

A Day Off Work

Don't get me wrong; I'm glad I have a job and I'm grateful for that as well (some days more than others). However, today I'm grateful to have a day off from said job. It's nice to have a job to be able to have a day off. Does that make sense? In my mind it sure does. 

 

My Kira 

Kira has become one of my best friends lately. She and I do just about everything together including this Breast Cancer Awareness 5K we did in October. She's been out of town for a long time, and I've missed her, but, thanks to technology we still keep in touch and today she has helped to assuage some fears, doubts, and stresses I've been having. 

 

Peace & Quiet

I've been soaking in the peace and quiet because it's about to end in about an hour and a half when I get to watch Gigi and my nephews. This is yet another thing I'm grateful for even though I'm also grateful for the kids in my life. This does not exist when the boys are around. OMG. 

And this is just for fun...

Attitude of Gratitude #1

I'm going to do something this November to celebrate Thanksgiving. EVERY DAY I'm going to post three things that I'm thankful for. Today, I put up Thanksgiving decorations at my parents' house and I was in that mindset, then I went to work and everything was Christmas. It was as if we had completely skipped over November and Thanksgiving. Let's not even think about being grateful for anything before we focus on Christmas and Santa and gifts.

So here it begins.

Today I am grateful for:

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

Her new album, Ceremonials, was released in the US/Canada today, and it is amazing! It's little things like this that make a mundane day exceptional.

T. Greenwood

I just started Undressing the Moon and it is already sucking me in. Her writing never ceases to amaze me. I've spread her novels out because I like to relish every word. She has been a sweet discovery and will always be a favorite author of mine. 

Paigey

My coworker, Paige, pretty much made my day today. Every time I work with her is a new adventure. She is such an optimistic, sweet, vibrant, and funny girl. I wish I could be more like her. 

Matchy-Matchy

I got two new dress shirts for Christmas and have worn both of them to work already.



Yesterday I wore my green one. Lindsey, my friend and coworker, was also wearing green as you can see.




Today I wore my purple one. Lindsey was also wearing purple today. Great minds think alike!

Now...if we are wearing the same color tomorrow I will be really freaked out.

Leaning Tower of Chocolate

I wish I had taken a picture of this moment. But I didn't. So I guess I will have to just tell you about it and you can just imagine it in your mind.

Work is really insane right now. During Christmas we sell a lot of Florence's chocolates (if you have never tried them you must try them. They are delightful. You will never eat regular Hershey's chocolate again...okay maybe not but it is really good stuff). Anyway, yesterday we got a bunch of boxed chocolates. I mean, we're talking at least $2,000 worth if not more.

Today, my boss had the brilliant idea of putting all these heavy boxes full of boxed chocolates in this tiny little closet we have in the back of the store. It was piled to the ceiling and quite precarious looking. Even though, looking back on it, I should have been worried about it when I saw it, I just remember being amazed that he had been able to pile it so high.

So I am coming up the stairs after doing something...not sure what...and Lindsey asks me to come help her. She calls it "an adventure." She proceeds to tell me that the door does not open to the closet where the chocolates are. With a smirk on her face she tells me to open the door. I try and, sure enough, it feels like someone is leaning against the door on the other side.

Eventually we push and push until I can squeeze through the door. I can't immediately see what is holding the door but then I look up and see that the tower of chocolates has fallen. The base has crumbled, leaving the top toppling over into the door. Hence why we could not open the door. I was able to maneuver some things so that we could open the door more and, at one point, I was afraid for my life because I thought the boxes would fall on me and squash me.

Lindsey had gone to help a customer and I was left in the closet and unable to get out really which is when I was maneuvering things. She came back to help and squeezed into the closet. I told her we should take these boxes of magazines downstairs to make more room for the chocolates. I opened the door as wide as it would go and Lindsey said "Okay you can open it now." I said, "That's as good as it gets."

We shared a good laugh and still didn't fix the problem. There is always tomorrow. Hopefully the leaning tower of chocolate doesn't take someone out between now and then.

Answer to Prayers

I realized something just a moment ago. My prayers had been answered and I didn't even realize it.

My idea of going to Utah was put off for a bit simply because I had finally found a social outlet that was actually wholesome and fun, so I figured I would stick around for a bit and see what happened. At the same time I was really confused about my aforementioned feelings to be moving to Utah. I had been so excited about the prospects of breaking away and starting over in a new place.

Things happened and I slowly forgot my excitement.

So I decided to pray about it. I prayed hard too. I kept bugging and bugging God to tell me what to do and that if I was supposed to stick around then let me know.

Yesterday my boss decided to give me a real nasty "review" that basically told me it was time for me to move on. Despite my anger at his antagonism and after some reflection I realized that he was actually being used to answer my prayers.

It is time to move on.

So, even if there are some very cute girls in my new branch, I am going to get back on track about moving to Utah.

There ya have it.

Insanity

Will the insanity ever end?

I know Christmas is next week but, wow, I just can't believe how many people keep coming in to Deseret Book to buy Christmas stuff. I didn't even know there were this many people in Idaho Falls. Where are they all coming from? Seriously!

Today was a "slow day" and we did nearly $13,000 in revenue.

I've actually been really good this year, despite the insanity at work, at being in the Christmas spirit. The First Presidency devotional this year seemed to have the main message of focusing on the reason for the season rather than the hubbub of the commercial side of it. I am determined to keep my feet firmly planted and fight against the "commerciality" of the season.

Onward and upward, my friends!

Christmas Time!

I've worked retail for forever it seems. Okay. That was an exaggeration. I have worked retail the last five years not counting the summer I worked at K-Mart. That is besides the point. Man, I get off-track so easily. The point is retail is horrible during Christmas time. It has a way of sucking the Christmas spirit right out of you. I worked at Wal-mart for three of the last five years and, let me tell you, the big, happy, smiley face is a big ol' lie.

Now, there are other reasons I've been a Scrooge during Christmas seasons. Snow is a huge one of those reasons. I'm perfectly content with having a warm Christmas. Call me crazy. I've seen what it's like to have a sunny Christmas and it's not all that bad. White Christmases are overrated thanks to Bing Crosby's song.

All of that aside, I have found myself in total Christmas mode this year. I am stoked about Christmas! Not only about the gifts and all that mumbo-jumbo, but also about the true meaning behind it. I have gotten most of my Christmas shopping done already so that I can focus on the birth of the Savior. In one of Tori Amos' songs on her new Christmas album (which is fantastic) she calls the Savior's birth "our salvation's hour." Angels, I'm sure we were among their number, rejoiced at the birth of Christ as it marked the beginning of our redemption.

At Deseret Book I see the commercialized side of the Savior's birth. Nothing against the book store. We sell good stuff that do good for people. It just tends to make the Nativity scene less special when you are surrounded by it all the time. So I am making a greater effort to be more awed by them and to concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas. It will be no easy task with customers who are stressed out about Christmas, grumpy coworkers who need to take chill pills, and hearing the same Christmas songs over and over and over...and over...and over...and...oh...You get the picture.

So I challenge you, dear reader, to focus on the beautiful story of a virgin mother who gave birth to a Son who would grow up to be our Salvation. Focus on the intricacies of the story: how Joseph must have felt when he found out his betrothed was pregnant, how Mary must have felt when she first received the visit from the angel, and how both of them felt when they first laid eyes on the baby Jesus.

One last thing before I close this monstrous rambling post.

This last Sunday I woke up to Sounds of Sunday. Glen Rawson was talking about the story of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. At first it was a nice little Christmas story, and I was half-asleep so I was just barely listening. Then he started talking about when Christ died, there was only Mary there. Glen Rawson said it really well. He said that the absence of Joseph shows that Christ can empathize with us in EVERY aspect of our lives including the loss of loved ones. This, of course, made me think about my sister and I got kinda weepy, but that is besides the point.

I refuse to get too caught up in the retail side of Christmas this year. Instead, I want this to be about my Savior who I know empathizes with me in all my trials and heartaches.

This won't be the last post this month but I just want to say:

Merry Christmas!