Well, I'm sitting here alone at work, a good 20 minutes before we open. I have been for the last ten minutes as well.
We had an 8 o'clock meeting, the whole of which could have been summed up in twenty minutes.

We went back and forth on policies, procedures and sales techniques for a good 2 hours. During which time I discovered a few things. The first being that I need to interalize problems more. I have a tendency to get angry and then complain to other people. That's something I should stop.

Another thing is, that despite the fact that out of probably 20 some employees in this city I'm the 3rd longest employee, I'm not given much responsibility. Which, sure, can be a good thing in terms of not having to do stuff, but is kind of a slap in the face when you're at a meeting and 3 of the 4 of you present have been previously briefed on a specific initiative.

I want to move up in this company, but to what end really? More money? Sure. The experience? No doubt. But I don't see me here long term. I don't. Mainly because while I enjoy most of the people I work with, and its not that demanding outside of getting yelled at, this job doesn't stimulate me anymore. Hell, it barely manages to get beyond complete stupidity and disgust on a weekly basis.

I'm working today with the two biggest Dbags that this company employees. To get that point across, I should mention that they both drive almost matching black BMWs. Each has at least one parent that is vitally important to the existence of the world, (and is paid handsomely for it) and both walk around on their free time with hoodies under North Face vests.

Both of them are part time and in college. One of them has already secured a spot on the manager training program.  For those counting, that's the same program I've been hounding my managers to get me into since last September, and have been asking about since last July.

Sitting here today, as we went over a list of positive things we were mandatorily asked to say about one another, 5 out of 7 things revolved around me being fun and or making them laugh. I let that bother me for a few minutes, because I'm not as detail oriented as the rest of them seem to be. But then I realized that getting down about that is retarded.
Of course they're going to say that. Without sounding too egotistical, I AM fun. I can confidently say I'm more fun and funnier than 60% of the people that work in this town.
I would tie myself for the top spot of funniest at this particular office with one other guy.
So suck it up. I'm fun.
And to hell with anyone that can't take a joke.
Which, ironically, is usually me.

Day by day.
The only problem with living day by day though is that sometimes you look around one day and realize 5 years have gone by and you're still washing cars, and have become a miserable prick. 

I digress. 

As I'm prone to get on this LJ and moan incessantly about work, I thought I'd take a break from all that
and give a full blown dissertation on why I think everyone in charge of entertainment has gone "Full Retard" as Kirk Lazarus once said.

Now, perhaps it isn't everyone. Maybe that's a sweeping generalization that's a little further reaching than I'd like to make. You'll have to excuse me as I'm fresh from a look through the TV guide magazine thing Patti picked up for me because its got some of the cast of Heroes on it.

So let me start there. With Heroes.
I haven't read the article about the show. I might still or I'll wait until after tomorrow night because Patti said it had a spoiler alert in it.
So I haven't read it and as such don't have a clue as to what might come, but I have to say I am very hesistant to say the least. Hesistant and anxious.
How could I not be? After season 2. After realizing Nikki is still alive. (Seriously?) After watching the Mexican crying chick come back to life at the end of 2.
After watching someone kill Nathan, which that made me sad because I really like the character, but then to see promos where he's still alive for season 3...that doesn't make me happy. That enrages me.
You killing him was kind of a cliffhanger. And now he's up and walking around.
What?
I don't care how great of a character he is, you don't just BRING HIM BACK.
I know they set up the precedent where you can die and be brought back to life by some blood. That's at best a one off. You don't use that to bail out of a plot point you don't like.

WHY THE HELL IS NIKKI STILL ALIVE?! WHAT PURPOSE HAS SHE EVER SERVED ON THIS SHOW BESIDES BEING THE ONE THAT THEY CAN DRESS IN LINGERIE FOR 5 SECONDS?! WHO CARES! ITS NBC! THEY AREN'T GOING TO SHOW ANYTHING! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL!!!

...
So the tagline is GOOD WILL BATTLE EVIL.
And that's fantastic.
The only problem, like so many times before, is that Good always wins. Ultimately. Bad will win a battle or two but the war goes to the good guys.
And that's retarded.
I know we're in a new climate where good winning all the time is corny, and maybe the Dark Knight will give these people the balls to make the bad guys BAD.
Especially Sylar.
I want the first episode (i'm willing to settle for half) to be about him going around murdering, stealing, vandalizing, destroying on his way to becoming the strongest superhuman of all time. That's what I want. I want to watch as he slices the top if Nikki's head off and then sets fire to her body and scatters the ashes so that there's no returning for her.
I want him to trim away all the excess fat on the show within the first 20 minutes. That means Nikki, Mexican girl, Katrina sympathy vote girl, and anyone else that's just wasting our time. (You better step up your purpose Cheerleader...)
Although there seems to be something thats going to happen to Claire and that's awesome.
What I'm getting at is, the bad guys are always so much more interesting to watch. They have no rules. No restraints. And to have them lose is stupid.
Unless you do it right. Unless there's a genuinely GOOD excuse as to how they lost. Not some contrived business where they're powers are turned against them. Stupid.

Another thing, come to think of it, is that they ALL need to step up their purpose.
They need to quit wasting our time and start USING these powers instead of pissing and moaning about them.

And that's the Show I LOVE.
Lets move on.

PRISON BREAK.
I told myself that even though I didn't watch the season finale (big shock they BROKE out of PRISON again) that I was going to give it a chance. I was going to watch the 2 hour premiere.
It took me, I kid you not, 7 minutes. Commercial breaks included.
Michael hunts down the person that killed Sara.  (Reminding you that on a previous interview one of the creators stated that 'when someone dies, you know they're gone.') And as he cocks the trigger, she informs him that Sara's not dead. Not dead. NOT. DEAD.
At that point, I was over it. All the wacky suspenseful adventures that I'd gone on with them, they were all dead to me.
Why is heroes different then? If you know they're alive. Because like I said, they set that precedent and gave themselves a get out of death free card. Prison Break, I was told, had no such card as it was grounded in reality. (ish)
So now Sara's back alive and who gives a damn? The 13-17 year old Teenage girl demographic at which the show is apparently now aimed. 
I've washed my hands of it.


Smallville
Speaking of washing my hands of things...
Even though I should have stopped watching this around the end of season 5, I kept on for some stupid reason.
I wasn't as faithful with viewing last season because what they've done to Superman's early years should almost be a crime.
Well, the other night, I turned on the DVR to see what I had and it seems that my series recording of Smallville picked up the season premiere.
Lex has left the show because you don't hang around a sinking ship> You get a life preserver, make a few cameos on Gilmore Girls to re-establish yourself as NOT Lex Luthor and you get the hell out of there.

Patti was right when she said that without Lex, what's the point? See? My wife, with zero clue on all subjects superpowered gets it. SERIOUSLY.

Well, NAY! said they in charge. Superman has a wealth of villains to fight! Lex Luthor is just one of many in the Rogue's gallery! We've covered (ie destroyed) Zod, Brainiac and Bizarro! And we've still got a bunch to go! We'll pull from that endless font of over 70 years of material!!

"Oh. Alright." We said. "You're executive producers and writers and are making all this money to make the show, so you have an informed decision making process. WOW us with the next big thing. Who is next?"
"..." The group looks at each other.
"Metallo?" I ask.
"No."
"Parasite?" I offer.
"No."
"Darkseid? That'd be awesome."
"Who?"
"You aren't going to go with the Toyman are you?"
"No!"
"Then who?"
"Oh you'll like this!" they pause for dramatic effect. "A girl that works for LutherCorp. She's like, Lex's top lady."
"..."
"She's like a less bald, more sexified Lex." They wait with their stupid smiles on their faces.
"Are...you...Is this a joke? You're messing with me right? There isn't going to be another season, you're just toying with us."
"No. There's another season!"
"And the best you can muster is the female version of Lex Luthor?"
"It'll bring a new angle to the Clark/Lex dynamic."
"By adding sexual tension? For all the One Tree Hill fans right?"
"We've got the Green Arrow!" He says desperately.
"In Smallville. With Clark Kent. NOT Superman."
"I see that's not going to be enough for you!"
"Its retarded so far!"
"How about this fanboy? How about...wait for it...Doomsday."
"Excuse me?"
"That's right. Doomsday."
"Doomsday Doomsday?"
"Precisely!"
"The same Doomsday that's buried in the Earth, and has been for a millenia, lying dormant until that one fateful day he wakes up and finally KILLS. Effing. Superman. Him?"
"YES!"
"We're going to put a new spin on him!"
"I'm listening." I say not listening, but looking around the room for a length of cord to strangle the life out of them.
"Ok." One of them rolls up his sleeves and starts his pitch. "In our version, Doomsday is a “hot bartender” at a club called the “Ace of Clubs” who has “something inside of him that he can’t control”. Lois will, apparently, be a regular at this club, and will somehow be involved with the character."(DIRECT QUOTE)

I stop winding the lamp cord around my fists. "A bartender."
"A HOT one. Yes."
"A hot bartender that Lois is going to get involved with." I clarify.
"Yes. And he's got rage issues. Think the HULK."
"Why? Why would I think the HULK FOR F****ING DOOMSDAY! WHY WOULD THE HULK EVEN CROSS A PERSON'S MIND WHEN THINKING OF DOOMSDAY?! WHAT THE **** IS HAPPENING?! WHY HAVEN'T THEY FIRED YOUR WORTHLESS ASSES?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?!"

And that was when I woke up screaming. Breathing heavy, the sheets twisted around me, my body shivering as I glistened in a cold sweat.
"A dream! Merely a dream!"
Patti comes into the room and asks me if I'm ok.
I shake my head and try to catch my breath.
"Here." she says, laying a magazine on the bed next to me. "Its the new TV GUIDE. It's got Sylar on the cover."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Today's Forecast: Distracted.

Why? Because I'm at work and while I feel ok about it, I feel like there's something else I should be doing. And today's been slow since I got here so I have the time to do it, but I don't know what it is.

Phone...one second...

Ok, so....dang it! Lost my train of thought.

You would think of the five steps to getting a book published --
1. Thinking of it
2. Writing it
3. Cleaning it
4. Marketing it
5. Publishing it

--that step 4 wouldn't be as hard as I'm making it. At least step 4a. I have a query letter that I set up last night, and "my first 8 pages," which is essentially my first chapter, so now all I have to do is aim and fire it off to places.
I have 2 such places in mind so far. So I'm going to print out a few things when I'm alone here tonight (Hopefully it will stay NOT busy and I can find the time for it) and then get the stuff shipped.

And that's it for step 4a. There's like 19 more sub-steps to 4, but step 4a is complete. That's not the point. The point, as I finally come to it is, why wasn't this part completed five months ago? Well, I was holding out--or at least I convince myself-- for this First Chapters contest. But I knew I wouldn't win, so why did I sit on it?

I don't have an answer because I think it is mostly a rhetorical question.

But hey, whatever. Slowly but surely. It's not like I don't have the reminder of getting it finished every morning that I have to go to work.

Last night when I went to bed I turned on my MP3 player and a little No Doubt Sipderwebs popped up. It made me think about the whole No Doubt thing and how so no longer likeable Gwen Stefani is to me, and how Tragic Kingdom is one of the best nostalgic bits from 96 for me. One of the best, worst and weirdest years for me. A few minutes later I was asleep.
That's the end of my story by the way. Should have warned that it wasn't that good. I could lengthen it but it seems a little more self-indulgent that I like to let myself be.

Maybe its the 800mg circling in my system but I fell a smidge out of it. It's not nausea and its not euphoria. It just is.

I think I'm going to go eat.

Well first off, now that I've titled this entry that, I got that friggin' Paula Abdul song stuck in my head.

Second, the mere mention of the title says to me that my competitive side has come to call. But maybe not. See, if you hit 30 new then you hit the next commission level. I haven't ever hit that. This month? Well yesterday I was at 29. Just added a line today and decided that I finally hit it.

Well, somewhere along the line, I lost one. According to the stats as of the 27th I had 28. Meaning I need one more.
I shouldn't care. And normally I wouldn't, but that 1 is the difference between a little over a couple hundred.
And THAT folks, is unacceptable.

Especially since 2 months ago I ended on 28.
Looks to be that I'll be at 29. Maybe.
I've got 2 days left.

Oh who gives a damn?! Why do I care?! Stupid money. I friggin' HATE it.

In other news, my first chapter seems to be unavailable. Probably just from this computer. All the better anyway I guess.
Apparently one 10 gets you +0.1 rating boost. While one something below 6 gets you -0.2 rating drop.

Today, it would seem, didn't happen to be my day. Lucky for me its almost over.

So the IHSA State Cheerleading Competition has forced me and my customers out of our parking spaces today.
Oh, and some dude that looks in the early stages of the Ebola virus is wandering around my store for the next 15 minutes waiting on a cab. He's going to get me sick.
I just know it.

But that's not what this post is about. Today its about the mail, and the story makes me laugh actually.

So the lady from the office brought up some mail for the store here.
Naturally, as all of our mail seems to be, it was opened.
Even though the label says the store name, and is addressed to the Manager (or location)

As is the case, I went ahead and took a look at it in case it was something I need to address immediately.

"Enclosed you will find a USC Anniversary Recognition Packet that you will present to your associate when you recognize the anniversary."

It's a packet about Associate Anniversary Suggestions.

That associate, if you have or have not been counting, is me.

So I opened my own anniversary presentation packet.

Apparently I get to pick out a gift. But not until the actual presentation of the packet.

It gives suggestions about how to present it. It's hilarious, because it says "make the decision [to present in private or in a group] based on your understanding of the associate's personality and preference."

Like a manager can't figure this stuff out on their own. That's too funny.

Normally, I'd be ok with getting rewarded in front of the world, but this time I'd rather just get my present and be done with it. Truth be told, I think I'd prefer that because that's probably how its going to be.

Like the way you tell a disobedient dog to just sit there to make it look like he's listening.
It's what's going to happen.
Which is fine by me, I honestly don't care.

It isn't like this is my dream career. It's just a job. Getting paid is all the recognition I want.

But on to happier things...
...
...
...
I'll let you know when they get here.
Because it feels like I've been here 5 hours and its barely been 2 1/2...

The following is brought to you for your entertainment.
Plus, if I end up stabbing someone in the chest, it is documentation for my insanity plea.
Thank you and enjoy.

I've decided that since there isn't anything going on today as far as sales go, I'd give you an insight into what I do most days.

But what really seals it, is that the following story has happened 9 times today.

I submit for your approval, based on a true story:
( A Daily Basis )
*Load time for pics might be a while. Consider yourself warned.*

So it was already 3 o'clock at about 1:40 today.
Now its FINALLY a quarter to 4.

Still no closer to solving the riddle of what happened yesterday as my boss keeps calling it "What's transpired." and leaves it at that.
I know he can't go into it, and on a personal level I don't think he would if he could.

My new manager here sent me a text message today asking how I was.
I don't know if it was because of "that which we do not speak about" or just to say hi, but he's in Chicago doing some sort of training thing.
Regardless of the reason, it's stuff like that that makes him a hundred times better.
He's only been at the job maybe a month, and he came out and worked with me for a day, INCLUDING working the event.

He might not again, because though we had a good time talking to people and handing stuff out, standing around like that can drive you nuts.
I can do it, because I'm already crazy.

If you can't tell this post is all about killing time. So if you've read this far, I thank you, and release you from any further obligation you might feel to continue. Assuming of course you feel anything at all about it. Because I don't know what --if anything at all--will come next.

I refuse to rag anymore on the Coliseum and its inefficiency as even one more word uttered is a waste of breath.
Things are chipper on the job end, at least for the moment.
Think me horrible for being ok with 2 people being out of work just before Christmas.
Which I'm not ok about it. That sucks. But if we think bigger picture, its much better for me.
Plus, I don't think they'd give a second thought to me if the fortunes were reversed.
I would like to know why though...

There's a song on right now that I like. It's called "The Compromise" by The Format.
Most of you are probably well aware of it as I'm always the last person to know about things I like.
If you get a chance, give it a shot.

Downloaded "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance onto my phone yesterday.
I don't know that I like the band, but I at least like the song. Wanted to put it on my...space, but apparently they only want to offer snippets of their songs
in fear of people doing something hideous like enjoying it without paying them money from time to time when visiting my profile.

I refuse to feel sorry for them, or any artist big enough to have a music video on VH1 or MTV19. (assuming they still play music on that low of a level channel.)

Why you ask? Because I say. A little show like Cribs. And other tremendously obnoxious expenditures of cash, while attack dog lawyers squeeze 12 year olds for thousands of dollars.

No, they don't do that anymore, (or at least they don't talk about it) but it still bothers me.

I'm sure at some point I have addressed those commercials at the movie featuring the 12th AD whining because people shouldn't steal movies because that's how he makes a living.
His face, 12 feet high, is saying this to us who already bought a ticket to his crappy movie.
And if he's so bent out of shape about not earning a living or whatever, then he can have my job (which at the time was Avis) and I'LL work on movies.
He can even have my job now. You have any idea how much more fulfilling it would be for me to work in the movie industry?
SCREW that guy.

Whatever. This stuff is old that I'm talking about. ("SOOOO 2003!") But like I said, I need to kill time.
Since the only thing I seem to want to do is aggravate myself, I'll end here.