"Monday: Better than expected."


The day started out rather typical, then grew rather tiring, and then thankfully ended on a pretty good note.

I awoke as usual, sat down with a nice warm mug of hot apple cider, and watched an episode of "Sliders", a favorite television show of mine. Then, I killed a few hours and headed off to work.

I wasn't all that exicted to be working Monday. Afterall, it was the first day of a new work week, and, I was to be residing behind a cash register for eight hours. How exciting can that be when you do it every day at work. Well, that thought certainly plagues me at times, but it's a struggle, and a challenge, to try and make it different each day, somehow. Actually, none of the things that I had brainstormed the day before were actually put into practice. It ended up just being a typical day on the job.... but with a twist.

Thankfully, Monday ended up being a rather relaxed day throughout the store. No long lines at the cash wrap, and honestly, not a whole lot of people in the store, at least not out of the ordinary. I think what made the day different, and growingly less typical, was the interaction of those customers and co-workers I came in contact with....

My co-worker at the main registers was Dennis, a friendly retired man, whom I ended up chatting with during the downtime when there were no customers. That broke up the monotony, especially of such a slow day, and I both appreciated, and enjoyed that. I find myself somewhat looking forward to working with him there each Monday. He and I seem to have quite a bit in common, despite the obvious age difference.

Near the end of the night (between 10pm-11pm) the customers seemed to be increasingly more receptive to conversation and friendly chat/banter. That I greatly appreciated as well. Maybe it was the later hour, I don't know. Less grumpy people is always more favorable!

One guy stuck out as somewhat intruiging. Since little was going on later in the evening, I was able to step out from behind the counter and take care of a feww other store tasks. As I was doing so, I came across this guy, kind of dressed down, somewhat talkative, but passionate about starting his own business. I'd say he was in his late twenties or so, and he was looking in the business section (which is closest to the front of the store where I was working) for books on re-starting a business - a coffee shop idea. He, like myself, was an artist, but what interested me most was the passion I could see in him when he started talking about his goals with this coffee shop....

See, apparently, he was new to the Midwest, having lived out in LA and San Francisco. Out there he had co-owned and ran his own small art gallery for some time, until matters forced him to give that up and move on. Now, only after about four months, he was here in Milwaukee, researching the idea of starting up a similar business, but adding a coffee shop decor to that dream. It was interesting to hear him talk, because, I get just as excited as he was when I speak of my dreams.

I like meeting people like that, and I think just chatting with this guy for a while raised my spirits a little more. I needed that. It's ironic though, maybe I'm strange, but meeting people who have such a visible passion for something sort of rejuvinates me and my dreams a bit. I wish there were more people like this guy out there. We need more dreamers who have goals for something that drives them -- a passion for something other than the acquisition of wealth, power, and presitige. ... Maybe thats what I like so much about my friend Hannah. I can see that same kind of passion in her.

Where are all the true dreamers? Where is the simple honesty of going against the norm and following ones dreams? Why does money and big business snare so many of these dreamers? ...

Well, my day was elevated quite a bit after having chatted with Dennis, and then this dreamer. I was no longer tired of this typical day. This normal day had risen a few rungs in the ladder of the daily norm. It started out so-so, and ended by instilling in me a new level of passion -- granted nothing earth-shattering, but still noteworthy nonetheless.

By the time the daily closing procedures were concluded for the day and us coworkers were all let out for the night, I was offered a ride home by another interesting fellow co-worker whom I seem rather intruiged by, but have not really been afforded much opportunity to get to know. Christa, works in the B&N cafe in the store. I've run across her here and there, and a few days earlier she had given another coworker and myself a ride home after work. But other than that, it's been limited conversation with her. ...

The ride home from work is short, but the conversation was very interesting. I'm not too keen on working in the cafe myself, but I do hope more opportunities come around to chat with her. I wouldn't mind getting to know her a little more. ... She's about my age, seems to be of relatively simple mind, seems to share some things in common, and is quite friendly. I seem to get along with those kinds of people the best... Actually, to be honest, there are probably a few more co-workers I wouldn't mind getting to know. I'll have to work on keeping my eye open for those opportunities to do so though. Like I say, there are so many intruiging people who work at that B&N....

You know, speaking of Barnes and Noble, I guess it's time that I get ready to head out that way for another full day (aka, night) of work. I honestly don't know what to expect. I'm hoping yesterday's better than everage day sets the bar for another one, so I'll go into it with a open mind, a smile, and whatever energy and eagerness I can build up. I guess that's all I can do, right?

Take care all, and until next time,

Via Condios,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:37 PM  I   I  0 comments