Today's adventure began at 4 o'clock in the PM. That is to say, work began at 4. I slept very late (past noon!) and did nothing before work but eat and shower and lounge about. I was up last night drinking beer and learning to play the guitar with Brian Rogers, my co-worker. (He's Ellen Roger's son; Ellen who worked with me at B&N and was kind enough, during that period, to attend my grandmother's funeral. It was Brian, incidentally, who operated the fog machine for Gilderoy Lockhart's dementor act during the Harry Potter madness.)
Brian's a nice guy who's teaching me some guitar chords. I can almost play "Back in Black", now. Or part of it. We'll see if I can remember it when next I pick up a guitar. Probably not. I really stink. I could barely stretch my fingers into those uncomfortable chord structures. However, I can also play the E-chord all up and down the neck of the guitar. And I defintiely remember it. I can play air guitar to it right now! Look out Hendrix!
Brian is into all kinds of music that I have never really cared about, such as jazz and bluegrass. It's not really my scene, but I appreciate the talent of the musicians. Last night, he played me something by Leadbelly and I recognized, instantly, that Led Zeppelin had ripped it off and made about a bazillion dollars (or pounds) with it.
Brian went to all of the states, but Hawaii, when he spent several years of his life as a traveler like Jack Kerouac; meeting people, having adventures, experiencing life. Things I've never really done, at least not as a lifestyle. He even tagged along with the Grateful Dead for a period. He's one hell of a guitarist, too, and is playing at a bluegrass jam at a place called "Love and War in Texas". I was working tonight which meant I had an excuse not to go to such a hoot-and-holler hillbilly joint as that (thank God!), but, anyway, the boy knows his guitar. His little brother, Brady, is a musician, too. A drummer. The two of them play together a lot, and I am blown away by what incredible musicans they are. Of course, it's jazz, and, like I said, that's not really my scene. But the boys can play!
Often, when I visit the Rogers, Brian and Randy (his dad) fight about the war. Brian hates it and his dad supports it (but neither of them likes Rumsfeld). It's kind of funny. Brian thinks his dad is the most backwards Texas hick in the world, even though I get the feeling that Randy just tries to push his buttons.
Anyway, work was fine today, and I hadn't the slightest hint of a hangover. I don't think I'll be drinking any beer again for a while, though. We had our reviews this week and mine was mostly good, except for a few areas where my knowledge of some of the inventory processes needs improvement. Incidentally, Jerry Scanlan (my direct supervisor) might, just possibly, be leaving Borders next year to take on a teaching job at Wylie High School (I think) and he says it's my chance to take his place if (IF!) I can learn all that it entails. So I'm going to have to bear down and let him teach me. Of course, with Jerry, this means I'll have to ask a million questions, because he can be so intent on doing his own job that he just assumes I know what I'm doing. Usually I do, but the inventory people at our store are so experienced and well entrenched that the machine seems to run itself. I often feel like an outsider looking in. I'll have to get more involved in every area of inventory (special orders, particularly) and force those old timers to relinquish their knowledge to me! I've also been told that I need to be less of a "buddy" with my co-workers and more of a "manager". This could damage some relationships at work, but the fact is, I'm not nearly as close to any of my new co-workers as I was to Barnes and Noble folks like Jordan and Amanda. So I see it as being less of a problem. Brian is a good example. I like him and will support him in his desire to move up in the company, too, as long as he performs. But I'm not so chummy with him that I'd let it damage my work status. Don't get me wrong, nobody can tell me who to befriend outside of work, and I'll probably do what I want with whomever I want. It's just that I've been in trouble, already, for messing around with Shannon, a looker who used to work in the cafe. That's behind me now, and I'm still in good standing. But it's hard, sometimes, to manage relationships at work, and no-one has ever accused me of being able to keep secrets. So I'm thinking maybe I should limit work relations to cronies and confidantes, like with Brian.
It's just a matter of priorities.
On another note ...
Meanwhile, far away, New Orleans is drowining. An entire city -and a very historic one - and all of its inhabitants are met with a disaster they must have secretly feared would one day come. All my friends from the region are safe and sound. And I'm glad for that. For the rest of the people, and the city itself, what can I do but watch the news?
Well, that's my first real blog. Nothing too terribly deep or creative. Not yet. Just what's on my mind today. Maybe I'll wax profound tomorrow. Afterall, it's my day off! Yippeeee!
