NO ANGRY BLOGGING, NO SEXISM, NO RANDOM BABY CLUBBING, NO WORD SALAD, NO JABS AT DRIVE-BY BLOGGERS, NO APOLOGIES, JUST A FINE, FINE DAY

Indeed, even with all of its problems and obstacles, this has turned into a pretty great day. I was scheduled to work at 7Am (got there by 6:45) where I worked alone with Scott (our hearing-impaired dynamo of an employee) until the rest of the crew started to arrive. Danny (poor Danny) called in sick; said he'd had an episode; fell, and hit his head or something. He'd have a doctor's note, he promised. (I didn't ask). This meant I had to work his job and mine for the first few hours. It also meant I had to cover all of his stations, all day long, which meant that I didn't get (or have) to do any of my own work. This was kind of nice. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed being a simple bookseller. And how easy it is.

Anyway, my favorite customer came in and we had lunch together at the Macaroni Grill. I tried a new pizza they were pushing and, soon, it seemed like every emplyoee in the place came over to ask me how it tasted. The manager even asked me to fill out a survey regarding the new dish. And I have to say - it was one of the best pizzas I've ever had. The Macaroni Grill's pesto chicken pizza. Benny sez check it out! Add to that the conversation and company of an intelligent and beautiful woman, and it was a heavenly luncheon.

The rest of the day went swimmingly. An interesting character called "Terry the Bookstore Guy" came into Borders. He has a total of about three teeth, I think, and wears a t-shirt advertising a different sports franchise every day. He must have closests full of team t-shirts. He also, apparently, has rooms full of books in his house. He knows every inch of our store better than some of the employees. Terry is famous in the bookstores around town. He frequents every Borders, B&N, Half-price, and Waldens in the area, goes to all the book-signings, and sometimes spends hours chatting with the staff. Rumour sez that he won the lottery and/or he's a slum lord. Either way, he's loaded, and has homes in New York, Chicago, Texas, and Florida. In 2004, he made his Florida home his official residence (though he lives mostly here and in Chicago). He wanted to make his vote count in the last election. For whom, I don't know. Terry always tells me I should try for Jerry L's vacant position. He says he's been shopping bookstores for ages and that I'm one of the best booksellers he's ever seen. He even mentions the other managers for Borders and B&N by name and says "You're better than those bozos." He tells me not to sell myself short. He even wrote a letter recomending me to Holly, our regional manager. I keep telling him I'm not ready yet, but he thinks I am.

Sometimes he brings his wife in the store. A very nice lady. I think she has maybe a tooth or two more than he does.

Anyway, it is now 5:18 PM, I'm at home, blogging my heart out and getting ready for dinner at Aunt Sally's - with English mysteries, tales of old Loo High, and the entish musings of one groovy old hippy dude. Ok, that last bit was pretty obscure. But, hey, I'm working on about two hours of sleep. I doubt I'll stay awake through tonight's BBC mystery.

Tomorrow is the big Halloween/Harry Potter shindig. I'm almost ready. The house if full of Hogwarts house banners, hippogriffs, dementors, dragons, and much more! I can't wait!