fitting room fiasco

As I have previously mentioned, I have worked on and off at the limited since my senior year in high school. Today is one of my last days at the limited for the year.  (I may or may not work there over the month of may, depending on whether or not my parents agree to let me go to south africa.)  Anyways, as soon as I came into work at 3 today I started working on the "go-backs".  go-backs are all of the clothes customers try on in the fitting rooms but decide not to purchase.

shortly after i began putting the go-backs away, my manager, debbie, asked if i would work the fitting rooms.  basically, this job entails putting the clothes in the room for the customers and getting additional items at their request.

today was an especially busy day at the limited.  many customers sought to take advantage of a substantial sale.  by the time i went to work the fitting rooms, about five or six women were standing in line to receive a room.

a few "excuse me"s later, i made my way to the fitting room.  i knocked on every door to see if any women needed additional sizes or items.  a woman opened the door and walked out to show a dress to her shopping partners.  the woman was debating whether or not to purchase the dress.  i, personally, told the woman that the dress looked great on her, but i tell everybody that because it's usually true (and i'm not eager to find an alternative to their outfit if it isn't cute!).

as the woman was deciding to purchase the dress, another lady snipped aloud, "you know there are other people in line, don't you.  come on, i mean you're not a pageant beauty!"

yup, i have witnessed many things at the limited: prostitutes looking for birthday presents, clueless husbands searching for the perfect gift, but never, ever had i witnessed a fight in the fitting room.

UNTIL TODAY...so how did i resolve this issue?  i apologized to the customer in the dress and walked out of the fitting room to ask debbie's advice.  she told me to shrug them off.  as i returned to the fitting room, another lady in a wheelchair waiting outside told me she had also been insulted by the aforementioned meanie!  and the insult was about being in a wheelchair nonetheless.

after this incident, as i was working on more go-backs, many customers told me how strange their fitting room experience was.  a woman's husband mentioned that he was so surprised he couldn't speak--and was too scared to speak in front of the harsh audience surrounding the fitting rooms.

yet again, my life gets weirder.

Flowers, Christmas Eve, and the best gift ever!

A few things I must share with you all!

• I have decided to apply for a part-time job when I go back to Clinton.  In addition to working at the writing center, I am going to ask a few florists in Clinton if they need any part-time help.  Why?  Because I love flowers!  I would be satisfied if they paid me in flowers...ohhh I am excited just imagining the beauty...and can't believe I haven't thought of this sooner!
• Merry Christmas!  Hope all of you are enjoying Christmas now that the shopping, traffic, and stress is over!  Now just wait until the day after Christmas.  I have been working at The Limited over break (a job I also had in high school) and can vouch that the day after Christmas is almost as thrilling for those of us working retail as, say, walking on hot coals.

I have been thinking of what Christmas means.  It is slightly tragic, I think, that an entire country can make such a huge deal of this holiday while missing Jesus.  Amidst car-to-car traffic and shopping bags galore, it is so clear that we can't provide each other with the "perfect gift".  Why?  because the scarf WILL develop a pull on it, the new nintendo WILL someday cause the TV to stop, and the chocolates WILL go bad.  

God gave us Christmas because He looked at a sad and broken world--his children--and decided that something needed to happen so that His relationship with them could be restored.  THIS is why we celebrate!!  Through Jesus, we can know God.

I confess that even I try to make this season perfect for others.  But I am so thankful that I can rest in receiving the gift of Jesus.  Christ is eternal.  He never fails.

quote from my dad

my dad just broke this one out:
"i've always thought i was a cool dad, but recently I've had the realization that I'm just a middle-aged white guy"

a day on harbison blvd.

As ash and I have mentioned before, we are now finished with exams and home for christmas break!  Along with this season comes sleeping late, arts and crafts (of course), and trips to the mall.  If you're from columbia, you are familiar with the two or three miles that cut right off of I26, affectionately (or not so affectionately) named harbison boulevard.  This stretch of traffic includes almost everything a shopper could need: wal-mart, best buy, target, sam's club, 2 movie theatres, various small businesses and restaurants, in addition to a mall with a belks, sears, dillards, jc penny, and other attractions.

I've been spending a lot of time on harbison lately and encountered a few notable adventures during this time:

• i have been reminded of how much i hate driving, especially in columbia.  for example, the other day i was taking a secret route behind petsmart to avoid traffic (because it stresses me out) while also talking to my friend lauren.  an older couple passes along the secret path perpendicular to me, and next thing i know an older lady in the passenger seat is motioning something to me.  i squint my eyes and realize she is motioning in giant gestures and screaming for me to get off the phone!  i didn't know what to do next so I just continued to drive home
  
• i have also had several run-ins with the hair straightener people at the mall.  they try to get me every time!  the italian-looking men always say to me "sweetie, can i ask you a question," at which point i either run, laugh, or tell them i have to go to work.
• also...today at the mall an old man in a wheelchair mumbled something unidentifiable to me and shot me a giant stare!
• shout-out to my summer roomie brooke, who escaped from LP and paid $2 to stand inside a hurrican simulator!  i, too, noticed a HURRICANE SIMULATOR in the mall today.  whatever happened to gum ball machines?
• also made the GIANT MISTAKE of going to lowe's to find my dad a christmas present.  usually, i wouldn't consider going to lowe's a mistake, but this time i went without any idea of what to buy him, so i strolled down every aisle and even the garden center looking for a present for my dad before i got overwhelmed and peaced.

moral of the story: avoid harbison at all costs.  and if a lady motions at you to get off your phone, smile, lay it aside, and consider how many other numerous weirdos exist on our planet :).

ghost hunting or house hunting?

seeing as it is christmas break, i am using my time to rest and catch up on some quality reading and television.  i'm not usually much of a tv fan, but a few shows have caught my interest recently, especially sing off.  what a great tv show!  i, personally, am rooting for the beezlebubs.

i'm also catching up on a few classics, namely cake boss, say yes to the dress, and house hunters.  my most recent house hunters exposure proved to be...interesting.  three minutes ago, i was about to call it a night and retire to my cozy bed that has become increasingly appealing after a semester of dorm sleep.  that is, until i saw a teaser i will never forget.

the teaser went a little something like this:
"next on house hunters, this newlywed couple discovers an older, spacious house within their price range.
"'realtor: the local village built this home.  this house was originally intended as a family home, but it also served as the community's funeral parlor.' "

yup, i've seen house hunters las vegas, even house hunters international...but just when i thought i had seen it all...i see house hunters FUNERAL HOME edition? 

if you are as curious about this home as i was, take in a few of the house's details:

• 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath
  
• the house is located in a town just outside of madison, wisconsin called black earth (ironic??)
  
• the house's large living area, which has crown molding and wood floors, once served as the gathering space for "small gatherings" aka FUNERALS
  
•  the family room was once used as an embodiment room
  
• the house includes a CASKET ELEVATOR, still functioning, fyi, inside the second bathroom

so thanks house hunters, because just as i was finally about to get a night of shut-eye after a long day of lunch dates, shopping, and watching sing off, you caused me to lose a good half-hour's rest. (that figure doesn't even include the multiple night spooks which will inevitably result from the needless inclusion of this house on what was once my favorite show.)

the one redemptive factor in this segment: the newlywed couple didn't choose the funeral parlor.  they actually chose another ranch in black earth instead...a testament that though television programming isn't superb, HGTV hasn't lost all its marbles yet.

ALL-NIGHTER

Appearantly PC's unofficial declaration of "dead week" is indeed a false statement.  This week, our last week of classes, is supposed to be free of tests, papers, and assignments.  Instead of dreaming right now, I am in the library, where I will be for oh...the next 8 hours, at least.  Yes, it's true.  I'm pulling my first college all-nighter.  Updates to follow...I can only imagine how good the posts will be at 5 am.

1:32 AM: John Solms tells Ashton she has soft hands.

1:37 AM: I just stubbed my toe while sitting down.

2:02 AM: Brittni just punched me.  (It's ok brittni you're forgiven). No worries: I thumped her head really  hard back.  ALSO: done with holocaust paper.  Going to buy a drink in a few minutes.  About to try to get a total of 3 pages in German.  This will be a challenge.

2:28 AM: Why is it that when I'm typing a German paper I can't even notice the typos?  Oh yeah...because I hardly know German at all.  Period.

2:59 AM: 1.5/5 pages in German.  It's looking impossible.

3:39 AM: Considering dropping German on the Internet next semester.  A minor isn't worth this pain... 2 pages done in German.  Calling it quits for the day.  About to head over to the drawing room.

5:30 AM: there is charcoal all over my hands.  I drew 1 pastiche (copy of a famous person's drawing) of a Van Gogh city garden landscape, I sketched 1 cute dress, and drew 1 abstract piece I am going to title "grace."  the theme of my project is "my favorite things" ... yeah...like the song.  maybe some pics can go up later.  can't decide whether or not to go to the library and knock out some germ or take a shower and a power nap now...

6:37 PM...thursday: two naps later, don't feel quite as bad as I could.  The worst hour was between 8 and 9.  Slept so hard that I could have been unconscious.  Art professor told me my drawing was ominous and creepy.  Don't know what that means exactly.  German up to my eyeballs.  Shakespeare objective exam tomorrow.  So glad my life doesn't depend on this.  Praying for God to give me rest even as I'm studying.

11:57 PM...thursday: how does it feel to ring in another sleepless night?  what a vast question.  currently there is some entertainment in the library.  our friends paul and james are taking pictures in christmas sweaters with everyone in the library...even people they don't know!2 more pages left in german, already done studying for shakespeare.  then it'll be a wrap!  PTL

Here's a picture of james and paul with a lady who works in the library.  check out even more pictures on facebook!