November 13, 1998
So, here we are, on the slow tumultuous road to the Christmas/Hanukah/WhatHaveYou season. The holidays are here, whether we like it or not, and we've barely managed to rot our teeth with the last of the peanut taffies from Hallowe'en. I suppose I am feeling it strongly, because I work for a large retail bookstore, and we had our "Holiday Meeting" last night. It was actually a good meeting, because our store is actually one of the better ones, and I walked out of there with a nice sense of morale. I mean, it's not as if anyone seeing me walk down the street would say I had that "Bookseller's Glow," but hey, job satisfaction and pride I will take over any normal does of cynicism that I usually have.
The weather is rather mild for now, which made it harder to take in the lights strung around the receiving room, and the holly-shaped trays filled with red and green foil-wrapped goodies for us to munch on as we reviewed gift wrap, best sellers, and 'loss prevention.' Ahhhhhhhhh, retail. It's not so bad now, since I am no longer a manager. And for that I am glad. I was really beginning to get down on myself and down on the company, and it really was just a chore to even make it to the store in time for my shift.
I felt all full of energy to write tonight, and I get here, and I am staring at my editor, and sort of blandly letting my eyes slide to the clock, and then think about my warm bed, and then stare at the editor some more. I want to be entertaining, but I also don't want to be performing for an invisible audience who I can't hear right now. Maybe I need a guest book or something. If you really wanted, you could email me.
I did go over to my aunt and uncle's tavern tonight for a duck dinner, and my brother, remembering that my nickname used to be Duckie [yes, from Pretty In Pink], teased me that I was being a bit of a cannibal. But, dinner was quite good. We could choose our duck with either an orange or a cherry sauce, and was served with a flaming lump of sugar on top of it. Wheee! Gotta love pyrotechnics on your food. There's just nothing like dangerous eating, my friends.
I am excited and alternately nervous about this Saturday, since it is the first speech meet we will be going to for this season. I am a good coach, but only as good as the students let me. I think they will do alright this weekend. I am always proud of them.