It's a Bloggy-blog World.... blog.

Hi everyone.

Long weekend of work in the world of retail. No one got punched in the face, but I would be lying if it wasn't an almost event. I was planning on posting some ex stories, but it seems fitting to drop a few old-job ones. So here we go!

Once upon a time, in a magically land in the thumb of Michigan, there is a place, caught in a 1950's time warp. Well, I should actually say, a morals of 1950's time warp. Hell for a kid like me. Ya know, not cookie cuttered... but I'm getting off topic. Well, in this town of Marysille, there was an Indian cuisine restaurant, and a 16 year old me. I got a job as a bus "boi" in the summer before my Junior year of high school. What a joke it was. The entire staff was two Indian brothers--who's family owned the place--two cooks, one bread guy, a dish washer, two other girls as hosts and me, the busser. All I did was clean, and then hide from the public eye or the headwaiter. I feel that as my $5.15 an hour wage, and no tips, that it was all the service I would preform. It was also around this time, that I realized I'm kind of a perfectionist and take too much upon myself in a work place, because eventually I was a host, bus, order taker-and-runner, phone answer and a cashier... on top of being kitchen staff and cleaning everything.

Oh, and punching bag. I should explain a little before going on, back in 2002, I was super butch, kind of looked like a little boy, flaming dyke. I'll try and find picture proof for later posts. For now, just trust me with this tid-bit of Lori trivia: When I got my driver's permit, it had me listed as male. Yes, *that* is how much I looked like a boy.Ok, moving on.

Well, the head waiter/manager/owner use to treat me like a guy. And would try and get me to cuss and rough house with him. Even at times shoving me into the door of the walk-in cooler, or when I'd go in the cooler, leaning against the door so I couldn't get out. I think he was just trying to get a rise out of me, but I just ignored him and would go back to doing whatever it was I was occupying myself with. He's lucky he never got a rise out of me. I had a pretty short temper around that time in my life, and was in great shape from my high school activities, and weight training. Oh, that and I probably could have sued the hell out of them because I was a minor. Hindsight.

Other than the abuse, this job turned out to be one of the funniest turn-of-events I can recall. Other than spending hours folding cloth napkins into Pope hats, I had the store level of a text-message-break-up!

Thanksgiving 2002. I'd called off my shift the Tuesday before.. lies, my mom called me off sick the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, but I'd had my set schedule and a confirmed posting of two weeks out, so it was no big deal. They told my mom no problem, and they'd see me the next week. Next week came, I got all dolled up in my black dress pants, and white button down shirt uniform, and headed to work. But, oddly, the kitchen door was locked. Bastards. So, breaking the rules I must note, walked to the front of the restaurant to go in the main doors. Locked. I waited another 10 minutes, and then took off for home, assuming they were taking a long weekend, and forgot to tell me. Next shift, same thing. shift after that, same thing. and then I got to the end of my known shifts, and would just do drive by's on my lunch hour to see if the store was open. Two more weeks go by, and I get a letter in the mail, with a check and a note that says, "Thanks for all your help." Yes, yes indeed. I had a store close on me, and then not tell me they were doing so. I'm glad I got my last check and at least a little bit of a bonus. Still, funny as hell... now.

That was my only job in high school. So my senior year was completely open for antics, and yes, I filled them with just that.

Since then, I've had a few other jobs: stint as a news columnist, video clerk, waitress, retail. All filled with their stories of hilarity. But I won't bore y'all with them now. There is plenty of time for those stories.

So, for the time being, I just want to thank everyone for the support and please keep reading!

L