It's hard to wrap my head around how many different things I have done over the last half of 2012 or how much my life has changed and keeps changing. As if going from a painter to a roadie wasn't enough of a change, I've now gone from being a roadie to working in the stock room at Chapters Indigo Books.
The live music festival season is over for this year and there are no concert events that I'll be involved in for the foreseeable future, so it was necessary for me to look for a job that would carry me through the winter. In my past life as a painter I would normally just take the winter break, but my lack of work for most of this year really took a chunk out of the old savings account and Megan and I would really like to start saving again. Who doesn't, right?
We've never been in danger of not being able to pay our bills or have food in our kitchen, thank goodness, because Megan has full time work and we both know how to budget our money. Also, in past years I qualified for unemployment insurance payments, but not this year. I simply haven't worked enough, so for the first winter in many years I needed to get a stable job, and I found one. It may not pay as much as my previous job, but it's okay. The fact that we can stop digging into savings is what's important.
The Wandering Oak
My new gig at the book store really isn't so bad so far. I haven't worked in the retail world for over a decade and I never was a great salesperson, so I'm relieved that the majority of my days will be spent buried in books in the stock room receiving all the deliveries and entering data into the computer system. If I do get stopped by a customer out on the floor I'll do my best, but right now there is so much to learn about the books and other products that I'll have to lean on my more experienced coworkers for some help.
The really nice thing is that everyone I've met there so far seems very nice, and I'm not just saying that in case they read this. They're all very knowledgeable, helpful, and they seem to get along really well. If last night's staff meeting was any indication of how well everyone interacts then I'm sure I'll fit in just fine. I already know one of the girls there, Jessica. I used to buy coffee from her in my old life as a painter when I was working on a condo development near her store. It's nice to be able to catch up with a friend in person and not just through social media.
On that note, it's about time I had something to eat and got ready for work. Those books don't count themselves!
