Floating Foam

I’ve made more progress on the book, and I finally sent out bits and pieces of it to family and others who have asked for it. Even though I knew this step would add legitimacy to the project, I was surprised just how much more pressure I feel knowing that people are reading it.

If you want to be on the reading list, feel free to send me a note. I’m not shy about sharing, but this is a first draft, so you may elect to hold off until it’s more polished.

I had about three or four weeks of minimal work on it, mostly due to my in ability to decide which place would be better to work: Michael’s, Best Buy or In-N-Out. Before you dismiss Michael’s, keep in mind I have a four-year-old son, and access to every hobbycraft available would be fantastic. Even though I love gadgets, shopping in Best Buy is always a misery, so I can’t imagine working there would be any better. As for In-N-Out, I feel like I’m already there enough.

I don’t need to work at any of these places. I have a decent job scrubbing monitors at a pollen lab. I just like to imagine which place I would most like to work if the need arose. Hopefully, it never does. I’ve done time in retail, back when I was finishing up college. Any joy that comes from the camaraderie is swiftly kicked in its happy groin by monotony and idiotic patrons.

My favorite story from my days as a book jockey at the Borders in Sacramento is of the customer who came in looking for a biography of an obscure composer from the 18th century.

“I don’t know that title. Allow me a moment to look that up on the computer,” came the response from the clerk (who just so happens to be my wife–she worked in the music section while I shelved books. Occasionally we’d meet in the middle, by the greeting cards).

He sighed heavily and responded, “I guess just because you work in a bookstore, one shouldn’t assume you read.”