Crunch Time

Reading through my last blog entry, I thought, "What?" I shouldn't be blogging if I can't be thoughtful. Why am I blogging now? I don't know. I just opened the door at Monster Halloween, Thursday morning before Halloween, four days that are sure to be interesting. Yesterday, really, it began, a record in sales for the partners. I could hardly step away from the till most of the day. It's fun, actually, interacting with people, greeting them as they come in, trying to offer them some kind, generous an joyous word before they leave. Most people are in a good mood, many are excited. Some are sleepy, some are angry, some are simply goat faced. I try to tease a smile out of them all. If they giggle, I know I've done well. Hundreds of people. Exhausting, but fun.

Biked to the house I'm watching for friends who are in New Zealand, last night. Sat up contemplating the day. I even watched a little TV. Oprah, her interview with Jane Fonda. I've never given much thought to either woman. I was impressed. They spoke about knowing oneself, the work of the examined life. No easy thing, that, particularly in this culture, where we are fed an abundance of information from birth, almost none of it having to do with the truth of who we are, most of it designed to steer us away from the truth. That, and the astounding information that 1 in 3 women are sexually abused as kids, 1 in 6 men. America, the beacon of freedom, light and justice. We have no idea who we are.

How about that Hurricane that covered half the North American continent. Apologists for the Market will say it's no big deal, that it's just another storm, that there have always been such storms and you can't prove there weren't because we've only had Doppler radar for a few decades. A category three hurricane with the eye at the center of the continent, at the beginning of winter. Not a hurricane by technical definition, but if you saw the radar, you know. Global Climate Change, anyone?

Very busy. I'm bouncing back and forth between blogging and scanning people's Halloween choices. An older couple just bought a pair of Zubaz. Many of the ladies seem to like the fetish costumes. Other ladies call it slutty. I say, it has more to do with how you wear it. Another woman came in to return a wig. The exchange policy ended on the 22nd. She didn't want to hear that. I tried to explain, the parties started last week. If we don't deny returns, we'd be deluged with returns after the party. She didn't care. I was friendly, and immovable as a stone. Not everyone will walk away happy. One customer recently bought five items. Three were marked wrong, lower than they were in the system. They were overcharged 12 dollars on a 57 dollar bill. They caught it. I normally would, but for whatever reason I was distracted and I didn't. They did not likely walk away thinking we are honest people. But we are.

Gotta go. It's getting crazy.