Just Browsing

If it's one thing I've learned about sales, it's that barely any customers ever enter the store with exact questions. And of course, it's normal to just want to see what you can find. So then, it produces that awkward response to the ever popular "can I help you today?"

"I'm just browsing."

That's all they say and just like that, they sorta push you away and it's off to leave them alone. And that's all well and good, but there's just one problem with that. The training videos showed all the customers way too polite, even when saying they are just browsing. If that training video was actually based on reality, we would have seen employees getting the occasional cold shoulder or the customer that just gets annoyed upon human contact.

If it were up to me, I would just say hello and let the customers do their thing. However, we have to keep asking the same question that causes the dreaded reply. Just looking.

The Long Shot

The other day, Ace called me with some interesting news. The school where we first met (somewhere back between 1994 and 1996) was desperately looking for teachers and he was gonna take a shot at it. My first reaction was one of surprise, especially since Ace stutters. However, I knew that wouldn't stop him from exploring any opportunities. Plus, he would be trying to see if he could be a science teacher, which is pretty cool.

However, our conversation also sparked a bit of curiosity with me. I left the island, leaving everything that essentially made me happy behind. I never once considered if there would have been anything good enough to make me stay. And even though it's too late for that, I decided to give it a shot. I asked him to see if he could mention me and find out what shot (if any) would I also have as a potential teacher at that school.

I don't why, but I'm starting to think that I'm just trying to find a job good enough to pull me back home. South west Pennsylvania has so far been a wasteland for me. Haven't found anything yet. All I have is work and nothing else, so I've had my ups and downs lately. Not just that, its given me a lot of time to think.

A LOT! You would be surprised how annoying it is to listen to the dark corners of your mind at 10:47am while you're folding size 58 jeans.

And while I doubt that I will get the job, I guess I'm trying to find out if there really was anything back home I could have done for a living. I got a lot of people who want me back, but I know it's a futile effort unless I got a way to make a living. So while a long shot, I'm shooting for the job. Most of all, I want to convince myself that this move was for the best.

I'm not sure, but I think this post was more serious than I intended it to be. Oh well, gotta mix a bit of seriousness between all that humor, I suppose. I think that's what makes us credible. And with that, I came up with something worth thinking about:

Sometimes, we try foolish things or seem like we are in way over our heads. However, sometimes it's all we need to get us through the day. And if we somehow manage to succeed, then it was worth it. If not, then it was worth trying.

Playground Cage Match

So while this story is actually something I've done as a kid, it was one of those memories I kinda blocked out as a kid (along with most of the 90's). JC and I were kinda reminiscing about the good stuff from 1996. And somewhere along the way, he mentioned the one fight I sorta had in elementary school.

Not the Cage Match I had imagined.

Now, I thought he was just pulling my leg and making it up. And yet, this actually happened.

I was apparently in a fight with some kid from school, so we went to the playground to solve our differences. Problem was, my mind and reality had different views of what was going on. We went to the jungle gym to solve our differences, because apparently I wanted a cage match. So of course, all the kids surrounded the place to see the school nerd get his ass kicked.

However, there was no ass kicking. Rather, there was an endless supply of laughter. I don't know why, but out of all the things I could have come up with from the entire pro wrestling arsenal, I decided to go with the Sleeper Hold. Why didn't I just realize I was a little in over my head at this point? And also, what kind of kid calls out for a cage match in the fourth grade?

Probably me.

So I tried to give the kid my best sleeper hold and defend my honor as the bottom of the food chain. However, from what JC tells me, my sleeper hold looked more like a cheap attempt at overwhelming my opponent with an arsenal of hugs and tenderness. He kept laughing as he told me the part about the hugs. It was then that I realized I was trying to adapt my own bad attempt at a wrestling move.

The end result wasn't quite what I expected.

I don't know what else happened that day, but I bet it wasn't good.

Stories like that are no wonder why many of my childhood memories are repressed. Then again, it must have been pretty hilarious. I'm wondering what other embarrassing stories from my childhood JC has for me.

Facepalm Moments #2

As my quest to make some new friends continued, I decided to head out to the neighboring store today and say hi to everyone there before I went home. As I entered, I noticed they were going through some scenes from X-Men on one of their screens.

Me: I like the scene where they go recruit everyone, and suddenly Wolverine just tells them to "f*ck off."

Worker 1: Yeah

Worker 2: Who is Wolverine?

Me: Come on! Everyone knows Wolverine!

Worker 2: Well, I'm a girl. You can't expect me to know this.

Me: I know a lot of girls who know way more about the X-Men than me, so that's not a good excuse. Try again.

Worker 1: (laughs)

Me: I should go.

I left the store, mostly just to hide my face upon the uninformed worker as to Wolverine's identity. I give her a pass, but I don't think we could be buddies upon this discovery. Oh well, and here I thought that all the people working at audio equipment stores would be geeks (but they are still cool people). Go figure.

Cupid Is A Horrible Closet Nerd

With most of my time being spent at work, I've found myself with not much time to go out and socialize. And even when I do get to socialize, it's with people in the neighboring stores at work. Whether it's being seen as the creepy neighbor, the fun guy across the hall, the funny new guy, Tropical Skittles (co-worker sorta called me that once), or just another face in the crowd, I'm still left with little time to actually try and make friends.

Just like the Doctor, I'm always better off with a companion.

And with my friend situation being an uphill struggle, one can imagine how much more struggle is going into the quest for a companion. Normally, my best approach is to just meet someone and find out if there's anything through a casual conversation. There's a few things I notice upon this initial time: facial gestures, comments regarding possible boyfriends (I try to fish for this info so I don't do anything I would regret), how much the conversation lasts, and other sorts of blah blah blah. In short, I pay attention to a few key signs that indicate whether we would get along and if she's single. If not, I finish the chat and kindly take my leave. Or I make a friend. Either way.

But with my current situation, I was once again tempted to try online dating. Now, it's been about 7 years since I last tried this system. With such a large gap of time, I can imagine how much it's improved and how effective it is now. But there's still that level of distrust. Why? My previous experience wasn't that good. I was a freshman in college and I was trying new things (nothing morally wrong or illegal) and one of them was giving dating a shot. I met someone through i dont remember the site dot com (lame attempt at pun? Yes!), and we seemed to be a good fit. But there was one problem. She kept canceling my attempts to meet.

Let's get a Fish Fillet at 6pm.

So of course, I got suspicious. Was she a man? Was she playing a cruel prank on me? Was one of my friends playing a crueler prank on me? Was she a robot? Was she still in high school and shy to date a college guy? Was I really talking to an old lady's cat who somehow learned to type? These were all considerable scenarios that ran through my head. And no matter which angle I tried, she would keep bringing up excuses. I was just a gullible kid at the time, so I just let it pass. However, my patience eventually ran thin and I confronted her.

She was so unsure about the real her, that she used a picture of her cousin instead. The personality was still her, but the fact that she lied to me like that really ruined it for me. Ever since that moment, I have shut down the possibility of online dating. Of course, that same year I would be introduced to a girl at a friend's party (didn't go well), then go off to have a few more experiences in the dating world. However, now that this option is once again presenting itself, I'm both willing and skeptical.

Online dating is like buying fish at the store? I need help.

And even though I don't lose anything by trying it, I got a little part of my ego telling me not to. And it's not because dating sites are for losers or anything (because it isn't), but because I don't wanna run into these kinds of facades again. But given the little time I actually have for socializing due to work, I wonder if it might be the right thing to do.

It's kind of like when you want a pet fish. You can either spend ages at a lake or river trying to get the right one, or you can just go to a pet shop and save yourself the time. Did I just compare online dating to a pet shop? Something is seriously wrong in my head.

Oh well, I guess I got nothing else to do but try it again. At most, it helps me meet new people.

Here we go!

The Creepy Neighbor

Here comes the creepy neighbor!

Lately, I'm wondering if my latest attempt to make friends is doing more harm than good. I've been trying to shoot the breeze with some of the people in the neighboring stores at the outlet mall where I'm working. And so far, I was thinking I was doing well. But somewhere along the way, I felt I wasn't helping the cause by just dropping by and picking conversations with the employees. Something told me, I was becoming that creepy neighbor.

You know that gut feeling you get when you're working hard on something, and then suddenly you wonder why you even did it in the first place? Yeah, that's what my mind is torturing me with now. At times, my attempts at making conversations point out to a future friend somewhere along the line. And yet, at the same time, it's giving me a sign that I'm not being welcomed and they are just putting up a facade.

This negative train of thought has got to be part of the Mental Man Period (more on that later), I'm sure of it. Why else would my mind be going nuts to tell me things it doesn't want to hear? And yet, it can also be a warning to prevent me from making a complete ass of myself. Not really sure.

While not true, I still worry when meeting new people.

Either way, I'm not turning back now. I'm still dedicated in my hunt for friends in my local area, so I will keep being a good neighbor at the mall and see what happens. Let's just hope that this doesn't give off that creepy neighbor vide I've been feeling.

Let's hope the outcome proves me wrong. I gotta say, this has been the biggest social challenge ever. Perhaps I should search for another comic book store and seek those of my kind (kinda sounded like I'm from another planet there). It's times like these where you start to miss the college environment. I'm just glad I never took it for granted, because now I would like nothing more than to return. But for now, I'm the creepy neighbor who hunts the streets for friends screaming "Howdy neighbor!"

A Sign of Recognition

Recognition is my favorite kind of ego boost.

Today, I got a much needed ego boost from Ace. He gave me a call asking the whereabouts of a video we made for his psychology class. Now, me being the video-making junkie that I am (but can't be anymore since I left) agreed and together we made a film. The topic we discussed were stray dogs in the island, based on a poem written by one of his classmates' grandfather. So of course we would turn it into film. Why not? It was a chance for both of us to have our ego trips, me for filming and Ace for acting.

The video was shown in class, got good reviews and was never heard of again. That is, until today. Ace notified me that the university will be undergoing some sort of evaluation where they basically have to show off. So I was proud when he told me that the psychology department wanted to use our film for the occasion.

Funny thing about recognition. Sometimes you don't get recognized when you're in your area, but you do when it's a different group. In the communications department, I was just another face in the crowd. Sure, people knew me for doing camera work from time to time and as the tutor, but I didn't have a level of recognition as perhaps other students did. And even though I am mostly humble, even my ego needs feeding every once in a while. I like to think of my ego as a healthy one, not being fed in excess and used in moderation.

But despite my slight recognition by a few people, I was never able to stand apart from the crowd. And in a way, I always wanted to be widely recognized for something. I knew that once I left college, I would just fade into obscurity, but at least this video gave me one last ego boost before graduation.

And yes, I'm gonna post the video here. Before watching, I do like to point out the video is completely in Spanish. However, don't let the language barrier prevent your viewing. Think of it as watching a foreign film, but not as fancy.

I'm glad at least one of my videos served a higher purpose.

Facepalm Moments #1

Ever have those moments where you hear or see something that just makes you want to cover your face in embarrassment from what just transpired? Ever find yourself trying to, but can't due to the situation? Well, it's about time that I start writing some of them down.

First facepalm moment comes courtesy of a confused customer at my new job.

Customer: Excuse me, is this a store for homies?

Me: What do you mean?

Customer: You know, (changed his tone to a more subtle one) homies.

Me: This is just a big and tall store, you know, for everyone.

Customer: Oh. Alright.

Lucky To Be Here

Since I started my retail job last month, I was hit with a curious thought that somehow spiraled into a massive philosophical issue in my mind. Before I got this job, I was applying to any store with availability. However, despite the fact that I'm already employed, it's become a subject of my curiosity as to why no other place that was hiring has yet to contact me.

I mean, I applied to some of these places in February. And they are still looking. For crying out loud, I applied to a booth where they sell hats at the mall. A booth! And none of these places have called? I can understand the places where I applied to where they didn't need anybody at the moment, but to still have your "Now Hiring" sign up for months after applying? It quickly started to repeat itself in my mind, was I not good enough to sell hats at a booth, work the register at a pet store, or just stand there?

To have even a booth not call you, it hits your ego in the balls.

Two TV stations rejected me (I assume due to lack of replies), one marketing job rejected me while another one wasn't ideal, and now I see that many of the stores that needed help are still looking after I have applied? I know I'm not the greatest thing ever, but at least I was someone interested in working at that place! I should consider myself lucky to at least have my retail job, but the fact that no other place called kinda bruises one's ego a bit. It made me feel like I wasn't good enough for even a starting position at a retail job. If it weren't for my current job, I would be at home going insane at my own inability to find employment.

And now, every day I step into work, I take a deep breath and remind myself how lucky I am to be working there. Even though they told me they desperately needed people, I like to ignore that little part and just think that I'm actually there because they thought I was good enough to help out. Otherwise, my ego would be taking some serious bruising.

Oh well, that's life.

The Healing Power Of Facebook

So these last couple of weeks, I have been noticing a lot of people posting specific things on Facebook. They were continuously posting things about how a "like" on that post will help save a life. Don't get me wrong, raising awareness of certain diseases isn't a bad thing. However, the people who believe by liking a post that it will actually be useful hasn't realized that there's no real money going into it.

 And that's when I find this picture. I actually got a kick from it, because it's a way to slap some reality into everyone. But it got me thinking as well. What if Facebook likes actually did have healing powers? Just think about it for a second.

I would post on Facebook that I'm suffering from severe allergies and that I need "likes" in order to feel better and get to work. And the more people liked my post, the better I would somehow magically feel. That would actually be quite awesome. But then again, it makes me wonder if we will also see pharmacies selling "Facebook likes" as an alternative to whatever medicine you want to buy.

We see random things everyday, but it makes you wonder.

Why I Love Garfield

No matter how many times I read the Garfield comic strips, they will always be great. This one here is no exception. I'm glad to see he's still going strong, and that he's preserving a good taste in music. Way to smash Jon's phone, Garfield! Nobody wants a Bieber ringtone, even in the world of fiction.

My only wish is that Peanuts would still be in publication.

The Easter Egg-Rabbit Conundrum

While I was busy at work this week, I had some time to think about the Easter holiday. I quickly wondered the origin story and started to check some info. However, all of that led me to the essential question on everyone's mind during this holiday.

How the heck did we get chocolate rabbits and colored eggs? How random is that?

And so it got me thinking. So I started to create a few scenarios in my mind as to how this link can be associated. At first, I wondered if a rabbit and a chicken were at a bar, got drunk and they saw what's what. But then again, that's the story everyone tells. And if they did hook up on a night of drunken animal loving, why don't we see the easter mascot be a rabbit-chicken hybrid? So I quickly dismissed that popular one, mostly due to insufficient info as to what happened that night between the rabbit and the chicken.

That's one way of looking at it...

Yet, I happen to think the rabbit and egg association can be seen differently. And so, I have come up with a random story as to why we might have that.

From Spring Break To Winter Storm

During the early spring of 2007, I was heading back home to the island for my spring break. It was great to see old friends, get some sun, and speak spanish everywhere I went. However, this story isn't about my spring break vacation, but rather about what happened once it was done.

I was already at the airport, waiting for my plane to depart. Then suddenly, I hear news about the massive snowstorm that was sweeping the north east at the time. Right there, I start hoping the captain knows exactly what to do. He won't be crazy enough to let us fly, I thought. The only way we would be cleared under this storm is if that storm was already leaving.

I was skeptical from that point onward.

April Fool's Day: Toonami Edition

Last night was just like any other, me struggling in my bed as I tried to find some sleep. And suddenly, at midnight, I get a message from La Barba.

"Dude, TOM is on TV!"

I didn't know what to make of it, especially since that character hasn't been on TV in ages. For those who don't know TOM is a character from the old Cartoon Network who hosted the Toonami block of japanese animation, as well as other cartoons based off comic books. During the 90's and early 2000's, it was the best time to be watching TV while we were growing up. So when I heard it was back, I was a bit skeptical.

And behold, I turned on my TV and saw that some shows I watched in high school were once again airing that night. I quickly celebrated, but was somehow surrounded with confusion. I started to get skeptical. Especially when earlier in the night, I was almost the victim of someone else's April Fool's prank. So I watched on to see if it was true.