Abstract Minnie Mouse!

"I'm going to miss you, Dean," she said.

"I'm not going anywhere," I replied.

"I am," she told me.

And that's how I learned the assistant store manager at the crafts store had given her two-weeks notice.

Her husband got promoted at his job which means she'd have to be home to be with her children--at least for now.

I do think the stresses of the job were a factor too but perhaps I'm projecting my own feelings onto the situation.

In any case, I wanted to make her something to remember me by.

She LOVES all things Disney and the color pink. So this is what I made her…..

Acrylic on canvas - 12" x 12" (NFS)

I flooded the canvas with as many shades of pink as I could:  coral, fuchsia, blush colors.

An image I found online of Minnie Mouse was then transferred over the abstract painting. Copyright infringement and tracing. Double whammy! But I wanted it to be 100% accurate and time was of the essence.

Here's the abstract painting with just the pencil overlay…..

Working at the crafts store is NOT easy. I still hate that job every day I go to work. But it's my coworkers that make it worthwhile. We bicker and squabble and laugh together--just like a family. And it's always sad to see one of our own go.

Today was the assistant store manager's last day. As we hugged our goodbyes, I told her we WILL keep in touch. That I know for certain.

It was a pleasure working with you, Kari! You rock!

Exceeds Expectations!

I called the store manager a jerk but he had it coming.

During my yearly review at the crafts store last year, let's just say I got carried away in the heat-of-the-moment.

Last year my rating dropped one level down from the previous year…..and I didn't like that at all, especially after all I do for that store.

The store manager said I was a bit too vocal about my frustrations with the job and the company. (I may have said--in passing--that I hoped the store burned down and the company got destroyed…on more than one occasion).

But I digress.

How did this year's review go?

It went well!

This time around the store manager mentioned I haven't complained or bad-mouthed the company.

I jokingly replied now I just keep all the stress and anger bottled up inside.

I was also given the highest ranking possible:  "Exceeds Expectations" (what I had two years ago).

Here's the kicker. The store manager told me I was the ONLY associate at my store this year to get that ranking!

The pay increase is nominal and the job itself still gets to me but it's nice--great even--to get recognition especially when you think it's due.

Go me!