Buying flowers for work.

Normally I pick out a bouquet for myself.

This time around, I bought flowers for my night-time university job. Here they are!

Sunny chrysanthemums, inviting daisies, and soft carnations to greet students as they leave and enter our department.

I think the blooms add a punch of color and life to the front desk and they make me smile when I walk past them. Why not share that with others?

Getting (and giving) flowers RULES!

Dancing at the grocery store!

The rhythm caught my ears. My feet seemed to shuffle on their own with the beat. My thighs dropped down then back up. Compelled to move, I found myself "almost-dancing" at the grocery store!

Normally this happens when I'm working at the crafts store but this time it was while shopping at the supermarket--in the cookie aisle.

The song on the overhead speakers sounded like house music from the 90's but it's relatively new. I liked it so much that I bought the CD online when I got home.

Here it is. Listen to it and honestly tell me you wouldn't be twerking too while buying Oreo cookies.. :)

Mom.

Growing up, me and my brothers took her for granted, took advantage of her, and at times treated her poorly.

At one point she was working three jobs yet still managed to make dinner, clean the house, and do our laundry when she got home...without complaint. I don't know how she did it back then but she did.

It wasn't until I started working in my 20's that I realized how much my mom did for us--and still does.

As an adult, I try to be a good, responsible son and want to make her proud of me.

Here are the flowers I got her today for Mother's Day…

I took a standard bouquet and mixed in a dozen yellow roses (her favorite).

One day I hope to give her so much more than that. For where would we be without our mothers?

Happy Mother's Day to everyone's mom!!

Without me there.

After over a year of waiting, our store was finally audited last week…and we passed!

When I heard the news I was happy for my store manager and assistant store manager. They were determined not to fail (their jobs being on the line).

A part of me felt like I missed out though. Because of my new job, I only work at the crafts store on Sundays now, and wasn't there when the auditor showed up.

Originally my role assisted in making the store audit compliant. Now I only do a fraction of that.

And here the store did just fine without me there.

I wonder if I make much of a difference one day a week. Am I really vital to the store anymore? I no longer think so.

As I become more immersed with the new job and my new coworkers, I'm slowly feeling a disconnect with the crafts store.

I used to say that nothing stays the same or lasts forever in retail.

In time, that'll even include me.