A year already? Wow.

A little over a year ago, April 22nd to be specific, I wrote an essay on my life as a dishwasher and how, well, shitty it was. Alright, it wasn't all bad, but I was feeling pretty low. I had finally quit the job in spite of the fact that there were no other prospects lined up. On the day I put in my two weeks I rationalized my decision, saying to myself "I could get a job at Barnes & Noble. Yeah! They'd hire me, wouldn't they? I'm cool. Barnes & Noble... that'd be great!"

The joy strangling voice of reason either felt too sorry for me to speak up or it was drowned in my enthusiasm for a job I really had zero chance of getting (oh, there it is). I followed through and turned in an application there immediately. In the meantime I worked my last two weeks of dish washing and began and finished my essay on the last day, April 22nd. The essay was for the 2011 LitFest Writing Competition under the creative non-fiction category. I submitted a fiction and poetry entry as well, just to cover all my bases.

Less than two weeks later I got the wonderful news that all three of my entries won runners-up. I was ecstatic, to say the least. Even so, a week later I got even better news; a call for an interview at Barnes & Noble! I have to give thanks to my former professor Gwen James for putting a good word in to one of the managers. I honestly can't say what my chances would have been otherwise, having washed dishes for three years. At the competition awards ceremony on May 12th I got to read my poem and excerpts from my fiction and non-fiction entries and announce that I got the job at Barnes & Noble. It was such an incredible day.

On May 15th I went in for orientation and became an actual employee. A year later, I am still thankful to be working there. I'm also really happy to work there, which is an important distinction to be made. I have my bad days (even shitty days occasionally), but when I think back to working in a 125° 99% humidity dishpit, flanked on all sides by dirty dishes, I have a bit of well earned perspective.

It also helps that I am surrounded by friends when I'm there. In fact, I acclimated and opened up faster at B&N than any other job, class or school I've ever had or been to. I fit in. That doesn't normally happen to me. Some of my friends from Red Lion can attest to how closed off and shy I was my first few months, so to be openly conversing and joking around within weeks of starting at B&N is a miracle. I may not have the same comedic outlet I had with Brandon and Mike at Red Lion (spicy fries, dish stacking), but dammit I still have fun!

I also have the benefit of a scheduled day off, that day being Tuesday (today!), that I use to go write at the Starbucks down the street from my house. Thanks have to go to my manager Aaron for enthusiastically accepting the availability change when he learned what it was for. Because of the day off I have a working draft of a novella, a solid foundation for another novella (which may become a novel) and a short story I'll probably finish in the next couple weeks. I've never had this much productivity in writing and I am loving it. I look forward to Tuesday as less of a day off and more of a time to sit down, focus on my computer screen and write.

To say I'm surprised that a year has gone by already would be inaccurate. The time that's passed has been enjoyably weighed down by friends, events and memories I'll remember for years to come. There are still times where I'll bring a book out to the floor from receiving and be amazed that I'm employed where I am. Working at Barnes & Noble represents a new step in my life and it makes me excited for whatever comes next.

That said, if I never hear "I'm looking for a book" or one of its many variants again it will be too soon!