Customers 34

A woman, late 20's or early 30's, long dark hair and wearing a red sweater came to the counter to purchase two books. One was SEX 365 positions. The other was Melody Beattie's CODEPENDENT NO MORE.

             

"Is there anywhere else in the store where I'd find books like this?", she said, pointing to the sex book. "It's for a bachelorette party."

"You got this in the Sex and Love section?", I asked. "That's pretty much where those kinds of books will be. Our bargain section might have something like that and there is a wedding section and that has some bride and groom game kinds of things, but mostly related to weddings."

"No, it's for the bachelorette party," she said. "This will be great, I just wondered if there was somewhere else to look. This other one is for me. I'm getting divorced and this was recommended to me by my therapist."

"Well, it's a good one," I said. "Melody Beattie is really the pioneer on codependence." I paused.

"It's kind of weird that I'm buying them both together, isn't it?", she said, smiling.

"I guess," I said, smiling back at her. "Would you like a bag?"

"I'm going straight back to work, I need a bag!", she said, blushing a little.

As I put the books in the bag, I saw that the cover of the sex book was visible through the plastic. "Here', I'll turn this over so no one can see it."

"THANKS!", she said.

***********************

A woman with light brown hair, wearing a light blue shirt came to the counter. She had two children with her. She looked tired. She was buying a set of two mini lap desks, one blue and one black.

"If only they were the same color," she said.

"You want them the same color?", I asked. "With different colors then they can tell which one is theirs."

"No," she said, "With different colors they fight over who gets which color. Having them the same color is better."

"Now that you mention it, my cousin did that with beach towels. She got the whole family the same color and design, and that way she could easily scoop them up at the beach or the pool. It made it easier for her," I said.

"Exactly. When the kids were littler? We had all the different sets of plates? Some were Toy Story, some were Disney, some were Winnie the Pooh. The fighting never stopped. I got rid of those. Now? The dishes and plates are blue."

"Well, good luck with the lap desks" I said.

"Thanks," she said.

Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Clicking on the underlined title may take you to Barnes and Noble's page for the book (it's been glitchy). Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. You can send us email: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Thanks for stopping by!

Mommy Calls

At the bookstore, we get requests for books over the phone all the time. Quite often, we get calls from women who are calling to find out if we have a book for their child. Their grown child. How do we know they are grown? By the books they request (college textbooks, adult novels). We also know because we hear the "child's" voice in the background.

Mother (to "child" after getting information from me): "They only have it in hardcover, but it'll be out in paperback next month. What do you want to do?"

Person in the background with a deep voice (another clue that the "child" is grown) will reply, "I just want paperback."

Mother: "He will just wait for the paperback to be released.

OR, the parent is calling (and it's almost always the mom), and asking if we have a certain textbook. We don't usually carry textbooks in the store, which is usually a disappointment to them. "Oh no. He needs it by tomorrow."

A friend of mine who works on a college campus calls these, "Mommy calls". Mom is worried about something and is trying to take care of something for the "child". So Mommy calls. She gets them in her office (Dean of Math and Sciences). And we get them at the bookstore.

We've wondered together why the "child" doesn't call to find out about the class or to obtain the book. And why doesn't the "child" call BEFORE they needed the book? Why does the mother take on the worry of not having the textbook for the college class? It is the student who will not be prepared. And the student should feel the consequences.

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Pain Free 2

The pain woke me up this morning. Neck, upper back, shoulders tense and sore. This week I started working at a new store, which has involved a lot of standing and repetitive motion. Which for me has resulted in pain.

I knew it was time to pull out my copy of PAIN FREE, by Pete Egoscue.

        

I wrote about this book in January of 2011. Here is that blog post...

A wiry older man with white hair and beard came up to the register for checkout. He had one book to buy. It was PAIN FREE by Pete Egoscue.

"I buy a lot of these. I have used it, I've given it to friend and relatives. It really works." He shook his head. "It sounds silly to think that one book could make so much difference, but this one DOES. It's amazing."

"That's great," I say, not thinking much of it.

"I can't tell you how many people I've given it to, and it's helped all of them. People with back pain or knee pain or neck pain...instead of surgery or drugs, his method works."

I start to pay more attention. "My knee has been bothering me, my doctor wants me to do physical therapy."

"You should really look at this book. It's amazing how well it works. It gets rid of the pain. Completely rid of the pain."

"Hmmm. I don't like pain, and I'm not all that thrilled about physical therapy...I may just take a look at it."

"I think you should. Good luck!," he said as he walked out of the store.

My knee had been swollen and very painful. My doctor had recommended physical therapy, and medication, and a brace.

I did look at the book. I bought it.

It took me a few weeks to take the time to read any of it, and then a few days to start doing any of the exercises. Egoscue presents exercises that target specific areas, knees, feet, hips, backs, etc. His theory is that the way we move in our daily lives causes our body to get out of alignment. His exercises are designed to bring the body back into alignment. He says that the first time the exercises are tried, you should feel better. With his exercises, one shouldn't need medication or physical therapy or braces.

I tried the exercises, and my knee DID feel better that first day. I've been doing the exercises fairly regularly and my knee is a LOT better. No more swelling and the pain is almost completely gone.

The white haired man was right.

**********************

I've done some of the exercises this morning and already my neck and back are feeling better.

While I'm adjusting to a new work schedule (working different days as well as changing from early mornings to afternoons/evenings) and the new store, it's awfully nice to know that I can find relief from the physical demands fairly easily.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! You can also send email to: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Clicking on the underlined book title may take you to Barnes and Noble's web page (this link has been glitchy). Purchasing through these links helps support the blog.

Princesses

I approached a woman in the children's department who looked a little lost. She looked to be in her late 50's or early 60's, had short slightly curly hair, and was wearing shorts and sandals.

"Can I help you?", I asked.

"Yes," she said, "that would be great. I am supposed to go to a birthday party for a four year old and it's a princess theme. I don't even know where to start."

"Well, there are a lot of books and things about princesses," I told her. "Princesses are really popular. Let me show you a book that I really like." I walked with her to the section and picked up THE SECRET LIVES OF PRINCESSES.

          


"I love this book," I told her. "It is about princesses, but it's got a different take on the whole princess theme. The illustrations are wonderful and there is a lot of word play too."

"Would a four year old be able to read it?", she asked, taking the book from my hands.

"Not by herself at first. She could look at the pictures and have it read to her. It would be a book she could grow into. I like it because it's just a little different than a lot of the princess stuff."

I picked up two other books, PIRATE PRINCESS and PINKALICIOUS

              

"These also are just a little different than the usual Disney and Barbie princess thing. Which we also have." I walked over and showed her princess activity books (drawing, coloring, stickers, etc.).

"Oh, wow," she said. "I had no idea there was so much about princesses."

"Princesses are pretty popular," I said. "I can show you more princess books if you'd like," I said.

"No, no, this is great. I have enough right here. Thank you so much!"

Thanks for stopping by the blog! Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Clicking on the underlined book title may take you to Barnes and Noble's page for the book (it's been a little glitchy). Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. You can also send us email: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Scattering

Several months ago we heard that our bookstore would be closing. A new (bigger!) store is opening close by, though we haven't been guaranteed positions at the new store. The staff at our current store will disperse, either to work at the new store or at another store in our area. Some people will leave the company all together.

A position opened at one of the stores in our area. This position opened up a few months before our store closure, sooner than I was expecting to need to make a decision or application to transfer. ("What? Now? Okay!")

I start in the position on Monday.

Which means that tomorrow is my last day at this store. I've been at this store for over three years. I've forged friendships and good working relationships with people there.

I told Therapist that I've been thinking a lot about tomorrow being my last day, but I haven't really been feeling feelings about tomorrow being my last day.

Today I said good-bye to a few of the people I work with who don't work tomorrow. And tomorrow there will be more good-byes.

There were feelings today. A few tears. There will be more feelings tomorrow.

Therapist has been reminding me that "life turns on a dime", and we don't know where everyone will end up. It is likely that I will end up working with some of these people again.

I hope so.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! You can send us email: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. You can also "like" us on our facebook page, NOT the New York Times Book Review.

Book Bouncing

Therapist has accused me of book bouncing.

(It doesn't sound good that her blog posting name is "Therapist", does it? Makes book bouncing - or anything - sound so much worse coming from a therapist.)

I don't usually book bounce...I'll give a book a chance, read at least a third to half of the book and if I don't like it will stop reading, but if I have started reading and like it, I'll finish it. almost always. really.

But lately I've been book bouncing. I do this when I can't settle into a book. This is often when there are stressful things going on in my life.

Right now I'm in the middle of a job change, my son is getting married next month and we've been dealing with some illness in the family. So a little bit of stress. Thus the book bouncing.

I started Gillian Flynn's SHARP OBJECTS about two weeks ago. I was enjoying it. Right in the middle of it, though, I detoured and read Libba Bray's BEAUTY QUEENS (fun!) and after that Carol Rifka Brunt's TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME (very good). SHARP OBJECTS is still waiting.

I'm going to finish SHARP OBJECTS. I swear.

                    


Thanks for stopping by! Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. You can send us email: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Zombie poetry?

I am not really a big reader of poetry.

I told this to Eric Morlin, aka "The Moebius Kid", when he asked me to read and review his book of poetry, ARE THERE ZOMBIES IN HEAVEN. I told him I don't feel very qualified to write a review of a book of poetry.

I also told him that I was intrigued by the idea of zombies and poetry. That could be interesting. When I told him this, he did warn me that most of the poems are not about zombies. "Most"? Then there are some poems about zombies? This book was worth a peek.

       

He was right, most of the poems are not about zombies. Moebius writes about all sorts of things...relationships, non-relationships, drugs, love, politics, religion, and yes, zombies. Described as a "street poet" (he used to make little books of his poetry and sell them on the street, though I think the phrase really describes his often gritty and unflinching poetry, not that he hawked his poems on street corners), he attacks issues as well as himself, exploring and revealing his own feelings and foibles. This isn't your grandmother's poetry, he uses words and images some would find offensive and describes feelings and actions not always socially acceptable.

Not only does he tackle a wide range of topics, the book is medley of different styles of poetry as well. Some of them rhyme (probably my least favorite of the poems), some are just a few lines, providing an image or two to illuminate his idea. Some are several pages of dense, almost stream of consciousness writing.

Jumping from style to style as well as subject to subject, each poem was an adventure.

One page had a poem, "Seasonal Exile", where he used achingly stunning images of himself as a tree. And on the facing page was the first zombie poem. I liked that the styles and subjects were all mixed together.

In ARE THERE ZOMBIES IN HEAVEN, I found what I look for when I read poetry, and that is a new way to see things. Words delivering images that reveal and express, allowing me insight into the author's experiences, as well as my own.

He describes a "subtle thrill we get when someone dances with our words".
The Moebius Kid should get his thrill, as readers will be dancing with his words*.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! Clicking on the underlined book title might send you to Barnes and Noble's web page for the book. Clicking on the book cover will send you to Amazon's web page. Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. You can send email to us: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. You can subscribe directly to the blog and you can also "like" us on our facebook page, NOT the New York Times Book Review.