BLACK LIKE SUNDAY

The silly season has arrived, although my team and I have been prepping for weeks. Unlike my buying counterparts in other retailer setups (like Best Buy, Eddie Bauer, etc.) people seem to drink more when the economy sucks! Drown your sorrows, I guess would be most people's mottos these days (thank you Republicans!). You'd think that the temperance movement would get the hint, making sure EVERYBODY had enough money to pay their bills and eliminate the need for 27 credit cards, then NOBODY would want to be living full-time in the state of intoxication.

Any-hoo, now that the silly season (my endearing term for the holidays) has descended upon us, I have abdicated my sole remaining day off in the meager hopes that my boss won't find a laundry list of missing signs, incorrect prices, out-of-stocks, etc. I love my job, don't get me wrong, but my boss is able to find at least 12 things wrong in just two minutes of observation. How? And more importantly, why? I can offer excuses, and make plausible explanations for nearly every single thing that he finds wrong, but in the end, the best thing to do is just fix it, and try the best you can to prevent these things from happening again (which is usually like holding back the ocean with a worn-out broom).

The onslaught of the shopping gods has been ruthless in the 6 years I have been at Liquor Direct, which is a good thing (I'd have to be completely daft to be bitching about a thriving business!) but it can be overwhelming, and can take a toll on one's personal life. My wife has been amazing through these past 6 years, though I've pushed her to the breaking point on more than one occasion. The retail world was not something I had planned on being a part of at any stage in my life (especially during the hair-band days), but here I am. Thank God I am going into this season with not one, but two assistants. Shannon and Jesse have been awesome, and are becoming quite adept at saving my bacon daily.

The point to this rant - I don't really know if there is one. Just being thankful out loud I guess. And hoping that my wife can tolerate me this year.