I'm not sure why...

but Joyce Carol Oates gets me every time. I love the way she writes. I was introduced to her in a college literature class through some of her short stories (which I loved) and I later read "Them" (also good). I've encountered her again twice recently. I listened to "We Were the Mulvaneys" on my commute to work and I almost couldn't wait to be in my car so I could listen to it. It is an incredibly heartbreaking story, but I found the writing to be very compelling and the language simple, but in a way beautiful. I also recently read her novella "I Lock My Door Upon Myself" over a few lunch breaks. It was unlike anything I have ever read and was written in a unique voice and from quite an interesting perspective. It had a very tragic feel to it. Come to think of it, everything I've read of hers has a sort of a tragic/heartbreaking element... maybe that's why I like them. Her characters always seem like very real people. I hope to read many more of her books, as she has quite a vast body of work. Any Joyce Carol Oates recommendations?

a customer service rant...

-to the customer who was laughing out loud about the book he was reading in the coffee area: please don't, it's awkward.

-to the cutomer who #1 talked on the phone throughout our entire register transaction, #2 took a bag for one book and #3 payed me with money that you pulled out of your bra: #1 that's inconsiderate, #2 that's wasteful, #3 that's disgusting. don't.

-to the customer who rejected my offer with incredulity and anger and cut me off every time I attempted to explain my reasoning: your offer was bigger than I normally would have done for the 3 books you brought in (I was trying to be nice) and I'm especially mad at you because I wanted one of the books you were selling.:)

-to the customer(s) that trashed my section, which I had worked very hard to get in order: you are supposed to be adults. act like it.

-to the customer who had me look for 8 different books via phone (even though I ordinarily only would have looked for 2 and was trying to be nice) and then decided that you didn't want the 2 that I actually did find: that was irritating. I wasted 20 minutes trying to help you and didn't so much as get a "thank you."

-to the customer that was trying to interrupt me while I was helping a customer at the register just so you could find out where V.C. Andrews might be: that's rude. wait your turn.


Maybe I was just feeling extra irritable yesterday or maybe people were just extra annoying, who knows. At any rate all of these minor annoyances took place and I found myself very ready to go home at the end of the day. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But anyone who has worked in retail has put up with many thoughtless customers and can probably identify. A thank you to the customers that actually patiently wait their turns, ask how my day is, say thank you and show a bit of kindness. You are the ones that can brighten a bad day.

-to any cashier that I have ignored by staying on my phone when I went through your check out: I am very sorry. I don't do that any more. I know what it's like.

-to any store where I have carried something around, decided I didn't want it and then just discarded it anywhere in the store instead of putting it back or taking it up to the register and giving it to you: I am sorry. I don't do that any more either. I know how frustrating it can be to find a parenting book stashed on a shelf in the art section.

doug phi moe (this is not a joke:)

I just have to take this post to share about a "gem" of a book that was recently sold to HPB: "Doug Phi Moe: He's Over Here Projecting Christianity" (by Douglas S. McGlohon). I think about 6 or so of these books were sold to us at the same time and we were originally going to superbuy them, but upon closer inspection, we realized that we could not ask (or allow:) anyone to pay money for this. We spent a good amount of time laughing about this book. The following is what is on the back of the book. This is presented verbatim, I assure you (that is what makes this so great, or horrifying).

Book Description:
Doug Phi Moe at age eight young school boy and loving Christian family. Where his mom is just a poor Christian housewife and his father works at the local mill or box factory.

Although they are a very poor family they take for their foundation the Lord Jesus Christ.

And attend church every Sunday and take part in bible study and other Christian programs during the week.

Doug Phi Moe's mother and father has vowed that their son won't have to struggle through life as they did, being undereducated and living a life of poorness. By making it mandatory that he gets a good education.

While walking through the city Doug Phi Moe from not wanting to go to school begin to love school.

While sitting at the local soul food restaurant. He begin to watch the seniors an their pattern of life. Being growned in Christianity, some he still loved although Doug Moe felt they were not Christ-like but he loved them all.

Several years later Doug Phi Moe finishes high school, undergrad and obtains his law degree and becomes a very successful corporate attorney.

Always thinking about the women he loves so very much next to his monotheism or God. Being prior service he has to leave here in tears fro secret operations overseas in what will be very dangerous military activity. Yet the mission which takes several months is a success and he arrives back into the states.

When he marries and they birth a booming baby boy as he returns back to his practice or can interpize and enjoys his family and friends.


I have read parts of this book and what's inside is equally terrible, both grammatically and content-wise. I have a copy of this and will gladly share this with all who are interested.:) I took this to mom and dad's and they got a big kick out of this. We laughed for quite some time. The book is seriously trying to be a christian, romance, suspense thriller. O yeah, and it's billed as a "biography". Upon reading parts about his "war experience" Dad picked up on several historical innacuracies (not the least of which is the fact that he referred to a second vietnam war). Half the "sentences" are fragments, the tense changes all the time and the use of adjectives is unreal. The book is published by basically a self-publishing house, so i guess that's how this is in print. It's a true disgrace.:)
At work, after reading a short portion of the back I stated that it was an embarrasment to Christianity. My coworker promptly replied that he would go so far as to say it is an embarrasment to humanity. I have to agree.:)
I will leave you with a quote from this book, just to give you a bit more of a taste (and I will definitely be bringing this to more Sunday dinners):

"Doug Moe continued to chow down on the good tasting fried chicken and good old soul food. The television continued to project the picture at hand. Doug Moe picked up the glass of apple juice, and he consumed all of it. He stood up straight in his beautiful night robe. He advanced toward his private law library off from the house's fireplace. He put his hands on his hips projecting his masculinity. He looked at chapters, the vision of his ALR, General Statutes, Southeastern Reporters, Douglas forms, and many more law books he has in his condo."