New Generation
Apr. 11th, 2005 11:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jakebe
I got called in to work on Sunday, which isn't too big a deal. The only annoying thing was being woken up by the phone ringing at 8 am (after I had gone to bed at say, 3:30) and having a panicky-sounding coworker leave a message on the answering machine. I do remember offering to work on Sunday, actually, but I had forgotten *which* Sunday I offered to work. I hate it when I do that.
Anyway, so I priced about 3 boxes of books and found that somehow I had gotten slammed with a boatload of German books I would somehow need to find space for. Lots of people came in and most needed directions, but it wasn't too hectic and we made some good sales. I actually really adore working on Sundays because it's so laid-back and everyone's in more or less a good mood. You can have awesome conversations with people, and there's a timeless, all-around pleasant low-key feeling. Like "CBS Sunday Morning" or National Public Radio. I really dig that. ;)
The only thing that sucks about pulling someone's Sunday shift is it means I don't really get a weekend, and I'll be working six days this week. And coming in on Monday morning is always the worst, because you have the wreckage to pick up from Saturday's crowd as well as big steaming pile of books to shelve when you show up. There is a definite advantage to working on Saturdays.
There was a big mess in Religion waiting for me, and almost everywhere things were messy; for some reason Chinese and Japanese-language books can't stay straightened, and neither can Travel, and neither can...you get the idea. Somehow, though, I managed to get my stack worked down, do internet orders and straighten a few sections while I was at it. Pretty productive day, but it took quite a bit out of me.
*****
Talked to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
stickypawz a bit about what he's termed "The Calling," which is more-or-less the call to be a public servant in some capacity. His dilemma and decision is fascinating to me, mainly because I feel that he and I are cut from the same cloth that way. :) I don't necessarily believe that serving your community (or anyone who might need some assistance, for that matter) requires you to be a member of an organization to fulfill your function, though it certainly does help. Becoming a priest or a social worker or a doctor is simply the formalization of the promise that you make to yourself and to other people, to help them as much as possible. It's socially accepted advertisement that it's your purpose to help others in need. And thus, it makes it easier for them to come to you if you're so inclined. It also gives you not a small bit of authority; who are you going to believe in matters of the spirit...a man of the cloth, or Joe Sixpack whose room stinks of inscence and loose teas? :)
Part of the reason I'm so fascinated by Odis' consideration and subsequent study of a certain path is I get to live vicariously through him. It takes an incredible amount of discipline and a certain kind of temperament to live the contemplative life, and while I'm close I don't think I'm quite there yet. I respect the people who *have* gone to seminary, who *are* ready to dedicate their lives to it, who devote their lives to the betterment of others. It makes me wish I was at that stage where I could build my life around the ideal, but I've got a ways to go yet.
Nonetheless, I'll be joining him for his exploration as often as possible, and pushing myself to get into good 'shape' for that kind of thing. Spiritual discipline has become a bit of a priority as of late, and Odis' decision to stick to his path just reinforces my decision to stick to my own. Applied Buddhism!
So, I suspect I'll be talking a bit more about it here. I'll put stuff behind a cut tag if you don't want to hear about it, or better yet put it on a filter. Either way, just a heads-up.
*****
And it's inexcusable that I haven't updatedwriterrabbit in so long. I feel quite guilty about that, actually.
Anyway, so I priced about 3 boxes of books and found that somehow I had gotten slammed with a boatload of German books I would somehow need to find space for. Lots of people came in and most needed directions, but it wasn't too hectic and we made some good sales. I actually really adore working on Sundays because it's so laid-back and everyone's in more or less a good mood. You can have awesome conversations with people, and there's a timeless, all-around pleasant low-key feeling. Like "CBS Sunday Morning" or National Public Radio. I really dig that. ;)
The only thing that sucks about pulling someone's Sunday shift is it means I don't really get a weekend, and I'll be working six days this week. And coming in on Monday morning is always the worst, because you have the wreckage to pick up from Saturday's crowd as well as big steaming pile of books to shelve when you show up. There is a definite advantage to working on Saturdays.
There was a big mess in Religion waiting for me, and almost everywhere things were messy; for some reason Chinese and Japanese-language books can't stay straightened, and neither can Travel, and neither can...you get the idea. Somehow, though, I managed to get my stack worked down, do internet orders and straighten a few sections while I was at it. Pretty productive day, but it took quite a bit out of me.
*****
Talked to
stickypawz a bit about what he's termed "The Calling," which is more-or-less the call to be a public servant in some capacity. His dilemma and decision is fascinating to me, mainly because I feel that he and I are cut from the same cloth that way. :) I don't necessarily believe that serving your community (or anyone who might need some assistance, for that matter) requires you to be a member of an organization to fulfill your function, though it certainly does help. Becoming a priest or a social worker or a doctor is simply the formalization of the promise that you make to yourself and to other people, to help them as much as possible. It's socially accepted advertisement that it's your purpose to help others in need. And thus, it makes it easier for them to come to you if you're so inclined. It also gives you not a small bit of authority; who are you going to believe in matters of the spirit...a man of the cloth, or Joe Sixpack whose room stinks of inscence and loose teas? :)Part of the reason I'm so fascinated by Odis' consideration and subsequent study of a certain path is I get to live vicariously through him. It takes an incredible amount of discipline and a certain kind of temperament to live the contemplative life, and while I'm close I don't think I'm quite there yet. I respect the people who *have* gone to seminary, who *are* ready to dedicate their lives to it, who devote their lives to the betterment of others. It makes me wish I was at that stage where I could build my life around the ideal, but I've got a ways to go yet.
Nonetheless, I'll be joining him for his exploration as often as possible, and pushing myself to get into good 'shape' for that kind of thing. Spiritual discipline has become a bit of a priority as of late, and Odis' decision to stick to his path just reinforces my decision to stick to my own. Applied Buddhism!
So, I suspect I'll be talking a bit more about it here. I'll put stuff behind a cut tag if you don't want to hear about it, or better yet put it on a filter. Either way, just a heads-up.
*****
And it's inexcusable that I haven't updated
writerrabbit in so long. I feel quite guilty about that, actually.
