November 4, 2007
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Someday... All will be welcome
My Dream Job
Someday I would like to own my own store. It's no secret that I currently work as a supervisor in a bookstore, but ideally, I'd like to have my own store and do things my own way. I love my job, but some of the things the head office has us do are just asinine. And I'm sorry, but the customer is not always right. If I owned my own business, I would never allow a customer to get away with treating my people like idiots or screaming at them if we don't give them their own way. I think one of the biggest problems with retail today is that the general public seems to think retail workers are stupid. I'm sorry. I work in a bookstore. I'm probably smarter than most of the patrons. I certainly know more about a variety of subjects than most people know about one. I and most of my colleagues choose to work in a bookstore because we love books. That's not stupid; that's living your life instead of letting others buy your tolerance and set your intellectual limitations.
But I digress. This post is not about my current job, which is technically the best job I've ever had, with coworkers who are more like family sometimes than my own relatives. This post is about my dream job.
Someday I would like to own my own store. It would be a store centered around all aspects of religion and mysticism. Mainly there would be books, but also all the paraphernalia and trappings that attend such things, from from Advent calendars to spellcrafting supplies. I'd like to have the main room be for general metaphysics and paraphernalia and then have doors to other rooms for books on Abrahamic religions, for Hinduism, for Buddhism and Eastern religions, for Paganism, and a consultation room where someone would do various readings, give consultations on spellwork and teach classes, or that could be rented out by different groups or for interfaith meetings. I imagine I'd be doing most of the consultation myself until I hired more people. Sounds like I'd need a house, instead of a business, but then I suppose I could live in whatever portion was not taken up by the store and guard it against close-minded hooligans.
For a long time, I considered "Opiate of the Masses" for the name, but as witty as it is, it's also rather obnoxious. It would be more suitable for a religions store in a cartoon a la Marx, than of an actual store that expects to draw customers. But I think I came up with an even better name for a multi-faith store and that would be "All Are Welcome." I don't imagine I'd get too many close-minded people as patrons because they tend not to want to share space with people who do not agree with them.
What job do you dream of? What would make you happy if you could do it for the rest of your life? I've never planned on being rich, and I doubt I'd ever get rich with such a business, but I think I would be happy. Who needs money if you're happy?
Comments (6)
we had a bookstore downtown semilar to what you are talking about. it did not do well in my town. lots of religious pompous asses. i went in once. it's mood and the people owning it kind of 'put me off' to buying anything there. i tend to not like shopping places where i am watched with hawk eyes... and some of the things i was interested in seemed to be marked up so high and i knew they were not worth as much as they were charging. i really think they should have read a fung shui book though. they had issues with energy flow as well.
ryc: i think im empathic and she's a vampire (she didn't dress up for halloween because she didn't need to
) actually today we had a much better time together than we have in a while. no problems at work at all. what really is irritating about her though is the fact that she puts herself down so much that it is contagious to me.
I went to a bookstore like that in Port Townsend, WA with a friend of mine. It was a *really cool place*!
I am still deciding what I want to do when I grow up. It has to be something to do with the outdoors, like a forest ranger, horticulturalist, or geologist. Nature (plants in particular) gets my ju-ju going!
The fun thing is when you announce your deepest intentions to the universe, the universe has a habit of providing what you need to achieve those dreams.
My Dream Job involves editing for people who would create the stuff you sell... or opening up a shop adjacent to yours - a consignment place for my friends who are artists. On the side, I'd love to be a cat and dog masseuse. I don't know how legitimate I'd feel about the money part, but it's a rewarding pasttime anyway.
/
How do I feel about retail folk? First, let me tell you that I respect people at bookstores. It's a job I've always wanted and often applied for. Now, though, it wouldn't give me the education benefits I'm enjoying. I respect a lot of the people who make an effort to be friendly and professional at food joints. I even don't mind your more typical retail folk at the mall or at appliance places. What I HATE, though, are the people who have to hawk their wares so hard, the ones who work on commission and follow you around. I understand that everyone has to make a living, but that kind of pressure makes me want nothing. If I have questions about something or am interested in the features of a specific item, I do appreciate someone knowledgeable being around to tell me about it, and I do like giving credit where it's due by writing a nice comment card or seeking out a manager, but don't go overboard.
/rant over
i've thought the same thing about fears before. and sometimes i think they don't really exist except for "excitement".
When I have seen an empty storefront in an historical building for rent, I have always felt the desire to fill it with my own bookshoppe of rare and wonderful books~
In that dreaming moment, I see a reading corner complete with a vintage set of sofa and chairs for those who would simply like to read what they might ponder to purchase. In the air, the fragrance of Krishna Leela from Bangalore, India and that singular scent of aging books and all will be welcome without judgment as to their reading choices.
I have come to that point in my life where I see political correctness for what it is, an appeasement of ego issues, and so I have little tolerance for it in any area in life.
And you are right, if one is happy, money is moot, whether present or absent.
Blessings~
Postscript} I visit from the Hermit blogcircle~
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