Work, work, work

It's been more than a week since returning from England. Life has quickly settled back into its comfortable dips and swells. I drive my car, have frozen pizza, watch ballgames, reluctantly go into work, etc, etc, etc. Although my reluctance to work is a bit of a falsehood. For 9 months, I had the privilige of not having to work. Sure, I had to make dinner, clean bathrooms, do homework, etc, etc, etc, but I didn't actually have to work to earn money. It was glorious. However, now that my English dreamworld has given way to the reality of the poor American college student, work has taken on a newfound priority. But the wonderful computer scheduling system of the pharmacy America trusts has prohibited me from actually being scheduled for another week, which has left me both strapped for cash and somewhat bored during the day. Additionally, budget cuts have recently cut back 26 of our pharmacy's weekly allotted hours. Suck. But nonetheless, opportunity came knocking, in the form of the store being short one cashier this morning. So after an early morning phone call, I dutifully made my way to Walgreens store #5634 to spend 6 hours in my white vest, CPhT name tag, and "Je Parle Francais" sticker earning way more than the other storefront employees putting away candy and ringing people out. It was comforting to know my nearly complete college education and international awareness was put to such good use dispensing Marlboro lights to unsuspecting suburbanites. After they pointed out where they were, I don't know where the hell all the cigarettes are. The American tobacco industry gives you a great variety of ways to acquire lung cancer, you have to give them that. I also spent a very satisfying 20 minutes in the refrigerator stocking all manner of Arizona iced teas. Thank you Luther College. Thank you University of Nottingham.



As a result of this, my lack of work opportunities, I did something extraordinary the other day: I applied for a second job. Acting on impulse, I attended a STARBUCKS HIRING FAIR, and interviewed for a position as a barista somewhere in the south-metro area. It was sort of strange, interviewing along with a gaggle of high school girls obsessing over their makeup and middle aged women attempting to be coffeehouse-chic, but I persevered. I think I gave a solid interview. Nothing flashy, but whatever. I mentioned my weekly patronage of the Clumber St. Starbucks in Notts, my historical relationship with their company, and made good note of my position as a Certified Pharmacy Technician. I've always sort of wanted to work at Starbucks, ever since I visited the FIRST STORE EVER in Seattle. I like the atmosphere, like coffee, like to think I'm an urban-hipster, and just think it would be a fun job. Make coffee all day? Yeah, I can deal with that. Plus it's one of Fortune's 100 best companies to work for.

Speaking of Starbucks, I went there tonight with a friend of mine from Luther. A girl I know works there and she hooked us up with some chocolate chip cookies to go along with our frappuccinos. A sweet girl, she might come swing dancing on Thursday. Anyways, it was really nice to be able to have some time to talk with my friend. He was one of the people who really inspired me to go to Luther. He also studied abroad, in Muenster, Germany. It was fun to share stories from the Hofbrauhaus and other smatterings of European travel. And I don't know, it was just nice to be able to relate a bit to another person who has experienced what I have.

England seems so far away, but also at times very near. I don't know, the sea of American life has definitely swept me up, moreso than a few of my fellow English friends. But then again, I live in a dynamic environment, close to a large city and with friends and family all around. Coming back to the States has been easy for me. I haven't really been struck too much with blatant missage for England the country. I have missed the people though. I miss going to baseball practice with Adam and Lynn. I was watching The Office today (I bought seasons 1 and 2) and was sort of disappointed that Kevin wasn't watching as well, making some sort of witty remark. Sort of miss seeing people walk around in their flat clothes, be it Luther running gear, Edina socks, UNott sweatshirt, or fuzzy Bath-bathrobe. Maybe not the fuzzy Bath-bathrobe. But you get the picture.

I feel this blog is starting to run on fumes, which I sort of expected it would start to do. I promised to write a few posts on returning to America, which I have. I don't know what else I have to say. I would like to keep blogging, I enjoy it. I appreciate all the nice comments about how good my writing is, I really do. But I think extensive further blogging on England would be a redundancy. It was a beautiful year, and I'm so glad to have this record and to be able to share my thoughts. But I don't want to bastardize what I have done by dragging it out. I'd rather be like Seinfeld and go out while I'm still on top. So, fellow readers, expect perhaps one or two more posts on this particularly English blog sometime this summer. I'm okay to see it ride off into the sunset. Or more approriately to the subject matter, ramble off into the misty vale.