When I was younger I had a certain fascination with art and photography. I was very happy when I got my first camera. It was almost a gay hobby so I didnt get much into it. Today things are different. Its easy to get a cheap digital camera and suddenly everyone is a professional photographer. But with all the 'cam whores' and just whores its hard to distinguish real art from just some little kid with a gayPhone. I would love to be more involved in art but its like no matter where I go, true Art gets drowned out by Children trying to turn a more sophisticated website into just another free myspace. Kids, this isnt facebook. Try learning something instead sending endless photos to someone who doesnt give a fuck.

Hello deviantWorld.
Im not a fan of writing things like I used to be. It seems pretty pointless when im the only one reading my work.

Tonight I wanna talk a little about my workplace.

I've had a pretty long night. Its well after five in the morning and I find myself exhausted and at my place of employment. Its a very funny story, simply involving first only a sharpie.

My journey today is at work; it was a very slow day.
Our plan for today was $2500ish. We ended today with just over $1500. Not many people made it in to our store. I did make some good sales and managed to save our stats a little. Things coulda been worse. I was finished cleaning the store before 9:30 hit. After that, I saw a light was out over the register and changed it. I had gotten a headache from moving everything around. Those lights are just so bright...
I thought, later, what if I killed some of these spot lights since no one is here shopping...
So I went and started flipping switches, seeing which one was for what light. I forgot that one guy was still in the fitting room and I turned out those lights. I felt bad, but now its a little funny. He ended up buying one of our newest shirts, some khakis and a few polos. I was happy.
While I was going through the circuit breaker I was writing down which one did what. Number three was the 'spot south wall.' Number 5 was the 'spot cool 18.' Number 7 was 'fitting room/cashwrap.'
I got to where I thought the flouresent lights might be and stopped until the customers left. Then I realized... when I moved into my apartment, there was a sheet that said what switch did what. I found it for the store and saw that it was a lot more detailed than me...
So I began to panic for a moment. This is pretty stupid by now. Why do we need me to draw on the switches when its already written out. And now figured out what 4 and 6 were... The outside lights. Im only glad it was a slow weekend. Or maybe, if it was busy, I wouldnt be in this mess.
I remembered to when I worked at applebees and how they drew out the servers positions for the day. He would use a sharpie and scribble over the print and wipe away with a wet towel or napkin. So I tried this. Regular windex didnt manage to pull anything off, so I busted out the big bottle of windex with ammonia. Nothing. All I was getting was a bigger smeared mess. By this time it was after 10, the store was close, money was counted and everything shut down except the back light switch. I tried taking out the blade of a box cutter and scraping the sharpie mess away but it only scratched up the plate. Again I tried more windex and endless rubbing. I was getting no where. I kept thinking of what Tammy would say, 'Alright Kory, no more sharpies for you.' I was thinking she would have shawna or sara come in at 10:30 just so they would turn out the lights, and I wouldnt be allowed to touch them. I was so upset about everything.
Then I went back to the blade and remembered (again) when I watched my friend Garrett wet sand his friends carbon fiber hood. They were repainting it since the last guy left it out in the sun too much. I had recently purchased some 800 grit paper and was sure it would work. I locked up the store, set the alarm and quickly searched for my keys, since I forgot to check before I did set it. I got the sand paper, some tacos and headed back to the store. It was working great. The sharpie mess was coming off well, but so was the darker paint...
I had a much lighter color where I was working and a darker color where other things had been written. Things like what switch Not to turn off, Fire Alarm. I didnt know what to do. If I wiped away the sanded section with the wet towel, it was fine. But once it dried, it just looked awful. I thought, 'maybe they wont notice. No way, sara would be the first one to see the difference.'
Finally, I remembered I had an old can of clear acrylic enamel paint at the house. I immediately left to get it. I drove up in the grass, neighbors still up, its now 4:30 am and im sure they think im drunk or pissed. I dont even step all the way in the back door, grab my paint, hop back in my 5 speed and head back to the store. I get here thinkin, 'I hope I can sneak this paint in the store and then back out without anyone thinking im gonna tear up a store, and when im leaving that I didnt steal anything.' I got inside turned off the alarm and grabbed the circuit plate cover and went out back. Joe's crab shack sits behind us, so the back hallway is Always smelly. I have a video...
I knew the smell of paint wouldnt stand up to Fish. I did the most professional spray I could manage. After each pass I looked and was more and more relieved seeing the outcome. I layered it on. Once satisfied with my results, I set the up plate on the towel dispenser in the bathroom, just below the fan for most air flow, to help dry and keep the paint smell down. Then I plopped down in the chair at the computer and got online.
The so far the paint looks perfect. I am very happy how it turned out. I put it all back together and went home.

I wanted to tell this story to 'show' how something small can turn into something stupid and painful. I also wanted you to 'see' that I am quite the handy man. Tammy told Chris, her husband, something about me that made me really think. I have never thought of myself like that before, but I gladly considered it a compliment. And now, not only because of tonight, but I do consider myself a Jack of all Trades.