The End

This I Believe

It’s funny how you don’t notice you’re doing something negative to a group of people until you’re placed in that individual’s shoes. At least I thought it was amusing how terrible I acted towards retail workers until I myself worked in retail. This is why I believe everyone should work at a retail store at least once in his or her lives.

Retail is not what many would consider a good job. The hours, the pay, the customers, nothing really sounds pleasing about it. Nevertheless, someone needs to do it. I was a junior in high school when I realized many jobs that I would consider ideal didn’t want a young high school kid work for them, which is when I decided to move to either retail or a restaurant. I chose retail, Old Navy to be specific. I did not know what I was in for.

When I look back now I think of how ignorant and naïve I was before I worked in retail. I would have never considered myself a bad customer; I didn’t hide things like many do when they decided they no longer wanted it, I didn’t throw clothes on the floor, or even have a negative attitude towards the employees. Yet many things that I did I now consider rude. For example, I always got frustrated when the employees took forever to ring my items up or when they didn’t seem to know what they were doing. The truth is, it takes a lot of time and practice to fully understand the whole process. Working in retail really proved to me that I should be patient and understanding towards employees because they really do have a hard job and many of those individuals are doing the best they can.

I also realized how a nice smile or a nice comment could really make an employees day. I know when I was working on the cash registers, it always made me feel better and want to give people better service when customers were pleasant to work with. Just a simple how are you today or nice small talk is nice. It’s all of the rude and impatient customers that make individuals such as myself not want to give good customer service or even want to work in retail at all.

Although I no longer work at Old Navy, I am grateful for the experience. I now fold every shirt I pick up, am courteous and respectful towards the employees and remind myself when I am rushing to just be patient.


Last post, have a nice day.
Kendell

College Snow Day

My first college snow day was yesterday which was quite exciting. Although I really saw the difference between the different snow day years. As I spent the day shoveling and doing homework I remembered back to a simpler time. Elementary school snow days were spent outside playing in the snow and my mom making hot chocolate for me and my friends. Middle school snow days were spent trying to get out of the house and away from the parents, only wanting to hang out with my friends. High school was spent staying inside and cuddling up with a nice movie or going outside and driving dangerously in the snow. It's funny how the time changes things, or age I suppose. Either way, I have had enough snow. It's one thing to have to shovel my own sidewalk but also I found out that no one shovels or plows our alley so it was an adventure all in itself just to get out onto the street. Hm, what did I get myself into with this whole shoveling thing? Maybe next year I will be moving into an apartment rather than a duplex.

Speaking of snow and streets, some people really need to learn how to drive in the snow. I personally am just scared to drive not because of the dangerous road conditions but to all the people who do not know what they're doing. It's quite simple really.. just drive slow, don't make any sudden motions and don't over worry. Also, snow tires does a lot. My friend was extremely stuck in the snow because of the no snow tires. It really does wonders.

I cannot wait for Christmas! Family, friends, freedom will just be lovely. Plus I will be able to work more so I won't be feeling so crunched for money which is always a good feeling. I'm also very excited for my next semester classes, I hope they work out. I was planning on taking less credits for the upcoming semester but somehow it didn't really work like that. Hopefully I will be able to handle it.

Well, until next time,
Kendell

Change is never easy.
You fight to hold on.
You fight to let go.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (without me having to shovel)

It's officially December, where did November go? It was just the other day where I was saying it's officially November, where did October go? Oh well, time flies by when you're having fun I suppose. The days have been going very smoothly lately. School, work, friends.. everything has just been going really well. Minus my two weeks of terrible bad luck. Within these weeks I lost numerous things, ran into countless items, and been more up and down than I have been in a very long while. The two worst things that I did included losing my key drive and losing my car keys. My key drive that had all of my Graphic Design stuff on it and a number of other general class stuff. Of course I don't back up my stuff on my laptop either, oh well, live and learn. I now save all of my stuff and back it up. Although it is my fault of leaving it in a classroom, I still can't believe someone would just take it. They must have, that's the only way it makes sense. I checked all the lost and founds in the school and also gave them my number in case they found it then I checked the classroom that I left it in and checked with the teacher in the class after. Ludicrous! Oh well, I'm over it.. although I will have to redo all of my projects and assignments from previous classes for my portfolio.. but I'm not going to think about that for now.

The first snow fall happened today, at least the snow fall that has stuck. On one hand, I love snow. It's so beautiful and just the feel of bundling up in mittens, coat, and hat is truly amazing. Also cappuccino drinking, Christmas time, Rotary lights, etc. My absolute favorite though, I have to admit, is taking walks with people in the snow. (:

Thanksgiving was overall a success. This year I went to Michigan to have Thanksgiving at my uncles, this means that I not only got to have Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family but also my uncles girlfriends family. This includes four cute kids that I got to watch for most of the day. Food and family, what a great combination. Although the days after seemed to go by very slowly after the kids and my cousin and aunt left. Also, not much Black Friday shopping was done which I was kind of upset about, but oh well.

P.s. The semester is almost over! I know exactly what I need to do each day until the last day, crazy!

Until next time,
Kendell

It's cold and snow's actually on the ground of this no-snow town
And instead of cars, the street's trafficking in sleds
Men become boys again
And there's a war on the corner with no guaranteed winner
It's just a snow fall of snow balls, evidence of the winter
And I can feel my hands again
We're almost home
Hooray! - Minus the Bear

I once had a grip on everything it feels better to let go..

Alright, I am hoping that my "bad luck" streak is now over with starting today, I really hope I didn't jinx myself. For the past two weeks it seems like every little thing that could go wrong does. From the littlest things like waiting a long period of time to go to a class to forgetting my key drive in a class. I'm still a little frantic over me losing my key drive, I understand it's my fault that it happened but wouldn't someone turn it in? Especially seeing how much stuff is on it, all of my Graphic Design work for classes was on it and of course I didn't save it anywhere else. I learned my lesson. It sucks how lessons learned are usually learned the hard way. On that key drive, I also had my 4 page research paper that I had been working on for the past two weeks as long as all the notes I wrote. That wasn't fun. But I lived through it so far, the research paper has now been rewrote and some of my Graphic Design work has been remade. Now I'm just going to have to redo the rest so I can put it in my portfolio. That's not going to be fun.

I got another parking ticket also, I could have sworn I was far enough away from my first parking spot. I was also confused because it was on opposite sides of the day, once at 8:00AM and the other at 2:35PM. That's just silly to me, I guess I can't really fight it.

New Moon comes out tonight and midnight and I am very sad to say I will not be attending. My procrastination got the best of me once again and soon enough it was sold out. Not to worry, I will see it soon I can guarantee that. I have been subconsciously saving up and not going to many movies just so I wouldn't feel bad about spending a bit more on this movie. It better be worth it.

Four more weeks and I will be done with my first semester of college, scary! It's going by so fast!

Oh well, until next time..
Kendell

"Life is about getting up out of your chair and doing something.
It is about doing nothing. Making a mess. Moving your hand
and your body. Leaving a mark. It is about doing. Action. Finishing.
Experimenting. Trying something. Immersing. It is about absurdity.
A creation. Evidence that you exist. Using materials. Destruction. It is
about fun. Doing the opposite. Breaking the rules. It is about ideas. Getting dirty.
Making mistakes. I'm going to ask you to make a mark and it's going to be messy.
Don't worry about that, that's the point."

so why don't we go somewhere only we know?

I've been really feeling the need to get a new car lately, I went through the "crappy car" stage for my first car and I think it's about time to get past that. I wouldn't even really call my car crappy, it typically runs really well because my dad is pretty much my own mechanic yet it is a Ford Probe. Seafoam green at that. Pastel green. I hate it when kids right away when they get their licenses get nice, expensive cars. Not that I'm complaining, my parents paid for half of my car and I'm really thankful for that. The cars I would choose are nothing spectacular, either a Jetta or Cobalt, preferably blue or silver and two door. Now all I have to do is become financially stable so I can actually do this. I would also like to own subwoofers and have those cool lights that are on the inside of your car, but now I'm getting carried away.

I'm starting to feel the distance between myself and some of my friends that went away for college. I finally went up to visit my good friend at her college the other day and it was fun just to catch up again. I hate knowing that most likely all of my friends and I are eventually going to drift apart. Of course there will be the "reunions" and what-not but it will probably never be the same. I am grateful that I didn't move away right away and a lot of my friends are still here but even now it's hard to keep up with everyone with school and work and what-not. I plan on moving away for my career at some point also so obviously it's going to be hard with that also. Oh well, I just don't want to worry about it right now.

This weather change was quite unexpected. I even had to bust out my flip flops again and wear them, I finally got over the fact that I wouldn't be able to wear them anymore! Uhh, now I have to go through that process again, ha. Oh well, it was nice to feel the warmth again, I know it will be a long winter again this year. I think I will feel it even more this year because at my house, we have to shovel the sidewalks. Also, I will have to wake up earlier to scrape and brush the snow off of my car. Don't want to think about it again, I'm just hoping that winter will take its time in starting.

Otherwise life has been going very smoothly. Until next time,
Kendell

Make one person
HAPPY
each day -
even if it's yourself.

Oh another week, another ramble.

I can't believe it's already November. Especially considering this means that I only have about six more weeks until I'm officially done with my first semester of college, that's such a crazy thought. By this rate it's going to be just tomorrow that I will be graduating from TC and moving out into the world, whether that means a four year college or to be thrown into the work force although I do not know which one yet. At the moment I wouldn't consider myself the best worker. I mean, I go in and do the hours but most of the time it's very reluctantly. I basically just go in to do my time as painlessly as possible to get the money and leave. This is another reason I can't wait to be in the Graphic Design industry, I will be doing stuff I love and being creative all day. Of course, half the time I will get annoying customers and not end up doing the stuff I want but still. Also, the business' I have visited all seem to have a very laid back, professional, and fun atmosphere filled with interesting characters. Speaking of which I went on the first Graphics Design Club trip to Minneapolis this past Tuesday and it was a lot of fun. We went to three business' and they talked about a number of important things we as Graphic Designers would need to know. I liked a lot of things about each of the business' we visited. At the first business called 'TMM' I really liked how they were very put together and professional, you could tell that they knew what they were doing. At the second business we went to called 'Puny' I liked pretty much everything about it. I loved the gallery feeling atmosphere and all around just laid back. As we were walking around and seeing what each designer was working on, you could tell how talented they were. They also looked like they had a lot of fun doing what they do. At the third business 'Big Time Attic' they were pretty much comic book illustrators which was really awesome to see. I could tell how much they loved what they do and how much fun they had. Overall, it was a great trip and I'm really looking forward to the next.

Halloween was a success. Many of my friends had gone to Madison and the cities for Halloween but I decided against it. Instead, me and my roommate decided to compile the remaining friends that were in town and have a little get together. I wasn't really planning to do much or even dress up so it was interesting throwing together a costume, ha.

A few pictures from Minneapolis and Halloween:

Money can't buy happiness.
But it can buy marshmallows,
which are kinda the same thing.

Ha, until next time,
Kendell

Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed

The usual rambles begin..

I received some news the other day that made me very happy. This Thanksgiving I will be going to my grandparents in Michigan and during this time we will also be celebrating Christmas since we won't be going there this year. This year for Christmas I'm going to be extremely sad that I won't be able to get anyone presents pretty much considering I'm a poor college student. I guess I'm lucky though because I have the creativity to make something and call it a present, I guess those are the presents that mean the most anyway. To drive to Michigan it's a long 12-15 hour drive that is mostly annoying and time consuming, although I really like it at the same time. It gives me the chance to finally sit and relax for a bit. I end up drawing, listening to music, reading and catching up on sleep (I love sleeping in cars!). This year I am really excited too because since I have a laptop I will be able to mess around with Illustrator and InDesign for finally get some of these designs out of my head. I also love driving through different towns and seeing the different atmospheres and people in them.

I have always wished that my mom's side of the family lived closer, I pretty much only see them one to two times a year and it's really not enough. This past year before I graduated and my family came into town, my grandma had a mild stroke. It was so hard to see her repeating herself and forgetting conversations we had just moments ago. That's just another of the numerous reasons I want to visit them more often, age is a scary thing.. I don't know when I'm going to use them but the thought already brings tears to my eyes. Especially because I've never been one to deal with death well or even funerals. Most of the time I avoid them all together just so I won't have to deal with the pain. I am very fortunate to still have all of my grandparents, well, not technically. I never met my actual grandma and grandpa on my dad's side. His mom died around the time he was seven from lung cancer and so did his dad a couple of years later. Before he died, he remarried and this is who I now know as my grandma since my birth.. and when he died she also remarried and this is now who I call my grandpa. Kind of a weird scenario there. My blood grandpa died right before my dads birthday, I can't even imagine the hurt he felt. He's such a strong person and I am so grateful to have him in my life. I wish I could have met my actual grandma and grandpa though, my dad has always said that I would have loved them and we would have had a lot in common.

I have a feeling this years Halloween is going to be really lame. There's pretty much nothing to do other than follow the number of people who are going to Madison and the cities.. which I would rather not do. I guess it doesn't even matter, I don't have a costume nor have any ideas for one. I will probably just end up hanging out with a few friends like every other year.

Everything in life has still been going well, I have no complaints at all.

Until next time,
Kendell

Don't wish me happiness, I don't expect
to be happy all the time.. it has gotten beyond that
somehow. Wish me courage and strength and a
sense of humor. I will need them all.
-Anne Morrow LIndbergh