Retail is a Dirty, Nasty Thing

So, I have been working retail for the last year and a half, and it absolutely surprises me how disgusting some people can be. So many consumers are under the impression that just because an individual works in retail that they are a verbal punching bag.

Would you enjoy if someone did that to you? Better yet, what if someone did it to your child?

I have had things thrown at me, I have had nasty attitudes about prices being incorrect, or people being unable to read properly (and how is that my fault, exactly?), and again with the reading, people who can not read coupons.

Not all sales are specific; sometimes the entire line of that brand can be on sale, but if it's specific, then ... it's specific. I have had people accuse me of bait and switch (which I honestly feel like so many people don't understand the meaning of that term), then I changed the price on them (while I can, I am not going out of my way to do it, because that information is logged, and I have to explain why I modified a price), and the good old customers that can't read coupons. When the coupon itself says, "EXCLUDES, YADDA YADDA YADDA" and they demand I scan the coupon anyway.

No. I am not committing coupon fraud so you can save 50 cents.

Then I'm racist, because you're not a member of our store's savings club, and to be a member, you need to input your phone number on the pin pad. Or we're taking all your information and selling it online/overseas to the commies/terrorists.

Yep. That's exactly what I'm doing, and it makes my day.

Oh, and we hide all the good stuff in the back. Or when I tell you that it isn't back there (because it really isn't - we get in trouble if it can go out on the floor and it's in the stockroom instead), you ask if I'm sure and if it's because I don't want to take a walk for you. Retail stores don't make money on items sitting in a stockroom. I had actually thought that was common knowledge, but what do I know about business?

I feel like everyone needs to spend a year in retail; maybe that's the answer to getting people to act a little more human, and you know, show some compassion.

Everything Has a Purpose.

But will this blog have one? Yes and no.

I enjoy writing. I enjoy having opinions. I enjoy hearing the opinions of others. While these exchanges aren't always lighthearted or civil, I will do my best to hold myself to that standard.

So why am I starting a blog?

Easy. I love expressing myself through the written word. I have a lot to say, about everything.

Is there really some life-altering purpose to this blog?

No, not really. While I do believe in this

do I expect to make a difference? No, but it would be nice if I could. Is this an attempt at making some sort of difference in the world through my written word? You could say yes. Won't know if I've made a difference if I don't try.

What will I be discussing?

Pretty much everything. This blog will house many of my thoughts, rational, possibly irrational; it will contain my interests, it will pretty much be me in textual form. Like I said, do I expect to gain anything from this? No, not at all. I do enjoy writing, and even if this is my only foray into being a writer, it will at least keep me content.

Can we stop sensationalizing the death of Robin Williams?

This is in no way a post to insult Robin Williams or his family. My gripe is mainly with the media that is sensationalizing his death with claims of raising awareness for depression and mental illness, yet we all know it's just for views, likes, and to sell.

Robin Williams was a beloved actor, and as evidenced by his family's releases regarding his passing, husband and father. It hurts to lose someone you love, and we can all relate to this at some point or another in our lives. There is nothing wrong with his fans or the media honoring him for his contributions to film, but to ride on the coattails of what caused him to kill himself, to constantly repeat the ways he chose to go out, then to 'educate' us on depression and mental illness - this needs to stop.

The New York Daily News should be ashamed of themselves for their tacky and tasteless cover describing how he killed himself in large text surrounding his image. The details of one's death should NOT be used to make a dime. This is not only an insult to his family and everyone who ever cared about him, but it is also an insult to others who have committed suicide, be it from depression, terminal illness, or any other reasoning that they felt was the purpose of taking their own life.

Another thing that is getting to me is the way we are now portraying depression and mental illness; it is acceptable when it is found out that a celebrity is suffering from a mental illness, regardless of the type, and suddenly everyone rallies on their side. When it is your Average Joe, they are still met with societal stigma. How can we justify sending such a mixed message, especially when these people are already dealing with a full palette?

Mental illness, regardless of what it is, does not discriminate. It affects the rich, it affects the poor; it affects whites, it affects blacks; it does not matter on what end of the spectrum anyone falls under, anyone can be affected. Yes, Robin Williams' death can be used in a positive note as a wake up call to raise awareness for depression and mental illness, but it needs to be unanimous. We can't cherry pick who is allowed to suffer and receive help and who isn't. We also can not decide that it is OK to have a mental illness for a period of time until we're jaded by it, then the next big thing comes along.

Stop sensationalizing his death. Stop giving us every sordid detail of how he took his own life. Stop feeding into the bullshit. Realize that every person out there is a person, and regardless of who they are, mental illness of any type does not make another person lesser than ourselves.

I hope he found his peace, and I hope the rest of the world allows his family to find their own.