Why everyone should work in retail at least once in their lives...

So as you may or may not know I am currently working two jobs. Both pay $8 an hour. One is at a cute little local bakery where I get to eat all the treats and drink all the coffee I'd like. The other is at Target.  Before now, I've never had to work a job in retail in my life. I'd been lucky enough to score jobs at the local gym, as a TA in college, at an ice cream shop/Greek diner and at the Woodstock Film Festival for the past three summers.  However, after the festival ended in early October and I took a week or so off to relax, I had to start hunting for jobs all over again. I knew I wasn't planning on sticking around upstate New York much longer, so I didn't want to find anything that would require me to stay for a year or more. I figured I'd apply to a couple of retail jobs knowing that they always hire for the holidays.  I filled out applications to Target and H&M and was midway through filling out an application to JC Penny when I got a call back from Target to come in for an interview.
The whole process seemed ridiculous at the time, I had to fill out lots of paperwork, get interviewed by several people, and take a few online quizzes with questions like "What percentage of politicians would you say are corrupt?" It seemed like a bit of a lengthy process just to become a Target employee...excuse me, TEAM MEMBER. Yes, at Target we are not employees, but team members and the people that come to shop in our store are GUESTS not customers.  This was the first thing I learned at my Target Orientation before sitting back to watch a series of training videos (including a rather hilarious sexual harassment one).  As I sat in the back room I looked at the high school kids around me and thought to myself, "Maybe I should quit now before I even start." But I decided to stick it out because I needed the money and didn't want to have to go through the hiring process all over again. I was assigned to the Electronics Department (the closest thing I could get to putting my Communications BA with a Film emphasis into work). I had to do some additional training to get certified for electronics, but after reading a huge binder on HDTVs, Blu-Ray players, GPS units, and gaming systems, I took a test, passed it, and was certified to become an "Electronics Champion!" GO ME!!!!!
The first week was surreal. I felt like I was entering a cult of people who had their own weird acronyms that I wasn't sure I understood. I had to use my walkie to talk to someone called the GSTL and the LOD and let them know things. My team trainer and superior was a guy I'd gone to high school with, who was in the bottom half of our graduating class and had never gone to college. It was a bit humbling. I had to attend morning team huddles, learn how to "zone" and "reshop" and even earned some "Great Team Member cards" for my performance. These cards are given out by other team members who see you doing a good job and want to humiliate congratulate you by giving you a card for you to put up on the bulletin board in the staff room (which isn't called the staff room, it has some acronym I don't remember).
But after working Black Friday, I have a whole new appreciation for these people who've worked in retail for much of their lives. They get walked all over and treated like trash all the time, and get paid to do it. I have people yelling at me all the time for things I have no control over. (Examples: "Your ad was so deceiving!!! I want a full price reduction on this!!!"  "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T HOLD THE TV FOR ME??? I'LL BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES!!") I made the mistake of trusting a "guest" who called from the Target in Poughkeepsie Black Friday evening telling me that I had to hold a 32" tv for them because the Target team member over there told them I would. I was tired and about to go on my lunch break, so I told the guys who were staying there about the situation and put the tv in the back room. After all, the people said they were only 20 minutes away. But when I got back from my lunch break (46 minutes later) the tv still hadn't been picked up and was currently being purchased by another guest. I started freaking out. I asked my fellow team member why he was selling it when I specifically had told them I was holding it. "We don't do holds; that's our policy," he said. It was a policy I knew, but I thought since the other Target had authorized it, I was supposed to hold it anyways. When the people who called for me to hold the tv showed up an hour later they were furious. We had to call all the head acronym people down to clear up the situation and we ended up having to give them a discount on another tv (which they were none too happy about even though the tv they got was a better one) and the store ended up losing money and I felt horrible because everyone knew it was my fault.
Sure, Target does have it's good moments. I do feel appreciated there by my co-team members and bosses. And there are always nice customers who are thankful for the help I provide (I spent 20 minutes going through a grandchild's Christmas list with her grandmother, who had no idea what a "Mariah Carey" was.)  But for every nice and thankful person, there's an asshole who takes their anger out on you, shouts at you to help them even though you are helping two other people, leaves their merchandise all over the store instead of putting back what they don't want, too impatient to wait online, etc.
I have definitely learned a lot of patience and I have a much better understanding of how to treat store employees.  One of the new people training for electronics has a Master's degree but couldn't find work and needed to find something to supplement her husband's income now that the holidays are coming. Don't assume everyone who works in retail is a high school drop out because in this economy, nothing could be more untrue. More and more people with college educations are turning to seasonal retail work as a temporary fix to their financial troubles. Don't judge us. I feel like every time someone I went to high school with comes in to Target, I have to explain to them that I did graduate college and I do have a plan bigger than Target.  So when you do your holiday shopping, think not just of yourself, but of the people behind the counter helping you.  Just like everyone should work in food service (to become better tippers and nicer diners), I think everyone should also work in retail at least once in their lives.
I will step down from my soap box now.
LA is only 3 months away!!!!!!

the big plan

So I haven't written here in awhile, but I think it's about time I update you on my future plans. 
A few weekends ago I spent some time in NYC visiting friends and seeing the Avett Brothers put on one hell of a show yet again.  While there, I also realized that as much as I love New York, I miss L.A. way too much.  Whether it was the grey skies and rain that left a cloud hanging over the entire weekend or the informative discussion I had with one of my friends who struggled to find work in the city, I knew that even if I moved to NYC, I'd still be longing for the sunshine and happiness that LA gave me.  I had already applied for a paid internship with "Entertainment Weekly" magazine in Manhattan that would run from January to May, but I wasn't really expecting to get it. If I do get it, of course I will stay in New York and work there. It would be foolish to pass an opportunity like that up. But unless I get that job, I have decided to return to LA come January or February depending on how long I am willing or obligated to work at the jobs I have right now.
Right now, I'm working weekends from 7:30-12:30 at a local bakery, a job I love, and I'm currently training to be a Target "team member" in the Entertainment and Electronics departments.  Hopefully I can have an additional $2,000-$3,000 saved up to put in my LA fund before I head out. I already have about $2,000 set aside for LA from the money I earned at the film fest. Living at home certainly makes it easier to save money!  Neither job pays a fortune, but at least it's money, and I'm willing to work long hours if necessary.

I'd be moving out to LA with my old roommate Jill, who is currently living in Minnesota.  In addition, there are two girls currently living and working in LA that we know who are hoping to get a new apartment and we'd likely be moving in with them. That makes it a lot easier for Jill and I because we'll be moving right into a new apartment instead of having to look for one.  We're hoping to find a place with rent under $600 a month. 
I'm not planning on applying for jobs until I get out there. However, when I have a better idea of the actual date of my arrival, I'll try to re-establish connections with the contacts I have out there and hope that they have some job leads for me.  Luckily, Target can transfer me to the Target in LA after I've worked for them for 90 days in good standing. Although I don't want to work at Target in LA, it would at least be a good temporary job until I found something more in my field. I also plan on applying to a few temp agencies out there.
Knowing I'll be moving back out to LA in a few months is making it much easier for me to get through the cold and dreary days here in the north east.  I just hope everything works out!

Film festival festivities and the aftermath

OK. So the film festival is now officially over, which also means I am now unemployed. It's been great to have a chance to relax, but now I need to get to work applying for jobs. My current aspiration is to become either the greatest H&M cashier or the best damn Applebee's waitress you've ever seen.  So we'll see... I've also applied for a paid internship with "Entertainment Weekly" magazine, but that wouldn't start til January and my chances of getting that aren't very good (but a girl can dream).  Anyways, my current plan is to work some sucky job til January and then move out (sorry mom and dad, but living at home is cramping my style) hopefully to L.A. but also possibly NYC.
While I ponder my future, here is a rundown of my favorite films from this year's Woodstock Film Festival for you to read.


Narratives:
1.) "Entre Nos" - a Spanish-language film about a Latina immigrant living in NYC who works her ass off to support her two kids after her douche bag husband ditches them to go to Miami.  The kicker is, it's based on a true story and the director happens to be the young girl from the film who helped her mother and brother collect cans on the street to make a living. I've seen it three times now and I cry every time. It is a truly inspirational film and one of the hidden gems of the festival. I got to talk to the director/screenwriter/lead actress and her co-director afterwards and they were just the coolest women ever. I also ran into my high school Spanish teacher there and am now going to some Día de los Muertos celebration for the Spanish Club at my alma mater.


2.) "Dear Lemon Lima" - the perfect film for a thirteen year old girl, or any girl for that matter. Stylistically, I loved this film, which sort of had a Juno-esque vibe to it. To quote from the blurb I wrote for the festival program: "Being thirteen is not easy, as Vanessa, a quirky Alaskan girl, can attest to. Her daydreams of a life filled with candy hearts, rainbows and ice cream come to an end when her beloved Philip breaks up with her. She decides that the best way to win his heart back is to enter the school's Snowstorm Survivor competition, gathering up a group of misfits to be on her team. As she trains for the competition, bonds with her team, and confronts unexpected challenges, Ness finally begins to embrace her heritage." I also got to talk to the director of this film at the Maverick Awards and she was such a sweetheart. The film screened at the Career Day at the local high school (not trying to take full responsibility or anything but I totally pushed for it to be the film they screened for the Career Day and I think it was the perfect choice...and the director totally agreed and was super thankful since that was her niche audience).

3.) "Up In the Air" - best film I've seen in awhile. So good. The latest from director Jason Reitman of "Juno" fame, the film stars George Clooney as Ryan, a guy who fires people for a living. He spends most of his time "up in the air," flying to and from meetings where he fires people from random companies he has no affiliation with. He prefers his hotels and airplanes to being in his actual home in Nebraska. On one of his trips he meets a woman (played by Vera Farmiga, who I also got to meet and was also the coolest person ever) who is pretty much him with boobs.  They start a weird relationship, meeting up whenever their flights correspond. Unfortunately, Ryan's boss has new plans for the company.  Natalie (played expertly by Anna Kendrick) is the company's wunderkind, and her great new idea is to start firing people by iChat, thus, ending any need for Ryan to fly around the country. Don't want to give much more away, but the film is just AMAZING. It is smart, funny, and well-written, and visually it's great as well.  You need to go see it when it comes out in theaters in December.


Runners Up: "The Messenger," "Eyes Wide Open," "(Untitled)," and "Don't Let Me Drown" 

Narratives I Wish I'd Gotten to See: "Children of Invention," "Me and Orson Welles," "Men Who Stare at Goats," "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee," "Splinterheads."


Documentaries:

1.) "Racing Dreams" - I hate NASCAR and anything having to do with NASCAR, but this film, about young NASCAR hopefuls competing in the World Karting Championship, is full of heart and perfectly executed.  It was just an all around well-crafted documentary. It focuses on three kids, ages 11-13, and the ups and downs they and their families go through racing go-carts. Sounds lame, but it totally isn't. 

2.) "Without a Home" - OK, so I love LA and any film set there is bound to have my heart, even if it's set in one of LA's not so happy beautiful places, Skid Row. But having spent a day in Skid Row volunteering as part of a class assignment, I felt an even greater attachment to the film, which follows director Rachel Fleischer as she documents the lives of several homeless individuals for four years.  While at first she tries to keep behind the camera, she eventually has no choice but to become part of the story herself, often coming to the aid of her homeless subjects despite the fact that she was struggling financially as well.  After meeting Rachel at the fest, I learned that she is just as sweet and compassionate as she comes off in the film. She's just one of those people you want to hug.

3.) "Red Light" - I must admit, my intentions for seeing this film were not so great. I heard Lucy Lui would be doing Q&A afterwards, and I was eager to get to possibly meet her. However, she ended up having to pull out of the Q&A but still introduced the film, which she narrated and produced.  At Gordon, I was sort of involved with this abolitionist movement to end child-prostitution, but this film made me want to do more. It provided an intimate portrait of the lives of several children who were forced into child prostitution in Cambodia. The film will literally rip you apart inside. It is very difficult to watch, but cinematically it's beautiful, and this is definitely an important subject that needs to get out there.


Docs I Wish I'd Gotten a Chance to See: "When You're Strange: A Film About the Doors," "More Than a Game," "Junior" (saw part of and it was hilarious), "Cropsey," "Convention," and "Big River Man." (If only we'd had screener copies/I wasn't trapped in the box office the whole festival long!)


Short Films:

1.) "Pinhas"- my favorite short about a young Russian immigrant boy living with his mother in Israel. While his mother could care less about him, Pinhas is fascinated by the Orthodox family living on the third floor. He wants to become an Orthodox Jew too and starts pretending to be one. Gradually, the family invites him into their lives and teaches him about their religion. It is just so precious. See it if you ever get the chance.

2.) "Sinner"- another Israeli film, but much darker than "Pinhas." A boy attending a strict Orthodox Jewish school approaches his rabbi when he feels he has sinned, but the rabbi ends up committing a much greater sin and the boy is forced into a tortured silence. 

3.) "Knife Point" - shot locally, this short is also quite heavy and also deals with the darker side of religion. It follows a traveling salesman who meets up with a conservative Christian family and takes them up on a kind offer, not knowing what's in store.


Honorable Mentions:  "4th of July Parade," "Eiko," "Limbo (Limbus)," "Adelaide," and "First Time, Long Time." (SO MANY GOOD SHORTS THIS YEAR!!)

All of the following have been on heavy repeat lately...

This list is random, I know, but I can't help it:

1.) Nirvana - "About a Girl"

2.) Radiohead - "House of Cards"

3.) Bon Iver - "For Emma"

4.) Amos Lee - "Colors"

5.) Band of Horses- "The General Specific"

6.) Jars of Clay- "Silence"

7.) Avett Brothers - "Living of Love" (and pretty much their entire "Emotionalism" album)

8.) Wilco- "Heavy Metal Drummer"

9.) Billy Joel - "And So It Goes"

10.) Foo Fighters- "Everlong"

11.) Third Eye Blind- "Jumper"

12.) Bon Iver- "Beach Baby" - a song that inexplicably makes me cry whenever I hear it

13.) The Beatles- "Norwegian Wood"

14.) Radiohead- "Fake Plastic Trees"

15.) Passion Pit- "Sleepyhead"


That is all for today.