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I feel like all I ever talk about is work. However, I suppose that is better than talking just about boys.
Actually, strike that. Today, this blog is about a boy at work. :P

This is about Devin. If you have an AMAZING memory, you may recall me talking about Devin earlier, about three months ago. If you don't recall, I'll jog your memory.
Three months ago I was just back from Rexburg, a town where 98 percent of the population is Mormon. I had not seen smoking, heard cursing, seen tattoos or piercings in over 6 months. Three months ago is also when I started working at Lowe's where a vast majority of the workers smoke, all of them cuss, many have tattoos and Devin has lots of piercings. (A few others have tongue piercings, but Devin takes the prize.) Devin has a septum piercing, lip piercing(s), two gauges per ear and well, I think that's it. It was probably my first day on registers when I met him. He came through my line and paid cash. When a person pays cash I have to ask for their phone number. Well, not only did he do the usual "this is when you can call" line that I usually get from old men, he used a pet name such as honey, sweetie, or something to that effect. I was pretty much shell shocked. Someone called me HONEY after first meeting me AND played the whole phone number game?? Where the heck was I? After I calmed down, which took about four days to do, I got to know him better. He really reminds me of some of the people I used to hang out with in High School. He is a sweet guy and sensitive sometimes. He knows when I'm having a bad day when no one else notices and always has something positive to say. Today he was talking to me and he randomly goes, "Have you lost weight?" Me, "Yeahh..." Devin, "Congrats!! How much?" Me, "Like, 25 pounds." He got all excited for me and everything. I don't think my MOM even noticed until I told her. (You know it's bad when you lose 25 pounds and it's not terribly noticeable. HAHA.) After asking how I did it, (I have NO clue how I've lost weight, by the way, as I'm currently eating an entire roll of Life Savers,) Devin implied something about how he kinda likes bigger girls. Knowing the lingo, I added in, "Oh, you like BBW?" Well, I get an A for shocking Devin. He did a 'I'm so surprised you knew that so I'm going to step back to show you how surprised I am' thing and then explained that he was surprised how I knew that. My response was naturally: "Big beautiful woman? Psh, honey, please, I know what I am!" Cue exit. Bahaha.


Now, to talk about other guys at work. Haha. I usually plan on having the, "Do Mormons celebrate Christmas?" question once per holiday season. However, I was graced with two this year and thus had to explain that we are the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints. One response was "So, you're not like the Jehovah's Witnesses?" And the other response was, "Oh. Okay." I'm really glad I have the opportunity to teach the people I work with about my religion. I once tried to do that at my old job, but another girl who is in a different religion started to get snotty towards me and my views. Anytime I did anything not perfect, she would get mad at me and say, "I thought Mormons strive for perfection." No matter how many times I explained agency and perfection as the church sees it, she would just shut me down by saying something final. She didn't really listen. So, I haven't had a whole lot of positive experiences with sharing my religion. This job at Lowe's however has shown me that it's okay to be true to myself while displaying my beliefs. I don't expect everyone to remember that I don't like crude jokes, excessive cussing, etc., I obviously don't want them to pay me any special attention. "Oh, she's MORMON, watch what you say!!" That's not my goal. However, there is great respect there as well. Someone once went to tell me a joke and first asked my permission to tell a raunchy one. Permission denied, thank you. And he was okay with that. Someone else I work with used to be a member when she lived on the west coast. She no longer is, but she still has respect for the church. However, lately, I've been struggling with one old habit that is really hard for me. Before I joined the church I had a NASTYYYY cursing habit. I think a sailor could occasionally be embarrassed around me. Well, as I mentioned, Lowe's associates cuss. They cuss a LOT. I'm the type of person who always picks up common vernacular. I don't know why or how words slip into my vocabulary, but it just does. So, now I will occasionally find myself slipping out a cuss word or five.

I know that this is kind of lame, but I feel as though my environment affects me more than I want it to. When I was at school, I obviously wasn't perfect, but I found good examples all around me. I didn't have the desire to be the person I used to be when I was at school. I understand that I should be my own leader and do it on my own. I should be steadfast and immovable. I do try. I mean, I don't read my scriptures every day, I don't pray every day, but finally I find Mormonism shaping my thoughts, actions and ideas. It's hard to explain but changes have happened. Whenever I get frustrated with things at work, I just think about all my many blessings. When people steal or lie (customers) I get SO mad and frustrated. Sadly, this has turned into a blind area of mine. I don't expect people to lie or steal. Everyone else at work expects it. In fact, my expecting honesty from people gets me in trouble. I had a customer say that all the parts were there for a huge air compressor. I believed him and did the return for it. Not everything was there. Today a man handed me 3 lengths of wire. I asked if they were the same length. He said yes. I mean, I obviously could have checked to make sure, but he said they were the same. I believed him. He was reimbursed a few dollars more than he should have been. It makes me so mad. He LIED for a few extra bucks. Then he proceeded to use a license that wasn't his own and tried to sell his merchandise card off to everyone in the store. I don't understand why people lie, steal and cheat. Is it REALLY worth it? Five extra dollars is worth all that? So, I'm pretty sure that I've been pulled aside by management more than any other cashier to talk about customers who were/are shady. I don't know if that is a bad thing or good. After I make a mistake, it doesn't happen again. I mean, now I doubt everyone and think that everyone is naturally up to no good. I don't like that. I like my naive world where I think that people are honest. For the most part, people are good people. Retail does frustrate me after a while. I learn not to trust anyone, especially not customers. Honestly, "The Customer is Always Right" created a MONSTER. I really can be a pushover.

A+ for most random, stream of consciousness blog ever.