Christ. If anyone, ever, ever asks you to go to a meeting named The Power of Yes, say "No." Say "No," and then run, as fast as you can, in the opposite direction. Four hours I sat in plastic lawn chair at a table held up by boxes of detergent in the middle of a Long's warehouse. I mean, c'mon. I was wearing good pants; you could even say I got rather dressed up [business casual, I'd call it] to sit in a plastic lawn chair that still had the bar code sticker on it. It wasn't all bad, just kinda blegh. I learned some neat stuff [did you know that, on average, only 79% of people who walk into a Long's actually make a purchase?] met a few people from other Long's that are nearby, and got free candy, muffins, and beverages. It was actually altogether pretty bizarre. We had to say an oath [ "I promise to live the Long's Brand Promise, every day, in every way, with every customer" ]. We watched a video regarding the correct/incorrect ways to handle an angry customer. The incorrect way involved the cashier leaning over, yelling "READ MY LIPS" and wrapping his hands around the customer's neck [because you know you always see that happening at your local Long's.] We were also instructed to, if possible, address the customers by name, because it makes for a friendlier environment. In order to find out their name, we were told to check out their credit card, check, driver's license, prescription, etc. I don't know about anyone else, but I find it rather strange. I mean, (a) I don't like people I don't know calling be by name [I always panic and have to think "oh God, do I know them and not remember them? How do they know my name?"], (b) I wouldn't appreciate someone inspecting my checks, (c) how much of a friendly environment can be made when someone is butchering a hard-to-say last name? It's just bizarre.
Anyway...the meeting wasn't that bad, just I would've rather slept in. 'Nuff of that.

And now, it's time for some random facts of the day: #1 I heard recently that one of the causes of breast cancer is putting anti-perspirant on after shaving your armpits. Apparently, shaving pretty much just cuts open the pores so that when you put on your deodorant/anti-perspirant, all the toxins can just seep right through. It's only the anti-perspirant that has the bad stuff in it, the deodorant is safe. So either, be sweaty and smell good, or be dry and get breast cancer. Hmmm, decisions, decisions. I mean, this is only word of mouth stuff, I'm not saying I read this in some scientific discovery magazine. And it certainly doesn't mean that I should be quoted, whether it be in a scientific article or in friendly conversation. # 2 Lay's KC Masterpiece Barbecue Potato Chips are REALLY good in a Togo's #3 [turkey and cheese] sandwich.
Yea, that's pretty much it for right now. In a few hours, Gina & I are going to see Ghost World. Hopefully it'll be good. I haven't had much luck with movies lately. I watched The Princess Diaries a few weeks ago. I actually kinda liked it. It was one of those you-can't-help-but-feel-good-movies where the girl gets the guy and her own country. I also, reluctantly, saw American Pie 2. It was a funny movie, no doubt about it. But the first one was a lot more raw and honest. They tried too hard on the second one. I rented American Psycho a few days ago, because a friend of mine [Will, not Brian, Gina] read the book and liked it. Well, the movie was...crap. And my opinion of my friend was slightly lowered now that I know that he likes books that are about men who like to hire random prostitutes and then disect them, kill old women, and keep heads in the freezer. Anyway, back to Ghost World, I'll let ya know if it's any good.

By the by, coming soon: a little section with some full-out bios of Gina, Jo, & I. Everything you want to know and more about the coolest people in the world [read: us.]