The Event

Yesterday the store had a huge event featuring a book signing and speech by a very popular TV newscaster. We've known about it for some time, but of course, didn't grasp the full weight of the visit and event until the day of.

Events at the store are dreadful. Dreadful. If you have the pleasure of opening that, you can except a million calls regarding the time the event starts. If you are closing, look forward to cleaning up after very disgusting people. And if you have a mid shift, well, there goes the rest of your day because you will be slaving your ass away to set the event up and then cleaning up afterwards.

Yeah. Fun Times.

Although the events themselves have nothing to do with actual bookstore sellers priority we are forced to participate whether we want to or not. The person in charge of these store signings is Joy, and she is anything but. Technically she is the Community Relations Manager (CRM) and does a lot of things relating to literacy programs in the community. Occasionally she gets a bunch of authors, TV personalities and musicians to come in every once in a while to sign books and take pictures.

As CRM she doesn't really interact with us that much except when an event is occurring and she needs laborers. Last Thursday when I came in on my day off, it was to help with a teacher luncheon she was throwing. My role was reduced to setting up a table, unpacking a bunch of boxes and cleaning Joy's office. I was only suppose to stay for four hours but she wanted me to help clean up. I didn't leave until 8 that night.

So a few weeks ago, when we learned that a very popular tv newscaster was coming to the store we all rolled our eyes and crossed our fingers because none of us wanted to help. Unfortunately, I along with a handful of my other co-workers worked the event last night regardless of previous complaints. We ended up setting up chairs, manning an unruly line, and almost tackling a lady with a dog.

It wasn't so horrible when I think about it now. I mean I did get paid to stand around for a good chunk of the day and tackling that lady with the dog would have been hilarious.

You know what I don't understand however... our obsession with celebrity culture. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge pop culture buff (i am trying to convince my mom to buy Scene It for Thanksgiving, because I am in the mood to demolish the family in a pop culture trivia game) but I rarely am that interested in the idea of celebrity. Unless your name is Sufjan Stevens I wont get crazy over you. And I realize now that is a very pompous thing to say. We all have people we admire from afar, but as of yet I have not been that struck by a celebrity and don't plan on doing so anytime soon(except that kid from Star Trek, i may have followed him around the store)

But every time one of these events occur I am struck by how fanatic people are about meeting someone they've seen on TV. Some cry, some primp in the line, some can't wait to touch said 'celebrities' hand as if there skin is the golden ticket to success and admiration. And don't even get me started on the schmoozers, who can kiss ass better than a dog can sniff one.

Yesterday however, the newscaster was actually kind of awesome. She was personable and engaged the crowd and said some things that made sense to me. Mainly that you have to be hard headed in order to get what you want. She described her first years in the industry where she was rejected left and right and that she couldn't understand what was wrong with her. But that one person took a chance on her and that all you really need is that one person to see potential in you.

Her whole speech revolved around being hard headed and resilient. That failure is to be expected but only the strong survive. And I don't know, despite wanting to be a person not struck my said 'famous' person, I sort of started to dig her. Not so much for her show that I don't watch or her celebrity status but because she had a point: 'do what you love, even when all else seems impossible'.

Because if leading an extraordinary life were easy, everyone would have one. We'd be a society of interesting, engaging, happy individuals exploring the world. But we aren't. And despite how difficult my life is these days, I have to believe it's because I am struggling towards something great. Or at least something that is better than average.