A red bird? Blue horse? So many things.
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To put myself through college I worked construction for a guy who built Hallmark stores. We traveled from DC to Florida building these things. I loved it. I did not grow up in a family that was skilled at working with our hands. Dad was a coach and I had a great working knowledge of man-to-man defensive principles, but not how to run a saw. I loved that gig but recognized that this was not my future. Out of that gig I graduated college and took a job managing a Hallmark store for $19,000 a year. It was the worst job I ever had. The owner was the former CEO of a Fortune 500 company and I think he may have literally been insane. He expected 70 hour weeks for that paycheck. I've got my price, but that ain't it. That led me to search for other opportunities and I found American Eagle and it was impossible to love a job more than that one. I was 23 and all of the kids working under me were 16-20 and we absolutely loved each other. 25 years later we still talk and get together.
My wife and I quote my 2y/o's favorites to each other. Once a book becomes a favorite, it's read incessantly until it's no longer a favorite.
We were in the Brown Bear phase 2 months ago. This month? It's "Mad, Mad, Mad!" I'll keep you posted for next month's.
Maybe I should start a book club?
Nice. Mine is 14 months old so he doesn't really get too engaged unless there is a tactile experience or I'm being super silly (which isn't hard for me). So, my wife and I mostly have favorites right now. We're big fans of Gerald the Giraffe's journey from mocked for his dancing abilities by all the other animals to finding his groove and becoming the envy of all the animals.
It would be hard to enumerate the number of things I have screwed up as a father, but the one thing I got right was television shows. I hated Barney and Dora and Blues Clues but I really liked Arthur. I was also a huge Scooby-Doo fan as a kid so I purchased a bunch of old Scooby-Doo DVDs. My kids didn't get it at all, but I over laughed at every joke or gag. They would look at me and eventually they started laughing at the show. It's probably the best work I have done as a parent. I never had to watch crappy shows. We just watched Arthur and Scooby-Doo. That's a win.
Interesting. A former co-worker worked at a Hallmark store and absolutely loved it. And my cousin's wife owned several franchises for years. Her house is full of miniatures she saved. Of course, I am mentioning two females. Definitely a chick job. I personally would LOVE a discount on their Peanuts stuff.
I think we have a Gerald book or two. Maybe that's what's next.
My wife signed our son up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - not sure of the requirements, but we get a free book every month. Pretty cool.
Who had Dolly Parton as being one of the greatest humanitarians of our age?
I feel like it is confessional time on here. I managed that store for 6 months and there was a notable uptick in my dating life as well as in the attractiveness of the girls I started dating. That was part of the job I did not hate. As far as skills I learned, I was able to put together that females like receiving Cards & Gifts on important days. And I am very skilled at gift wrapping. You can't get a corner wrapped any tighter than I can do it.
If you haven't listened, Jad Abumrad's Dolly Parton's America is a fascinating podcast series.
-jk