Thursday, June 28, 2007

The Many Worlds of Macy's

Department stores have stupid names for things.

Food Avenue? Target, come on it is not an avenue. It is a dirty place to buy a roller dog and a slushie.

Panty world? Yes, that's right Panty World. Tuesday morning I went into work at 7am to rearrange "Panty World". Panty World is this magical place where you can find anything from tiny strings to giant parachutes to put on your bottom. By the way, at Macy's we don't actually refer to these things as underwear or even panties. They are simply "pants" as if panties is too risque. But how do we then distinguish these"pants" from real pants? And then why in the world do we call the department Panty World??? This just confuses me. So yes, I spent my morning in this world of panties. I sized the little tiny lacy thongs, I folded the comfortable cotton boy shorts, and I hung the giant nylon granny panties. The granny panties that were a least a foot tall (I'm not exaggerating here. I held them up to myself and they literally would have come up to my boobs). The granny panties that ranged from S-XXL and the small would have fit me. I should never be able to wear a small in anything....especially not something that's supposed to cover my ass. Panty World is now well organized. It looks good. The mannequin butts on the wall "create interest". Because we freed up some space in the department, we have room for "guest seating". That's right, you can now sit in comfortable chairs in the middle of Panty World. I don't want to know what kind of person sits in that department surrounded by panties. At that my friends is Macy's Panty World.

We have another world at Macy's. Women's World. I am now managing petites and plus sizes. But we don't call it plus sizes, or even just the womens department. We call it Women's World because if you are a size 14+ you need a separate world to shop in. So as I rearranged women's world yesterday, I pondered this. Why is it a world? The misses department isn't a world. And speaking of misses, why is it misses and women's. Just because I'm a size 16 does that mean I'm not a misses. Or if you are only a size 6 are you not a woman? Why not stick to plus? I'm plus size...I know that. I know that there is more of me than there is of other people. Therefore, I am plus. But then again, if you are petite, does that make you negative? or minus? Why aren't the departments negative, regular, and plus? or petite, average, and big? These are the things I think about while I'm arranging racks and dressing mannequins at 7am. I also pondered why our "plus size" mannequins are a size 14 but the don't actually have any lumps or bulges. They are simply larger version of the size 4 mannequins. If we're gonna be accurate in showing what things look like, shouldn't they have fat rolls or something. Then I could say, "yes that will cover it up!" or "no...that wrap dress simply hugs every bulge i have". That would help.

I could also talk about how we call the department for our dishes and glassware The Cellar and yet I would never keep my dinnerware in a cellar, but I need to head to work!

Monday, June 18, 2007

a View from Saint Paul

I've definitely become like everyone else regarding the major lack of blogging. Not sure why that's happened...its not for lack of material. I've thought about writing restaurant reviews of places I've been recently. I could write about work and how i'm getting shafted there. I could have written about how excited i was that Henry was coming here to see me or how sad i've been since he's left. I think i just haven't had the motivation to write anything....i'm not even journaling anymore. Sometimes it just feels like too much pressure to write...especially in this public format where there is this unwritten requirement to be witty or profound or deep or inventive. I haven't felt any of those things. But I'm getting tired of the peacock post (not that i don't LOVE Lance chasing around that poor bird)so here's some new pictures.

Henry always takes a ton of pictures. I think its his Japanese genes coming out. While he was here, he took quite a few....mostly of all the green! He was confused by all of the green and the fresh air here in MN. Anyway, here are some of the pictures from his visit to St. Paul. I love that he's taking pictures of things I see everyday and would never photgraph...enjoy!



1st view of Saint Paul

I love these pictures from Mounds park...who else would take pictures of the tornado siren???




Going to the Metrodome



Inside the dome


Praying the Twins don't get killed by the worst team ever, the Nationals


After the Twins game


The IDS tower at night


Henry was soooo excited about White Castle


I was a little scared

Como Park Conservatory & Japanese Gardens







Mickey's Diner, a Saint Paul Landmark


Landmark Center &1st Bank Building

These are at Mears Park, right across the street from my apartment




A surprise kiss by the river