New beginnings!

So, today was my first day in the new job... Last night, I'd rummaged through my closet and picked out what I wanted to wear, hanging them up ready to put on, and I'd set the alarm nice and early so that I could get up and ready at a leisurely pace. I had it all planned out, I even went to bed reasonably early, well for me anyway... It was still gone midnight by the time I turned the light out and got snuggled down to head to Dream Land.

This morning, the alarm went off, the familiar tune of my other half playing his guitar filling the room, and what did I do? Bounce out of bed ready to start my day? Nope, of course not. I hit snooze button, obviously. Great start!

After arguing with the alarm for two more snooze cycles and wasting nearly half an hour of my planned leisurely morning, I got myself up and ready. That outfit I planned out last night; I didn't wear that - I totally changed my mind three times before settling on an outfit that I deemed good enough for a first day impression. I did manage to get a decent breakfast, and make my pack up to take with me. A great start, but I'm positive that it won't last.

Once ready, I was starting to get fidgety, so set off twenty minutes earlier than necessary, meaning that I made it to Meadowhall long before the shops even opened; I couldn't even call for a Starbucks with my spare time! Instead, I headed up to the shop and practised my limbo skills to get under the shutters that were only a couple of feet up from the ground. Once upright again, I took a look around and tried not to let the excitement bubble over. Books! Books everywhere.

Waterstone's has been my dream job for a long time now, but trying to get a job with them proves harder than you'd imagine. Once the staff are in, they tend not to want to leave again, therefore, the company rarely has to take on staff. Christmas however, everyone needs staff - including Waterstone's. That was my ticket in :)

Once in, it turned out that I was an entire hour early... well, at least I wasn't late. Being that early has to be a good impression, right?? After agreeing to start anyway, there being little point in me hanging around, we got started straight away. Some training on their systems and tills, and a quick tour of the store and we were off. It didn't take long to get to grips with their tills, and I feel confident enough with the rest of the system after a few customer enquires. It wasn't long before they cut the reigns and left me to it.

I think I did okay. I did an eight and a half hour shift, and didn't mess up until twenty minutes before I was due to go home... I solved it and put it right, but that didn't change the fact that I'd almost made it to the end without a mistake. I must have clocked up a serious amount of steps from walking around the shop looking for books as I have yet to get to grips with what belongs in which section. Fiction; great. Everything else needs some work!

Anyway, by the end of the day, I think I had done nearly every kind of transaction possible, including a refund, and had loaded more money onto gift cards that I could possibly wish for at Christmas! It warms my heart to know that so many people are receiving book presents for Christmas this year :)

My new work colleagues have laughed at my smile all day, and I even got called a 'book nerd' - to which my reply was 'Yeah, and?' I am proud to stand up and be counted as a book nerd, and love that my official job title now is 'Book Seller'. Even my other half laughed when I told him how much I had enjoyed my day; he still took me out for tea to celebrate my day though! He's a keeper!

Proof of my fantastic day - this was my face at the end of eight and a half hours on shift... The grin says it all!

Till next time book nerds,

Vanessa