The Thursday Diaries

Do you remember how last Thursday, I was getting excited about starting up a brand new feature for Thursdays?  And, how I had typed out an entire blog entry in preparation for the debut of this new feature only for my laptop computer to unexpectedly crash to the point where I had to reboot it, and when I got the computer started back up again, my blog entry did NOT SAVE?  I was so frustrated by the whole thing that I ended up substituting a piece that I did a year ago because I didn’t have time to retype it.

But it’s a whole new week, and a second chance to try this thing again. 

I should explain why I’m changing the Thursday theme for the third time since I began this blog entry.  It’s really no big secret that Thursdays have been one of the lowest-rated theme days.  When I first began this blog, Thursdays were all about video gaming and electronic toys...but there was only so much that I could talk about before I ended up running out of topics.  And besides, the target audience for video game themed blogs is very limited.

So at the beginning of 2012, I changed Thursdays to the Thursday Confessional, where I shared some of my deepest and darkest secrets with all of you.  Unfortunately, my secrets weren’t quite so deep and dark...and after about thirty-five weeks, I ended up running out of confessions.

It took me a few weeks to come up with a different theme day for this and every other Thursday.  I really tried to come up with several different ideas, and each one had potential, but I didn’t think that it would make for much interesting conversation.

But then I was inspired by a rather unusual source.

Above is the first issue of a short-lived Archie comic serial entitled “Betty’s Diary”.  The series was previewed in the Archie Giant Series line of titles in 1985 with issue #555, and was spun-off into its own serial a few months later in early 1986.  The series lasted for five years, wrapping up in 1991.

The whole premise of the “Betty’s Diary” series was this.  Each of the four stories inside a typical 32-page issue of “Betty’s Diary” featured Betty writing inside her diary as she talked about a particular adventure she shared with her friends, family, and other people close to her.  Many of the stories were humourous, but some were sad, some were filled with anger, and some were poignant.  It was probably one of the most heartfelt and realistic comic book serials ever created in the Archie library.

So, I was thinking to myself...why don’t I do something like that here?   After all, a blog is supposed to have some inkling of depth and personality to it, right?

Henceforth, Thursdays in the blog will be known as THE THURSDAY DIARIES, a chance for me to talk about whatever comes through my mind at the time.  It could be as short as a YouTube video, or as long as a six-page essay.  This is the space where I will be talking about what I want most out of life, as well as the successes and failures that I have had, and what I have learned about myself from these failures.  It dawned on me that I sort of steered away from bringing up life lessons in this blog in favour of more pop culture topics.  And, I suppose that this makes sense, given that this blog is supposed to be about pop culture.  But I really want to try and show people who might be experiencing some of the same issues themselves by talking about how I dealt with (or in some cases, am STILL dealing with) certain problems.

In some cases, it’s going to take some courage to do this.  In a lot of cases, people keep their diaries (or journals) in secret places, never to be shown to anyone.  And, I realize that by making every Thursday a diary entry, I’m basically putting myself out there for all to see...and I'm taking the risk that what I might have to say might not necessarily be something that some of you will agree with.  But I've developed a thick skin over the years, so I can take it...mostly.

This goes way beyond a simple confession.  This is life, angst, joy, sorrow, wisdom, and surprises all rolled into one. 

That said, I’m going to start off this week on a light note, just to show all of you what future Thursday diary entries are going to look like.  I’m even going to do all the Thursday entries in a different colour and a different font to make it look like a handwritten page inside of a diary.  Unfortunately, the only font that I can find that is suitable is the Georgia one, so it will have to do for now until I can experiment with more appropriate fonts.  Just picture me writing in a diary with a royal blue Papermate brand ball point pen.

Now with fewer smudges!

November 15, 2012

Dear Diary,

I'll admit that while I really want my name to be associated with being a writer, and doing writer related things, the reality is that I'm just a stocker in a department store's grocery section.  Do I see myself doing this job forever?  Heck, I may just as well have, as next month, I'll be celebrating my 8th anniversary at my current paying job.  But while I readily admit that I want to make a living doing what I love to do...I'm okay with what I am doing.

At least for NOW.

For most of my time at my current job, I have worked in the dairy department, stocking milk, cheese, butter, and other food items that contain some sort of dairy product in them.  But, I've also worked in the pantry section, the produce department, the meat area, and just recently, the frozen foods department.

To be honest, I don't mind working in another department every now and again.  While I am most familiar in my department, I admit that working in other departments can be a nice change.

Change can be a good thing.  It can also be a scary thing as well.  But, I think a little bit of a change can do us good.  Just ask Sheryl Crow.

Did you know that when I was first hired on at my job, I worked as the shopping cart pusher/maintenance man/guy who carried out heavy television sets for customers to load into their vehicles?  And, did you know that I absolutely HATED that job?  I struggled my way through that position for thirteen months (which included two Christmas seasons), braving the elements, lifting heavy objects...and cleaning bathrooms.  And believe me, cleaning a public bathroom is something that is not for the faint of heart.  Trust me on that one.

After thirteen months, I knew that I needed a change, and I knew that the only way that I could make it happen was to talk to someone about it.  But the possibility of change scared me.  Sure, the job I was doing eight years ago wasn't a job that I really wanted to have, but I stuck with it thinking that if I did a good enough job, people would notice.

However, I forgot about one particular life lesson.  "The squeaky wheel gets the grease".  If I wanted change to happen, I had to be proactive and make it happen.  I talked to my main boss at the time, told him my feelings, and within a couple of weeks, I moved to the food department, where I have mostly remained ever since.

I took the chance to make a change, and it worked out for the better.

But here's the thing.  I think I'm at the point where I'm ready to make another change in my life.  That change involves changing careers completely, and it's a change that will require a lot of planning.  I'll have to find a school to attend (or check out online courses), maybe even possibly move out of the town that I have lived in practically my entire life.  It's a very scary process to get through.

At the same time, I know I have to get through it if ever I want to have the life I know in my heart I deserve.  

One of these days, I'll get there.  If I tell myself enough, I have to believe it, right?