People, etc
A few nights ago I was driving home to Georgetown from work in Austin. There was this one star in the sky that was soooo bright and pretty. It reminded me of the star of Bethlehem. I nearly started crying because it was so big and beautiful. Then I saw the little red tail light. It was a plane. And this made me very sad, and made me feel very foolish.
I have started developing a taxonomy of customers at James Avery. Over the course of my employment, I will periodically spotlight one or two categories. Here's a few:
The Cold Couple. Mid-30s to early 40's. The woman has just started coloring her hair. They both have WASPy Republican haircuts. They expect you to call them "ma'am" and "sir." They're the Cold Couple. They aren't very affectionate with one another until the end of the transaction, which invariably involves the husband purchasing a middle-weight gift for his wife. The wife is snippy, the husband is impatient. They can be satisfied, but only if you are silent until spoken to and can work very quickly. They are insulted when you ask to see their driver's license. They aren't rich, but they want you to think they are. The women like contemporary jewelry styles.
One recent example: A wife tried on four different charms on eight different chains. It took 45 minutes. After each combination, she'd turn to her husband, and each time, he'd shrug and say "it's fine."
The Rednecks. The men wear NASCAR baseball caps and jean shorts, the women have hair piled high and dyed a shade too dark or too light. The kids are barely wearing any clothes, and usually yell. The Rednecks haven't been to James Avery before, and they're a little excited about it. They're mostly interested in Christian charms and weird hobby-charms, like pizza slices, cell phones and mustangs. They're friendly, but a little suspicious of you. "Is the gift wrapping extra?" they ask. (It isn't.) "Is the soldering really free?" (It is.) They almost always pay cash.
One recent example: A woman with two daughters and a son came in. They asked explicitly for "the cheapest chain ya got," and then bought the Bible charm (it looks like a little Bible) to go on it. Right as they were paying, the mom gently brushed the fatter daughter's face. The girl (who looks about 16) screams, "Quit touching my fuckin' face!" Without missing a beat, the mom points her fake-nail encrusted index finger towards the door and says, "The car. Now." The girl storms out. I retreat to the gift-wrap table with their bracelet-Bible combo.
So those are all the interesting stereotypes I have for now. More as wacky events warrant.
I had a dream last night that I was Juliette in a production of Gounod’s Romeó et Juliette. There was some weird business with my costume, and I ended up wearing the khakis I wore to work today. (Real classy. Sounds like SU costuming, no?) I woke up JUST as I was walking onstage to sing "Ah! Je veux vivre." Waking up was a bummer.
So speaking of Juliette's Waltz. With what should I open my jury?
Choices:
1. Juliette's Waltz
2. Meine Liebe ist grün (Brahms)
3. Why do they shut me out of Heaven? (Copland)
4. Heart, we will forget him (Copland. This and the other are from 12 Songs of Emily Dickinson, and they're both quite brief.)
5. Mrs. Ford's aria in Act I of "Merry Wives of Windsor." I'm singing it for Opera Theatre, so we're doing it in English (a bit lame), so I don't feel right calling it "Nun eilt herbei." (Nicolai)
6. This other duet from Merry Wives. Obviously not starting with that, nor will they pick it, but Stevie will be on stand-by just in case.
I also learned "Larmes" by Fauré this fall, but Claire and I decided not to worry about getting it jury-ready. I've been to busy readying myself for t-word things. (Which included brushing up "O del mio dolce ardor," which I hadn't studied since my senior year.)
Anyhoo, I'm leaning towards the Brahms.
I have started developing a taxonomy of customers at James Avery. Over the course of my employment, I will periodically spotlight one or two categories. Here's a few:
The Cold Couple. Mid-30s to early 40's. The woman has just started coloring her hair. They both have WASPy Republican haircuts. They expect you to call them "ma'am" and "sir." They're the Cold Couple. They aren't very affectionate with one another until the end of the transaction, which invariably involves the husband purchasing a middle-weight gift for his wife. The wife is snippy, the husband is impatient. They can be satisfied, but only if you are silent until spoken to and can work very quickly. They are insulted when you ask to see their driver's license. They aren't rich, but they want you to think they are. The women like contemporary jewelry styles.
One recent example: A wife tried on four different charms on eight different chains. It took 45 minutes. After each combination, she'd turn to her husband, and each time, he'd shrug and say "it's fine."
The Rednecks. The men wear NASCAR baseball caps and jean shorts, the women have hair piled high and dyed a shade too dark or too light. The kids are barely wearing any clothes, and usually yell. The Rednecks haven't been to James Avery before, and they're a little excited about it. They're mostly interested in Christian charms and weird hobby-charms, like pizza slices, cell phones and mustangs. They're friendly, but a little suspicious of you. "Is the gift wrapping extra?" they ask. (It isn't.) "Is the soldering really free?" (It is.) They almost always pay cash.
One recent example: A woman with two daughters and a son came in. They asked explicitly for "the cheapest chain ya got," and then bought the Bible charm (it looks like a little Bible) to go on it. Right as they were paying, the mom gently brushed the fatter daughter's face. The girl (who looks about 16) screams, "Quit touching my fuckin' face!" Without missing a beat, the mom points her fake-nail encrusted index finger towards the door and says, "The car. Now." The girl storms out. I retreat to the gift-wrap table with their bracelet-Bible combo.
So those are all the interesting stereotypes I have for now. More as wacky events warrant.
I had a dream last night that I was Juliette in a production of Gounod’s Romeó et Juliette. There was some weird business with my costume, and I ended up wearing the khakis I wore to work today. (Real classy. Sounds like SU costuming, no?) I woke up JUST as I was walking onstage to sing "Ah! Je veux vivre." Waking up was a bummer.
So speaking of Juliette's Waltz. With what should I open my jury?
Choices:
1. Juliette's Waltz
2. Meine Liebe ist grün (Brahms)
3. Why do they shut me out of Heaven? (Copland)
4. Heart, we will forget him (Copland. This and the other are from 12 Songs of Emily Dickinson, and they're both quite brief.)
5. Mrs. Ford's aria in Act I of "Merry Wives of Windsor." I'm singing it for Opera Theatre, so we're doing it in English (a bit lame), so I don't feel right calling it "Nun eilt herbei." (Nicolai)
6. This other duet from Merry Wives. Obviously not starting with that, nor will they pick it, but Stevie will be on stand-by just in case.
I also learned "Larmes" by Fauré this fall, but Claire and I decided not to worry about getting it jury-ready. I've been to busy readying myself for t-word things. (Which included brushing up "O del mio dolce ardor," which I hadn't studied since my senior year.)
Anyhoo, I'm leaning towards the Brahms.