That Time I Painted a Pumpkin, Accidentally Got a Job, and Didn’t Have Fun Adulting

Sometimes very unexpected things happen in life. Some are good, such as accidentally getting a job even though I wasn’t exactly looking for one. Some are bad, like getting stuck on the side of the road. My week was filled with both kind. But hey, at least it wasn’t boring.

It all started with this adorable little secondhand bookstore in our town that we frequent often (because we all know I have an obsession with secondhand bookstores). Recently they moved locations and were so busy with that, Mom and I thought it wouldn’t hurt for me to ask if they needed help here and there while they settle into the move. Because if there’s anything I like more than shelving and organizing books I don’t know what it is. So I spoke with the nice couple that owns it and they said they weren’t looking for anybody then, but took my name and number should they ever need help.

*cue two weeks later*

My phone went off and, lo and behold, it was the wife from the bookstore saying they were looking for a part-time worker and knew I had shown interest in helping out. Did I have any interest in working part-time in basically my favorite place in town? Uh, YES I DID. So I went in the next day and had my first ever job interview. Though it was so casual I’m not sure “job interview” is even the right term. Thankfully I didn’t do anything too blonde (as I’m prone to do) and a few days after (last Monday) I got a call from the wife saying they’d love to have me and I’d start Friday morning.

And this is the part where I practically flew downstairs to squeal to my family I got the job. I had a JOB. At a BOOKSTORE. I would be paid to work with BOOKS. Saying I was excited is an understatement.

Let me tell you guys, God is in the details! The thing about this bookstore is they already had a part-time worker, and have had her for yeeeears, before these current owner even had the place. But then right when I show interest in helping they suddenly need a new part-time worker. And when I asked about helping them at first, I just meant during their move to help them get established in the new building. But that led to me having an actual job there. Not only that, but the hours and work fit so well with me. I have a lot of health issues that keep me from being able to work a whole lot, which is a big reason I’ve never really pursued a job. But with this job, I’ll basically only be working here and there when they need me, and not long hours in the least. I don’t think it’ll be a big deal at all with my health. Plus the actual work is quite simple. Just shelving books and taking care of the customers really. Books and people are two of my favorite things, so I really couldn’t ask for a more suitable job.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I have a job and I’ll get paid to be surrounded by books in a quaint little shop. And it just came out of nowhere. I was NOT expecting to suddenly have a job. Obviously all my paychecks will be turned right around to buy books from there because I have no self control but, ya know, I’m not sad about it. *grins*

I can’t thank God enough for orchestrating this all together. You just never know what kind of surprises He has right around the corner.

After getting the call last Monday, the next few days were spent in excitement and preparation for my new job. But also a wee bit of stress because October was supposed to be the big “NaNo planning month” and I hadn’t even started any plotting on my NaNo novel. And now I suddenly had a job to throw in the equation of life.

What at first was a pinch of stress turned into a whole big mess of it on Thursday.

One of my very dearest friends was hosting a pumpkin painting party on Thursday. So that afternoon my little sister and I hopped in my car and drove off with enthusiasm for a good time with friends. We were riding along, happily listening to a Sanctus Real CD and nearing my friend’s house, when suddenly the ride got rather bumpy. We both were guessing it was just the road since we had recently turned off onto a rougher road. So we went a little further thinking it was fine. Then, next thing we knew, the bit of bumping turned into JERKING. We’re both wide-eyed screaming “NOPE! Not the road!” and I pull over and get out to find one of my back wheels totally shredded. I still have no idea how that even happened but it terrified me nonetheless. We were stopped in a not-so-safe area and I really was not comfortable just sitting there.

I had never been more grateful for cell phones than that moment. While my sister explained the situation to our mom and brother at home on her phone, I called my friend whose house we were headed for because I knew we were very near her. Our house was about 25 minutes away and I didn’t want to have to wait for my mom and brother to drive all that way. It hardly took my friend five minutes to get to us, and we were soon taken safely to her house. Much to the relief of us all because no one was comfortable with us just stranded there.

A friend’s husband was nearby and kindly put my spare tire on the car so we could get it off the side of the road, and then Dad came later and took it to get a new, proper tire.

Have I mentioned God is good lately? Because He is SO GOOD! Another reminder that God is in the details. Things could have gone much worse, but He protected us and all was fine.

I was definitely very shaken afterward though. My first car trouble experience. I guess it had to happen sometime, but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted the day before I started my first job. Life doesn’t always just give you lemons, sometimes it rudely hurls them at your head and stuns you for a moment before you can make that lemonade.

Ahem. Regardless, everything turned out okay and we did have fun painting pumpkins. I’ve never painted a pumpkin before and was a little nervous because I am not in any way an artsy person. Drawing, painting, crafting—nope, I can’t. Which makes me sad. I wish I could draw and such, but my fingers and brain just refuse to make it work. (Seriously, sometimes my stick people look disfigured. It’s embarrassing.) Sooo my pumpkin isn’t exactly something you’d put in a magazine, but I had a ton of fun painting it nonetheless. I totally understand the appeal of painting them now.

For once I’m grateful for a phone that doesn’t take great pics
so you can’t quite see the messy details.

I had to break the news to Navi it wasn’t for eating.

After the party, my sister and I went home (safely with my new, non-shredded wheel courtesy of Dad) and I crashed (I mean I went to bed, not crashed my car. Good grief. Can you imagine?), extremely worn from such a distressing experience.

The next morning: FIRST DAY OF WORK.

This is the point where I pick up that lemon that had been hurled at me the previous day and make lemonade. The exhaustion of the day before would not ruin my new job! I refused to let it. And it didn’t.

My first day of work was a very pleasant experience, and I was relieved to see the work isn’t complicated at all. I got to meet great, bookish people and shelve books and had fun with the nice owners as I was trained, and all around had a really enjoyable time. And of course the highlight was THE BOOKS.

I could happily be there all day. I think this job is going to be such a blessing!

So, all in all, I had a very interesting week full of new experiences. Blowing out my tire, painting a pumpkin, and working my first job. Yep, sometimes you don’t know where life will take you.

The rest of the week went well. I’ve finally dived into some serious NaNo plotting (woot, woot!) which relieved some stress about that, and yesterday got to go to the theaters to see Pan. (And I was going to share some of my thoughts about that but this post is getting long and rambly enough. Whoops. Maybe in another blog post.)

The moral of the (very longwinded and probably boring) story? Don’t ever let Satan discourage you. He’ll try. Trust me, he tries so hard. After my disconcerting car experience I was not ready to go to a new job the very next morning. I really just wanted to hide under the covers for a few days. But God pulled me through it (and my alarm pulled me out from under the covers) and my job turned out to be fantastic. Who knows, if I hadn’t gone to the party Thursday, my tire very well may have blown out Friday instead on my way to work and I’d have to be late on my very first day. It could have all been a blessing. So, no matter what life throws at you, don’t be discouraged. Just keep pushing through. We’ve got a God that is so much, much bigger than anything that ever comes our way. And isn’t that a comforting thought?

So that was my adulting adventures for the week. Now I want to hear about YOUR week! Anything good happen? Bad? And very important question here: Have you ever painted a pumpkin? Alsooo for those doing NaNo, how’s plotting going?? Can you believe NaNo is only 3 WEEKS AWAY??? *hyperventilates*