Once Upon a TIme (Times a million)

Once upon a time, fairy tale fever invaded. It seems that the classic stories that I've always been obsessed with are now everywhere. There have always been remakes of the classics popping up in a new movie, one of the most popular being Cinderella retellings such as A Cinderella story and it's million and five sequels.

However, what's happening now doesn't feel like the occasional new twist on a fairy tale that used to happen. Now, it's like the tales have gotten together to form an army whose main goal is to take over entertainment. There are currently two fairy tale based shows on in prime time, they are launching not one but two shows based on Beauty and the Beast in the near future, two Snow White movies are about to come out, and the list goes on. Even preexisting shows that have nothing to do with fairy tales have episodes with fairy tales as the main theme. Where did it all come from, and why all at once?

It's gotten so bad, that my sister is at a point where she doesn't even want to hear the words "fairy tale". Obviously, I've been enjoying this mad fantastical rush that's hit, but it can't be good if there are others who feel like my sister. If the entertainment industry overstimulates everyone now, they are going to do what happens whenever there's a new fad- get sick of it and move on. But they're fairy tales! I have always hoped that it would be impossible to turn your back on something so classic, and I really don't want to be proven wrong.

So while I'm enjoying this surge of fairy tales that's going on, I hope that I'm not the only one. A world where people despise stories like Cinderella, Snow White, and Red Riding Hood is a sad world indeed.

"And you work here...?"

The other day at work I had a woman come in to the store who I really didn't care for. It was early afternoon on a week day, and she came in shopping for jeans with her daughter. My coworker ended up being the one to help them as they shopped, so I didn't talk to her until they were ringing out their purchases.

She started talking about how her daughter only wore sweats to school and dressed grimy because she went to an art school. At the mention of "art school", my ears perked up.

"Oh? Which school?" I asked.

"The School of the Art Institute," the woman told me, speaking for her daughter who was standing right there.

"I know some people who went there. I went to Columbia downtown."

The woman looked at me and asked if I graduated. When I said that I had in Fall 2010, she responded with, "And you work here?"

At first, I didn't really know what to say to that. The disdain in the woman's voice over me working a job in retail even after I've earned a college degree was apparent, and I wasn't sure what to do with that.

After I collected myself a bit from the verbal slap in the face, I told her that I was actually a manager. When that still failed to impress her, I told her how my degree was in Fiction Writing, and that I needed a job to support myself while I was writing.

Finally, she took the judgemental look off of her face and got excited. Apparently, she loves writers, and started to tell me about this fabulous memoir that she had just read. It was about a woman's writing process and a snake, and really funny. The girl who I was working with and I just looked at each other since she kept babbling on, trying to figure out the name of this outstanding book that I had to know about.

"Moon and Me? New Moon and Me? Moon? The snake's name was Moon, so I know it was in there somewhere."

We just smile and nod at her, wondering why she was still talking.

She left without any more dirty looks, since apparently me being a writer makes it OK  to work retail. I still just don't know why the initial disdain was present and why she didn't even bother to hide it. Yes, some people might believe "retail" is a dirty word and that to work there is Hell, but that doesn't mean that I am one of them. I actually like my retail job. The girls I work with are hilarious and fun, and it's only once in a while that we get a devil customer. However, even if I was one to hate my retail job, there's no need to rub it in my face.

Also, again I say- this was early afternoon on a week day. So while this woman was mocking my job, she wasn't at one herself- meaning that there isn't room to judge others about their working lives. And she was also sending her daughter to an art school. Does she think that when her artist child graduates she'll automatically be a famous artist with lots of money in this economy? Or will her daughter have to find a job, any job, just like the rest of us to make ends mean after she's done with school before she can establish herself?

I just don't believe that people should judge someone based on preconceived notions. No one but me knows how I feel about where I work or what I do, so there's no reason to look down upon it. I'll do me, and you just do you.

Done and Done

Well, I got the promotion. So now I'm officially a full time manager and am eligible for benefits starting in March. Hopefully everything will continue to work out the way it's supposed to.

Now, back on to that "writing thing"...

Here's hoping...

I had an interview for a promotion at work today. Now all that I have to do is sit around and wait to see if I got it. Sounds like fun, right?

"Leprechauns make cookies, right?"

At work, we have a lot of tshirts that have to do with shows like Pretty Little Liars or the Secret circle. That got a coworker and I thinking about how I need to write a book ASAP so that it can get picked up by a network for a new series, since so much of TV is based on books now.

Not willing to let me go into what I'm sure would be a deal worth millions by myself- my coworker immediately started coming up with ideas for a plot that I can write about. Her brilliant idea? Leprechauns. Two gay male leprechauns to be exact. In her mind, leprechauns aren't getting the publicity that they deserve- it's all vampires and werewolves and witches who are hogging the spotlight- she she wants me to give them a moment to shine.

I guess the two gay leprechauns live in a hut and are unemployed- because in this world, much like our own according to her, leprechauns are under appreciated so it's hard for them to get jobs. At this point in her story, she looked at me and asked, "Leprechauns make cookies, right?"

I had to tell her that no, leprechauns guard pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Elves make cookies.

"Oh. Well the leprechauns and the elves team up."

"The cookie elves, or the shoe making elves, or the toy makers?" I asked.

"All of the elves. Every type, species, race, gender, whatever."

"And what do they do once they form this alliance?"

"They take over the world of little people."

I  looked at her, all four foot eight inches of her short self.

"Not little humans," she huffed. "They'd be in charge of gnomes and fairies and other elves and leprechauns. Stuff like that."

So apparently that's what my book will be about. Gay leprechauns who befriend cookie/shoe/toy making elves in order to take charge and rule a kingdom of tiny magical creatures. And this will be a best seller with a huge fan base that will eventually be a hit new series on the CW. I should start thinking of ways that I'm going to spend my millions.