I’m very nervous about Black Friday. And it’s all well-founded, I promise. (I think.)

Black Friday is traditionally the day that I wake Mom up early and go shopping for no reason at all. I love novelty, and going shopping at 6 in the morning always seemed so novel. It’d be dark when we left and snowflakes would fall in a flurry and Christmas music would FINALLY be playing on the radio. We’d go to Kohl’s or Herberger’s or Macy’s, and I’d find some holiday top I absolutely needed (on special!), and she’d find some big doorbuster gift for one of her kids.

Then we’d come home and bring down all the Christmas decorations from the attic. We’d eat a big lunch of leftovers: turkey sandwiches, stuffing soaked (intentional or not) with cranberries and sweet potato juices, and more salads than we have room for on a plate. Some of it would be too hot and some would be too cold and the gravy would be lumpy and gelatinous because that’s the way gravy is the day after. It would be absolutely wonderful.

But silly me had to go RUIN IT ALL and get a job at my favorite store to visit on Black Friday morning. And not only that, but I had to make sure it was my particular job to get all the specials out and set and ready for someone else to shop through and enjoy. What was I thinking??

Clearly I wasn’t. I thought it would be fun and exciting, working over the holidays. And it was, last year, but last year I wasn’t actually doing much of anything except trying to sell whatever merchandise someone else made all the decisions about. This year, those decisions are MINE. No easy exit for me.

But in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I have to say that I am very thankful for a job that I love. I love what I do (and what I don’t do), and I love that I’m the one that gets to do it. I love that it’s always a challenge. Even if I close my eyes at night and see SWEATERS, EVERYWHERE! (40% off)

I don’t know if I’ll have to work Thanksgiving night – if that’s something we’re doing – or what time I’ll be scheduled on Black Friday itself. And I don’t even know what I’ll be doing on Black Friday, because I can’t imagine I’ll still be putting out merchandise (though I’ve done crazier things on big sale days). Honestly, I expect I’ll “ringing” (cashiering), because that’s what I’ve been asked to do on the last three big sale days. That’s not even my job anymore. But of course, I can’t get upset or say no, because: 1. Brownie points, and 2. Only managers get asked (or stuck) ringing. And I am totally fine being lumped into that group. ;)

Today at work I was informed that we have a ton to do before Black Friday. There are hundreds of specials, and we have to find them and move them. (“He’s making a list and checking it twice…” Or rather I am.)

Right now, our specials are neatly tucked away in their departments. We have to rearrange everything (hi what else is new) so that those specials are out on the aisles or in other focal locations. And we have to do this while we put new merchandise out. And also we have no hours available to do this. Er, okay.

Also, my boss is going out of town. Not the Boss boss, but the one that I work with the most. The one who answers all my stupid questions (and all my really good ones too). As Charlie Brown would say, GOOD GRIEF.

But despite myself, I am an eternal optimist, so I will be seeing this as an Opportunity (whether I want to or not). To show off how great I am and how wonderful and useful and love me and PAY ME MORE. (Please.) Because I am Support Team Member of the Quarter. Of the whole quarter. (And I’ve only been on the support team officially for five months, so…do that math.) Pretty soon I’ll be Support Team Member of the Year, and then they’ll have to designate me a parking spot! I just made that last part up.

So I have my work cut out for me. I read a book months ago, and it was all about how giving will help you get/create the job that you want. So I wrote down that I had to give, give, give.

Have I given enough yet?

(Okay, “If I have to ask, I know the answer.”)