Shopgirl makes a change.......

So it's been a while since I've talked about my adventures as Shopgirl.

From April to June this year I worked in a town centre store, a 60 mile round trip from my home, just for the sake of (a) having a job and (b) finally finding a job that I genuinely enjoy.

Having spent the last 19 years working as a training officer, then personnel officer (as it was in "those days") and more recently as a freelance human resources/recruitment manager, I gradually became disillusioned with my work and the so called credit crunch has forced me to evaluate what's really important to me.

I worked in retail from the age of 16 to 21, starting in the lingerie department of M&S, several times during my career in HR, and now as Shopgirl, right back where I started....the lingerie department.

The people with whom I worked for twelve weeks this year, were the most amazing, funny, inspirational and kind people I have met in a long time.

The store was a small town centre store with about 40 staff. This meant that everyone,without exception, multi-tasked and pulled together to make the store run efficiently.

In the first week of the job, I was involved in a minor car accident and the staff couldn't have been more supportive. Fortuantely, I only had minor whiplash but being on my feet for 12 hours a day, fours hours a week, was tough on my knees for the first two weeks!

By chance, I happened to pop into the store in which I worked last Christmas, for a bit of sale shopping, when I met one of my old supervisors who informed me that there were vacancies. Only a few hours, early mornings, closer to home. I was given the weekend to decide what I wanted to do and the following Monday I rang the store to arrange the transfer. I was quite taken aback, the reaction of my manager at the small store. "Is is it anything we've done?" she asked.

I just decided that, much as I loved the role, the long days and 60 mile round trip to work was getting costly and tiring and the opportunity to work 15 mins drive from home was just a bit more appealing.

I felt bad about transferring but the offer of a permanent contract, my first permanent job in eight years, was too good to turn down, albeit on fewer hours and less money.

As it happened, the week before I transferred, I was offered a role with more hours, still with early starts but only 3 days a week.

My first part-time job for 2o years.

It's in a fabulous out of town store, about 300 staff and lots of great stock and customers.

To be honest it doesn't feel like work, I don't have any real responsibility and I can't take the job home with me. Plenty of time to do other things. (More about that some other time).

I joined my new(old) store three weeks ago. I'm part of a team of sixteen. All women. All ages. All part of a shop within a shop.

To be honest, I don't like the clothes I'm selling (and neither to most of my colleagues) but I have embraced the job with open arms, got to know the typical customer and her needs and wants.

A lot of the time, customers just want some help navigating the store. The clothes are grouped in "collections" but while they appear to co-ordinate, they don't necesarily match. So if it's complicated for the staff to identify what goes where, you can imagine how difficult if can be for customers! *curses designers and buyers*

The most frequent question from customers is "What goes with this?" It's a question that's sometimes quite difficult to answer but that's just about as difficult as the job gets.

I love the bits of the role where I have customer contact. The fitting room, the till, being on the shopfloor. Even size tidying i.e. putting stock in order of size and ensuring it has the right size "pip" on the hanger, can be a bit zen - a little bit of shopfloor meditation - time to ponder how far I've come in the past year and what I'm going to do on my days off.

And there's a lot to ponder.

Recent thoughts include:

- Thank God I'm not in HR any more

- Why don't you put that dress down and pick up your baby who needs you.

- Nah....you'd look better in the blue/bigger size/something more classic

- What shall I have for dinner tonight?

- I need to do some sewing soon, that quilt won't finish itself.

- I need to get petrol

and so on.......

But for now five days off.

Who lives with a bag like this?

Following on from Westendmum's blog and tweet, I ventured into the depths of my current bag of choice.

Being a lover of all things bag but wanting something practical, I am currently carting the following bag around.

It was the freebie on the front of the July 09 issue of UK ELLE and serves it's purpose well.

As I'm still in Shopgirl mode and have a locker at work that is 30 centimetres square and 60 centimetres deep, this bag is squishy enough to carry all the essentials yet fit into the locker.

So what lurks within?

Contents:

Tissues - from sustainable source

MAC Lipstick - broken but a favourite colour. Think it's Fast Lane.

Iron supplement - Would help if I actually take it and not carry it around with me.

Lip brush - purchased last week to use with broken lipstick.

Diary - battered but essential.

Calculator - for the days when mental arithmetic fails me.

Tape measures - yes, two. The small white one is 10 years old. Can't remember why I'm a carrying two. Obviously for emergency measuring situations.

Oystercard - My ticket to the big city.

Weeny sewing kit - never used.

Invitation to Bella and Kierans' First Holy Communion Party.

My camera - not in pic for obvious reasons.

Make up bag - from Smashbox (not shown) - Flat like the zip-up geometry sets we had a school.

Contains:

MAC Studio Fix powder- makes my skin look as close to perfect (for me anyway).

Bourjois Eyeshadow i 14. Gris Delicat - For instant smoky eyes.

Bourjois Lipstick in 19. Brun Rose - Too deep a colour but lightened up with...

Benefit Lipgloss duo in Kiss You & My People, Your People - The prettiest pinks.

Assorted mini makeup brushes from MAC, Bobbi Brown, Jemima Kidd.

Tweezerman Tweezers in Red.

Oh.....and not forgetting my purse.

From Autograph at M&S (where else?)

Contents:

M&S discount card - yes unlimited 20% discount.

Photo driving licence.

Colour watches from my styling tutor - I'm cool, deep and bright. That's just my colours.

M&S credit card

BA Amex credit card - I must have enough BA miles for a weekend away.

Starbucks loyalty card - for the essential Tall Caramel Soya Latte.

Debit card.

Liberty loyalty card - I *heart* Liberty

Waterstone's loyalty card.

Boots Advantage card.

M&S Insurance car breakdown emergency number.

Nectar card - have never worked out what I get for collecting Nectar points.

Stamps - 12 x 1st class + 6 x 2nd Class.

Local taxi number.

Assorted receipts - mostly from the M&S staff shop.

Café Nero loyalty cards - currently 3.

Business card from someone who does garment alterations & customising.

And that's all.

Your turn!

There but for the grace of......

Last Sunday, I was with my mother, for our weekly jaunt around the shops.

Mother wanted to go food shopping as her local store is closed for 3 months while it is refurbished and changed to another brand.

I have tried persuading her to set up online shopping but without success. She enjoys the mad scramble around the local emporia of food with me and the delightful carry-to-car service that I provide. 

She'll says "Let's do food shopping as we have the car"  WE!

At the age of 74, she has finally admitted that she won't be converted to internet food shopping because it's more fun when I'm with her. So at last I have a purpose in life.

Anyway, as we got a trolley and walked towards the entrance of the store, a woman of about 40 walked towards us, pushing a loaded trolley and chatting on her mobile phone at the same time. She looked up me and smiled. She had a really pretty face, lovely skin and immaculate make-up. 

I recognised the smile but couldn't remember her name. She must have been a size 24 and though the smile registered with me, her name did not. 

As mother and I wandered the aisles, I wracked my brain. I could remember she had a brother, I could picture her mother. We'd been at school together. It took a good 10 minutes but eventually her name popped into my head. 

Karen was one of the prettiest girls at school. She was a couple of years ahead of me at school and after primary school and we both then attended the local Catholic convent school. 

All I can remember was how pretty and slim she had been, the boys hanging around the school gate and at youth club, wanting to talk to her, and how she was one of the "popular" girls I aspired to be.

Suddenly, I really felt for her. Was she happy? How did she end up so overweight? Was she ill? Did some medication make her gain weight? Was she married? Did she live alone or with someone?

It just hit home that, a few years ago, that could have been me.

Post-divorce, I was overweight with the look of a stuffed hamster. My skin actually looked ok for a change but, to be honest, I was a complete mess. (Though at the time, I soldiered on, like you do.)

Which got me thinking. 

I try to show gratitude for what I have but sometimes I find myself thinking "That could have been me." or "Thank God that's not me."

Am I alone in this thinking?

Yes, I've read the books on showing gratitude and being grateful for the little things and "not sweating the small stuff".

But sometimes, my mind wanders and I think "I could be worse off - at least I'm not ill/starving/fill in as appropriate."

So a quick round up of things for which I'm grateful (Apologies in advance for setimentality.)

 

• My family. (Not perfect but always there and though they annoy the hell out of me sometimes they are my lifeline to all that is good.)
  

• Home cooking. The taste of my childhood and my favourite food - Ever.
  

• The ability to sew and create. Which reminds me I must finish all those half finished projects and try selling some.
  

• Being unemployed. This has been my salvation. Without it, I would not be taking the steps to do something new and more fulfilling. Some things happen for a reason. This is one of them.
  

• My friends. A handful but they are honest, constant and true. My backbone when I feel like crumbling.
  

• My sense of humour. More cutting and sarcastic, the worse the situation, but never lost.

• A home of my own. It's bijoux but it's my little bit of heaven.

• Being me. No-one else could make such a hash of it and live to tell the tale.

TweetMeet

Just a quick note to let you know about a first for me. My first TweetMeet.

I met up with Clare (a.k.a. @clareharryruby). Clare was one of the first people with whom I tweeted (for those of you that don't know that's chatting on Twitter) and on learning that she lived a stone's throw from me, we decided to meet up.

It was fun to have coffee and indulge in a bit of face to face chat.

I have to say it was quite surreal. Meeting a person who, to all intents and purpose is a stranger, but with whom you have a natural rapport. (Thank goodness!) 

That's the joy of Twitter.

So here's to our next TweetMeet!

The Simple Life

Today I returned to British Military Fitness after 2 weeks away from it due to the (mild) whiplash I suffered in the car accident last month and of course starting my new job as Shopgirl.

I know my stamina is not great but with a BMI of 26.2 I am nearly at the magical figure of 25. So that should be incentive enough. I know I'll sleep better too once I start execising regularly again. As I now need to  be up at 5:30am to be at work for 7:00am, it doesn't help that I'm still awake at midnight most days. The 11 hour days are a killer but I love it.

I reckon by not eating so many cakes at tea-time and by eating properly again, I'll be able to shift the last 7lbs. 

I have really struggled to get motivated again. All I know is that I don't want to be fat again. To me, fat equals unhappy and that is one place I don't need to visit again.

I just want a simple life.

I've never been obsessed with my weight nor enthusiastic about exercise but since I discovered BMF(www.britmilfit.com) last summer, I've never looked back. 

I can only describe my love of BMF as a "road to Damascus" moment. I fallen in love with exercising and looked forward to it like a heroine looks forward to seeing the long lost hero.

I get very sweaty, extremely muddy and very wet. As someone who hates dirty fingernails, I've found that I love it with a passion....dirt and all. Which isn't like me at all.

So in six months, I've gone from no exercise to four sessions a week; Monday and Wednesday evenings and two (yes you read that right) two sessions on a Saturday morning. I really underestimated how addictive exercise can be.

Today I followed BMF with a 40 minute running session. So considering I haven't exercised for two weeks, I didn't do too badly. (Though I did reward myself with a lemon cupcake and a soya caramel latte which I thoroughly deserved)

A year ago, it would have taken dynamite to get me of the sofa, after a hard day at work and now here I am loving exercise. It just goes to show that anyone can do it if they really want to. Even a lazy sausage like me.

Also, not working has given me a whole new perspective on things especially what's important to me.

Right now they are (in no particular order):

• Doing a job that I enjoy - I've not enjoyed a job so much in years. Shopgirl suits me.
• Doing regular exercise - my target is to run a 5km in a reasonable time in June 09.
• Doing whatever makes me happy - which often involves doing nothing at all. 

Life is so much simpler now. I like that. 

So for now it's all about keeping things simple. My brain can't cope with much else.

It's all about me......

I've been tagged by @clareharryruby via twitter (Thank you x) to kind of talk about myself. 

Which is nice.

(Especially as I'm someone who has an opinion about everything and lots to say!)

What are your current obsessions?

Twitter. It's led me to chat to some extrordinary and amazing people. For that I am truly grateful. Insipring and entertaining. 

Sewing and creating. Having been out of work for quite some time over the past nine months, I have spent my time doing things that I have a passion for and never madetime for while I was working. It turns out I'm rather good. (Even my mother says so and that's high praise from her!)

What item in your wardrobe do you most wear?

Jeans. I *heart* denim. I have (at last count) 16 pairs of jeans. Every colour and style that suits me.Two of each style. One pair to wear with heels and one to wear with flats. Yes really.

Last dream I had.

I dreamed about a baby, my baby. I never thought that I'd get to a certain age and be divorced and childless. Life is so wonderful yet so utterly frustrating.....

Last thing you bought.

A netbook. I couldn't really afford it but now that I'm blogging and tweeting, I feel it's an investment rather than an expense. A sanity check if you like. Cheaper than therapy and better than Prozac.

What am I listening to?

The original soundtrack of Les Miserables. Many moons before Britain's Got Talent audtionees got hold of it, I was introduced to LM by my ex-husband. I've seen the show 3 times. He loved it, and though he know longer loves me, I will always love LM. I cry every time I listen to it. Music that touches your soul and never lets go.

Fave holiday spots.

Anywhere in New England - It's like the the best of British with American flavouring. 

San Francisco - Free thinking America. I'd live there given half a chance.

Mumbai - the home of my forefathers - my touchstone - it is part of me and I am part of it

What are you reading?

Nothing particular at the moment, though I have pile of paperbacks waiting to be read and a ever growing Amazon wishlist. I love magazines. Fashion, Craft, Home...you name it, I'm reading it. I'm a sponge for ideas and influences.

Guilty pleasure.

Chocolate. Good quality 70% cocoa type or the Swiss assortment from good ol' M&S. Mmmmmm. (and Abba)

If you could come back in the next life as someone,who would it be?

It would be Martha Stewart - rich and crafty (but without the prison term for insider dealing)

Who or what makes you laugh until you are weak?

My nephew Luis. He's my brother's eldest and my mini-me. He is 3 years and 9 months. He is funny, opinionated, witty, sharp, charming, demading, loving and sometime junior drama queen. (I call him RADA. If he can't do something pefectly the first time he get's frustrated. That's so me.)

Fave Spring thing to do.

Seeing the sap rising in the trees, flowers in bud and long walks in bluebell covered woods.

I love Kew Gardens at this time of the year too.

When you die, what would you like peolple to say about you at your funeral?

She tried everything once and then one more time just to be sure.

The best thing you ate or drank lately.

Lentils/Dhal. Food of the gods. If it was my last meal on earth, this is what I'll be eating.

When did you last go for a night out?

Last Saturday. As I looked around the bar in which we had gathered, I felt terribly old and terribly underdressed and then I had a glass or three of wine and enjoyed a fabulous evening in the company of my buddies from British Military Fitness. 

Fave film ever.

When Harry Met Sally. I'm a hopeless romantic. Most of the time I'm just hopeful but every now and again I'm hopeless. I live in hope that one day I will find my Harry. Knowing my luck he will be sartorially challenged and wear a fleece.

Share some wisdom.

Keep calm and carry on. Says it all really.

Song you can't get out of your head.

It's Not Fair. Lily Allen

The girl's a genius. Boys take note. I will if you will. And you'd better be good ;0)

Thing you are looking forward to.

The joy of each new day and the prospect of starting over and making it the best I possible can.

(I don't know if that makes me optimistic or just stupidly misguided?)

What cosmetic artiface can you not live without?

Lipgloss, well any from MAC. My current favourite is the Hello Kitty special edition Lipglass in Sweet Strawberry. A blue pink with blus sparkles. (I'm tomboy turned girly girl) 

Rules of the Game. Respond & Rework. 

Remove one question and replace it with one of your own.

Pass to six people. 

@lesleywright01

@natashabailie

@KrstieMAllsopp

@W1mum

@Beverleyknight

@PerriLewis

I am Shopgirl.

So I was telling you about my love of working in retail. During my last stint in retail over Christmas 08, I was working for a flagship store. Not just any flagship store but an.....you get my meaning.

Anyway, at this out of town emporium, a customer approached me with the words "I say shopgirl, could you help me?" I turned to see a lady in her seventies, holding two cashmere cardigans and obviously in need of some assitance from a retail profesional like myself. 

She was very sweet but I couldn't help, for one nanosecond, but think that I had been transported back to the 1950s, with Julian, Anne and Dick, George and not forgetting Timmy the dog. Lashings of ginger beer all 'round!

Since then the name has stuck, so for now, I am Shopgirl.

I kind of like it. 

Better than being the "recruitment lady" from the much sullied HR Department.