The time has come, my friends, to talk of other things...

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings!
And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings...

And so my friends, it's time for me to silence all the rumors.
No, I didn't meet a hit man; no, I didn't show folks my bloomers.

I simply was hired to do a job, and in return get paid.
That's really all there is to it. (I got tired of rhyming)

Ok, here's the scoop:

A few days ago, I applied to work at the textbook store where Stephen works. Their buy-back season is approaching (and will start next week) and they needed extra people. So I applied.

I interviewed on Thursday, the manager called me yesterday and offered me the job and I went in and did paperwork and learned stuff for a few hours.

I worked a 5 hour shift today (with Stephen) and am now mostly trained on using their cash register. It helps that is is very similar to the one I used when I worked at Maurices.

For right now, I get to work at the bookstore where Stephen is, since they need the extra people for buy-back, but if they keep me after the 2 week rush, then I'll be moved to the Spirit Shop, which is the same company, but they carry more clothing and other stuff, as well as textbooks.

However, I also have an interview at Baylor (on Wednesday) for a full-time job. From what I gathered, they are interviewing a LOT of people and I'm not too confident that I'll be chosen (they are looking for some experience I don't have, but they did call me for an interview, so who knows, right?)

But the important part is: I have a job. It's nice. The people who work there are friendly, I love having a reason to go outside the apartment, and I get paid.

And I get to work with Stephen.

I'm not gonna lie-- it was a little awkward when I first got to the store today. When I went in yesterday to start to familiarize myself with everything, Stephen wasn't there. But he's been working there a few months now, so everyone knows him. I was able to break the ice with my new co-workers a little by talking about Stephen and joking about him. So that made yesterday easier.

Today was stranger.

Stephen and I have been married for about 4.5 months now. We don't hang out with other people. Church is about the only other time that we interact with people together. Obviously, he does at work, but I've not been there. Until today.

I was a little stunned by his professional coolness toward me. Not that he was mean or ignored me-- he was just cold-ish.

I'm so used to him being sweet and affectionate and teasing and silly.
I was not prepared for business Stephen.

It took me a little while to be ok when he would try to explain things (in a basic way) without me thinking he was patronizing me. Or for me to be comfortable with him watching me do a transaction. Or for me to not blush when I had to ask him something I didn't know how to do or had forgotten from the previous day.

I think this working together will be fine. It's just going to take getting used to, mostly for me, I think. He seemed fine.

At any rate, I'm happy to have work and to get a paycheck. Stephen and I both have more than 40 hours next week, which is awesome. If he were working that much and I weren't doing anything but sitting at home, I'd go crazy.

So, my friends (and Anna Robertson), you now know the full story of my employment!

Wish me luck!