so yesterday was my first day as an official employee (and by that i mean receiving pay) of six flags worlds of adventure.

can i just say, this company is run by nazis? dress code: no beards, not more than two rings, not more than one pair of earrings, no piercings other than earlobe, no dyed hair, hair must not cover more than half of the ear, fingernails must not be more than 1/4 of an inch longer than finger, men can't wear jewelry at all. deodorant is compulsory. the main thrust of orientation was this: 'x is grounds for immediate termination. y is grounds for immediate termination. z is...' we had to take a quiz at the end. as the facilitator went on to the next question, one girl said 'hey, wait, i'm not-' and facilitator woman said 'you can leave now. get out.' 'but i was just-' 'you can leave now.' and they escorted her out.

we follow the 10/5 rule at six flags worlds of adventure. at ten feet, we make eye contact with the guest and smile. at five feet, we make eye contact, smile and greet them with 'hi!' 'are you enjoying your day?' or 'make it a great day!' and end the conversation with 'thank you.' everything is scripted. our goal is to give the guest a fun time and fond memories. because they may come for the rides, but they return time and time again for the customer service! we are hosts and hostesses, we all look and act the same.

i'm not really sure what i'm doing there. shouldn't i be working in a coffee shop or bookstore? shouldn't i have stood up in solidarity and left when they kicked that girl out for nothing?

still, the place has a special place in my heart. i've been there every year since i could walk. one year my dad won season passes to geauga lake and sea world and we went to one or the other twice or three times a week that whole summer. and it will always be geauga lake to me.

you know what's a really scary thought? the people who operated the kiddie rides when i was seven years old that summer are in their thirties now. that freaks me out.

but you know what's a cool thought? if you went to geauga lake or sea world that summer when i was seven, i might have seen you there. you might have sat next to me on the kiddie ferris wheel. and that makes me smile.

so now they want me to come back on two different occasions during my finals week. which is, to say the least? a huge pain in my ass. ohh, i hate the whole working thing...