What I Learned This Week...

Happy weekend everyone! It’s been a long week. Lately I feel like I’m always on the run. I had several ideas this week but none of them really seemed able to stand on their own as a post. So I decided to bring them all together as one mighty post about what I’ve learned this week. So pour yourself a glass of wine and come along.

Lesson #1: No Rest for the Weary
I’ve been working a lot of hours lately. I mean long, long hours, which is ok because I enjoy the overtime. My nights at work tend to be either busy or slow depending on what events we have coming up. Well lately the nights have been busy, sometimes I don’t even get enough time for a bathroom break. So one night this week, I finally caught up with all my work and running around. My rounds were done, my floors were locked up and I finally had some time which was perfect because I really needed that bathroom break. I get into the bathroom, into the stall, and I thought to myself, “Wow, my radio is really quiet. I can’t believe no one’s calling me.” Right as my butt touched the seat, I was being called on the radio, to go do another task. Oh well maybe next week I can get a bathroom break.

Lesson #2: Boogers…
I was in Harris Teeter and it was unusually crowded. Of course this is the time that booger that’s been sitting in the back of my nose wants me to know it’s there. I keep feeling it in the back of my nose each time I exhale. I wanted nothing more than to “pick” it but there were too many people around. I focused on that booger in the back of my nose so much, I forgot half the items I came to the store for. And just to complete this story, as soon as I got somewhere I could pick it, it no longer bothered me. So the lesson was boogers are felt most when you can do the least about them.

Lesson #3: I’m Not Gonna Know How to Handle All of Life’s Situations
Ok, for this lesson we gotta go back to the bathroom. I walked into the bathroom one day this week to wash my hands after working outside. One of my co-workers was in a stall having a bowel movement. I understand that when you gotta go, you gotta go. I hurried because I thought she’d want some privacy. From the sounds she was making, you’d think she’d eaten something that should have been thrown out of the fridge a good 3 days ago (not to mention the smell, but she couldn’t help that). Well she recognized my shoes and begins talking to me! Yes, she’s talking to me while grunting and pooping. It was at this very moment (while she telling me some story, but I can’t listen because I’m in shock that we’re having a conversation) I realize I don’t know what to do. Should I say, I have to go take care of something? Should I just back out quietly and hope she doesn’t realize I’m gone? Should I just blurt out “I can’t talk to you while you’re making those sounds!” I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do, but I went with the option of telling her I have to go do something.

Lesson #4: The General Public Has No Museum Etiquette
While earning overtime, I’ve spread my wings into working the galleries (also known as the floor). It’s working in the new bldg during the hours of being open. I spent 2 days in the galleries this week and it’s become clear that people lose their mind when they come to the art museum. My co-workers and I talk about this all the time. Why do people touch the art? What is it about the art that makes people feel the need to touch it? I’m not sure. In the past when I went places where there were valuable things, I knew NOT to touch them. When you are in an art museum, DON’T TOUCH THE ART. It is incredibly disrespectful to security. Which brings me to another point, security is hired to protect art, not people. We don’t just protect the art from theft but also damage which is what the public does when they touch it. While working in the European gallery a couple asked me if they could touch a piece. I stood there for a second (shocked that they would even ask) and politely pointed out that the piece they wanted to touch was over 600 years old. Then I asked if that piece was in their house would they be alright with me coming over and touching it. Of course they laughed and said “no” to which I had to reply “well I think you have your answer.” You know what? Maybe that’s the problem, people think our art here are just replicas. That simply is not the case. I have seen very few replicas here. The art is real people! And it’s old, so please don’t touch it. And worse is the kids, keep your kids under control and keep their hands off the art!