I HATE BARNES AND KNOBLE!!!!

I hate Barnes and Knoble... every time I go in there, I literally just want to spit on their inventory. Yes, I know, their inventory can be quite impressive. And, the whole coffee shop thing is cher cool. But, they are fuckers. They are fuckers to the upmost degree. That company single handedly changed my life, simply because they are fuckers. F!U!C!K!E!R!S!

Let me explain... In a previous incarnation, I was a marketing man. In fact, I was an up-and-coming marketing man. After leaving the University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign with an advertising Masters in hand, I found my dream job. I started working for a very non-conservative medical book wholesaler (it took me awhile to find that job, too!). The building was loaded with eccentrics and odd ball folks from all walks of life. It was a perfect place for the likes of me. I was in charge of marketing medical electronic references, to keep a long, boring drawn-out job description short. During my second year, the company bankrupted. I was quite upset about that loss. Another pratfall to say the least. Here I was, on my way in the world of executives, only to be on the street pounding pavement for other opportunities. I knew, at least in terms of marketing, there would never be another job like it. I would never work with people like that again. I knew there would never be another company (or anyplace, for that matter) that would be home to a very unconventional person like myself. Anyway, as I was instructed to do, I became a lien holder to the company. They owed me some pay in terms of vacation, etc. (I never did see what I was owed... fuckers!)... Therefore, I had access to the company's accounting records due to the Chapter 13 court process. I was "lucky" to be able to see who screwed us over. In the mail I received a document that listed who owed us what. We were a $100 million dollar company. This is an important point (and probably important to mention that it was also a $100 million dollar company run by idiots... The company's lack of management is a mute point in terms of my little rant here). I looked at the list at all our customers that failed to pay their bills. Our biggest debtor? Barnes and Knoble. How much did they owe? $23 million dollars!!!! Those motherfuckers never, ever, ever, never, ever paid their bills! EVER!!!!!!!!! They owed a quarter of our gross!!!! A QUARTER!!!!! THOSE BASTARDS!!! Because of their stupid ass, non-bill paying management, my life irrevocably changed! Needless to say, I hold a grudge. I hate that company. I HATE THEM!!!! Sadly, they are really the only book act in town, specifically for the books that I need for my line of work at a moment's notice. Like today, I had to go into that crappy ass store to pick up a modern English translation of Julius Caesar. It absolutely pains me to have to walk in there and give them my hard earned money knowing full well they will not pay their bill to whoever their distributor is! ERGGGGG!!!!!!!!! Waldenbooks (Borders) is not quite as big a dick as B&N… They only owed us $6 million… I do business with that company sometimes. Mostly, if I know in advance what I need, (hardly ever, sadly), I buy through Amazon.com. They didn't do business with us (even though we fought hard for their medical book fulfillment), therefore smart… and safe in my book.

I wonder what would it be like if those Barnes and Knoble bastards didn't, indirectly fuck me over. Would I be a very successful marketing executive? Would I be living somewhere in Chicago? Would I be in the upper management? I don't know. I try not to think about it, except on days where I have to enter B&N. On those days, like today, I try to think that that powers that be had a plan for me… That there is some reason I am here. There is a reason that my path has brought me to my current location… Then there are days, I have no such feelings and I wish I was elsewhere.

I just hope and pray that there is some sort of divine intervention or some sort of illumination to give me some sort of indication what the hell I am supposed to do next. Because quite frankly, I just don't know.

Earlier this year I said I am just going to cast my fate to the wind…I have one thing to say to that.... START BLOWING!!!!

End of rant.

Hmmm... I think it better not to go into Barnes and Knoble anymore... It stirs negative feelings.

Peace!