Shopping in a Bookstore: Lesson #2

Last time we learned how to put the books back. Or more specifically, to not put them back at all unless you are doing it right. Today I'd like to cover a new topic: How to Ask For Help.

Let me begin by saying that I totally understand when people want to look for something themselves. Browse away. It's fun to find things for your own. We get it. You are not obligated to accept our help.

But we will offer to help you. We offer out of politeness, and also because we know more than you.

Oh, I'm sorry, that might have sounded mean. But let me clarify.

I don't mean, of course, that we are smarter than you. Okay, we're definitely smarter than a percentage of people who shop in our store, but when I say we know more than you, I mean we know the store better than you, and our inventory better than you.

So if you don't ask for our help, or you don't accept our help, don't get mad at us when you can't find something. Definitely don't make ridiculous accusations. "Did you all get rid of your travel section or something?" "I guess you guys don't carry graphic novels." "Do you not have music anymore?"

Wrong. False. Stop being ridiculous. All you have to say, and this really shouldn't come as a surprise, is, "Hi, I'm looking for _______." We will spring into eager action to retrieve what you need.

Which leads me to another point. If you want to browse the cooking section, please ask us, "Can you point me to the cooking section?" But if what you want is Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, then please. JUST SAY THAT. If you want something specific, just ask for that thing. Otherwise something like this is bound to happen:

LADY: Hi, can you point me to your travel section?
ME: Sure, I'll walk you over there. Anywhere specific?
LADY: I'll just look around, thanks.
ME: Okay, my name is Amy if you need more help.
(Five minutes later, she re-approches the info desk.)
LADY: Why don't you have any books about Kenya?
ME: I could literally slap you.

That last line ever only happens in my head, of course. But can you understand the frustration? Some version of this conversation happens almost every day I'm at work. If this lady would have just said, "Could you please show me books about traveling to Kenya?" then she'd be happy and I wouldn't feel like slapping anyone. That's a win-win.

The other good reason to ask us for help is because we know things you couldn't possibly know. We know which school books we do and don't have, and we can retrieve them in 4.6 seconds flat. You could too, if twelve people had asked you for To Kill A Mockingbird in the past two hours. We know the title and author of that book you heard about on NPR yesterday morning, and we know that our store is sold out but that the Cool Springs store still has copies. We can call them and have one held for you. We know that $30 hardcover you're about to buy is coming out in paperback for half the price next week. We may even know the title of "that one book about some brothers and I think there's a bird on the cover." I once found a book for a lady and all she knew was that the word "Rose" was somewhere in the title.

We can be especially helpful when you don't know what you want or what you need. I wish more people understood this. My bookstore is not McDonalds. Or Wal-Mart. Not that there is anything wrong with either of those places. But no one is working at Borders because they lack the skills to work anywhere else. Almost everyone is college educated (more than one of my colleagues has or is working towards an advanced degree), and we are all avid (sometimes rabid) readers. Our staff covers a broad spectrum of interests and specialties. You like history and politics, you see Andy. You want high-brow lit? Evan's read books you wish you were smart enough to have even heard of. Luanne can tell you the author and title of just about every genre novel in the store. I can pick out a book your 6th grade son who hates reading won't be able to put down. The list goes on.

So if you want to browse, browse. You are welcome to stay in our store for hours at a time. Curl up in a chair and read a whole book for all we care. Don't break the spine, of course, because then we can't sell it. And don't leave a mess, because this isn't your living room. And don't steal things, because that is wrong.

But if you need something specific, you're always better off asking. And if you just want some suggestions, we're pretty good at those. We like reading. We want you to like it too.

It's Almost Time.

Six years of amazing television all comes to an end this Sunday night when LOST airs its series finale. I cannot wait! This is a fan-made trailer but it is somehow more awesome than all the promos ABC managed to put together.

We Are Nashville

Ben made this video to encourage more volunteers for flood victims. Proud of him and proud of all the work that has already been done by loving hands in this city! If you want to help, visit Hands On Nashville for volunteer opportunities and Nashvillest for updates on other ways you can give back.

When You Pass Through The Waters

If you don't live in Nashville, you might not even know about what happened to us here. I know a lot of other important national news has happened over the past few days. But in the meantime, our city was drowning.

It started raining on Saturday morning, before the sun came up - although, to be fair, the sun never really showed. Saturday afternoon the onslaught of flash flood warnings became rapid reality. The mild-mannered Mill Creek, which runs right past our neighborhood, became a vast, angry river, overtaking roads, bridges, homes, and even interstate 24. Piles of cars sank under the water, and a building wrenched from the ground floated down the highway until the water tore it to pieces.



This type of flooding happened all over middle Tennessee on Saturday as the rains kept coming. Across the street, we watched the creek - not even usually visible from our house - rise and rush through neighbors' backyards, giving our community temporary lakeside status. It engulfed our common ground, leaving just the tops of the gazebo and swingset visible. We found the other playground set half in a tree the next day.



We feel incredibly blessed to have remained safe and dry. The inconvenience of being trapped in our neighborhood for a few days was nothing in comparison to the damages sustained elsewhere. The first wave of flooding in creeks and other small waterways around town peaked on Saturday. But it kept raining, heavy, ceaseless rain, until Sunday night. And when it finally stopped raining, the swollen creeks dumped their waters into swollen rivers and the rivers just kept rising. The sun was shining as the Cumberland River, which wraps itself around downtown Nashville, crept into the heart of our city. It finally crested at almost 52 feet, a full 12 feet above flood stage. The damage was beyond done, with muddy flood waters seeping into some of our most precious institutions.


The beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony hall had water throughout the basement, soaking and possibly ruining the $2.5 million organ. Both LP Field, home of the Titans, and Bridgestone Arena, home of the Predators, were affected.


Just down the river, the vast complex of the Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills mall were flooded, forcing evacuation of the hotel's guests. It is possible they might not reopen for months.


And in news that was a particularly painful blow for all of Music City, one of the last places reported flooded was the beloved Grand Ole Opry House. I walked this building annually when GMA held the Dove Awards here, and the stage is essentially sacred ground for all of country music.


So a really terrible thing happened to our city this weekend. More terrible than the two-minute blurbs on CNN and MSNBC and FOX News have let on. The death toll is nearly 30 and rising as waters recede and tragedies are uncovered. Thousands have lost their homes and vehicles, and the very heart of our city's business has been seriously affected. Many are still without power, and flooding at one of two main water treatment plants has put the entire county's water supply in crisis. We are in a mandatory water conservation situation as water reserves are rapidly being depleting.

But something wonderful has also happened here, as people and organizations have gone above and beyond to help. As I read updates today, I was totally overwhelmed with love for this city and the people in it. Volunteer opportunities were filled within minutes of being posted, money was raised and funds matched, concerts and benefits organized... to take care of each other in this soggy hour is something special.

Though I don't know if they'll ever read it, I wanted to say a special thanks to the ladies of Nashvillest. Since the water started to rise, they were (and continue to be) an amazing invaluable resource. Their blog is a wealth of information on how anyone can help, and the links, stories, and pictures will move you to do so. Also, Twitter was literally a lifeline during this tragedy, in a truly revolutionary way. People in need were connected with helpers, vital information about roads and danger zones was communicated instantaneously... seriously remarkable.

And finally, and most importantly, God is still God here. I pray that the followers of Christ here in Nashville will rise up in an awesome way, to glorify God by advancing His kingdom here in the midst of tragedy. I can't think of a more appropriate ending than these verses from Isaiah 43:

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.