Just call me LEGO.

Last night I was working the sales floor of the LEGO Imagination Center in the middle of the consumer capital of the world, the Mall of America, when a wave of content washed over me.

I had one of those useless, angering days at the "Day Job" and was not in a good mood when I drove down 494 West get to the mall. I was stressed, tired and was not in the mood for the tact of the general populace. For whatever reason, I got there and forgot about all those things and had a great time. I only go in to LEGO about 3-5 times a month, so I don't ever get frustrated...because I know I won't have to be there again for a while. I've really enjoyed my time there lately. I think it has a lot to do with familiarity.

No matter what is going on in this turbulent, quarter-life crisis I can always rely on things being remotely the same there. I know what I do there. I know what everyone else does there. I know I am good at what I do there. Everything is right. It is a very peaceful feeling to have and I don't know how many can claim something similar. I celebrate my 8th anniversary this year with LEGO. LEGO has been a huge part of my life. It was my only source of income for years. I got to have the opportunity to travel and get excellent experience when I became a national trainer. I interned with the company doing marketing and got to fulfill a childhood dream of sorts by just being employed by LEGO. Heck, even some of my friends call me Lego...on a regular basis.

Now, for the most part, LEGO is no longer a huge part of my life. I don't need the job for income. For the most part, the training is done. My internship is just a paragraph on my resume. I'm still called Lego or Duplo by a lot of friends, but at least they don't introduce me that way anymore. In a way, LEGO is just an afterthought these days...something I discuss briefly with my friends who do work there or something I mention in passing. People I meet now might not even know about my work there until I know them better. Essentially, it is something I do on the side now.

I think it took a day like yesterday for me to know why I still do this on the side...draining my precious free time with a job I don't really need. I had just gotten talking to an 8 year old kid who was just crazy enthusiastic about a certain LEGO Star Wars set. He was just a joy to talk to. I joked about something with my co-worker (who is also technically my boss) and laughed and looked up at the dirty models above me. It used to bug me looking up there, knowing I would have to clean them soon and how much work that is. I don't care about that anymore, it sounded like it could be fun. I then looked at the store. Sure, a lot has changed about it since 1999 but it still has the same feel and it made me forget about the stupid things that happened earlier in the day. I mean, I've been through just about everything in my adult life while working at this place, and the petty things that happened earlier in the day would be worked out too. I smiled and went over to a kid looking at one of the displays to say 'hi' and ask him if he liked castle stuff. I was positive it would be a good thing.

Because I know how to do it...and right now anything I know for certain makes me happy, because it one less thing I need to figure out.