Howdy Ya'll

How's everypony doing? Good? Great! I got news and the news is that I have recently been made a manager at the video game store I work at. Ain't that great? I have power now! I mean, who's crazy enough to give me power!? HA! My store manager and I did have a very long conversation though, but, before I regale you with that, I will unleash onto thee a bit of my ramblings.

Now, like many Bronies here, or at least I imagine many of us fall under this specific category, many of us have jobs. In this day and age, starting a job when you are in your teens is a vital part of growing up. Well, at least that's my view on it.

Even if the job you have right now is not your dream job, or simply a means towards an end to achieving your dream job. Having a job teaches you to be self-reliant, how to work with others, and the value of the sweat on your brow. Some may have simple easy jobs and other may have extremely demanding jobs. A job can be as simple as flipping hamburgers (No offense to anypony) to performing heart surgery. The thing is, that no matter what job you do or for whatever purpose you are doing it for, the main thing that you learn is to be responsible for yourself and for your actions.

Not to sound like an old man with his rambles, and I don't say this with the intention to insult or insinuate anything about anypony that reads this... But I feel that that is one thing that is lacking in today's youth as well as young adults. Responsibility.

Since I was young, and I mean early teens, I learned the hard way that your actions, even small ones, can have a direct impact not only on yourself, but on those around you. My motto since then has been that "What's done is done and cannot be undone" which is pretty basic in its meaning. You are "responsible" for your actions, either physical or verbal, and must accept and handle to the best of your ability and beyond what those actions bring about. There are no take-backs in life.

Now, I am an easy going individual who is down to earth, likes to joke around, act like a goof and goof around, and above all likes to have fun. Honestly, its rare to find those kind of characteristics mixed in with responsibility, or at least in my experience it has been.

Given all that though, I know I am not perfect. I never ever claimed to be perfect (although between you and I, I am damn near god like... What? What's with that look?). I have made a lot of mistakes, big and small. But, no matter the consequences, either economic or physically or emotionally painful, I have done my best to be responsible.

It has not been easy, but, I guess I have always taken comfort in knowing that I am only responsible for myself since I am single and do not have children. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the conversation I had with my manager when I was promoted was somewhat... concerning and worrisome...but entertaining with my usual flare.

Manager - "Come on to the back Chonico. We need to discuss something."

Me - "I'm sorry I ate your pudding and I'll go to the store and get you one right now."

Mngr - "...What?"

Me - "Whoops"

Mngr - "Seriously?"

Me - "What? No! I was considering it and wanted to gauge your reaction."

Mngr - "..."

Me - "Still in the mini-fridge, you have my word."

Mngr - *sigh*

-In the back room-

Mngr - "Okay, I spoke to the District Manager about you becoming a Manager here."

Me - "Seriously? I thought we were just joking around about that?"

Mngr - "What? Why? Where you joking around?"

Me - "No, but considering I talked to you about it like 5 months ago... I thought you were just leading me on."

Mngr - "..."

Me - "I'm sorry, please continue."

Mngr - "God I hate you sometimes..."

Me - "I love and tolerate you too boss."

Mngr - *odd stare* "Right, anyway, congratulations..." *hand shake* "You are now our 4th key-holder."

Me - "Awesome! Now the managers of this store are at full rank. What level up power do we get?"

Mngr - "..."

Me - "You know? Video game store? Leveling up? Skill points to distribute?..."

Mngr - "Yeah, okay, we just have a few things to discuss."

Me - "Okay."

Mngr - "First off, you are one of my best non-manager employees... Even if I do hate you sometimes."

Me - "Love and tolerate boss... Love and tole-"

Mngr - "Shut up... Point is, I never have to worry about you when you are out there. You do what you have to do. I don't have to challenge you or dangle a prize in from of you to make you do your job. I ask and you do it. You are honorable, honest, and responsible about your work. I like that."

Me - "Well thank you! You do an awesome job too!"

Mngr - "But, there are some concerns about you being a manager."

Me - "... I want my compliment back."

Mngr - "Too bad... Listen, there are three things I want to talk to you about. First off, I know I don't have to worry, but becoming a manger has a way to go to some people's heads. I know you will treat everyone with respect and use your best judgment because I've seen you do it even when people don't deserve it."

Me - "You have my word I will not fall to the darkside."

Mngr - *sigh* "Please take this seriously. I just want to know I won't regret it."

Me - "Don't worry, its my coping mechanism. I'm just giddy with excitement. Plus, did Albert Einstein regret the atomic bomb?"

Mngr - "..."

Me - "Right, bad example. How about -"

Mngr - "Shut up... I forget who I'm talking to. Actually, that brings me to my second point which is that you don't have a filter."

Me - *looks at coffee machine and box of coffee filters next to it*

Mngr - "Don't you dare... Look, listen, half the time you say really random odd things and I honestly don't know how to react. Good thing though, you know when to stop. If not, one of us would have already hit you."

Me - "Okay, I'm confused, not having a filter simply means you say hurtful things without consideration, right?"

Mngr - "You're right, I don't know where I was going with that. Guess I was trying to sugar coat it. Listen, you are a rambling loon. Better?"

Me - "Touchy..."

Mngr - "Store manager privileges. Look, since we are about to start hiring for seasonal help, I just want to make sure you won't cause them too much discomfort with your odd ramblings, okay?"

Me - "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Mngr - "... Seriously?"

Me - "Seriously."

Mngr - "Fine, I'll take it. Third thing. Like I said, you are responsible. Thing is, as a manager, you are responsible for everyone else as well."

Me - "I kind of expected that, yes."

Mngr - "If they mess up, it reflects on you. If they want to keep their job, you have to make sure they do their job. If not, you and they will loose their job. Understood? Your job is now to make sure they do their job. If they mess up, you need to call them on it and coach them. I want you to turn them into more "comprehensible" version of you. Got that?"

Me - "Uh... huh..."

Mngr - "What? No witty remark?"

Me - "No, its just... I was expecting what you just said. Me being responsible for them. Just, now that its actually happening and its sinking in... I'm a little bit freaked out to be honest."

Mngr - "Heh, who knew that's all I had to do to throw a wrench in your gears." *pats me on the back* "Don't worry, you'll do fine."

Me - "Uh huh, yeah... I could really use a muffin right now."

Mngr - *hands me his pudding from mini fridge* "Congratulations manager."

Me - "I'm still going to have to go get you one from the store, aren't I?"

Mngr - "Yup!"

I am no longer freaking out about being responsible for others. Well, not as much anyways. But I am confident I will do my best to, well, do my best at this.