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Blogging tendencies are what drive me to writing today.

As most of you lovely readers know, I work at Jo Ann Fabrics and Crafts in Orem, Utah.

It is a splendid place of business home to some local celebrities and all around stupendous people. I am one such celebrity. Not everyone who has been privileged enough to encounter me knows me by name, or can tell you that I've died my hair three times in the last year, have a family that lives in Hong Kong, and that I'm majoring in English Education... some of them can. That is irrelevant and besides the point. Ask nearly anyone who has shopped there in the last year if they know the employee who sings and they will more often than not know exactly who I am, sans name and details.

I enjoy my job. Not because working retail is a dream ( it's not...) or because I get paid an awesome hourly wage (Yeah right!). I love it because I can do anything I want whenever I want. I can be funny, gloomy, excited, enthusiastic, mean, lovely, witty, charming, insane, and so many more, all in one shift. I don't have to ever be tied down to any certain emotion. I can check people out quickly or slowly, make things complicated or difficult... whatever. No one knows me personally so no one knows if this is typically just how I am or not.

Closing shifts are my favorite. Once it hits 8pm, the store is mine. If you come into my store an hour before we close, you are subject to all things Abby. I sing without restraint after 8:00 and there is not stopping me until I clock out and get in my car. It is a frequent thing to hear on the radio after we lock the doors for the night, "Alright, Abby, what musical are we doing tonight?"

And so it begins. We sing and dance, twirl and prance. We work in there as well. Putting away fabric and crafting goods has never been so much fun before, I'm sure. We hide behind corners and jump out and scream, we mock and we poke fun at every employee around.... even some that are not around. Phantom of the Opera, Man of La Mancha, Singing in the Rain, Newsies, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Music Man, Into the Woods, Les Miserables, you name it... we sing it.

Someday I'm going to be on Broadway. I can feel it in my bones. Not for my amazing vocal abilities or my stunning acting skills, but for my reputation. Who wouldn't want to see The Singing Jo Ann's Girl from Orem, Utah? I imagine that my debut on Broadway will be in a few years when My roommates and I have finished writing, Fabric Talks Too : A Jo Ann's Musical. Look for it on the billboards. It will feature debuting performances from Abby Holyoak and many more up and coming vocalists. Until then, come stop by around 8pm on just about any given week night. I'll be there. And I'll be singing. My name tag might not say Abby on it, but you'll know me when you hear me.

Goodnight, dear void.