Scattered throughout downtown Albany, these little Nipper sculptures always make me paws (sorry) and smile for their bit of whimsy. Occasionally, they come with a more pressing message – in this case the ever-pertinent idea that ‘you matter’ – a reminder for anyone who needs a little pick-me-up at a troubling time. We all have struggles, and most of us like to pretend that we don’t. I understand that – sometimes it’s easier to push on through rather than face and possibly falter over something that’s hard to handle. It puts me in the mind of this song by Paramore. For some reason, this harkens to the 90’s tracks that comprised the Structure soundtrack of my retail days (Structure was the precursor to Express Men, for those who were not around then). It also brings me back to that time in my life – starting out with a retail job and wondering what ever would come of a career. And so we travel back to Boston in the mid-to-late 90’s…
I don’t mind
Lettin’ you down easy, but just give it time
If it don’t hurt now, but just wait, just wait awhile
You’re not the big fish in the pond no more
You are what they’re feedin’ on
So what are you gonna do
When the world don’t orbit around you? Ooh, uh, uh
So what are you gonna do
When the world don’t orbit around you?
Ain’t it fun
Livin’ in the real world?
Ain’t it good
Bein’ all alone?
My co-workers at Structure were becoming my friends – or the closest thing I had to friends in that transitional time of our lives. They taught me what it was like to live alone in Boston – where to go, how to act, what to say, how to be – most of it superficial and useless. But we were going through it together, and that felt like all that mattered.
Where you’re from
You might be the one who’s runnin’ things
Well, you could ring anybody’s bell and get what you want
See, it’s easy to ignore trouble
When you’re livin’ in a bubble
While this song came out about twelve years ago, it speaks to life as a twenty-something, when every little obstacle feels like an insurmountable ordeal, and the idea of making a living in any substantial way feels far away. In many respects, that’s one of the sweeter spots in life – that section of not-knowing, that moment when there is only possibility.
So what are you gonna do
When the world don’t orbit around you? Mm, uh, uh
So what are you gonna do
When nobody wants to fool with you? Oh, oh, oh, uh, uh
Ain’t it fun, Livin’ in the real world?
Ain’t it good, Bein’ all alone?
Ain’t it good to be on your own?
Ain’t it fun you can’t count on no one?
Ain’t it good to be on your own?
Ain’t it fun you can’t count on no one?
Ain’t it fun
Livin’ in the real world?
In the way you have to make your own family when there’s none nearby, I leaned into the little retail family of Structure, even as they had their own lives and friend groups. A rainy Sunday morning of inventory was the highlight of my week, as much as everyone else dreaded it, and I stayed in town for the day after Thanksgiving rush that year, deliberately missing a family Thanksgiving at home. It is telling that I made such a choice then.
Don’t go cryin’ to your mama
‘Cause you’re on your own in the real world
Don’t go cryin’ to your mama
‘Cause you’re on your own in the real world
