How Times Have Changed Can Be Profound

It's 110 Outside and so I've stayed hunkered inside except to pick up Kiddos from Work, luckily nearby, so that's only about 10 Minutes of my Time and Energy, I can muster that.  *LOL*  I haven't even had an appetite and have spent most of the day Napping like a Toddler.  Oh, and eating Tapioca Pudding and Gelato, so the total habits of a wayward Child right now.  *Smiles*  That upsets The Son no end, as he would prefer us to be and behave like we're the Responsible Adults of this Three Generation Household of Adults.  *Bwahahaha*  Dream On.  I have waded thru some Photo Archives, as if that actually counts for doing anything remotely productive???  *LOL and Eye Rolls*  Above was my once Color... then B&W {now turned Sepia with Age} Cap & Gown Pix.  That the original Color completely faded out of.  I think it used to be Old School Early 1970's Era Color, which didn't hold up well over Time, then it went to look Black & White as all Color faded from it, now it's Sepia, like it was taken in the 1800's.   But my Cap & Gown was Brown, I was a Bronze complexion, and my Hair was Light Brown... so... not much "Color" contrast anyway... so, whatever...  *Bwahahaha*

I do still have to make a pilgrimage to the Antique Mall to pick up my Check and also pick up that 1920's Loving Cup Trophy my Friend Amy is Gifting me with.  I wanted to Buy it from her but she wanted to Gift it to me instead as a Friendship gesture, she's such a generous and beautiful Soul.  Both of our Husbands have had near Death experiences in 2025 and 2026 and hers is finally having to Retire from his 2nd Civilian Career earlier than he wanted to, due to Health reasons.  He's already Retired Military, he Married Amy when he was Stationed in her Country of the Philippines and this Year she got her American Citizenship after all this time.  Their Kids are Grown and Two of her Four Kids are in the Military.  Below is Amy and her DH, they are the Sweetest Couple and I'm Hopeful his Health improves with Retirement and taking it easier, he's such a terrific Guy.  We've had far too many of our Vendor Friends at the Antique Mall become Widows and Widowers in recent Years.

Amy's Food Porn rivals any I show here on the Ole Blog only she makes hers at Home.  She even makes Gourmet Food Porn to Die For that she prepares like a 5 Star Restaurant for her Animals!!!  I'd eat what she's feeding those Pets, she should Adopt me in fact, I always tell her, I wanna Eat that well!  *LOL*  Her African Tortoise, Rex, she grows Organic Food for at their Farm, he's the most Spoiled Turtle ever and a fine looking Turtle!  Every time she Shares a Pix of Rex he's eating, no wonder he's damned near as big as a Galapagos Turtle now!!!  *Smiles*  Pix of Rex Below, she Photographs him almost as much as her Kiddos, ha ha ha, and he's always got Food hanging out of his Mouth, I wonder if he ever stops eating?!   

  

She Adores that Turtle, he's like her 'Baby'... and she's had him since he was a wee little thing, he'll probably outlive them all... they are longer lived than Humans, often attaining 150 Years!  Even tho' she has Four Grown Kids she has no Grandkids yet and will need that extra Generation, mebbe even Great-Grandkids, to finish Raising Rex!!!  *Ha ha ha*  My Salads never look as ahhhmazing as the ones Amy makes for freakin' Rex!!!  I have Salad Envy of what she prepares for that spoiled rotten Turtle!   And you should see the Gourmet Plates she prepares for the Family Dogs, OMG, it's a gorgeous presentation of a Filipino Feast fit for Human Consumption!!!  *Smiles*  Suffice to say the whole Family eats well, including the Animals coz she's such an amazing Culinary Jedi.  She's started Photographing her Food on FB after she saw me doing it all the time.   So now we Compete for the Best Food Porn Pixs.  *Smiles and Winks*

And if you think it's hard to Believe a Turtle's Food Porn Presentation is that good and I'm perhaps exaggerating and being Hyperbolic, I'm not! Rex's last Four Meals looked like this {See Above}!!!  I would totally eat any of that myself, I Kid you NOT!!!  That's how the Turtle's Meals are Presented to him!!!   And even when she's Photographing other Meals she makes, I have to ask her, Seriously, Amy, was this for your Husband and Kids... or for the Dogs... coz I can't freakin' tell the difference!!!  The Dogs Food looks just as good and is Presented just as Artfully as she Serves it up for her Family!!!   She once made Filipino Meat Skeweres for the Dogs!   It's all literally fit for Human Consumption!   Now, to be Fair, Amy grew up in abject Poverty with a Grandmother who Raised her in the Philippines, they stripped Gold and Copper from Wiring to Feed themselves.  So the abundance that is America she says she can never say enough Praise about or be more Grateful for!   When even an Animal can eat this good in America if it has a Family attaining and Living the American Dream.  My Welsh and Mexican Relatives say the same thing.

  

Okay, so she told me the Two above were for the Humans in the Family... I wanted to come right over then and join them.  *LOL and Winks*   Below is how little Rex was when she got him... smaller than a set of Car Keys!!!   And Below that, one of her Dog's Meals, which she put as just a Snack in their Puzzle Bowl to make it more Interesting!   I ain't kidding, them Animals are all spoiled rotten, she's an excellent overindulgent Pet Parent and dotes on them all, her Family, her Pets and her Friends, we're all spoiled by Amy.  *Smiles*   I've enjoyed Sharing Amy's amazing Food Porn and her Beloved Tortoise Pixs.  Rex is perhaps the most Photographed African Tortoise ever.  She does Videos of Rex!  He could be an Online Sensation and Celebrity with more Followers than any of us and go Viral... mebbe end up on The Food Network, Showcasing his Daily Meals!?   Hosted by Guy Fieri or Bobby Flay as "The Best Of Phoenix", and get his own Show?!  *LOL*

Speaking of Shows we watched an "American Pickers" Marathon of Episodes, some Older, some Newer, about half I'd not seen before that I can recall.  I look like a novice Collector compared to most of the folks they Picked.  One Guy had a 200,000 sf Historic Warehouse in Spokane, Washington, filled to the brim with his Architectural Salvage and Collections he'd amassed.  Then he bought an Old Two Block sized High School in Tombstone, Arizona too!  He not only had quantity, he had quality.  He'd clearly paid up for most of it so his resale margins were slim, but damn, he'd Rescued a lot of the Primo Stuff not just Nationally, but, Internationally as well.  I enjoyed even watching the Episodes I knew I had seen before.  Spending time with some of the Collectors would be great even if you bought nothing from them.

I've been corresponding more with my Paternal Uncle's Youngest Daughter, whose on the far Right of this 1966 Photo of her with the Older Sister and Older Brother.  He Died last Year and had been a Tracker in the Marine Corps. during the Vietnam Era, then went back to live on the Rez.  I have some minimal contact with the Older Female Cousin, her Younger Sister is my Age tho'.  We don't have much in common, we had far different lives of coarse, they all still live on the Rez and the Younger Cousin was Married at Age 13!  Not unusual even for my Generation in Indigenous Culture.  Our Paternal Grandmother had also been Married at Age 13.  Which meant their Kids weren't much apart in Age than they were as Child Brides and my Cousins Kids are way Older than mine.   She's been a Widow a long time, and already Lost one of her Four Kids, a Daughter.  Her Son, who she had at Age 13, is also in poor Health, she may outlive him too.  Mortality is much higher than the Average American among Indigenous.

 Girl's being Married or having Children when they're still Children is super Creepy and Wrong to me, it was even back then, I'm glad it's illegal in most States.  Except the really backwards ones.  But even in my Mom's Country and in her Era, most Women were Married at 15 or 16 back then.  My Mom waiting until she was 21 to Marry, and my Dad waiting until he was 23, was almost unheard of and frowned upon.  I recall my Welsh Grandparents saying they didn't think she'd ever Marry becoz she was so "Old"!!!   Of coarse my own Parents felt that way about me too, coz I didn't even Marry the 1st time until I was 28!  *LOL and Winks*  My Brother was a Teen Groom, Marrying a Teen Bride, in his 1st Marriage, both were way too Young.   So his Oldest and my Youngest were only Three Months apart in Age.  Now in North Wales the Average Age of Marriage is 35 {Women} and 38 {Men}, in the U.S. it's 28 {Women} and 30 {Men}, which has swung in the other far direction.  That's kinda Old to even be having Children for the first time by then.

  It's my Brother's Oldest Son trying to make Contact with him now after his Son and I spoke.  His Son agrees, his Parents were way too Young and just Kids themselves, not up to the Job of Parenting.  His Son waited until he was 35 to Marry the 1st time, he already had Fathered his Two Children tho', by his current Wife, a Son and a Daughter.  I told him only Two of his Three Cousins have never Married.  Only our Oldest Daughter has ever Married and she was a Teen when she had her 1st Child.  The Daughter had The Young Prince when she and his Dad were Teens too, all too Young IMO.  Our Oldest Daughter's Husband is about 6 Years Older than her and Adopted her Oldest Daughter, whose not his, but, they waited until she was over 18 to Marry and have the other Two Daughters.  I haven't asked again whether my Brother and his Son connected, at least each tried to, so, that was encouraging to me.  That they even were receptive to the Idea.  I had Found, then called, his Oldest Son out of the Blue, he didn't even know me or that he had a Paternal Aunt, and he's 40.

*******

How times have changed even in our Lifetimes can be profound... Dawn... The Bohemian

 

Stagflation

 

Well, I've got to call my Antique Mall this Morning and file a Complaint, coz on Monday they Sold a $30 Collectible 1994 Alice In Wonderland Barbie out of our Locked Case and only charged the Customer $3!!!  Of coarse the Customer didn't say anything, and whatever Cashier rang it up didn't catch their error either by omitting a Zero, which can be an Honest Mistake and not Intentional, but I expect the Mall to reimburse me the $27 Error they made coz the Product is now long gone and that Customer isn't likely to come back and pay it!  I'm not Eating the Loss.  

They have to keep the Tags on all Sales and those Collectible Barbies had Large oversized Sales Tags clearly marked with the Correct Price twice, large and unmistakable.  Plus, along with $30 written out large I also always on every Tag Write Out the Amount in a Word too, so it would also have said "Thirty" on the Tag, so a Cashier nor a Customer could alter the Price Tag and get away with it.  Mistakes can happen, but they need to make good on THEIR Mistakes to the Vendor who takes a substantial Loss due to their errors.  I Sold a lot of my Collectible Dolls that Day that were more expensive and out of our Locked Case.

I don't want Drama or a Headache about it either, sometimes they will try to claim Vendors have to Eat any Losses we have.  If someone Steals it, or breaks it, then we do, but if it's a Cashier's Error on the Sale of it, I stand firm that their Hired Help messed up and that's then their liability and on them to put Right!  Tag Switching is harder to get reimbursement on coz a Cashier can't honestly always tell that's been done, even some alterations are pretty Smooth when someone is good at altering Tags.  It's why I Write the Number AND the Word of the Amount on my Tags and always have.  Staff know this about me, so can't claim they couldn't Read both a Number or a Word.  One or the other would and should make it clear what the Price is.

So, that's how I'm starting my Wednesday Morning, dammit!  With a Problem to Solve.  Shit.  Like I Need more problems or battles, Right? *LOL*   I finally cleared up most Battles with our Insurance and Medical stuff... I'm still waiting on full reimbursement from a Credit Card Company that my Account got hacked and someone was using it that I contested, coz it wasn't me.  They reimbursed some of the $600 this Thief Charged, but not all of it yet.  The Card was immediately Cancelled and Re-Issued, I only had one legit Charge on it during that Period, which I told them that Charge was me and Fine to Charge me for. 

 It was a significant Charge I'd made, I rarely use the Card and the Credit Card Company knows and can see that History.  And the other fraudulent Charges were numerous yet Small amounts that just added up to a lot.  So they'd avoided detection by CitiBank alerting me of fraudulent use, which isn't uncommon for Hackers to do that to get away with their Scam longer and for perhaps a whole Billing Cycle.   Since I verified the largest Charge as being my own, I was entirely Believable and had never done Business with any of the Small Charge Companies ever, so that was Telling too, they were all on the East Coast and I'm on the West Coast.  

Most of my Purchases are Local, with very few exceptions, all the fraudulent small Charges totaling around $600 were out of New Jersey, where the Perp may live, if they trace it back to them.  And all were Online Purchases, not made from my Computer or Cellphone, so easier to trace back by their Fraud Dept..  I'm not paying for fraudulent purchases.  If a Hacker is out of the Country it's harder to pursue, but I think this one was in America and Younger, by what was Purchased and who they do Business with.  Some were like Credit Restoration {which I don't Need the Service of, I have excellent Credit}, others were those Porn Hub sites {don't Need that either, LMAO}.  So, some horny Young Male Criminal Hacker with Bad Credit, I presume?  *Bwahahaha*  But, it's a Pain in the Ass to Deal with and run damage control behind being Victimized by these Criminal Assholes.

The Rep at CitiBank laughed that I had somewhat a Wicked Sense of Humor about describing the Perp Negatively, but probably accurately.  Well, they Needed THEIR Credit Restored, so there's a Clue as to Who they are.  The Credit Restoration Company should be able to tell you whose requesting the Credit Restoration Services.  *Eye Roll, some Thieves aren't all that Smart or Clever as they Think they are!*  In fact, when I Worked at the DA's Office, frankly, the really Smart and Clever Criminals are the Exception, not the Rule.  There's a lot more Stupid folk out there committing Crimes actually and why so many of them aren't that difficult to catch or Prosecute.  Unless it's a Syndicated Crime Ring, those can be really difficult to take down... for obvious reasons.

Well, at 9:00 a.m. when our Mall Opened I talked to our Manager and he could see the Error and told me he'd take care of it, so, that's a relief.  They'll pull the Tag from Monday's Sales and see it's clearly marked 30 and Thirty, not 3 and Three... not that any 1994 New Old Stock Collectible Character Barbie in it's original Packaging would ever Sell for only Three Dollars anywhere, not even in a Chazza and not even in 1994 when she was Produced!!!  I paid more than that for her.  It was a Disney Exclusive, and tho' a lot of them were Produced, to find one in it's Pristine Unopened Condition is Uncommon, the European Version can even go for $100, but $30 on up is what the American Version goes for in New Old Stock Pristine Condition, which this one was. 

 It Retailed for $30 when it was Released in 1994, so my Price Point was very Good at the original early 1990's Price and I knew she'd easily Sell.  I wasn't trying to find the End Of The Rainbow Customer, I just wanted to Turn a reasonable Profit on my Investment all these Years later when I happened upon her at a Chazza and saw that her price remained stable, she never Lost in Value from 1994, tho' those who paid full price for her in 1994 would be disappointed that they might just break even after holding onto her in Mint Condition for all these Years.  So, she wasn't an Investment for the Original Purchaser on The Buy, which is always where you make your Money, on The Buy.  If Values decrease or don't increase at all, it wasn't an Investment Vehicle for you to make Money on.  And sometimes we Buy without a Thought to the Intention of Resale or parting with it when we made the Purchase..

Most folks pay too much in the first place, so will never get their Money back if and when they Need to get rid of it.  But, "Alice In Wonderland" is a popular Theme for Resale and I think the Japanese Buyers might have purchased all the Collectible Dolls that Sold that Day, they cleaned my Locked Case out of most of them.  They might not have even realized, Buying in bulk, that they hadn't been Charged the right price on her.  I've never had a Japanese Picker ever try to make an Offer, they always pay what the Ask Price is and are decent Buyers, usually repeat Buyers, they used to come every Quarter, but haven't been here since 2018 so it's nice to see them back.  They usually stay a little while, put all their Purchases in Shipping Containers to Export back to Japan, and Travel to various Countries Sourcing Inventory before returning to Japan. 

 So, I wouldn't expect them to come back and tell the Mall, oh, we owe you $27 more, you made a mistake on our large Purchase.   They Trust they got Charged correctly and may not even scrutinize their Receipt and Laundry List of Purchases, they do it all so quickly and efficiently.  It's hard to keep up with them when they come in and sometimes Management will even Assign them an Employee to assist them coz they're Buying so much at once and are in a hurry to Buy Fast and move on to the next location on their itinerary.  Like Princess T said, they were literally RUNNING into their Store and hitting the Racks like it was a Timed Contest!  *LOL* 

 I've seen them drop over Twenty Grand in a matter of Minutes!  They know what they want and are looking for, they don't screw around or haggle.  If your Prices are Correct, and they can still make their Margins in Japan, they will Buy from you all day long.  Certain American Products can fetch a fortune Overseas in many Countries.  My Uncle from Wales used to come with Empty Suitcases and fill them up with Red Line American Levi Vintage Jeans to Resell back Home in North Wales.   Even now in America they can Sell for $200-$800+ these days.  I still look for them, hard to Source these days.  LEVI even puts out Tutorials on how to Identify their Vintage Jeans and the Era made.  It's worth knowing.

It was so Hot Today that anything I thought I might do, I aborted the notion of even doing it and took a long Nap instead.  *LOL and Le Sigh*  I'm not 100% yet or thru with my Antibiotic regimen so I'm just not pushing myself.  I do have to go in to the Antique Mall later Tonight coz my Friend Amy has a Gift for me of an Antique Loving Cup that she won't allow me to Buy from her but wants to give me as a Friendship Gift.  I also have to pick up my Check, it was a pleasant Surprise to know I even had one coz that Pay Period was a rough one.  I only Sold a scant few good pieces and not enuf Smalls I thought I'd even turn a Profit and hoped I didn't Owe. 

 Rents are high everywhere and why a lot of Brick & Mortar Shopping is going away and being replaced by Online Shopping.  Now that Gas is so high too and likely not to go down anytime soon, perhaps even go up more, folks don't wanna commute to Work or to Shop, too expensive an outlay.  I rethink going anywhere now and even Shopping, I don't do if I don't have to do it, coz it's not like I make a point to GO Shopping or spend Money.  I've bought some things lately mostly for Princess T's sake and she pays me back for it.  She has the Money Saved Up, I don't.  Just expenses now pretty much taps me out Month to Month anymore, so there's less discretionary spending.  This is where Stagflation may creep in... Prices Rise while the Economy contracts and stalls.

*******

We will continue to alter our habits as necessity dictates... the Country and Administration will have to then Deal with it... everything they do will have consequences... Dawn... The Bohemian

Strap In We're Going Long Again

Strap in we're going long on this Post, I got a LOT to say and there's no condensing it.  *Winks*   Plus, I decided, why not do a Two-Fer Post kinda day as well, I'm oodles of Unpublished Posts ahead due to being Editorial and Condensing some down in size now.  *Bwahahaha*   VA Nurse Remi just left, as she tended to The Man we talked about Crepes, she ate a lot of them in her Country, so wanted to know where we just had ours this Morning that would be more Authentic.  Then we got to talking about Jams and Jellies, which I'm a total Snob about too, so I understand her criticism that finding International Grade Jams and Jellies is harder here.  She lamented about loving Orange Marmalade and not finding a good brand or quality of it at the ordinary American Grocers.  And that Tariff's have made it more difficult to get International Product in to the U.S. at a decent price point, or at all, now. Well, I have more Jams and Jellies Hoarded Up than any Sane Woman should possess in several Lifetimes, and a penchant for International Foods, so I gave her a Jar of one of my Fav Imported Orange Marmalades.

  She was ecstatic about it and Thanked me profusely, I know she'll like it.  Since Africa was Colonized by the British she said she's always enjoyed British Import Foods, and this was Imported British Orange Marmalade.  It was my Mom's Favorite too, I told her. As she left she said she always feels so Welcome and comfortable in our Home that it's always hard to leave.  That's the highest compliment any Guest to your Home can ever give you and my Parents called it Giving the Gift of Hospitality, which both of their Cultures not only excelled at, but demanded you give to all Guests entering your Home.  It's sadly lacking in Modern Culture now in many places and we should bring it back, it connects and bonds people in a more meaningful way to Extend the Gift of Hospitality.  My Parents almost always gave a Guest a small Parting Gift or Served Food & Refreshments even if it was Hired Help coming.  A little Hospitality goes a long way with anyone.

They may never remember what you Said, but they will always remember how you made them FEEL.  The Human Connection can be a very powerfully Positive thing if you make folks FEEL Good in your Presence.  My Dad always said that Sharing a Meal with anyone is one of the most Intimate and Hospitable of Human Experiences.  And as a Master Chef he said that the Breaking Of Bread with Adversaries would Solve a lot of the World's Issues and Problems between them if they partake of Meals Together more often.  And, as a sidenote, Dad said, if your Adversaries are not at all receptive to Resolutions or Peace with you after a Big Meal you invited them to and extended Gracious Hospitality towards them with Good Intentions... well, then it's easier to Conquer anyone whose recovering and digesting from having a Full Stomach, and decides they won't be Peaceful towards you, so the Strategy either way it goes can have a better Outcome.  *Winks and Laughs*  Dad had Sage Wisdoms imparted like that.  *LOL*

Anyway, I don't know when Princess T gets off Work Today, usually it's earlier coz she goes in an Hour earlier on Tuesdays, but, we never know anymore.  Too many folks have Quit or been Fired, so she said the workload isn't evenly distributed now and she's doing more than just what her Position requires of her now.  She doesn't mind, so long as they don't take Advantage or take her for Granted, tho', I told her usually Employers do, so, just set Boundaries not to be exploited.  If they don't like it, have them to Hire someone who can do the Work better than you then, I know they'd be hard pressed to and so do they really.   Listen, any Employer I ever had knew my Value, I knew my Value and used it as Leverage.  If they could Hire someone better than me, go for it, I wasn't looking for a Job when I found that one... or more often, they found me and made me offers I couldn't refuse to come work for them.  I rarely ever looked for Work, potential Employers looked to Hire me away from where ever I was already working or try to lure me out of Retirement.  *Winks*

Anyway, so, she could be calling anytime after 1:00 p.m. now for pickup.  I may go earlier to look thru the Store coz it's Senior Day and I'm looking for a couple things I Need.  And I may always find something I don't Need too?  *LOL and Winks*   Well, she had to Work Late, so I've got to go back later, Work called for a Shift to fill in for my Friend Crazy Ed, and I always try to accommodate my Friend if he can't make his Shifts for whatever reasons.  So, I accepted the Shift, the comped Rent will be Helpful since Sales are soft right now during Summer.  I did get Princess T some more wonderful Anime Figures from the Locked Case at her Store, she was Delighted coz she wouldn't be able to Buy them yet, they just were put out.  I got a Starbucks Mug for myself, so most of my outlay was for her.  *Smiles, it's a Grandkid Thing*

So, Donnie Two Dolls completely ruined the whole experience of the NBA NY Knicks game, causing increased Security and expense, inconvenience by all the Street Closures on account of his attendance, shutdown of the Events for those who can't afford the ridiculously priced $8,000 to $100,000+ Tickets who are REAL Fans, and priced out of attending... or even getting close... and he fucking fell asleep and left before the end of the 4th Quarter!!!   He's no Fan and NY hasn't been a Fan of his since the 1970's coz they KNOW this Guy and the Negative NY Legacy he has there from way back when.  This could have been something very Positive and he put a Negative Vibe and Black Cloud over all of it, ruining it for True Fans and a City that was really rooting for this Team.  Perhaps the Bad Energy and Vibe he brought with him is why they Lost?  But, then again, it's been like 50 Years of Losing... so...   And, he's ruining the World Cup too, denying some Referees and those Participating Athletes access due to his Racist and Xenophobic Profiling. 

 A Somalian highly Respected long time FIFA Referee was turned away after 11 HOURS of interrogation, even tho' he had everything in Order required... and an Arabic Player was Interrogated for over 7 Hours!  I don't feel Sorry for FIFA tho', they're the ones that gave that ridiculous fake Peace Prize to Donnie Two Dolls, guess that wasn't Bribe, Ass Kissing and Fawning over him enuf, was it?  *Huge Eye Roll*  We're making lousy International Hosts so they should have held the damned thing somewhere else and let any other Country reap the Profits from it, they'd of been better off.  He'll for sure ruin that whole thing too that can bring Countries together if not only for just a Moment for a Sporting Event.  Everything he involves himself in or touches, Dies or is contaminated by his Presence and involvement, and becomes polluted.  He's like the Kiss of Death of anything and anyone that aligns with him.  And his Track Record speaks for itself, he's never changed, he is what and who he's always been, it's no Secret.

I don't know if my Brother and his Oldest Son managed to Connect yet or not, I Hope so.  Playing Phone Tag is always hard, each has at least attempted contact so that's Positive.  It would be nice if they could build upon some Contact eventually made.  We're a long time Dead as my Parents always used to say about never letting the Sun go Down on any Relationship Issues that cause dysfunction or division within interactions with Loved Ones.  LATER:  Work went well, it was all fill-ins again coz none of the folks who work Tuesday Nights had showed up for their Shift!!!   But, it meant I was working with my Friends Yolanda and Brigid again, which is always enjoyable.  Brigid got called in so late to cover for a no-show that she couldn't even get there by 5:00, I don't think the person she was covering for had bothered to call Management to say they weren't coming in?

For a Tuesday it was super busy and people were Buying.  In fact, when I had my Printout for last Pay Period and requested one for this new one, which was only on it's 3rd Day, I was shocked!  I didn't Owe for last Pay Period and it had been abysmal right up to the last Day of it, but, I managed on the last 24 Hours to Sell enuf to be getting a Check!  Nice Surprise.  Nicer still was THIS Pay Period where I made more in the first Two Days of it than I'd made in Two Weeks the Pay Period before!!!  What!!!  A Sunday and a Monday had Sales off the Charts, Monday being the Strongest in probably YEARS, it was so unexpected and ODD.  Mondays typically are slack days in Sales, always, but I'd killed it that Monday and Sold some very expensive quality items. 

 And then I noticed the Demographic in there this Tuesday Night.  For the first time since before Pandemic, we had some International Buyers coming in!!!  Mostly Japanese Pickers and they hadn't been back since 2018!!!  Aha, likely whose in there spending serious Money?  I've missed our International Customers, mostly they're wealthier Tourists or International Pickers.  And perhaps some are in the Country for the FIFA World Cup?  Even tho' it's being Hosted on the East Coast, I have to speculate it is attracting International Visitors coz it is a Big Deal and World Event.  And even in spite of our ridiculous Immigration fiasco going on making it so hard to come to the U.S. even as a Visitor or Tourist, PERHAPS some got thru to be here???  Speculation on my part, but interesting that all of a sudden some long absent Money is being spent and coming in and I noticed a lot of International Customers who've been conspicuous by their absence since this Regime got into Power and gave America a soiled ugly Global Reputation. 

 When I told Princess T this Morning on her way in to Work, about the Japanese Pickers being back, she said, Yeah, they came RUNNING into our Store too Gramma, Yesterday, a bunch of Asian Men!   And I told the Staff, when they asked who those Guys were and why are they Running like they have such Urgency to Buy, that I think those are the Pickers my Gramma always talks about!?   Coz she said it alarmed Staff at first, thinking it a Gang of Smash and Grab Robber People.  *LOL*   And she said they had a Moving Van in the Parking Lot and were filling it up with Merch and spent a ton of Money.  *Smiles, Yep, they do that and they do fill it!!!*  She had told Staff that she knew from me telling her, that they haven't been back since before Pandemic, so they probably Need a lot of Inventory.  She wasn't Wrong and now I'm sure if was the same Crew that hit our Mall and spent a lot of Money there too.  *Ha ha ha*  

Now, that said we all Hated waiting on One Customer that Night and I knew the Old White Guy, looking very 'Duck Dynasty' in appearance, even before I saw the Front or Back of his Camouflage Hat, was MAGA and Confirmed it!  *LOL*  He looked like the Poster Child for MAGA and it had TRUMP Embroidered in White across the Front and even the Back of said Green Camo Cap.  He had Camo everything on, like he was in a Militia.  And since we're a State that allows Conceal and Carry, I did scan his Ass for a Weapon, just in case.  *Ruh Roh and Eye Roll*  At first he appeared pleasant, that switched almost instantly, especially for Yolanda, whose Hispanic, and he caught at Attitude with right away, even tho' she's the Sweetest Woman and very Customer Service Oriented.  The MAGA Movement really have Targeted the Hispanic Community to project all their Anger, Blame, and Hatred upon, that's for sure.  Even if they aren't Immigrants, it seems to matter not, the Die Hardest MAGA Blame them for damned near everything they're Mad about!!!  Yolanda didn't deserve to be Exposed to that shit! 

 She quietly came and asked me if I noticed the Vibe and Energy was "Off" on that Customer?  I Laughed and said, well, Yeah, Duh... his Politics are OBVIOUS in more ways than just the HAT!  *Bwahahahaha*  She then Laughed nervously and asked if we'd wait on him, coz he made her feel very uncomfortable and he scared her, we took one for the Team and did, even tho' by then I was catching quite the Bad Vibe and Energy off the Old Man too.  *Le Sigh*  Listen, I can be Professional enough that even if you're a problematic douchebag Asshole of a Customer, I can be stoic but civil with you and do my Job, but he was a True TEST lemme tell ya!!!  Most who are still Die Hard MAGA are tho', without exception, and I've come to Terms with that Fact.  They aren't Good People or they wouldn't Align with such an abhorrent Leadership, even if they can be Nice People, to who they CHOOSE to be Nice towards.  The Character and level of Basic Humanity is Off, it's not even so much about the Politics anymore, it's way more Serious, abhorrent and depraved than that.

I mean, this can still be the Wild, Wild West sometimes, but let us just TRY to Act like it's 2026, and that we're more Civilized and Evolved, shall we?   Just fucking TRY!!!  It's not such a Big Ask!!!  *Eye Roll*  He became a difficult Customer almost immediately, we were swamped busy, everything going to Last Call on the Locked Cases, and he was a Time Waster Looky Lou of Coins.  Shit!!!  He wanted to handle every Silver Dollar Coin and Kennedy Half Dollar in a Case.  Then complain it was too high priced, or "Washed", yet still scrutinize it after saying that EVERY FUCKING TIME, with his Magnifier and Light AS IF he was ever gonna Pay a Price he'd already said was Too High!!!  He then began complaining that it probably wasn't even Real Silver, oh shit, a Conspiracy Theorist MAGA, one who Imagines fake everything, including U.S. Currency Coins now apparently!!?  Jesus, Joseph and Mary... and he was Imagining everything was faked, in every Case, every Coin, what would be the Odds?  I mean, Seriously? 

 Fakes exist, they always have, but, not in that volume. EVERYTHING isn't counterfeit or faked, or a damned Conspiracy Theory.   I'm sure he's an Election Denier too, any Election they LOST of course, only the ones they WON would not have been Stolen or Rigged.  *Bigger Eye Roll*  Coz that makes Zero Sense, but it's all so Nonsensical with MAGA, and their "Alternative Truth" is what they cling to desperately, it's all they've got.  Even tho' something not True, with no Proof or Evidence, usually means IT IS THE LIE or fabrication, or you've been Played, but, whatever, the Brainwashed and Indoctrinated are a complete Lost Cause not worth Salvaging.  *Le Sigh*   And every time this Guy opened his Mouth, his Politics were showing, so, I acted more like a Deaf Mute towards him as the Night wore on and finally HOURS later he left without Buying a damned thing.

  Just making other Real Customers inconvenienced and having to wait a long time while he wasted Staff time and acted ignorant and malcontent.  And either oblivious of how it comes across, or intentionally Wanting to be, and enjoy being problematic to everyone?  Hard to say.   I seriously think something is inherently Wrong with most in that Cult, I really do.  Deep in their Souls there HAS to be some inner turmoil, defect, and torment going on!!!  It's just abnormal and too Weird how they are. And Thankfully, the MAGA paraphernalia wearing ones are scarcer to be seen out and about these days.   Thanks be to God, coz I couldn't take it if they were still swarming everywhere and you couldn't avoid one every day.   And risk it ruining your day and everyone else's. *Whew and Winks*

 But when you do run into one, it's predictable how they will just ACT now, very predictable, not even concealed anymore.  I'd liken it to someone KKK wearing their Sheet all the time, or a Nazi wearing their Swasticka, even if just in their consistent Behavior and how they converse in Public.  There's no Shame anymore being what and who they just ARE to their Cores now.  It disgusts me, I find it revolting and alarming, and my tolerance for them is at Zero, it really is, I don't even like exposure to that kind of Person.  I was so glad when he left, but he was there most of the Night and didn't leave soon enough.  I'd say he had hung around only the Locked Cases, which doesn't take Three Hours to move thru for anyone, bothering and being a bother for a good Three Hours of our Four Hour Shift, dammit.  Malingering ridiculously at any Case with anything Silver or a Coin in it!!!   Which if you're a Serious Buyer I'll not mind how long you need to take, but Looky Lous can Waste an incredible lot of Time at such Cases!  Usually pretending they know more than they do, as if you'll be Impressed or wanna listen to them drone on.  *LOL*

 He seemed to have a Fixation on Silver.  Not that he was Buying any mind you.  The Younger Man with him had been Quiet, and no problem, and looked a bit embarrassed by the Older Man, he at least bought some small thing while there, somewhere in the Mall.  By then everyone had been exposed to and had to endure the Old MAGA Dude, that was Working that Night, and ALL of the Staff was like, "What was Wrong with THAT Guy?"  Coz he'd been problematic at the Registers too even tho' he wasn't Buying anything.  And had made Lowball Offers that definitely weren't getting accepted or countered, coz they were not serious Offers. My Gallow's Humor kicked in, so my response was, "I dunno, but the Hat, the Hat pretty much incapsulated what was Wrong with him, is the short answer, going deeper would take a fucking Psychiatrist or Psychologist evaluation to go deep into those Weeds!  We Need to Sage that Shit!!!"  *Bwahahahahaha*  

My Co-Workers were like, "Dawn, you're hilarious!"   Yeah, I guess I can be... we have to view this Craziness in the World with a Balanced Attitude of Concerns and Dark Gallow's Humor, to get thru it Emotionally and Mentally intact my Friends.  And it is quite the Balancing Act these days, I ain't gonna pretend it isn't.  The Circus came to Town and the Big Tent and Sideshow is presently being erected in front of the White House... it's the Biggest Trashiest Shitshow on Earth!!!   And their Diapered Demented Ringmaster is completely Wheels Off his damned Rails.  *Winks*   And now here America is and we better brace for these Midterms, coz, I foresee some real contentious shit happening when the Red lose bigly. They're already doing their setup for pretending everything is rigged AGAINST them, even tho' they're the ones doing all the rigging going on and blatantly so with Voter interference tactics, redistricting, threats and intimidation, Gerrymandering.  

 Becoz they desperately wanna hold onto Power and know the majority of Voters are not Happy with them, Polls look bleak for them, Approval Ratings are the worst in History for any President ever.  Americans know they're suffering needlessly and this Administration is the reason why.  Can't keep blaming Uncle Joe or Obama anymore.  Gotta Own it or Fix it... and the latter ain't happening coz they've outright said they do not Care about any Hardships they've Created Economically for the Peons they have nothing but contempt for and are grifting and robbing blind.  And before there's nothing left the American People as a Collective better all be fucking Woke and not staying Asleep or deceived and in delayed denial.  Or they'll have nothing left to protect, it will be GONE, all of it, and we will all, the 99%, be up Shit's Creek without a Paddle as the 1% speed off with it all on their Mega Yachts, saying what Suckers we all were.  And this was the biggest and boldest Heist in Modern American History!!!  Only Paling in comparison to Stealing the whole Country from the Indigenous.  America isn't ONLY 250 Years Old, People were here for Thousands of Years before...

*******

America is taking one to the Chin... Dawn... The Bohemian