Newton's 3rd Law Of Motion

 For every Action there is usually an Equal and Opposite Reaction in Life... Newton's 3rd Law Of Motion.  Forces ALWAYS come in Pairs.  A Force never happens by itself.  Sometimes I just contemplate random stuff like that.  Today was a productive day, tho' I've re-written this Post twice, coz I rambled again and it wasn't a Good Read and I just sounded Crazy.  I got everything into Inventory at the Antique Mall and Socialized a bit with Friends there.  One of the Paid Staff just had a Baby Girl, born with a serious Heart Defect tho', that took major Surgery at only 6 Days Old, she's still Hospitalized but moving in the Right direction Thankfully.  I couldn't even Imagine.  Every Night after Work he goes to Phoenix Children's Hospital to stay with her until 2:00 in the Morning.  He and the Wife then switch out coz they have another Child at Home who is Grade School Aged.  Life has so many Issues sometimes.

They wanted me to Work this Weekend coz it's a Sale Weekend.  But I'm already doing Friday Night and felt taking on the Weekend too may just be Too Much, so I just said I'd think about it.  I try to pace myself, tho' that much comped Space Rent is tempting due to flat Sales so far at the beginning of this Pay Period.  I feel conflicted sometimes on how much is Too Much or Just Enough, you know?  My Friend Crazy Ed was working his Night Shift and we talked for quite some time, coz it wasn't busy and tho' folks were in the Mall, clearly they weren't Buying coz no Merch was being held up behind the Counter.   Ed says it's been like that for Days now, just Looky Lous and folks making a mess.  I spent quite a while tidying our Showroom again, it took me less time to put everything into Inventory than it did to clean up after the piggish Visitors. 

 I won't say Customers, coz I've only Sold Three Small things since the Pay Period began on Sunday, it was Wednesday Night!  The Mess Makers aren't necessarily Buying a damned thing.  Whaddya gonna do, the Economy is in the shitter and a host of folks are just messy Non-Buyers, not the Ideal Combo for Retail Sales.   But I took some Pixs and when I left the Showroom looked good and I stocked the Locked Case up too with Fresh Merch, all Body Parts Crossed it stimulates Trade?  The Son is being sent to another DOLLAR TREE for a Shift Tomorrow to help them out with the Department he works at his own Store to get it Organized better.  It's really not far from where we live either, but not exactly easy Walking Distance so I'll take him and pick him up.  He's Walked that far before, and could do it, but I told him it's just easier for me to take him there for that location about a Mile or so away. 

It gives him more Hours than his location has available, so at least his Boss is helping with recommending him for more Hours at some of the other closer locations if he can get there.  She knows he doesn't have his own Transportation, so he told her he'd ask me if I could provide it, and when I agreed, he accepted the Shift offered.   He has to be there at 5:00 a.m., they're preparing that Store location for doing Inventory, his Store already finished theirs.  Since they're highly recommending him already that's a Positive Sign.   He's trying to do better and that's all I can ask of him, at Work he's exemplary, on his Personal Time he Isolates a lot and Drinks too much, having trouble with Moderating intake of Alcohol.  His Sister does a better job of Moderation, limiting herself to Two Mike's Hard to take the Edge off and Cope with the Torment of her Mental Illness.  

I recommended he try to limit himself to do the same, to Two of his Voodoo Rangers to take his Edge off and Cope with his Mental Illness.  We'll see how it goes?  He won't take Psyche Meds anymore, they always try to put him on too many and of coarse there's no Cure for being Bipolar, having Adult ADHD, or being Autistic, which is his burden to bear for Life, and he gets depressed, hopeless and angry about that.  He tends to project that anger outwards when he drinks too much and gets too far inside his own Head.  So, I told him, don't try to get yourself kicked out, becoz I don't tolerate drunken behavior, it's a Trigger for me and a self-preservation measure to not have anyone whose drank too much or is High on anything except MJ around me.  

If you partake of some Weed, I have no problems with you... but Sobriety is a difficult Journey for anyone dependent upon Alcohol or Drugs and Copes with Life by the use of either or both.  Both Adult Kids got Clean from Drugs quite a few Years ago, but the Alcohol has been much harder for them.   I don't Drink and I don't partake of any addictive Drugs either, so I just don't want someone else who does and has a problem with it around me to where it Negatively impacts me and my Home Life.   The Kiddos all know, they're Grown, and I can't tell them how to Live Life, but if they can't abide by my House Rules in our Home, then they will have to make other Living Arrangements.  It's not an unreasonable request for any Adult to abide by or respect and it's non-negotiable.

Anyway, so he's working on Moderating his Drinking so that our Arrangement can continue without termination.  He's a lot of Help around here and he knows we need the Help and he needs a place to live and that is so close to Work he can Walk there and Home.   So, it's a good Arrangement he couldn't beat anywhere.  There is no affordable Housing, period, and he knows very few Single folks anymore, all his Friends are Married with Families or have Girlfriends and Kids.   So it's not like when you're a Younger Adult or Teen and can find decent other Single Roommates to share expenses with and cohabitate to make Life affordable.  Multigenerational Living with Family is about the only way to go now for most Single Younger Adults, Middle Aged Single Adults, and Older Adults now on Fixed Incomes or who require some Assistance to Maintain and Keep in their own Homes.   Se la vie in America 2026.

I have a New Neighbor in the large Booth directly across from my Showroom, I don't think they'll make it tho', I can tell already.  They don't have enough Inventory and what they have is Meh Underwhelming Inventory that I'd pass on if it was at a Yard Sale and really not even look at.  They're wasting a lot of the Booth's Space, it's a large Booth and with what they have, and how they have it, they could have and should have Rented a much Smaller less Expensive Booth instead IMO.  They've set it up long enuf now that if they had anything else to put in it, I'm thinking they already should have, but haven't.  The only good thing about them Renting that Space is it's so empty that I can park my Cart there while I'm bringing my Merch in and it isn't blocking the Aisle.  It's not blocking anything in their Booth either, coz, well, the Space isn't utilized well enuf to have a Cart be in the way of a damned thing. 

 And I've yet to see a Shopper even not just walk by it without so much as a glance.  If I added up the Price of what they do have For Sale, even if they Sold 100% of it, they still wouldn't cover just their Rent!   I have to Wonder if some folks can even do Basic Math not to run the Numbers and see that with the Cost per Square Foot, and what they have For Sale, it just doesn't Square.  And what they have For Sale, matters... and what they expect to Sell it for matters.   Has ANY Thought gone into any of it, any Strategy, any Idea of Value of what they have?  It's hard to have your Finger on the Pulse of the randomness of Shoppers selections these days, to be sure, but when I see a Space with no Appeal whatsoever and looks Clueless, I just know it will be a quick Tenant Turnover.  They are fortunate it's low Risk and Month to Month Rental with no Lease required.   So that if they quickly see they're not gonna make it, they can Tap Out and put in their Notice to Vacate.

Anyway, we had a slew of Move Outs and now some Newbies coming in. And some of the New Vendors are Good ones and I do Hope they do well and remain, they have decent Inventory and Showcase it well.   There is always a huge Turnover during Spring and Summer Months, which are the most difficult Seasons to get thru and Turn a Profit.  The Tourists and Snowbirds leave and don't return 'til Fall.   And we still don't have the International Visitors we used to Welcome, some returned during NASCAR and the WORLD CUP recently, so that was encouraging.  But now he's slapped more Tariffs and made Visiting America even more difficult, unwelcoming, Xenophobic, and Crazy for Foreigners from any Country, even Allied Countries!!! 

 So, I wouldn't blame the International Community for going somewhere else rather than coming to America for Visits or Vacays to spend their Money.  Our best Trading Partners Abroad are being treated like shit by this Administration.  And even American Businesses being Shaken Down. So why should they do Business with us either or have a Business here rather than somewhere else?  Small Businesses in particular are really having a very difficult time staying Solvent and not being reimbursed for any of the Illegal Tariffs imposed and they Paid already that Courts ordered Restitution of.   Shoppers will never be Refunded what was Illegally imposed, but I doubt Small Businesses will ever get what's Owed them either, frankly.  And even tho' deemed Illegal, it's still being done and just hiking some of the percentiles now against some Countries.  It's all Extortion and Transactional Pay to Play now basically, Shake Downs and total Corruption and Illegal Practices.   

The Rule of Law and any Decency clearly means Nothing anymore when Corruption is Supported or Enabled and is now the Status Quo in how America Operates at all levels of Government it has taken over and contaminated everything they touch and make decisions about.   I would like our Country back, but I am not sure now that will ever happen?   We've had over a Decade now for consequences to have been imposed for what has been done that is Criminal, Illegal and Immoral, and to correct Wrongs... how long should it take?   I'm tired of Waiting for Justice when none is remotely forthcoming and they're in Support of Career Criminals at the top of our Food Chain becoz the Corruption is now all the way to the very Top and it's being Rewarded instead of Punished.  And we've now become like the largest Banana Republic Style Led Country on the Planet.

What Force, by Newton's 3rd Law Of Motion, is gonna happen, to resist the Force exacted against the American People?   When one thing pushes or pulls another, the 2nd thing pushes or pulls back with the exact same strength in the reverse direction, Two things interacting.  How much something moves depends on it's Mass.  Metaphorically in Politics, it describes how Bold Policy Changes, Aggressive Rhetoric, or Shifts in Power by One Political Party, routinely Trigger a Matching, Resistant Backlash from their Opponents.   As the Political Left or Right pushes hard towards Ideological Extremes, the Opposite Side Reacts with an equally intense Counter-Force, deepening Political Division.  I already see this happening.  And Executive Overreach causing unilateral actions via Executive Orders or sudden dismissals of Opposing Appointees routinely sets a precedent.  Inviting the next Administration to retaliate with matching or magnified measures.  It's gonna get messy.  And it has to.

    

I've been trying to immerse myself in Positive Energies becoz so much is Negative and Toxic and Unstable out there in The World and especially America right now.   We Need some Stability and Energy that is Good to Balance things out some and not be totally contaminated, infected or corrupted by what is so Wrong that is going on.  I want to remain standing on the Right Side of History and not grow weary of doing what is Right and resisting what is Wrong.  Yes, it can be exhausting to Fight the Good Fight of Faith, I want my Journey to be Guided by the First Scripture and End with the Second. {1 Timothy 6:12 and 2 Timothy 4:7}

1 Timothy 6:12 instructs to Fight the Good Fight of Faith

2 Timothy 4:7... I have Fought the Good Fight, I have finished the Race, I have kept the Faith.

Nostalgic looks back to Positive but difficult times help me to keep Fighting the Good Fight, and know that if I am relentless about holding my Ground against Opposition, I always prevail.  In 2015 is when I finally prevailed in Court to Adopt my Grandkids after Years of Fighting The System with the Odds heavily stacked against us, I'd Raised them from Year 2000 for him and 2005 for her since Birth.  Above is a Summer 2015 Blast From The Past of The G-Kid Force with our Adorable Friend Minnie at an Event, they've Grown Up and look way different, Minnie looks exactly the same now as then, she's Ageless.  And looking at us you wouldn't think the Trials were so daunting we were up against as a Family.  The Man had Catastrophic Brain Injury since the Summer of 2013 and we were rehabilitating him on our own coz all Medical Experts had long given up on him by 2015.  I remember this was the Year that The Young Prince got Taller than all us Gals, he was almost 15 and was growing at the Speed of Light then.

He had by then been Denied an Education, no School would take him anymore and so involuntarily he had to Drop Out.   Princess T had a Tumor removed from her Throat that had caused her to always have to Sleep sitting up until then, was on 5 Breathing Treatments Daily and was only a Year from being out of Pull-Ups coz of severe Physical Medical Issues and complications that were very complex and caused significant Developmental Delays.  The Man had only just gotten out of Pull-Ups too coz he had to re-learn to do everything, even basic things like Breathing, Eating, Swallowing, Walking, Talking!  Things didn't look Good, but we didn't give up, give in, or give out.  So, we won't now either.  We've been thru the Fires of Life and came out not even smelling like Smoke.  Nothing had Appeared like it would get Better, but Faith is the Substance of Things Hoped For, the Evidence of Things not yet Seen. {Hebrews 11:1}  Remaining Up by Faith and knowing it will Hold, it's therefore certain in my Heart before it Physically happens.

I don't know what will happen with the Outcome of America as a Nation, I really don't, I can't even begin to give any firm Predictions yet.  Tho' I've had some very disturbing Premonitions, which I won't even Speak of, becoz if I can't Change one I receive, it needn't be Voiced, becoz the Outcome cannot be altered, it will just happen.   I do know we're gonna make it thru and remain Up by Faith and know it will Hold, that's all I know.  I can't say that for everyone in the peripheral of our Lives tho', but I do Hope they can find their way to.   In Real Time it's Two Days before The Grandson's 26th Birthday, by the time this Publishes tho' it will be past my Birthday too and almost the Birthday of his Cousin, that Granddaughter will be turning 25.  They get Old and drag us along with them.  *Winks*  I've been dredging up some long Forgotten Images out of the Photo Archives and re-sharing them on my Social Media coz I know some Friends don't have a Copy or mebbe never even saw the Pixs before.

The Son's Shift at the other Store went well, he said the Employees there complimented him profusely on his Work and how much it's helped them.  He got everything whipped into shape.  So, I wouldn't be Surprised if Management at that Store asks for him again when they need additional help.  He said it was a good Crew to work with too, all very nice, mostly Younger Women at that Store.  They don't need as many Spanish Speakers for Customers there, even tho' it's only a Mile from the other Store nearer us.  He said it is interesting to see demographic shifts in both Staff and in Customers at various Stores.  He said at his Store most of the Staff are Hispanic and so are most of the Customers, at that Store most of the Staff are Black and so are most of the Customers.   Becoz The Son is part Hispanic, people assume he's a Spanish Speaker, he knows some but isn't fluent.  So he said there were less Customers coming up to him Today asking for assistance in Spanish.  He said almost all the Customers at that Store only speak English.

  Since he got along so well with everyone at both Stores and does such exceptional work, I know he's developing a good rapport and reputation with the Company and fellow Employees.  He really does like working there and hopes to eventually get full time Hours.  That Store location is near so many other Commercial Properties, especially Restaurants, so there's more variety for him to go to Lunch too.  Spoiled for Choice he settled on "Smashburger".    I've never been to one and chose "Robeks" for my Lunch while he was having a Hamburger, I got my usual Acai Sorbet Fruit Bowl.  When I got Home I was glad to see that my Lantus Insulin Pens had arrived from Express Scripts.  They had informed me they were out of them and asked if I wanted them to ask my Doc for a replacement Med?  I had said if they didn't think they'd be out of it for a long time I'd prefer them to just fill it when it comes in, so, Luckily they did right away and long before I would have run out of Insulin.  *Whew*  And the Cost of the Lantus is still very reasonable. 

So, at least I've had no interruptions in Medications received, which is a relief.  And, even with what has gone up in Co-Pay Price, I can still afford it too, also a relief.  *Whew*  Even tho' The Man was Promised, Contractually, the EARNED Benefit of Free Meds and Medical for Life for his Years of Service and now we have to Pay for both.   Becoz our Government is no longer Honoring the terms of the Contractual Agreement they made with Military Personnel that it was a Legally Binding Contract of and the Servicemen and Servicewomen Honored their part of the Contractual Agreement.   That still bothers both of us, but the Government just does whatever it wants to do and has broken Contractual Agreements and Treaties for as long as we've been a Nation.  So, can't say either of us is Surprised either.

 

We've been getting Spam Calls continuously all day every day on both our Landline Number and our Cellphones, it's terribly annoying.  Our Phones screen Spam Calls as Spam but just the Phones ringing incessantly back to back is annoying as fuck.   Even utilizing Federal Registries and Spam Blockers hasn't stopped these Calls getting thru and some days you get an Avalanche of them, mostly Medicare Fraud Calls, so they are Targeting our Demographic and got that Information from somewhere that was probably Sold to them.   When DOGE was compiling all sensitive information I knew they'd make Money off Selling it to anyone who Pads THEIR Pockets at the American Public's Expense. 

    

 And they make it so complex to keep pace with the Scammers to Protect yourself, even The Son and The Grandkids have tried helping me set up barriers and they get around it every fucking time so quickly, it wasn't even worth all the time and effort.  Now when a Call comes in I know is Spam I blow a Whistle or answer saying WHAT THE FUCK loudly and just hang up.  I don't know it does any good but it makes me Feel better.  *LOL*   It is usually some Bot anyway.   I don't want Bots or AI contacting me at all, I barely want Human Beings contacting me actually by Phone.  I get enuf Tech Contact I do want via my Blog and FB Page, that's more than enough Positive Contact that is by my consent, for me.  *Smiles*

The Above Meme just shows how low Standards have gone in this Country and what rates as Newsworthy.   Of coarse even if they made it News there would still be Supporters who would try to justify it or wouldn't Believe any of it even given all the Proof and Evidence that would and has Convicted him and made him a Serial Felon.   He was spot on about the kind of Base that would Follow and Support him, he'd studied his Prey well as a Career Predator and they were the Easy Marks he always said they would be.  The fact the WHOLE Nation is not embarrassed and outraged by all of this is definitely catching Global Attention tho'.  

And now our Stockpile of important arsenal is low and he's wasted it on his Ego War in Iran, that only served to enrich him and his Family and served no real purpose and never was approved by Congress... and that's out there as common knowledge now too, Splendid.   I think ALL of Congress should be replaced, every last one... they aren't Serving their Constituents, any of us.   I only like and Support our Senators from Arizona, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.   Congress as a Collective have proven themselves completely impotent and aren't doing their Job to Protect the People from an out of control White House and Prez.  Clean 'em all out and Start Over is my best suggestion to get their House in Order there in Congress, there's no Point in a Congress that is so dysfunctional, so impotent, and does not do it's Work.  They've Surrendered their Legislative Authority to the Executive Branch and just engage in Political Theater and further Partisan Polarization.  We don't need that shit pretending to be The People's Voice, when there's no Functional Governance.

*******

And that's all I have to say for Today... Dawn... The Bohemian

Whatever Real Life Is Dishing Out

 The problem with long luxurious Midafternoon Naps is then I'm up in the wee Hours of the Morning wide Awake.  My Sleep Cycle gets all messed up, but, I'm actually not minding it so much.  Siestas when it's the Hottest is the best time to escape the Heat of the Day.  The wee Hours is Cooler and most pleasant in Summertime, and Quieter.  Everyone is Asleep and Traffic is grinded to a halt, so there's blissful Silence.  My Escapism is different than each Member of the Family, The Son Drinks, The Man watches Mindless TV, Princess T is on TikTok or Instagram, The Daughter takes off with Friends, The Young Prince does his Art, I Blog or go out in Nature.  To each their own Escape from whatever Real Life is dishing out that isn't great. 

I recently found out, thru catching up with Blog Reads, that a Blog Friend in Washington State, Blog is ALLISON'S POST WORK THINKING, the Spokane area, has been Evacuated for Three Days due to the Fires!  I can't even Imagine those Stress Levels during a Catastrophic Event involving what we all know is being caused by Climate Change.  I suppose we'll all be Dealing with it more and more, but when it Touches the Lives of those we already know, it becomes less abstract or distant and a lot more Real in a tangible way.  For now their Home has been spared, but a very close call since much around them was Lost to the Fires and things are still dire and in Evacuation Mode.  So the dangers aren't over.  And I really Hope and Pray that soon they are allowed back Home to Deal with the aftermath instead of being in a suspended exile.

My Family doesn't like to Talk about Bad News or Hear about it, so mostly I Blog about it.  Their saturation point for Negative News is super low and they can't handle it.  The Reality is too scary for a lot of folks, so they refuse to be informed and go about their days as if all is Right with the World.  I don't know really if that's a good thing or a bad thing frankly, I guess it depends on each individual's capacity to handle whatever is Negative.  If they don't handle it well then they prefer avoidance and just not Hearing about it either.  Sometimes I do Need to Talk about the Serious Stuff somewhere, here tends to be the Ideal spot to for me.  The Fluff of Life is Fun, but Life can't be all Fluff and no Substance.   And avoiding or evading Problems will Solve none of them.

 I did get a lot done Today since Yesterday I'd avoided doing much.  I got my Aluminum Cans Recycled, 13 lbs. worth this time.  I did some Environmental Cleanup at the Nature Preserve, it was deserted and the day was very overcast with lots of Smoke coz there's a big Fire burning Southside and the Smoke is hanging like a London Fog.  There's Storms coming with high Winds, so I do Hope they get that Fire contained before Winds pick up and spread it rapidly?   The Southside Fire was Wind driven already and burnt down Three Buildings, Power Poles, Trees and a lot of Brush.  Luckily the Buildings were Vacant so nobody was displaced or hurt.   I've re-written this Post Three times already coz I had been more than a bit Ranty.  It didn't Read well and was super Bitchy, so I just kept deleting and starting over, thrice.  *LOL*

I got a lot of Inventory Priced and into the Antique Mall Spaces, my Showroom was messy, but I'd ended last Pay Period well enuf to get a Check, when a lot of Vendors did not.  *Whew*  This Pay Period flatlined from The Jump, no Sales for the 1st Two Days of it and usually Sundays we do well.  I guess everyone is spending their Money on Back To School Supplies and Costs, coz the Kidlets are all in School again now.  So, Traffic around the Schools is Nightmarish 'til they get used to dropping them off and picking them up again.   

I got Take-Out for Dinner... Mongolian Beef with Steamed Rice & Spring Roll for Princess T from DRAGON GARDEN Chinese Restaurant nearby.  And Salvadorian Pupusas for the rest of us.  One kind of Pupusa is the Loroco Flower and Cheese, which I like, the other kind I got has Pork, Cheese and Beans.  The Owner of the Restaurant, CRISTINA'S SALVADOREAN FOOD, which is nearby the Chinese Restaurant very near our Home, is owned by a very nice Family that lives here in our Mini Farms Community.  When they do Yard Sales they make the Pupusas and Sell them in the Front Yard too.  So, that's your Food Porn for Today.  You're Welcome.  *Winks*  

There's not a lot of Salvadorean Restaurants, so I'm Lucky we have one so close by.  I like their Fried Plantains too, which they serve with Crema, and they have distinctive Tamales as well.  They even have Plantain Empanadas.  And Yucca and Cassava Fries.  My Friend Arleene at the D.A.'s Office was from El Salvador and turned me on to her Native Cuisine Years ago.  I can understand the Spanish spoken in El Salvador easier and follow it better becoz they have a moderate Speaking pace, clear vowel sounds, and a less compressed cadence.   When I learned my Spanish it was from a Native of Madrid, Spain, when we were Stationed in Europe, so was Castilian Spanish, which has a lot less Slang than Spanish spoken in Mexico or Puerto Rico.  

One of my Native American Cousins spoke fluent Spanish coz her Dad, who my Dad's Younger Sister Married, was from the Canary Islands.   But my Cousin turned out looking full Native American, tho' many people often mistook her as being Eskimo or Inuit, and I can see why.  Her Dad was a unique Ethnic Blend found on the Canary Islands of Indigenous mixed with Spaniard and North African.  He Died quite Young, only in his 40's or so, and so my Aunt went to live with my Dad after she was Widowed, until the day she Died.  So we became quite close with that Aunt and my Kiddos got to know her well and The Son Adored his Aunt Gil.  She took him to his first Professional Baseball Game and her Boss gave them his VIP Seats, since, by then, my Aunt knew she was Dying and had worked for that Company many Years, even while battling Cancer.  She was Tough as Old Boots, all the Women in Dad's Family are!

Anyway, back to Today... I spent half the time tidying up the Showroom coz folks had been so messy.  I don't know why people are messy when they shop, I've never done that in my whole Life!   Got everything into Inventory quickly tho' and didn't get distracted by folks wanting to Socialize.  Some days I'm up for that and some days I just have too much to do, or am not in the Mood for being interrupted when I'm trying to Work my Spaces without distractions.   My Vendor Friends Bryant and Jeff were there so I did say Hey to them briefly, they were working the 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tuesday Morning Shift.   I've got a Friday Night Shift that is a Weird one this Week that they've asked me to Work and I accepted, it's 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the usual Night Shift is 5:00 to 9:00, so I didn't even know they had a 5 Hour Shift anyone usually has?  Usually anyone coming in at 4:00 leaves at 8:00.

I will now get on with The Fluff of Life, I bought some Living Sweet Basil, Mozzarella Ciliegine Balls, and Grape Tomatoes to make a Caprese Salad Tomorrow.   I'm the only one that eats it, but, whatever...   Getting them to eat Healthy can be a particular challenge sometimes, you'd think it was a form of torture to eat Healthy the way they act about it.   So I just make what I wanna eat that's Healthy and they can then fend for themselves with unhealthier fare for all I Care.  They're all Grown and they know where the Kitchen is at.  I think Healthy Foods are a thing of Beauty to behold too, most Junk Food and Fast Food just isn't to me.  When I get Cravings it's for the most basic Healthy Real Foods, not crap.  The Man laments sometimes that I have always liked Healthier Food coz I think he'd eat like an Unsupervised Child most of the time otherwise.  *Le Sigh*

And when I picked The Granddaughter up at Work I spent too much coz they had some Killer Merch Today that I couldn't pass up, since, it was also Senior Day Discount.  Everything was at great prices, but I bought a lot.  I got 2 sizes of Three Vintage Rubber Gumbys, Regular and Extra Large, and a Regular size Pokey, they're Keepers for my own Collection, coz I have Mini Gumby and Pokey already.  I got a Bagged Lot of LPS, which Sell very well and are hard to Source now.  I got Three Bagged Lots of those Mini Foods, which is handy coz I'd just about Sold Out at the Antique Mall of them, they Sell very well also and are hard to Source too and a Hot Collectible right now.  I got some Tarot Cards.  A Specialty Tote.  Some Capris, Cool Graphics Shirts and a New Old Stock Bra for myself.  An articulated Wooden Art Doll.  {Not all I bothered to Photograph, but some of my Haul is Pictured Below}

 A Pokemon Blanket, which will Sell easily and quickly, the last one I got didn't stay in Stock an Hour before it Sold.  A Steak Knife Vintage Set that are Stainless Steel and the Handles are Antler Bone, those are Keepers.   I got a SCREAM Face Messenger Bag Sized Purse {Keeper}.  I got a Spoon Pendant Necklace with Pink Bling Cancer Ribbon Brooch attached to it {Keeper}.   Some of the Shirts that don't fit me I'll Resell, like the one Below, great Graphics, but only a Size L, also the Bad Bunny Hoodie should easily Sell, it's an XL but it's in that Nylon Material I don't like touching my Skin {I swear I have Autism coz some Textures Freak me Out}.  I got some multi-colored Non-Breakable Neon Christmas Tree Ball Ornaments in Two Bagged Lots, enuf to Decorate this Year's Christmas Tree with a Bold Multi-Colored Neon Theme.  And I bought some Brand Name Clothes that Princess T wanted.  It was a bigger than usual Haul.

The SAVAGE Shirt Above I'm showing Front & Back

But at a Chazza you can't Waffle coz it likely won't be there long if you do and then you'll have Non-Buyer's Remorse.  Just Re-Selling what I bought that I'll be taking in to the Antique Mall that is an Easy Quick Turn with great Margins, I'll more than Quadruple my Money/Investment and then all of what I Kept will be Free to me and Princess T too.  Specialty T-Shirts & Hoodies Sell exceptionally well in our Showroom.  And the Small Hot Collectible Toys are a Fast Turn with great Margins.  When Sales are Flat, those things generally still Move and ensure the Rent gets Paid and I get at least some Profits even during the Summer Slump Months.  Once the Holidays are here things should pick up considerably.  Even tho' the Economy is rough, I think during the Holidays folks will still Buy.  And Serious Collectors always Buy whatever it is they Collect.  I'm Refining and Curating what I Sell too and I've noticed it makes a difference.

 

I am also not gonna turn down as many Shifts now that our Calendar isn't so full of other Obligations and Appointments non-stop.  The Comped Space Rent does help out a lot.  Plus, I do enjoy Working there and spending time at the Antique Mall with Co-Worker and Vendor Friends and the Customers.  It fills the Social Void you get when you're a Full Time Unpaid Caregiver coz that ends up being very Isolating.  Yes, we have 3 Generations living here and their Friends come by all of the time, but mine don't.  Most of my Inner Circle Moved Away and a great many have now Passed Away too.  I have found that once your Spouse becomes Seriously Disabled, especially with Cognitive Decline Brain Impairment Issues like TBI, Dementia, Communication and Social Barriers, it just makes folks too uncomfortable and it's awkward, so they don't come around as much anymore or invite you to join them as a Couple.  Sometimes I couldn't join in coz he doesn't have the capacity anymore for whatever it is either.

I'm much more Sociable when I'm Solo, coz The Man never has been a really Sociable Person by Nature anyway, he's very reclusive and very introverted.   He very Honestly wouldn't Care if he never had Contact with other People, he could be a proverbial Recluse if he was Single, or able to still Care for himself.  His Dream Retirement would be to go off into the Wilderness and Live off the Land with no People anywhere around.  That, clearly, wouldn't be mine and he knows this, I'm a City Gal and tho' I Love Nature, I don't want to be out in the middle of Nowhere, and as an Elderly Person, to me that is just risky and a bit Nuts.  It's 2026 and so I don't wanna live like it's 1826 Thank You.  Or around a bunch of Misfits who can't Handle being around Society and so Escape to live practically Feral and like Hermits.  Most Recluses I've ever met are some real Oddballs.  And I'm a self-professed Weirdo, so if I think you're Odd... you're REALLY fucking Odd!  *Winks & Laughs*

 This Pix was back when I had Mani's and Pedi's, before the Diabetes and when I still had my Corporate Lives and a really good Income... and I did a lot of Street Ministry Work with the Marginalized Populations in the worst parts of the City, my Church is a Street Ministry exclusively and goes into the Prisons, the Homeless Camps, works with all the Street People, to try to meet them at a Point of Need that Counts in their Lives and is Love in Action.   To me, if you profess to be a deeply Spiritual Person, of any Religion or Faith, whether Organized, Denominational, or Open and Non-Denominational, just Talking the Talk means absolutely Nothing to those in Need if there's no Action and Love behind it.  If you feel you should Preach the Gospel all day long on behalf of Who you Worship and Serve, I say only use Words if you have to.  *Winks*  Your Actions will Speak Louder than any Words which may ring Empty without a corresponding Action to them.

A Pix taken a little over a Decade ago of me and my Brother, when he was still Well enuf to Travel to Phoenix for Visits or to Cover Events as Media.  This was Pre-Dreadlock Years... I much prefer my Dreads and will never have my Hair any other way now to Death.  Anyway, I miss my Brother's Visits coz he and I are very close, always have been all our lives.   I can't Travel due to The Man's Fragile Condition and Health, he doesn't Travel well anymore and gets very agitated and disoriented easily now if things aren't familiar about his surroundings.  So this Show can't be taken on the Road.  And my Brother is just too Unwell now to Risk any Travel at all, his Docs don't even know Why he's still Alive, they Marvel that he's gone so far past all the Expiration Dates they've given him that they quit projecting when they think he would Die... coz, it was a long, long time ago he should have in their Opinions.  *LOL*  He's got 20% Heart Function now and the last Heart Surgery was a bust and did Nothing Positive, so it was a Wasted High Risk to put him thru. 

This is my Baltic Amber Rosary, but it's a Child Sized one so you can't wear it like a Necklace, which is what I often do with my Fancier Rosaries, coz it won't fit over an Adult Sized Head.  *LOL*  Rare to find an Amber Bead Rosary tho' so I hadda have it for my very large Rosary Collection, which is my Oldest Collection actually.  I'm not Catholic but I've always liked Catholic Religious items and I used to make Rosaries for Priest Friends to hand out on their Mission Field to those who couldn't afford a good Rosary.  In my Street Ministry Work Years I cultivated many Contacts with various Faiths, especially for the Food Ministry we did, and we all worked together in partnerships to provide Food for the Hungry, various Christian Faiths and Denominations or the various strictly Non-Denominational Churches, Buddhists, Jewish, and Ba'ha'i mostly.  In the Field, especially in South Phoenix, I did meet and talk with several Black Muslims, but they do their own thing independently.  The same with other Members of practicing Islam and Hinduism.  So I don't know anything about their Community Outreaches.

I got all my Small Collectible Toys I bought Today bagged up and ready to price.  I want to bring them all in either Tomorrow or Friday when I go in to Work my Shift.  The Smalls are the Bread & Butter there for sure, I'd prefer to Sell more of the really Good Stuff, but, folks just aren't willing to pay what it's worth right now coz Economically folks are mostly hurting and the cost of all Essentials has risen so much.  I've been paying Attention to the increase of things I Buy all of the time and it's really been a steep rise for most of them since this Administration took Office and he's so Clueless he thinks "Affordability" is a Hoax.  I don't think he even knows what the Word means?  When you are Born with a Silver Spoon in your Mouth and never had any lack, I doubt he's ever even had a Budget in his Life and why he blows thru Money so carelessly, recklessly and cavalierly.  He's Wasted more Money than probably anyone in History I can even think of.  And not just HIS Money, but other people's Money too.

Okay, so it's now a Wednesday and actually Cool outside and well below 100 at 7:30 a.m. anyway, Overcast, looking like a Storm is brewing and a Wind picking up early, we'll see.  Sometimes the Monsoon only looks imminent and then never materializes.  I have a big Bag of Inventory to take in and with it being so much Cooler I could and should go do some Environmental Cleanup out there but I feel rather Lazy and Unmotivated right now, battling that lethargy at the moment.  When I got Home from dropping the Grandchild off at Work, there were so many Wild Birds waiting for me on the Roof and in the Yard that it looked like an Alfred Hitchcock Horror Movie!!!  *LMAOROTF*  They currently seem to like the new Wild Bird Blend I got which has a lot of Sunflower Seeds and Dried Corn, with just a scant amount of the other Seed Blends, but, it was cheap and a big ole' Bag that might last longer, so, that's on their Menu 'til I'm more flush financially.  *Winks and Laughs*  They're Wild Birds, not Pets.  Tho' I do Spoil them, I ain't gonna Lie.  *LOL*

Last Night I stayed up Late watching a Documentary Style Program Investigating Paranormal Stuff and they were focusing on Skinwalkers and Shape Shifters.  I priced my Inventory while watching so that I was multi-tasking efficiently.  *Smiles*  My Dad's People won't even talk of Skinwalkers and Shape Shifters becoz they Fear them so much and have always been Believers of them and not Skeptics.  My Dad, when we were growing up, warned of them and said that most Non-Indigenous would call them by the Label of Werewolves.  My Mom's People also are very Superstitious so she never Questioned or Mocked any of Dad's Beliefs.   Becoz she had a slew of her own that weren't always Common to most American Belief Systems of the Paranormal, Spirit World, or Supernatural Events that cannot be Explained and are often Questioned or considered Mythical or Fabricated by Skeptics and Non-Believers.    

It was always Funny to me tho' how many Skeptics and Non-Believers would be the ones MOST Scared of her tho' and claim she was a Witch and Feared her Abilities.  Coz, frankly, I always felt, well, if you don't even Believe, then what'cha so Scared of then?  *Winks and Laughs*  Now things like UFO's, that many used to be so Skeptical of or Mock, are feeling rather foolish that even Governments, including ours, now verify that Yes, they not only exist, they always knew they did and have been Tracking it all for Decades and have verifiable Evidence of, not all of which has been released yet.   I knew they Existed since the early 1960's coz we saw our 1st one on Cape Cod in broad Daylight, in front of Thousands of Witnesses, come right up out of the fucking Atlantic Ocean!!!   And, I was here in Phoenix when The Phoenix Lights happened in Spring of 1997, saw it with my own Eyes, that incident was at Night and was Recorded with Video Recorders of that Era that some folks had.

Since then I've seen something very similar  to The Phoenix Lights during the Day, around Dusk, with The Man, over the White Tank Mountains very near Luke AFB, so I'm damned sure the Base probably Tracked it.   We pulled our Vehicle over off the Freeway we were driving on, and watched it for quite some time, it was enormous and had Lights on it.   I probably should have tried to take Pixs of it with my Phone and Camera, which I always have on me, but was so fascinated I didn't even think to and wouldn't know if the Quality would have been shit from the dim time of day at Dusk and how far from it we were?  I can't even get good Quality Pixs of things like Fireworks on the 4th of July with my Phone's Camera and my Old School Hand Held Camera when things are not well lit up and further away than right up close.

 

After I got the last of some Action Figures priced I decided it was too Hot and Humid to go to the Antique Mall early.  I'd rather wait 'til everyone is Home from Work, can watch The Man if he doesn't wanna be in Tow, and it's Dark and Cooler before going in.  I had some Indiana Jones and Renaissance Action Figures with all their Accessories, which should have good Margins and will have to go in the Locked Case.  Mostly coz Thieves tend to Steal not only the Figures, but sometimes just tear the Bag open to get at the Weaponry and Accessories, which is what gets Lost the most in folk's Collections of them or when their Kids play with it.  Whoever Donated this Bagged Lot had kept all the Weaponry and other Cute Accessories like Chalices, Crucifixes, Maps for the Treasures and Holy Grail Items, Helmets, Fabric Capes... really Cute and detailed.

  I think some of the Figures were from "Monty Python & The Holy Grail".  The rest were from "Indiana Jones".  None were new Old Stock in Original Packaging, they were loose but well taken Care of.  I got them as a big Bagged Lot cheaply at the SAVERS the Grandchild Works at and on Senior Discount Day, so even cheaper than cheap.  So, all the LPS, Action Figures and Mini Foods are now Bagged and Tagged for Individual Sale.  So my Stock will be good for the Smalls the Youngsters flock to our Spaces for.  They often tell me ours is one of their Favorite Showrooms and we do well at our Locked Case with the Riskier Loss Prevention Challenged or Higher Prices Smalls too.  In a Perfect World I could put them all in the Showroom and not worry about Loss Prevention Issues, sadly, General Public now is full of the Five Finger Discount Folks who Shoplift.  And our Criminal Justice System has no Justice for the Victims of Theft anymore it seems.

Most Cops act surly as Hell with Victims and Witnesses of Thefts these days as if it's not worth their Time or Effort to even Respond and try to catch the Thieves.  A Friend of mine who Specializes in Retro everything, had a Heist out of her Vehicle before a Show.  So she had about Five Grand worth of Retro Higher End Jewelry and Sterling Merch Stolen.  She reported it, felt the Cops didn't take it Seriously and just acted like it's the Cost of doing Business and just contact your Insurance.  Well, fast forward about a Month and she sees all her Stolen Items on "Offer Up"!! So she Photographs all the information the Cops would Need to make the Arrest, doing their Job FOR them basically, and they wouldn't do a damned thing!!!   She couldn't Believe how indifferent they were about  it, even given Identity and Location of the Criminals handed to them, practically on a Silver Platter... no Sting Operation, coz this could very well be a Professional Criminal Enterprise and Organized Crime Ring, not a One Off!?  And it was Grand Theft of Thousands of Dollars worth of Merchandise!!!  Not Petty Theft.

 They told her to contact the "Seller" slash Thief, and ask for her things back or see if she could Buy her own Stolen Stuff back in a Negotiation to Recover it!!!  OMG and WTF?!  Who would risk that and confront a Criminal, or even do that?!  Hey, you Stole all my Stuff, that's it, give it back... or better yet, let me Buy it back from you!   Fucking Hell!  I Kid you not, she was livid.  Needless to say, this kind of indifference by Law Enforcement makes Theft escalate and be profitable with no consequences.  And The Son said in all Retail now they tell their Employees NEVER to confront the Thieves, due to Liability and Safety Issues!  You don't know how aggressive when confronted a Criminal might be, or if they have a Weapon and would use it or Assault you.  And if the Cops will do nothing to Protect Victims, Employers don't want the Risk factors to prevent Loss of what they'll just have to Write Off and keep everyone Safest without escalation of a Crime.  Even tho' SAVERS has a Security Guard on Duty, Princess T often spots Shoplifting in Progress while she's Rolling Racks of Inventory out on the Sales Floor.

Anyway, it is a Pet Peeve of mine coz I've watched Thieves boldly and in plain sight just boost stuff now and casually walk out the Door knowing nobody is even gonna try to stop them in most Cases or Report it!  It's no Wonder then that Online Shopping is more competitive than owning a Shop coz at least then you don't have as many Security Issues to Deal with or as much Overhead Expenses either.   But then Porch Thieves and Semi Truck Pirates then become the Issue.  I like the Videos of folks rigging Boxes on their Porch with exploding Dyes and then putting it on Video Blast.  Or filling a Box with their Dog's Waste and having the Porch Pirates Steal a Box full of Shit, thinking they got something valuable.  Surprise Assholes!

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Sometimes the Victims have to Dish Out the form of Justice... Dawn... The Bohemian