A Vehicular Homicide & Mando Is Dead

We are finally getting to this Post written around the time of the Homicide... since, it happened on Sept. 2nd...

 We will get to the traumatic News later in the Post.  I got our Laundry done, more stuff sorted and priced to bring in when I go to Work Tonight.  And, the Reruns of "Halloween Wars" begin at 9:00 p.m. so I'll only miss some of it before I get Home after Work Tonight.  The Mall Closes at 9:00 p.m. and that late there's not much Traffic and we live close by.  If there's malingering Customers I'll just tell Staff I have to get Home and since I'm being a Month long Fill-In for Ed, well, they won't Question why.  *Smiles*  I doubt they have sufficient coverage for all the folks who call in and don't Work the Shifts they obligated themselves to and don't show up for.  Ed has a valid reason, but many don't, they just call in or just don't show up for a myriad of bogus reasons really.  I'm hearing that a lot at various Stores, Co-Workers lamenting they're short staffed and over-worked coz Co-Workers just didn't show up for their Shifts.  This is why some folks will be replaced by Machines.  Loving the Above BINGO Card with Vintage Buttons sewn onto it, might have to get one.

Anyway, I got all my Chores done here at Home and it's only Noon.  Dishes got Washed, I cleaned up the Kitchen, the Kiddos Love to Cook but leave carnage in their wake.  I like being Cooked FOR so sometimes I will not complain and take one for the Team by doing the Cleanup after I've been Cooked for and Served Meals that I didn't have to Cook for The Man or I.   We just had Brunch of a lovely Salisbury Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, that The Son prepared, it was yummy.  I hadn't eaten Breakfast and usually I never miss it, but I had started Working since 7:00 a.m. after I dropped Princess T off at Work.  The Son had gone in at 5:00 a.m. to Work, but Walked there so he didn't have to Wake me, knowing I'm Working a Night Shift Tonight.  Which, I appreciated getting a couple more Hours of Sleep uninterrupted, and he Walked Home after his Shift, so was here to Cook us Brunch by 10:30 a.m..

I'm contemplating what to eat before going in to Work, after I pick Princess T up after she gets off?   I usually try to eat earlier than she gets off coz sometimes she has to Work 'til 4:00 and I've got to be at Work by 5:00, so it's a tight timeline during Rush Hour Traffic.  You wouldn't have time to stop and eat too.  And, since I only have a 4 Hour Shift, it would mean waiting til after 10:00 p.m. to have Dinner otherwise when I'm back Home from my Shift.  No bueno.  I got all the Bills Paid that are due at the 1st part of the Month.  At least our Social Security Checks hit on the 16th this Month, so I can pay the rest a bit earlier that are due later in the Month.  I'm getting a decent Check from the Antique Mall again, nothing huge, but every little bit helps.  With all these Shifts I'm pulling in Sept. it will comp more Space Rent/Overhead Costs.

I Lucked Out at The Son's Dollar Store and they're having a 40th Anniversary Sale and rolled back some prices to a Dollar.  Now most Dollar Stores are up to $1.50 per Item.  They should no longer even bother calling them all Dollar Stores.  *Le Sigh*  And, now most of them also Stock some Merch well over those prices too.  But, I still Buy a lot from there cheaper than elsewhere.  The Son said he didn't realize how much I relied on Dollar Stores for Essentials until he was Working at one and notices the Inventory is what we usually have used at Home.  *Ha ha ha*  He's only 40, so is as Old as his Company is, but they've already tried to woo him into accepting a Management Position that will be Opening Up.  He's reluctant since he's so New, but I told him to seriously consider a meteoric rise, it's a Fortune 500 Company, so there's some serious Opportunity to earn more than he did in The Trades.  Without as much Hard Work and in Climate Controlled Space.  Is it just me, or does that Frankenstein Doll resemble Sly Stallone?  *LOL*

He's Middle Aged now and in The Trades he was noticing he was becoming "The Old Man" of any Crew he was Working with.  He said very few were in their 50's or 60's becoz they simply would be unable to do the Work and last.   There were few even in their 40's, so, when he was only in his 30's, they were already calling him "Old Man", "Dad", or "Uncle", coz most of the Crew were Teens or Twenty-Somethings.  *Smiles*  So, he was Wise enuf to realize, there's not a long Future left for him in those Industries unless you Own the Company.   Allen is realizing that at the Slaughterhouses too.  He's almost 30 now and said he's likely unable to keep Pace with the Immigrants from 3rd World Countries who actually CAN still do that Work and just run Circles around American Workers, even into their 60's!  

 The wiry "Ant Men" from Africa impress him the most, he said they're Stronger than even the Immigrant Latinos doing that kind of grueling hard physically demanding Work.  And Immigrants make up about 95% or more of the Workforce in those place.   Allen is VERY Strong, but said those Old African Men can lift a whole side of Beef that outweighs them by a lot!  And wield those dangerous Knives, Cleavers and Hatchets like a Chef at "Benihana"!  *LOL*  I remember my Dad coming Home from Vietnam and saying the same thing about some of the Old Vietnamese Villagers.  He said sometimes they'd hand out sides of Beef to the Locals, many of which were Starving during the War and helping the Americans.  And he'd see some Old Woman, who probably weighed 80 lbs. soaking Wet and was someone's Gramma Mama San, come up, grab the Legs and throw the Cow on her Back and trot off with it like it was nothing!!!

Now, my Native American Gramma was a tiny lil Sprite like that and Strong as an Ox and Tough as Old Boots.   But my Dad said after that Generation was Dying Off, you didn't see as much of that toughness, resilience, and strength here in America anymore.   People were getting Soft and Weak, both of fortitude and attitude.   And this is why our Country is still being built on the Backs of current Immigrants and why we should be more Grateful to those that come and do the Work, and are Good People and not who this Regime tries to vilify and tell Untruths about and persecute, to deflect blame where it should be... on them, the Elected Officials who are cocking things up and being impotent to stop what's going Wrong.  

Then trying to deflect blame by finding handy Scapegoats to vilify and sadly, their Base fully Believes a lot of the Bullshit, Con Game and sleight of Hand going on at the White House, and has now for a fucking Decade.  Coz with this MAGA Movement, Proof and Evidence or the Rule of Law isn't what they latch on to and run with. The Grievance Politics works against them yet they won't jump Ship as it's sinking fast.  I heard an apt comment Today that in the Texas Primary Race, even tho' they know who and what Paxton is, many Republicans and especially MAGA, will "Hold their Nose" and Vote for him anyway... isn't that the most Politically ignorant and irresponsible thing you ever heard?  And anyone who will Vote shit in, deserves to get shit out of it. 

 Talarico is clearly a better Man, with less baggage and not the well known Criminal element of Paxton, and thus a better Candidate for the People of Texas, but has the Wrong Label for those who put Party over Country.  But, some folks are absolutely Cray-Cray over their Politics and their Religion and lose their shit about one or both and can't be Reasoned with about either.   And if someone Votes for a Criminal whose Morally Bankrupt, then I Question their own Ethics and Moral Compass, just sayin'.   Don't just say you held your Nose, you are clearly wading deep into shit and smell like it yourself.   What you Support and who you Associate with speaks volumes about YOU.  Coz Bad Company Corrupts even Good Character and you will be Judged by the Company you Keep and have Kept, and Tolerated the Behavior and Actions of.  You are more than likely, just like them and you actually know that, even if you won't openly admit it, but it's more revealing than you realize to everyone else.

I worked my Shift Wednesday Night with the older New Lady, who I really like but can't yet remember the Name of.  She's someone I can easily become Friends with so we talked a lot when it was slow.  Jackson was working and doing better than usual, he can be a Slacker about Working, but is a nice Guy, usually I don't like working with him when he avoids doing the job at hand, but this Evening he was doing everything he should.  So, it was a nice Shift, busy enuf for a Wednesday Night, got busier AT Closing tho', wouldn't ya know!  *Eye Roll*  I got Home late due to the late Customers and I was really tired.  The Young Prince and Allen had finally made it Home, and The Young Prince came out to see me when I got Home.  He looks gaunt but was in good Spirits, I don't think he's been eating well, which happens when he has Psychosis about his Food and thinks it's Moving or Tainted.  He isn't yet fully Trusting of Allen I think, but they are working things out.  Speaking of Trust and Working things out... I had almost dozed off when the Phone rang real late, almost Midnight!  I knew it was Bad News before I answered it coz my Heart dropped. 

  

It was The Daughter and she was absolutely hysterical and screaming, Mom, he's Dead, he's Dead, I had to Identify the Body for the Police!!!  She was with an Officer so I didn't know what the Hell was going on or where she was?!  She was so traumatized she was asking the Officer, I don't know where I am right now, where am I??!   OMG, I wasn't even sure who she was with?!   Who was Dead and she was helping Identify the Body??!!!!  She was so Traumatized by it that she was going into Psychosis and I knew that, so I did the Calming Technique I've Learned to do and perfected with her and with her Son when the Schizophrenia is playing it's Tricks on their Mind.  At first I wasn't even sure anyone WAS Dead, or was she Hallucinating and Officers had shown up with her being Crazy in Public?  It's happened before, so I was trying to sort things out Calmly.  I told her that if we could discern where she was, tell the Officer I'm come and get her.

She said she couldn't leave and was giving a Statement to the Police, wasn't sure they'd allow me to enter THE CRIME SCENE... by now I'm thinking OMG, is she involved with what happened, was she a Witness to someone being Killed?  Did she know the Victim?   WTF, I needed more information and quickly coz she was definitely Mentally unraveling and needed me there.  She said she was on her Bike, and she'd stumbled upon what happened and it was Mando, he was Dead, he was involved in a Vehicular Homicide on his Bike, and she'd had to help Police Identify his Body!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   OMG, that late at Night Mid-Week, I'm asking why she's in the same place with Mando anyway, she was babbling something about her Friend Jeff, an Elderly Biker she and Mando both know who she goes and often Cleans his Double Wide Trailer, which is over by the Prison, I've picked her up there before coz she Cleans for several very Elderly People in that Trailer Park quite often now.  It's not far from when Jason's Mini Ranch is and some other Ranchers she also Cleans for that are Elderly Old Men or Women.

Mando had actually introduced her to Jeff and many other people he knew coz he did Handyman Work for many of them too.  He is a MacGyver type of Guy and had done many Handyman Jobs here for us when things were Good.  Well, she'd been at Jeff's Cleaning, coz he's an Old Biker with a ZZ Top White Beard, a Harley, and he's a Hoarder of stuff so his Trailer is in a Word, Hoarded, and she's been helping him to Organize, get rid of Excess Stuff, and then Clean, so it's Safer and more Sanitary.  She really likes Old Jeff, he kind of looks like a Biker Santa Claus.  Well, apparently Mando had been over there doing Handyman Work for Jeff too that Day and becoz the Biker Crowd there is very Protective of The Daughter, there had been no nonsense with Mando at all.  She said, in fact he'd been apologetic about causing Drama and she just told him, Listen, I want Peace, just don't bother me or my Family anymore, we all Wish you to be Well.  She went to use the Bathroom and when she'd come out Mando was gone and had left a Note saying he'd needed to go to Circle K Convenience Store on his Bike and he'd be back.

Well, he never came back and she said she just knew something was very Wrong and told Jeff, Listen, I'm gonna ride my Bike down to the Circle K to make sure he's alright, coz I just got a Bad Feeling he isn't.  I've probably mentioned it in a previous Post, but he's been making some Enemies lately and talking shit, which is never good, it catches up to you, you can't go around Threatening People or their Families, and even if his Cancer has gone to his Brain, you put yourself at risk by being confrontational or threatening.  So, recently he'd gotten jumped once, and had another even more recent incident involving some Mexican Nationals that went down badly too, in that very area.  That's the Back Story and now, as she approached the Convenience Store she saw all the Crime Scene Tape, Officers everywhere with Lights on, Road Closure, and an Officer approached her and said there had been an Accident and someone had Died, so she couldn't go thru, they'd Closed Off the Crime Scene!!!

 

She said she was there becoz her Ex-Boyfriend had ridden his Bike down to Circle K and said he'd be back to the Property they both were helping an Elderly Friend do Work at, but he never returned and she was worried about him.  And now she was more worried, was this him that was the Victim of this Crime Scene?!?  That's when they showed her the pictures of the Body, which had already been Pronounced by then at the Hospital, and indeed, she was able to identify him by his Tattoos, which meant, quite gruesome Vehicular Homicide where someone had hit and run over him in a Vehicle while he was either coming or going to Circle K on his Bike!!!   He'd left his ID at the Trailer coz she thinks he only went back to Circle K to turn in a Winning Scratch Lottery Ticket, coz he'd gone there earlier and she hadn't understood why he even went back otherwise, especially without his Wallet?   So, he'd been a John Doe at the Scene and Police didn't even have his Identity before she showed up, to know who to notify of his Death??!!!!!!!  So, Serendipity she was there, tho', Traumatic for her, to be at the Right Place at the Wrong Time to now Witness someone she knew and had Cared about run over and Killed!

You wouldn't Wish that on anybody, and I've had to Process enuf Vehicular Homicides in the many Years I Worked for the DA's Office and handled the Vehicular Bureau's Crimes, to know, those Deaths are never Pretty.  I pity anyone who has to Identify the Body of someone whose a Victim of a Vehicular Homicide, whether Accidental or not, it's terribly Traumatic and a horrible way to Go.   I can only Hope it was Quick, we don't have Details since she wasn't a Witness, it was probably an Hour and a Half he'd been gone before she went to look for him.  Jeff's Motorcycle was being Worked on and that's probably why Mando and some other Biker Friends were there Working on it in the Driveway now it was Cooler and Dark.  Too Hot to do anything during the Day.  Luckily The Daughter had Phone Numbers for some of Mando's Family so that Police could contact them.  And his Nephew called her to Thank her, at least now his Mom, Mando's Sister, didn't have to Identify the Body and see it in that condition.  The Daughter was like, Mom, this is probably gonna have to be a Closed Casket Funeral for the Family!

That's Bad and meant massive Trauma, don't know if it was a Hit and Run, an Accident where whoever did it stayed at the Scene, or something more ominous, like someone Intentionally ran him over?  She said the Incident with the Mexican Nationals had happened when he was riding his Bike too, and they tried to run him off the Road in a Truck, speaking Spanish and she'd heard there had been Weapons but he'd managed to ride away and evade them.  She doesn't know who they are, coz Mando doesn't even know any Mexican Nationals and she wonders who he got himself mixed up with now?   She'd warned him he was pissing off a lot of people and making Enemies, which is just never Wise.  You can't have a reckless Mouth or talk shit.

 She hasn't been together with him for a while and hadn't wanted to be in a Relationship, just try to be amicable since they know a lot of the same Friends and she didn't want every time they might run into each other thru people they both know, to be awkward and uncomfortable now they were no longer together.  He'd been very problematic with her, and thus with us, and I just felt he was unraveling more and more Mentally and Physically, with the Bone Cancer progressing.  We didn't want anything Bad to happen to him, I honestly felt the Cancer might be near End Stage tho' by now?

He'd already outlived Expiration Dates they'd given him and discontinued further Treatments coz they hadn't worked.  He had been Self-Medicating with Drugs, which is another part of why she couldn't be around him to risk her own Sobriety.  Even if he was doing it for his chronic Pain from the Cancer, we have a Zero Tolerance Policy since we have Family Members who are Recovering Addicts and don't want them risking their Sobriety being around anyone using, for any reasons.  So, I almost wonder, did he get himself in trouble with someone he owed Money to? We just don't know coz The Daughter intentionally has not had voluntary contact, just sometimes runs into him now and again via mutual acquaintances and Jobs she takes and he takes for some of the same People.

  I'd rather think he got Killed accidentally and not run over on purpose, but anyone involved in the Drug Industry are ruthless and merciless, especially about any unpaid Debts or if you've become a problematic Customer in any way.   The Daughter got a Sense this may not have been Accidental at all.  Me too... I almost wonder if he'd gone back to Circle K to meet with People who demanded he be there, or, to Score his Drugs and it went Bad?  He wouldn't tell anyone what he was doing or why, and it didn't make Sense to The Daughter, she's Street Smart, so she said there's a lot of Questions and no Answers.

It's how Timmy's Uncle got Murdered a few Years ago, right in front of his Family.  These Cartels and Drug Dealers are ruthless people and can't be trifled with or owed Money to.  I won't Judge what anyone uses when they're Dying, to manage excruciating Pain if they have shitty Healthcare and cannot Work anymore due to a Terminal Illness. Anyway, I don't know that's what happened, speculation at best, lots of variables.  Perhaps he just got run over by a distracted or impaired Driver, coz it was Late and they're on the Roads being a menace during the Daytime, worse at Night.   People be on their Phones, Texting, Drinking and Driving, under the Influence of other Substances while Driving... it's risky, and moreso in Rural parts of the Valley with poor Lighting, which, out there near the Prison, it is. 

 It's a poorer Community out there, but with some Farms and Ranches too, but not well lit and people drive too fast on those more desolate Roads too.  Even in a Vehicle you can be at risk of an Accident, let alone on a Bike, coz there's no Sidewalks and most Roads are only Two Lanes, pitch dark coz it's further from City Lights, and desolate.  So, if a Crime were to happen, few Witnesses either.  I'm sure this will be on the News by Tomorrow, coz they are doing a Homicide Investigation now.  She's not sure how much she wants to be involved in any of that becoz she really doesn't know who he's made Bad Blood with and wants no part of being inserted into any of it either.  Especially if Bad Actors are involved.  She's hopeful it turns out to be some Motorist who didn't mean to harm someone and will be up on Manslaughter Charges?  I know his Family will want Justice and Answers.  My Heart goes out to them.  I know a lot of his extended Family.   My Friend Dino used to be Married to Mando's Aunt, she was his 1st Wife... so his Kids are related to Mando.

   

*******

This was not how I thought a 1st Wednesday Night of September would end... Dawn... The Bohemian

Givers And Takers... Which Are You?

 It looks as tho' it might be another Cooler balmy day so I may get more done in The She Shed with sorting out some more Inventory to Price and get out of here?  I grabbed anything Autumnal or pertaining to Halloween yesterday and brought that full Crate into the House to price and get in there at the Antique Mall within the next couple of days.  Some of my Autumn and Halloween Merch is already Selling quickly.  I noticed even the huge amount of Halloween Merch the GOODWILLs put out early, is depleted and even completely gone already at their various locations and they've had to move on to Christmas Merch rolling out real early!  I was Sad I didn't get to enjoy it for very long before it's gone and it was still only August!!!  So, folks are in the Spirit to Buy for the upcoming Holidays very early this Year and I'm seizing the Moment and brief Window of Opportunity.

I am getting better at discerning what will be an easier Turn and Sell quickly and what won't.  So, what won't, I'm now just Donating right away and to Hell with it, let the Laws Of Reciprocity be Activated by my Donations, it always happens, I can't Outgive God it seems.  I try to sometimes just to see what happens?  Just how much can I Give over and above what makes sense to... and then just sit back and watch the Flood of Blessings pour out.  I don't Give to Gain, I'd Give abundantly even if I Received Nothing, but, that NEVER happens.  Givers Gain, it's just the Divine Law of Reciprocity and you don't have to be Faith Based to even Activate it, you could be a Skeptic or Non-Believer and it will still Activate for you.   The only people I've met who have constant Lack, aren't Givers, they tend to be Takers.  So Money and Blessings just drain out and hemorrhage, they have to constantly then try to get more any way they can, usually by Greed Based Methods, or Questionable Practices, and insatiably, for those kinds of Taker People.

I've known Taker People who just can't understand why Giver People Gain and things just Come to you so effortlessly.  I always try to explain it in basic terms that don't seem too Spiritual and that it's just how the Universe responds to Generosity.  But, a Taker has a very hard time converting to being a Giver, it's just not a Natural Response for them.  And I explain that Giving doesn't have to even always involve Money... you can Give of your Time and Talents, as well as your Treasures, to Activate the Laws of Reciprocity.  I challenge them to do it and see what happens to prove my Point and hopefully alter their Habits of always Taking and rarely Giving, so they'll benefit from just being Generous Souls who do it as a way of just Being now.  Not all Takers are horrible Folks, they just aren't inclined to be Generous ones and in the Taking they Imagine they Gain more, but, they really don't.  What you do and Why you do it really actually matters.

Well, I picked up every Wednesday Night Shift thru September to fill in for my Friend Crazy Ed, whose having Surgery and needs Recovery time.  I had forgotten that some "Halloween Wars" is on Wednesday Nights, dammit, so I'd already accepted every Shift, but I think on Wednesdays its reruns of previous Competitions anyway.  Sunday Nights will be the new Episodes of the 2026 Competition so I'm keeping Sunday Nights Free starting September 13th.   And "Halloween Baking Championships" for 2026 airs Mondays starting September 14th, so I'll keep Sunday/Monday Nights Free thruout September and October.  It will be good to get comped so much Space Rent thruout September and Hopefully Sales are Stronger now it's Fall too?  I priced Two Crates full of Inventory to bring in Tomorrow Night.

I was gonna bring it in Today but now I know I'm Working Tomorrow Night, I'll just wait and bring it in slightly before my Shift starts.  When I picked Princess T up from Work they had a bunch of Pokemon Cards so I got a slew of them, will make excellent margins coz they were huge bagged Lots of them and many were Holographics, plus some had the Card Sleeves too, so now I don't have to buy more of those either.  I also got a Pokemon Collector's Tin Storage Container.  I got a White Rabbit's Foot Keychain and some Vintage Mother Of Pearl Rosary Beads made into a Necklace.  And some good Hard Cover Recipe Books.  And some hilarious Banana Chonies for The Man. {See Above, Smiles}   They had started putting more of their Halloween Merch out now.  So I Photographed some of it.

I saw a good NetFlix Movie called "The Whisper Man" {2026} with Robert DeNiro and Michael Keaton, more in supporting roles in this one, but excellent nonetheless, since the Leading Man, Adam Scott was just Okay in it.  The little Boy in it tho', Acston Luca Porto, was very good for such a Young Child Actor.  I liked the Movie, and of coarse DeNiro and Keaton are always worth watching in their roles.  I was Surprised such a new Movie was already on NetFlix actually, especially since it was good and not a bomb... but it was a Streaming Film with no Standard Theatrical Release, which, was Surprising.  It was only released August 28th of this Year and is from a Novel.   I guess others were shocked this never was released in Theaters instead.  I don't know how much Streaming Nets, I would have thought a Theatrical Release would Net much more and not as much cultural impact, but I could be Wrong???  Who knows how the Industry is going these days?  Streaming Platforms might drive Subscription Renewal tho'.

The Young Prince had been contacting me that they expect to roll in between 2:00-3:00 in the Morning... they had delays in New Mexico.  He has kept in close contact with me so I wouldn't worry as the time elements had to change from what they originally planned.  Arriving safely is all that matters, not when they roll up.  Allen intends to eventually relocate back to Phoenix.  He has his VA Disability now to supplement his Income working and will now be able to afford Rents here and there's way more Work here than in Clovis or the Texas Border employment he's currently doing at a Slaughterhouse there just across the Border between New Mexico and Texas.  I don't know he wants to do that kind of work indefinitely anyway and he's a super intelligent Guy so he could go back to School on the GI Bill and get a Degree to do something else less physically demanding and more intellectually based.  He's madly interest in Physics.  He and The Young Prince Geek Out on various Science related topics way over my Head intellectually. 

I can Honestly say The Young Prince seemed smarter than me by the time he was only Two, no hyperbole, the vocabulary he used freely at only Two Years Old I'd sometimes have to look up the meaning of the Words!  And I'm not a Stupid Woman, Academically I did very well too... and was a kind of Idiot Savant in some areas, like Money related and figuring out Solutions to Problems.  *LOL*   But, my Grandson was identifiable as a Child Prodigy and Genius from a very, very early age.  That's why it was appalling that they didn't let him finish his Schooling or even Scholarships to higher Education, on account of discrimination due to his Mental Illness.  It's a waste of a Beautiful Mind IMO, I always felt that given his predisposition to absorb knowledge like a Sponge, coz he's insatiable about Learning, he'll eventually Invent something significant.  I think a lot of Geniuses are not too tightly Wrapped Mentally actually. 

This was my Fav Mehndi Design I ever had done and I've often toyed of the Idea to have it permanently Tattooed by a good Black N Grey Tattoo Artist.   But, my Skin is Old and I'm a Diabetic, so it's probably not Wise at this Advanced Age to even bother now.   And Hands are not a good spot with my comorbidities so I just never did it.   I'd like to have had permanent Mehndi Design, but during my Corporate Lives, both very visible extensive Tattoos and the Dreadlocks would not have had the Careers fare as well, they might not have ever even hired you back in those days... mebbe even these days?!  *Le Sigh and Eye Roll*  The Stereotypes still abound for both.  People judge so much based on appearances which is silly becoz appearances are often quite deceiving and inaccurate.  

I spent half the Night sorting Pokemon Cards and putting them in Card Sleeves ready for Pricing.  I have an abundance of good Inventory now to last a while, I can rival the Pokemon exclusive Vendors now.  *Ha ha ha*  I hadn't realized I'd Scored so much in one fell swoop, Lucky break coz you don't often see Bulk Buy Lots of what's Trending and Hot, it almost looked like a Serious Collector's whole Collection got Donated and that's quite possible.  Especially if the others around them don't know the Value of a Collection and remain ignorant rather than using the Internet to research something first, which is so easy now, there's no excuse to remain ignorant.  I've Learned so much about random shit with Googling it, that I feel highly Educated about too much now, just enuf to be dangerous and overloading my Brain.  *LOL and Winks*

You see, in my Brain I've always looked at stuff and calculated the Dollars and Value, it's automatic and something I can't refrain from just doing, always have.  So, the more I know about more stuff, the more calculations are being automatically registered on what's visually around me.  Think of the Predator in the Movie "Predator" when that Alien is looking at the Visuals around him and those Computer Like Calculations are being summed up about what he's Seeing.  Mebbe my 21% Unknown Origin DNA is from his Planet, I mean, I do have the Dreadlocks now and always had the urge to have them too.  I'm Prettier tho'. *Bwahahahahaha*  Okay, so when I'm Buying the Bagged and Boxed Lots of Pokemon Cards & Sleeves at SAVERS, a couple of Resaler Young Guys are right beside me contemplating a purchase.  They were way too slow, even in their 20's to do their Calculations quick enuf.  I almost felt Sorry for them... ALMOST... coz I can do mine with Lightening Speed, like an Idiot Savant, coz I'm not good with Math, just if you convert Math into Money.  *Winks* 

And even Post-Stroke I was hella faster than these Two Young Men at it.  I dunno, are they Teaching Basic Math anymore in School?  Coz with some Resalers and Vendors their Math doesn't add up and square, so I often Wonder??? They should be Teaching Money/Finance, but I digress.  So I'm snapping up the best Bags and Boxes before they even began Computing what they could make off each Bag.  Poor things, they got the Leftovers, coz there were some Bags that the Math wouldn't have added up to be the Primo Margins and that's all I'm Interested in.  I'm grabbing a Bag and within about 2 Seconds got the Math Down and then moving on to the next.  If I took as long as they were taking to make a decision that could make me some Bank, I'd be a Broke Bitch for sure and hang up that Hustle as not my Jam.  *LMAO*

 But, at least they were Hustling and ya gotta Respect that.  They both looked like the kind of 20-Somethings who'd be living in their Gramma's Basement playing Pokemon, so I'm sure they know the Cards well... just Mathematically Challenged.  I was Profiling coz they were both chubby White, big, as in Tall, Youngsters with long, not well Styled Hair, and Band T-Shirts... the Uniform, as Princess T calls it, of Guys clearly who have probably never yet even gotten Laid.  *Smiles and Winks, Yes, her and I do that when we People Watch too... it's a Hobby... Bwahahaha*  I was a bit of a Distraction to them, coz they were obviously doing what I was doing, only way slower, so they actually stopped and looked at me agape and then into my Cart, blatantly envious of what I'd Scored, and began reconsidering some Bags they'd put back waffling on whether there was Money to be made on The Buy?  *LOL, Poor Things* 

 Sometimes after I'm Done with my Calculations and I know another Picker is struggling with their decision making or waffling about if they can make Money I'll give em a Yeah You Can Darlin', and they Thank me.  I have had some Regulars now come up and ask me what I think.  Now, to be sure I've seen some Young and very Adept Hustlers out there in the Resale World and they have a Look too, a "Uniform" if you will, but looking way different than this Duo.   The adept Resaler Gen Z Crowd hang in Packs when they go Pickin', they almost always look very Trendy and Fly, they got Swag for sure, most are heavily Tattooed, whether Male or Female, with really nice expensive Flash by well known Tattoo Artists.   They can Pick thru a place so quick and adeptly that sometimes if they're there, you know you better be on your A-Game or you're only getting the Leftovers.  I find it to be amusingly Competitive, so Princess T and The Daughter enjoy it when we Square Off with that Crowd.

 

You see, we have an Advantage, whether Male or Female, they always Notice Princess T and she can be a handy Distraction for her Mom and I. Tthen swoop in while she's being Eye Candy and Bait, then some of them wanna Impress her, and when they realize she's with us, wanna Impress us too, coz that might be an "In" with her.  *Winks*  And, Yeah, we'll Play that Game as well, Why Not?  They're always great Young Hustlers and Nice Young People at the Top of their Game very early on, I Respect that.  I always Cultivate my Contacts, as does The Daughter, and it's always Who you Know in any Industry that makes the difference, way more than What you Know.  Coz if you just surround yourself with more People who know more than you do, then you get a Free Education and actually don't have to do all the Work yourself either to figure everything out, Win-Win.   And Gen Z knows what's On Trend and the next Hot Thing to make Money on.

And, to be sure, the Industry in general of Resalers and Pickers, is a Tight Bunch who Connect easily and most Know one another.  If they don't Know you yet, they want to.   And I've had some of the most Experienced of them, who are generally The Millennials, 30-45, and have been at it longer than the Teens and Twenty-Somethings of Gen Z, think it's Cool when a Boomer is still at it and they'll Share in their Haul if they've Scored a lot of it and I mention they sure Scored a lot of Good Swag there.  *Winks*  Hey, would ya like some of it, coz usually a Savvy Resaler will load up quickly and reconsider some of it a bit later before Checking Out.  Coz you can always put something back, but if you Waffle and it's not in your Cart, then, you Snooze, you will Lose if there's any Competition in the vicinity.  And there usually is now, everyone's having to Work their Hustles these days, the Economy is not Ideal unless you're of the Billionaire Class.  I've only known a few of those in my Lifetime and their Skill is adept Exploitation.  Which is just not my Jam.

 

I can be Tricky, to keep my Advantages, but I won't work a Con on anyone, nor will I Exploit another Human Being, it's just Bad Karma and not Humane.  I get mine while there's still some left, becoz Survival of the Fittest is gonna come more and more into Play as there is more and more Blood in the Streets Economically, Trust and Believe.  When Resources become Scarcer and folks start having some major Lack, you will see a Turn in how folks Behave.   As a reminder, just think of how it was during the height of Pandemic when Shelves were Bare and folks got Crazy about Toilet Paper.  Now, I always had more than enuf of everything for me and mine, but I know many people who didn't.  We Shared some of what we had with those who hadn't noticed the Clues and Cues so found themselves in a Jam with no Options and no Resources.  But some folks acted during Pandemic like it was a Mad Max Sequel playing out... or insert any Apocalyptic End Times or Zombie Movie you've ever seen where it gets vicious, lawless and violent fast.

 

To me the MAGA became the Zombies, coz most of them did act Brain Dead as fuck, some still do, it is like a Virus and Disease he spread that they Caught.  Him being the main Carrier of it.  Some may never Recover from it.  A great many succumbed to COVID due to the low information and lies they bought into and ran with.  Ignorance is never Bliss, it's just ignorance.  And sad to say, my Grandson was absolutely Right about his overall assessment of most People, Statistically speaking of General Public, being Stupid and Slow Witted, gullible and easily Misled or Exploited coz they have low Critical Thinking Skills Developed, or have been poorly Educated on Purpose to be easily Misled and have a Herd Mentality.  I'd always Debate with him that No, MOST of the Population isn't, I give Humanity the Benefit of any Doubt... and then I began to watch most of the Population with a more Critical Eye, and well, he could have been Right... coz there is a whole lotta Stupid out there, and they Breed and they Vote.  And so here we now are as a Nation.  *Bwahahaha and Le Sigh*  

Above are my Dear Industry Friends Pauline and Victor, they bought so much from me when I was Moving and Selling the Big Stuff.  At the time they had a Lovely Brick and Mortar Resale Store in a Historic Downtown Building with the Exposed Old Brick and the greatest Vibe.  Sadly, a lot of those Shops had to close down during Pandemic and we've Lost so many great Indie Shops like that now, about 90% of them have Closed.  I just got a Text from our Grandsons that they had to get a Motel for the Night coz Allen got Leg Cramps from all that Driving, The Young Prince can't Drive... well, he knows how to, but he Hallucinates too much with the Schizophrenia so he chooses never to drive coz he sees things and cannot differentiate what's Real and what's Hallucinatory.  The Daughter has permanent Driving restrictions for the same reason, she can never be Licensed to Drive for a Lifetime according to the DMV coz of her Illness and how Paranoid she gets.  She thinks people are Chasing her and she's even jumped out of moving Vehicles as a Passenger!

I have to Work Tonight and every other Wednesday Night this Month to cover for my Friend Crazy Ed whose having yet another Surgery.  I've always told Ed I'll cover for him so he can retain his Shifts whenever he's able to come back to Work, he'd do the same for me.  I don't know what he's having Surgery on this time, last time it was his Shoulder.  He's in good Shape for his Age but does things he probably should no longer do at his Age, like moving big heavy Antique Furniture, by himself!!!  He and our Friend Ken have always Worried me becoz tho' Strong Men for their Age, they were doing risky shit and Ken got almost fatally hurt eventually, doing so.  I'd warned them both, don't... let the Young Stud Muffins do that now for you.  Just coz you still CAN do something doesn't always mean you should.  I'm guilty myself of doing things my Kids and Grandkids say a Woman of my Age probably shouldn't be doing and most my Age can't do anymore... and it is humbling, even if you still CAN, you probably shouldn't.  I can still lift over 100 lbs., I shouldn't tho'.  *LOL*

  

The Son always Jokes that I probably still have a Knockout Punch, but, I probably shouldn't be getting into Fights anymore at my Age.  I counter with, but, I'm too Old to run away now, so I have to make that first Punch really Count and drop 'em like a Rock tho', Son!!!  And, would they underestimate me coz they don't think I can, and so never see it coming?  Probably.  So that's still my best option if someone were to be physically confrontational or threatening to me and I wouldn't verbally be able to  de-escalate the Situation.  You then have to put them Down.  And Fair is Rare anyway, I Fight any way I can, so long as I Win and do maximum damage to the opponent, coz I don't wanna ever have to do that again with them.  Once is always enuf.  *Bwahahaha*  The Kiddos all Hope I never get Dementia like their Dad/Grandpa, coz they're pretty sure I'd be violence prone, and very easily agitated, coz I fucking am now, and have to Dial myself back... so, they could be Right...  *LMAO*

I never have been a Patient Woman, even as a Child I remember being impatient and not tolerating anyone or anything that was slow, stupid, or annoying to me.   But I've always had very good Self-Control, becoz I'm a Notorious Control Freak.   But, I do notice as you Age Out, that wanes along with everything else... so the ability to Self-Control gets harder and harder coz you have less Fucks to give really.  And, once you have NO MORE Fucks to give is when things get Real Real.  *Bwahahahaha*  And so the Family is always weighing, is THAT the LAST Fuck Mom/Gramma has to give?  *Winks*  And I will usually give someone Fair Warning, that if they give me nothing left to Lose and no more Fucks to give, things are gonna get Real and fast... so, do they want that?  Their Choice, give me Options, extend me some Hope that I have something left to Lose and wanna hold onto... otherwise, the Gloves are off and we will have us a Situation.

This is the Fav Meme of my Millennials here at The Asylum...  As it is The Daughter is happily Living in our 5th Wheel on the Property.  *Smiles*

I just Love the Art Murals Downtown in all the Cities Artsy District.  Alas, some Asshat Companies have painted over some of them, which has not been an improvement at all, so I simply don't understand why you would?  Some folks are just Culturally Deprived I think and can't stand Beautification or Beauty in general, they have to destroy, ruin, raze, desecrate, pervert or defile everything they touch... this President included.  What he's been doing illegally to destroy important Historic parts of the Capitol, which belongs to The People, not him, he's a temporary Tenant there, is an abomination.   Every single one whose enabled him to do it should be Prosecuted IMO so that nobody will carry out his Illegal Orders anymore, but so long as we don't hold those accountable who are his Minions, Domestic Terrorists he attracts, and his Cabal of Vulgarians, well, expect more of the same.

"Highland Yard Vintage" just posted a slew of Pixs of their upcoming "Halloween Market" and I can't wait to go in person to enjoy it, will spend a day there and they run it for a while, so I'll get to go more than once.  It's a long commute to the East Valley, but worth the Pilgrimage, and "Merchant Square" Antique Mall is in front of the Warehouse that Hosts the Big Event, and I'm sure many Vendors will have Seasonal Merch and Decor now too.  I've gotten some of my best Vintage Halloween from their Antique Mall, relatively few Vendors at ours have Vintage Halloween.  I'm gonna go back to that other New Antique Mall too and see what Halloween and Autumnal Vibes and offerings they got going on?  I've got some Vintage Halloween I'm bringing in, as I am Purging some of my Halloween Cache' I've accumulated over a Lifetime.  I don't Display it all anymore and so I want to Cash Out on it now, well, some of it, that I'm not that Attached to.  *Smiles and Winks*

And sometimes I reconsider, like this Wooden 1980's Vintage Tole Painted Pumpkin Art, I pulled out of stuff I was Selling and decided to Keep it coz it so matched one of my fav Tole Painted Jack O'Lanterns from the Eighties.   Nobody does Tole Painting anymore and I always liked it when it's well done, so Whimsical and my Kiddos of both Generations Loved when I'd put out the Tole Pumpkins every Year inside the House as Decoration for the Holidays kick-off.  Now they Display Year Round in the Guest Bedroom that The Son now occupies, which Houses my Climate Controlled Halloween Collections that can't have intense Heat exposure in The RV Garage Mahal when not Seasonally Displayed.  Plus, some I like to enjoy Year Round, why not, it's my Home, I can do anything that Pleases me, no matter how Quirky and Odd it is.  *Winks*  And Bottle Art, nobody does that so much anymore either, and I Loved Bottle Art and amassed an impressive Collection of it in it's heyday.

I really Miss my Industry Friends, like Forest pictured above, who Worked at my Friend Fedora Mike's Antique Mall, and all the other great Shops and Antique Malls that no longer are.  Some are still doing their Thing, but many moved away too and are doing it elsewhere, places that perhaps the Markets are Stronger still.  Forest I think moved to Texas where he was originally from after the Antique Mall had to Close. The Photo Memories remind me of what was and I'm glad it was Documented Visually so we can remember fondly everyone and everything when things were in a better place than they presently are and who all was a part of it.   The Melrose District still has remnants of what Was, but it's a Shadow of what it used to be in the heyday, when Trunk Shows abounded, Events abounded all along 7th Avenue, and Shops abounded, many now Closed and what replaced them is Meh.  I haven't bothered to even check many of the new things out coz before you go Downtown a 2nd time they're already Gone and didn't make it.  In this shitty Economy he's Created, it's just tough.

 

Forest's Book of Faces Page hasn't been active in a while, but many folks fell off FB, so that's not so unusual.  He really Rocks the Texas Cowboy Look, but Forest always was Fashion Forward and such a Sweet Man, always Smiling, always Upbeat and Positive... with a great Energy.  I do Hope he's doing well where ever he is now.   I always liked to introduce The Young Prince, while he was growing up, to solid Men in the LGBTQ+ Community, that he could ask advice from, growing up as a Gay Child in a predominantly Straight World.  It was invaluable to him to know he had a Strong Community and Male Role Models he could look up to and feel good about being his Authentic Self.   The Young Prince came "Out" as a very Young Child coz he always knew who he was and stayed Authentic to himself.  I remember him Arguing with some Family Adults who'd take him Shopping and said he could pick out what Wardrobe and Accessories he wanted that they'd Buy for him and he'd choose Girly things, which was always his preference.  They'd be worried he'd be Bullied or worse wearing it, but he didn't Care.

I still remember in Pre-School his Dad took him Shopping for a Belt, and they came Home with a White Girl's Belt with Leather raised Colorful Daisies on it in a Rainbow of Fabulousness.  He LOVED that Belt and Bobby told me, I tried to talk him into a Boy's Belt, but this is what he wanted, Bobby is Bi, but he was Worried about his Son wearing the Daisy Belt to Pre-School and getting picked on.  A legit concern coz he has been Assaulted for being Gay, even as a Child, and not always just by other Children, but by Homophobic Adults!!!  So, we'd have the Safety Talks, just like you have to do with your Minority Race Children, to keep them Safest from the Dangers of Racist Society out there.  It's an unfortunate Fact that you have to, but, they have to know for not to be as Targeted and Victimized by the Biased, the Hateful and Prejudiced of Society.  I still remember knowing, by Age 2, that sometimes it could be Dangerous for my Dad to be out in Public with me and have people Question why I was with him... coz I didn't LOOK Indian enuf and they'd Question that I was his.  It was Scary.  And there's lotsa Scary folk out there... still!

Now that we're in my favorite time of Year I'll be busy doing stuff to enjoy it all for as long as I can.  Like I said before, the GOODWILL did the kickoff early and ran out of Merch, Selling Out, prematurely, before August was even over!!!  So I don't doubt that September Sales for Autumnal and Halloween Merch is probably gonna be Strong and premature Sell Outs too.  There's a few things in the Sampling of Merch Photographed, that I got my Eyes on and might get.  Simple things, probably inexpensive Retail Therapy, to add to what I like to Decorate with for the Season and it's Holidays.   Or get Ideas and Inspiration from, becoz we like Creating some of our own Seasonal Decor and Art too.  Both to Style with and to Sell if we get the Time and Inclination to Create enuf of it.  Sometimes you have to make what you're Selling becoz there's just difficulty Sourcing it for Resale.  If you don't have enuf of it when you're Downsizing, out of your own Stash of it.

And it is why you have difficulty Sourcing enuf Vintage Seasonal Merch for Holiday Decorating to Resell.  So, most Vendors now have new Merch, or Art they Created, or get Creative about dressing up mass produced Skeletons and Dress Forms in Costumes instead.  You just can't always get, or even afford, the Real Deal anymore.   Unless you already had it and made your Money on the Buy many Moons ago, so that you can Profit off Selling it now and a lot of serious Collectors don't wanna let go of their Primo Collections.  And they're not gonna Sell it to you Cheap.  I know that very rarely do I Sell to other Industry Friends now coz I might as well Cash Out on my Full Investment myself at my own Retail Spaces.  I'm down to my Best Stuff and I'm reluctant to let it go well under what I know it's worth just so you can make Money off it.  *Smiles*   Now, that said, a lot of things aren't For Sale, but, they can Be Bought, even Industry Friends, if they make me an Offer I can't refuse, can purchase it, at the Right Negotiated Price.  *Winks*

*******

Happy Autumnal Vibes from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian