Space IS The Final Frontier

 I stole... ummm... borrowed the Clever Blog Title Hook Today from another Blogger over at "Old Prairie Moonlight", which is a new Blog for me to enjoy and I just Loved that Line about not having enough Space for all one's Cargo!   So, yep, shamelessly borrowed it for this Post so that I'd have a Title first and then work on the Post afterwards, that almost never happens.  I struggle with Post Titles and always want something Clever... and usually draw a Blank no matter how far into Creating the Post I go.

And Space mos def IS the Final Frontier, especially as you're getting Older, Downsizing, and trying to Simplify a Life nearer it's End than it's Beginning.  I'm not at all Editorial, you can tell that by just my Blog, you don't even have to take a peek into my Home to come to that conclusion.  *Winks*   And, I'm not very Organized, they say Creative Minds are Messy and I must therefore be a Madly Creative Mind I tell you!  *LMAO as she looks around at being the biggest Offender of Messy around here!* 

 I'm just fortunate I live with Four Organized People and One who cannot Organize his things, but is pretty adept at Organizing mine {The Grandson}.   Princess T and her Mom are so good at Organization that they could have been Professional Organizers.   The Son and The Man are very Organized and Orderly, The Son due to Autism, The Man due to his 39 Years of Military Training and Service.  You could bounce a Quarter on the Bedsheets when he makes a Bed and feel like a Human Burrito trying to squeeze in between them!  *LOL*

I won't let him put a Top Sheet on our Bed anymore coz I can't Sleep with Sheets pulled so tight that I feel like I'm being bound and ready to be abducted or offered up as a Human Sacrifice and put into an Egyptian Sarcophagus as a Mummy!  *Smiles*  And mostly now the Bed goes Unmade coz he abhors all the Fancy Antique Pillows and Antique Bedspreads I insist make it look so attractive when we're not Sleeping in it!  *Bwahahahaha*  We each have our Quirks.  Him having to use Care when Manhandling Antique Textiles is a Big Ask.

He will ask why I have 100 Year Old Ornate Pillows with Silk and Embroidery on our Bed if they're Fragile?  He has a Point, but I Love them and how they look so I want to Display and Use them.  But, I take Care of them and are gentle with them, they're Decorative and unique, I Love how they look and have Collected Vintage and Antique Textiles for Years and things made with them.

Anyway, back to Space IS the Final Frontier, now that we have Four other Family Members living here with all their Worldly Possession, as well as all that The Man and I have of ours, Space IS limited.  Placement IS limited.  Where to put everything IS problematic and a challenge.  We're Downsizing still, but didn't anticipate doing a Retirement Downsize and then having everyone have to move back Home with all their stuff.

So, we're in a Home half the Size of the one we Sold to move here.  Granted, we mercifully bought a Property with a huge RV Garage Space to hold what we couldn't get rid of before or during the last Move from a very large Property.  We got rid of a LOT, but, a Lifetime of Possessions, most of which have Value, and are an Investment, you don't just trash or give away to dispose of them.  You may not want to, or are ready to, get rid of it all either.

I like having my nice things, I enjoy them, I've enjoyed Sourcing and Collecting them over a Lifetime.  It was Sacrificial to prioritize Investing in The Good Stuff over our Lifetime, rather than just buying cheap worthless disposable stuff that meant nothing and wouldn't last.  I don't buy crap, I rarely have an attraction to mass produced stuff or disposable stuff, I don't spend my Money on those things.  I don't consider those things any kind of Investment.

But, I do have Too Much and reaching Just Enough in the Final Chapter of Life has been quite a Challenge for me.   I've accumulated some terrific stuff over a Lifetime, the Villa McManse Showcased it better than anywhere we've ever lived, but it was too much House, even IF I'd of liked the Community, Posturing and Politics going on within the HOA and demographic of folks living there.  To whom much is given, much is required.  At some point you have to assess how difficult it will be to keep Maintaining what is really a lot and without Staff.  I didn't wanna be in my 70's and 80's trying to Manage almost 5,000 sf of Home.

Even the End Game here would be to eventually build a smaller Unit in the Back Pasture for to transition to at that advanced Season of Life and give up the Main House to the Younger Generations living here.  Above is one of our Granddaughters, the Middle one who lives in Pittsburgh, of the Trio of Granddaughters there on the East Coast. Friends and Family have been Sharing great Selfies of themselves recently and I just can't get Enough of that.  I don't know that they all Save and Archive all the great quality Pixs they take, but I do, and they know this about me.  I'm a Pathological Picture Taker and Photo Fanatic who is a Keeper Of The Past.  This Grandchild is great about taking Pixs often to Share with us of herself and her Kids.  She could never take too many. 

The Man went to Bed early again, so I don't know if I'm really bothering him tapping away at the Keyboard?  We moved my Desk and Computer into a Corner of our Bedroom behind the Door after Adult Kids moving back in displaced me having an Office Space to do this.  Every other Property I had an Office Space designated for my Desk and Computer.  Ah, yet another Challenge of Downsizing and yet Sharing Space with many, finding the right balance of where you'll spend the most time and Space to do what you like to do most often and have some Privacy to do it!?  Where me and my Computer ends up matters.

And I've had an Art Studio Space at every Property for the last Three we've Owned and yet gotten displaced in Two out of the Three constantly when Family moves back in.  Then the Art Studio becomes their Living Space and I give up that Private Creative Space that Retirement should have Planned to afford me too.  *Le Sigh*  Family is more important to me than either Private Space, yet, giving both up has been hard, coz I had them, and then I didn't have them... over and over again.  So this Corner of the Bedroom is what's left and sometimes it's Private enuf if everyone stays out of here, including The Man, but... it IS our Boudoir and where he also has a Media Chair and a Big Screen TV to Escape from the rest of them.  *LOL*

All the Two Younger Generations of Adults know they have to Knock and ask Permission to Enter this Space.  Not that we don't Grant Permission for them to, coz we do, but, briefly, don't expect to Hang Out here.  *LOL*  But, sometimes they want to, don't even ask me Why, coz they each have their own Rooms and Privacy there that they don't have to Share!!!   The Son is the only one who never wants to Hang Out in here from time to time... Both Grandkids and their Mom, do try to Weasel in here sometimes.  *LOL*  Oh, and Borrow or ask if they can Have my Stuff too, when they see something in here that catches their Eyes!  Today it was a couple Pair of Silken Pajamas that The Daughter asked for.

It was faux Silk and Honestly tho' I liked the Look of them, I didn't like the feel of that kind of Fabric against my Skin, so I just gave them to her.  I'd Scored them at The Granddaughter's Chazza, they were the Snoop Dogg Line and The Daughter just Loves that Line and has a fair amount of it anyway.  So, I was Happy to just give them to her even tho' the Sizing is rather Big for her, but, she likes bulky oversized Clothing.  And, at least it will get worn a lot.  Otherwise I would have ended up Reselling them as Specialty Items in the Showroom, coz that Line does Sell very well and it is distinguishable.  They looked like a Pimp's Pajamas.  *Bwahahahaha*

Anyway, I have enuf Jammies that are Cotton and comfortable, usually in the form of Cotton Pajama Pants in Cute Prints with just a Solid Color Large T-Shirt that matches some of the Print Color.   Before we had a whole bunch of the Family move back Home, I often just Slept Commando.  I remember my Dear Mom asking me, but what if you had a Fire, Dawn, would you run out of the House Naked?  Yes, Yes, I Guess I would Mom, the Neighborhood would just have to Deal with that in Therapy Sessions I Guess.   I have zero Inhibitions being an Old Hippie. *Bwahahahaha*  

As it is, Brad the Hot Pool Company Owner, is still having to clean our Pool after I Scared off his Young New Staff Member that day I forgot it was Pool Cleaning Day and was Skinny Dipping.  First Day on the Job, First Pool for that poor Young Guy, he turned as Red as his Hair, Bless him, and didn't know what to do!   I just casually said, Oh, Sorry and just Walked out of the Pool into the House, but, he couldn't Unsee what he'd saw and I remember telling the Family, well, I guess Brad will now be Cleaning our Pool forever, coz he ain't getting those Youngsters to wanna come to the Old Hippies House now!!!  And sho' nuff... *LMAO*

Brad is Gorgeous and about our Son's Age, I'd say in his 30's, so about a Decade Older than his Hired Help, so he claims he's already seen everything there is to see.  So, he's not Intimidated lest I forget again, or so he says.  *Winks*  I did apologize to him, I hadn't meant to Scare Off his Hired Help.   When The Daughter saw how Cute and Hot Brad is, she Joked that she might "Forget" to put a Bathing Suit on one day too.  *Bwahahahahaha*   The Granddaughter said that both her Mom and I are incorrigible... she could be Right?  *Winks*  She has a LOT more Modesty and Inhibitions than either of us, what can I say.  *Smiles*   

The Young Prince is more cut from the same Cloth as his Mom and I, he has no Shame in his Game about Nudity whatsoever.   The Son and The Man, both very Modest Guys.  So, it's a 50-50 split around here.  Three Un-Inhibited and Three Inhibited Souls.  *Smiles*   And Brad is now stuck Cleaning our Pool coz of me.  *Bwahahahahaha*  He's a good Sport about it... coz he knows I'd Scare those Young Boys he Hires.  He's had some Cuties, and they sure didn't mind seeing the Granddaughter in her Bikinis... and she said they were all Easy on the Eyes too.  *LOL*

The Young Prince sure is missing Tyson, our Great-Grandpup, who was Allen's Dog, so had to remain with the Soon-To-Be-Ex-Husband.  Tyson makes even a Cat Lover like myself have a Soft Spot for a terrific Dog like him, he's such a big not-so-bright Powerhouse of a Dog who has the best disposition.  Pit Bull as a Breed are very much maligned and vilified, when there are other Breeds far more unpredictable, mean Spirited and Testy in Nature.  Yes, these are Powerful Dogs and if properly Trained, are very Loyal and exceedingly Obedient and easy to Train.  They're not the Smartest of Breeds, kind of the Big Dumb Jock of Dogs really, which makes them all the more Endearing.   You wanna say, in the best possible way and not in a Bad way, ya Big Dummy!  Coz they're so Goofy, but try so hard to Please.  *Smiles*  Very prone to ailments due to In-Breeding sadly.

Tyson is getting quite Old now and has had a lot of Health Issues.  He also has Pica, so eats things he shouldn't, so you had to take Care about that tendency.  But he was quite disciplined and well Trained even tho' he came to Allen as an Adult Rescue who'd suffered Abuse in his former Life, poor Sweet Guy.   Allen had been told he was relinquished becoz of his Sweet Nature becoz he wouldn't Fight and be Aggressive.  Yet, it's not like Tyson couldn't hold his own.  We found this out one day when a Big Aggressive German Shepherd that was loose jumped our Fence.  He was trying to Fight with Tyson and yet Tyson thought he was just Playing, Big Dummy.  Allen realized the other Dog was mean and could hurt his Dog so he was breaking it up, he'd been a Dog Handler in the Military, so skilled enuf to do so.

Well, he'd incapacitate the German Shepherd gently, and remove him from our Property, only to have the Dog jump over the Fence again and start to try to Fight Tyson again!!!   We didn't know whose Dog it was or why it was loose and knew it could hurt one of us if it attacked us.  Well, it made the Mistake of trying to bite Allen and that's when a Switch Flipped in Tyson and he then handed that Dog his Ass!!!  It turned from Playful Tyson then into an actual Dog Fight and a Pit Bull is formidable in those against most other Breeds.   And then The Young Prince came out to Protect his Beloved Fur Baby, in a Psychotic Schizophrenic Rage and that Scared the bejesus out of that Aggressive Dog more than Tyson had!  

So it took off running down the Street... with the Barefoot Young Prince, with a Rainbow Woman's Gossamer Wrap floating in the Breeze, and Rainbow Dyed Hair, running after him, what a Sight for Sore Eyes!  *LMAOROTF*   Tyson also ran Coyote Packs off our Property one Night and our Neighbors got all that on their Ring Camera.  Our Neighbors have Chickens and I think the Pack was trying to access their Property via ours and didn't know Tyson was on Guard and not the least bit intimidated of a Pack of Coyotes and they weren't about to get into a Fight with him, so jumped back over the Fence and took off.  Coyotes will kill and eat Smaller Pets, but generally aren't gonna interact with Larger Animals or Humans intentionally.  They actually are very Intelligent and Shy Animals, they are my Spirit Animal, so I have Great Respect and Reverence for them.  But they will Kill and Eat your Chickens.

I had to call in one of my Rx to TriCare's Express Scripts, the Price of ONE of the Meds alone has now gone up by almost Ten Bucks again!  We were supposed to get the EARNED Benefit of FREE Medical and Medications FOR LIFE... so much for that, every Year I've got to pay more for mine thru our Military Provided Insurer.  Whaddya gonna do?  The Base Pharmacy quit carrying most of what I was on so I had to go to Home Deliver thru TriCare and pay instead.  Plus, the Base Pharmacy had become so convoluted a Process you had to end up going there Three or more time to get anything filled, IF they even still carried it.  You'd be in long lines at the Drive Thru doing that Three or more times and honestly, with the price of Gas, that would be prohibitive now too.  At least Express Scripts Delivers it to the House at no Cost for Postage.  And The Man's Meds we get thru the VA still.  *Whew*  Otherwise we'd go broke affording just our Medications to keep us Alive.

And you have to use a Phone Bot, I HATE them, but, you can't get a Human when calling Express Scripts now and the Bot messes up a lot in understanding you.  I'm speaking fluent English, with no Accent, so I don't know what's hard to understand?  Arizonans don't have an Accent like some States do, it's why a lot of Broadcasters are from here, with no dialect you're easier to understand than if there's a thick specific State Accent like some areas of the Country have.  In some Reality Shows shot in some States they actually use subtitles so you can understand what they're saying, it's hilarious!!!   Anyway, my Jardiance is now $44 rather than $35 a refill.  I thought the Government allegedly put a $35 Cap on Medicare Recipient's individual Prescriptions, guess it's now gone up to $44?  I'm on Five different Meds and some of them have already been well over $35 each so I'm bracing for what they'll be now to Refill?   I mean, the full Cost wouldn't be affordable at all tho', just for ONE of them.

And did you hear the Scandal about Donnie Two Dolls Prescription Plan just being another one of his Scams, to where one Med he's charging $200 for on his allegedly "Discount" Plan is only $16 at COSTCO?  Well, I figure anyone dumb enuf to keep falling for his Scams/Cons, shouldn't be Surprised they were Played and exploited by now, so I can't feel a whole lot of pity for them.  They know their Guy is a Crook, yet they still Trust him and fall for all his bullshitting.  I guess there is a Sucker Born every Minute and we're seeing that in Real Time within the Population that lives among us.  I mean we got a lot of Crazy Folks in the Family, but Thank God they're not Stupid or Easy Marks!

And sure, Tucker Carlson, who is a real Slimeball himself and always has been a very Unserious Click Bait and Ratings Whore, pretends he's so Sorry he Supported all of this and misled people who thought he actually was Honest, Honorable or Serious.  Really Tucker, not Buying it, you'll do it all over again for Clicks and Ratings and Whore yourself out regardless of the collateral damage you cause in your complicit Criminal Unions now or in the Future.  It's made him Rich, and you only ever have to follow the Money to where it leads ya.  Those who've been complicit all this time and now pretend to be having a Revelation, I'm not Buying into it so much that there's any measure of Sincerity.  Buyer's Remorse perhaps at the backlash it's causing them, but they were On Board 100% until it's THEM suffering consequences Personally.  When it was those they deem "The Others" suffering and Victimized, well, they didn't give a shit.

 

The Son is making a Spam Sammie Breakfast for us and was Melting Down coz his Nephew leaves a Trail of Captain Crunch on the Floor like Hansel & Gretel... he overfills his Bowl and wanders around spilling a piece in a Trail to where ever he's been and where ever he's going.  I see the Dark Twisted Humor in it, The Son doesn't Share my warped sense of Humor so while I'm Laughing he's getting Wound Up about it tighter than a 7-Day Clock and is walking around with a Broom and a Dustpan Bitching and Melting Down, which makes it even more Comically hilarious to me, even tho', I understand his frustration.   I Share it but don't come unhinged about the Small Stuff, not worth it.

 But, tho' we have the same conversations ad nauseum with The Young Prince and his Mother, well, Training a Schizophrenic, especially those with D.I.D., who have multiple Personalities, and actually knowing you're getting thru their Mental Fog, of each and every Personality/Alter, well, it's all quite futile at times and like Training and Trusting a Wild Animal to comply.   Calm Down Son, it's just Capt. Crunch... and it is quite Crunchy underfoot, isn't it?  *Bwahahaha and he give me a Death Stare, LMAOROTF* 

I got some Rare Selfies my Best Friend has recently taken.  Like me, she doesn't get in front of the Lens too often and is more inclined to take Pixs of everyone else.  She's getting really adept at the Art of the Selfie tho' and I Loved the ones she took recently to send.  She and I have been Best Friends since our early Teens when our Families were Stationed in Great Britain.  Her Military Career Family Retired right around the same time ours did.  Her Parents chose Texas, mine chose Arizona.  I've visited her in Texas, she's visited me in Arizona.  I only Wish we lived in the same State so we could spend more time together again.  She's like the Big Sister I never had, so we're like Sisters.  Coz she and I only had a Younger Brother.

I was gonna go do some Environmental Cleanup this Morning coz it's only 65 Degrees and fabulous outside, Chilly but refreshing, unusual for late April in the Desert.   We had that ridiculous early Hot Spell of up to 109 Degrees last Month breaking Records, now we're having a very unusual Cooler Spell, the Weather is no longer predictable at all anywhere it seems.   LATER: Back from doing the Park by 10:00 a.m. and got quite a Haul of not only Cans, but 11 Pair of Women's Fancy Shoes, kept 1 Pair of Suede Ankle Boots with Silver Tips that I knew The Daughter would wear, Donated the rest to SAVERS, all Size 8-9, but not our Style.  Mostly Suede and Leather Flat Pumps in various Colors and similar pointed tip Style, Brand Names.  No idea why so many would be dumped at the Park?  Found a fancy carved Wooden and Metal Pocket Knife for The Man.

I'd needed Bags and The Son had remined me only Yesterday we were almost out, but I didn't have Money to Buy any.  So, wouldn't ya know one of the Park Rangers/Landscapers there who sees me all the time whistles to me to come over and asks if I need any Bags for my Canning?  I said, in fact I really do, and he hands me a whole Roll of the heavy duty ones the Parks use!  And Thanks me for picking up what people just toss in the Grass or around the Picnic Tables and don't throw in the Trash, as I'm gleaning my Aluminum.  *Heavenly Angels Singing for some very Specific Divine Intervention just when Needed*

  So now I don't have to outlay out of Pocket for expensive heavy duty Bags now to do our Volunteer Work, Hallelujah!   The Paid Staff always Thank us and talk to us.  He's one of the Older hard working Employees of Park Services.   A stocky little Hispanic Man whose not even as Tall as me and I'm only 5'2", he trims Bushes and Trees very skillfully, he's not a hack, knows what he's doing and conscientious about doing it, takes Pride in his Work.  So that Park always looks exceptionally Maintained with Guys like him on the Job and he's such a Sweetheart.

I've had an Obsession for Years of Collecting Unusual and Old Board Games.   Monopoly has re-invented Interest in their Games by making a slew of different Themed and Ltd. Edition Specialized Versions of it or Franchise Versions.  Thousands exist and I haven't gone that berserk with wanting them all, but I do have quite a Selection.  Including one of our City, Avondale, and I have the Phoenix version too... and several State with their City Versions that Friends and Family have Gifted me with.  We used to have Family Game Night and that's what got it started when the Kiddos were Younger.  We perhaps need to start that up again, we did during Pandemic.

Of coarse the Theme being Space IS the Final Frontier, I have tried to be more Curated in what is Kept.  But the Kiddos don't wanna get rid of the Games and the problem with Selling them is that often Thieves Steal the Specialized Metal Game Pieces out of them if you don't Re-Seal the Game... sometimes they'll still break open the Seal and Steal part of the Games, thus ruining the ability to Sell them or what you Invested in them.  So, I'd rather they be Kept.  Myself, I have also Collected Game Pieces, mostly Sourced from the Outlet Chazzas where you can even Buy Parts of anything you want, for Crafting and Repairs, and they Sell everything by the Pound. 

John just left, he changes the Wound Dressing on The Man's Leg caused by the previous Swelling, but said it's Healing so well now he'll probably not be coming very much longer.  I didn't even have him Calendared for Today so it was handy I was Home when he came at 12:40, whew!  Anyway, the Wound does look good now and isn't ulcerating, and the Swelling is gone and up under control now he's on Diuretics when needed.   The Young Prince was helping me Value Pokemon Cards since I'd Sourced about 120 of them recently in a Bagged Chazza Lot for only Four Bucks.  

The very cheapest ones I can Sell for a Buck apiece and some are more Valuable, but the Grandkids know all that, I'm no Pokemon Collector or Aficionado.  And Pokemon is Hot at the Antique Mall, over 90% of Sales now are Pokemon Customers and they'll pay anything.  He pulled a Card worth $300 once for me and we kept it aside some time ago from a Bagged Lot, so you can get Lucky.  And, even at a Buck apiece, great Margins so it can't go Wrong having these in our Locked Case and drumming up badly needed Business, Selling what the Customers want and are eagerly Buying.   Coz Sales of The Good Stuff otherwise is flatlined and Spring/Summer are the toughest to get thru in Sales.

Management called just now and asked me to fill in for my Vendor Friend Kristy Tonight, it's her Kid's Birthday, so I agreed to.  It's only Four Hours Notice tho', dammit, so I still have to pick up my Granddaughter from Work and eat Dinner.   So I've got The Son making Pasta with a Lemon Herb Alfredo Sauce.  That should be hearty enuf to sustain me until I get off Work at 9:00 p.m. Tonight, I'm usually Home no later than 9:30 p.m., we hardly ever get out at exactly Nine coz of Late Shoppers who linger past Closing and dawdle to leave.  We announce Closing an Hour beforehand, then every 15 Minutes after that, and announce when we're Closed... they still linger and wait 'til the last Minute to saunter up to the Registers, usually there's then a long line of them.  *Le Sigh*  

 

Then some of them get pissy that there's a long checkout Line and wait, when they've all had all Night to go to the Registers and NOT wait until the last possible Minute to Check Out.   Plus, we have all the Registers Open earlier, as it's closer to Closing they start Closing Down Registers. We've been Open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Seven Days a Week... so, it's ridiculous to wait 'til Closing any Night and hold Staff up from going Home on time.   We're not supposed to Clock Out and Leave until the last Customer is out the Door.  Anyway, I still prefer Working a Night Shift, don't do Day Shifts, my Days are too busy and precious to me now to commit to that.  They don't Comp me enuf Space Rent to ruin or impose on any of my Daytime Hours.

I need some Comped Space Rent tho' since I didn't Earn a Check this last Pay Period at all and Sales have cratered recently again.  I don't wanna Owe the Mall any Money, I wanna Make Money, not Lose Money or just Break Even.   Since I reconnected with some Old Vendor Friends I'd lost touch with, we've been talking about the Industry.  All of them have been Vendors for many Years, much longer than me actually, so I Value any Experience and Advice they have to Share about how to get thru the lean times.  Not everyone makes it, and since I'm still making it after all these Years, I must be doing something Right?  *LOL*  Tho' I'm not naive enuf to assume I could make a Living doing this, it's just a Hobby for me and way to Downsize effectively and Cash Out on Investments made Years ago in the better stuff.

Anyway, we've had some good interactions about the Industry.  We used to all the time back in the earlier Years, now most Vendors don't even bother to get to know one another or interact like that and become Friends.  Far too many are crap hawkers now too so wouldn't have anything in common or much knowledge of the actual Business of Buying or Selling the Good Stuff and Quality Merch.  They wouldn't even know Quality Merch, and, tho' I don't begrudge anyone working their Hustle to make whatever Money they can to make their Ends Meet, those Selling Crap diminish the Reputation of any Antique Mall when too many of them Rent Space there and then attract the demographic that only wants to Buy Crap.  You end up with the Yard Sale Mentality in an Antique Mall, and that's not the Customer I want to attract as my Customer.

I don't even bother to Host Yard Sales coz that Mentality of a Yard Sale Shopper is so out of touch with actual Value and can insult you with lowball offers, I'd rather set it on Fire first.  *LOL*   If something is Yard Sale Quality, I rather Donate it to a Charity Shop instead and have the Chazza Shopper be in their right Element then Shopping for Bargain Basement Deals.  Nothing wrong with that, I do it, but, Right Place to do it is important.  I don't go into an Antique Mall to Buy mass produced or cheap Crap.  In fact, if there's too much of that it's a Hard Pass for me and I won't be Buying a damned thing.  If you have only repops and mass produced Product, or inferior quality shit, I can Buy it New instead at any Big Box Store or Dollar Store.  I don't Need to buy secondhand Used Crap and pay a Margin you Need to Profit off Reselling it.  *LOL*

 

Anyway, I can't recall who Works on a Thursday Night, hopefully it's not a bunch of Slackers or Pain in the Ass folk?  So many New ones working Shifts now I don't even know any of their Names, let alone their Temperament, Personality, Work Ethic, or lack thereof.  Some of the Newbies have been Nice and had a decent Work Ethic, at least so far.  Some are gung ho in the beginning and then start Slacking as they lose interest in providing Customer Service, especially if they're not doing well at the Mall in Sales, they get disheartened, knowing that even pulling Shifts, they'll still Owe the Mall Money and not be Making a Profit.  And I can't blame them for their discouragement if they're doing all they can but Sales are flat.

It's why I jumped on some Bagged Pokemon Card Lot, I know I can at least make Money Selling those, and I don't give Two Shits about Pokemon, but our demographic at the Mall is Buying it like Crazy every Day.  And spending a lot of Money on it, so... whaddya gonna do?  You have to Sell what folks are Buying, it's counter productive to try to Sell what they're NOT interested in Buying no matter how Nice it is or how good the Quality of it is.  Sometimes Shoppers just don't Care about Quality or can't afford Quality.  Even if they could afford it, some still won't Buy it and will spend their Money on disposable Crap anyway coz they don't Care that it won't last or is poor Quality, they don't Plan on Keeping it long anyway.  We've become a Disposable Society.

I got the Pokemon Cards Priced for Tonight that The Grandson suggested I Sell at a Dollar apiece, he'll look up the others he feels are worth more so I can price them accordingly.  The Young folks and Pokemon Geeks can rifle thru them quickly and know which have Value and which don't, I have no idea.  Oddly I know far too many of the Characters since The Son and The G-Kid Force have Collected them.  Since it came out in 1996 interest in it has waned only slightly and then made a huge comeback recently, even more than when it first became a Hit and Cult Classic.   Now a lot of Middle Aged Collectors are more into it than the Kids are and they're the ones dropping the Big Bucks for the Purchase of it.  I'm amazed at what they'll drop on some of the new Boxes of Cards, which can go for almost a Grand!  

They don't bat an Eye at dropping Hundreds of Dollars in one visit and never haggle with the Vendors Selling it.  If I had any Pokemon Merch, it's Sold Out right away no matter what it is.  So you do have to keep it in a Locked Case.  Otherwise it would walk out the Door with the Five Finger Discount Types that trawl Businesses for opportunities to Shoplift.   And boosting Pokemon Merch can be quite lucrative, clearly, so you have to take extra Security measures to protect your Merch when it's a primo targeted item of Thieves.  Sadly too many people engage in Shoplifting and not enuf is done to Prosecute them for it or be an effective deterrent.   We've had Vendors just as Guilty of doing it.

I've had less Theft since I got a Locked Case and moved our Showroom towards the Front of the Mall in a higher traffic Aisle and closer to the Registers.  So the risks of being caught doing it are higher and it is a slight deterrent, tho' some Thieves are so bold they'll do it now in plain sight.   It doesn't help that if you call Police they don't take Theft very Seriously and seem just annoyed to have to show up or file a Report and press Charges.   We've had some Officers be so Offensive to Witnesses of the Crime, Staff, Vendors and other Victims of the Crimes, that we've had to Report THEM for unprofessional Conduct!  

Once they didn't even try to catch the Guy when we pointed out he was the one and a JC Penney Rent-A-Cop Security Guard next door made the Arrest so the Victim at our Mall got her Purse and Car Keys back!  *Whew*  When Cops didn't even pursue him he boldly went next Door and Stole from JC Penneys, but they have their own Security on Payroll.  NEXT DAY:  Well, it was super busy at Work and had been on Monday too, which is Odd Mid-Week.   My Sales were so Strong on Monday I'm killin' it and most Sales were of the better higher priced Merch... on a MONDAY!!!!!!   Most of what I Sold was also out of our Locked Case, and it was a pleasant Surprise that the better Merch is Selling this Pay Period.  Some folks with Money must be in Town I guess? 

But I seriously doubt I'll accept another Thursday Night Shift, coz tho' my Young Friend Eve was working, and I like her and work well with her, Old Sue is also a regular on that Night's Shift and she's a Pain in the Ass.  We Nickname her 'The General' coz most folks don't wanna work with her, she's in her 80's and is an Old Bully, tries to Boss everyone around, is Rude, Offensive and doesn't ever feel good, was recently Widowed, so she's Cranky and picks Fights, projecting Anger on all around her, with Co-Workers and Customers.   When she's Nice she's very Nice, and when she's on her Roll she's Unlovely as Hell, she could be sliding into Dementia, I dunno.  So, I never did get either of my Sit Down Breaks coz it was so busy I was tied up with Customers both times.  Once for 40 Minutes with a Heavy Hitter Buying Hundreds of Dollars of Sports Cards out of a Locked Case and was chatty. 

The other Break {You get Two in Rotations and you're the Front Desk Greeter during your Breaks}, I missed that Break by helping Two Young People buying a Grand worth of Pokemon Cards out of a Locked Case.  Sue decided to pick a Fight with me about spending too much Time with those Customers!!!  Usually when someone is in their Eighties I defer and due to respect for my Elders, hold my Peace with them.  But she took it a Bridge too far that Night and wasn't using logic or sense, saying Stupid illogical shit that some Old People do and then wanna Fight about.  She told me I couldn't spend that much time with Customers, no matter how much they're spending and I should bring the Cards up Front... WHAT!  The Whole Fucking CASE of Cards, are you Mental?!  I can't clear out an entire Case they wanna paw thru and look at and bring it all up Front Sue, and Yes, I can spend as much Time as any Customer requires!  That's called Good Customer Service and it's what we're here for!

She's surly and rude to Customers to where some complain about her and some don't want her to even wait on them.  That's not good representation of the Mall.  And my Three Customers I spent all that Time with came over to Thank me after they made their Purchases for all the Help I did for them, that matters in Retail.   I started off Soft with Sue about that, but she was on her Ratchet Old Biddie Bully Roll and finally I snapped and went all Dark Dawn on her Ass.  All the Paid Staff are Young People, including the Night Manager, and Friendly with me, they don't like Sue, and so it was Dinner and a Show for them all, including Eve my Young Co-Worker, when they saw, Oh Shit, Sue's picking a Fight with Dawn!  *Winks*  It did not go Well for Sue.  She backed up and decided Nice Sue better make a fucking quick comeback so that Dawn Of The Light would come back on Board to Work with.  *Winks*

It was more about her dislike for the Pokemon and Sports Memorabilia Crowd doing all the Buying and her own Sales being flat really, which, frustrates us all at an Antique Mall.  But, it is what it just is, Deal with it Professionally and Appropriately.  She was harping it's not 'Fair' for me to spend so much Time with the Card Collectors coz it's not 'Fair' to other Vendors.  WTF, you mean those Vendors they aren't Buying a damned thing from?  Sue, that makes no sense, you spend Time with a Customer regardless of WHAT they're Buying or from WHO, it's not all about  us!!! I told Sue, Listen, I don't wanna Fight with you, I don't want to fill in on any Shift that's gonna become Drama and a Headache and have to go Ham on anyone's Ass... but I WILL if you take me there, understand? 

 I don't NEED to be here and if you're not Feeling Well, you don't HAVE to be here either, go Home.  And if you start Acting Up again, I'll just Walk Out and then you will have to Work doubly hard and get NO Breaks, coz they didn't have anyone else to fill in for Kristi and I'm doing it as a Special Favor to Kristi and Steven, our Manager, Okay?  You got to sit already Twice as long already coz I got NO Breaks, so quit Bitching about the Rotation being 'Off' too, who Cares?!   We're not here for the Goddamned Breaks!  

So, anyway, after I went Ham on Sue's Ass she was Sweet for the rest of the Shift and Made Nice.  And I did too, coz on a Personal Level I actually like Sue, I just don't like working WITH Sue, coz as a Co-Worker, she's a LOT to have to Deal with.  And I already got an Old Man at Home with Age Related ratchetness, so I don't Need to put up with it at Work too.  And I don't let The Man get away with being an Old Bastard either, I set his Ass Straight in a heartbeat when he goes there and tells him I'll light his Ass on Fire if he doesn't Be Nice and Behave.  *Winks*   And he'll try it more with the Kiddos when I'm not around, AS IF they won't Snitch on him about it to me.  *Bwahahahahaha*    And poor Eve had an even worse experience last Night on the Shift than I did with Sue.

Eve is super Sweet and Nice to all the Customers and Staff, everyone enjoys her, she's Mulatto and very Mixed Race looking, a Beautiful Girl inside and out.   She's always lived with her White Side of the Family, on her Mom's Side... but still has the Experience of being Half Black.   So... we had an Old White Racist Pretentious Woman come in and Eve had to wait on her.   The Woman got very Racist Nasty with Eve and I overheard some of it, the Woman was being openly Hostile in that way you just know, she feels Superior to a Person of Color and can treat them thus any kind of way with impunity.   So I walked up and asked Eve if she wanted me to take over and help this Customer so she could "go on Break", and I Winked, to where the Woman couldn't see.   Eve said, No, it's okay, I'll finish up here Dawn, but Thank You.

  Afterwards she came up and said, I don't Care if someone is Racist, Be Racist, but don't be a total Bitch too.  *Bwahahahaha*  I concur, you can't change the Hearts or Minds of Racists and they Be Racist full time, and so long as they're still able to be Civil Racists, we really don't Care that you don't Like us folks of some Color.  We don't Like you Racists either actually, but we have to Share the Planet, so, Deal with it better.  *LOL*  And Eve was being Nice to this Woman in spite of her being a Racist Bitch in return.   Eve kept it dignified and Professional, which I think this Woman is just so entitled about how poorly she's treating someone she feels is inferior, that no matter how well the Customer Service is with a Person of Color waiting on her, she'd treat them like shit and less than Human anyway.  I've seen it often, it's always Ugly.

And this Woman was Buying a lot and sticking around.   So I knew Eve didn't wanna hafta wait on her again and said, not really all that jokingly, let's stick her with Sue now, Sue's rude to everyone, this Woman deserves Sue.  *Bwahahahahaha*   And, this will be an Even Match then and we'll see how it goes?   And Eve concurred that would Work, mostly coz, she wasn't all that sure that the Woman wouldn't mistake my Ethnicity and think I was also a bright skinned Black Woman, coz I'm as Dark as Eve and have the Dreadlocks.  *LMAO, it's happened, even with Black People assuming I'm Mixed Race Black and just Bright Skinned or "Clear".  LOL*  And I'd already had my Negative Experience with Sue.  So, I might have Handled that Customer differently than Eve did, coz I do like to 'Play' Wickedly with folks like that and make it Entertaining and Amusing for myself.  Why Not?   We can be a Wicked Bunch of Bat Shit Crazy Folks here if you Play us Wrong and wanna Not 'Play' Nice.  So, go for it...  *Winks* 

*******

Preferring to just get along and Play well with others tho'... Dawn... The Bohemian