We'll begin this Post with some Excellent News, Princess T got the Job and they Hired her Immediately, she starts Today!!! She'll be working 6:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., so, no more Sleeping In, but, those are good Hours really, gives her the whole rest of the Day to herself. And doesn't interfere with my Scheduling. She was Jazzed coz her Supervisor and people in the Back were so nice and so instructive. She likes how things are being run so efficiently and smoothly, stuff like that matters to her. Today is Orientation so she starts at 11:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m. and The Daughter and I helped her with all her Online Paperwork last Night. The above Image Necklace will be my Halloween pressy to myself when I go to my Event this Month. My Friend Cyndie had Created it out of a Victorian Brooch and altered it to my specifications, adding the Black Beads.
I'll be picking it up next Week during the Sweet Salvage "Wicked Faire" Themed Event Grand Opening on Thursday. The Halloween Events are always my favorites. I attended the one at Studio 108 Collective Yesterday with The Man, it was so good. I didn't Buy much, but I did get a 1970's Anna Lee Halloween Devil Mouse and a set of some 1930's Repop Halloween Black Cats playing Instruments from my Friend Joey. He gave me a First Cousin Discount on my purchase, I've bought so much Vintage Halloween from him ovef the Years that I have his whole Personal Collection he Sold Off. We joke that he can come over to have Visitation. *Smiles* Should I have Bought this Sign and Posted it Poolside... for the Benefit of Brad's Pool Boy Staff so he doesn't have to now cover us all the time now? *Bwahahahaha*
Afterwards I took The Man to Red Lobster for a late Lunch, we'd missed Breakfast and they had good Specials. I got the Shrimp Special that had the Coconut Shrimp and Firecracker Shrimp with Roasted Brussel Sprouts. I Love the Dip that comes with it which is like a Pineapple Coconut Tropical Dip. First time trying the Firecracker Shrimp coz they usually Sell Out of them, they were good. I particularly like their Coconut Shrimp, they do them the same way my fav Thai Restaurant does them. Their handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade was good too. I had heard that a Young Male Nigerian Immigrant, Damola Ademolekum, had taken over the Company as their CEO after they had filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and was attempting to turn it around, since they were over $1 Billion in Debt. He previous led P.F. Changs. A U.S. Bankruptcy Judge blessed the acquisition so he must have thought RL Investor Holdings LLC capable. I used to Manage Bankruptcies for Real Property in my first Corporate Life, it requires better and more responsible financial Management.
This is Why 45 Bankrupting Companies so many times {Six} shows he's incapable of sound Financial decisions or Stewardship of Valuable Assets. So his Economic Plans are self-interest Grifts only and make NO sound Economic Sense, like the 20% Tariffs on Foreign Imports we heavily rely upon. Anyway, I hope the new CEO of Red Lobster makes a go of it to turn them around and keeps them in business. He did away with the losing promos like Endless Shrimp, which created losses. His new promos make sense from a business perspective. Listen, you can't profit from "Endless" Specials with the gluttony a lot of Americans now have. When I have my "Endless" Soup, Breadsticks and Salad at Olive Garden I might ask for One more Soup, not a Cauldron of it and they give you more than enuf Salad to not need to ask for more of that. If they bring me extra Breadsticks, even if I don't want any, I take them To Go since I don't gorge on Carbs at any meal, I'm Diabetic. The Man had the Thursday Special which was Garlic Shrimp Scampi and Lobster, with Loaded Baked Potato for only $24, a good Deal... not an Endless one, the portion was hearty enuf he took the Lobster home To Go.
Now, speaking of Eating {LOL and Winks}, we knew full well after that Debate, the Crazy shit 45 making up, was gonna be a Goldmine for Comedic Memes galore! Especially the one about Immigrants eating Pets and of an Orange Pig being Roasted. *LMAOROTF* So, above were some of my favs that were in my Feed almost immediately and I hadda Share both on my Book of Faces Page and here on the Ole Blog, Gallow's Humor Style. I mean, you can't really make the shit up that falls out of that Fool's Mouth, can you?! He's an absolute Moron and it's all the more Moronic that anyone still takes it all Seriously and as Factual. Simple Fact Checking refutes and debunks every Lie, Conspiracy Theory and Exaggeration he's ever told. And in this convenient day and age of being able to Check Facts and find out anything you need or want to know, no excuses exist for intentional Ignorance anymore. Unless you are Stupid enough to just run with whatever low information you receive without regards to if it's from a reliable or credible Source and makes you appear as much a Fool or Liar as whoever started it and rolled it out.
Anyway, during our Day Adventure I did get loads of Blog Fodder Imagery and once I download my Old School Camera's Pixs I'll be including them here and in the next few Posts. The Grandchild's Hours won't interfere with me going to my Events or Scheduling usual Appointments or taking on new Shifts for On Call Work in the Evenings at the Antique Mall. If she absolutely had to, it's close enuf to Walk Home from Work or have Timmy or any other Friend pick her up from work until she can get her Driver's License and her own Vehicle. In fact, she discovered that one of the Emo Goth Boys she knew from School and is a Friend of hers works there, so he's Jazzed that she got Hired and also helped her with the Online Paperwork. Apparently, becoz it is a Chazza that aide Valley Big Brothers and Big Sisters, they also have some kind of Qualifying Factors for their Employees receiving Aide, which, might be helpful to her. I think her Answers to the Questions to Qualify might actually make her eligible, we'll see. She has been on Eligible Rolls with being a Special Needs Adoptee and once a Ward of the State for the first 10 Years of her Life.
She Qualified for Benefits as a Hard to Place Adoptee due to being an Older Child put up for Adoption, Biracial, the Child of a Seriously Mentally Ill Mother, and Special Needs Health Wise and Learning Disabled. She only stopped being Qualified for the Aide the Adoption Board made her eligible for, when she Graduated and was no longer in School. But, the Adoption Board and The State did send me Letters saying she may Qualify for other Benefits as an Adult with Special Needs and perhaps barriers to Employment and Independent Living. She's a hard Worker and Smart, but, she is Learning Disabled and has had Developmental Delays and Chronic Health and Mental Health needs that were considerable. She still can't Read very well and has trouble Writing and Comprehension of what is Written Instruction. If you tell and show her, she Learns it much quicker and soaks in knowledge imparted to her and absorbs it like a Sponge, so, she's not feeble Minded. She was really paying close attention when the Supervisor was explaining their Process in his area and enthusiastically Shared it with us after her Interview. So, now we know how it all works too behind the scenes. Insider Information that is Helpful. *Winks*
I had to take the First Day Of Work Pixs, even tho' she's Worked with me since she could Walk and Talk, and done loads of Volunteer Work, this is her First Job for an Employer so it was like the First Day Of School to Document, she reluctantly obliged. *Smiles* In the first pix she looked like she was in front of a Firing Squad, so I told her to Lighten Up for pix No. 2... LOL... and if you look at the pix of Eli below, you can see he is NOT Happy that his Human is going to Work, he had her all to himself after Graduation and got used to it. *Pout and Sob from Eli, his Sour Countenance says it all! LOL* He's also not particularly fond of her newfound fondness for Satin Sheets. *Bwahahahaha* He has not yet slipped out of Bed onto the Floor, but I wouldn't doubt it could happen. He's fallen out of the Bed on Cotton Sheets before, so, it's only a matter of time now she has slippery ones. *Smiles* She spent her Anxious Energy cleaning her Room last Night, so it's spotless this Morning and OCD Organized.
When I look at Eli's expression I have to Laugh tho', he's SO NOT Happy about his Human clearly getting ready to leave him for the Day. *Ha ha ha* He's loudly Protesting too, he'll walk around the Room grumbling in the Language of his People. *Bwahahaha* I bought him some special Canned Food he likes as an Offering so he won't be naughty and do evil things to her stuff while she's at Work. *Smiles, Yes, he does that in Protest and Rebellion sometimes!* So, he has about 9 Tins of different Flavors of Fancy Feast to appease him. And when I'm buying them I'm looking at the damned flavors and being as discerning as if I'm gonna eat it! *LOL* Usually if he knows he'll get Special Treats, he'll behave, since, I withhold them when he's been naughty or pre-demonic. *Winks* And when this Cat is Bad, he's very Bad... and he's very Big, the size of a small Dog now, and about 15-20 lbs., so he can do a lot of collateral damage. *Ha ha ha* He also HATES to be Photographed and always does so under Protest and with an Attitude.
Now, onwards to the Halloween Event we attended. They had Costumes and Masks just outside that you could wear on a Set they Staged for Photographs. I couldn't get The Man to wanna do it, but some Customers were good Sports and had Fun with it. I'd of done it, but I could tell that The Man was already getting Sensory Overload by how many people were already there, so I didn't stay as long as I might have otherwise if he wasn't in tow. I sent him over to Nan's Antique Mall next door called Everything Goes and Nan looks out for him for me so I can get respites if he gets overwhelmed at the Event I'm attending Next Door. I always come over later and Shop at her Store, several of my Industry Friends are Vendors there too. I bought The Man a Hat there, Baseball Cap that said: Supervisor Of The Shit Show. *Smiles* I got myself an Eastern European Antique Rosary there that was very unusual, had colorful Venetian Style Glass Beads and a Cloisonne Rosary. Never seen one like it before, so had to add it to my extensive Antique Rosary Collection and the price point was reasonable.
I got some very unusual Parade and Rodeo Trophies from the early 1950's for only Twelve Bucks each, a Wire Vintage Industrial Numbered Gym Locker Basket, a Vintage 1950's Mannequin Head, a Pair of Talavera Dia de los Muertos Skulls for only Five Bucks and Nine Bucks, a 1915 Medal Ribbon for only Ten Bucks, and a Pewter Vintage Pharmacy Mortar & Pestel for only Twelve Bucks. The Man got a Marine Corps. Sword. I'm showing off my Trophies now, an instant Collection of a genre I didn't previous Collect. Most of my Antique Trophies are Old Loving Cups that I've been Collecting for Decades or Equestrian Trophies. I didn't realize how Cute some Old Parade and Rodeo Trophies were. I got this Santa {above}, Mother Goose {below}.
A Cowboy on a Bucking Bronco {below} and another Equestrian Themed One {pix below that}. I Photographed one other Equestrian Themed One I didn't Buy. The Vendor is a favorite of mine and how he Merchandises and Showcases his Wares is exceptional, his Prices are always quite low for the variety of Cool Merch he Sources. He quite often gets Instant Collections and probably bought a Box Lot or in Bulk to get so many all at once? LATER: Princess T's Orientation First Day at Work went well. There was one other Newbie, they're going to Train her on everything to see what she does and likes best, so I told her to really do her best in everything, but Show Out on what she REALLY thinks she'd most like to do so that will be her Placement. I know she'll get more of a feel of what Position she'd prefer and be best at, she knows her Strengths.
I can't say I'm not getting some Old Lady Hair thinning there too, but at least with Dreadlocks it has helped a lot. I'm still taking Collagen, which does help your Nails, Hair and Skin renew and be stronger tho'. So my Nails are really good and my Dreads are really long now, I think my Skin is pretty good with not much wrinkling or crepe so it must be working. We binge watched more of WENTWORTH on NetFlix Tonight, well, pretty much all Day too after Princess T got Home from Work. It's highly addictive to binge watch good Series and likely I'll have high Data usage again. *Le Sigh yet Smiles* TJ got the John Deere operational enuf to get the whole Front Yard done, so now only the back Pasture is overgrown like a Meadow. I don't mind as long as the front is done and looks presentable, which it does again. Rob was gonna take the John Deere in to a Guy who Services them to get a Quote, so, we'll see what Maintenance will cost done Professionally?
I think the Brothers don't want to not help out completely, so I convinced them to let me pay them for September for the Yard and Irrigation. Now that enuf of the Yard is done and Irrigation for Autumn drops to once every Two Weeks and then suspends for Winter, we should be good until Spring arrives. Most of the Grass goes dormant for Winter too so upkeep is a lot less for that whole Seasonal Quarter. I'm still figuring out what I can afford to pay someone to do and what we'll just have to find a way to do ourselves. The Pillow above had an original Price Tag of almost Thirty Six Bucks from Ashland's Halloween Line. The Pillow Below was from Target's Hyde & Eek Halloween Line and Used it goes for about Twenty to Thirty Bucks Resale Online.
And this one below didn't have it's full original Price Tag still attached so I couldn't tell the Manufacturer, Line or Retail Price, just that it was New Old Stock that had been Donated and wasn't Used. It did have a Fabric Tag saying Celebrate Halloween Together... which when I researched that Tag Online it could be one of Kohl's Halloween Lines and their fancy Pillows like this one are about Twenty-Five to Forty Bucks. Each Pillow had cost me only Three Bucks. I also got one Shaped like a Coffin pictured below also, that says Home Sweet Home in Embroidery and only cost me Two Bucks, it's from Pier 1 Imports Halloween Line and Retail was Thirty Bucks. I had intended to Sell some of them but the Kiddos really liked them all on our Sectional, they're all very comfy and look Seasonably Cute, so, we'll Keep them all for now. I don't have a lot of Room right now in the Showroom for larger items like more Pillows.
This Year I'd put in some Halloween and Dia de los Muertos Pillows I'd had for Years and most of them did Sell right away. So, they're not a Hard Sell, and I could enjoy these new ones for a Season or Two and then put them up For Sale whenever I want to, no hurries, no worries. When I've enjoyed something for a while then I can detach from it easily unless it's uber Special to me in some way. And, I've always said that some things aren't For Sale, but, they can be Bought. *Winks* For the right Price, almost any object is subject to me falling out of Love with it enough to exchange it for the right amount of Cash someone offers who wants it more. *Smiles* There's been some things I told people I wouldn't Sell and then they make me an Offer I can't refuse, so, yeah, it can then be Bought. *Ha ha ha* It's the same when someone wants to Sell something to me but their Price is too high and I won't pay it, I figure they Love or Need it more than I do and I'll Pass.
We've all seen things that someone says is For Sale but I feel they've come to an "I Don't Wanna Sell It" Price Point. And, if I really want something badly enuf and someone is reluctant to Sell it to me, I will always ask them what's their "I Don't Wanna Sell It" Price? Just to see if it's something I'm willing to Offer to have them fall out of Love with it and Sell it to me at THAT Price? Sometimes it wasn't For Sale either, but, it can be Bought. *Winks* So long as both Parties are satisfied with a transaction or successful negotiation, there's no down side to it. I've rarely had Buyer's Remorse ever, but I have had Non-Buyer's Remorse. And Seller's Remorse is sometimes something to work through. There are things I didn't want to have to Sell, but circumstances dictated that I should or had to, so I did. It's often a means to an end for whatever was happening at the time.
And in this Industry I know my Friends and I have all had to Sell some Primo Merch that we'd like to be able to Keep, but, we don't, we Sell it. And our Customers always appreciate that they can get the Primo Merch from us consistently and that we have it, even if and when it's hard to find elsewhere. We have a good time doing what we do and when you do what you Love, then it's not like Work at all. Princess T will be Working Tomorrow, Saturday, from 7:00 a.m. to about Noon. So, her Shifts will rotate, some Hours are different, Tuesdays being earlier and longer coz that's when the most New Merch hits the Floor. Which is handy to know, since, that's Senior Discount Day and a Day After their 50% Off Day which is Mondays. Wednesday are Military Discount Day and Thursdays are Customer Appreciation Day. You earn Discounts too for being a Frequent Shopper and for Donating Goods. They have far more Trade Stimulation Discounts than the Goodwill.
Anyway, I do trawl whatever Chazzas we still have around these parts, the Thrill Of The Hunt can sometimes turn up some Treasures amidst the Trash still. And my expectations for actual Customer Service is realistic even in Big Box Chain Stores now, it's absent at many and most rely on Self-Checkout Kiosks rather than Hiring actual Human Staff to do the Jobs now. So, No, it's not Immigrants filling most Jobs that Americans who are marginally Skilled rely on, it's Technology, Machines do it Cheaper, longer, don't require Benefits and can be worked until broken. This is Why I mostly frequent Indie Businesses and rarely Shop the Billionaire Owned ones who do exploit whatever Labor Force they Hire and don't Care about their Staff or their Customers. At the Small Businesses I usually know the Owners personally and they've become Friends over the Years and appreciate our Business and our Loyal Patronage.
And, in most cases their Merch is Unique and not Mass Produced crap that is disposable Modern shit that is not at all extraordinary, everyone has what's Sold in Mega Stores or by Amazon. And if you want the Ordinary and the disposable, then, you don't mind. Anyway, above is my Vintage Mannequin Display I got at our Antique Mall Location Downtown. Usually the Vendors won't Sell the Good Quality Vintage Mannequins or Displays and use them for Display Only. But, this Vendor had finally put her up For Sale and at a good Price Point, so, Color me Happy. It looked to me like perhaps this Vendor is downsizing or Retiring and just Selling Off everything now. A few of the Older Vendors have been doing that, they're just not wanting to do it anymore or have reached a place to where they can't Physically. While I was there my Vendor Friend Mary told me one of her other Senior Friends was Retiring and Closing Shop. She was Helping her with the final push to liquidate.
What's Sad to me is that by the time a Geriatric Vendor is ready to liquidate and get out of the Game, usually they have exhausted their resources to where there's nothing worthwhile left to Buy from them at any Discount being offered. Such was the case with Mary's Elderly Friend, even with a deep Discount, there was nothing worth Buying and in all Honesty, even if it was Free I wouldn't bother with it. Chances are she hasn't been able to Source anything of Value for a long time and already Sold anything of Value she had, so, Yes, it's time to close Shop and get out. Frankly, I'd assume she has been losing Money and not making Money, probably not even making Rent and Costs. Sadly a lot of Vendors end up in that predicament where they wait too long and leave Owing the Landlord and created Debt and not Profit. The Smart Ones know when to Fold 'em.
Unless you don't Need the Money and are doing it as a Lark and having a Big Time in the doing of it, then, I have to ask why you'd continue if it's not making Economic Sense? I do know some Retired folk who have Money, and do just that and so for them it's just an expensive Hobby and they don't Care if it makes them more Money or not, which is fine. I do it as a Hobby too, and to Downsize, and I have a blast in the doing of it and have Befriended some of the best folks in the Industry as a Bonus. But, I'd never try to do this sort of thing for a Living. It's too random a way to ensure a regular or reliable Cash flow... unless you have lots of Streams of other Income, it could be stressful if you do rely upon it. But, there are certainly spendier Hobbies out there to do, most Hobbies don't make any Money and just cost a fortune, so, it's not the worst Hobby to have either IMO. And hey, you gotta do something that you enjoy and Love, Right... otherwise Life would be such a Bore...
Happy Autumn Vibes my Friends... pursue your Best Life... Dawn... The Bohemian
Congratulations and Bravo to Princess T, and I hope you bought that Shit Show Supervisor hat for yourself to wear during the chaotic times.
ReplyDeleteI bought the Hat for The Man, he wears Hats all the time and collects them, I'm just not a Hat Person, but thought it was appropriate for our Vida Loca. *Smiles* I'm proud of Princess T, she's so excited to be working and earning a stable income of her own even tho' she's done the sideline of the Antique Mall spaces to sell things, this is more like a real Job than just a profitable Hobby and it's more reliable income to make plans for her future.
DeleteWay to go, Princess T!
ReplyDeleteIn my area, both the Goodwills and Savers stores have eliminated dressing rooms, and I rarely shop there. Most of my thrift store clothes searching is at Vincent de Paul or smaller, local charity stores.
St. Vincent de Paul was Awesome but they closed so many of their best locations locally, I know not why since they were really some of my favorite haunts. Also the Salvation Army also closed most of their best locations too and also a Mystery as to Why? Recently a lot of Goodwill and Value Village locations Closed. A very Old SAVERS closed too that we Loved becoz they lost their Lease when someone bought the building and would not renew the Lease... it happens. A lot of smaller Indie Chazzas have Closed over the Years too, most only had one Location. Dressing Rooms Closed During Covid and many never reopened them and in fact took them down.
DeleteVery Interesting...I'm sure that finding homes for stuff is getting harder. I'm still glad I'm online, though I haven't posted much this summer because traffic was way down. Lots of great photos here, Dawn...and cools stuff!
ReplyDeleteTraffic is way down, but mostly Commentors are, I get a lot of Views on all Posts but the interactive part of Blogging has changed a lot and most folks Lurk, Read, enjoy our Blogs but don't respond, which is Fine, I do that too a lot, so I'm Guilty as well. *Smiles* I try to visit Blogs more when I can and tend to Binge Visit. *Ha ha ha* Life can become so busy, so I completely understand my Muchness on my Posts is time consuming as well. But, I do this for me, it's my Happy Space and like an Online Journal of sorts that just has the Bonus of a Social aspect to it that was always so unexpected and appreciated.
DeleteThat’s wonderful news about your granddaughter! She looks very professional! s
ReplyDeleteShe tried hard to look professional but in an understated way, it's an entry level Job and not Corporate. In her Real Life she's more of a Fashionista and edgy, but she knows that a lot of Employers might feel some kind of way about that unless you worked for a Hot Topic, Tattoo Parlor or Spencers. *smiles*
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