Between Naps

 

The Man and I went to the Event and stayed about an Hour before I felt I'd had enuf Fun.  *Smiles*  Mostly I visited with Friends who are fellow Customers or Designers there, everyone had been shocked about me having a Stroke.   Nobody said anything stupid about it, for that I was Grateful.  I hadn't known that one of my Friends there had Survived Three similar ischemic Strokes to the one I had, that affected her Eyesight when it happened.   She's doing so well now, Years later, that I hadn't even known, in all the Years I've known her, that she even had any Strokes at all!  She did lose a lot of Weight Post-Stroke and said I might too.  That would be a Positive at least.  *LOL*  I didn't Buy anything.  But, I took a lot of Pixs.

There was a decent amount of Customers, but it wasn't as busy as it usually is on Opening Day.   Our Antique Mall is flat in Sales too, this Pay Period already sucks and there's only 2 Days left of it.   I'm pulling an expensive Collectible item out and just Selling it somewhere else that I should get an immediate Quick turn on it.   It will be a way to Salvage what is a really dismal Two Weeks of Sales with no comped Space Rent since I haven't been back to Work yet.   Last Pay Period the last couple of Days had Strong Sales, but, it was becoz they had an actual Sale going on to Stimulate some Trade.  They are doing absolutely nothing to Stimulate Trade right now, so, I'm not Optimistic we'll close the Pay Period strong.  I've Sold a fair amount of inexpensive Smalls, but nothing significant or higher end.

And probably any Purist just Selling higher end Merch might be Selling nothing at all and will Owe the Mall a ton of Money rather than getting a Check.   If I break even this Pay Period I'll be Okay with that so long as I don't Owe, since Sales have been so dismal the past Two Weeks and when I have gone in to foof my Spaces, there's not evidence the Shoppers in there are Buying, just Looking.   Just like I just did at the Event, so, it's not really Surprising they're faced with the same challenge.   The Man and I went to Brunch and even that spot, which usually has a waiting list for a Table, was not busy at all.  Which is highly unusual but has been that way the last few times we've been there!   I had a Monte Cristo Brioche French Toast with Shaved Ham, Crispy Prosciutto, Gruyere and Jack Cheeses, Chives, Poached Egg, Raspberry Pepper Jam and a Strawberry Candied Pecans and Parmesan dressed Spring Mix Salad Greens.  

Along with the Bacon But Different which has Brown Sugar, Red & Cayenne Pepper and Maple Syrup Rub... which is the best Bacon EVER!   You can see The Man's order in the background, which did look Editorial before he jumbles it up as he always does with his food.  *LOL*   It had been a lovely looking Corned Beef Hash presentation, but I didn't snap a Pix of it in time for it to be Editorial.  *Smiles*   I eat my foods while they are still a Pretty Presentation, The Man prefers his food to look like it just fell on the Floor and got scooped back up and unceremoniously thrown onto the Plate.  A Presentation for him is a complete waste of Time and Talent, they could have thrown it onto his Plate any kind of way that looks disgusting, coz that's how it's gonna end up the moment he gets it anyway.   He also tosses a Cheap Condiment on everything... my Dear Master Chef Dad used to be horrified!   Why bother to give someone high end Quality Cuisine if they're gonna drown it with a Cheap Condiment?!  *LOL and Eye Roll*  

That's how The Man grew up tho', in stark contradiction to how I did... his People slather Ketchup on everything... or Mayonnaise!   No matter how Gourmet the Meal is, it's gonna then just taste like Cheap Condiments!   The horror!  They had a new Lemonade that was Strawberry Lavender and it was delicious, probably the best I've ever had!   The Man complained about it, he likes a Minute Maid gross Lemonade, which is only about 3%-12% actual Juice Blend.  I swear his Palate is not at all refined!   I just give him "The Look" and he knows to just pretend to appreciate finer foods and drinks, since, to me Fast Food isn't even 'Real' Food!   I think the crap from the Golden Arches doesn't even decompose, that shit could probably be left Years and have zero decomposition!?   You can Google it, tho' it can, it probably won't if it's Dry enuf!   They actually put Mold inhibiting ingredients in their foods... they have high Salt and low available moisture in what they pass off as food/nutrition.   Gak!  No Thanks.

We went to "Whole Foods" and I always Photograph their fabulous Bakery items, but refrain from indulging.   We were there to Buy my Yogurts and they had 3 of the Flavors I really like, Coffee, Jasmine and Rose Flavors, alas, no Lavender.   I've only ever found the Lavender one time Locally and never again... boo hoo.   Yes, I bought all of it they had that time, since, I suspected I might not find it again anytime soon.   We won't be eating out much, due to the Budget being tight, so I told The Man to savor the Moment of the Brunch we were having.  *Smiles*  He likes me taking him along coz usually I don't on Opening Day, but I knew it would be a short and sweet outing and felt having him in tow would be okay since I was limiting my own Time being out and about.  

 Our order always makes at least Two Meals for both of us, since, we only ever eat half of it and bring the rest Home for later.   Neither of us can eat that much at a sitting anymore.  We should be Skinny People by how small a portion we consume.  *Le Sigh*   I ate all my Salad, but most of the rest I only ate a little of, mebbe 1/3, and brought the rest Home for Breakfast Friday Morning before I go to my Neurologist Appointment.   I'm interested to hear what the Neurologist thinks, he seemed optimistic during my Hospital stay at the quick progress I seemed to be making.  He said it was unusual, but then, so am I.  *Winks and LOL*   I don't think my Brain ever has been wired in the 'usual' way to begin with.  But, this is one instance where being ADHD and Bipolar might have been a Plus?  *Ha ha ha*

I think we established consumer disdain in the last Post for the Self Scanners and Kiosks at Stores.   I don't think any of us wants to do all the Work when our prices won't be lower, we aren't getting Paid to do the Work, for Employees they aren't Hiring to do the Work and thus are being put out of a Job by Machines/Technology.   It's not Migrants taking Jobs, it's Machines and Technology replacing People, yet too many Americans won't face that Reality.  If they could replace us all with a Bot, they would, they don't have to pay a Machine and give it Benefits or Retirement, nor treat it any kind of special way to be in compliance with Laws.   I try to use a Cashier's Lane any time I have the option to, but, often, the Lines are so long at the Human Stations, and Workers insist you go to the Self Checkout Lanes instead that are Open.

And in some places, like Circle K Convenience Stores, the Employees they still have, do become so reliant on the Kiosks, and so Lazy, that they won't assist you and demand you use the Machine instead.  They'll ignore you while they're on their Phones checking their Instagram, or whatever, and Heaven Forbid the Kiosk doesn't work right, they get really agitated to then be forced to do their Job and assist a Customer!  One such Lazy Employee even scolded me for using Coins instead of Bills at the Kiosk to pay for my Fountain drink!   It's not a Coin Star she said rudely and testily, and I said, my Change WAS Money and Legal Currency, so I'd use it to pay for my $1.25 purchase if I wanted to!   Yeah, she got the distinct "Back Off Bitch" Message, when I came out of the Bag and right back at her surly self!  Just WTF Woman!?

BTW:  Now when I go into her Circle K I make it a fucking point to pay in Change at the Kiosk, even if I have small Bills, and Dare her to say a damned thing.   She doesn't and has been Sweetness ever since.   She even Greets me Cheerily when I come in.  The Man will say, she's really Friendly... if only he knew how much she WASN'T until we had our little Situation, her and I.  *LOL*   If she says she will help me at the Register, so I don't have to use the Kiosk that I'd rather not use, THEN I will pay with whatever Bills I might have.  Otherwise, I'll treat that damned Machine like an Old School Slot Machine in Vegas!  Or a Coin Star.   Why not, it relieves me of heavy Change accumulated and it IS Legal Tender to pay for shit, last I heard.  And until it's not... *Winks*

I know, I can be that Militant Customer if your Customer Service is terrible and you hire rude and/or Lazy Employees.   I will give credit where it's due, the Machines don't have an Attitude and sometimes that IS refreshing when I just wanna Pay and Leave without dealing with Drama and a fucking Headache an Employee might be.   Some Associates clearly HATE their Jobs and project it upon the Customer, which is so unprofessional that I don't give it no Cut.  If you Hate your Job that much, find another one, they have more than One you know.  I suspect the Lazy and those with a Bad Attitude would be that way where ever they may be Hired tho', most behave as if they just want a Check but don't really wanna have to Work to Earn it.  So, fuck them.  I don't put up with it as a paying Customer.   It's Bad Business.

 Tho' I'm not a Karen, coz those Bitches are annoying and unreasonable, I loathe a Karen or their Male equivalents, they are a Spectacle.   I do expect to be treated with a modicum of Respect, appropriate Professional Customer Service, and Civility if I'm Shopping where you Work.  It's Good Business to be Professional and you ARE Representing whatever Company you Work for, so just be Mindful of that obligation you have to your Employer whose paying you to make your Living.  I don't know what happened to People who have no Work Ethic and any pride in what they are doing, but, it is problematic these days.   Working with excellence and knowing the Job you do seems no longer to be required or even addressed by Management? 

  So, perhaps it has aided in being replaced by Machines, I dunno?  If too many Employees Wash Out and have to be replaced, I guess I wouldn't blame a Company for saying, fuck it, let's just replace them with a Machine in that Position.  I know Princess T and The Son come Home from their Jobs all the time saying the Company Hired a bunch of New People and then Days later, had to let those same People go already coz they didn't work out, or they quit, or don't show up half the time and get themselves Fired!   I know even at the DA's Office, long ago before I Retired, we'd get Newbies in that had gotten their Masters Degree in Criminal Law and might have had more Degrees than a Thermometer, but couldn't Cut it on the actual Job.  The majority couldn't and didn't, they either couldn't handle the content, or they weren't accurate or couldn't produce the required volume and hit their Quotas.  

 So it was a constant rotation of Staff.  Most never made it thru their Probationary Period.   Some walked off if they got a graphic Crime File to Work, some just never came back from Break or Lunch!   It was frustrating to spend Time Training folks you knew wouldn't make the Cut.  They looked Good on Paper.  *LOL*   Anyway, I pulled a WWII Model Ship of the Bismarck out of my Locked Case, Online it's a $600 Militaria Collectible.   But the Pawn Shops around locally only now Buy  the type of items Tweakers Steal and Sell to them, like Men's Tools, Bikes, Jewelry and Electronics!   They won't Buy any kind of Collectibles, so all they're Buying and Selling is stuff like Laptops, Power Tools, 10 Speed Bicycles, and Jewelry.  The stuff you see Drug Addicts Stealing and Fencing all the time.  Oh well...

Our Antique Mall is having a 15% Off Sale right now, but they didn't Advertise it very well, I'm a Vendor and I didn't even know about it!  So, the Mall was Dead, about 2 Customers in the whole place and they weren't actually Buying anything, Looky Lous just killing Time.  No Wonder Sales are Flat, if a Sale isn't even attracting Buyers and Stimulating sufficient Trade then it's Hopeless for the time being.  I think the transfer of Power has a LOT to do with it.  So, I tidied my Showroom and took the WWII Model Ship out of the Locked Case, but will just now mark it down and put it back in at a reduced price and see if that is Helpful?   Militaria usually Sells well and I might now ask a couple of Pickers I know who Deal in Mantiques and Militaria, to see if they're interested first?  It takes up a lot of Space in the Case since it's a very large Model, so I'd rather not put it back into Inventory.

I talked to a few other Vendor Friends while I was there and they too aren't doing well in Sales at all.   So, everyone is concerned about just how Flat Sales are.   This isn't the time of Year where it's usually this Soft... it's been worse than Summer Sales, which, Seasonally are at their lowest.   My Neurologist Appointment went well, he's pleased with my progress but wants to wait until we get the results from my Heart Monitor and Cardiologist reviewing it before they decide what do do next.  He really feels we should do the Heart Monitor Implant and I think my Cardiologist is leaning in that direction as well actually.   I won't need to see the Neurologist again for 3 Months.  I won't need to see my Dentist again for 6 Months.   I've got an Eye Doctor Appointment Scheduled to review what the Stroke did to my Eyesight.  They are referring me for a Sleep Study, I know I have Sleep Apnea tho'.  It's just a lot going on.

I watched a good Movie that was Sad called "Still Alice" {2014} starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin.  Probably not a good choice to watch right now given The Man's prognosis... and some of my current Memory Care problems too.  *LOL*  It's about a Woman who develops a rare form of Early Onset Alzhiemers.   Then I watched another Touching True Story Movie called "Lion" {2016} starring Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel, an Adorable Kid Actor Sunny Pawar... and actually the actual Real Life Subject the Story was about, Saroo Brierly.   He was Adopted out of India as a 5 Year Old by an Australian Couple, but he wasn't an Orphan, he'd gotten Lost and then Adopted out.  So, the Story is him 25 Years later looking for and locating his Bio Family in India.  There is a Book out called "A Long Way Home" that he Wrote and the Screenplay for the Movie was based upon.  I ended up Crying.

I downloaded my Pixs from the Event and didn't take that many of them that turned out like I prefer for them to.   It happens.   I really wasn't in Pathological Picture Taking Mode actually, so, not Surprised my Pixs were mediocre and not all that Editorial to use.  I'll keep them in a Photo Folder Archived, since, who knows, might use them later when I got nothing.  *LOL*   I've really felt gloomy lately and a lot of people have, so, the transfer of Power may have more to do with it than anything else?  So much uncertainty and potential Chaos, it was exhausting the last time he was President.  I don't know why anyone in their Right Mind would want a repeat performance?   Of coarse some folks thrive on Chaos and disruption, especially if they feel their Lives are Miserable, since, Misery always Loves Company.

*******

Now for another long Nap... Dawn... The Bohemian