The Pessimistic Post... And Good News

 It's February.  We turned in our Cans to the Recycle Center, it was only just over Twenty Bucks worth, since we haven't been out so much lately doing Environmental Cleanup.  Plus, lately, tho' there's been lots of discarded actual Trash, very little of it has been Aluminum that can be Recycled.   We only do Aluminum cleanup.  You'd have to be Commercial to do the rest, just too much of it and you'd have to also pay out of Pocket to dispose of it in an environmentally conscious and responsible way.  We don't have the means to pay for other people's littering just to ensure it goes where it always should have.

We like going out and doing Environmental Cleanup tho' when the Weather is nice enuf to and I feel Well enuf to now.  But, in shorter increments than I used to be able to do it, for now.  The Man really misses it when we don't do it and asks if we can.  It's the one physical activity he's 100% on Board with doing regularly, and, it's good for him, even with his limitations, he can do it.  Lately some of the new hires of the Sheriff's Department have been disagreeable towards Volunteers and won't let us Park where we need to in order to do Environmental Cleanup along the Roadways near or running thru the Nature Preserve.  The long time hires know us and never hassle us and actually look out for us and tell us we're appreciated.  New Law Enforcement tend to be on an Ego and Power Trip, and wanna throw their Weight around, it Gets them Off, perhaps even Aroused, I get it.  *Bwahahaha*

So, we just comply and simply tell them we're Volunteers cleaning up the area, but, we'll quit and just move along at their insistence.  Hey, if they want it to look trashy and can't get past or over their Egos, fuck 'em, if they run Volunteers off they won't have anyone doing it.   It's often a No Parking Zone along ALL of it, so you wouldn't be able to do the cleanup if you couldn't momentarily Park as you go along and clean it all up.  We load the Truck as we go and don't stay in any one place very long at all, most of the time we might be the only ones there.  They can see what we're doing, so, it's all very silly and unnecessary.  Some of the real Jerk Officers will even Threaten to give you a Ticket if you don't immediately move your Vehicle.  We avoid the areas now on the Asshole Cops Beat, let it get trashed, we don't Care.

Other than that, everything is Swell, Buttercups, Rainbows and Unicorns Farting Glitter.  *Winks*  I just don't like being hassled or threatened when you're regularly doing a Service to your Community, without Pay and on your own Time. Volunteering regularly to improve it all, to the best of your ability to make a Positive difference.   I Guarantee that few, if any, of those Ego Driven Hasslers, would do anything they weren't getting Paid to do or on their Free Time.  Any time I've been a Volunteer, and I have been one for Decades in various capacities and Ministries that Serve my Community, it's always the people least likely to ever Volunteer that complain all the time, are most critical, or hassle and even threaten Volunteers the most.

So, we spent very little time at the River and Nature Preserve doing the usual cleanup, due to an Asshole Sheriff on duty in that area with his Bullhorn and an Attitude.  And it really, really needed cleanup, but, whatever.  Moving On, we went to some of the Parks that also have Manmade Lakes with Migratory Birds, did cleanup and collected Recycling there and fed the Wildlife, we'd brought food for them.  There were lots of them at one Lake, only ONE at the other Lake, not very many Miles apart, but, the Birds seem to prefer the one over the other, who knows Why?  *LOL*   There wasn't an abundance of cleanup needing to be done at either Park, which, is a Positive thing that both have been kept respectfully nice lately.  Or, mebbe not as many Visitors?

I have noticed that lately, I'm not seeing people out and about and doing Recreational things, as much as they used to.  Not sure Why?   The Parks and Playgrounds usually are very busy and the Lakes usually have lots of Urban Fishing going on, not lately.  People are conspicuous by their very absence.  And in our Antique Mall too, it's deserted every time I go in lately.  Nobody is on Lockdown anymore but it almost FEELS like it did when they were during the Pandemic.  A very similar Vibe.  I find it to be unsettling in that way something that is "Off" usually makes you Feel, even if you have no real explanation for what's going on.  And I really don't, and can't, explain it... I just notice it.

I know the Why of the reason WE aren't out as much, but, it may or may not be similar reasons to anyone else, I dunno?   And, as I read everyone's Blogs I realize I'm not the only one limiting my exposure to The News Sources or avoiding Politics altogether now.  I am much better off for it, less Angst and preserving my Sanity to not tune in to all of the daily fuckery playing out.   There is enuf inserted here and there on the Streets or in Blog Posts that I feel Informed Enough, you know?  *LOL*  And, I don't have to hear or see it falling out of something Orange, which is even better and more beneficial.  *Winks*  

I was supposed to go in to the Antique Mall before the Weekend and close of the Pay Period {which is Saturday Night}, to foof our Spaces.  I did not, could not motivate me to and no point bringing in Fresh Merch when nothing is Selling and no place to put it.  I'm not one to bring Merch Home, some Vendors do it constantly, it's just a lot of Work and a hassle I'm not willing to outlay when few of us are getting Paid.  I'm not a Volunteer there, the Point is to make Money, and right now it seems few Vendors are even breaking Even right now, let alone making Money!  If it continues we'll all have to assess whether to continue or fold?  It's been a great way for me to profitably Downsize, so I'm reluctant to.  Plus, we got a lot of History there now, so it's like a second Home to us.  It's one of the few bastions of The Love Of Old hanging on thru good and bad times.  Above is the Age Princess T was when we started there and Friends there at Work remember that, are a part of and Share the History.

I'm waffling on whether or not to just go in Today and see if the Showroom looks presentable or not?  Even tho' Sales are in freefall, Customers, or Other Vendors, are trashing Spaces as if you are getting a lot of Foot Traffic.  It's messy in a specific way that looks more like intentional Vandalism of the Spaces.  I say Other Vendors simply becoz we do have some Saboteurs there.  Vendors who everyone suspects do mess with other Vendors Merchandise to make their Spaces less attractive on purpose and Target Popular Vendors who are viewed as their competition.  Petty shit unfortunately some insecure Grown Ass Adults will engage in.  Fortunately they aren't in the majority, but, they are a Pain in the Ass.

And, to be sure, we sometimes get groups of Youths who come in and act the Fool.  Sometimes they've been so rowdy and manhandled the Merchandise to the point they've had to be asked to leave or to Calm Down.   Bored or Delinquent Teens to those in their 20's, some of which who've been drinking or under the influence of whatever they're high on, are typically the culprits and the ones most likely to also Shoplift in Groups.   So, when you're working you do have to keep your Eye on them lest they leave a swath of destruction and mess in their wakes, and walk out the Door with shit they didn't pay for.  It's like a Recreational Activity for a great many of them.  I'm so Thankful my Kiddos were not ever like that and would be embarrassed to be around Young People who are.  Even when they were Smalls, they acted appropriately and respectfully in Public.   We always got complimented on their Behavior and Respectfulness. So, I do think Nature and Nurture play a role for those that just don't and can't act Right publicly or Socially.

And, I don't just blame Kiddos and Young Adults, the Suburban Housewives and the Elderly have had an increase in Shoplifting incidents, Craft Store, Big Box Store, Retail Pharmacies and Grocery Store Managers have told me it's off the Chain with those demographics Stealing.   In some Grocery Stores, Retail Pharmacies and Big Box Stores, the Inventory they have to now lock up in Glass Cases is Interesting, you can see what the Thieves are mostly Targeting to boost tho'.   And the Craft Stores have an abundance of Video Surveillance in certain Aisles due to the increase in Theft of those Crafting Supplies!  As Prices increase exponentially, I suspect it will worsen.  We'll have more Stolen than Bought.

I'm calling this the Pessimistic Post becoz I do feel as tho' the Downfall of Civilization and Civility in general, is upon us.  I'm not being hyperbolic, it's just an Honest Observation.  Princess T keeps me Informed of what's going on in the Chazza Secondhand Retail Industry and that is Interesting Intel too.  She said that the Men's section is greatly scaled down, which I had noticed myself, becoz it's just not Selling.  And I noticed our own T-Shirt Sales in our Showroom went from brisk Sales to mediocre Sales, since, we were Selling to a lot of Guys.  She said Men's used to be a Strong Sales Section and now it's tanked.  So, they're just not putting as much of it on the Floor and reduced the size of the Men's Dept..

Stats always Interest me so I've always been a Statistical Nerd.  Paying attention to Stats can tell you all sorts of things about Society and the Condition of it.  In my Corporate Lives we kept and relied on a lot of Statistical Data.  So, I was in charge of doing that in both Corporate Lives.  In Banking I kept Data on the Statistics of Defaults, Foreclosures and Bankruptcies of Real Property.  In the DA's Office we kept Data on specific Crimes, mostly those committed with a Weapon, with Defendants on certain Drugs, and those committed by Illegal Aliens.  And BTW, those committed by folks in the Country Illegally were Statistically far less than those committed by Home Grown Americans of any Demographic, just so ya know.  It just tends to get more Media attention and thus, outrage.

Kind of like the Statistics of the number of Assaults in Public Restrooms of Women by Transgenders using the Ladies' Room.  Lots of Media and Political Attention about which Bathrooms the Trans Community is using. Statistically, you'll probably get hit by Lightening, Win the Lotter or get bitten by a Shark first, before a Trans Person Assaults you in the Ladies Room.  *Eye Roll*  In my Youth we'd often go Dance at the Gay Clubs coz they were Poppin'.  So you'd see far more Trans folk using the Ladies' Room and I never, ever, felt in Danger or the least bit Threatened or Freaked Out about it.   And I was a Young and very small Woman weighing 98 Lbs..   The Young Prince said those of the Trans Community are MUCH MORE likely to be Assaulted by a Homophobe than a Woman being Assaulted by a Transgender Person.  As a Community they suffer far more Violence against them than the other way around.

In fact my Grandson has told me that if and when he's Presenting as a Female, he won't use a Public Restroom at all, it's just too potentially dangerous for them.   And I'm glad some places now have that Family Restroom, a single Room where Men shopping with their Little Girls, Women Shopping with Older Disabled Sons, Caregivers of the Opposite Sex, and perhaps the Trans Community, can relieve themselves without incident or it being Socially difficult.  When The Man needed my Help using a Public Restroom, I was so relieved to have that option available.  It's not like I could take him into the Ladies Restroom or go into the Men's Restroom with him.  

And I see many Dads Shopping with their little Girls now, and so often at the Mall they'll ask one of the Female Staff if they'd Help the Little One go potty in the Ladies Room, rather than take the Kid into the Men's Restroom.   At our Gym they also have a Family Changing Room for those bringing in their Kiddos.   Alas, they'd rather us Seniors not use it if we're bringing in a Spouse/Partner that requires Assistance, so that has been awkward at times for us.   The Man has forgotten which Locker in the Men's Changing Room he put his stuff in, or, he's in there so long I have to send some random Guy or Staff Member in there to look for him so I know he's Okay.  Now I tell him to wait to Shower when we get Home and he's not Allowed to use the Sauna by himself.

I haven't gone back to the Gym since that Saturday they denied me access on account of Seniors being restricted until after Three in the Afternoon on Saturdays.  The Weekends were the easiest time for me to attend since often The Man doesn't wanna go and on Weekends I got more Adult Kids available here to watch him for me coz they're not Working.   The Daughter sometimes overwhelms if she's responsible for her Dad all the time, so we switch off to her Brother or her Daughter helping with him.   He's been pretty good for them overall, but of coarse his Routine is that I'm his Caregiver and any break in his Routine can discombobulate him and move him out of his Comfort Zone to where he becomes more agitated or anxious.  Putting him thru that too often isn't Fun for him or anyone else.

Okay, now for the Good News, I was Typing too fast and locked my Keyboard Up, which doesn't happen that often since I try to slow my Roll on purpose so as not to do it.  But, lo and behold, locking up the Keyboard by Typing too fucking fast actually Restored all my Missing Photo Archived Folders AND gave me a Full Page View again!!!   No, I have no Idea how or Why that happened, but now I AM determined to back that shit up on my USB Flash Drive that The Niece bought for me so I don't risk it happening again.  *Whew*   I may still have to wait for The Niece to arrive in Spring, since The Son just makes me nervous coz he explains it at Autistic levels I can't understand and makes me nervous and Anxious about what we're doing.  Then he loses his Cool and Patience, once I'm having Anxiety or don't Understand the Process in a Nanosecond. *Le Sigh*

The Man is lousy at trying to Teach anyone anything either, coz like The Son, he gets Impatient and then Angry when you're not keeping up with something they already know and you don't.   Listen, if I already knew this shit, I wouldn't NEED anyone to Teach me.  So, if you don't have the Patience or Demeanor to show someone something, without melting down, and to where they can understand and catch on at their pace, then you're not Helpful at all.  I'm not stupid, but, I am Tech challenged, and so if you go too fast or get all Tech nerdy about how to do anything, and can't explain it to me, then you've Lost me already.  And, don't Show Off or get Arrogant about your knowledge, it's not like everyone knows what you know and that's Okay.  I know what I know too... and I don't know what I just don't fucking know.  I have the Humility to not pretend or think I know what I don't as well.

Okay, so, The Son helping me with the Flash Drive was a disaster, within perhaps 5 Minutes he was so Annoyed with me being Cautious and Worried about what we were doing, that he stormed off.  *Eye Roll*  It just didn't look to me like he knew what he was doing, or remember from his High School Tech Guru Days of Lore.  It was a long time ago and he's fried his Brain with Alcohol and Drugs since then.  So I questioned him and didn't want to risk him experimenting, coz I can fuck it up all by myself, so, I am not Soliciting Help that can fuck it up FOR me.  You know?   Looked to me like he was Winging it and I wasn't comfortable with that so told him to just Stop and slow his Roll... and then, off he went in a snit, becoz he no longer wanted to help me.  They have no Patience for us Old Folk Learning New Tricks. *Winks*

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Keeping it Together and Holding it Down in the Arizona Desert... well, kinda... Dawn... The Bohemian