Cryptocurrency And Comic Books

 

It's still Monday, but later than when I finished up my last Post.  And, as usual, I'm regretting having agreed to Work a Shift to fill in for someone.   It's not that I am opposed to Work, just that by Evening my Energy level tends to tank now and I don't feel much like doing anything.  Even if I deliberately didn't do a damned thing all day in order to conserve my Energy for a Late Shift.  So, it wrecks my Day to go do anything I want to, and then makes me feel not much like going in when it's time to.   So, I wrestle with that range of emotion and conflicted interest in Working or just NOT Working.  *LOL and Le Sigh*   But, while Sales are dismal, I want to get some Comped Space Rent to offset Losses, rather than pulling out entirely.

I only got One thing Priced to take in, it's the Vintage 1976 Baby Come Back Doll made by Mattel, that is the Lead Image for this Post.   She was also made as a Black Doll Option.  She has a space for Batteries but the Battery Cover is missing and someone taped over it with Masking Tape, so, don't know if she operates or not anymore?  I priced her accordingly.  Other than the missing Battery Cover, she's in remarkable shape for her Age.   And Above & Below is the 1920's Era Composite Doll I'm Keeping.  I don't Collect Dolls per se, but I have Collected Creepy looking Antique Ones and even dismembered Creeply looking Antique Doll Parts like Heads and Limbs.  Yes, becoz I like the Weird and the Wonderful, I'm an Eccentric Weirdo like that.  *Winks*

She's also in remarkable Shape and especially given her fragility and fact I found her in the Toy Section of a Chazza and not in the Antiquities Section where they're better protected from Manhandling and Feral unattended Kids playing with them.   Since both Dolls came from the same place, perhaps the same person Donated their Older Doll Collection?   The Chazza had priced them very low and it would have been foolish to not Score them, I'd of had Non-Buyer's Remorse.  Vintage Dolls at our Antique Mall can be a Hard Sell even if they're popular Brands from Bygone Days that every little Girl wanted and might have had.  So, they might sit in Inventory a while, they do eventually Sell and my Margins are usually good enuf to bide Time waiting for a Buyer.  They look good in the Showroom or Case.  The Vintage full sized G.I. Joe Sold immediately, they always do.

This is the Vintage Virgin Of Guadalupe Altar Light, it has a Pink Bulb nestled in the Shell Lotus Blossom she's rising up out of, She's very glittery and kitschy, which I just Love about it.   It has a Wooden Base and that's ringed by Pink Dyed Abalone Shell 'Rocks'.   It's what I remember Old School Altars had that were festooned with such Homemade Devotional Objects.   I like Religious Collectibles from any Religion and they're my largest and oldest of Collections.  Some of them have become quite valuable and they're Decorated with more in Styling Homes, even by those who aren't Religious.  Many of my Collections are from other Countries and are a better quality of Religious Collectible and much Older than what you'd get in the United States. 

One of Princess T's Oldest Sisters still sends us Pixs and keeps in Touch, so this is the most recent Pix she Shared with us.  Out of all of her Older Siblings, this is the only One that we actually know and came to know all her Younger Siblings.   Princess T has numerous Older Brothers and Sisters that her Dad had Fathered by several Exes.   This is the only one that chose to keep in Touch with the Paternal Side of the Family, and thus, with us too, knowing she has Younger Sisters by our Daughter, who she became Friends with.  They're really not very far apart in Age actually, The Daughter is in her 40's and this Granddaughter is in her late 30's, Married, with Two Adorable Kiddos, a Boy and a Girl.  She's very protective of her Younger Siblings.  At one time she was willing to Parent one of the Sisters who still lived in Mexico with Saint Maria.  She just couldn't take in all Three.

   She's the Sibling that Princess T looks the most like in Coloring, most of Salvador's other Children were lighter like his French Mom, Saint Maria, who was Blonde with Green Eyes.   Saint Maria's Parents immigrated to Mexico from France and were high up in Government.  Salvador's Dad's Parents immigrated to Mexico from Spain and were high up in Government.   So, Salvador's Parents were both Europeans of French and Spanish Ancestry, tho' both his Mom and Dad were Born and Raised in Mexico and so was he, so they were 2nd Generation Immigrant Mexican Nationals and he a 3rd Generation Mexican National.   The Grandchildren we have who were Born there are 4th Generation Mexican Nationals and The Daughter's Three have Dual Citizenship with having an American Mother who had them while living Abroad.  They have Birthright Citizenship there.

I don't think those Three will ever want to move to America, but they would like to visit us when things calm down with the whole Border Fiasco and Immigration Disaster we have right now.   Even getting Foreign Born Children of an American Citizen across the Border proved to be impossible when we needed to after their Paternal Grandmother, who had always Raised them, had Died.   The Daughter had all her Paperwork in order proving she was their Mother, but, she'd never had full Custody of them due to her Disability, which proved to be a barrier Mexico was willing to smooth over, but the United States side would not.   Even tho' she had Letters from us stating we'd Raised her Older Two American Born Children, one with the same Father, and were willing to Raise those Three now their Custodial Paternal Grandma had passed away.  The American side tried to extort Money out of us, a lot of it, just sayin'.

There's a LOT of Predatory Border Corruption going on, both sides being as Corrupt.   Our Immigration System needs a complete overhaul, but they've only been talking about it for about 80 Years, and doing nothing to make significant and lasting changes that would be Positive.   Even way back when my Mom Legally Immigrated as a Foreign War Bride, Married to an American Citizen who was Career Military, it took my Parents over Two Years to get her a Green Card.  Even then, the Military tried to discourage the Marriage, becoz she was White and was Marrying a Native American Man.   She said they made her attend Counseling to tell her how badly she'd be treated in America marrying an Indian, or any person of Color!  And, it was unfortunately True.   Often worse than they'd warned her about.  Military Base Living was Safer, but you couldn't always get Base Housing if you were Low Ranking.

Up until the 1970's she said in some States they couldn't live in White Communities and mostly therefore lived in Black Communities.  She was treated well there and kindly, as were we, with acceptance for being Foreign and for Marrying outside of her Race and having Mixed Race Children.  We never had an ounce of problems living in Black Communities or other Ethnic Communities.  But she said in White Communities, not so much, there was a lot of bias against people of Color and of Immigrants from any Country.   And it doesn't matter what Wave of Immigrant it ever has been from any Country.  They face bias and a lot of Negative Tropes and being blamed for anything and everything Wrong in our Society, most of which are fabricated and try to vilify Immigrants in general with a broad brush stroke, handy Scapegoats.

  Most Immigrants, whether here Legally or Illegally, are hard working and don't want any trouble with the Law, everyone is paying Taxes on whatever income they Legally earn at Jobs, even if they don't qualify for Social Security or Social Benefits Legal Residents will.  I've lived in predominantly Immigrant Communities for Decades, very few Foreign Nationals I knew were on Welfare.  They all worked at one or more Jobs to try to attain the American Dream, and often doing very hard work, for very long Hours, that I'd be hard pressed to do.  I remember I got into a lot of Fights defending the Honor of my Mom and my Dad, when people would say ignorant, mean and Hateful shit.  So, not much has really changed or improved, even after all these Years. Which, is sadly just proof of not much Social Evolution, mebbe just a Touch.  But with this Regime, we're devolving again to blatant Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia, all of which are now on the rise dramatically. 

The fact this Regime still has ANY Positive Approval Ratings at all, is an indicator of how Sick and devolved America has become Socially.   I am in Agreement that our Borders need to be more Secure, so fucking Secure them and don't just use it as Political Theater, it's not as if we couldn't, we just don't.   Follow the Money and you'll know why the problem has never actually been Solved, exploitation of Humans for Profit is the main cause of the Why, plain and simple.  And becoz we have a pathetically inadequate Path to Citizenship to Legally Immigrate, it's why we have a lot of Illegal Immigration.  I've said it before, my East Indian Boss at the DA's Office said she and her Parents waited 20 YEARS to get Legal Immigration Status!  She was a Nuclear Physicist by Trade, her Mom and Dad were highly Skilled and Experienced Professionals in their Career Fields of Science and Technology, an Asset to America . 

That kind of delay is ridiculous and why others Jump the Line and just end up giving up and coming Illegally or on Work VISAs, that then they have trouble getting renewed even if they did excellent important Work.   That's how Salvador got Deported, he Worked for Boeing for Years as an I.T. Tech who Designed and Maintained Programs.  But he couldn't get his Work VISA renewed and thus stayed beyond it and got Deported due to that, even tho' by then he had an American Born Child and had been in a Relationship with an American for Years.   And he came from a very prominent Family in Mexico and was University Educated, so it's a fallacy that only Unskilled Labor is being turned away or Deported, or just Criminals.   Yet, too many prefer to believe the Myths and Lies about Immigrants and Target them for any Societal Woes and Grievances they have.

Work went well, I worked with Tina, who I've worked with for Years, and with a new Vendor named Steve.  He and his Wife moved here to retire from Iowa and had been Vendors at our Iowa Location.  That's where all of Top Management of the Brass Armadillo Antique Malls are originally from.   Steve is really nice and a good worker, so it was an enjoyable Shift, he was filling in for someone else too and doesn't work a regular Shift either.  It was busy for a Monday and when I came in, lo and behold, guess what else showed up in my Showroom after Months of being MIA... a Display to hold my Comic Books, the Comic Books that had only just shown up the Day before!!!   It wasn't my original Lucite Holder, but had my NFS Display Tag on it, it was a much nicer Metal and Grease Board Display than the one I had that was taken!  Well, it's MINE NOW... but, it's all... Very Interesting.  *Winks*

So, now my Comics and a Display for them are back and properly Displayed again.  I set them out in front of the Showroom again so they're in direct sight of the Surveillance Camera again.  Glad to have all returned even tho' they were out of circulation for a couple Months while missing from whoever took them... and then Mysteriously returned them after I put a lot of pressure upon Management about them being taken.   Curious indeed.  Then at about 8:00 p.m. my damned Right Sandal broke and I had to Tape it to my Foot with Packaging Tape, to finish out my Shift!!!  *LOL*  My Okabashi Sandals last a long time and these were older, so had just worn out.   I have others at Home to replace them.

 

We actually have a fair amount of New Vendors, some have nice Merch and might do well, others you can tell won't last long.   Even some really good Vendors haven't made a go of it, so, you can never tell for sure.  Others have lasted and you're very Surprised they have coz, I can't see how they're making Money and not Losing Money all the time?   Some don't even keep enuf Inventory in their Spaces to make Rent if they Sold all of it every Month.   Others have the same Inventory in there all the time and don't appear to have Sold anything at all yet have been there a long time.   Steve said he's had a Space there since December of 2024, so, they're still pretty New... but, experienced, having Sold at one of our Stores in another State for a lot of Years.  

I think he said they'd Sold at the Iowa location for Nine Years.   His Son is a Retired Military Special Black Ops Sniper and he said got Medically Retired too and isn't doing well Mentally at all.   He said the last Mission his Son was on was to retrieve a CIA Operative that got captured in a Country we weren't officially ever in.  Well, the Mission went Bad and after returning, tho' they got the Operative out Alive, every last Man of his Son's Team committed Suicide and his Son tried to, but Survived his attempt.   The Man's last Assignment as a Sniper in Vietnam went very Bad too and only The Man and his Navajo Tracker made it out Alive coz they never got extracted like they were supposed to and were in a Country we weren't officially even in either, Laos.   So I know what happened to Steve's Son is tragic, but unfortunately isn't unusual with Special Forces.

He said he hasn't seen his Son now in Eight Years and hopes one day his Son can manage to have a Peace about whatever he had to do?   He asked if The Man ever was able to and I had to confess that No, he never has, it's a Lifelong torment.   It's something they just have to Live with regardless of not ever having Peace about what their Country asked and Ordered them to do.   Especially with Snipers, it is an Assassin's Job and the Targets are very specific and not random.   So during a Career there will be a lot of Bodies attributed to a good Sniper who does the Job well and manages to Survive all their Assignments too.   The Man still has Nightmares, even all these Years later, since his Double Tours in Vietnam ended in the early 1970's.   He was in many more Wars elsewhere, too many, over his 39 Year Career, but as either an Army Medic Saving Lives or as an F-16 Electronics Technician for the Air Force.

Steve said his Son didn't come back Okay and I told him nobody came back Okay.   He agreed, that they probably didn't and couldn't.   War does change a Person, whether a Military Person fighting one or a Civilian in a Country enduring the firsthand horrors of War.   My Mom said WWII changed her forever and she was a Child living thru it in Europe.  What she Witnessed and went thru haunted her for her entire Life.   My Cambodian Ex-DIL said the same about Surviving the Killing Fields of Cambodia and then living for Four Years in a Refugee Camp before getting granted Asylum in the U.S., losing more than half their Family to Pol Pot's brutal murderous Regime.   It's why this Regime Scared her Family so much, they said tRump reminded them too much of Pol Pot and is equally unhinged and cruel.   Now this Orange Menace has openly admitted he thinks he runs our Country AND THE WHOLE WORLD!!!   What an ignorant, arrogant, egotistical Moron he is!

My last Pay Period was very Soft and closed tightly, but I managed to Salvage the last few Days of Sales to ensure I'll get a small Check, which is better than no Check and/or Owing.  *Whew*  That was a relief, but if I hadn't worked so many Shifts to Comp some of the Rent it might have ended differently.   I'm sure the number of New Vendors is due to so many Old Vendors moving out.  The Showroom directly next to mine is moved out now and vacant.  I'd heard her talking to another Vendor on her last day there, saying her 401K is utterly destroyed due to this Administration and she only Retired Two Years ago.  So, now has to figure out a cheaper State to move to in order to Survive.   Close out anything that isn't a Strong Stream of Income, Sell whatever she has, and possibly have to go back to Work coz her Social Security isn't enough to live on, she's a Widow. 

This will be the plight of many Seniors and I could tell how bitter and distraught she was.  She'd been at our Mall for Years, but her Husband had Died a few Years ago and she was too Young to Retire then and Collect Social Security.  Now that she had Retired and begun to Collect her Social Security and 401K Investment Income, she thought she was set in her Retirement.  Her Sales from the Showroom were her discretionary Income and ability to Downsize in Widowhood, so she'd have more Options and Quality of Life.  Now she's in a predicament and my Heart hurt for her.  She was terrified if they mess with Social Security or Medicare next, becoz she doesn't even yet have a Plan B for the financial hit she's already taken, let alone a Plan C!!!   I don't know what her Politics are or the Woman she was confiding in, neither said and I was Evesdropping from the next Showroom as I Worked on my Space. 

I am overhearing a lot of these conversations everywhere tho'.  When we were at the Five And Diner Restaurant, a Trio of Middle Aged Yuppie Guys were in a Booth nearby talking Politics and the trashed Economy.  That part of the City is where a lot of Young Professionals Work and Reside, they too are nervous, even if they have very Successful Careers right now, and this Trio was discussing the uncertainties and concerns.   They had also been talking about Iconic Movies and One of them brought up that he used to like Stallone until he found out he was a devout MAGA Cultist and didn't understand why?!   Then said isn't it Ironic, that Schwarzenegger, an Austrian Immigrant whose a devout actual Conservative strongly dislikes this Administration?   I don't think it's Ironic at all, Schwarzenegger grew up in Post WWII Austria and saw the devastating effects of what Hitler's awful Legacy did to their Countrymen, his Father in particular, and their World Reputation.

Arnold even did Commercials before the Election trying to convince Voters NOT to Vote for this Fascist Regime becoz of the perils it surely would unleash upon America and the World.   Sadly, True Republicans were all ousted from their Party and Targeted, all replaced with either Radicalized Extremists or Spineless Ass Kissers.  We got our Primary Voter Registrations for Vote By Mail and Arizona is notoriously trying to Suppress Voting of certain demographics.   So, if you were Registered as an Independent they wouldn't allow you to Vote in the Primaries and you had to choose a Major Party to be allowed a Voice in the Primary Elections!!!   Which is some bullshit coz 65% of Arizona Voters are Independents now!   So, this time we all Registered as Democrats so we can Vote in this Primary coming up, even tho' we are Independents.  Coz we wanna be able to Vote in this Important Primary since Arizona went from Purple to Red last Election!  We need it to go full on Blue this time.

I personally want and would prefer a strong Independent Candidate for all of American Independents to feel we have a Representative in our Politics and a viable Option for OUR Voice to be Heard on the Hill.  I'm so fed up with both Major Parties and am tired of having to Vote Blue No Matter Who.  I HATE Partisan Politics with every ounce of my Being, it's so fucking Tribal and often puts Party over Country IMO!!!   That's not ideal and it's not what I want to have to be forced to do.  Just becoz the hijacked Republican Party have gone totally Fascist and are now totally Anti-Constitution and Anti-Democracy, so I'd never Vote for that side ever again in my Lifetime, nor would any of my side of the Family!!!  They've gone so Rouge there's no getting back the Party they once were IMO, their Reputation has been too seriously compromised and the behavior of those left is deplorable.  They make lame excuses for him and Kiss the Ring, and his Ass, dutifully.

   The Man's side, well, at least some of them have come to their Senses now and realized the mistake of Voting Red this past Election Cycle.  Took him getting in Twice tho' for them to realize he's the Kiss of Death to everything he touches.   And I don't want Democrats just putting anyone in thinking they have the Independent Vote coz we'll only Vote for whoever is NOT tRump or his Allies!!!   I feel the last couple of Elections they've done that and tho' I Voted Blue both times, I didn't have a Peace about it for various reasons.  But I didn't wanna NOT Vote or throw my Vote away Voting for any Non-Partisan Candidate, tho' they rarely even give us one, or whose Strong enuf to Win.   So most Independents I know get so discouraged they just don't bother to Vote anymore and gave up on our staunch Two Party System that isn't working anymore for the majority of us.   Mebbe that's even why some Independents Voted for an Extreme Candidate... coz he did do better with them than in 2016, I dunno?  

 I felt Uncle Joe was too Old, even tho' a Good Man IMO, with Integrity and Love for his Country.  I don't want any more Geriatric Rich Old White Men who otherwise would be in a fucking Nursing Home, but are Leading our Country!   It's Insane IMO and they act out in such obvious Cognitive Decline and Tone Deaf detachment from the Reality of most Americans, that it's fucking scary to me they're even making decisions for themselves, let alone the rest of us!!!   I really liked Kamala a lot, but felt a Woman, especially a Woman of Color, would never be Elected yet.  America ain't there yet and they made that mistake Twice now thinking a Woman could Win.  Assuming coz we did have a Black Male Prez, perhaps America had Evolved enuf... and we didn't... mostly becoz of Gender alone, but Race also.  And, how late Uncle Joe bowed out was a factor too, mos def a scramble!   She did admirably tho' with what she was given.

I'm seeing a lot of MAGA Merch now Donated to Charities, guess the converted are dumping all their MAGA shit they bought and that their Orange Jesus was hawking as a Grift to the Devout.  *LOL*  Princess T said that they're actually not even supposed to put it out on the Floor and are to throw it away at their Stores.   But, you do see a lot of it at the GOODWILL now.  I'll buy any Anti-MAGA Merch coz it Sells really well and pisses off the Rabid Base.   I've Sold it all now except for the one where he's dressed like a Golden Arches Clown and the Tee says McDonald.  I think I would have Sold that one already but it's an XS Size so would have to fit a very petite Anti-Trumper.  Fuck, I'd of kept it and wore it myself if it was an XL!  *LMAO* 

  I Sold the Anti-Trump one right away that had a Cat and said "You Can't Grab This".  *Smiles*  I usually Sell any Obama Merch easily now too, folks are sure missing him and Uncle Joe.  Even if you weren't a Fan at least you could Sleep at Night and your 401K wasn't Stolen with a Prez illegally Manipulating the Market to enrich himself and his Billionaire Bros..   The Conflicts of Interest are so blatant he's got Billionaires in Charge of the Agencies that used to regulate their Industries, how convenient and what a handy Grift to meddle with Regulation so that your Industry has less Regulation and more Profits from doing what they shouldn't be doing to protect the Safety and Well Being of the American Public and the Planet!!!   So the People and the Planet get Screwed coz the Foxes now are in Charge of the Henhouses, so to speak and pretending they're no longer Predators seeking Prey.  *Eye Roll*

 And don't even get me started on tRumps Bitcoin Reserve and that whole Long Con he's scheming with his Tech Bros!!!   Economists across the Board describe Bitcoin as a Techno-Anarchist Project to Create an Online version of Cash.   A way for folks to Transact without the possibility of Interference from 'malicious' Governments or Banks.  As a Retired Bank Executive, well, I don't even have to tell you what a Wet Dream for Criminals that all is!!!   It's blockchain Technology to support Transactions between Users on a Decentralized Network.  New Bitcoin are Created as part of the "Mining Process", as a Reward to folks whose Computers help Validate Transactions.  Buying Bitcoin exposes you to a volatile Asset Class and is Banned in various Countries for good reason.

  The potential for Fraud and Scams is HUGE and why the Conman President Loves it so much!   Cryptocurrency is a Concept and exists solely in Electronic Form, is not backed by any Central Authority like a Government or Bank, has irreversible Transactions and a lack of Regulation, Cybersecurity Risks, even Environmental concerns related to it's "Mining" due to it's high Energy demands and associated Emissions.  It has very high Electricity usage due to it's complex computational tasks and Fossil Fuel dependency.   Anyway, I'd never mess with Crypto myself and feel most who are Geeking out on Buying it will come to regret having done so... while those 'Selling' it are running a Long Con with it, tho' some will claim it's not "inherently" a Scam, it's too damned easy to make it one.  Play with exceeding Caution and don't say I didn't Warn ya.

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Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian