More Than Ready For A Siesta ~ A 118 Degree Day

 

Okay, so Thursday Afternoon I finally did get out of my Jammies and go to The Event at SWEET SALVAGE even tho' it got to be 118 Outside, which is miserable, coz it was also Humid!!!   Can you only imagine temps that high and with high Humidity ta boot?!  Ridiculous!!!  So, I didn't stay long, their Warehouse section was like a Sauna, as Hot as our RV Garage Mahal is and I don't spend any time in there when it's like a Sweatbox.  I got great Parking right up front and the Crowds were gone, so I got to visit with my Industry Friends.  But, I didn't Buy anything, no Budget for it, tho' I Loved this Dall Sheep Mount and it was a good price, but, not a Player with current finances strained to the max and uncertainty with the Monthly Pension/Social Security Checks making things particularly stressful and tense.  They had some really nice things tho', Primo pieces, so I did some Pathological Picture Taking for Blog Fodder at least.

I did treat myself to a nice late Luncheon at a fav Thai Bistro and squeaked in just before Closing.  Most of Downtown is Closed before or around 3:00 p.m. now.  I got some Thai Veggie Samosas and some Thai Veggie Spring Rolls, a very light Meal but satisfying and delicious.  I got some Thai Iced Coffee with Coconut Milk, also refreshing.  There were some other Diners so I didn't feel as tho' the only one who came in just at the Wire before they Closed, and I was done before the others, who were lingerers... I didn't stay past Closing, I wouldn't feel right doing that, ever.  People wanna go Home after the Business is Closed for the Day, they don't wanna wait around for those staying past Closing and malingering.  So, it was a good "Me Day Out" even tho' I'd really procrastinated so much to even do it.  I'm glad in the end that I did, I needed to get out and do something Positive and Inspiring.

I got Home before Rush Hour hit, so, then I felt like taking a Nap, since, by about 3:30-4:00 is the Heat of the Day and it was already 118 Degrees, so I was more than ready for a Siesta!  That is mos def some Siesta Weather lemme tell ya, especially after a nice Meal, I almost can't even stay Awake!!!  The Man was Surprised I came Home so early since I'd left so late, but, I'd had enuf Fun.  *LOL*  My Industry Friends, some of who also have Brick & Mortar Shops as well as doing the Monthly Events, said Business is terrible.  That's the general consensus among us all.  Even at the Big Malls and Big Box Stores you can tell things are in the shitter Economically.  And some of my Industry Friends had their whole International Orders just Cancelled for their Holiday Merch Orders!!!  The Boats just turned around and went back to China & India... and even Canadian and European Orders have mostly Cancelled and won't Ship.  They said most aren't interested in receiving American Orders now and don't want our Business!

For some Vendors that's huge, especially if they Sell Clothing, Accessories and Seasonal Holiday Merch that is only made abroad.  One Friend Owns a long time Boutique in Glendale and Clothing with it's Accessories is her biggest Seller.  Now she can't obtain it from Sources she's used for over 35 Years in the Business!   Her entire Orders for the Holiday Season were ALL Cancelled and there's no American Sources comparable to even place Orders with.   Another Friend makes Custom Jewelry using European Antiques mostly Sourced from France, and newer Hand Carved and Silversmith Work from Mexico and South American Sources, she too is running into Tariff Issues with her Orders.  Some of the Suppliers just don't wanna Deal with the American Market now it's so inconsistent, complicated and Punitive.  They're not paying the Tariffs but they know their American Buyers don't wanna pay the Tariffs either.  Very few Sellers, here or abroad, are willing or perhaps even able to absorb Tariffs imposed, so those will be passed along to Consumers for sure.

Once American Businesses either can't or won't receive Imports, it's gonna Create Shortages.  And we've already seen steep rises in some pricing, as much as 25% or more in some cases and that's just a beginning.  I don't know those will ever drop now they've been implemented?  The Dollar Stores for example have increased pricing by 50% since Pandemic, 25% at that Crisis, and another 25% at this one.  That's significant reduction of Consumer Buying Power on just Merch that used to be a Dollar and now is a Buck Fifty.   I know I've cut way back on our Spending and it's not without intent that I have... it's become absolutely necessary.  If it's not Essential now I'm probably waffling at Buying it.  Essentials we may have to Buy, but not anything that is Non-Essential, think about it, think about what that does to the Economy at large.  Especially if massive Consumer cutback happens all at once.  America is a Consumer driven Economy and a Capitalist Nation.

Okay, so my Family has everything we'd ever Need or Want, but many Families aren't in that position, what then for them?   Mebbe they can do without the Wants, but the Needs, not so much.  So, now we've got to consider mass potential for Lack.   And, that usually leads to desperation if a Need isn't being met.  Desperate people tend to do desperate things, this is my concern as well.  I predict that if people can't afford to Buy what they Need, how do you suppose they'll adjust so they can get it?  Or they really Want it?  Exactly.   So, you'll see increases in illegal means to obtain it.  My Granddaughter buys a lot from the Mega Retailer Shein.  Shein is known for adding 16,000 New Items DAILY... and their Prices are so low they have Loyal Customers galore in America.  Now when she Orders she said they're Importing from different Sources than before to bypass or reduce Tariff Costs or eliminate them completely already.  The Lithuanian Package for example, hadn't been Ordered thru a Lithuanian Seller, but they Imported it thru there.  *LOL*  WITS had some Interesting Data on that.  *Winks*

I see a big opportunity for American Black Markets to compensate for what can't be legally obtained, and that happens in Authoritarian and Restricted Countries where Corrupt Systems breed more Corruption.  Moving On... my Troll Tiki House from the early 1960's arrived in better condition than expected and with the Bonus of Four Old Trolls, Two of which were Wishnik ones and all in adorable little Handmade Outfits someone had made for them and looked to be as Old as the Trolls were.  So, now I have the Two very Rare Troll 'Buildings' from the 1960's that I never even knew existed 'til I saw them For Sale on E-Bay!!!   I'm an avid Trolls Collector, so having all Three Buildings Cases they made for them, all being in excellent condition for their fragility and Age, really Completes and Compliments the Collection I've amassed over the Years.  Buying back your Childhood is just Fun when you're Old and in your 2nd Childhood with the means now to get anything you couldn't get as a Child.  Or replacing what you once had and Cherished, having fond Memories of it.  *Winks*

At the Event my Friend Big Kenny had a large Silver Punch Bowl filled with Old Marbles and he'd quoted me a First Cousin Price on them if I bought them all.  But, I just didn't need or want this many Marbles, even tho' I have an Old Marble Collection, some of which are European and from my own Childhood and my European Grandparent's Era.  I just wanted to pick out my Favorites.  *LOL*   So, I passed on the bulk purchase offer.   We might work something out in the Future, we'll see.  I just wasn't Tempted to outlay for a Punchbowl full of Antique Marbles.  *Ha ha ha*   Might have been a Want, wasn't a Need... and so I came away Buying nothing and just enjoying Eye Candy Viewing of things I liked, but wasn't straining any Budget to obtain this Month... or even thru the End of the Year, Truth be told.  I'd say 2025 is a Wrap already for us Buying anything more that is not Necessary for ourselves.  I only Plan to give the Kiddos whose Birthdays are between now and Christmas, Cash for their Pressies.  They can spend it as they see fit... or Save it.

I have all the Holiday Decor I'll ever Need for all the Holidays, so, it's a discretionary Purchase if I add to them anymore.  Mostly I've been Downsizing, Editing and Purging my existing Holiday Decorations for all the Holidays and keeping only the Primo items I Cherish most.  We don't Decorate like we used to so it's just not necessary to hold on to it all or rotate it each Year coz how many more Holidays we have in Front of us is fewer than Behind us now.   Seasonal Merch, if Sellers can't obtain it now from once reliable International Sources, might be in the highest demand for what's already here in folk's Collections of it?  We'll see, I always Sell Out of Vintage Holiday Merch I Sell in our Showroom and Locked Case, so, the Demand can only be higher if Imports of New Holiday Merch stalls out or simply can't be obtained with Orders being Cancelled and turned back to the Countries that Produce it.

But, I can easily Live Without any Want now.   So the Temptation isn't even there to Feel an Urge to Buy it now that Economic and Financial Security is in Question for America.   I Predict that Hard Times lie ahead and I'm just erring on the side of Caution for that reason, and if I'm Wrong about it, well, no harm, no foul, in just not Spending what we have to Spend, Right?   I'd rather be Wrong actually, but I doubt that I am.   I'd Bet all my Marbles that most Americans are gonna be Feeling the Pinch before Year's End, mebbe even already Feeling it.   It makes me Sad, but, I'm not Calling the Shots and the Shot Callers are Corrupt as Fuck, so none of them can be Trusted to do Right by any of you, that much I definitely know... no Prediction necessary about that unfortunate Fact.  And tho' things seem bleak and complicated enuf, we've seen already that it can always get worse than we ever imagined it could or would.   The Fuckery is unabated at this point and that's the only certainty now.

 

And I really don't know how many Businesses will be able to Weather it actually?  Especially Small Businesses with tighter Margins and without Deep Pockets to Buy their Favor with The Extortionist in the White House?  Nobody will bother to even Shake Down those they know won't profit them Millions or Billions in the doing of it.  So, they'll get hit the hardest, coz anyone that can afford to be Shaken Down and Extorted by that much, is making ever so much more to Buy that kind of Executive Favor, Trust and Believe.   Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power, Absolutely Corrupts.   And it's now become The American Way apparently... and far too many Americans seemed to be Okay with that, or they THOUGHT they were... until they become the ultimate Victims, Rubes and Marks of that Corruption that is...

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Ain't I a Ray of Fucking Sunshine?  ... Dawn... The Bohemian