Wednesday, March 27, 2024

How Compromised Are You?



 I Paid TJ more than he asked me for, he'd really done me such an incredible favor and saved me so much Money by fixing the John Deere and agreeing to continue to do my Yardwork and Irrigation.  I had thought he didn't want to do it anymore, but he said he's just had so much to do that he wasn't sure he'd be as reliable as we might need.  I don't mind waiting 'til he can fit it into his Schedule, he does such a good job and his Family and ours have become good Friends.  I'd rather he get the Money than someone I don't know or necessarily Trust.  He's doing the Yard again right now, you can see the difference once the Tractor is maintained well again.   He'd sharpened the Blades while he had it apart repairing the Motor's problem.




So, now our Property looks well manicured and maintained again and I don't have every Landscape Company that drives by stopping and giving me estimates and implying how unkempt it's looking.  *LOL*  It was enlightening to know what Companies charge now, we've done our own Work for so long that sometimes I'm Clueless how much Hiring a Company actually costs.  I had Sticker Shock, I ain't gonna Lie, clearly I can't afford to have too much Hired Staff.  *Ha ha ha*  I do have a Pool Guy, and we have an Exterminator, Plumber and Air Conditioning/Heater Specialists on Retainer.   That's really all I can manage besides Hiring a Friend and Neighbor to do the Yardwork and Irrigation too.   The Man and I used to be able to DIY everything, those days are clearly over.




The Son Won a couple of $100 Concert Tickets, so he's going to bring his Sister and Friend Bree with him.  He'd bought himself a Ticket to this Concert and entered a Drawing a local Rock Radio Station had.  This is the 6th time in a Year he's been a Winner, he's very Lucky like that with Drawings and so he enters them frequently.   He goes to a lot of Concerts, but usually with Friends who also buy Tickets for the same ones.  His Sister hasn't been to a Concert in Years, so she's excited he's taking her with one of his Winning Tickets, and Bree is a good Friend of his since High School.   This is one of those Concerts that has several Bands and not just one Headliner.   A lot of the Casinos on the Reservations often have Venues too.  My Friend Amy from our Antique Mall recently won Six Grand on the Slots at a Casino near us.




She's hilarious, she was telling me she always Wins more Money at the Casinos than she earns Selling at our Antique Mall, so, her Husband would rather she Gamble.  *LOL*   She's a really hard Worker, but to her, Gambling has been profitable and easy.   She said if you Win too often tho', the Casinos ban you, so she limits her exposure between Wins on purpose.   She's had Friends who've been banned becoz they've Won too much or too often.  If you're not cheating, I don't know how they can justify banning a Winner, they sure don't ban Losers.  *LOL*  I suppose they imply that the odds should be so against you, that if you do Win and have incredible Luck, you must be cheating and shouldn't ever come out ahead of the House?  I don't Gamble, so, have never been in any of the Casinos that abound on Rez's around Metro Phoenix.




Within an easy drive from our House are a multitude of Indian Casinos, many are really close by, some, more of a Day Trip Drive.  Desert Diamond, Gila River, Vee Quiva, Talking Stick, We-Ko-Pa, Apache Gold, Ak-Chin, Mazatzal, Yavapai, Twin Arrows and Casino Arizona.  It's why my Niece, who plays Poker and is very good at it, was here visiting a lot when she was playing in the Tournaments.  She now lives in Oklahoma, that has about as many Indian Casinos and Reservation Land as Arizona has, and a cheaper cost of living she could afford.  She used to travel to Vegas for Tournaments too, but preferred the Indian Casinos and most of our Friends do too.  I might go one day out of Curiosity, my Kids have gone and said there's good Entertainment and Food, even if you don't Gamble.  We used to go to Vegas often, but, not to Gamble, exclusively for the Entertainment, 'til it got too expensive.




Plus, Vegas is somewhere I can only enjoy for 1-2 Days before I am more than ready to leave.  The same with trips to Cali, my limit for both is 48 Hours tops before I'm packing up and calling it a Day.  *LOL*  If it wasn't for Friends and Family that live in both locations, I'd probably be ready to leave in 24 Hours.  But, it is a long drive for a mere Day Trip, so we'd spend at least One full Day just visiting Relatives or Friends who live there to make it worth commuting that many Hours and the expense to get there.  *Smiles*  Now that most Tribes in Arizona have Casinos, hardly any of my Friends and Family in Arizona go to Vegas anymore, no need to and they claim it's easier to Win something and the Entertainment Venues are reasonably priced.  Vegas got too expensive, too tight, and half the time you couldn't even get Tickets to the best Shows... unless you booked Months in advance.




During the Old Days any Trips to Vegas were spontaneous decisions, not something I planned and mapped out Months or Years in advance.  I'm not inclined to live a Contrived Life.  I did Marry The Man there tho', and even that was spontaneous for us and we Eloped and only told my Mom, so she could babysit my Kids.  *LOL*  I heard that since the very last time we went there, the Historic Iconic Chapel, Silver Bell, we got Married in, burnt down in 2002.  It wasn't the only Old Wedding Chapel to burn down, Two people Died in another one that was Vacant and burnt in 2021, I suspect since that one had been Vacant and abandoned, the Dead were likely Squatters or Homeless Vagrants that perished.   Anyway, Old Vegas is nothing like New Vegas, so, it totally lost it's Appeal to us.  We quit going before all our Kids were even grown and certainly before the G-Kid Force were Born.  I don't miss it.




Once I'm Done with something and Over it, I don't miss it.  Life is often full enuf that you replace what no longer has Appeal, with something else that does.  I'm expecting to receive some of the items I've recently Won at Online Auctions.  I was quite Lucky with Winning some of the Skookum Dolls with my low Opening Bids, so I'll be excited to receive them.  One of the Sellers even gave me a Refund on my Postage of the Box Lot Win on theirs that had 16 Dolls, as an incentive I suppose to make them a Favorite Seller.  Quite a few have done things like that or included Free Gifts with my Purchase, and as a Buyer, you do appreciate that.  Often the Gift has been as nice as what I've Bid on and Won.  I've never received a crappy Gift, and, it's an unexpected Surprise, so, who doesn't Like that, Right?  With the Box Lot Win I'm keeping some and will Sell some.




The Granddaughter and I are Curating and changing up what we will be Selling in the new Showroom, which is only Days away now before we move into it.  I'll have a whole Month to get out of the previous Showroom, so I can take my time and flesh out the Vision with intention and no rush to make the move and get our Customers used to where we'll now be.   I may even go in before my actual Move-In Day to clean the Room up so that Ken doesn't have to.  He's been in such bad shape since his Catastrophic Accident that is causing him to Move Out of the Showroom and Booths he had.  So I know he probably isn't up to Cleaning, and as a Friend, I don't mind doing it for him before I formally inherit the Rented Space.  He was Kind enuf to let me Buy Displays and Fixtures at a deep Discount and leave them in there a whole Month, so, it's the least I could do. 




I know I'm getting so many inquiries now from other Vendors about whose getting my Old Showroom, now I've given Vacate Notice?  I have no idea and don't really Care, so, I don't know and can't say who did.  Management doesn't always disclose that information anyway, since they know they play favoritism.  So it's not really a formal Waiting List of first come first serve on getting any Space there.  Tho' they pretend it is, and you allegedly come up on this alleged Waiting List, we all know it's bullshit.  Favor is obvious towards some Vendors and not others.  I leveraged getting the New Showroom and Locked Case, with the fact they relied on me a lot to fill in for unreliable, Vacationing or Sick Dealers who Work the Night Shifts. 




 I started turning down Shifts and making it clear that unless I curried Favor with getting that Room Ken was moving out of, AND a Locked Case, I may dump ALL Shifts again, including my regular one.  *Winks*  I am reliable and a good Worker, I take any Work I do, even Volunteer Work, Seriously.   Many are NOT so inclined and those are the ones that take on a lot of Shifts to get comped Rent, but don't actually wanna do the Work... or show up half the time, often with no notice they blew off their obligation to.   It puts Management in a tight spot when they do so.  So, not my problem and if I'm doing the Mall a Favor, one Favor merits reciprocity and was great leverage to get what I want or need.  Otherwise, you don't scratch my Back, I don't scratch yours, and you'll probably Need me before I Need you.  *Smiles*




 I feel the same way about being a Customer anywhere too.  I can spend my Money anywhere.  So, if you don't make it Appealing and Positive for me to be your Customer, I have no problem NOT being one.  *LOL*  I am both a good Worker and a good Customer anywhere I am, so, the choice is with the Business on whether they want to retain good Workers and good Customers... or... NOT?  And I do my fair share of Private Sales, both as a Buyer and as a Seller, with who is in my Favor and me in theirs.  And if you fall out of Favor, well, it's probably your own fault by how you treat people and it's your Karma being meted out.  As a Buyer or a Seller, I always treat folks how I expect and even demand to be treated, it's the only way to do Business IMO.  I've become Friends with many who I Buy from or Sell to.  If I don't Like you, or how you treat people, I won't even want to do Business with you actually.




I don't even know why someone who isn't a People Person would ever get into Retail?  If you're not good with People, how can you expect to garner Favor with your Clients/Customers/Employees?  I suspect you can't and won't.   It won't matter what you know or what your Business Model is, if you alienate the People you will be relying on to make it a Success Story.  Haven't you ever gone somewhere that you want to Like becoz the Business is attractive, and then... you meet the Owner or Staff and... you never wanna come back after that?   I have... a pity... the Let Down when Service Sucks or they have an Attitude, is too off-putting.  And, I will ALWAYS put such Negative experiences on Blast on Social Media and by Word of Mouth, to warn others, so they can avoid a similar unpleasant Situation.  Coz, who Needs that shit or to put up with it?!




Yet, I've sometimes gone somewhere very humble and mebbe even lackluster, but if the Staff and Owners are Stellar, I keep going back and become a Loyal Customer, becoz of THEM.  Some of my Fav Mom N Pop Establishments are like that and I'll recommend them to everyone.  Yep, even a Dive can garner Favor within a Community it Serves Well.  In fact, most Locals know and frequent the least flashy places known within the Communities.  When a Visitor comes to Arizona and asks me where to go, I usually tell them the Secret Spots us Locals Favor and they wouldn't otherwise probably have on their Radar and get to experience, as someone not Local.   When I'm a Visitor, when I meet a Local, I ask them where THEY go and what they recommend, they always steer us Right.  And it's never the places that are Tourist Traps, are flashy, or take Patrons for granted and are possibly even exploitive.




Speaking of Retail, I spent most of the Afternoon Pricing more T-Shirts, since, keeping up with the Demand has been our focus while they're Selling so well.   It was a good Idea of Princess T's to expand on our Garment Merch and attracting the Younger Consumers, who now are our biggest and most Devoted Client Base there at our Spaces.  The Young folks are spending, the Old folks are not.  The Middle Aged folks are difficult to predict what they even want or like, mebbe they don't even know what they want or like anymore, so how could you cater to THAT?  *LOL*  They tend to be more of an impulse Shopper anyway and I can't cater to that, too random.  The Younger Customers we get, know what they want and are looking for, so, they ask where it is or might be, when they walk thru the Doors.  I might even start carrying some Vinyl LP's of my Fav Artists from bygone Hippie Days, it's Selling too.



And, back then and now, I have always been a big Fan of the Fantasy Art LP Covers.   The Iconic Artists of Fantasy Art are what I'd Frame now and hang on a Wall even if the Album or Band/Music wasn't my Jam.  *LOL*  Sometimes it definitely was tho'.   Even tho' I wasn't a Dead Head, I did totally dig The Grateful Dead's Fantasy Art, which was very Thought provoking and had a lot going on to say without Words.   I can understand Why they had a Cultlike following of Fans.   A lot of the Psychedelic Art was what I had hung on my Walls as a Teenager, one would have thought I was on Acid Trips, even tho' I didn't dabble and wasn't ever a Fan of Drug use.  I was High on Life as a Young Person, so I didn't need synthetic Highs to induce euphoria or feel good.  *Winks*  Most people I knew who Used were usually Escaping something in Life and using the Drug to numb their Realities.  Escapism is Natural to avoid Pain usually, not actual Pleasure.  The Escape becomes the only Pleasure in the end.





But, I certainly enjoyed the Era in which I was coming of Age, so I feel quite Fortunate to have Experienced it as I did.  I think it was the best of times in so many ways, even if in some instances it was probably also the worst of times in our Nation's History.  I was never very embracing of The Establishment such that it was... or still is actually.   I think it could definitely be improved upon for the Average Citizen.  Ones just expecting to have a slice or even a sliver of The American Dream, whatever that means and is to them personally.   And of coarse that's different for each Individual, and that's Okay.   Whatever your Dream Life is, may you obtain it or have the Hope of attaining it.   I think so long as anyone has the Hope of attaining it, and see it as a possibility, then they're more inclined to think Life is Good and pursue it with enthusiasm and relentless pursuit of what Happiness means and is to them.




What I find to be tragic these days is that I see that enthusiasm and Hope and Possibility in recent Immigrant Populations, even if their Lot in Life isn't quite attaining The Dream yet.  But, I see it less and less in Home Grown folks, which is just Sad, that so many have Lost it or feel Hopeless about it.   Hopeless people tend to be very angry, depressed and project Negativity outwards towards others.   The Grievance Politics is exploiting that so much now that it's caused a division I've never seen in my Lifetime within our Nation.  It's quite ugly and Dark, a dark underbelly of our Nation that is on full Display now and not at all Lovely.  What has crawled out from under their Rocks is pretty hideous at times and prone to extremism and violence.  Cruelty and Hatred is the Point for them and it's what seems to Move them more than Peace, Love, Unity or Harmony... I don't think any of that is even IN them in fact?

 



They have become Monsters of their own making and a great many seem to be perfectly Okay with that and want Leadership that Mirrors them and their hideous State of Being.   Their Humanity is almost unrecognizable, since it's just about nonexistent in what they say, Believe, pursue and do.  I see some of the most Angry and Hateful folks in Public during these turbulent times of Political unrest and a resurgence of fanaticism, extreme Thinking and Dogma, Religious, Political, or otherwise.    What seems like Madness to the Majority, to those sucked in and radicalized, is what they want as a new 'Normal' for everyone to be forced to tolerate.  That just isn't acceptable or embraced by the Majority, and so they're really Angry about it and want to force and thrust it upon all of us involuntarily. 




 I find it Interesting so many of them try to call it Freedom, when they only want actual Freedom for themselves and their Agendas, and no Choice for anyone else opposed and not on Board or exactly like them.  The fact their Leaders are trying to eliminate Choice, Order, and the Rule of Law, is very Telling, and if that doesn't Speak to you, well, you better start paying attention and Listening closely.  Fanatical Causes rarely End Well.  Domestic Terrorism is no less dangerous, no less violent and extreme, and totally unacceptable to a functional Society than Foreign Terrorism and threats are.  How we Deal with those engaged in it will predict our Outcome, Trust and Believe.   You cannot always take the Path of least Resistance in Life.  Too many are assuming it will Work for them if they do and will end up bewildered when it won't.  Choosing the Easiest way to do things instead of the Best way is a risky compromise.  You have to ask yourself, how Compromised are you?



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Only YOU can Answer that Question Truthfully my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

He's Putting The Crime Back In Law And Order



 Okay, so I couldn't resist Naming this Post Title Hook after the Freudian Slip that 45 made in his Speech, about he's gonna put the Crime back in Law and Order!  *OMG, you can't make this shit up... LMAOROTF*  That piece of work is such a total Moron, so unbelievably unhinged and hopelessly Mentally addled.  But it makes me more incredulous that he still has rabid Supporters, but, Cults are like that, no matter how much Crazier and fucked up their Leadership becomes.  They're just missing the Kool-Aide to be like another Jonestown cautionary tale.  I don't even know how or if you can deprogram people that far gone?



I finished binge watching "The Kominsky Method" {2018} Series.  Apparently Arkin left the Series in Season 2 of the 3 it ran.  And before he actually Died, tho' his Character Died in it quite abruptly between Episodes.  So, at first I wasn't sure he hadn't Died while filming it and they had to just Write that in to the Script?   Anyway, it was excellent all the way thru and had a Surprising number of well known Cameo appearances.  It was one of those Series you liked so much you almost didn't want it to have to end at all.   I still have a long standing Crush on Michael Douglas, he has Aged well and considering his advanced Age  he's still a superb and charismatic Actor and looks damned good IMO for a Man closing in on 80.  He makes Growing Old Look Good.  *Winks*




I'm surprised I didn't need a Nap after how hectic and exhaustive the whole day had been on Monday, with a Sick Grandchild and the need for Roadside Assistance so soon after getting my new Truck.   The Dealership Service Dept. was great and told us that those Razor objects are coming in a lot lately imbedded in and totally destroying Tires.  It's not like when you drive over a Screw or Nail, these are actually some kind of Construction Razors and they cut into Tires like Butter.  I don't know what they use them for in Construction, but those damned things are all over the Roads and exceedingly dangerous, costly and destructive as Road Hazards.  The Razor Debris Object is even on Social Media Posts as Victims try to figure out what they are and why they're on the Roads... and if the damage can be repaired from them or is the Tire now too unsafe? 



My experience is, they can't be repaired, the damage from these Debris Razors is too serious and extreme to be patched and salvage the Tire.  I've had it happen Twice now in a matter of Months!  No matter how new the Tire is, since some Online Victims had less than 100 Miles on their Tire when it was destroyed by one of these things.  I had less than 200 Miles on my Tire when it destroyed it and you can't really risk injuring yourself with any Razor sharp Debris.  If it slices thru Steel Belted thick Rubber Tires like Butter, that is a seriously sharp and dangerous Object to be all over our Roadways or Sidewalks and could cause injury or a bad accident.  I feel fortunate the Smart Vehicles, electronically by their Computer Systems, now give you accurate immediate Warnings of a serious problem, or any problem, in detail.  It probably saved us having a worse outcome, so I'm Thankful for that. {Above is the Puppy Trio I got for Three Bucks, Cute huh?}




I didn't need another major financial Outlay so soon... again... so, even coming up with an Emergency Outlay of $140 was a hardship this late in an already expensive Month.  *Le Sigh*   And when you haven't even had your Vehicle, or that Tire, more than just a few Days, it really was the worst Timing, I was distraught.   The Truck was SO New in fact, that they hadn't even been able to Input my Extended Warranty I'd bought into the System yet!!!   Tho' it is effective immediately, they said it usually takes 90 Days to be input and of Record, so it was quite the Ordeal to even convince them I had coverage for what went Wrong and find it.  They had to go find the Actual Paperwork we'd Signed at Financing and use that to Authorize Roadside Assistance and find out what my Coverage covered and Authorize that then too.  *Whew*
 


The Service Dept. couldn't find me in the System at all, since nothing was input yet, so, at first they told me I didn't have Coverage and I freaked out coz I knew I'd gotten it, paid for it, and signed for it.  So, I went higher up the Food Chain to find out WTF... and Sales put the whole thing Right for me.  I wasn't paying out of Pocket for a Service I had bought to cover Roadside Assistance and Road Hazards, but, I was stranded.  They had just made the Sale days before, so remembered us and our transaction, it was that Fresh.  *Whew*  They profusely apologized, as did the Service Dept., that fit me in quickly even without an appointment and thankfully had the Tire in Stock.  *Double Whew*   I didn't blame them, who thinks you're gonna need to use something so soon after a Purchase that Warranties the Product... made sense to me that they don't input it all into the System immediately.





Anyway, disaster averted, nobody got hurt, everything got satisfactorily resolved, albeit in a roundabout way.  It just pretty much shot an entire Day in the Head tho', since we were Dealing with that from 11:00 am until past 4:00 p.m.!   Thankfully our Sick Kid was already Home, if we'd gotten the Call to go pick her up Sick from School while Stranded, we couldn't have, so that Timing at least was not lousy.  *Whew*  And, she's Old enuf to be Okay Home and she pretty much slept the Day away after we gave her Medication to alleviate her Symptoms.   She seems like she's already over whatever it was, but, it was pretty miserable for her all Morning until it ceased.  Classes only allow One Bathroom Break per Class, so having Stomach Upset and Diarrhea meant she absolutely had to be sent Home right away. 




On a Positive Note, TJ got the John Deere fixed finally.  I don't know how much I Owe him for the tremendous Favor of taking it and fixing it for us?  So I told him to just let me know what it is and get the Money for him Today.  Right now it will be a stretch to have yet another potentially major financial outlay, March has already been an expensive Month.  But, we needed it either fixed or replaced and replacement would have required more financing, since Tractor Mowers are crazy expensive.  This one had cost us nothing, since the previous Owners of the Property generously Gifted it to us.  They were so delighted with how quickly we Closed the Deal after having Five previous Buyers be unable to perform, that they Gifted us about Twenty Five Grand worth of brand New Appliances too that shouldn't have conveyed with the Property and Price we Paid!




So no matter what shape it's in, it was a Blessing to be Gifted something that probably cost about Fifteen Grand New.  It's one of the larger Mowers that if Maintained, should last a Lifetime, is what I'm told.  So, I'd rather put the Money into it to maintain it than outlay for a New One.  And I'm SOOOOO relieved we now can keep our Property properly maintained ourselves, since quotes from Commercial Landscapers were ridiculously unaffordable on a Monthly basis to even do bare minimum.   Listen, riding a John Deere around cutting the Grass is something so Simple that a Child can do it actually, it's not physically demanding.  I wanted to Teach Princess T to Drive using it, but she's timid about riding a Tractor, as am I.  I don't even know Why it scares me, my Schizophrenic Grandson could do it and he can't even Drive a Car, he hallucinates too much to.  *LOL*




Yes, The Young Prince would do it after Allen showed him how to and I was delighted to see it was something he could manage, since, driving Vehicles is something he will no longer do due to his Illness.  He had learned to Drive as a Teenager, but told me he knew he hallucinated too much with Psychotic Episodes to be a Safe Driver, so he voluntarily decided to never become a Driver on Public Roads, for Fear of being dangerous to himself and others.   On the Tractor he knew that tho' he still saw stuff, it's an enclosed Space with no Humans, so, he felt confident he could perform it when he felt lucid enuf to.   Yes, he and his Mom, due to Schizophrenia, see and Imagine things seen that are Psychotic Hallucinations they actually Believe are Real.  It's often quite terrifying to them and so they feel threatened a lot by things not there.




Okay, and so, my Crazy Ass Self, tho' I am not a Schizophrenic and I don't Hallucinate or have Psychosis, Thank Baby Jesus and all the Saints, does Think sometimes, "But what if that shit IS there and I or everyone else just can't see it?"  *Bwahahaha*  Yeah, I grew up so fucking Superstitious with my Parent's respective very Superstitious Cultures, that we often can Believe shit other folks experience even if we haven't ourselves.  Especially Spooky shit.  We just don't mess with it coz we don't want it messing with us, and don't take any chances. *LMAOROTF* 





  So, I never tried to convince my Hallucinating Mentally Ill Loved Ones that what they see isn't Real, coz, shit, mebbe it IS!?   Who the fuck really knows what's in other Realms that might be one day Proven or has been Covered Up, and right now we just don't KNOW and the masses don't Believe?  Yeah, see, I'm Crazy like THAT in my Thought processes.  *Bwahahahaha*   Especially since The Young Prince, being an Artist, has Sketched or Painted what he Sees and that shit is horrifying, so I don't ever WANNA See it myself or attract/invite it into my Life!   Fucking A, no wonder he and his Mother are all the time on High Alert and Paranoid, if I saw what they See in their Hallucinations, or whatever it is that brings those Images into View for them, I couldn't function at all and it would drive me to utter Madness!!!





This is Why I had encouraged The Young Prince to get into Creating Special Effects for a Career, like his Cousin back East now does.  Coz the Monsters he Imagines would scare folks Shitless if he Created them for Movies or Haunted Attractions and such.  They are grotesque and like nothing you've ever seen before, so, you'd be terrified.   I would have sent him to School for that, but he couldn't tolerate being in Classes with other People and said all that shit would have come Alive for HIM, so, it wouldn't have felt like a Safe Place to BE.  So, I understand and didn't pursue trying to convince him otherwise.  But, his Cousin, our Youngest of the Granddaughters back East, did go to School for it and is making a Career of it now and she's very good at it and Graduated with Honors.  Above and Below is some of her Work... and... the Artist herself.  






We're so Proud of all our Grandkids and they're all so Talented, Smart, Beautiful and Creative Beings.   This Granddaughter, like The Young Prince and Princess T, and The Daughter and The Son that lives with us, never could function in Public Schools tho'.   The System just didn't know what to do with them or how to Teach them, so therefore considered them Problem Students.   Had absolutely nothing to do with Intelligence, Abilities, IQ and such, just that they were profoundly different and didn't Conform and had Disabling factors those that Taught didn't understand or want to Deal with in a Classroom.   In fact, their IQ's are typically exceptionally high and way above Average, in the Genius Range, but, what barriers they also have makes Learning in Traditional ways, often Impossible for them.  It absolutely doesn't mean their Natural Born Gifts won't make Room for them in Life to be Successful and I remind them of that Fact all the time.




Fuck Conforming, just be Authentically who you just are and unashamed of that State of Being, make no Apology for it to Society, and Do You with Excellence.   I find it Interesting that the Herd Mentality of most Human Beings means that differences tend to scare The Herd shitless. Enough so that they Isolate those who aren't Conformists and really don't subscribe to a Herd Mentality, and try to convince them that their State of Being is Abnormal... and that Normal, their Normal mind you, is the only way to BE.  And if you don't fit into The Box or you Color Outside of the Lines, well, you're a Misfit and banished, ostracized, vilified or shunned.  You're told you can't do that... and Why?  Becoz it scares the fuck out of most folks who Conform and can't perceive not Conforming.  Rocks their Boat it seems, and nobody in their State of Normalcy, wants the Boat rocked, apparently, they can't Swim?  *Bwahahaha*  I'll gladly capsize the Boat, just to Amuse myself at times, so, me Bored can be Risky.  *Winks*




 In fact, I think their Normal is quite overrated and who set the Standard anyway?  *Winks*  My Normal looks nothing like your Normal and how is that NOT Okay, just becoz YOU might say so?  *Winks*  If God, as the Greatest Creator of all Time, made each and every thing, whose to say it's not as it just should be then?    I think pretty much, everything is as it should be in Nature, if left alone and not messed with by our Species.  When I behold Nature in the Awe that I always do, and the complexity of it and how it all is interwoven, interacts and Purposes precisely, so long as Humans don't fuck with it and fuck it up, I'm always Amazed.  Well, I can't be so Arrogant then, as to Imagine I could do it better than it's Creator that brought it into Being.  Just sayin'.   I Believe my Creator did a Fine Job overall with all of Creation, Bravo and a Standing Ovation in my Humble Opinion.  And during the Holy Season particularly, I profusely Thank Him.



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Happy Spring Dear Readers... Dawn... The Bohemian

Monday, March 25, 2024

You All Can Be Way Cheaper Than Therapy


  {Above Altered Art Piece is something I Bought on Saturday, the Favorite Vendor had 25% Off, she makes cool Quirky pieces and I've got a Collection of her Creations.}   I had an entire therapeutic Post I Wrote and then deleted, I do that sometimes.  Just Writing it is beneficial to me but I don't intend to actually Publish it and Share any of it.   It's not that the Post might not have been beneficial to someone, I just didn't have any intention of actually putting it out there.  It was somewhat Dark... and for no particular reason to be, other than it just was.  And, I'd like this to be a Lighter Post and not a Heavy one.  So, the Visuals are the Blog Fodder I gleaned from our Saturday outing.  And a Reveal of some of what I Bought and some of what we're Selling and just put into Inventory.




Work went Well, I brought in more Band and Specialty T-Shirts, we keep Selling a lot of them and I so want to keep the Inventory stocked up while they're in demand.   I always Photograph a few for Blog Fodder, so, I might include some of that too in this Post.   We were busy all Night, but particularly the last Hour, it was too busy actually and Customers stayed until after Closing wanting to look at items in Locked Cases.  I don't know why some people wait until the 11th Hour to Shop anywhere, or still try to Buy stuff after Closing, but some do.  This was one of those Nights.  *Le Sigh*  So, I got Home late and was bone Tired, my Stew was good tho' that I'd prepared in a Crock Pot before I left for Work.




  {Above is one of my Bakelite & Brass Antique Doorknob Sets I Bought}  One of my Friends from the "Sweet Salvage" Event has missed me and thought something was Wrong, since I haven't missed attending and covering an Event for Years.   So she Private Messaged me to see if everything was alright?  I had wrestled with whether to rehash what had happened in February that Lost us as a Customer, due to that one offensive and insulting Woman's fucking Spectacle.  I am conflicted about retelling over and over, since, just reliving it is irritating and I have Moved On and don't want to even Think about the Ordeal and let it be Rent Free in my Head.   



   {Above Honey Colored Bakelite Antique Doorknob Set is the other one I Bought}  But, this Gal is someone I've done a lot of Business with for many Years and I don't want her to personalize any of it and wonder what's going on.  She deserved an explanation, I'd do business with her any time, it just won't be at that location now and I needed to let her know why. When a really Negative Experience ruins something/anything for you, it's unfortunate.  But, it really does and all the preceding Positives in the World can't make up for it.   There are so many new Events popping up and Venues, so, I'm attending those that will provide Positive Energy and Experiences, we'll gladly Support those. 




 {I got the above Vintage Diner Cream Pitcher for $3}  How adorable is this Vintage Diner Pitcher I got at the last Event attended?  I've never seen one with a Heart Design or Pattern like this one, it's by a well known Diner China Maker, but I don't know what Diner they Created it for or if this was the Logo for a Retro Establishment back in the day?   I've often Collected some with the names of a Diner on them from Shenango, Buffalo China, Syracuse, Iroquois, Wallace, Tepco, Jackson, Walker, to name a few of the Popular Retro Vintage Diner Ware Manufacturers of Yesteryear.  This one is by one of those, and it's Creamer sized.    So, not the tiniest size made for Restaurant Ware and Diner Pitchers of Yesteryear.




 Some Diners had Logos instead that they were known and recognized by.  Even some Branches of the Military, Fancy Hotels or Cruise Ships and Specialty Resorts had Vintage Diner/Restaurant Style Wares with their Name or Insignias as the Design.  I particularly Loved this one I saw Listed Online at an Auction that had Western/Mining Design with Gold Panning and a Western Pistol on it.  It had Sold before I could throw my Hat in the Ring and it Sold for a Price I can only assume a Serious Collector would outlay.  But, now I know it exists, you have the descriptive Search Engine Words to Google it and see if any come up For Sale another time?  




    {Above is the Antique Grey Drawer with Amazing Pull Hardware that I got}   Most of these Products were somewhat mass produced for Establishments that had a Commercial Restaurant/Diner on their premises.  Probably more than a few Survived and still exist even if the Establishment didn't.   You can fall deeply down a Rabbit Hole researching different Retro Diner Designs and in some cases, not find a duplicate of Rarer pieces.  I could find nothing with my Double Valentine's Heart Design... nor another one of that Mining/Western Design either... so, probably Rare or Localized.  I have Collected the Mini Syrup Diner Ware Pitchers for Pancake Syrups and use them all the time. 




 I haven't put out any Easter Decor this Year, I have some permanent Vignettes in The RV Garage Mahal showcasing some of my Vintage Easter Collectibles tho'.   I just never got ready for it in the House this Year, I barely did Valentine's Day either.   I think I would have to get everything in Order and Organized more, to be able to successfully Decorate Seasonally or for Holidays right now.   Mebbe next Year, we'll see??   I'd LIKE to be able to, but when things are Chaotic and you're deep into Editing/Purging/Curating everything you own, it's a distraction to try to do every Holiday or Season, put it up and take it down.  So, I just haven't.  It seemed I was able to quicker at previous Properties owned, so it's frustrating that this Property has taken so much longer to settle into.




There isn't any One Reason Why, it's rather a conglomerate of Reasons at this juncture.   My initial Post was exploring deeper, why so much is becoming so much harder for me?  It was therapeutic to explore and Write down, then just delete after I Journaled it and pondered it a bit.  I have pulled it together a few times here at Forever Boheme', but, it doesn't seem to last and be maintained.  That's a whole other set of Theories to contemplate.  *LOL*   If I could get it back to how I whipped the Main House into Shape for The Grandson's Wedding to be Hosted here, I'd be a Happy Woman and try to KEEP it Maintained that way.   It took a Village... let us just say.  *Smiles*




Sunday, before Work, I did have the unexpected embarrassment of first time Company I wasn't expecting to Receive.  I'm silly about First Impressions when it comes to our Home, so if I know I've got first time Guests, I like it to be tidy and nice visually.  The House was in Chaos with Inventory scattered everywhere.  Amber and her Daughter had been staying a few Days with us, her Daughter Ayana has been visiting from Chicago.   It had been her Birthday and she chose to spend it with us Old People, she's an unusual Young Person like that.  *LOL*  Anyway, I didn't expect Amber's Ex and his Younger Daughter by his New Wife, to show up to pick Ayana up.  I haven't seen Joe since he was a Teenager and he was still with Amber, they have Three Daughters together.  He looks exactly the same as he did as a Teenager, even tho' he's over 40 now, he's Aged well.




And, being a typical Guy, he was oblivious to how messy and cluttered with random Inventory the House was.  So, I needn't have felt embarrassed or ashamed of the mess/clutter.  Instead he was infatuated with the House and it's Quirky Decor.  He was taking Pixs like Crazy and said he LOVED it and could Live here, which is very flattering, he was Sincere about it and in obvious Awe of the place.   I like when someone enjoys my Eccentric Aesthetic, usually Younger Men do.   For some reason, Channeling your Inner Morticia Addams does Appeal to Males between the Ages of 14-45 particularly, I know not Why?  *LOL*   Male and Female Kids always dig it, becoz Kids like Imaginative and Quirky shit, especially if it's Creepy, Surreal or Whimsical.   Mine is all of the above.  You never know when you fall down this Rabbit Hole what you will find? *Ha ha ha* 




Joe had brought his Beautiful Younger 14 Year Old Daughter with him, who isn't biologically connected to Amber, she thought it all was really Cool, a really nice Kiddo.  Joe is Puerto Rican and his new Wife must be a Black Puerto Rican, his Younger Daughter looks like a very Exotic Mulatto, like a Young version of Actress Vanessa Williams in fact.  Amber is Mexican, but looks like a White Girl, has Green Eyes and an Alabaster pale complexion.  I knew Joe had Married, but this is the first time I'd seen him since his Oldest Daughter with Amber was a Toddler... so, about 25+ Years ago, before they even had the other Two Children and then broke up.  When Joe was Young I didn't particularly like him, but now he's Mature and Mellowed, I tend, in retrospection, to think Amber could have been most of the problem in their turbulent Youth actually. 



  Amber was a very troubled Teenager, as was our Daughter, both had begun to manifest Serious Mental Illnesses and other impairments in their early Teens and began Substance Abusing back then as a way of Self-Medicating, which is common with those afflicted with Serious Mental Illness.  It's tough to handle the Demons Clean or Sober.  Amber was developmentally Disabled, tho', she's not stupid, but, she can be very Childlike and seem like she has a lower IQ than she actually does and Laughs inappropriately.  In many ways, even now, she's in her early 40's, her Maturity level lags considerably, but, so does The Daughter's.  Anyway, Amber got Clean when she became a Parent, it took another 25 Years or so for The Daughter to.  But, they've remained fast Friends and since Amber's Dad is a Mexican National, when they visited Mexico, they'd often reconnect with The Daughter while she lived there.




  Apparently Joe and Amber are in a Space to where they can amicably Co-Parent their Children now, all of which are actually Grown Young Adults at this juncture, which, makes it easier.  But, as you do with Young Adults, sometimes they're having trouble with their own Children now going a bit haywire.  Ayana right now has been thru a rebellious patch and so she and her Dad are not as close anymore, Joe was very Strict, being he is Retired Military.   He and The Daughter {ours} also now get along very well.  But, they didn't always... when they were Teens and Young Adults, our Daughter was ratchet and extremely hostile towards him.  Becoz she's Amber's Bestie, and so, she sided with her Best Friend when that relationship deteriorated and went sideways with Joe.  




  {The Two above Pixs are a Cloche of Wasp or Hornet Nests I Bought}

 I have some Crazy yet entertaining Stories about what Joe endured when our Daughter was her Bat Shit Craziest and in her equally Crazy BFF's Corner.  *LMAOROTF*   Anyway, all of that is behind them and now there's no Trouble in Paradise between them.   As everyone is now over 40 and those Stories are Ancient History of when they were in their Wild Teens and 20's... and both Women were more volatile than Middle Age has mellowed them.  Plus, Amber is as much a Special Needs Adult as The Daughter is, so, her Children were Raised by their Dad and the days of the messy involuntary Custody Battle no longer weigh as heavy between them.   When a Mother doesn't have the Financial Advantage or otherwise to have a favorable Ruling for Custody, it's devastating to her.  Our Daughter voluntarily gave us and her Ex-MIL her Children, Amber had to involuntarily give up her Children, which is a different dynamic. 



Amber is now reconnecting with her Adult Daughters, and like The G-Kid Force, they are now Old enuf to understand why their Mom probably couldn't have successfully Raised them, due to disabling Mental Illness.  Amber and The Daughter were absolutely Beautiful Teens and Young Adults, so theirs was one of those 'almost' Hidden Disabilities.   So, their Relationships often became complicated as their Illness made it particularly challenging to sustain Relationship.   Even as their Parents, it was often particularly Challenging for many Years for us to sustain Relationship with our Daughter, and for Amber's Family to sustain one with theirs. 





Though Amber will do anything for her Dear Mom.  Right now Dear Rosemary has Cancer and Amber is the Child most Ride or Die for her Mom's Life and Death Battle and making sure she is Okay, not the Three Younger Brothers who the Parents doted on.   So, you become quite adaptive to have unconditional Love and Acceptance of conditions that will never be Cured and are permanently Disabling in your Loved Ones.   Rosemary and her Husband were always very Kind to our Daughter, they had a point of reference with theirs, so our Families were always quite close and the Girls are like Sisters or Cousins.  They can get fussy with each other like Siblings too, but always make up and squash any squabbles.





  At one Prodigal Child Point, they even had our Daughter live with them for a Year when she was 15-16.  My Mom also had The Daughter come live with her a short while, but as the Schizophrenia progressed and worsened, nobody could really make an impact on keeping her Safe and off the Streets.  Everyone had the best of Intentions, but, the Road to Hell is full of those, as you well know.  *LOL*  For a lot of the most Seriously Mentally Ill, a Normal Life just isn't possible nor probable.  For The Daughter, Homelessness was preferable and she still struggles a bit to remain in anyone's Home, no matter how Welcoming.   Sometimes being Abnormal in Normal situations feels very unsettling to those with a struggle.  It often reveals to them how dysfunctional they are and that can lead to a freefall and self loathing and destructive behaviors. 




It gets harder to be Homeless for the Older ones, so she's trying really hard to stay put and in our Home now.  She knows she cannot live Independently and Accepts that.  The Son struggles with that part. Especially as she wants to retain her Sobriety of being Clean from any Drug use, she knows she had to cut off a large part of her Old Life and the people in it.   And for the first time ever, she's holding down a little part time Job, so, we're very Proud of her.  I think she's doing far better now than before and we have realistic expectations of how and what she can do or is capable of, considering her limitations.   She has her Moments still, but they seem to be more manageable now and she connects better now and isn't Psychotic as often... Thank Baby Jesus and all the Saints.  *LOL and Whew*  




When she is I give her some Space to become more lucid and cooperative or connected to Reality.  Amber likes to come here since she feels it's a Safe Landing for her too, where she's understood and unconditionally Loved.  Often to a relatively extreme Degree at times you adapt, it's Extreme Parenting for a Lifetime.  And when you're Parenting or Caregiving for someone who you know will never get Well, it is very hard.  You move thru stages of Grief almost like you would when someone leaves this Realm.  I've moved thru all of the Stages of Grief, ALL OF THEM.   Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance... and that's just with the ones who are still Living and very much Alive.  *LOL*   When my Parents eventually Crossed Over, since both had the Long Goodbye, well, it was Two moving thru the Stages, since, the Stages are actually rather Identical with Caregiver Mode and Bereavement.






 And, most of these conditions are Hereditary and can be passed along Genetically.  Which is Why The Son, Princess T and The Young Prince felt NOT having Children might be the way to go.  I really had more of a Mental Health Transparency Post initially, but some things I needed to Write about were too personal and painful, so, I Wrote them and then deleted them.   This is like a good Therapy to me most of the time, even if I don't Publish some of it.  You all can be way Cheaper than Therapy.  *Smiles*   Anyway, seeing all the Kiddos getting along and playing well together in Midlife was Heart Warming.  They all grew up and turned out alright actually.  Nobody might have Believed that who knew them all as Tweens, Teens or Young Adults.  *LOL*  They do like to get together now and Share the long History they've had with one another.  Someone 'new' might not even Believe some of the True Stories, but, anyone whose been in their Lives, knows you can't make this shit up.  *Bwahahaha*




  Anyway, since the Weather turned Cold, Wet and Gloomy, I decided to make a Stew in the Crockpot.   I put it in before I went to Work so that by Dinnertime it would be ready for the Family and after Work I could have some when I got Home.  I made enuf that our Company could stay for Dinner and it would be Cooking while I was at Work... and they could feed The Man once it was Done.   The Kiddos had all pitched in to clean up the Kitchen for me and wash the Dishes, many Hands made Light Work of the Housekeeping and they finished all the Laundry too.  So, I didn't mind having a house full of Two Younger Generations for the entire Weekend, it was Helpful and they all seemed to be content to hang out here together and watch NetFlix after being The Help.  *LOL*




A Grocer Chain always has the pre-packaged fresh ingredients to make a complete Stew, so you don't have to buy individual items.  For only Five Bucks they have all of the Fresh Stew Veggies and Herbs pre-packaged.  The Packages vary, I chose one that had the Baby Red and White Potatoes, Celery, Baby Carrots, Red and Yellow Onion, Turnips, Mushrooms, Cilantro and Rutabaga.  They also had Stew Meat on Sale 30% Off... and the Beef Stock and Stew Spice Packet was also on Sale.  It will be ready for the Family by Dinnertime while I'm at Work and I can have some after my Shift Tonight, they just have to remember to put the Crockpot Setting on Low until after I get mine after Work.   It smells really good even before you Cook it.   Above Image is not my Stew... but a Cribbed Online one similar enuf to make you almost Taste it, Right?  *LOL*   Mine tasted pretty damned good if I do say so myself.

  {Pats Self on the Back}

 


  Sales have been pretty Strong and that's encouraging as we ease into Spring.  Generally Sales go Soft once it starts getting really Hot and all the Tourists and Snowbirds leave.  Most people who can afford to Vacation, Travel, and live somewhere else Seasonally, have Money to use discretionally.   A lot of Locals don't.   It's not that we don't have some affluent Locals, but, by Summer, the most affluent leave Arizona and Seasonally stay somewhere else too or go on Vacation and Travel to escape the fiercest Desert Summer Months.  I suppose where ever they go has an uptick in Stronger Sales becoz of them as well?  Just during late Spring and Summer, rather than late Fall and Winter, like we have here?





I've deleted so much of this Post that I didn't wanna Publish, that I do Hope it made some sense?   Since, a few sections didn't get deleted.  *LOL*   I wasn't even sure I was gonna Share the personal stuff about The Daughter's Friend, but, I think in doing so, it might encourage Families going thru similar Trials of Custodial Issues.  It's a tough row to hoe when reunification can't happen and Children have to be voluntarily or involuntarily placed outside of any Parent's Custody.   And even reunification can be tricky, risky and complex, fraught with miscalculations that The System often can't Control or missteps in the decision making process.   There's just no easy way to do any of it.




Funny Story about this Anime Tee I brought in to Inventory Yesterday.  I know what Anime LOOKS like, but I don't know much about it like the Anime Geeks do.   So, I had Sourced this Tee and I always run the Anime stuff by The G-Kid Force, since, they dig Anime.  They may also liberate me of Merch they want to Keep rather than me Selling it.  So, I show Princess T this Tee and she starts Laughing and asks me if I know that I just bought some Anime Porn?  WHAT... Anime has Porn?!  Who knew!!!???  *Bwahahaha*  And then I read the Label, which says something to the effect:  "Is it Wrong to try to pick up Girls in a Dungeon"... I kid you not {see Below closeup}, and I'm Laughing my Ass off, it WILL SELL easily, this one.  *Bwahahaha*




Anyway, ya Learn something New every Day... and now YOU know some Anime Trivia my Friends... if ya didn't already know about this?  *LOL*  And now I'll show you some Cute Merch I brought in to the Garment District of our Space... everything is Selling so well we decided to expand upon it in the New Showroom and kind of Decorate around it with Merchandising other Wares.  We're having a lot of Fun with the Fashion, so, it's something we're doing as a Family a lot now, to Source it and look for those hidden Treasures among the racks of Ropa Usada at the Chazzas.   We're finding some great pieces that aren't Vintage, but, are New Old Stock with original Tags too and were probably Donated by some of the Trendier Boutiques that are Popular.




Case in point is this New Old Stock fab Scooby Doo Tee, which any of us would have Kept for ourselves, had it been the Right Size for any of us.  But, it was too Small for Moi and too Big for either of the Girls, so, that one had to go Showroom bound, alas.  *LOL*   The Daughter now is the hardest one to get a good piece of Wardrobe past and actually Sell it before she asks to have it.  *LMAO*   She snagged the 'Scarface' Tee... and a few of the 'Playboy' Tees went to her and Princess T too.  All of the 'Rick And Morty' Tees that would fit The Son went to him.  I often feel badly that when we're out Sourcing Wardrobe, the Girls get everything they want to Keep and he hasn't been considered at all and has the least amount of Clothes of everyone in the Household, so could use more.




For those not in the Know, this is Rick And Morty, it's a Cartoon Sitcom that The Son Adores... it's pretty Twisted.  *LOL*   Rick is a Mad Scientist who drags his Grandson Morty on Crazy Sci-Fi Adventures. LATER:  Had to pick Princess T up from School, she's got some Stomach Bug that is going around and so the Front Office said Kids are dropping like Flies with it and to keep her Home a minimum of 24-48 Hours.  They have a short School Week anyway so don't have School on Tuesday, Friday or the following Monday, so, she won't have as many absences.





And that's not all that went Wrong this day, I'm SOOO glad I bought extra Warranty for my New Truck and got Nissan Roadside Assistance and Road Hazard Coverage.  Construction is everywhere right now and the Workers leave debris all over the Roads.  So, while driving this Morning I ran over something in a Construction Zone that destroyed my Rear Passenger New Tire.  It is a Smart Vehicle so immediately told me to pull over and the Computer told me what had gone Wrong.  Good thing, that Tire went flat faster than any I've ever had go flat, I had about a Minute to pull over!!!   The air went completely out of it within another Minute, a Razor Like projectile was sliced thru it!!!





These are the very expensive Michelin Truck Tires with Sensors in them, so, at least my Road Hazard covers $250 worth for each Tire replacement if it cannot be repaired.  *Whew*  That still set me back $140, but, at least not $390.   The Nissan Roadside Assistance didn't work so well, mostly on account of their Call Center seems to be in the Philippines.  I had Two different Reps who had thick Filipino Accents and could barely speak English or understand me.  Lucky for me I have Filipino Friends so I'm used to a thick accent from that Region and could understand them.  Otherwise it would have been a complete communication breakdown.





The reason it mattered is, since the first Rep couldn't seem to understand me, she sent the Roadside Assistant to a completely Wrong Location Miles from where we actually were!  The ETA had been an Hour as it was and he never showed up.  When he couldn't locate us he just cancelled our Order without an explanation or without notifying us of the Cancellation!!!  So, we're sitting out there like Putzes in a Rural Location with nowhere to go or even use the Bathroom.  I peed Outside, Twice!!!  Finally a Text came thru telling me my Order had been Cancelled and I'm Like WTF?!   They offered no Explanation as to Why, so I had to call back and find out what happened that way!!!





So, then they had to Order our Roadside Assistance all over again, now the ETA was Two fucking Hours with a different Roadside Assistant.  The 2nd Rep couldn't understand me any better than the first Lady.  This time tho' I got the Name and his direct Phone Number of my Roadside Assistant, who was an American and spoke/understood English. *Whew*   He was a Sweet Young Man Named Leon, about the Age of my Grandsons.  Good thing I'd done that coz they'd given Leon the same Wrong Location they'd given the other Guy, so, he'd of never arrived or been able to find us either!!!   This is why I know the Call Center isn't Local and had no idea to convey Local Locations accurately! 





 I gave Leon the Right coordinates and he made it a point to arrive quicker, Bless him, nice Young Man.  Very efficient, very personable and compassionate of our situation and how complicated the Order had become for us.  He explained a lot about Specialty Tools these new Vehicles have, like a Tire 'Key', which only Works on YOUR Tires, it's a Loss Prevention Tool so nobody can Steal your Rims or Tires... who knew?  He told me never lose it, or it will be like losing your House Key.  I can see why they have Theft Devices, the Cost of Tires and/or Rims now is prohibitive.  He put the Spare on and then I drove to the Dealership to have the Tire replaced.  The whole Ordeal wore me out tho', even drinking Free Gourmet Coffee couldn't renew me while I waited.  *LOL*



*******

I'm SOOO Glad to be Home, it's been a hectic and rough Day... Dawn... The Bohemian

A life touched by God always ends in touching others. - Erwin McManus

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars. - Og Mandino (1923-1996)

For creativity to flourish one should try to look at everything as though it were being seen for the first or the last time. - Quote from "A Thousand Paths To Creativity" by David Baird

Is what I'm about to say an improvement on silence? ~ Galen Pearl