Hi Everybody! Hey look, I'm still alive! I think. Mostly... *laughs maniacally*
Okey dokey then, where to start?
Ciara is able to eat fish! OMG this is HUGE. AND she ate a donair! She felt queasy, but she didn't throw up! HUGE! Why? FRIKKIN' BIRTH CONTROL PILLS! She's taking baby steps, easing back into being an omnivore. And I promised that we can still do some tofu/soy meals, as she actually does enjoy them. But omg, it's so nice to be able to enjoy meat in my own home again without feeling guilty!
Kyla is working 3.5 jobs. Yup, 3.5. She's still got the main job with Fairweather, and she's Third Key at a second location. She's working at L.U.S.H., which is soaps and body products. AND she works for a catering company as wait staff. This is the girl who HATED getting out of bed before 10am.
The shop is going, and going well! Our hope/goal for the first month was that there would be enough in consignment fees to cover the rent for June, and there was! And again for July's rent. Even with the insane Spring we had and all the rain and cold. Now, here it is July 9th, and we've already hit the thousand dollar mark for sales this month, which is EXTREMELY promising. We might actually be able to recoup part of May's rent which was paid out of pocket. Leeann and I are working well together. I mean, we expected to - not like we haven't been the past few years. But this is slightly different. And after all the shite and drama of last Summer, a small part of me was worried. And there's not been any *real* issues with the guys from the shop next door. A couple of hiccoughs, like Trish coming in scoping everything out, and then blatantly copying our artists' wares or ordering them in. I'm letting Leeann handle that, as she's going to take it to Trish's mother - Shelly is the leaseholder of the shop.
And the Pagans are finding the shop, lol! No, I'm not entirely surprised. What DOES surprise me is that it isn't the Fluffy Bunny Organic Granola Posers! A guy was in today, must have been in his 60's. Ok, so he calls himself a wizard... And there was a little old granny type who complimented me on my pendulums and showed them to her friend (who was looking at the rosaries). Aside from that, there's so much positive feedback! Today, a couple of ladies were in and they said they were TOLD by someone on the boardwalk they HAD to come to our shop. *Snoopy Dance* And people will say, "You have a nice shop" to be polite. When they've just exited the shop and you hear through the open window, "That shop is cool, we'll have to go back there," that warms the cockles of your heart.
And speaking of Pagans... There's a shift in the Community - I think it's a good shift. The last few years we've all been that the mercy of young upstarts, ego driven posers, fakers... They read a book published by Llewellyn and they think they know everything, yet they still need scraps of paper to Call the Quarters. The Crones/Sages and Mothers/Fathers are fed up and are looking to take back the reigns. Deena, that's why I was asking what to do about misbehaving Free Range Children on facebook. Around here, Free Range Children refer to those who are raised with little to no guidance. Don't say no to the kid, that might bruise their wee little psyche... There are those who are power driven, who only act out of ego, who are behaving like the Free Range Children everyone tsks about but no one says anything because it would be rude and it could hurt someone's feelings and Pagans are too polite. No, Pagans are too afraid of conflict or of people getting angry. So rather than stand up and say anything, rather than go to the bad'uns (or to the Pseudo Pagan Parents) we've all kept mum and let the bad behaviours continue. We stopped going to events, we opted to practice Solitary. We've all felt the ill effects of the LACK of COMMUNITY. Our Spirituality has suffered, friendships have suffered. Even Pagan/Spiritual based business have suffered. The pendulum is swinging back, trying to find the balance. It won't happen overnight, it will take some time, but at least the right steps are being taken - and that's the important thing. It will never be what it was, it will be different. Hopefully it will be better than what we've had the last few years.
How's my social life? Menh. I've been hit on by FOUR married men. NO single guys. And the guy with the "open relationship" is still making his interest/intent known. In fact, there was a direct offer made this past weekend... After spending the afternoon with both he and his wife I have made a final decision. No. I don't care if they can both play, or that she's given him the go ahead because she likes me (which is WEIRD). I'm not going to take part in that. I need intimacy, and I need to know that someone is emotionally available because as much as I'm not looking for a relationship, my heart gets these funny ideas. When I'm intimate with someone, it's the little things. The caress of a hand, or placing a hand on a shoulder/neck/back, A random kiss. Even something as simple as having my hand on his thigh while we're going for a drive. And I can't - WON'T do that to/with someone who "belongs" to someone else. Although, I gotta thank Scott. Thanks to all this I've come to realize I'm stronger than I give myself credit for. Yay me, I get another "cookie".
