GIFT SHOP GAB

HEY YA'LL,

I HAVEN'T WRITTEN A SINGLE WORD IN SO LONG! ALOT HAS HAPPENED IN MY LIFE THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS (MORE LIKE 517 DAYS PER THE LAST BLOG CALCULATOR). SOME PARTS OF IT WOULD HAVE MADE FOR SOME GOOD ENTERTAINMENT IN THE OL' BLOG. OTHER PARTS NOT SO MUCH! I HAVE TO ADMIT I HAVEN'T EVEN LOGGED ON TO A COMPUTER FOR PERSONAL REASONS IN QUITE A WHILE, BUT WHEN I LOGGED ON FROM WORK (YES WORK-I'LL GET TO THAT) TO CLEAR OUT SOME OF THE 1120 EMAILS I HAD ACCUMULATED (YEA) I GET TO SEEING THESE MESSAGES THAT SAID SUZI IS NOW YOUR BLOGFROG FRIEND OR PEGGY OR DEBI AND ON AND ON, SO THAT GOT MY ATTENTION OBVIOUSLY, AND I LOGGED ON TO THE BLOGFROG TO FIND THAT I HAVE OVER 1500 BLOGGY LITTLE FRIENDS! 1500! (I KNOW!) I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT! THANKS YA'LL! IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED BY TO GIVE ME A READ.

I WAS THINKING I MIGHT GET A FEW MORE IF I ACTUALLY WROTE SOMETHING NEW ON A REGULAR BASIS. I MUST ADMIT I HAVE MISSED THE OUTLET. I THINK I HAVE STAYED AWAY SO LONG BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AGAIN BECAUSE SADLY, MY LITTLE GIFT SHOP IS CLOSED. ITS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COME TO TERMS WITH THAT PARTICULAR FAILURE. IT'S HARD EVEN NOW AND IT HAS BEEN 18 MONTHS SINCE WE HAD TO PACK EVERYTHING UP AND CART IT OFF TO STORAGE. I THOUGHT MY HEART MIGHT JUST BUST BUT I DID EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF TO GENERATE BUSINESS SO WE COULD EARN A LIVING OR AT LEAST PAY THE RENT BUT SOMETIMES YOUR BEST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. ITS A HARD LESSON. TRUTHFULLY IT SUCKS! I DID A POST A LONG TIME AGO ABOUT WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU MAKE MARGARITA'S! BUT GUESS WHAT? TEQUILA COST MONEY SO I HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK!

THAT'S WHERE I HAVE BEEN BLESSED. IN A TIME WEAR MANY FOLKS CAN'T FIND A JOB, OR IF THEY CAN IT'S NOT IN THEIR PROFESSION. THEY HAVE TO TAKE WHATEVER JOB THEY COULD FIND ANYWHERE FOR ANY PAY. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO EXACTLY WHERE I WAS BEFORE I WENT ON MY LITTLE ADVENTURE WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD CO-PILOT. MY OLD BOSS WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO TAKE ME BACK AND FOR THAT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

SO AS LIFE CONTINUES TO GO ON AND ON, AND AS MY WOUNDED FEELINGS HEAL, I WILL REBOUND. I ALWAYS DO! BEING A SAD SALLY IS NOT MY STYLE! SO LOOK OUT BLOGGERS I'M WRITING AGAIN. I HOPE SOME OF MY PASSERS BY WILL COME BACK TO SEE ME AGAIN AND NEW FOLKS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. I GUESS I NEED TO PICK A NEW TITLE NOW THAT WE ARE NO LONGER A GIFT SHOP. I'LL HAVE TO GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT AND AS ALWAYS COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

YA'LL HANG IN THERE,
YVONNE

HEY YA'LL

HAPPY 2010!

I'VE BEEN ABSENT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW I KNOW. I'M ACTUALLY AT A LOSS FOR A DESCRIPTION OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE MY LAST BLOG. THAT IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING BECAUSE IF I COULD ARTICULATE THE EMOTIONS OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I MIGHT NOT USE NICE OR APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE SO I WILL CHOOSE TO DISCUSS CERTAIN EVENTS AT ANOTHER TIME WHEN RUFFLED FEATHERS ARE SMOOTHER, IF YOU CAN GET MY MEANING.

TO ME THE NEW YEAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TIME FOR REFLECTION. I LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND SEE WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT I LEARNED. I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE YEAR AFFECTED AND CHANGED ME AND TO SEE IF I GREW AS A PERSON. I TAKE THIS TIME TO EXAMINE MY LIFE AND RE-GROUP IF NECESSARY (ITS NECESSARY!!!) AND PUT TOGETHER MY BATTLE PLAN FOR THE COMING YEAR.

I TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM "NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS" BECAUSE IT SEEMS SO EASY TO ABANDON A GOAL LIKE "LOSING WEIGHT" OR "KEEPING MY HOUSE CLEAN". WE MAKE AND BREAK THESE PROMISES TO OURSELVES EVERY YEAR. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT I DON'T WANT TO START THE NEW YEAR OFF WITH AN INSTANT FAILURE!

I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF LAST YEAR. SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOOD TO KNOW LIKE HOW MANY HOURS I CAN WORK BEFORE I FORGET WHERE I LIVE. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION! I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW DISTURBING IT IS TO GET IN YOUR CAR TO GO HOME AFTER A HARD DAYS WORK AND LOOK AROUND AND NOT BE ABLE TO THINK OF WHICH WAY TO TURN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. FOR GOODNESS SAKE I HAVE LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE (EXCEPT A COUPLE OF YEARS IN MY TWENTIES) SINCE I WAS 10 YEARS OLD! THE WORST THING IS I DID THAT IN FRONT OF A WITNESS! MY 17 YR OLD SON ACCUSED ME OF HAVING FULL BLOWN ALZHEIMER'S (I'M SURE ITS ONLY HALF TIMERS!) AND NOW HE TRYS TO TELL ME WHERE TO TURN EVERY WHERE WE GO! HE EVEN THINKS HE'S SO FUNNY THAT HE PROGRAMMED THE GPS SO I CAN JUST PUSH THE "GUIDE ME HOME" BUTTON IF I EVER GET CONFUSED!

I ALSO LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY...............YOU FAIL. ITS A VERY SAD FACT. SOMETIMES EVEN IF YOU WORK AROUND THE CLOCK, AND PUT IN ALL THE EFFORT YOU CAN MUSTER, AND SACRIFICE, AND SWEAT, AND BLEED, AND CRY............YOU CAN'T MAKE THE WORLD DO WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU HAVE TO STOP. I LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES QUITTING DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A QUITTER. IT MEANS YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE WHEN YOU CAN'T WIN NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO AND YOU JUST HAVE TO WALK AWAY. THAT WAS A VERY HARD LESSON FOR ME. I STILL HAVE PLENTY OF "IF" MOMENTS BUT EVEN IF I COULD DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY MY RESTAURANT STILL WOULD HAVE FAILED. IT'S AN EMOTIONAL RIDE I WENT ON THAT I CAN SHARE ANOTHER TIME.
I KNOW I LEARNED ALOT AND AS TIME PASSES I REALIZE EVEN MORE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I LEARNED IS THE SUPPORT AND LOVE OF MY FAMILY IS THE ONLY THING WORTH CARING ABOUT. MONEY AND POSSESSIONS ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT TO ME AS THEY ONCE WERE. PERHAPS ITS WISDOM THAT COMES WITH AGE BUT MY APPRECIATION OF THINGS MONEY CAN'T BUY GROWS WITH EACH PASSING YEAR. I CAN NOT EVEN IMAGINE HOW I COULD HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE LAST FEW MONTHS IF I COULDN'T HAVE CALLED MY MOM WHINNING FOR A PEP TALK, OR LIMPED HOME TO MY HUSBAND WHO HAD ALREADY COOKED MY DINNER AND BATHED MY KIDS! I CAN ONLY PRAY THAT MY HUSBAND KNOWS HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM AND THAT I THANK GOD FOR HIM EVERY DAY (SOMETIMES TWICE!) NO MATTER WHAT I DO OR WHAT CRAZY IDEA I HAVE HE ALWAYS SUPPORTS ME. HE ALWAYS LISTENS TO MY COMPLAINTS. HE ALWAYS TRYS TO HELP. HE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME AND OUR BOYS. I COULD NEVER ASK FOR A BETTER PARTNER TO GO THROUGH LIFE WITH.

MY GOALS FOR THIS NEW YEAR ARE SIMPLE REALLY, I JUST WANT TO KEEP MY FAMILY FIRST IN MY HEART AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY ARE MY PRIORITY. I STILL AM COMMITTED TO OUR GIFT SHOP AND I INTEND TO FOCUS ON WAYS TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING. I WOULD SOOOOOO LOVE TO TURN A PROFIT THIS YEAR. AND IF I LOST A FEW POUNDS I WOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

YA'LL HANG IN THERE,

YVONNE

HEY,

ITS ME AGAIN WHATEVER MY NAME IS! I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR DAYS (AND I THINK DAYS AND DAYS) TO GET TO MY COMPUTER SO I CAN BLOG FOR A LITTLE BIT. HECTIC IS NOT EVEN A GOOD ENOUGH DESCRIPTION OF HOW MY LIFE HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SPREAD MYSELF BETWEEN MY BOUTIQUE AND MY NEW RESTAURANT AND MY FAMILY. LATELY I'VE BROKEN ALOT OF MY LONG TIME PERSONAL RULES. THINGS THAT I HEAVILY CRITICIZE OTHERS FOR LIKE GOING TO WORK WITH WET HAIR AND NO MAKE-UP.(THATS MY BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVER! I CAN'T STAND THAT!)BUT I'VE DONE IT MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE LATELY AND YOU KNOW I'M TIRED IF I TAKE MY SON TO SCHOOL IN MY PJ'S WITH NO BRA! (WHITE TRASH!)I KNOW! HOW DID I SINK TO SUCH LOWS!!!!!!
I'LL TELL YA.......

UP BY 7AM (I SAID UP NOT AWAKE) TO TAKE MY 9YR OLD TO SCHOOL THEN BACK HOME TO READY MYSELF FOR THE JUGGLING ACT THAT IS THE REST OF MY DAY. OFF TO OPEN THE SHOPS AND TEND THE BABY AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE 20YR OLD AND STOP THE 17 YR OLD FROM FIGHTING WITH HIS BROTHER AND THEN THE 2YR OLD AND THEN THE 20YR OLD AND TAKE THE ORDERS AND COOK THE FOOD AND ANSWER THE PHONE AND SELL THE BASKETS AND REFEREE THE FIGHTS SOME MORE AND AND AND.....IF I'M LUCKY I MIGHT GET TO SIT DOWN AND SNUGGLE WITH MY HUSBAND IN BETWEEN SORTING LOADS OF LAUNDRY OR MAYBE WATCH A LITTLE TV SOMEWHERE AROUND 10 O'CLOCK. THATS IF I CAN HOLD MY EYES OPEN! SOMETIMES I THINK I GET DELIRIOUS AND SAY SILLY THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE OR REPEAT MYSELF. (MY CHILDREN WHO NEVER SEEM TO HEAR ME ANY OTHER TIME ARE ALWAYS QUICK TO CALL ME OUT WHEN I DO THAT) TODAY I HIT A NEW LEVEL OF DELIRIUM. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SONG STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? AND YOU SUDDENLY BECOME AWARE OF IT AND YOU TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE ITS GETTING ON YOUR LAST NERVE BUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON YOUR OWN BRAIN INSISTS ON TORMENTING YOU? WELL, TODAY I SUDDENLY BECAME AWARE THAT I WAS HUMMING TO MYSELF A PHRASE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. DID YOU EVER SEE THE MOVIE "FINDING NEMO"? WELL, THERE IS A LITTLE BLUE FISH "DORI" AND SHE ALWAYS SAYS THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE THIS PHRASE "JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING....." OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. NOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE YOU KNOW THAT THIS POOR LITTLE FISH SAYS THIS TO REMIND HERSELF TO SWIM BECAUSE SHE HAS SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS FROM A HEAD INJURY AND IF SHE DOESN'T SAY IT SHE'LL FORGET TO SWIM AND SOMETHING MIGHT COME ALONG AND EAT HER!!!!!!!!!!! NOW I CAN'T HELP WONDERING WHY OF ALL THINGS THIS PARTICULAR LITTLE DIDDY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND ATTACHED ITSELF TO MY BRAIN! THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOME METAPHOR HERE BETWEEN THIS BRAIN DAMAGED LITTLE FISH AND MYSELF BUT I THINK THAT I WOULD PREFER TO BE IGNORANT TO THIS PSYCHOLOGICAL MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. IN OTHER WORDS I AIN'T GOT TIME FOR NO NERVOUS BREAKDOWN SO FOR THE TIME BEING I'LL JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Y'ALL HANG IN THERE
YVONNE

HEY,

I'M BACK AGAIN, AND NO I HAVEN'T BEEN ON A MUCH DESERVED VACATION. IF YOU HAVE READ MY BLOG LATELY THEN YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT MY GIFT SHOP AND THE LACK OF SALES THIS SUMMER. TIMES HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN TOUGH AND THE PROVERBIAL HOLE WE'RE IN JUST KEEPS GETTING DEEPER. SO I'VE BEEN RACKING MY BRAIN (WHATS LEFT OF IT) TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SURVIVE THIS DOWNWARD TREND IN THE ECONOMY. SO AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION I DECIDED TO GRAB ANOTHER SHOVEL AND JUST DIG WITH BOTH HANDS! THAT'S RIGHT I BOUGHT THE SUB SHOP NEXT DOOR TO MY GIFT SHOP! I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, THAT GIRL HAS FALLEN OFF THE DEEP END, AND YOU'RE RIGHT. CALL ME CRAZY BUT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A BUSINESS THAT IS ESTABLISHED AND HAS BEEN PROFITABLE FOR TEN YEARS SO I DECIDED TO GO FOR IT. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE RIGHT?

SO NOW I HAVE TWO BUSINESSES RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE BABY STILL COMES TO WORK EVERY DAY AND MY 20 YEAR OLD SON (A BIGGER BABY) WORKS IN THE RESTAURANT WHILE MY 17 YEAR OLD WATCHES THE GIFT SHOP. I BACK UP MY SON COOKING WHEN ITS BUSY AND MY 17 YEAR OLD WATCHES THE BABY IN THE GIFT SHOP WHEN THE SUB SHOP GETS TOO HECTIC. WHAT HAPPENS IS WHAT I CALL BARELY CONTROLLED CHAOS (AND I DO MEAN BARELY!) BUT ACTUALLY OTHER THAN BEING PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL. IF I CAN MANAGE TO WORK WITH MY CHILDREN WITHOUT LOOSING MY GRIP ON REALITY I THINK MY HOLE MIGHT START TO FILL IN A LITTLE IN JUST A FEW MORE MONTHS. SO I GUESS MY SANITY IS A FAIR TRADE TO GET FINANCIALLY STABLE AGAIN RIGHT? RIGHT? RIGHT? WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST CALL ME CRAZY
Y'ALL HANG IN THERE!
YVONNE

HEY,
I SEE WE HAVE A NEW FOLLOWER. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WELCOME!

LATELY I'VE BEEN GIVING ALOT OF THOUGHT TO OUR BUSINESS AND THE FINANCIAL STATE WE ARE IN. TO PUT IT PLAINLY WERE FLAT BROKE! THIS SEEMS TO BE THE PLIGHT OF ALOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES THESE DAYS. BEING THE ETERNAL OPTIMIST THAT I AM, I INSIST ON SEEING THE PROVERBIAL GLASS AS HALF FULL, BUT AS MY HUSBAND KEEPS POINTING OUT TO ME YOU CAN'T INSIST THE GLASS IS HALF FULL OR HALF ANYTHING ELSE IF ITS FRIKIN EMPTY! OKAY YOU GOT ME ON THAT ONE HONEY EMPTY DOES NOT EQUAL HALF FULL AND EMPTY SURE DOESN'T PAY THE BILLS.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION NOW IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? SINCE QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME (WE HAVE INVESTED TOO MUCH BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS NOT TO MENTION CASH TO JUST QUIT) SO ITS TIME TO RE-THINK OUR CONCEPT. WE HAVE A NICE SHOP EVEN IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. EVERYONE WHO COMES IN COMMENTS ON HOW PRETTY EVERYTHING IS. AND WE GO OUT OF OUR WAY TO BE FRIENDLY AND ACCOMMODATING. WE HAVE OUR GIFT ITEMS NIC-NACS AND SUCH, AROMA CRYSTALS, CANDLES, AND OUR SPECIALTY GIFT BASKETS AND CANDY BOUQUETS. WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SALES TO MAKE ENDS MEET SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WILL BRING MORE PEOPLE IN. WHAT IS IT THAT PEOPLE WANT THAT WE DON'T HAVE?

THE IDEA OF COMBINING OUR BUSINESS WITH ANOTHER BUSINESS HAS BECOME APPEALING TO ME. SOMEONE WITH THEIR OWN INVENTORY AND CUSTOMERS TO SHARE EXPENSES COULD BE JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WITH A SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL ANTIQUE SHOP THAT IS OUTGROWING HER CURRENT FACILITY. INTRODUCING ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES TO SOMETHING SPECIAL COULD ALSO BE AN ANSWER . ANY READER COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS ACCEPTED WITH APPRECIATION SO DON'T HESITATE TO CHIME IN ON WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR PREDICAMENT.

IN THE MEAN TIME ALL OF US HERE AT THE "SSB" WILL CONTINUE TO TREAD WATER ENTHUSIASTICALLY. AND IF YOU COME IN AND I TRY TO TALK YOUR HEAD OFF PLEASE BE PATIENT. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ONE TO TALK TO ALL DAY EXCEPT A 2 YEAR OLD AND AS DELIGHTFUL AS HE IS I CAN ONLY MANAGE TO TALK ABOUT SPONGE BOB FOR SO LONG!

Y'ALL HANG IN THERE,
YVONNE