What's Next?

The pandemic hurt businesses,
Then rioters hurt businesses,
What else will be brought up to hurt businesses and why?

I made $10

I made $10! Sort of...
Since I'd placed the box just before the virus hit, by the time the one auto store re-opened,
the owner had cleaned off all the desks, thrown away all the coffee, even the filters and packs,
and it had included my charity box, gone.
The manager gave me $10 which I thought was decent considering...

Toys for Tots

I purchased over 500 1" tiny toys that fit into vending machines, should last for awhile. 

 

  Aren't they cute? They have little necklaces inside them.
    I hope everyone is doing well and can get back to work soon.

Shhh, some places opening up...

Not gonna lie, I'll miss the open roads,
Trees in the distance incredibly deep green, skies so bright blue, it hurts the eyes.
Literally, wide open freeway lanes, space, breathing room, gone,
I already won't miss traffic, crazy people, or pollution.

What can ya do, stop populating? Not going to happen.
Do your best and godspeed, so to speak...

Lockdowns

Since I worry about my locations and how they are doing, I have begun visiting my route, 2 at a time.
One store I opened the door with 2 customers at the counter and about 3 other customers nearby, all who turned to look at me at the same time.
 All were wearing face-masks covering their entire face, a few wore glasses over them, and even tho we were in the midst of a world-wide pandemic, those masks turning to look at me resembled a colorized episode of The Twilight Zone. I asked the desk-clerk if I could come in and she nodded her head since I couldn't hear her thru THOSE CREEPY MASKS..! 
 Another store was closed but had the door propped open while they worked and I was allowed to check on a machine quickly.
 As a side-note, and may I be so bold, but if it's true that the 'bird flu' had come from China, and the 'swine flu' had also come from China, and the current pandemic was originally to be blamed not on an infected bat, but on an injected bat, may I please say, hopefully for the last time;
  STOP BLAMING THE ANIMALS.
     Thanku. 

Business Plan

I have signed up with a company to help sell enuf books to pay the rent. Lol.
I love books, and I need to pay the rent.
Some way, we are going to splice those 2 things together and make it work.
I have been selling books since November, 2000.

Living in California, I was constantly at book signings.
I would attend popular classes and get the teachers to sign their books, which sold like mad.
This was right at the beginning of the internet, when eBay was just blowing up.

Since I sold the books for the sole purpose of meeting authors and seeing the world,
I actually paid the rent selling VHS tapes.
Around the same time that eBay was starting up, one still had to wait for movies to
come out on VHS tapes, and we had to wait months after it left the theaters.
Once the movies came out on VHS, they were expensive and rare.
After waiting for prices to come down, one had only to grab a few with a small markup.
Still discovering the internet, the VHS movies were gold.

It actually took a few years for VHS tapes to fade into DVDs.
By then, it was obvious where it was going, and VHS nor DVDs paid the rent,
so I gave up on them, but I never ever gave up on books.

I cannot forget finding gems in dusty book stores, 1st editions, misprints,
out-of-print, rare and just plain fun and interesting editions of books.

Owning a Kindle myself, I can see that the fanciest Kindle in the world still hasn't been able to replace books with messy notes, non-electric pages, doodles, pics, and sharing, so here I am with the best memories in the world, places I have travelled, and the world of books continues regardless...

YoungImages

Some Thoughts About Service

A Blessed Easter Sunday

I watched a local church service online, and was lovely.

In the meantime, I received news from HSI, Humane Society International, that China has officially discontinued listing dogs as livestock.

I'm not sure how Humane Society would be able to follow-up on that as I don't know if they have a Humane Society in China, if they are receiving news from overseas by email/phone, or if they speak Mandarin.
Who writes or speaks Mandarin?
Of course, one wants it to be true so very much, and the effort is awesome and commendable, but I emailed that very question, how to prove? and haven't as yet heard back.

Also have a new decision.
I was utilizing Mr. Dave Ramsey's technique of budgeting and saving, and I saved up for a car which I bought in January, and don't have anything to save up for anymore..!

So I have to decide whether to save up for a good luscious spa week (one spa week = 10 days),
or visiting Best Friends to volunteer for one week, walk puppies, visit cats, clean, think, hike, it would be wonderful, much cheaper, and very much more rewarding.
Golden Door was a rejuvenating experience that I wouldn't mind repeating, yet would like to avoid California craziness.

I'm a hermit that has to pay the rent.
My gym is closed, delivery business is booming, but is basically sitting in a car, and I'm getting fat-ter. I need to take care of myself again soon...

Route on Hold

Many grocery stores open during day,
and smaller restaurants are allowing in a few people at a time,
usually regulars who are considerate and know the place.
Stay safe and healthy

It Could Be Better, It Could Be Worse, except It's Only Temporary

The Book of Job