Happy Easter

Sometimes, you just have to give credit where's it's due.

I'm not an overtly religious person.  I have faith and beliefs, but I don't wear them on my shirtsleeve for all to see.  I'm comfortable in my relationship with God, and don't understand the aversion some people feel when His name is mentioned conversationally.  Shhhh, they say, that's for church.

Nope.

I've led a sometime chaotic life.  I can think of 7 distinct instances where I should have reached the end of my road, but I didn't.  In fact not only did I NOT reach the end of my road, but I came away virtually unscathed.  I was being watched over.

As if that wasn't enough to cement my faith, there are little miracles daily.  What some would call coincidences, but I know better.  Because my beliefs tell me it's so.

If you have a conversation with your husband and tell him your favorite flower is a white rose, and then he brings you one, that's not coincidence is it?  Likewise, if you have a conversation with God mulling over options and possibilities and ways to solve challenges, and then the solution is handed to you, that's not a coincidence.

It's a little miracle.  A gift from One who loves you enough to listen.

And as with any relationship, sometimes in my haste I don't listen, and make a wrong turn.  But wrong turns don't end solid relationships, they merely strengthen them.  So I apologize for not listening, and receive a solution that will me put back on the right path.

I like that He is watching over me.  And I like the daily reminders that He is there by my side.  It's a solid relationship built on faith, trust, and love.  And forgiveness when I take those wrong turns.

Tomorrow is Easter.  I don't know how the holiest day on the Christian calendar became a day of bunnies, candy and egg hunts, but it doesn't matter to me how other people choose to celebrate the day.

I may even eat a chocolate bunny or two.

But before I do, I'll thank the One that watches over me for all of the little daily miracles He performs to keep me on the right path.

Paying Forward

In Southern California, it seems every street corner has  a bereft looking person holding a sign.  "Will work for food".  "Will work for rent".  Homeless Veteran need food".  Sadly, in the midst of legitimate suffering are those who actually prey on peoples' sensitive nature for a living.  They're easy to spot, after awhile.  They're the aggressive ones, the in-your-face-gimme-money kind.  Many of them look well fed.  There are no vacant gazes, no blind stares.  Every once in awhile I see one with a cell phone to his ear as he stands there wanting us to believe he's in need.

It took me awhile to figure out most of those people weren't really destitute.  They had fashioned a job out of begging.  Some of them probably make more money than I do at their chosen occupation.

Then there are the ones who truly are bereft. 

There was a man sitting outside my local 7-eleven the other day.  Just sitting.  Head leaning back, a small smile on his face, eyes closed, enjoying the sunshine on our first really warm day in ages.  A rusted bicycle was next to him.  There hung from the handlebars two bags.  One had clothing in it, the other held empty soda cans destined for the recycler.

He wasn't begging.  Wasn't disturbing anyone.  Just enjoying a fine day.  He  was ageless in the way that homeless people usually are.  Skin like leather from being in the sun all day, every day.  Sun-bleached blond hair hanging in his eyes.  Streaks of clean on his mostly dirty face, as if he had tried his best to make himself presentable.

I went into the store for whatever it was I was buying.  Can't remember.  Did some small calculations in my mind to think about what my little bank balance was.  And on a whim got $5 cash back when I paid with my debit card.

The look on his face when I handed him that $5 paid me back in triplicate.  He gave me the biggest, warmest, most sincere smile I had seen in awhile, stood up slowly, shook my hand, and said simply, "Thank you.  Many blessings to you".

We talked for a minute.  He was full of hope about a job that had been promised to him.  He insisted his current situation was only temporary.  I could see he was eager to find a use for his new-found wealth so I said goodbye and wished him well.

I got in my car and started it up to head home to the roof over my head and all of my accumulated "stuff".  He headed into 7-eleven for a hotdog.

Small things make us happy.  I think that's the best $5 I've spent in awhile.

Herodotus Had Some Of It Right

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before. - Herodotus

Ok, so I'm reading Herodotus's The Histories right now.  It's a massive undertaking and I'm only about half way through.

It's the first ever written history, produced painstakingly on about 300 feet of parchment in the 5th century B.C.  There's some question whether Herodotus actually saw everything he reported, or whether he trusted a little too often in the stories of others.  His accuracy more often than not is held under close scrutiny.  So silly.  He wrote about his time.  Unless later scholars were actually there, I'm prone to have more faith in Herodotus!

Herodotus was a man who knew what he wanted to do and saw it through till the end.

I aspire to that, though I'm sometimes easily distracted.  I have a great deal of respect for men and women who exert great effort and win the war.

Today I was reminded just how much I respect people who have what it takes to follow through.

The Bonanzle marketplace (www.Bonanzle.com) is full of many who try.  Online sales is fraught with challenges and is just plain hard work. Some are more successful than others, and I think the reasons have less to do with what they sell than it does with how they approach the process.

I have two friends there who are following well designed paths to success.  And they're doing it with humor, humility and great enthusiasm.  They're doing it day by day, gaining greater ground, and at the same time exerting great effort to help others, each in their own way.  They are what I aspire to be, not because of their success but because of the paths and methods they've chosen to reach that success. 

I won't share their personal stories because it's not my place.  I'll just say that when Herodotus said "It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen" he must have had people like my friends in mind.  They are nobly bold and I am a richer person for being able to call them friends.

www.bonanzle.com/LouieTheSeller
www.bonanzle.com/AntiquesRGreat

Differences of Opinion .... Or, How Do You Promote Your Business?

I've come under a bit of criticism lately from some people who think they're doing me a favor.  And after all, a little "constructive criticism" isn't a bad thing, even when it comes sneaking in unsolicited.

The thing is, though, that it doesn't FEEL constructive.

I don't feel the need to beat people over the head with my business.  Is that a bad thing?   I use this blog, and Facebook, and Buzz, and Twitter mostly to connect.  And yeah, I throw in an occasional plug for my business, because that's what I do.  I sell stuff.  I sell some pretty cool stuff, actually.   But that's not who I AM, and I'd rather be who I am and make a few less sales if that's the way it's got to be.

I tend to unfollow and unfriend people who are in my face all day about their stuff.  It feels like junk mail in a social context, kind of like an insurance salesman following me around at a cocktail party telling me why I need to  BUY!  BUY! And I don't like it.  So it would be hypocritical of me to turn around and do the same thing, yes?

Everyone has their own way of doing things.  I enjoy that uniqueness and seek out the company of others who share my belief that there's more than one way to get things done.  Maybe my way doesn't suit some, and I'm ok with that.

I just wish THEY could be okay with the fact that their way doesn't suit me.

In the mean time, I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing.  Maybe to some it's not the BEST way, but hey, it works for me.

And if you'd like to take a look at some of my stuff, check out the widgets on the right of the page :)  See, I DO know how to promote, in my own way.

What's Up with the Cat?

I get asked that a lot.

When I first signed up as a seller on Bonanzle (www.Bonanzle.com), I was assigned their generic avatar, a goofy looking guy with a straw hat.

Needed to replace him asap!

I'm more comfortable holding a camera than posing in front of one, so there aren't many photos of me lurking about.  And I hadn't really created a brand for myself yet, so I had nothing I could use that would represent my business.

I had just lost one of the great loves of my life to kidney failure.  Bear Kitty was 17 and ruler of the roost.  Then suddenly he started slowing down.  I watched his demise with sadness, but also with amazement.  Animals can teach us so much.  He tried his best to keep the disease from interfering with his day.  His favorite catnip toy brought him so much pleasure in those last days.  I'd watch in adoration as he grabbed it up in his paws and rubbed it all over his head and chin, purring, drooling and smiling.

I still have that toy tucked away.  I can't bear to part with it.

Having him as my avatar in those early days brought me solace.  And still does.  But these days, it also brings me recognition.  I use him as my avatar everywhere. Anyone who sees him on the web knows right away it's me.

There are those who think that your avatar should represent your business if you want to be taken seriously. Maybe there's some truth to that.  But at least in my case, my darlin Bear Kitty has brought quite a bit of traffic to my booth, and some of that traffic stays to shop.  So I think I'll keep him.

Day Trip to Joshua Tree

Saturday was a gorgeous day.  We packed up and headed out to Joshua Tree, about a 2.5 hour drive and a world away from all the noise of  Southern California.

I'm a terrible passenger and I usually spend a lot of time telling my husband to slow down.  He thinks he's Mario Andretti.  But on this trip I kept my mouth shut and just held on a little tighter to the armrest when the speedometer hit 85.  I wanted to GET there.

I love Joshua Tree.

For some people, it's just rocks and tumbleweeds and, well, Joshua trees.  To me it's so much more than that.

As we passed through the park gate I made my husband pull over and park.  I needed to start capturing the day RIGHT NOW.  There's so much color and texture in the desert, so much natural artistry.

Silly me, the rocks against the blue sky give me goosebumps

. 

My favorite place of all is Barker Dam.  This oasis always takes my breath away.  We've had a lot of rain this winter, so the hike to the dam gets a little muddy.  I don't care!  Because trudging through the muddy sand gets me to one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen.  

It was a perfect day!

"I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes."  ~e.e. cummings


Over the next few weeks I'll be adding some of my images from this trip to my booth at www.Bonanzle.com/SdOriginals.   Feel free to stop in and browse!

Getting started

Oh my, I'm blogging.  Be nice, it's all new to me!

 I'm a photographer, so I may share a pic with you once in awhile.
I'm also a poet, so I may just, um, burst into song for no reason on occasion.

I love words when they fit together just so.  If a book I'm reading can bring tears to my eyes, or make my hair stand on end, it's a keeper. I read a lot, so I might share that with you too.

I run my own online businesses through  a marketplace called Bonanzle, so you'll hear about that here on occasion.  I promise not to beat you over the head with it.

 At www.Bonanzle.com/CollectibleCorner, you'll find a nice assortment of collectibles from vintage to newer, at what I think is a good price.  You may disagree, but then we can always talk about it in my booth's chat box.

At www.Bonanzle.com/CollectibleCornerToo you'll find an assortment of general merchandise, mostly pre-owned, from books to shoes and everything in between.  I love to shop, and sometimes I need to cull my goodies to make room for more.

At www.Bonanzle.com/SdOriginals, you'll find photographic prints, for now, to brighten your home.  This booth is intended for all of my created things, but there's been little time for creativity lately! So this booth is a work in progress.

I hope you'll find something here interesting enough to make you want to come back!  In the meantime, I'll just  keep talking to myself!