What Toys R Us Needs

18 years of my life I dedicated to Toys R Us. I had the Cinderella story, which began as a 16-yr-old kid making $5.25 an hour during the fast-paced Christmas season. My career quickly progressed upwards, and I worked in 6 different states during my tenure finally parting ways much further up the ladder's rung into corporate. You have to have blood type: T (for toys) to survive in this dysfunctional, often times manic environment, and I had it. All my lifelong Toys R Us friends, most with similar stories like mine, have T blood too. 3 years later, it just doesn't go away.

It's painful to watch a company that I love so much slowly sink.

So here's my humble, "non-politically correct" opinion of what Toys R Us needs:

In the history of Toys R Us, a company whose #1 customer by an unbelievable margin is MOM, a woman has never been at the helm. One or two women have sat at the "table" the last few years, but none have called the shots. It doesn't take a fancy MBA or a case study to recognize the irony of this.

What Toys R Us needs to turn the boat around is a "She-ro."

Yes. I said it. Toys R Us needs a strong woman leader, with a pack of strong men & women leaders behind her, to lead this company out of this mess. Sorry fellas. A company with over 90% of their paying customers being women SHOULD BE LED by fellow women.

 (Side note: Before you judge or eye roll, please note that I am a woman who spent over 1/2 my life dedicated to this company, and I never once felt "unequal" to men or "inferior." When I entered into HR and had privilege to real salary information, I discovered women were paid the same, and in some cases better, than men at the same level. So, if you think I am going down the path of constructing a women's march or putting on my pink beanie, you are poorly mistaken; however, I did have the experience of sitting around with 11 other men discussing sales strategies. I would be lieing if I didn't say that I felt for a moment self-conscious about my purse taking up too much space at the table, but never once did I think that it was a "man's" fault. Any woman who was willing to pull the long hours and grow her leadership skills could have been at that table with me. But I digress.)

Gone are the days when moms are going to trek across town, fighting traffic, to haul their kiddos into a store filled with germs and uninspired teenagers to be badgered at the checkout line about warranties and opening up additional credit lines. Give me a break.

 A She-ro understands.

Somehow, someway, what should be a very simple business model of selling toys and baby products has become grossly over-complicated. Toys R Us lost it's purpose, which should always be having mom's best interest in mind.

Toys R Us needs a "She-ro" who can win the support of Moms again: Not credit companies, not vendor support, not real estate companies, but Moms.

Wouldn't it be amazing to see a She-ro get out from behind what appears as a closed door to the public and win the hearts of Moms again?!

 Perhaps it would go something like this....

I am so sorry that Toys R Us forgot who made us successful to begin with, and that's you, all the mom's out there. I am sorry we tried to trick some of you into shopping with us by offering you attractive coupons with small print full of ridiculous exclusions, such as essentials like diapers and formula. I am sorry for the times when you had come into our stores and our team members were so stressed getting freight out from the back or meeting their credit card sales quota that they didn't notice your cute little baby bundled up for their first ever public outing.

We want to do better and be better.

We know you probably spent hours researching the best toys to help your little baby. I am sorry that you have to take the time to go to amazon to read product reviews about things because you can't trust that our employees will know their product well enough.

We should be the master of our industry but you are getting better service through your computer screen than inside our stores. How embarrassing!!

Although we live in your community, we know we are terrible community leaders. I mean, we  should have been there bringing joy to your kids faces during their school's fundraiser when you asked.  Legal said no, so managers said no, so you quit asking!  We dropped the ball.

For you moms who worked for us during Christmas, I am so sorry that we didn't value your product knowledge and reward you for helping out other moms pick out special products for their children.  That's probably what you thought you were going to get to do, huh? Instead, you were only acknowledged positively by your manager when you pushed a credit card on that young mom. That must have been shocking! We know you would have much rather had your manager notice you for teaching that expecting mom all the ins and outs on different car seat models. She was so lucky to have gotten help from you! We failed you and we need passionate people like you back working in our stores.  We will make it right.

Going forward, we know we must do better. We are going to stop wasting our customers time with manipulative advertising and instead partner with a group of amazing moms and dads, who you can trust and who can keep you informed on the latest information on products that you can easily access from home. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to quickly ask a question on a toy and get a quick response vs having to call a 1800 number?!

 Anyways, we've got some work to do. Lots of unwinding a ball of yarn where things just got way too complicated. Bear with us. And please forgive us for losing sight on you as our customer. Somehow, we got distracted. We hope you accept this apology from the bottom of our hearts.

 Signed, Your She-ro.

FUN gift ideas under $50!!!

Y'all, I LOVE Christmas shopping for people..... like I love picking out things that YOU should buy for people.  (haha  😜)

Now in all seriousness, when I'm the one buying the gifts, unless there is a real "need" there, I love buying gifts for people to 1) make them laugh or 2) who would NEVER spend that amount on themselves, but will love it and appreciate it.

Are you stuck this year???  Here's just a few of my favorite gift ideas!

1)  For the wine person:  This hilarious glass holds an ENTIRE bottle of wine.  Seriously... I may or may not have tested this theory.    This makes a great gag gift.  A wine drinker will totally "get" it and will secretly love it.

2)  I didn't quite understand this backpack UNTIL I began learning to drive a motorcycle.  Now, I totally get it!!  Basically, this is a hand's free way to carry a bottle of water, easily accessible, without needing 2 hands!

This is perfect for someone who rides a motorcycle, hikes, cycles, kayaks, etc.  Just make sure to only use water, as anything with sugar will mold (yuck!)  AND they can be a bit of a pain to clean.  So best to use for water only! (This one is on my list this year!!)

 
3)  So college kids are already ALL over these little "packable" hammocks already; however, have you actually tried one of these things??  Wow!!  So fun and nice to keep in your vehicle for those spontaneous road trips.  Clip it and relax.  Big enough for the Mr., Ms., and the dog too!

4)  Smartwool socks.  They are EVERYTHING!!  I remember the first time someone told me about them, and I was like, "$20 for a pair of socks???  Yeah right."  (Insert eye roll here.)  Then someone gave me a pair and I just couldn't get over it.  

BEST. GIFT. EVER. 

Even today, I have a hard time spending $20 on a single pair of socks, let's be honest.  But as a gift??  They are WONDERFUL.  They keep your feet warm, but not hot, and your feet don't seem to sweat in them.  They are rather magical if you ask me.  

TECHNICALLY they are for hiking, BUT they make the perfect gift for nurses, retail workers, food industry, service industry folks, and I bet your UPS guy/gal would LOVE a pair!!!

5)  Cablz Zipz.   A $10 gift that MIGHT not make sense at first UNTIL they use it and then they will love it!!!   I bought mine with the first pair of expensive sunglasses I ever purchased (meaning more than $20 😜)  

Once attached to your glasses, you kinda forget they are there.  BUT, when you take your sunglasses off after driving, you can now easily hang them on your rear view mirror.  When you walk indoors, you can take your glasses off and let them hang around your neck.  I mean, this little do-dad makes it nearly impossible to lose your glasses!!   It's a definite must have for people who drive convertibles, ride boats, etc.  Love them!

So, who are you stuck on buying for this year???  Comment below!!!!  I'd love to help you find that perfect gift!!!! 

1 year! (Warning: lots of TOOT TOOTING to follow)

I feel so tempted to start this blog entry out as, "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret."  If you are a Judy Blume fan like myself, then you totally get where I am heading.    If you are not, then I really have no idea how you made it through your childhood and I have probably already lost you.

Any-hoo, its been an unbelievable year, and I am past due an "update:"

We just hit our "1 year" of opening mark, which fell on Jan. 3rd, but we are celebrating in store on Feb. 6th (yay!!  Store sales and door prizes in the works, btw.) This year has been crazy exciting.  We killed our yearly sales goal in 3rd quarter, won Chattanooga's Times Free Press "Best of the Best" antique store in the area, and we are fortunate to have a list of talent waiting to come onboard.  (<---------  the toot, toot part)

Insanity.  I am so thankful and grateful for our wonderful vendors who have poured so much time, money, creativity, and ENERGY into making Vinterest successful.  I am equally thankful and grateful to our amazing customer base who chooses to come stroll the aisles of Vinterest- the ones who let us kiss their babies, allows the Mr. to make up "nicknames" for our repeat offenders, and then choose to spend their hard-earned money with us. Truly thankful.  Without vendors and customers, there would be no Vinterest.  We totally get it.

People have asked me, "would you do anything differently?"  And I have to say, not much.  If I could change anything, I would just call us "Vinterest." The Mr. disagrees and loves the ring "antiques" brings to the end of our name.  Sometimes I wonder if it would have made a difference?!  For example, if we had come to the community, posted a sign with just "Vinterest" with our tag line, "Where Artisans and Pickers gather," would people have still "gotten" what we were about?! Would it had made any difference??  (Seriously- I'm curious what you think!?!  Post your opinion in comments!)

Now, as I'm sure most of you know, we never intended to be primarily an antique store.   What we intended for was to have diversity and to provide an additional outlet for local artisans to feature their wares that would be available to them other than sitting in the heat or freezing cold at a market festival somewhere.  We also wanted to provide a place for folks to sell their vintage and antique finds.  Personally, I think we nailed it.  2 folks on Google Reviews disagree.  (This is where I insert a shameless plug that if you AGREE we nailed it, please go to Google Reviews and let folks know.  If you DISAGREE, please do not go to Google Reviews....haha.  Is this a legal request?!? haha.  Don't report me to "google police, please.)  Anyways, we are so proud of whats been accomplished in the City of Hixson.

With all that "tooting" behind me, this year hasn't been without heartbreak, which I accept is just life.  There's not a moment that I don't wish to be able to pick up the phone and call my mama and tell her all the good news.  Mom, as many of you already know if you have followed me, has Alzheimers and is in one of the latter stages.  Paul lost his mom several years to Pancreatic Cancer, and I know he aches to speak to his mama as well. I feel fortunate that I can still travel and visit mine each week in Nashville, although she doesn't know who I am. Oh, and boy do I miss my mama when it comes to handling the critics.  My mama could become "Mama Bear" quick-like.  I miss her.  It's funny how grief works like that: it happens during good times and bad.

Anyhow, as we look ahead in 2016 and the future of Vinterest, our mission is to stay the course of doing what we can to contribute to the local community wherever we can.   We want to keep Vinterest a consistently fun and inspiring place for folks to come and enjoy (and occasionally escape life from with some "retail therapy.")  We want to continue to help folks grow their small business dreams.  We also "may" have a few surprises up our sleeves to be revealed in the upcoming months.   I hope you come share in the excitement.  Bring the family, and see you soon!

FAQ

If I was to create a "FAQ" section for Vinterest Antiques, I think one of our top 5 questions that I get asked, right after "How much are booths here?" "How do I get on the waiting list?," "Where did you move the dog food?" and "How did y'all come up with this idea?" (just about all answered on our Website)....is "where do you guys find all this stuff?"  

My answer is always, "everywhere."

It's not uncommon for hard core "pickers" to circle once or twice by a dumpster or purposely take a side road the night before trash pick-up seeking inventory.  I once found the most amazing pair of 8' tall wooden doors sitting by our neighborhood Outback restaurant that I flipped for a quick $200.

Many of us vehemently troll Craigslist day and night, are members of several Facebook yard sale sites,  are "friends" with estate sales planners, and sit hours (and I mean countless H-O-U-R-S) several times a week at a local auction often competing with our friends for that special treasure- sometimes to only leave empty handed. 

We often travel far out into God's country to shop places we refer as "honey holes" that look condemned just to sort through piles of dust and filth to find that "item."

The Mr. and I have taken a shovel, a BB gun and gloves to venture out into the woods to an old trash pile, climbing under barbwire fences, watching intensely for snakes, to dig through compost for old glass milk and medicine bottles.  (If you have one of these old trash piles buried on your property- call us!  We're game!) 

We often stalk "newbie" pickers who price way too low in order to find our inventory.  We know how to power walk to a yard-sale and our children (and my step-son) knows to buckle up, no questions asked, when it's game-on, yard-sale time.  Countless times, I've dug in the middle of the night by flashlight in storage units.

It's not always glamorous.

I cannot tell you how many times in my lifetime I've just about pee'd on myself by sticking my hand into a box filled with cast-away junk, digging to find a hidden treasure, only to scare the be-jesus out of myself by pulling up something completely unexpected, such as an old fishing-lure worm.  

Once, up in the mountains, I got chased off a man's front porch when I bravely entered through the gate into his fenced front yard, knocking on his front door uninvited on a Saturday morning to beg him to sell me the old vintage metal glider that was rusting away in his front yard, and sitting right beside a toilette bowl.  

"Hi!," I say in my sweetest voice while the Mr. sits in the running truck, "I was hoping you may be interested in selling me your glider."

Without hesitation he says in his not so sweet voice, "Nope!!," then the door was slammed in my face. 

"But, I'll give you $100!!!!" 

Door opens and then the dog is let out, as I quickly make an exit.  Oops.  The signs were all there, but that GLIDER.  I MUST SAVE THE GLIDER!!!  (I have not given up hope!)

Pickin' is sometimes a test of your faith.  It's sometimes a matter of how far are you willing to go??

On a recent picking trip from Chattanooga to Texas, the Mr. and I decided to go rouge and pull off the main road and drive some side roads seeking yard sales.  We found ourself in a little neighborhood,  chasing down a yard-sale trail in a neighborhood with houses 1,000 sq. ft. or less.  When we finally found the yard sale, we were met with a little sign that read, "Yard sale behind house,  located inside."  Maybe it was Texas, but without even saying a word to each other, nearly synchronized, we pulled out our holstered pistols from out of the glovebox and under the seat and discreetly concealed them under our shirts before walking inside.  Once in, we found ourself in a small kitchen with 2 seemingly sweet ladies who did not speak English and a baby  to find 1 folding table of used plastic food containers.  After first a good laugh, we were off to the next one. 

I have not met a yard-sale yet that scared me off.

Oh, but that moment....that glorious moment where you dig through rubbish to find underneath a pile of old encyclopedias and VHS tapes, to uncover in its glory that precious Pyrex bowl.  "How much for this?," you say in your most calm voice possible through the junk-drunk shakes, and then the owner tells you that you can have it for $1.  "Score!!!!"  Those are the moments that I LIVE for. 

The picking.... the true picking.  That's my drug of choice!

I must say NO to good ideas.

With the recent deterioration of my mother, I am committed to drive every Monday night from Chattanooga to Hendersonville, Tenn., so that I can spend all day Tuesday with her.  I am so thankful to be in a position with Vinterest Antiques to do so.  This time with her has become precious.

It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours from doorstep to doorstep, one-way, and typically a lot longer as I have a few "pickin'" spots that I like to hit along the way.

Apart from the obvious and very personal reasons Monday nights and Tuesdays are important, the drive time alone in the car has also become extremely valuable and is quickly becoming an intricate part of Vinterest's business-growth model and strategy.  This quiet time gives me a moment away from distractions, including distractions that I cause myself, so that I can reflect, strategize and simply re-focus. 

I think one of the most difficult things to do when trying to execute any type of "business plan" is learning to deal with all the distractions that cause us to take our eyes off the main purpose and vision.  So, with that being said, one thing that the Mr. and I have to constantly challenge each other on is on our abilities to say "no."

(As a side note: he has gotten really good at telling me no and I think has reached "expert level." I, on the other hand, have not mastered the art.  For example, I would have a complete FARM, complete with chickens, pot-belly pigs and lots of goats in my backyard if I could.  Why should it matter that I live in a subdivision!?  That's the real reason for tall privacy fences, right?! To keep the neighbors out?? ha!)

Anyways, there are countless business-type blogs, articles, webinars, business books, videos, conferences, (you name it,) on the simple art of utilizing the two-letter word, "no."  All because we, as a society, are terrible at it.  Yet, failure of the ability to say "no" poses great risk to a business's success.  

Alas! If that isn't painful enough, in executing "saying no" effectively, it typically returns very little immediate reward and/or satisfaction.  It can cause conflict and hurt feelings with people.  And, quite frankly, our "flesh" hates saying "no" and especially being told "no."

So, let me be real with you and "very classy" for a moment (tongue in cheek) and say how I really feel:

Saying "no" sucks.

Ugh, but I know if we are to take Vinterest Antiques's future from "good" to "great," I must get over this. Like, quickly. And, guess what..... Unless you are like my husband, you probably do too.

Here's the problem: the Mr. and I, between us, have had probably 1,000 good ideas about our future and Vinterest; however,  it would be very difficult to execute every good idea that pops up, and even if we tried, it is nearly statistically impossible to execute every idea very well.

These ideas can range from what product lines to carry, what vendors to bring onboard, who to conduct business with, how much labor to spend, how much to invest in advertising and with who, where and how,  all the way down to the smallest details of what we should sell on our front register counter and what candle to burn in the restroom.  Then, there is complex ideas such as long-term strategy and growth.  Add on top of this aforementioned problem, there are 1,000 more good ideas and suggestions that we've received from people, who all have good intentions, that we must carefully evaluate and not grow distracted by.

In the end, I have learned that all decisions have to be made with 2 things in mind:  ROI (return on investment) regarding how and on what we spend our money AND our time and 2) is this getting us closer to where we want to be, achieve and be known for?!

5 hours of alone time in the car per week may not be enough.

Anyways, with all that being said,  in our worlds that we live in, whether you are a business owner like me, the President of the United States or the CEO of your family, the problem is definitely not us being short of having good ideas.

What the problem is, however, is having the ability to be able to be self controlled enough to say "no" to a good idea, so we can get focused back on and have enough energy and resources to say "yes" to a great one, so as to be able to execute the hell out of it!

So, tonight, for those who are "yes" people,  I leave you with a link to one of the greatest examples I can think of that whose success was partly made by his ability to say no, Mr. Steve Jobs.   And I leave you with this question: when's the last time you said "NO" to a good idea?

http://www.centerforworklife.com/the-leadership-qualities-of-steve-jobs/

Taylor Swift says "Shake it off!"

So, I am having an absolute blast at Vinterest Antiques now that the "kinks" are getting ironed out, booths are fully rented, and customers are giving me some peace of mind that they will actually show up! ha!  (Seriously, there were days during the construction phase that I was freaking out, scared out of my mind that people wouldn't know about us, much less come out and shop.) Tomorrow marks 1 week of being open.  Yay! And come shop with us, you did!!!

At night, I like to reflect and think about all the things we've had thrown at us since starting this venture.  In fact, just in the past 30 days, we've battled the flu x2, a series of sinus infections, a leak in the ceiling, a rusted fire exit/panic door stuck to the floor that was dead bolted shut (now fixed,) and our home's heater stop working (due to my puppy, Jake, getting under the house through a crawl space and eating the duct work.  Yes, that really happened.)

That's the short list, but I'm sure if I threw my "short list" in a pile with your "short list," I'd probably want mine back.  So, I'm very thankful that's all we've experienced thus far.

Alas! Since coming to Hixson, there hasn't been any shortage of drama, but fortunately NOT on "our side of the river."  There's been some accidental insults (I think the Lord wants me to give benefit of the doubt) with people who don't know us, and there's been funny situations where people don't realize Paul and I are the owners.  I'm not sure who they are expecting, but for some of the folks who don't read our blog or follow us on FB, it's not us.  I also don't think people expect to find us running the cash register or hauling furniture.  Or maybe it's the purple hair?!  Who knows.  It makes me smile.

[As a side note, for those NOT in the Chattanooga area, the "river" is a very big deal.  Like huge deal!  I didn't really realize how huge until a lady made it very clear to me that she "never" crosses the river for anyone or anything, but she did just to see what all the fuss was about.  You see, there is a bridge over a dam that must be crossed to get to us from Chattanooga/Knoxville.  I haven't quite pieced it all together as to why that's a big deal, so if someone would like to enlighten me, please do.  But for now, let's leave it as a huge deal and we are very thankful to those who have "crossed" the river for us!  ("Crossing the river," by the way, has given us a GREAT t-shirt idea!!  So stay tuned.)]

Anyways, I will admit,  in my exhaustion, there have been days that I've had to "check" myself and my attitude a couple of times, such as the time a lady said, "I've been doing this a lot longer than you have" when discussing renting a booth with me, and she didn't agree with some of our policies.  "Swallow. My. Pride, and grin and nod, Katherine.  Grin and nod," I have to remind myself.

As another example, Day 2 of being opened, I had a sweet Veteran go a little crazy on me due to how an American flag was displayed in our store (hung, not touching floor, nor no rips/tears) which left me a tad bit dazed and confused, and all I could think to say was, "thank you for your service."  Oh, and I heard a rumor "allegedly" started by another business owner that, while we were in the process of renting out booths, that I "snuck" into this person's antique store and snapped a "photo" of a "top secret" clipboard that had all their vendors phone numbers as to "steal" them.

We also had a totally different situation where we were told by a reliable source that another store (in a different state) was trying to get ahold of us because they wanted to plug in and sell with us and advertise, so the Mr. immediately called them as soon as we were told.  He spoke to one of the owners (excitedly, because this partnership would be HUGE and very powerful,) and the owner bashed us and called us just about everything but a white person before hanging up. Oops!  (And, I LOVE this store!!!)

This, I kid you not, is our life.  I cannot make this stuff up, but I am so thankful because it sure does make for some funny stories around the kitchen table!

"Shake it off," says Taylor Swift, so "shake it off" I will!!

That's the crazy .001% part of this venture that would make for some pretty entertaining reality TV I do believe (HGTV- call me!)

The other 99.999% part of our experience thus far has been truly joyous and has God's hands all in what we are trying to accomplish.  We are surrounded with some of the most giving, supportive vendors and customers. Every day, it is a complete joy to wake up and "go to work."

So tonight, I want to thank you for "crossing the river" and visiting with our little Vinterest Antiques family.

I hope when you come to Vinterest, you leave with a smile!










 

 

Why shop "small"

The Mr. and I literally entered last night into what I think may have been a slight coma post our initial grand opening. Leading up to the morning, I worried and played out in my mind just about every bad scenario that could happen.  Luckily, the only thing that I noticed that came close to "bad" happening was that the manager from Steak N Shake (our neighbor) was upset because we ran out of parking spots and people used their back parking lot.  I'll take that "problem" any day!! ha!  (For the record, we buy something from Steak N Shake nearly daily.  Seriously.  I think they may have accidentally "forgotten" about that on Jan. 3rd.....But I digress.....)

The day was a HUGE success.   Everything went smooth like butter, and we had the best people possible surrounding us.

I often post on Facebook to "shop small" or "buy local," and  I just assume that people "get" why that's so important.  You know what assuming does, right???  So, I want to break it down and perhaps give someone a new perspective.  This is also why I don't mind the long hours and perhaps why I think about our responsibility at Vinterest Antiques as my "ministry."

When you shop stores and places like Vinterest Antiques in Hixson, Tenn.,  University Pickers in Huntsville, Ala., Chatt-R-Bug in Chattanooga, Tenn., or Marietta Antique Mall in Marietta, Ga., let me explain what you are actually doing...

Stores like these (and there are 1,000's more throughout and I'm sure one in your city) give folks (your neighbors) from all different walks of life a place to make some money.  When shopping small, think about Kate who is a mother of twins who makes and sells beautiful jewelry so she can bring in extra income; think of Jennifer, a single mom of two little girls, who lives in a small apartment, works full time at a highly demanding job, and then comes home to paint her furniture at night in order to provide a better life for her girls; think about Karen, a 67 year old grandmother, who also lives on the 3rd story of an apartment, who spent over 30 years working at the post office and is now retired, who lugs up 3 flights of stairs cast-away furniture that she reupholsters and brings back to life to supplement her retirement. Those are just some reasons to shop small business.

For some, selling at a place like ours is actually NOT about the money at all.  For some, its a way to bring families together, like the brother/sister who have a booth together, whose relationship is rekindling after the loss of their father.  Think also about the mother and adult son who now create beautiful pieces of furniture together and for once, have "something" to really talk and get excited about.  It about makes me cry when I think about my own family, and how it's brought my father and I closer as I text him "Pinterest" photos, and he figures out how to make it happen, then I get to help him sell it. 

For others, this "venture" is a way to nurture their creativity and gives them a stress-reducing outlet. So when you buy from a small business, think also about how you could be buying from a preacher who prays for and listens to "other people's" problems all day long, and this gives him an outlet so he can have time to relax his mind and enjoy some quiet time alone while rejuvenating his spirit through reviving furniture rejects; think about the Dr. who hears complaining all day long or the "IT Manager" who stares at a computer screen for 9 hours a day.  When you buy from these folks, you are literally filling their life with joy and purpose.

This are just "some" of the reasons that I encourage you to consider buying from small business when you can.  I think this picture floating around sums it up perfectly:

 I would love to hear from you!  Why do you think it's important to buy from small business??

Forgiveness

So, right now, considering we've invited 60+ people to our warehouse at 3:00 for a meeting today, I should be cleaning.  Instead, I have got to get this story out today so I can "carry on and be awesome" (stole that line from a cheap poster I saw at Walmart last night.)

Yesterday evening, after 1 (maybe 2) swigs of Tennessee Jack Daniels whiskey (with honey,) I realized how much anger and resentment I have been carrying in my heart towards a certain someone.[If you want the juicy details, you are reading the wrong blog post.]

On a side note, if by now you haven't noticed, I will write about Jesus and Tennessee whiskey from time to time. You can totally judge me if you want, considering I typically ask you to reserve such judgement. Sipping a nip of whiskey runs deep in my family, especially when you've been battling a cough like I have.  I highly recommend it when you are sick.

Anyways, back to the deep, rooted anger part....

I have been down right PO'd at a certain someone who hurt me deeply.  I've not been exactly quiet about my disdain but have worked really, really hard to not sow discord.

As Paul and I are preparing for this next new chapter of Vinterest Antiques, and I hear all the sweet comments and encouraging words from friends and new friends we've made in the process, I get a ton of motivation. It also, however, puts a lot of pressure on an ole' guy and gal like the Mr. and I to succeed.  So, we both take this opportunity we've been given very seriously.  After all, we are "going for broke," so I treat it like a God-given responsibility that Paul and I have been given to help change lives (including our own.)

So last night, as I was laying in bed  and was reading some previous blogs and comments, there it was.... a correspondence between this person and I almost exactly 2 years ago.  In this exchange, we were lifting each other up in Christ.

Honestly, I thought I had deleted any history of this person in my life (including comments.)

My heart then whispered, "you will never achieve all that I have planned for you until you release the resentment that's living in your heart because you're making it hard for me to live there too."

I knew right then what I needed to do.

So I wrote her, copying the correspondence, and told her I was hurt and angry but meant what I said when I prayed for her God-given dreams to come true then (in 2013) and I just wanted her to know that I meant it still today.

She sent back a response, and I sent back a short response, and years of hurt and resentment ended just like that with just a simple emoticon smiley face.

Matthew 11: 25- And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. 

We will never be friends again, but through that simple exchange, the chains that I didn't know even existed busted loose around my heart.

With all that said, I found the following quote from Marianne Williamson that I believe ties the bow on my story on forgiveness.  If like me, you are struggling with forgiveness as well, leave a comment!  I will pray for you to get your moment soon when you realize it's time.  You don't have to go into specifics, but I think acknowledging it's there is step 1 to peace.

Now, we can all "carry on and be awesome!"

Applause

I've always admired the folks in this world who do not live for an applause.  The ones who quietly disappear, virtually unnoticed, and are later found doing thankless acts of kindness.  I know that you know these types of "ladies and men"  that I'm talking about, and perhaps you are one.  These are the folks who clean the dishes after a party, keep your breakroom's trash can emptied, and is the little fairy that keeps a can of "Glade" in your company's restroom.   Most of these folks aren't found on social media, and if they are, their profile picture is probably a baby animal, a child or blank.  Quite simply, these folks make the world a better, kinder place. They are angels on earth who don't like their photo taken or name etched in a plaque.

I, self-admittedly, am not one of these folks.

I'm going to blame it on my parents for having me 10 years after my middle sister, 15 years after my oldest, thus making me the baby of the family.  

I didn't grow up rich, but I was definitely spoiled rotten with attention.  As a baby, my chubby thighs stayed bruised because people just couldn't resist squeezing them.  My dad left for work every morning at 5AM for 30+ years, yet never missed a single ballgame and rarely a practice.  Mom once got us kicked out of basketball game because she didn't like how the coach was yelling at me, and I lasted with my original Kindergarden teacher only one day when she opted to call me "Kathy," instead of Katherine on the first day of school. My sweet mama could go from a smiling Southern Belle to a scary Mama Bear in a split second- bless her heart.

With that being said, I have had to work on not being an overly-sensitive, "let's-take-a-selfie," self-indulgent, borderline narcissist, "why not me," and "I'm going to tell my mama," attention-seeking brat.  (It's a work in progress.)  I will toot my own horn and shamelessly do a dance in the end zone, while saying "in your face!" after winning a game of Monopoly.  And I sometimes wonder why people don't like me?!?

Ok. That's not entirely true, as I cannot recall ever winning a game of Monopoly.  I am, however, very competitive and like to be rewarded for my hard work and having an audience watch doesn't make me at all nervous.

In fact, I recall more embarrassing moments occurring in my life on a stage, basketball court or softball field with lots of people watching than those of bright, shining moments.  For example, I once went in for a layup to only run straight into the rolling basketball rack with 10+ basketballs on it, making way for them to be completely scattered throughout the gym and for me to be face-planted on the gym floor with a gym full of people.  This was the longest 10 mins of my life. I survived.

So back to this "need for attention" thing....it's not about a need for others or the world to watch me "succeed."  It's truly not about being #1, "the best," or an insatiable desire for attention.

Not to get sappy, but what it actually boils down to is the dopamine rush I get when I look up and see that what I've done has made my biggest fans proud- my parents.  That's what provides me the biggest sense of accomplishment and feeling of success. This need for approval has pushed me many times forward.

As we are creeping up on a little over a week away from the grand opening of Vinterest Antiques, I realize my biggest fans may not show up in the audience for the first time ever.   It's not because they don't want to. It's just because they can't- physically. I have to be prepared for that.

And, at 35 years old, my friends, I realize that I am going to have to learn to give to myself the applause that I have relied on from family my entire life.

There are still people who won't like "Katherine" and there's still going to be jerks who think they can talk to me however they want.  There are still bullies on the playground and life is much more populated with competitors than fans. I must come to grips with that there will never be any other person on this earth who will root for me, right or wrong, like my parents did.

I may still fall straight on my face, and people may point and laugh at me, and I am going to have to find the courage and strength to stand up on my own two feet and try again.   No one in this life is going to come running anymore to protect me.

Alas!  I must not forget that I have a wonderful partner in Paul.  

I must also not forget that this fear and anxiety does not come from above.  The noise and negativity and fleeting thoughts of doubt are not part of the journey the Lord has called us to make.  We always have a choice: fear or faith.

As our lives continue to change and people who we love grow old and leave us, the show must go on!  We must continue to rejoice and do good in the world and continue to have hope for the future in a cruel world that won't always love back.  We must be willing to take risks and look like a fool from time to time.

After all, the love, encouragement and applause that we have been given doesn't go away just because we can no longer see it.  Instead, it must get stored as fuel to take us through the rest of our journey.

As for today, I stop and reflect on the "folks" who have done countless "thankless" deeds throughout their life without the need for applause.  Thank you what you do. I hope to become more like you.  

I also praise Jesus for the gifts of love that he has given me through my family.   These gifts continue to give.

Lastly,  I chose to  keep marching forward into the unknown with my Partner choosing "faith" again tonight,  rejecting once more any thoughts of doubt or insecurity.  Only through faith, we will have strength to continue to conquer fear.

The Vintage Quilt Crisis

One of the most pleasant surprises since entering into "self-employment" for me has been learning to concentrate while in the moment and "being present."  I lived so long reacting to the "ding" of my phone when emails came through that I even got to the point of being timid to lay my phone down in case I missed an important call- ever.  I couldn't even take a bath without my phone being within an arm's length distance.  That, my friends, is a problem and is in need of a serious intervention.

The Mr. could be talking to me, and I'd be physically present, but my mind would be somewhere else- checking or responding to my emails or "solving" problems or "thinking" how I was going to handle x, y, z.  

Don't get me wrong: the feeling of being "busy" and "important" can be quite intoxicating and addictive. It can also be quite distracting.  It's also all smoke and mirrors.  Everyone is replaceable and no one is that important.

Anyways, lately I have found myself a lot more aware and in tune with my surroundings.

So, just a few days ago, I was driving to a sweet lady's house to pick up 2 upholstered chairs that had been posted on a Facebook yard sale site.  On my way, I pulled up to a red light, and I just couldn't help but notice that there stood a homeless man with his little sign asking for food.   

For those of you who have been following us for sometime, you might already know that the Mr. and I have a weak spot for the homeless community.  At the same time, we don't like to give the homeless money for obvious reasons.  It's not uncommon for us to take them to a restaurant and buy them food or offer them something material.  I've actually called Paul before to find that he's picked up some homeless person and he's driving him around (particularly a homeless man in Huntsville called "Freight train,")  and has him in the front seat of truck with him.  I do not advise that to anyone.  Basically, we're straight up suckers. Every. Time.  

I try to keep something in my truck for moment's like this.  So I start to look around in the cab of my truck for a granola bar, piece of fruit, SOMETHING to give him.  I've got nothing.

So, I sit there in my truck, trying to ignore him, and then it dawns on me what's laying in my back seat.  I look to see if it's still there, and sure enough it's a queen size, red vintage quilt, which I had just bought on my last pickin' trip through Texas.  Why I hadn't taken it out of the truck yet, I just don't know. 

Then this thought runs through my mind: "don't ask God to provide something to someone that you could provide yourself." 

All the sudden, the red light turned green, and I find myself in a full-blown moral crisis.

By now, there's a line of cars behind me, and I find myself thinking, "NOT my red quilt!!  I love my quilt!!" 

You see, this quilt is a well broken in, soft to the skin, bright, vibrant color- type quilt.  The kind that you wash with Downy and wrap up in when you're feeling down or tired and it makes you think of your mama- type quilt.  It's the kind that you cover your sofa with and don't mind if your dogs "just this time" jump up on the couch and snuggle with you on a Sunday afternoon- type of quilt.  It is also the type of quilt that looks just so darn cute and cozy draped across a chair or folded neatly across the back of a couch or end of a bed.

As a horn blew behind me, I quickly rolled down my window and offered the man my most perfect, red vintage quilt, and felt my stomach ache with disappointment.  I had a choice and I knew, if I didn't offer the dang quilt to this poor man that he was going to haunt me the rest of the day and I would have a terrible night's sleep.  It was going below 40 degrees that night. 

So as I hang my precious, sweet quilt out the window, knowing he would probably never appreciate it the way I would.

Suddenly, he looks at me and quickly waves me off!  He refuses my gift!  

Just as quick, I snatched my quilt back up, rolled my windows up and accelerated away.  

I sang some praise to Jesus for letting me keep my vintage quilt, and I slept like a baby that night so thankful that I listened and obeyed that little voice- learning several valuable lessons.  For one, I will now make sure that I am a little more prepared. 

So anyways, I found the below on Pinterest,  and they are called "Blessings bags."  I want to challenge each of you to think about making one or two of these for the holidays.  You never know when you may be a blessing to someone who truly needs it.  

I hope to whip some of these up very soon!  

  

Until next time! :)

Going for Broke

Not long after the day my husband gave me the nod that I could leave corporate world behind, I cleaned out my closet.  (So, if anyone needs a red collared button up shirt, my ex-organization colors, I've got you covered!)  Most given days, you'll now find me in funky palazzo pants, paint-covered cloths, or in a Walmart buttoned up $7 men's flannel shirt with hole-y blue jeans and my Gypsy Justin cowboy boots.  My hair is typically a hot mess and held back in a pony tail or bandana.  I also may or may not be packing a S&W 38 special revolver with a crimson trace at any given time.  After all, some of the best pickin' spots I've ever been to would make a grown man a little nervous.  Don't judge.  Anyways, I like to keep it simple, and given the opportunity, I'd chose to drive Junk Gyspy's "Large Marge" over a Beemer any day- no lie.  You can probably see now how well I fit in with some of the corporate "city folks." ha!

Anyways, I had friends and foes call me a complete idiot for walking away from such a good job- especially a job I had worked so hard at and sacrificed so much for and especially exchanging it for a "dream" and a "vision" no one else could see. The #1 question I get, "how could you walk away from that???" And, I totally understand.

I share my story all the time, but putting it out there in writing feels different.  I also get folks who tell me frequently how they relate to my stories, so this one is for YOU... the person who is miserable and thinks there's no options.  That's a false dilemma.  There's ALWAYS options.



So there's "more" to the story:

Lesson # 1: My daddy worked his tail off for an organization over 30 years who in the end made it clear that they didn't love him. As he grinded through work a few years after leaving that company, and began counting down the days to retirement, mom starts showing strange signs of forgetfulness. Fast forward 1-2 years, we find ourselves in stage 4 Alzheimer's.  Enjoying retirement with your spouse and doing all that "travel" you will get to do is not guaranteed.

Lesson # 2:  At approximately 59 1/2 years old, a little back pain resulted in Paul's mother getting the nightmare diagnosis: Pancreatic Cancer.  Paul and I, along with her husband, her sister and her friend, said good-bye to her 9 months later as she took her last breathe.  She had just retired.

Add lesson 1 and 2 together and then "going for broke" just doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

Before pulling the trigger and committing to signing a commercial building's lease, I called my sister in Hendersonville, Tenn. and told her that I had a very serious question for her.  Paul and I had just scored a 1972 Shasta camper for a mere $800 off of Craigslist from a guy who truly didn't know what he had.  We paid cash.

So I asked her, "if I go for opening a business and it results in me going bankrupt, and we loose it all, can you promise me one thing?" With hesitancy in her voice, she said "sure."  I continued, "Can I run an extension cord out your back door to our Shasta?"  She laughed and responded with, "Sure.  And I may even let you take a hot shower once a week as well."  That's all I needed to hear.  At least Paul and I would not be homeless.

You know you are ready for a change when the thought of going from a 6 figure income to living in a 1972 Shasta camper in the woods with 3 dogs and a husband is more appealing than spending "one more day" or even "one more hour" with people who take from you your energy and talents more than contribute.

Lesson # 3:  Let's say just for sake of argument that Vinterest Antiques fails.  Paul and I fall flat on our faces.  No one shows up for grand opening.  Ferguson takes place in Hixson and someone burns our little business to the ground.   We lose our life savings, one vehicle, two vehicles, then our house, and have not a penny to our names.  We file bankruptcy. Trust me, I've played all the "what ifs" out in my head.

Now here's the FREEDOM part....  "they" cannot eat us, kill us, take away our experiences, my college education, our resumes, or our love for each other.  We can rebuild.  It's America after all. Now, YOU (whoever this was meant for) substitute your name for all the "ours" and "my's" and "we's" in that last sentence and read it again.

After-all, we are all 1 cancerous cell, bad decision, freak accident or genetic disease away from this precious piece of time we call "life" from being over.  The time to start creating the life you can only dream of  is NOW.

Lesson #4:  I just recently spoke to another business owner who opened a business, but signed a short-term lease because he was "scared," not knowing if it would take off.   For those who may not know, "most" commercial landlords won't even talk to you if you don't sign at least 3 years.  Unless you are ridiculously lucky, in a prime commercial location and depending on sq footage, rent can range on the low end of $2,000 per month upward to $20,000+ per month, not counting the thousands of dollars in utilities and insurance. If you go under, you have to pay until the contract ends, the landlord shows mercy or the building is re-rented.  So in this business owner's case, his business took off and landlord took notice.  When it came to renewal time, the landlord got greedy and doubled the rent. Business owner was buried and unable to rebuild in a new location.  The lesson?  Plan to succeed and base decisions on success vs. failure.

For us, we've chosen to "go for broke."  We place our trust in that the Lord will provide and put the right people in our path at the right time in our lives.  I had to make peace with all the "what ifs" before pulling the trigger.  I also had to ensure I had support from those who mattered, even it meant just a little reassurance I could borrow some electricity- given worst case scenario.

Grand opening is less than a month away.  Every day we hear comments- mostly good- about our launching a new business in Hixson.   We have an amazing group of supporters and very few doubters, and maybe even 1-2 haters, out there.  All I know is, this is turning into one helluva fun ride!  We are giving every part of ourselves to this journey. No regrets.

Stay tuned for the "rest of the story...."

Vinterest Antiques Logo

Lawd have mer-ceeee, a lot has occurred since my last "blog."  I'm going to try and provide the "Reader's Digest" version.

In a year's time, we sold University Pickers, and I got promoted to a Regional Manager for a big-box retail store, moved my family to Atlanta, got a "title change" and went from overseeing an Atlanta territory of 20+ stores to 6 states and 53 stores in a matter of months.  To the world, I was living the dream!  My job supplied a 6 figure income, company car, iphone 5, laptop, gas card, paid travel expenses, home office, scheduling flexibility.... you name it! And then one day, I came home in tears to my husband saying,  "This" is not what I'm supposed to be doing.

There's not a logical way to explain walking away from "that" to anyone.

After a weekend filled with lots of tears, fears, thinking I've gone mad, and tons of nerves, the Mr. and I decided to place a bet on ourselves, go all in, and launch "Vinterest Antiques," and strategically place it in a Chattanooga, Tenn., neighborhood town called Hixson, Tenn.

I'll tell you how I mustered up THAT courage and justified the decision in my mind in an upcoming blog.

Anyways, Oct. 31st was my last day as a "professional" in the corporate world.  To celebrate, I dyed my hair purple, but not before first calling my father and letting him know that the purple hair was "happening" and to remind him that I was not on drugs and yes, I still love Jesus.

I had spent more than 1/2 my life dedicated to an organization that truthfully didn't care if I stayed or went.  I grieved a lot through the transition.  After all, every stitch of clothes that I owned and every material belonging that meant anything to me can all be traced back to what that organization provided.  The relationships and friendships that I built through that experience are now lifetime.

Now, we find ourselves in the middle of constructing our dream with little to no safety nets.  Thus, the creation of our logo.  I kept saying to the Mr., we will just have to build our own wings on the way down, as we jumped absolutely terrified into self-employment.

We have now taken over a 16,000 warehouse that sits on an 1 acre lot.  With a tight deadline of opening in January, the Mr. and I are both working around the clock.   So far, our "wings" seem to be working!  Thank you to all of you for your support and words of encouragement.  There's no way we could do this without the love from our family and friends near and far.

Stay tuned for GRAND OPENING information!!  Attentively mark your calendars for Jan. 3rd. Eek!!!

My story

It's been over 5 years since the "accident" that took my sister, who was only 43 years old and who left behind 4 children.  One day, I may muster up the courage to write out the details of that day and explain further the quotation marks around the word "accident," but for today, lets leave it as a tragic event that has  re-defined my life.  I often view my life as pre- and post- "accident."

Leading up to that day, I had a rather severe case of anxiety.  Anxiety that would nearly demobilize me and cause me to lose sleep.  Post- accident, my anxiety nearly went away.  Things like bills and a highly demanding boss just didn't get my goat like it did before.  After all, I experienced for the first time as an adult true grief.  Everything else- outside of relationships and the enjoyment of self and of life- seems a bit petty and unimportant.  

Two years later, I remember having raised eyebrows when I excitedly phoned home to share the news that Paul had asked me to marry him, and my mother's reply was, "Whose Paul?"  I laughed it off as did she, thinking she was kidding, and I nervously laughed it off to Paul.  It took me 2 years to accept and realize that she wasn't trying to be funny, but in fact, this was the beginning of a long journey with my mother and her battle with Alzheimer.

A year later after getting engaged, I experienced grief all over again as I watch my mother-in-law fight for her life from diagnosis of Pancreatic cancer to 9 months later, her last breath. The feelings for my husband deepened as I watched him literally carry his mother, made up of nothing but hanging skin and bones, from her bed to the restroom.  I have a soulful cry accompanied by a giggle when I think about Paul racing down a two-lane road with a McDonald's ice cream in tow, just trying to get it home to his Mama in one piece, who lived 20 minutes away from the nearest McDonald's.  In that moment, no one was going to stop him from getting that special request of an ice cream cone to his dying mother.

Shortly after, we launched University Pickers, an antique mall in Huntsville, Ala., and the healing process began for both of us.

 

Things were going amazingly well until my family and I took a family vacation to the beach with my mother.  On what we felt was our "last" family vacation, as my mother's memory continues to deteriorate, several vendors from University Pickers, the antique mall that Paul and I owned, got together and launched a very personal attack on  Paul and I while we were out of town and most vulnerable.  We (my entire family) watched remotely from surveillance, 7 hours away, as these "friends" of ours went into our business and ripped down their walls creating construction zones while we were open for business, sent out nasty emails to our vendors, and had little whispering talks around the corners, accusing us of "unethical business practices." Then, they went and launched their own store.   

I had an email forwarded to me, as I did not want to believe it as it was written from the one person who I trusted the most- who at one point had a key to our business.   To this day, I still cannot believe it happened like it did as I adored these people, loved their children, prayed with these people, went "pickin" with these people, and "broke bread" with these people. NEVER once did the wife, who I naively thought was my friend, have the courage to confront me, as I still to this day have NO idea what caused the fall out.  It's such a shame as there was 1,000 better ways to handle it, and I would have been one of their biggest fans had they just been direct.  I know in my heart I didn't deserve the way I was treated, and I believe deep down, SHE does too.  As for the rest of the "Huntsville Mafia," (their words, not mine,) I wish them much success in their endeavors, and I am glad to see them doing something with their lives. Their actions deeply hurt me.  

Business, however, was not hurt. In fact, after this group left, our sales sky-rocketed and we had back-to-back, record sales months.  Shortly after, I was offered a promotion, and we were able to sell University Pickers to the most deserving of sisters.  The Lord works in very mysterious ways (and he does not bless discord.)

It's been about 5 months since we sold University Pickers and moved to Georgia. Since moving,  Paul and I have had a blast traveling, we took our first cruise, have enjoyed decorating our new place, picking in new places, and visiting family and friends after 1 very jam-packed year. My new job is a dream come true, and I am so thankful. We get emails all the time, when are you opening another store???  I'll be honest and say that I think about it every day.  I just love it so much.  I love the people, and I love being a part of such a talented and gifted community.  It's not about the money for me.  It's truly about the people.  

As for now, I'm having such a fun time featuring other talented people and places on my Pickin on the Road page. It's my therapy (and now you know why.) I am truly in a healthy, happy place right now.  So, my answer for "when are you opening a new store" is this:  maybe some day.  :)  For now, there's this little "bug" that all of a sudden has been pestering me a bit that might have Paul and I re-thinking some things.  

I'll leave you with that for now....

Dream a little dream with me.....

There's something I want to share with the folks out there who are thinking of opening their own store, launching their own business, going after a dream, or doing any sort of leadership...  Or, even for those who just are "unhappy" where they are in life. It is the single most important piece of advice I have ever been given and I am putting it out there for you.

But before I do, let me get you up to speed.  It has been almost a week since we've sold "University Pickers."  The only word I know to use to describe how I feel accurately is "bittersweet."  Endings are almost always guaranteed to be painful.  I've shed my share of tears, which came creeping up on me during the most inopportune and most embarrassing of places, such as when we called our Pickers together and made the announcement we were selling, and I did "ugly cry" in front of 60+ people.  The sweet part comes from selling our business to some of the most deserving of sisters and from the excitement of what the future holds.  The experience, the friendships and knowledge we've gained is just something that you can't put a price tag on.  

For those who've been following along in our journey, the decision to sell University Pickers came from a twist that my "day job"/career took, and only after being offered a career advancement that I have been working towards for the past 5 years, although it is now leading me to Atlanta, Georgia.  Again, the "bittersweet" part.  This makes the next chapter of mine and the Mr.'s life nearly a "blank slate" and nearly "boundless" of opportunities.   I am about "stupid excited" for the next chapter.  

Now back to that important piece of advice.  Opening a store has always been a dream of mine. Opening a store that's successful was in my wildest of dreams.  Opening a store that's successful that also sold things that I am most passionate about: seemed impossible.  Now, to make a decision to sell that store to continue to pursue my 17-year career?  That sounds nearly insane!  Right?!?   

It's not when you hear my piece of advice.  

It is simple.  It is answering this question, "What do you want to be known for?"

Once you know the answer to that question, make that your #1 dream.  Everything else just becomes "bucket list" goals and dreams to pursue.  Owning and operating University Pickers was not what I set out on purpose "to be known for," although, I am super, uber proud of that piece of my life.  Instead, I have a list of things deeply personal in my mind that I want to be known for that I work towards every single day of my life.  Somedays when I lay down at night, I feel like I did a great job working towards those things, and other days, I feel I may be failing.  But, my answer to that question dictates such things as: what kind of manager I am, what kind of business owner, who I let in my life, who I quickly remove from my life, behaviors from others that I will accept or not accept, and ultimately, my happiness level.  Do not let circumstances determine your happiness.  That's like betting your happiness on the roulette table and letting some stranger spin the wheel.

With that said, the answer shouldn't be things like, "be a successful artist," "being a business owner," "becoming a mother" or "becoming a teacher," etc.  Again, those are amazing dreams, and when achieved will bring much happiness, but these are items controlled and dictated by circumstance. They should not be your end-all purpose.  Those things, unfortunately, can be taken away from you at any time.  Then you are left with what??  The answer to,  "What do you want to be known for?," should follow you where ever your life should take you, regardless to your circumstances. The answer is "transferable" from job to job, town to town.  When you define your life by "what do you want to be known for," and you make that your #1 focus in whatever "bucket list" dream you are pursuing, that's the moment you begin enjoying the "journey of life" vs enjoying only the "destination." 

Examples of just a few positive things to "be known for:"

• being an encourager 
• being a giver
• lifting others up
• loving Jesus Christ
• using loving words during disagreements
• being positive
• showing people mercy and forgiveness
• growing and developing people
• bringing peace to conflict
• doing all things with integrity
• giving to people who cannot return the favor
• bringing ideas to fruition
• achieveing goals and overcoming obstacles
• executing and finishing tasks when given
• making decisions that positively impacts others
• making positive contributions 
• taking a stand, even if not popular
• standing up for those who are unable to defend themselves
• being a risk taker

Anyways, if what you have been working towards was all of a sudden taken away from you, "what do YOU want to be known for????"  Go and BE that!!!  

 

What about me???

TV evangelist, Joyce Meyer, does a skit quite often where she walks across the stage, swinging her arms that are locked in the 90 degrees, imitating a robot and repeating over and over in her deep, raspy voice, "what about me? what about me?"

Those who are successful in this business: the artists, designers, paint distributers, the re-purposers, who are skyrocketing to the top of this industry, such as Dumpster Diva or Miss Mustard Seed, are definitely not walking around acting like a dang "what about me" robot.

Those who are really happy in this industry, do not criticize others in the field.  They are not comparing their work to others.  They are not expecting others to promote their business for them. They don't use others for their own personal gain unless it's a win-win.  In fact, they are not focused on their competition at all, although they are always of aware of who their competition is.  That's just smart business. They are focused on differation.  They speak up and are proactive.  They don't wait for someone to help them and they don't keep people around or in their circle who try to undermine their success.  They do the later with no apology needed.  No one has time for that!

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When they gain, they bring people up with them.  These folks establish their own personal brand. They keep focused on improving their techniques and are learning constantly. They surround their selves with "A" class people who lift them higher, and not petty people who fight small battles.

When things don't work out, they don't spread discord, take sides, start rumors, believe everything they hear or point fingers, but instead, they simply move on to other things that are a better fit for them.   They don't burn unnecessary bridges with the folks who tried to help along the way.  Without doubt, successful people in any industry are just not seen walking around with a chip on their shoulder saying "but what about me?"

If I'm wrong, please name one successful person whose a "what about me" robot in this industry.

Instead, it is evident in their behaviors that as they take a step forward, they reach down and pull someone up with them.

A successful person may fail 1,000 times, but never be a victim.

If you've found yourself being that robot, I encourage you to stop and instead find peace in your beautiful, talented self and start finding the beauty in what others are doing- even your biggest competition.

I challenge any one in the industry whose in a "slump" to reach out to someone whose just getting started or someone who you strive to be like and give back-  even if it's just simple encouragement.

After all, the talents and skills you have been given from God have never once been about you anyways.

Before you strike a deal.

Lately, out of no where, Bible verses have been randomly popping in my head.  Tonight, it's Matthew 7: 15-20.   Just pieces of that passage came to mind, such as the last verse: you'll recognize them by their fruit.  I immediately googled that part to find the "rest of the story."  So, I have had an ahh-haa moment and I have got to get this out.

Picture from : http://thewildernessroad.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-study-this-morning-matthew-715-20.html

 Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.   16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?   17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.   18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.   19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.   20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Anyone can say with confidence and a smile on their face "no-drama-for-me" talk, or with great conviction say "God led me" or "I believe this is what God wants me to do," talk, which in my opinion, falls under "prophet" talk.  Quite frankly, this is music to any Christian's ears in the secular world.  I know it is mine.

As a Christian, it's easy to want to strike a deal and give your heart over to these kind of folks as they seem to be far and few between.  So why then do we sometimes find ourselves, after some time passes and the relationship is in full swing or the deal is struck, left with pain caused by the prickly thorns and thistles?  Our natural reflex is to want to say, "I never even saw that coming!" The Bible says differently.

So how do we prevent that from happening to us and/or our business?

I believe the tricky piece of all of this that causes even the best of us to be misled is that people can show little glimpses of one, two or ALL of these traits; however, for a tree to produce fruit, it takes time, which tells us that they must do "good, fruit bearing" actions over and over and over again. There has got to be concrete evidence!

Evidence is such things as : friends to account for, visits to the hospital for friends/family in need, charitable work, do they volunteer for the meaningless, gets-no-credit or whats-in-it-for-me tasks? Do they have a positive network with them already, thats not immediate family, in whatever field of business they are in or are they in it solo?

We must protect our selves and hearts by not giving people just the benefit of doubt, but look a bit deeper for demonstrated actions found through "judging a person's character by what they do for people who cannot help them," philosophy.

So, what I have learned tonight that I am sharing with you is this:  Before going into business with someone, marrying some one, or "making a deal" with someone, we must learn to make decisions AFTER taking a good look at PAST behavior and fruits they've beared.  If you can't find any, believe what you see and move on!  There will be plenty more fish in the sea.

Fruits to look for: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.  Remember, a bad tree can't bear good fruits, and a good tree can't bear bad fruits.

After all, in word's of Dr. Phil, "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

Professional Picker (aka, PP)

9231 Lee Highway
Ooltewah, TN 37363
423-238-7777

I'm going to break PP's (Professional Picker) rule #1 and tell you one of my best, good-pickin' secrets.

Tucked away, right outside of Chattanooga in Ooltewah, Tennessee, is one of my greatest guilty pleasures.  Let me formally introduce you to the Samaritan Center.

Notoriously closed on Fridays and Saturdays, the line is at least 50+ people deep on Sundays before they open their doors with all smiles at 1:00pm, and the shelves are overflowing.  

Taken 8/25 at approximately 25 mins prior to opening 

A PP knows to get there by 12:30pm at the latest, otherwise, well, all the good stuff is gone.  Secondly, a PP knows not to go there alone, but to work in a teams of 2-3; therefore, once the doors open, one PP goes left and one PP goes right, and ideally, the "mule" (aka, your Mr.,) keeps the buggy and stands in the center of the store, (as the aisles are tiny.)

When you enter, you have 3 choices.  Go left to the thrift store, straight to the bargain area, or take an immediate right to the "Toy Connection" area.

Lined up for opening time!
I think they were a little leary about a lady running into the store with her camera

With the system of 2-3 PP's, there better be a game plan in place before you enter so each can run (I mean walk) through the aisles of vintage goodness and beat, well, other PP's.  The "mule" keeps the buggy so the other PP's can go quickly where the non-PPs cannot go.  This system works flawlessly.

A PP must be willing to shamelessly toss treasures over everyone's head to your "mule" for safe keeping.  Lastly, a real PP is not scared to throw a little elbow when needed. (Ok...I'm kidding!)  Everyone who shops at the Samaritan Center are FANTASTIC, but I will warn you. It's not for the weak of heart (or the indecisive;) otherwise, you will get ran over!

Furniture galore!

One of the first areas of the store the Mr. runs to is their used furniture area of the store.  I do not believe I have ever seen ANY piece of furniture over $30.  Seriously amazing, BUT it flies out of the door.   DO NOT think twice about a piece.  MAKE a decision, otherwise someone will make it for you!  Each piece of furniture has a notecard with the price.  PULL THE CARD and then think later.  Trust me.

So, with that said...I'm about to break PP rule #2, and tell you how much I actually paid for some of my finds!     

Picked for $10.  Value: $50+ all day long

Vintage doll with green eyes that open and close!
Picked for $5.  Value: $25+

Meet Linda and Kimberly!  Super friendly workers at the Samaritan Center... They ALWAYS have smiles on their faces.  Makes for GREAT pickin'!

Thrift Shop Hours

Sunday • 1pm-4pm

Monday-Thursday • 9am-7pm 

(Toy Connection closes at 5pm)

Friday • Closed

Saturday • Closed

 The Thrift Shop, on the left side of the building, has more of a "boutique" feel.  Here, prices are a bit higher, but so is the quality of the merchandise.  Often here, you will discover your name brand clothing, good deals on purses, linens, higher quality glassware, etc.

Be sure to show some love to them on Facebook, and let them know Pickin on the Road and University Pickers sent you!!!  

  https://www.facebook.com/thesamaritancenter?fref=ts

Follow MORE of my Pickin adventures on Facebook at: Pickin on the Road