You Get What You Get…
By Amy | February 1, 2010
“You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” Unknown (has to be a teacher)
My son LOVES to share this quote from his teacher, which I’m certain he hears quite frequently in school. Well, sorry to say that rainbows and butterflies are out the window today and I pretty much threw myself a fit of a seven year old this morning. If you aren’t in the mood for my candid emotion of “pissed off” I suggest you read no further.
It takes a lot to bring me out of the optimistic, clear blue skies, horses with horns, fairy tale, everything in the world is great no matter what’s thrown at me attitude. Well, I think once it piles and piles you eventually have to snap like that damn camel and throw yourself an over-the-top pity party. What set me off?
It’s a fantastic feeling to look up your bank account and see that some jack ass vendor didn’t do as you asked and processed your order on the wrong account, hence causing major havoc on your “budget”. This unleashed quite a few things I suppress on a daily basis to keep pushing on. Maybe if I share a bit of them with you, I’ll get rid of them for good because I truly am a person who must get things off of my chest or it’ll keep festering. Enjoy the following bitch session:
We have been chasing this flippin’ space next door for FOUR YEARS! Did you hear me? In the interim of being screwed over in the first place on it we have witnessed the following: Greedy ass, highly recommended “professionals” who are completely pompus and incompetent having to be asked to do what they say they’ll do and then stick you with a bill for half a mortgage with zip results. I wish I could get away with being half ass and highly paid. This is considered “doing things the right way”, according to your local education system advisors.
Oh, and Mr. Banker can pretty much kiss my hind end too. I have NEVER felt so treated like a child by an industry in my life. Guess what? You can call and simply say, “NO” cuz last time I checked we are GROWN. I’ll tell you this – when we ever get to the point of not needing the money and you start showing your face talking about how you can “help us”, I will promptly tell you to hit the door, jack!
What else? How could I forget…Dear Local Government,
I am incredibly thankful to you for steadily increasing “sin taxes” to help with the very irresponsible decisions that have been made over the years on your end. The few, many locally owned, establishments that sell adult beverages really appreciate you continuing to allow the big boxes off scott-free. How do we have a higher tax rate than Chicago?! Rather than making complete since to simply hike the regular sales tax across the board, which the math pretty much speaks for itself – please continue to stick it to us little guys (no offense to our friends there, but it is what it is). Our customers love to tell us how they’ll drive to another town for a lessor tax rate.
Also, I have great affinity to the “ticket nazi’s” that continue to stalk myself and our customers. It made my day when a private detective delivered papers to my HOME explaining that my car will be towed, sold, and I may possibly be taken to court over $200 in fines. Great way to revitalize a downtown, wouldn’t you say?
What else? Mmmm…to the lovely salespeople that continue to disrupt my every effort at accomplishing something on a daily basis. You will begin to see the “provoked me” because I have HAD it! Kills me how when we are the ones “buying” from them and should be considered their valued customer (I think the word is respect), they continue to try and SELL you when you ask them specifically to follow the procedure. Yeah, buddy – keep coming in unannounced, consider me stupid, and see how much product you’ll move here.
Ahhhhh…yes, I almost forgot. If you don’t like your job, find another one. Quit taking your pissy attitude out on us. I swear – if I get one more smart remark or dirty look from the guys working on our space I will plum lose it! Kill um with kindness, right? We have SO tried. “How are you?”…”That looks really nice, you did a great job!”…nope. Never have I heard of a man who is being paid to do his occupation say the F Bomb to a lady (mind you!) of whom the space is being developed for just because she had asked for something a certain way and they didn’t want to do it. Luckily, I wasn’t in the room when that happened because I would’ve had to ask him what the F*#( his problem is. Is this an “I hate women” thing? I dare you to do it again.
Enough of this, suck it up already, Amy! I told you I’d be telling the tale as it really plays out. Truth is stranger than fiction and baby, let me tell you, there is some tough truths to learn in this adventure. However…I realize it is all part of it. “Nothing is simple, but who wants nothing?” as the great Donald says. I also recalled today what a fellow downtown business owner said to me when we first came down here…”You might as well be a bitch now, because you’ll certainly become one whether you want to or not.” Well said, my friend.
Nah…I know we are all capable or that inner “pink label wine” that we sell (which is why we sell so much of it!). At the end of the fit, you come back to realize that you are tested to fall or become stronger. I refuse to give into the pessimism attempting to crack my faith and choose to still be a better person in spite of feeling chased by doom and gloom which wants you to act like a child when faced with adversity.
Here’s to kicking and screaming, wiping the tears, and picking the crayons back up to finish the masterpiece.
I’m back. Thanks for listening.
Amy
Sometimes…
By Amy | January 28, 2010
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” Dr. Seuss
I have a feeling that Seuss riddles will be referenced quite a bit because they just make so much sense. I guess this one applies today because I’ve found myself wondering how I plan on becoming a good bartender because I’ve never been one before.
Well, I had never been a business owner, retail clerk, wine snob (just kidding – that type of over full of ego pinky flipper can piss off), accountant, h/r rep, psychologist, buyer, artist, writer, marketing director, receiving mule, cleaning lady, chef, caterer, event planner…either. The point is sometimes we over analyze ourselves so much that it simply allows the fear of failure into the ballpark. GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE FEAR! I have no use for you.
I think all of this waiting on the space to be finished stress, along with if we aren’t flying by the seat of our pants “doing” rather than “thinking” the flood gates open and you begin to second guess yourself and your capabilities. Is that just human nature – that fight or flight response?
Spending a ton of money hoping you’ll eventually make it back is a real mind altering experience too. The true test is figuring out how to trick your mind into kicking out that beast called doubt and dig right back in to the journey with faith. Worrying really is a waste of the imagination and I believe that what this Seuss quote is really stating is the KISS (Keep it simple stupid) way it should be.
This is another reason why I am writing this blog because simply writing these thoughts down rather than continuing to revisit them has now seemed to help me close that file of doubt.
In closing, one of the greatest mentors in my life (my high school softball coach) told me recently:
“Do what you can – with what you have – where you are”. Agreed.
Here’s to closing useless files. Cheers!
Amy