Down the Rabbit Hole

Hey, gang! Welcome to my life – where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. I’m Freedom and I’ll be your host, coming at you from within the depths of Geistopia. 

DOC: Velcum To My Life ees a prochect, un experiment in Life unt ART. A living storyboard, if you will. Its premise ees zat life ees experiential, unt zat you can, unt do, experience ze life you choose. It ees based on Ze Veel of Life unt Ze ARTs for Ze New Millennium as life building tools. Yeah, it’s true. 

WALT: Welcome to my Life is an I T.V. Studios/Geist…House Players Production, in association with the Center for Creative Inspirationalism. JustUs Productions, the parent company, would like to give a ‘Shout-Out’ to the following for their ongoing, and oft-times unknowing, inspiration and support:

Princess Cuddlebug

Princess Sunshine

Craze & Co. 

The Shaman

The Pillar

F’n Bob

The Warden

The Entire Putt-Putt-Putter Clan

FaeriePrincess

Professor Siggy Chong

Hoagie Snowflake

Sparky Wentz-eclaus

The VanMan and General Ralph Glossop (may they R.I.P.)

The Looch

The Bassett Hound 

Bert-On

The Baker of the Cornbread

Andy Pandy

The Mudder

Zason

Oh, Danny Boy

St. Diane & You

Brother John

Thing 1 & Thing 2

The Nameless One

All the People in My ‘Neighborhood’

White Gurl

The Anomaly 

Good Man, Charlie Brown

‘Jim’

Someone Else

The Rox

CCPA

The PA F&AM

PDT

Senoll #5

Superstar

Sir Richard Slouch

The Wix-ians

The Socialite

The Village of Idiots

Piz-Niffer

Dancing Queen

Downtown Encyclopedia Brown

Baby-Mama Rabbit

My Belle

The Babes

Aaaand, of course, a very generous sponsor who (not-so-much) wishes to remain anonymous. 

It is Sunday, January 19, 2020. Time...Engaging.

What’s goin’ on, Fellow Travelers?

I’ll be honest, I’m actually starting this on Saturday evening. I have matters to attend to on Sunday and I want to be certain that I am able to attend to them properly. This leaves me a little hazy on how or where to begin. The past week saw some shifts in the writing and I am a little off. 

Let’s do a little documenting first - 

It is a 6 Day. [Go figure.]

Sun, Jupiter, & Saturn in Capricorn

Waning Crescent Moon in Scorpio

Mercury in Aquarius

Venus in Pisces

Mars in Sagittarius

I hear it told that the 5 main planets are all lining up in the night sky these days. 

Rise: 0721

Set:  1703

Cold. Snow today. 

I’ve been in a kind of haze today. No particular awareness of anything. 

Rune: Eiwahz

As the above notation states, there really wasn’t much to today as a whole. I woke up and piddled around softly so as to not disturb Hoagie and Spike. After they woke, I chilled out a bit and then we all went to the grocery store. I made arrangements for working on the car and seeing the girls and whatever else I could. I spent a little time with Spike - playing a game and teaching him how to wash dishes. And, I took on a little project.

I have a project that I had begun, but was unable to finish in the time I had wanted it. It is a carving project. It’s a bit of a challenge. Not only is this the first time I am trying a piece like this, but it is also the first time I must complete a piece with only a knife and chisels. I have to do it all by hand. So far, it is ok. I’m having some challenges and when it’s done the piece will definitely be flawed. But, I am learning a lot along the way. 

Here’s a fun fact - it is a piece from The List. You know, The List. The List is The List and there are no exceptions, though apparently there are extensions. So, the goal is to try to complete it before I see the girls tomorrow. I know it seems very late, but anymore, I just do what I’m told. 

I did manage to do just a slight bit of job hunting. There’s a job fair next week and a hiring event at a business on Tuesday. I have put both of those in my calendar. I set up a phone interview for Friday. I’m not real sure about this one, but - a lead is a lead, eh?

So, that was my day. It was all just kind of mellow and blurry. There, but lost. I find I am experiencing more of that lately. Not so much that I am not getting things done, but that my days go by quickly and in a blur. There have been so many energies flitting about lately and I find I depend as much time in the spiritual realm as I do in the physical. But, then, this is January. This is every January for the past 20 years. 

Some of this, I realize, is caused by my recent upswing in Daily Devotions and Rituals. They draw and project energy. Basically, they warp reality. [Not that there’s any such thing.] For instance, because of the Daily Devotions, I find myself being more aware of time...and, yet not. [I know that makes no sense. Hold on.] 

The Devotions happen at particular times of day - 0600, 1200, 1800, and 0000 [or bedtime.] I have found over the years, that when I am regular with them, I start to be aware of the times to do them. I’ll just be doing my thing, then randomly I will think about the upcoming Devotion. I’ll look at the clock and the time is usually within a half an hour until Devotion. In fact, lately, it’s been almost precise. 

So, without really putting much thought into it, I find myself almost programmed for them now. But, I have made an Observation over the past week. When you become aware it is amazing just how long six hours is and just how much can get done in that time. Trust me, though that may sound rudimentary, it really is kind of mind blowing when you bring your awareness to it. 

However, at the same time, I am having a lot of Time Warps. I don’t always know for sure where in time I am. Part of this is the inactivity of life right now. My days just kind of blend and melt together. Part of it is the Devotions and Rituals. They are designed to tweak your perceptions, so things can get warped a little bit. Any time ‘A Circle’ is cast, time will be warped. I first discovered this when I started puttering around with The Shaman. We’d get into whatever we were doing and so often it would seem like hours had passed and it would only be an hour. Of course, occasionally, it has worked in reverse as well - hours would go by in the blink of an eye. And, of course, some of my issue in navigating time right now is caused by the fact that my Experiment Week is offset from the Calendar Week. 

I’m very much focused on the Experiment Weeks right now. In fact, essentially, I am doing what spiritual masters have been telling us for a long time. “Do not worry about tomorrow…” I’m not quite that far yet, but I am down to looking at things week-by-week. I will occasionally look ahead - 2 weeks, 3 weeks, a month - but this is meant more to give me markers in my navigations. Much like charting the night sky from the middle of the ocean. It gives me direction and guidance.

Now, let’s take a look at Experiment Weeks, shall we?

We are currently in the middle of Week 2 [which is technically the third week. The first week being 0 - The Void.] 2 is all about partnership and balance. It is about duality. When I was coming into the week I had commented that, for now, I am partnering with Spirit. I am fully aware that whatever the course of things right now, I am not able to do it on my own. [Especially considering I have no clue what is going on.] 

We never really can do it on our own. The whole of our lives is partnership. Even our jobs are nothing more than a partnership between ourselves and our employers. Our homes are mere partnerships with the landlord or a bank. No one does anything all on their own. I can get very deep and existential, if you like. 

For instance, my crafting. It is something that I do by myself. I don’t have an assistant, or a boss, or a co-worker. Still, I do not do it alone or on my own. I couldn’t do it without the tools. So, you could say I am partnering with those. But, you can also take that deeper and consider it a partnership with the company that manufactured the tools. I can’t do my work without the wood. I am partnering with the trees and the lumber mills. I am partnering with the stores where I buy my tools and supplies. I am partnering with Spirit for inspiration. 

We do absolutely nothing on our own. 

So, again, I am, right off the bat, declaring my partnership with Spirit. The entire course of things right now is all about revamping my life. Obviously, I have not been able to get it right in all of these years, so I must defer to a higher power. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t regret anything. There have been many highs and lows along the way, but all in all it has been splendid and divine. 

As Week 1 was coming to a close, I was readjusting to not having the work/income that I had projected and scheduled. I was tweaking some future business arrangements. I had bills and payments ahead of me. I was also preparing to have to leave Hoagie’s and head to The Rescue Mission.

So, what has Week 2 brought so far? Where has that partnership led?

Things have adjusted and, for the foreseeable future, I am staying at Hoagie’s. This was a great relief. I realize this could change at any time. But, for now, I can stay relaxed and focused and just keep working the work I am doing until I get this all put together. 

Financially, things would come together - for the week anyway, including the sudden need for new brakes. I already had a client scheduled on Wednesday night. She would pay Wednesday morning and that would put my week off and running. I was able to manage some things. I was even able to take advantage of the Retail Merch work that popped up later that morning. It was just a little bit of money in a quick amount of time. [But, every little bit helps, right?] I had a Reiki client pop up along the way and that managed itself into be-ing quite well. 

I also had someone forward me some money. This was so I could get the brakes taken care of. Now, for me, this was just a matter of moving my debt and my needs to a different source. But, this is a source that currently does not have a time limitation. I made what I needed, when I needed it. In fact, technically, I have what I need for my car insurance payment on Wednesday. However, I am holding off a bit. 

I am trying desperately to see The Princesses. If all stays on track, I will see them tomorrow sometime. However, this is going to cost me some money. Not only will I have to invest in the gas to get there and back. It is 44 miles, almost two hours, round trip. Now, I realize that is not an awful lot of gas. But, in The MattMobile it is enough. On top of that, I am going to have to do something with them. At the very least some snacks and drinks. I would like it if we could do lunch or dinner. We just haven’t had a lot of time together. This is the first since I took them to lunch the Sunday after Thanksgiving. 

Right now, it seems as though it is one or the other. I can either see the girls or I can pay insurance. The girls are tomorrow and insurance is due by midnight Wednesday night. I may be able to pull it all off if I balance and manage what I have properly. I may not. 

This has put me in a jam. My rational and practical side says to pay the insurance and deal with it. It does seem the most ‘adult’ thing to do. But, the spiritual side of me says something different. “Do not worry about tomorrow…” 

This is easy to think. It’s harder to do when you don’t really know how you’re generating income from one day to the next. I have reached out to my Facebook community. I’ve made posts trying to generate some Tarot or Reiki clients, even asking for random odd jobs. All I can do now is stoke that fire and keep on moving. 

My greater concern is that I have money due on Thursday as well. This is a much greater amount - for me anyway. This is my support payment. I had originally hoped to manifest the income in enough time to have mailed it in and be able to forego this appointment. That did not happen. My next goal, then, is to have the payment when I go in on Thursday. Right This Moment that doesn’t seem very possible. (But then, Anything is Possible.) Nonetheless, at the very least, I would like to have some amount of cash to take in to show that I am trying. 

It’s a frustrating situation. When I switched from The Theatre to The Seasonal Store, domestic relations never submitted the information to deduct from my pay. Now granted, I didn’t catch this either. I never saw an actual pay stub. So, anyway, this has left me trying to not only make current payments but also trying to catch up on a few months of back payments. All while I have no job or steady income. I have not been doing so good with this and that is why I was kind of hoping that I could walk in there with a full payment in hand. I really don’t want to have to risk going to court over it all. 

There has been a strong Theme lately of the Power of Thought. There has been message after message, reminder after reminder, that what we put out is what we get back. What You Sow, So Shall You Reap. We are co-creators with The Universe. So, I have been putting extra focus into this lately. It is why I am only looking at the week ahead. That way I don’t get bogged down by thoughts or concerns of things that are off in the future. Remember - Anything Can Happen in Six Minutes. We never really know how things are going to go or turn out. Anything can happen along the way and life can change in but a moment. 

It is also why I am [trying] not to use the word ‘need.’ If I say ‘need’ then I create ‘need.’ I have been using meditations and such to keep me in line as well. I just always focus on light and, for lack of a better term, love. I noticed last night that I very often lay down with a smile on my face. For as chaotic and uncertain as my life seems to be at the moment, I can still lay down at the end of the day with a good feeling and a smile on my face. But, I can only do this as long as I am staying focused on day-by-day. I must give appreciation and recognition to the moments and blessings of the day I had and then look forward to the ones that are to come the next. 

We are preparing to enter into Week 3. Again, 3 is the base number of Creation. I won’t lie - based on how things have been developing over the course of our experiment, I’m more than a little curious to see what this next week will bring. 

Everything is so very different right now than it was at the end of Yule. It’s sometimes hard to fathom that is not even three full weeks between. So much happens. So much shifts.

Life...it happens. 

So, as we come to the bridge between Week 2 and Week 3, this is where we are at - 

There are a few things scheduled here and there, but nothing work oriented as of yet. Of course, getting the brakes changed will help with that. Financially, I have about $170 in obligations this week, not including just living. This is slightly frustrating considering I am down $110 in income that I had thought I was working towards. But, at the same time, it is hard to remain frustrated because, so far, things have worked out just fine along the way. I have what I ‘need’ each day. Everything has fallen into place all on it’s own, with very little ‘extra’ effort on my part. All I do is show up. 

Just a guy dopin’ along. 

So, despite, the ‘poverty’ of it all, my life has been more fluid and abundant lately. It has also been strong spiritually. I have had more visions and meditations. I have had more energy flowing through and about me. For as open as I am, I feel like I am opening up more. There have even been moments when I felt a little overwhelmed and in over my head. 

There is one last thing I would like to get into today. Just at the end of Week 2 I would be inspired. It wasn’t a new idea but revisiting a long standing idea. It all came in slow and subtle until finally it gelled together. 

I want to talk about The Rabbit Hole. 

The Rabbit Hole is ‘my’ idea for a business. [I say ‘my’ because I feel it is truly inspired.] It gets it start, long before I am actually on a spiritual path. All the way back in ‘96 I wanted to open a ‘record’ store. Obviously, it would have been CDs. At the time, I figured I had such a passion for music that it seemed the perfect fit. In hindsight, seeing where the distribution of music has come to, it’s probably best that this wasn’t to happen. 

I’ve always been geared and inclined towards doing my own thing. It’s why I do most of what I do today. In middle school I sold sticks of gum for a profit. It’s always been a part of who I am. 

But, the record store was not to be a thing.

Fast forward a few years. I am on my path. I have taken the first Quest. I am working in and around all sorts of metaphysical stores. I began to think that maybe this was a bit more suitable for me. I started looking into all things metaphysical retail. I had even had a meeting once with my Reiki Master about acquiring her inventory when she closed her store. 

I had found a place. I liked it. But, she was uncertain of the location.  I mean, that is the number one business creed, is it not - location, location, location.  Again, in hindsight, she was correct. It wouldn’t have been the best location. And, ‘location’ is what would trouble me for decades. 

It’s true I want a business that is easily accessible and visible to the public. This only makes sense. But, it was important to me that the property have the right appeal to it. It had to not only accommodate the business, but it would have to appease the energies with the right atmosphere. As the years moved on and the vision grew, this became even more important.

Finding both in the same place was beginning to seem impossible. I have eyeballed and investigated so many different properties, but none seemed to offer all of what I wanted. Each brought with it limitations. I realize this will always be the case. Life is nothing more than a game of ‘Give & Take.’ But, it seems I can always find a place that has the right appeal, OR it has good traffic. Not too long ago, I stumbled on a property that could do both, but the parking could be a problem. Not only that, but technically, though the building is abandoned for several years, it is not openly on the market. 

However, on my most recent Quest up and down the mountain - after a barrage of Totems and messages - I would stumble upon, not one but, two properties that are available and can fit both requirements. This is all at the same time when there is an influx of Themes revolving around advancement, moving forward, thought is creation, etc. Not to mention that I was pretty much told I need to figure out what I want to do with life. 

The Rabbit Hole is a good answer to that question, if I am being honest with myself. Since the day it was first conceived I could see myself doing it. No matter the length of the interval in between, sooner or later, my thoughts and activities are always turned to it. Any time I meet a new crafter I think about how they could sell their wares at The Rabbit Hole. Now, you may wonder how a crafter relates to a metaphysical store, but we’re getting there. Nonetheless, it is a part of my being. 

There are other things I like to do but they do not have to die off completely. In fact, some of them may even become more prosperous through The Rabbit Hole. Not to mention, it would allow me to keep my spiritual commitments. Only, now, instead of being dragged all over, here and there, people can come to me and I can be still. 

I’d say over the years that the vision has expanded. But, the truth is, these notions have always been there in some way. So, let me take a moment to introduce you to The Rabbit Hole. This might be the most I have ever gotten written down and it is the closest thing I have to a business plan to date. So, needless to say, all of this information is proprietary. [I will be emailing myself a copy of this writing for time and date purposes. This may seem over precautionary, but I had an experience with a media company once that made me realize you have to CYA.)

I have had two decades to mill over and contemplate The Rabbit Hole. So many elements have come into play along the way. At first glance it may seem like too much, but it really blends more than one may think. 

In its original conception, I was intending on having a counter for customers to get tea or what not. The space I had originally looked at was more than big enough to accommodate such a thing. Over the years, I would begin to think that I should look into a coffee house. Anyone that knows me knows I love coffee. If you see me without a coffee cup nearby there may be something wrong. Just sayin’.

But also, over the years, and through my travels, I have grown quite an affection for the coffee house experience. They are good places to relax, and congregate and connect. They can be sources of inspiration and creativity. But, for me, they came to be more than that. In my travels around the country I have come to appreciate local coffee houses. They are great places to connect to the area and learn about where you are currently. 

So, keep that in mind. If you ever find yourself traveling around the country, almost aimlessly, living out of your vehicle you have two good resources for learning an area and how to survive it - Coffee Houses and homeless people. 

Coffee houses also tend to have a similar clientele as a metaphysical shop. I mean, not everyone that goes to a coffee house is into all of the whacky-woo-woo of the world, but they do have a lot of crossover. A lot of these people, in both customer flows, tend to also be artists or creatives of some sort. 

The full name of the business is The Rabbit Hole: Coffee Bar & Emporium. 

I figure I can blend all of these notions into one. I can have the coffee shop and the energies it provides while maintaining a small spiritual storefront. And, since both do attract artists and crafters, I realized I could open the doors to individuals who are trying to grow their business by offering their wares through consignment. 

Because of the mix of businesses already there are just so many options. Candlemakers. Jewelry wrappers. Crafters who make incense burners or wands or tools. There is a whole world of opportunities out there. 

No matter the face it takes or how it comes forth, the point to The Rabbit Hole, it’s mission, I suppose, is to give people a place to grow and expand and enhance their lives in some way shape or form. Whether they come to relax, or meet friends over a cup of coffee, or they are coming for stones or incense or candles, or they are crafting their passions and finding an outlet for them - The Rabbit Hole is a place they can do it all. 

You may wonder why The Rabbit Hole as a name. It will have an Alice in Wonderland motif. Moving on…

So, there are currently three divisions to the operations of The Rabbit Hole. [Well, four. But, we’re getting there.] There is the coffee house/food aspect. Then we have the metaphysical storefront which can include things like incense, candles, stones, incense burners, oils, books, cds, etc. The list goes on and on. 

There are other opportunities for retail as well - such as coffee mugs, tea diffusers and things of that nature. I had thought, as long as there will be books, perhaps The Rabbit Hole can acquire a library of used books that are available to read on premises or even buy. 

And, since there are many crafters who do make things like incense and candles and jewelry and such, all of this opens up the opportunity to give them sales space. Of course, it does not have to be limited to such things. Any craft or art is acceptable. I had even thought about possibly doing Art showings for local artists, then leaving their art up for purchase for some amount of time. 

So those are the three main arenas of business. Of course, having a metaphysical storefront allows me the opportunity to offer readings and Reiki, thereby expanding my own personal horizons as well. I figure, as long as the space is there for doing such work, then I can just as easily offer that space for rent to other practitioners who may need a space from which to work. I struggled with that personally for years. You can’t take clients if you don’t have a space and spaces can be difficult to find - if not because of availability then because of cost. I have come across so many storefronts that just gouge practitioners in rent and fees, making it almost impossible to really make any money. Having all of these practitioners around there is bound to be someone who offers workshops, classes, or study groups. I’ve done quite a few myself over the years. This is where we can find area number four - events. 

So, there is the food service base. That brings with it all of the things of food service - prep, cleaning, etc. Obviously, there would be, at the very least, baked goods available. I would prefer if all foods could be made on premises, but as long as I contract out to local purveyors and suppliers I would be satisfied and content. I have not determined if I want to get into meal type foods or not. That brings a lot more with it and may not be necessary. 

Next, there is the retail base. This would be all the things I buy through suppliers. It would be the crystals and books and statues and whatnots. 

Area three would be vendors and consignees. [Is that even a word?] This would include artists and crafters and practitioners. 

Finally, area four would be events which could encompass workshops/classes/study groups, open mics, or poetry events. It could include the art showings. And, on the right property [such as #2 from The Quest] The Rabbit Hole could even host vendor events and fairs. 

I realize this may sound like a lot but it really isn’t. It’s not as complicated as it seems because it all connects so well. Truly, the only two divisions are Food Service and Retail. Everything else would relate to one of those two things anyway. 

It does seem an awful lot to manage though doesn’t it? 

Do not fear, Fellow Travelers. In my research I have come across a POS system that would let me do both retail and food service. It is designed for both. The system would allow me to manage all aspects of the food side of things - inventory, food cost, sales, etc. But, it would also let me manage the same aspects of retail. In fact, it would allow me to enter all crafters and practitioners as individual vendors in the system. This would allow me to track their inventory and sales, as well as give both of us an official record of what is owed to each of us. The system would also allow me to print SKUs for those vendors and products. Everything can be scanned. No need to type in or write down. No need for confusion or difficulty. 

In fact, the system has a frequent customer system so I can track spending habits which allows for offering personalized specials and discounts to customers who would join the ‘club’ and get a card.

The consignment aspect of things can be beneficial in several ways. First, it adds to the list of products and services. Second, it does this without affecting the overhead. Frankly, it’s like free money for almost nothing. But, many of the crafter stores I have looked into, as well as some metaphysical stores, have put into the vendor contract that they not only pay a fee but work in the store xx amount of hours. I like this option, but I do not like forcing anyone into that situation. That could very much limit the vendors and practitioners I might attract. 

The consignment fee alone is a struggle for me. I once went about a space in a New Age shop. The owner wanted rent for the space monthly. Plus, she wanted a percentage of my clients. I was in a shop once in Sedona that required it’s practitioners to pay a consignment fee of 40% AND work in the storefront several (many) hours a week. In my opinion these arrangements do nothing but bleed people dry and make it very difficult for someone to thrive. 

For a long time I looked at a consignment fee of 10%. I know that seems very low and probably is. But, my philosophy is, if 10% is good enough for G-d how can I ask for any more? Over time I have resolved myself to maybe 20% [25% tops] with the option of working hours in the store and lowering the fee to 10%. 

With this sort of arrangement, I am not only expanding the product and services offered but I am bulking up on potential work hours that do not need to be filled. 

Hours and Labor may be the next concern. I couldn’t run a store like this all by myself. Especially, if it sits on a high traffic route. So, employees would be necessary. This is why I had hoped to find partners along the way. More people invested, less people needed. Of course, the amount of labor hours needed would be dependent on the hours of operation. 

I have looked at all sorts of scenarios and situations. As a coffee house, and one that may serve food [meals] it stands to reason that I could get a lunchtime crowd. But, there would also be great potential for people to stop for something in the morning. I’ve decided that, at this point, that isn’t as critical. The amount of business a place like The Rabbit Hole could do in the morning rush hour hours is not worth the labor and resources it would require to pull off. Not at first anyway. 

I had looked at being open 7 days a week. But, without partners this is not a wise move. I would burn myself out before things could get going. I was looking at the whole of the project through food service eyes. I have adjusted more to the retail base. 

Hours of operation would be 10A to 7P Tuesday through Saturday. These are normal retail hours. The 10-7 anyway. It’s not odd to find many sole proprietorships operating within this time frame. This eliminates the need for at least four hours of labor and electric, as well as the need for breakfast type foods. As for the two days closed - that’s not so much about having time off, though that is a benefit. 

I figure in the two off days I have time to do things around the storefront that may need to be done or take care of business I may not be able to get to otherwise. The time would also allow me to take clients. This way I do not have to take all of my clients during operating hours, plus it would open the opportunity for at least some cash flow in, even when the store itself is closed. Of course, I would open up that offer to other practitioners as well, assuming I could be there to open up. [This is one of the reasons I’d like my home and the business on the same property. Or, at least, darn close.]

And, with the store closed, those two days are also good for hosting events - art shows, workshops, etc. Really, this can be done at night after the store front closes but this is still two whole days that open themselves up for that. All of this keeps activity and cash flow coming in. 

In regards to employees, an exact amount is unclear. It would really depend on availability and business. Working from past experiences, I would estimate at least four to open the store. They wouldn’t have to be full time. In fact, it is best if they aren’t I suppose. But, with both the food and retail aspects there may be times when I need all five of us in the store at once. Yet, there will be plenty of times when only one associate would be needed. Add in any vendors that may take advantage of the offer and I am reducing labor cost and need. 

Out of those employees I would be looking for a supervisor - someone I could promote and make full time. Someone I could trust with the store in my absence, should it be necessary.

It is hard as a small business but I would want to offer each associate the best pay and benefits possible. Some may think me a fool at some of my notions on this, but one thing I’ve learned over the years is that if a business is willing to take care of its employees the employees are more inclined to take care of the business. So, I would want something in place to make them feel like it is worth their time. Something that makes them feel appreciated. Offering health insurance would be nice. Again, as someone who has been on this end of things I would want them to not have to worry about such matters. But, that may not be practical nor fiscally wise. However, years ago I worked for a retailer that would pay its employees a bonus on their birthdays. Part time employees received four hours of pay, whether they worked or not. If you’re looking at 4 employees, receiving $10 an hour that is only $160 a year. That is such a small amount to make such a big gesture. Honestly, you could even pay them some holiday pay for holidays that may fall on business days, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. You’re still only looking at another $320 a year on top of that. In the grand scheme of things it just seems like such a small amount of investment for the possible return. 

At this point, I think that is all there is to know without getting into financials of construction and equipment and real estate, etc. My problem in financials of this sort is that it will all depend on what is officially decided upon, but also the availability of what is needed. I can invest in a super duper espresso machine or I can downgrade to one of those pod systems found in a lot of coffee houses today. Needless to say, the former is my preferred, but the latter is more practical. Likewise, I would love to make all of the baked goods on premises, but that requires a whole lot of extra equipment, as well as labor hours. Still, I once read an article that suggested as a new business owner you should open the doors doing the things that you really want to do - the things that are important to you. Leave things to grow into but do the important stuff right out the gate. I’m not sure if this is a grow into thing or important enough to insist on from the outset. This is where I need a business mind. 

I would open the store in September. Generally, retail stores open in the spring or in the fall. It all depends on the kind of store, the clientele, and what season you are trying to take advantage of. My thoughts are that if opened in September the business is setting itself up for a surge of customers for October. It is a metaphysical store after all. And, because the business would also be dealing in hand-crafted, one of a kind items it would set itself up to draw a Christmas crowd right away. 

This leaves the property itself. As I said, I have had a hard time finding a property that seemed to fit the needs. Suddenly, I have found two. One is in place as a business property and would probably be easy to convert to what is needed. It has the right appeal and curbside feel. But, parking could be an issue. I also don’t know what other limitations it may present. The other property is larger and is currently residential. I’m not concerned about having the zoning adjusted but the construction needs would be more, including septic work. In the long run it would be worth it, but is it a an obstacle that a business person can see past?

So, that is what I have. That is my vision. This is my dream. Is it possible? Is this the course I am actually on these days? 

I don’t have answers to those questions so all I can do is keep plugging away at the idea the best I can while still trying to build some sort of a life for myself. 

If you’re not already there go to the Welcome to my Life Facebook page - WTML, or the YouTube Channel - Welcome to my Life.

Wherever you are, and whenever you are, Like, Comment and Share. Let us know you’re there.

So, without hesitation…

For now and for always, from here in Geistopia, this is your beloved Rev…

WALT: And Walt…

DOC: Unt Doc…

JOHNNY: Aaaand Johnny…

And, those guys, saying, “stay tuned in Fellow Travellers,” and wishing you Peace, Love, Light…

WALT: ...and freakishness, baby!!