Pep talk.

There is a certain inertia to ordering. Once I start ordering, it becomes difficult to stop ordering. But the reverse is also true. Once I start not ordering, it can become difficult to start ordering again.

Right now, I'm making lists.

I haven't figured out if list making is a useful venting of steam.... or a time-bomb. I guess, so far as I don't push the 'commit' button.....

In a sense, just scanning the lists has cleared some of the fog of indecision. I can look at the items, decide if they are truly necessary. Or I can sit on the lists, and if nothing happens, I'll know that it was a 'want' and not a 'need.' Keeps me busy and out of trouble (unless I push the 'commit' button....)

I'm trying to break this down into manageable time units. Get through this day. Push off the order one week. Hold off until this bill shows up next month. Concentrate on just this season.

At some point in the past couple of years I became a fully stocked store, without really realizing it. I'd been struggling to get to that level for so many years it was hard to reverse the perception that I needed more material.

Years ago, when I was in credit card debt to my ears and had no backup savings, I had a mantra: If I don't order this item, will anyone notice?

Not a great scheme to increase sales, but it did get me through a tough time.

Maybe now I should be looking at an item and asking myself; would I rather have the cost in cash, or the item itself? Will it sell fast enough to recoup the money before it's due to be paid, or am I willing to carry it as an investment? If it does sell that fast, should I order another copy?

There have been a few unexpected side benefits. When an empty space isn't immediately filled by a reorder, it allows me some flexibility in displaying in-stock items. I've found myself spending more time on back comics over the last two days. Getting them organized and displayed. It's made me realize that I really have been pretty darn efficient in my ordering -- yes, I have unsold material, but not mostly because of ordering mistakes. Too many number 1's, but that's an error in favor of potential; not enough number 2's, which is probably an error in being overly conservative. But, overall, not bad.



All I know is everything I've been doing for the past 24 years hasn't resulted in any real profits beyond The Best Minimum Wage Job A Middle Aged Guy Ever Had. And I getting too old for that shit.

Time to grow up. Become a real businessman. And that requires that I stay disciplined and focused for the next six months.

Which means giving myself a pep talk on an almost daily basis.