More tidbits.

Had a big day at the store, yesterday.

Huh.

For which I have no explanation whatsoever.

Good results in every category.

Sorry, I'm not going to miss the Winterfest at all (nor, Aaron Switzer is probably thinking, is Winterfest going to miss me....). But if what I want is good, solid foot traffic, it seems to me that I have way more than I ever expected.

A decade ago, I wouldn't have gotten over 100 people in the door unless it was a Holiday, and even then it was rare.

To get those numbers in early February just proves to me how much has changed.

Anyway, a good 'money' day as well, which sets me up nicely to reach my 'medium' scenario, and gives me a good chance to reach my high scenario....

A nice surprise.

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Got around to watching my Tivo'd Austin City Limits. Nick Lowe. His "Cruel to be Kind" is one of my favorite all time songs.

Shocker to see an old guy. But he gave what could only be called a virtuoso performance. Beautiful voice. With only him and a guitar.

Also, a song by the mythical Daniel Johnson, which I guess is a little like catching a glimpse of Bigfoot.

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Back to the store. I didn't really think about it much before I did it, but working the store everyday is paying bigger dividends than I expected.

I was thinking only about saving on wages and taxes.

But I'm also getting a good solid sense of the store, and it's a bit more positive than I had when I was taking so much time off.

Sure....there is the benefit of knowing my inventory, being able to respond to requests, knowing when to discount, getting a feel for who my current customers are (the biggest surprise, and one I'll probably talk about in the future) and just my overall sales ability that comes from experience.

On top of that, though, I'm finding that I'm getting a much more solid and secure grasp of what I need to reorder, and when. (I'm letting myself do direct ship reorders again, despite the cost, partly because I'm saving so much on wages....) Having a new lease nearly in grasp has freed me to take a few chances on ordering, which has already paid off in higher sales.

Higher 'gross' sales, I should say. Probably won't translate into higher 'profits,' because more risk is being taken. But keeping sales as far north of the break-even zone as possible isn't a bad goal. The higher my gross sales are, if and when the economy recovers -- I know, I know, may be years from now -- the less ground I have to make up.

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This is the first year I can remember that I haven't seen ANY of the Academy Award movies. We're going to go see Slumdog Millionaire this afternoon, so at least we'll have seen one.

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Back to the store. The first two weeks of working everyday were a little rough. Had like 3 uncomfortable incidents with customers. Feeling tired all the time.

Then it was as if I got my second wind. Started pacing myself. Relearned how to handle certain customers. It's been a breeze since. I actually like working everyday.

It turns out, I'm chaffing less from working everyday than I was not working everyday.

I must be a workaholic.

I like seeing if I can make it all work, and the economic challenges just make it all that much more interesting.

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I decided not to post my 'ego' entry, after all. I'm tempted to bury it in the past.
Has anyone else done that? Seems kind of silly.

But, it's like putting something in the archive, wanting it on record but not having to answer for it.

You know, because all my words are 'golden'. Sheesh. As if it really matters....

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Finally got my consignment order of the Watchmen. This title has got to be the best-selling graphic novel, ever. At least in my store. I thought I had more than enough, but at this pace I'll have to make yet another reorder before the movie.

I've taken to actually down-playing the book. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book. But it ain't the second-coming. It had an impact on the industry that has been diluted since by much much copying (being the sincerest form of flattery....)