It's just a little snow......

Well, this month hasn't been half bad, you know. Certainly better than last month.

I mentioned a few days ago that it appears I have finally reached a point where I can make regular systematic reorders, at regular systematic amounts.

So I show up yesterday for work, planning to make my new 'regular' once every two week order of new books and new games.

But first, I busy myself straightening and cleaning. None of my employees seem to abide much to the" half-inch rule" -- which is my own strange little creation that says that; if you have a packed store, that every half-inch of material that is off-kilter adds up, until you have an overall impression of chaos.

Or maybe I'm just obsessive-compulsive. At any rate, I usually find plenty to do on Tuesdays.

As I'm straightening up, I begin to notice that I have little or no gaps in the books. If I order more books, where will I put them?

I look at the list of games sold, and realize that I would have to buy filler product just to reach my minimum order level, which I don't much want to do.

So....I decide to hold off, at least for a few days, and see if anything changes. I mean -- I'm apparently stocked, since there doesn't seem to be any real need.

Maybe it just isn't feasible to have regular, systematic times and amounts when you own a small business -- because customers simply aren't systematic and regular.

Midway through this process, a lady comes in and buys one of the tall paperbacks for half price, which is 5.00.

I look around, and the day is half-over and that's my first sale. Hmmmmmmm.....

Another couple hours go by, and I clean the vacuum cleaner and eat lunch and browse the internet, and around 4:30 another woman comes in and buys a tall paperback for 5.00.

So I've made a grand total of 10.00 with the day 3/4ths over.

This is when I literally go and check the OPEN signs, to make sure they're on. I look out on the street, and out of 12 parking spots, 6 on each side of the street, only one spot is filled.

Double hmmmmmmmmm........

It approaches 5:00 and I realize this will be the WORST day in the history of my business, at least while I was working. (I did have a zero day, once, but I've always wondered if my employee forgot to unlock the door or something....) I mean, you'd think people would stumble into my store by complete accident and buy something. Like throwing an empty hook into a stream and snagging a fish. Something.

At exactly 5:00, guy comes up to the counter with a stack of books.

"Oh, you're ruining my worst day ever," I said.

"Sorry," he answers. Then he compounds the problem by signing up for a comic subscription and thus becoming a brand new regular -- the most valuable kind.

I then proceed to have a pretty good hour; not much of a day, but not the worst ever either.

It was a little strange to be rooting for the worst day ever label, but .... what you gonna do? Sometimes when you have a bad day, you just got to go with it.....