Tuesday tings.

O.K. That was weird. I Googled myself, (no that's not weird, well, maybe a little...) and suddenly a whole lot of my blogs are in the listings. Used to be, they'd have a few, but most of them wouldn't be there.

What would have changed that? Is that just me, or is Google tailoring it to Bend or something?

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I've given up on Rocket Bomber, the site of a guy who manages a Barnes and Noble. He has a lot insights and experience, and at the same times, he promotes most ludicrous ideas I think I've ever heard about how to go about starting a bookstore.

I start to read his thoughts, and he'll say something so profoundly dunderheaded, that I can't concentrate on what else he's saying.

Plus, he seems to have a certain self-loathing about working for the "man" that leeches into everything he says.

It's hard to watch someone wallowing in self-pity who has grandiose illusions about how he's going to start a super bookstore.

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I was visiting Wendy across the street at Trivia Antiques, and she said, "I've got something for you."

She pulls out a beat up copy of Dr. Seuss's, HORTON HATCHES THE EGG. It has scribbles all over the front, and may even be an original 1940 edition. And on the front page in very fine handwriting is the name: Duncan McGeary.

How cool is that?

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The young kids at the nursery across the street are having a water balloon fight. Also very cool. We hear the sounds of kids playing throughout the morning. The best background noise ever.

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Actually started coughing last night, and my eyes started getting swollen. Somewhere a patch of sage is burning...

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I've been trying to talk one of the downtown merchants into staying in the small location she has. I think she's disappointed in the foot traffic and feels her rent is too high.

But I've told her I think moving to a cheaper rent is not the best of ideas, if it means losing what foot traffic she has.

Look, all you save is the fixed amount on the rent, which may seem attractive until you don't get any customers. It's the SALES you need to look for -- whatever it takes. A busy location can make up for the rent over and over again, but cheap rent can never make up for a loss of sales.

It's a problem lots of newer retailers have, of thinking the grass is greener somewhere else, instead of sticking it out and building the business.

Again: "Cheap Rent Can Never Make Up For A Loss Of Sales."