Back to the Grind

Vacation is officially over. I kept myself super busy last week so I wouldn't dwell on it, but it was still tough. I rode in with my wife so I would be sure to get there. I'm only half kidding. My new crew is pretty rough. In fact, I went to the foreman and requested that one be transferred to another unit because of not being a good fit with a couple of the others. The biggest disappointment is that a person I had a real good repoire with and requested to be placed in my crew was placed elsewhere. I was assured that this would not be a problem before I left for vacation, but I'm not surprised.

This weekend I went to the flea market and liquidated the remains of an estate sale I obtained. I think I ended up doing around 450, and it was a slow Saturday. I have regular customers that look for me because I sell it cheap, and some of it I just give away. When I retire, I could see myself picking up 500 - 900 a weekend. My best single day ever was 700. The great thing about this weekend was that I paid pretty much nothing for two truckloads.

There are some really cool people out there once you get to be one of the "regulars". One fellow is Cherokee and sells handcrafted items. I brought him a sack full of parrot feathers I promised him a couple of weeks ago. I thought the dude was gonna cry. He just kept repeating, "I can't believe you remembered me!" To be totally honest, I can't believe I remembered either!

Then there's the man and his wife that bring truckloads of metal stuff from Mexico. I've known him a while, and he sells me stuff wholesale that I sell in my shops. He tells me,"Mike, this is what you need to get this week. You'll thank me later." It sounds like a line, but I sell whatever he suggests every time. Plus, his wife makes a mean breakfast taco!

My mom and sister came out Saturday came out Saturday and dropped about 400 on jewelry. They found a lot of James Avery and whoever the guy was that split off from his company (Jeep Collins?). They sell the heck out of it on ebay.

Well, I need to go work some more on my attitude towards work. God's gonna have to help me on this one. More than that, I have to make more of an effort.

My pastor gives this illustration. There is a cup of poison sitting between two people in conflict. The one that initiates the conflict goes on without giving it a second thought; without ingesting the poison. If the victim chooses to drink from the cup, he or she will suffer. I've got to stop drinking from that cup. Your attitude has a direct impact on your physical well-being. I refuse to let that continue. It is much more difficult than it sounds, or maybe I'm just making it more difficult. Gotta reason things through.