My Frustrating Week

It’s been an odd week. 

First, on Tuesday, I went to pick up a parcel for the store.  Now, for as long as the store has been open, parcels have gone to the postal outlet at Coquitlam Centre.  So, I of course automatically went there to pick it up.  After the usual 10-15 minutes of waiting in line, I get to the counter only to be told that my parcel isn’t there….it’s at Westwood 7-11.  To which I respond, “Where the heck is that?”  Of course, the clerk didn’t know, though he very (un)helpfully circled their phone number on the card for me. 

So, back in the car, I reach for my cell-phone to call them and get directions….no cell-phone!  Crap!  I left it at home on the charger.  Oh, well, the address on the card is Panarama Drive and I know where that is, so I should be able to find it.  Leave the mall, get onto Pinetree, start climbing the mountain….up, up, up…right to the end of Pinetree.  I know Panarama isn’t this high up, but how did I miss it!  Still feeling cocky about knowing where I am, and where I’m going, I refuse to get my map book out and carry on back down the mountain on some street….and finally find Panarama.  Yeah!  But which way to turn…left or right?  I choose left and cruise along looking for the 7-11.  Check the street names at an intesection and discover that I’m no longer on Panarama….What?!?  I didn’t turn anywhere!  That’s it, I pull over and get the map book out.  So much for knowing Coquitlam!  Find out that Panarama turns into Mountain something (which also explains why I didn’t see it when I was on Pinetree), so turn around and head back the way I came.  And FINALLY find the 7-11….about two blocks to the right of where I’d turned left! 

I get the parcel….I was hoping it was shipment of jewellery, turned out to just be publisher catalogues….and then have to figure out how to get down off the mountain.  This time I checked the map book before leaving the parking lot!  Was then home in about 5 minutes…..but the whole adventure took over an hour for what should have been a 10-15 minute stop.

Then on Thursday, when I went to leave home to come in to the store, I discovered that the house down the street was getting cement delivered, and my lane was completely blocked by the cement truck.  No way out!  They were moving the cement a wheelbarrow at a time to the front of the house….looked like I wasn’t going anywhere for awhile.  So, pulled out my book and sat in the car in my driveway reading until they finished up….about a half hour later.  Got the store open by 11:30 so not too bad after all.  But you think they could have warned their neighbours!  I wasn’t the only one stuck waiting.  A quick note in the mailbox would have been nice.

Then on Saturday…….my neighbour’s alarm clock woke me up at 6:30am.  But after that the rest of the day went okay, so I guess the frustrating things are done for now!

UPDATE – guess they weren’t as I just discovered (on Wednesday) I didn’t post this one on Saturday.  Oh well…..

 

It can’t be August already, can it?!?!

What happened to July? 

I’m not ready for August.  I still have things from June to do! 

 

Survey Results & Thoughts

Well, I finished analyzing the survey results…..thanks so much again to everyone who took the time to fill it out.  The few of you awaiting your coupons….I’m hoping to have them out by the end of this week.  But if you wish to come in before you receive it, just mention it to me and I’ll honour it.

There was no change in the top 3 interest areas  or best times to attend a workshop once all results were in (Meditation, Psychic Skills, Intuition; Mon – Thurs evenings, Sat afternoon, Sunday afternoon) and I’m working on finding ways to fulfill those wishes.  It’ll be more difficult this fall with Beverleigh on maternity leave, but I’ve got some ideas in the works.

What I found really interesting were the suggestions and comments….. interesting in both a good way, as well as frustrating/annoying way.  The good interesting was the fact that classes I’ve been thinking of offering, were being asked for so I’ll schedule as many of them as I can.  There also were some topics suggested that I hadn’t considered…..those will take a bit longer to offer as I need to find teachers!

There were a few requests for more drop-in classes (no specific topic, just drop-in).  This was frustrating/annoying because I stopped offering drop-in Meditation as well as drop-in Psychic Skills because NObody was dropping in.  It got a little disheartening to regularly set up the room, have the instructor drive out here, and wait, and wait, and wait, decide that no one is going to show, then re-set the room for readings, and finally after 9+ hours of being at the store, go home.  After a couple months of this, I decided that all courses require pre-registration and if the minimum number isn’t met by noon on the day before, the class is cancelled.

Same with the requests for Drumming classes or circles…..kept offering, people weren’t signing up, stopped offering.  Now that I have a neighbour that is open into the evenings, I’m not sure if I can offer drumming again because I think it would be too annoying to the restaurant patrons next door.  And, I’m not convinced we’d get enough of a turn out even if I did find a way to offer them.  Drumming has always been high on the request list, but very low on attendance. 

Overall though, I appreciated everyone’s comments and suggestions and will encorporate as many as possible.  The Fall Event Calendar is up on the website now with what is confirmed so far…..I’m planning on updating it weekly as more classes are set.

 

The full moon does bring strange things

Just had a visit from an old friend of Bruce’s who turns out to also be friends with a long-time customer of mine.  Seeing them walk into the store together was odd to say the least, and my first thought was that they just happened to arrive at the same time…..but no, they came together!  They each had just recently discovered that they both knew me.  Now the really strange part is that Bruce’s friend lives in California and the long-time customer lives here in Coquitlam but their connection to each other comes from connections in California….I’m just amazed how we all ended up knowing the same people and each other.

Mixed with that amazement is a little sadness too….from missing Bruce.  Seeing his friend reminded me of the times we visited her in California as well as the visits here.  They are all great memories, but at times, I can’t leave the missing him part out of remembering times together….and today is one of those times.

 

And the survey says…..

The first week’s results are in.  I’ll be leaving the survey open for another week and will post complete results at that time, but here is brief summary of the responses received so far.

Leading the way for topics interested in are:
1. Meditation
2. Psychic Skills
3. Intuition

Not too big a suprise for me as you’ve been asking about all three….but it’s nice to have the confirmation that I was correct that these were the most sought after classes.

Best time to attend classes:
1. Evenings, Monday – Thursday
2. Saturday afternoon
3. Sunday afternoon

Again no big surprises here….but I was encouraged that Sunday’s were an option for many of you.  Until I complete the renovations, however both Sat & Sun afternoons are difficult as that also tends to be the time people want to come for readings….but I’ll find a work-around!   More info on the renovations in a future blog!

Suggestions from respondents include:
- book club
- A New Earth study group
- A Course In Miracles study group
- social get-togethers to meet with like-minded people
- Energy share - different healing modalities exchange healing energy

All of these I am open to having at the store….but I’m not able to lead any of them.  So, I’m asking for volunteers!  Let me know if you are interested in helping organize any of these…..other than A Course In Miracles (already have a volunteer to lead it).

If you haven’t completed the survey, but are interested go here http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2bpyenefiak4v46/a00ffinkqx69/questions

SURVEY NOW CLOSED!  Thanks

 

I’m on a Crystal High!

Back from buying crystals this morning…..and I seem to have lost the ability to stay grounded

This always happens when I buy crystals, so I took grounding stones with me to have in my pockets this time.  I thought I’d be okay, but all they really did was allow me to spend even more time (and money!) looking at all the wonderful things that were surrounding me…  and  I’ve ended up with my crystal high as usual.  Will make for an unproductive afternoon, as I find myself flitting from task to task, and soon the crash will happen, and then I’ll be too tired to do anything……but hey, I’m the boss so it’s not like I’ll get into trouble!

Ran into Carol from Reflections while buying crystals.  It’s always nice to have a chat with her and compare notes.  I’m envious of her now though….she’s taking a 6-week vacation starting in August.  Six weeks!  All at the same time! I’ve never taken that long a vacation, unless you count summer holidays in school.  Something to aspire to

Well…..I should at least get all these wonderful new stones unpacked, even if I don’t get anything else done this afternoon….so, later!

 

The Science of Spiritual Marketing

I have to say I was a bit disappointed with this book.  When I ordered it, I remember thinking ‘finally! a marketing book that will fit with my beliefs and how I do business’ So, I sat down to read it, highlighter in hand, notebook nearby, ready to learn….and ended up only highlighting one sentence in the entire book.

It’s well written and has a lot of good information….for someone who knows very little about using spiritual tools in their everyday life.  But for me, the ideas of manifestation, meditation and mindmapping are not new.  I have been known to use these in my business…at least once in a while

 

Hello and Welcome!

This is my first post of my first blog.  I’m still not sure why I’ve been drawn to begin blogging….it’s not because running the store doesn’t keep me busy enough, that’s for sure!  Maybe it’s because the most enjoyable part of having the store is meeting and talking with all the people I encounter in a day, and hopefully this will be an extension of that and a way for you to interact with one another.  For now, I’m keeping the blog separate from my website (there will be a link from there to here though).  Eventually I will move it to be an integral part of the site….once I figure out how!

So what will you find here?  Basically it’ll be my thoughts on various topics both connected to and not connected to things ’spiritual’.  As you will learn, I have quite an eclectic mix of interests and I suspect most of them will, at some point, be touched on here.  I will also be including a list of what I’m currently reading….a lot of customers ask me about what I read, and the list is generally so long that I have a hard time remembering it when ‘put on the spot’ so to speak.  I won’t be going into long, in-depth book discussions, but I will give you my overall impressions.

So here’s to a new adventure!  Hope to hear from you soon.