I am bone tired! Too much of many tasks! I went to a town fifteen miles north to pick up my banner for the booth at the Peninsula Flea. I've been there before, to order and pay. I followed the trusty Google app, and paid little attention to where I went.
Today the app went completely berserk, and thought I intended to walk to an intersection along the route. I could not reset the app. I knew I turned on a numbered highway, but I could not remember the name or number. My phone kept rerouting me to the intersection back at home.
I called the sign store. The lovely receptionist is a landmark follower. Have you passed Starbucks? I had to cut across mightily to convince her I drove by road names and numbers; landmarks are a waste of time. I finally got her to remember street names and route numbers, and I arrived!
Pretty neat, eh? Another box ticked. It's rolled up and ready to go.
There was an email this week from the gallery owner, with her usual recap of business in April. She noted there might be a problem with staffing the gallery on Sundays; two artists had to cut back on hours.
When Diane first opened the gallery, I was pretty much done with shop keeping, so I declined her offer of work in exchange for a lower commission. And now I'm a bit unstable, possibly unsuitable to work.
Sunday is such a low traffic day, Diane was considering not being open that day. And that is anathema to this old retailer. So after a couple days consideration, I said sign me up for Sundays.
Diane was not amenable to start, but I convinced her to give me a shot. They had scrambled and covered most of May, so I am not on the schedule until the first Sunday of June. And if anyone wants out of their Sunday in May, I'll be there.
Getting lost is my biggest fear as I have no sense of direction. GPS systems were made for people like me but I still worry that I will miss a turn. I am glad that you finally found your way. Your sign looks great and I wish you much luck at the gallery.
ReplyDeleteThat window display is so cheerful.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you eventually got there. I travel by bus, but if I'm going anywhere new I look up the streets in the directory, sometimes even print out the street map, and as I travel I notice landmarks, particularly close to the street I'm headed to, so when I need to go again I watch out for certain buildings and know when to press the button for the next bus stop to get off.
I haaaaaaaaaaate directions given by landmark. Tell me east or west, street names, and a number. Then we can figure it out. Shop/restaurant/whatevers should be able to articulate where they are in the physical universe. The Sunday job sounds good, not too onerous of a schedule.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have a good inner compass. I would rather rely on that and a map than GPS.
ReplyDeleteYou and my sister. And, if she's ever been somewhere once, she can go straight back the next time, no matter the miles or years.
DeleteI love your company name. Google is a godsend....except when it isn't.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of trouble navigating even with the latest gadgets. When people say, "You can't miss it!" I reply, "JUST watch me!!" Glad you arrived and have a Sunday gig.
ReplyDeleteI rely on my GPS and it's been good except when there is a road closure. My motto is, always leave with a full tank of gas. I'm sure you will do well at the Flea.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI'm a pretty good navigator... but if ever in need, I can go by however someone wants to tell me.
I do hope the Sundays are not the 'final straw' on you Joanne - though if they are indeed low traffic, it may be okay. Be a nice change of scene for you, that's for sure. YAM xx
I drive by landmarks! "The pink building, where the shoe store used to be...The newer Chick Fil-a, not the old one...that one street that's up one from the Walmart" ha ha. The banner looks good and I hope you won't be too tired when you start working Sundays.
ReplyDeleteI drive by however I can find things! Street names, landmarks, mileage, I use them all!
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, according to my odometer, tank gauge etc., I have used about 5 gallons of gas in the past 6 months. I enjoy trainrides more than ever. Railroad tracks stay put no matter how much highways slither in and out of memory.
ReplyDeleteI've filled the tank once a month for the last year, at least. I go nowhere, see no one. That's a big reason for going out to work.
DeleteLandmarks! When I took my son to kindergarten registration, a parent volunteer spoke to each of us about where we would put our children on the school bus. She held out a map and asked where I lived. We lived in a new development that, unfortunately, was not on the map, so I pointed to where it was and explained the situation. The volunteer didn't believe me. She asked: Do you live near the Jack In The Box? I said I had never seen a Jack In The Box and showed her again where we lived on the map. She said: Well, if you don't know where you live, then I can't help you! She flounced off, but returned a few minutes later. You live in a new development, she said. It's not on the map. Here's where your child will get on the bus.
ReplyDeleteI never saw the Jack In The Box the entire time we lived there. I also don't know how I found my way home since, according to her, I didn't know where I lived.
Love,
Janie
Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI have a good sense of direction. Himself does not. Which has led to heated discussions from time to time.
I like the Irish traditional directions: " You know where the road bends right and goes past a small lake with trees on the other side? Well if you find yourself there you have taken a wrong turning."
ReplyDeleteI don't always handle phone mapping too well either. Glad you got it sorted.
ReplyDeleteNow, don't work too hard. :)
I can imagine how all this technical wizardry gone awry can drive you bonkers! I am a member of the same club!
ReplyDeleteI can't work with compass directions. Meaningless to me. But landmarks I can manage. Except when they demolish the building, then I explain "you turn at the corner where the Acme used to be only now it's a parking lot"..
ReplyDeleteI live in a state where GPS doesn't work. The coordinates are wrong abd you end up lost. It's common for people to say don't try this with GPS.
Especially not with jughandles. That's my most permanent memory of my many shows in New Jersey.
DeleteI'm a landmark navigator as well. And I have no sense of direction so if landmarks change (which they do) I am lost. Quite literally. So GPS helps me but as with your experience- sometimes wires get crossed there. The poor little voice in the phone can get quite pleading, trying to turn me around.
ReplyDeleteI can so relate to getting lost, I have no sense of direction and one time I had to get the local police to help me. GPS has been such a boon to my life and fear. I remember when I had a compass installed in my car. It meant nothing as I was never certain where the arrow pointed. Geographic dyslexia is real.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your shopkeeper skills!
XO
WWW
I use landmarks a lot when driving. My husband sees nothing but the road when he’s driving. I use the map a lot too.
ReplyDeleteGive me a map anyday!! Mind you I like streetview, as I can virtually travel and see how a route will look, before I do it.
ReplyDeleteI thought Tom was going to say that Irish directions tend to rely on pubs. "Right at the Rose and Crown, then left at the Red Lion and then it's just past the White Hart." My car's GPS is useless, it won't accept post codes, only street names. Personally, I prefer directions by landmark because to my mind they're easier to follow - past the church, past Tesco, and then just past the war memorial. Simple.
ReplyDeleteWe have an older GPS that plugs in. It does fairly well and gets us there. You are brave taking sundays.
ReplyDeleteI must say that window looks very inviting Joanne.
ReplyDeleteThursdays are lost days, no time for reading or writing blogs so I'm catching up. you should be fine on Sundays, an old warhorse like you and I mean that in the nicest possible way.
ReplyDelete