Saturday, June 25, 2022

Analog mind in a digital world

When I bought the new car, the salesman set some of the "buttons" on the dash. Actually, there are no buttons, just screen after screen of digital information. I saw the clock go by. It was round. In a flash the young salesman had changed it to digital.

"Wait, wait! What did I just see. Is that an analog clock?" He flipped back; it was. I have an analog clock on my dash. You can have your fifteens! I understand quarters. 

This all came about because Beth and I were chatting at the show today. I asked her to look at my radio and see why it wouldn't stay on the hard to find NPR station. She said "What button do you want it on?" and went off to my car. I was ecstatic. NPR would have a button.

When she came back she said it was fixed; I had somehow set the radio to AM. When I came home, I looked at the dash. There are no buttons. The damn thing is digital as hell. However, when I turned on the radio, it was on NPR. Off. On. NPR. I won't ask.

The show today was not very successful; my sales were off by more than half. It was very hot; traffic was low. It seems the better part of discretion was staying home today, and so they did. Although it was mid nineties, and "feels like" probably exceeded that, we were comfortable in the back of the barn until half an hour before quitting time.


One other vendor stopped to chat the dismal sales today and said she has been concerned that inflation would impact sales. Food and gas are more and more expensive; money for non essentials will dry up. I'm not ready to admit that yet. I sold though the dot com period and Bush's bank and housing debacle, so I'll hold judgement for a bit.


As for that first of several tragedies about to emanate from the highest court of the land, I refuse to rant and rail. This is the culmination of the majority of voters who could go to the polls, over my life time, staying home.

The only way to regain liberty and the pursuit of happiness is to vote. I do advocate encouraging voters to vote. I hope they wake up.


33 comments:

  1. All of those lovely towels languishing at the sale- Could be the heat, could be a nation of depressed folks. Yes, vote of course, but if one is voting red stay the eff at home.

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    1. We can beat them, Linda. Blues outnumber reds. 80% of the people in this country want what SCOTUS has and intends to destroy. It will be righted. Or should I say, lefted.

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  2. I think you're right not to get too down about today's sales. Could be the national depression over yesterday's scotus travesty, the heat, the planets in alignment, who knows.

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    1. I did this full time for 20 odd years. Learned fast it all balances out, and generally improves year over year. Then there was the year my accountant asked why sales were 75% of the previous year. And I said, don't you remember Mr. Bob, it rained three weekends of four the entire summer!

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  3. I agree with you, things will shift. Voting is an absolute requirement. I will not rant either.

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  4. Well, if you have screens then you don't have those terrible black dashboards.

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  5. I am sorry that sales were down, but glad that you could be comfortable until close to the end.
    I like your message for the latest tragedy to hit your country. VOTE. Please.

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  6. Sympathy on the lack of sales I know you work so hard at your inventory stocking and the towels are beautiful. My gift receivers of your towels still rave about the quality.
    I ranted around about you know what and quite a movement has sprung up here in Canada to harbour abortion refugees. So there's that.
    XO
    WWW

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  7. As disheartening as it is, you're right that craft sales go up and down and sometimes for no discernible reason. Next time, hopefully, they'll be up. Glad Beth could help you out with your radio station!

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  8. Washington votes by mail, there's no excuse for anyone not to vote. The fact that people don't just irritates the living snot out of me. I'm not really a fan of the screens, I have to look at it, which means I'm not looking at the road.

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  9. It's frustrating to go to the efforts of set up and tear down to not get much business. I hope it's better next time! I am so very discouraged. I don't even know if voting will help, especially if there are rules in place to overturn results that a certain party doesn't like. I will continue to do what I can though. Sigh.

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  10. As my mother would say…..well at least it got you out of the house. Hopefully everyone else will get out of their houses and come to the next show (and buy!)

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  11. Yes Joanne, voting is a right people fought long for. And we should use it. Here people are tired of "those politicians above, doing what they want" - and lose courage that anything will become better. But not voting is no option.

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  12. Our incumbent Johnson is 'sticking' to his position no matter how we vote, but his party got a kick in the pants over the last two by-elections.

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  13. I too hope your Blue voters get out and vote. What is happening there is just pitiful. I agree the heat and gas prices are probably keeping people from the sales, at least you will have left over stock to take to the next sale and won't have to weave as much.
    Just think, two generations from now, people won't remember what analog even means.

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  14. Hari OM
    What a shame about the lack of foot traffic at the show... but as you say, there are likely to be 'factors' - am just devastated at the news from across your way and worried that there are those here who would follow suit... we just have to keep spreading that word, 'use your right and privilege of voting!' YAM xx

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  15. I really like your approach to the current crises. It happens all over the world and indeed every era has its ups and downs and in the end everything balances out.

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  16. It was a nightmare getting used to my last new car.

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  17. I am very much in favour of compulsory voting. It's hard to represent the will of the people when less than fifty percent even take the time to vote. And then there's gerrymandering of course....

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  18. I feel lucky that I can switch between analog and digital quite easily, but I do like a nice, round clock face on my watch. Those judges were appointed by you-know-who and chosen not just for their political leanings but their relative youth. He still wants them to be in office when he makes his return.

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  19. Isn’t it amazing how some people, especially younger ones, can so easily handle electronics. I hope the next show gets people out and buying!

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  20. I sympathise with your difficulties adjusting your car settings. There are all sorts of things I could theoretically access in our car but I wouldn't know where to start. Satnav defeated me because it wouldn't accept a postcode, only a road name!

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  21. I've had my car for years and I still don't know how to turn things on and off. Like the alarm that sounds when I cross the line either to the right or center. I've got to figure that out. It's too annoying. Sometimes you have to cross the line in order to prevent cyclist manslaughter. Etc.
    I can understand why people didn't come out to shop. You, like the farmers, are dependent on the weather.

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  22. The hot weather would definitely affect the shoppers at your sale. Too bad! Better luck next time. New cars have those screens that seem like a driver's distraction to me. It definitely will be a huge adjustment for me if my old car dies and I need another one.
    You are so right about voting. Vote Blue! is my advice to everyone in the USA.

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  23. Sorry about the slow sales at the show, Joanne. But on the positive side, you will have a good inventory for the next show. As for 'other things', I think Blue outnumber Red also, yet we still keep taking a hit? And yes, VOTE!! EVERYONE!

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  24. If the abortion ruling doesn't wake people up but if they go after contraception like Thomas suggested maybe that will. Abortion only affects those who find themselves with an unwanted or dangerous pregnancy. Outlawing contraception will affect everyone, men and women alike.

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  25. I wonder if the families who support the new decision will be able to afford the more expensive methods of women's health care. I wonder if the people will notice that many of the supporters of this decision are men. They do not have the same concerns about a woman's body. We can now go back to men who impregnate women can go on with their carefree lives while women are left to care for the children. I agree with most of the people here. VOTE!!!!

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  26. I can see heat keeping people away.

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  27. Our car doesn’t even have a backup camera. I do wish that it did.

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  28. You're right about voting. Look at what happened when people didn't bother to vote for Hillary Clinton because they were sure she'd win. My car is all digital. The young woman who does my hair set up stuff in my car so I get the music I like and so the car gives me directions to unfamiliar places.

    Love,
    Janie

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  29. Analog mind in a digital world..the perfect description.

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  30. I'm sorry about the disappointing sale day, Joanne. And of course, I agree with you about VOTING. People need to wake up.

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