“Accept modestly; surrender gracefully.”
Marcus Aurelius Book 8, #33
Ἀτύφως μὲν λαβεῖν, εὐλύτως δὲ ἀφεῖναι.
Tenure or Ten Year
It was ten years, last June, at the rock shop in Austin. Currently the third longest gig I’ve had in this business.
Tenure or Ten Year
Part of the plan, guide, simple enough, but does anyone recall the source of the phrase, “Please be kind, rewind.”? That was from a nine-year mark, I’m guessing. While the guide is old, the messages remain exactly the same.
“The song remains the same.”
I was briefly buoyed by the counter people printing up a portion of my guide and suggesting it to others. They went so far as to actually commit my digital ephemera to print.
Tenure or Ten Year
The challenges with the nature of this kind of work? It varies. It’s quite cyclic. There’s also an ebb and flow, an in and out, hushed words in the back room, and more than I know.
Funniest event, last year, one of the employees told me that the store was moving due to the Austin expansion of I-35, highway construction, but I wasn’t to tell a soul. Like, two days later, a San Antonio buddy calls and asks what I’m going to do when Nature’s Treasures closes and moves.
“You know about that?” I asked.
“Yeah, it was in their e-mail newsletter.”
So much for secrets and being quiet.
Tenure or Ten Year
Over the course of the last decade, the gig at the shop has paid off, but it’s weird. First, I picked Tuesdays because it was a slowest day of the week, and the least impact on the vehicular and retail traffic. I can be annoying enough as it is. Make it the easiest day? Besides?
Title to one of my books, as well: Two Meat Tuesday.
In the last year, though, I had several days when the walk-in traffic didn’t support me, in other words, I made less than I spent on gas, tacos, and coffee. It’s not always like that, and there’s an amazing amount of business that goes through there.
Ten Year at Nature’s Treasures
When the current reader-coordinator asked for unvarnished opinions about the job at hand, I had a few suggestions. One is simple enough, I’d like to schedule out for up to three months out at a time. Like I should be working on a Spring/Summer schedule in January. I got fish to fry (usually broiled or blackened but that doesn’t carry the correct alliteration).
I’d like to see the store stay open to 7 again, too, but I doubt that’s happening, and I did get used to the idea of being able to leave right at 5 — straight into Austin traffic.
Granted these have all been hybrid cars, and the cost of gas is minimal, plus, as an hour or three for meditative reflection, the commute isn’t bad at all. On numerous occasions, I had family business to attend, and scheduling around Tuesdays at the shop has been helpful.
“We can meet the lawyer on Tuesday morning?”
Reminds me of the odd Thursday, during the pandemic years, family demands in Austin, and I was up there for Tuesday, stayed over to Wednesday (family) then Thursday morning, a quick call, “Anyone want to fill in as the in-store practitioner today?” Having just been there on two days before, I had low expectations, only to be surprised that I did more business on that off-Thursday.
For years, I’ve always suggested that an appointment set in advance sure helps guarantee a spot in the line.
All the other books: astrofish.net/books.
Nature’s Treasures
4103 N. Interstate 35
Austin, TX 78722
Phone: 512.472.5015
11AM – 5PM, appointments encouraged. E-mail.
Tuesday at Nature’s Treasures.
“It’s really him,” at the rock shop in Austin.
Discounts are available.
Use the code, “sparkle faerie” at the check out — for applicable discounts.
Price Selection Won’t Be Beat!
Vincit Qui Primum Gerit
“First to arrive gets the best deal.” (Source.)
astrofish.net/travel
#Austin
