An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

For the longest time – we never really left the store in someone’s hand without worrying about various thing – this trip up to the city – we are leaving our store in good hands.  I can say that I’m really happy to leave the store in this person’s hand – because I know he is honest and wouldn’t rip us off while we are out doing our stuff in the city.  Now to only convince him to help us permanently.  muahahah!!!  Good part time people are hard to keep and we just love this one – because he is honesttttt!!!  So yes – we are leaving town today and only coming back on Tuesday – see yer all on Tuesday.

A month ago – i wrote about a power outage at our store and because of that – it destroyed several things in our store.  The scanner was one of them and our LCD monitor and a tv we used for displaying our games was not working.  Of course the big thing was our security system – the transmitter was burnt and I was very worried because it would mean that the store was left unguarded.   The entire weekend I was worried till we got a hold of our security guy on Monday – and he came immediately to fix it.  We also found out that our security camera didn’t want to work no more and a monitor used for that camera was also burnt.  Luckily the computer system didn’t break down with it.  We had phone Nova Scotia power and told them about our dilemma and they had offer to replace the damaged products – once we ordered and replaced them and get them an invoice for it.  So today we received a cheque for the damaged items and I am relieved.   Thank God that Nova Scotia power took care of that bill – else it would have to be replaced like it or not and i really don’t want to spend closed to $500 for everything.

So it’s the Federal election tomorrow – and we were having lunch with some friends who asked us who we are going to vote for?  First of – you have to be a Canadian citizen to vote for the Federal elections and yes – it is important to vote for someone – but what will the outcome be?  Well, it’s politics and truth be told – everyone is for themselves.  So are we going to waste time and vote?   Oh by the way – it’s not a public holiday like it is back home – where it is declared as a public holiday and it’s compulsory to go vote.

The boss received an email from the downtown organizers – the people who are taking care of the downtown carpark and the event and promotions for the downtown business – that they are closing their offices till June – because there was no funding from the town.  It was disturbing because according to that email – stuff like the Seafest, and other events promoting downtown is put to a halt.  To me – in my humble opinion is pure bullshit – for years now – this organization have had numerous funding – and if they haven’t done their planning properly for the last 2 years since losing the ferry – then the person in charge just ain’t doing their job – to me it’s pure extortion.  *shake head*   Too much politics – reminds me not to get involved.икони

So I got invited to this get together with the other business women of the town sometime in April – very nice gesture and i do appreciate it.  Networking is a very important factor with any kind of business or even to your career – but do i really want to network with the women folks here – who don’t even come to our store nor support our store at all.  We support our downtown business constantly – from cutting our hair and buying just about everything we can downtown – but I’ve yet to see others come in and support our store.  So mingling with our customers seems a lot more profitable to our business.  The rest can mingle with each other – while i continue to mingle with the less upper class.  Thank you very much – i’m outta that loop.

There isn’t any no smoking sign at our store – because no one smokes inside the store – but when Grammie comes for a visit – she does smoke outside.  For the longest time – my kid had been telling grammie to stop smoking but of course, grammie having smoke for years now – finds it really hard to smoke.   So the little brat of mine – one day had nothing to do – decided to draw a sign up for Grammie – pasting it inside the back down and outside the back door of the store.  No really only for Grammie – but we’ve caught some old lady smoking behind our store’s door because it gets windy out in the car park.  Very inconsiderate if you asked me – because the smoke does get into the store.  Grammie doesn’t smoke at the top of the staircase but down – so to me – it’s actually good sign for the inconsiderate.

So I read and heard over the news about the permanent location for the Farmer’s market starting in June.  Finally, after all the fighting they are moving downtown instead of going on Starrs Road like they had wanted to.  I guess the run at Beacon Church showed them that there are people going to the market regardless of where they are – as long as they are being advertised.  I’m glad for downtown truly!  at least this summer – we hope to see downtown a lot more vibrant.  Also if the ferry does come back – it would be a very nice sight – for the tourist to see the vibrant market and something they can take pictures of – to bring home with them.   I hope they would renovate the old barn well -  that way it would attract both the locals and the tourists !

The Zhu’s from the Chinese restaurant just celebrated the newborn’s one month birthday – and like everyone who have a newborn son – they give out cigar to everyone.  I don’t mind the smell of cigar at all – as compared to cigarette – he said the camacho triple maduro buy online was found on the net – and he got the website address for me – so that I can get some for my customers on special occasions too.  So this Christmas, we can give out cigars to our male customers – but what about the ladies?  The spouse said to me – that some ladies smoke cigars too – haha!!  I know some do – but not many – definitely easier to shop for the male customers that’s for sure.  Maybe a potpourri candle or something along those lines.

Yes – they just announced it today – that the local hospital will offer room service like menu for their patients – hahhaha!! why am I laughing?  because 11 years ago – before coming to Canada – we were already offering it in our hospitals -woohoo!!!  see I told yer – it’s pretty backwards here.   The tallest hotel here is only 7 storey high and our 7 -storey high hotel was in 1965 – the one near beach road – called the 7 storey hotel?   seriously, I don’t know if they are even 7 storey.

Did I tell you we have great customers?  one just came back from a vacation from Portland and brought back a box of assorted mixed donuts for us at the store – luckily I know all about thermogenic fat burners – so that I won’t feel guilty eating them.  How can one resist these colorful looking sweets right?  Our customers constantly brings us food – and of course – the folks at the restaurant feeds us good too.  I’m truly grateful – about having all these good people around us – but you can imagine – I looked quite the rolly polly these days – but you can’t say no – to the kindness right?

This is the first confident statement I’ve heard since the Ferry was discontinued by the NDP because they refused to subsidize the ferry in 2009.   2010 came and no ferry and everyone panic – but still no ferry for 2011 – the town and its merchant – even though not directly affecting us – we still got worried.  But yesterday MP for West Nova says the Feds were confident that there will be a ferry in town.  But when and how – I don’t know but work had started to restore the terminal.  Lots of money are to be poured in the renovation work – lets hope that this money is not going to go to waste.

Woke up this morning – and the spouse told me that there will be no coffee for me for a while ! hahahha!!  well, there was a fire at the local Tim’s but not to worry – they are only going to be closed for a few days and there are other location in town to get them.  Apparently it was an electrical fire – and the building was filled with smoke – wondering how much the closure is going to cause the Tim’s here.

When you work for a huge company – you get all sorts of benefits – from a blackberry to medical health insurance and even dental insurance – some gets travel plans depending on their designation and what their jobs entailed.  The benefit of working for a huge and reputable company is definitely different when you work for a small business like us.  Even though we can’t pay you as much as they do – our work is a lot easier – and we don’t demand as much as the big company does.  Having said all that – I do miss working for a big firm and enjoying all the benefits – but for now – I have no choice but to stay back and help the spouse with his – and take care of our kid.

After 10 years in this town and Canada – I can finally say that I’m beginning to feel like I am at ease and have groundings here.  I don’t know if you know what I mean?  because for the longest time – I feel like I am an outsider – but nowadays – folks know that I’m the other half.  We now do have Good Clientele, Good Repertoire with our customers and in fact – I’ve picked up a good friend or two here.  I do feel good this year – with the store and the customers (of course – we still have the assholes!)  but overall, I think we are getting our grounds covered.

Finally! some good news for the town!  about time I would say!  For the last 1.5 yrs – this town had seen nothing but disappointment.  Disappointment with the MLA Richard Hurlburt, disappointment with the NDP government about the ferry and a year later – still refused to assist in bringing the ferry back.  And last week – the Rodd Colony decided to close one of its hotel and more businesses closed its door – because of the lack of tourism.

So yes! about time this town get some good news – and it need not be about us – like the boss said.  The Nova Scotia Music week doesn’t increase sales for us – but it’s good news for other businesses in this town and that is good by us.The annual Nova Scotia Music Week festival will again be held in  her and it is the  third year in a row that the community will host the event.   More than 734 delegates will in town during the week of November – so hopefully, the restaurants and hotels and motels will make some money outta it.  This town needs the people!

Many of our customers actually grew up at our store – but now they are all grown up and if they moved away – we sometimes don’t even recognized them.  But one particular kid – i remembered distinctly because him and his friends stole a pot of plant from our store and hid it away at the corner of our store.  It was of no ill intention i am sure at that time – just boys being boys and being mischievous.  So when one of them was at our store – some 10 years later – I had to remind him that he stole a plant from our store – in which he was quite embarrassed and blamed it on his friends – hahah!!  I didn’t go on and let it go – because I just wanted to tease him.  But yes ! everyone grows up sometime – and hopefully, no one does something so wrong – that they would be ashamed to be seen by us again because you know me – I wouldn’t give too hoots to embarrass you.

I have to take my hats off to the spouse ! why?  every friday night – they have gaming sessions in our store – but as you can see – the store is really busy on a friday and each time a customer needs help – which is often – he had to stop – serve the customer first and then go back to gaming. He won’t let me stay back to help him out – now that the kid is back in school – and insist on doing it this way *slap forehead*  And yes! the store had been busy – we are getting a lot more popular these days – since we are the only movie store in town and also the most reasonable priced computer repair shop with the fastest service.  Sometimes, I’m tempted to hire someone to help – but I dare not – after all, we had been bitten so many times – it’s crazy to think that anyone would really work because they want your store to thrive except ourselves.

I was at the doctor’s today – for my princess – she was taking her second flu mist at our family doctor’s and I had asked if the Zhu’s were accepted at the clinic as well – because I had submitted their application on the first day when the ballot was out.  I was really happy to find out that they were accepted. Woohoo!!  can’t wait to tell them about it – I bet they are going to be very happy – health care careers are aplenty in this town – just look at the doctors – we can’t get enough of them.  And when we do get them – they don’t stay to long, but yes ! if I could turn the clock back I would definitely take up a career in health care that’s for sure.

Woohoo!! good news for us – looks like we may be the only video store in town soon – the competition down the road is closing its door in a week.   And to think that someone was thinking of making movies and video big at that store.  Poor Tim at E-One – burst your bubbles eh!   I feel bad for the people who worked there – but not for that Tim fella that’s for sure.  He must have thought that he screwed us up – when he pulled his movies and games out from us some 3 years ago – but see – we did even better.  Outlasted that big boys like Movie Gallery and now him as well !  Serves him and his ego right!

Of late – we`ve been seeing some high end computer come in for repair.  This particular one cost as much as $12K – doesn`t belong to a local here though – it was someone from out of town – and here on the boat.  But yes!  even though he wasn`t from town – he found us.

I had asked the customer how he found us – and he told us that he was recommended by someone he was visiting here.  In fact, he said he did check at the competition but they had wanted $55 just to look at it – and about another $120 to scan for viruses – and cannot guarantee that it will work still.   Yes! 11 years in business and we are getting some good recognition I tell yer.  I`m so happy we stuck at it – and made it work.  A few years ago, we were ready to throw in our hat.