Five months. It’s been five months since I wrote (first) about Covid 19 and how it’s affecting our lives/business/friends/etc etc. Five months! I still can’t focus. Can you? I still don’t know what i’m doing. Do you? I’m still very much struggling. Aren’t you? Let’s see if I can just get through what’s been going … More Tales from a Shopkeep: the saga continues
My last post was a bit . . . negative. And I knew that going in, but I still hold true to the fact that I needed to let it out. I’m not ashamed of that. But, now it’s time to look for the helpers. And so I am. Here are just a few … More Tales from a Shopkeep: Look for the Helpers (pt iii)
I need to get this out, so I can move on. I need to let this out of my soul, so I can stop dwelling on it and start breathing. I need to share this with you, because I don’t think I’m the only one. And then, then I need to focus on the positive. … More Tales from a Shopkeep: Covid 19 part ii
2020 is something else, isn’t it? I mean, it’s only March and I myself feel like I’ve been through the ringer. In January I watched my dear aunt end her fight with cancer, surrounded by her 5 young children, her husband, a myriad of cousins, my parents, and my grandmother. No more than a week … More Tales from a Shopkeep: Covid 19 part 1
It’s that time of year again, and man, has it been a year! I mean . . . for us, at Gather and BHM, the year is just beginning, but we’ve been hearing it over and over again – WHAT A YEAR! *deep breaths* So here we are, year 11 under our belts. Boy does … More Tales from a Shopkeep : BHM 2019
This past weekend we celebrated our fifth anniversary. It kind’ve snuck up on me, as things often do. But, I had planned ahead (as I also often do). I reached out to friends to see if they would join us for the festivities; Jim from BadKneesTs to screenprint t-shirts on the spot, with a special … More Tales from a Shopkeep: on expectations & anniversaries
For me, April came in like a lamb . . . and went out like a lion. No, wait . . . it came in like a lion and stayed there the whole damn time. Let’s be real. (and yes, I know this is supposed to be in reference to March, but I’m off-course a … More Tales from a Shopkeep: on being present
No one is immune to it. We’re all well-versed. Familiar. Burn out. We live in a culture, a society as it were, of being eternally busy. We do it to ourselves, or at least I do. I’m in charge (for the most part) of my own schedule. And I schedule myself out to the nth … More Tales of a Shopkeep: tales of burn-out
We’re off to a great start this new year – we’re pretty excited for what 2019 holds for us, are you!? I mean, sure, the weather hasn’t been great . . . as I sit here in the store, with the rain pouring down, threatening to freeze later this afternoon, but still, we’re glad to … More Tales from a Shopkeep: on the new year and Love
It was brought to my attention last week, by a fellow small business owner, that we were lacking a local holiday gift guide this year for various reasons. So, in a pinch, I reached out to local stores from our group, Bloomington Brick & Mortar, and without further ado, I give you our ALL LOCAL … More Holiday Gift Guide 2018
Gather 