Friday, January 09, 2009

Bad stuff....

In hard economic times I guess it is not unusual to see crime increase...folks are more desperate to make ends meet and sometimes desperation makes people do not good things...


In the news in the past week there have been accounts of two drug store robberies...one in Michigan and one in Northwest Ohio...why does this merit my comment, you may ask?  Well... the reasons are several, but the most important one is that I am concerned for the safety of my family.


Everyone in my house, save me, works at stores that are part of this particular drug store chain.  The store in Ohio that was recently robbed is the store that my older son once worked in and I have a friend that works there still.  On several occasions already, my older son has had run ins with shoplifters...and I honestly think once also pre-empted a robbery attempt...I am very afraid that the locations of the stores my family members work in are prime targets, should this rash of robberies continue...and this go \'round, from what I have heard, the perpetrators of the robberies are carrying guns.


Retail sales is a thankless area in which to work....customers are often rude and hostile...their view of sales people even up to the management level is that they are nothing more than servants.  Retail folks have to grow very thick skins and be very slow to rile...it does not serve well to be confrontational with a person who already sees you as nothing more than another fixture in the store.  Only someone who has worked in retail can truly understand what this is like, and more than that, understand the risks that are taken every day with safety, because retail stores for the most part are self contained entities, and the folks who work inside them are isolated and alone.


I pray that the person or people who are committing these robberies were recorded on surveillance camera and will be soon caught...I know it would not be a guarantee for the safety of my family members, but at least I would have some comfort in knowing that the latest batch of desperate people are not out there waiting to see if they can get away with a little more, in another store, where the innocent people who work there are just trying to make ends meet, just like they are....


That\'s all that\'s on my mind for now....be safe as the snow comes to Northwest Ohio...and say a little prayer to ask that there is an angel watching over my kids, just as a personal favour to me, if you could....much love to you till later....


v

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

A week into 2009

At the office and it is very quiet....I have just finished what for me passes for breakfast - a can of Bawls Guarana soda with another one waiting for me to start in just a little while.  It is a quiet start to the day and that is OK with me....


Soon I will address the emails that arrived overnight and review my notes from yesterday to see if there is anything that I need to finish up...that done, it will probably be time for others to arrive and the office will begin to hum with the activity of the day.


I am fortunate on this day to have a job to go to, in a place that I like and a home to go to at night.  My kids are there to share their experiences of the day, and when I lay down to sleep I know that, at least for today, we are safe and secure.  It is a week into 2009...I hope that this calm and steady feeling will persist throughout....and that you are experiencing it too....and you know, that as the year progresses, I will keep you posted on things from here ;)


That\'s all for now...till later, much love to you


v

Friday, January 02, 2009

Happy New Year

Fun times at the house the other night....family, friends, food and drink....photos on Flickr! Enjoy!