I always try to respond to comments with an email, but it has come to my attention that not everyone is getting those emails because their email address is not attached. I am sorry that I just realized this! I’ll be sure to leave comments in the comment section!!
_________________________________________________________
So those three short days were pretty much my life for the past three weeks. Running the shop was the easy part, dare I even say fun. Inviting the general public into your living space is always entertaining. Also, Marie was having a blast trying to up sell my brother’s disco light. I thought I was going to die laughing when she tried to show this elderly man how fun the disco light was and how much he needed to have it. Whoever said that customer service is dead just hasn’t had the pleasure of working with Marie.
The hard part was, of course, setting it up and even harder was getting my house back in order afterwards. I’m just going to say that garage was looking nicer than the rest of the house since I couldn’t spend any time doing laundry and cleaning.
On the upside of this, I made more cash than I ever imagined. Who knew peddling my wares could be so lucrative? When I had the hard, cold cash in my weary hands, I felt a rush of power and accomplishment that I have not felt in a long, long time. The feeling took me by surprise. Who knew I missed making money so badly? For a few days afterwards, I felt despondent. I never expected to feel this confused about motherhood and my former career as a teacher.
But then I remembered how miserable I was when I was teaching. (I promise a post or two on this soon. I’m working up to it). The stress was unbearable. At the time, Harrington had what he calls a “coasting” job; the kind where you just show up and do your thing and go home. Teaching is the antithesis of a coasting job, and he never understood why I would be all cranky and emotional when I got home from a hard day of managing 150 teenagers and their parents. Well, years later, he has a job that requires total engagement, and he gets it now. And I am reminded why I don’t want to go back at this time. Not to mention, in my heart, staying home with the Babes is what works best for me and my family. . . I just need something a little extra, and I need a plan so when the Babes are in school, I know what I am going to do.
I know that I have talked about this before, but after the Treasure Sale, I see my future goals much more clearly. I am going to slowly start my freelance writing career. I am going to set a goal of writing an essay every one to two months and submitting it. I am going to continue to go to my writer’s meetings. I feel this is so key because the discussion helps me think of myself as a writer in an actual industry. The moderator is really good, yet I don’t think he realizes what an impact he has on me and my ability to see myself in a different light.
I have already submitted an essay and received a really nice rejection letter. I seriously didn’t think I could feel so uplifted from a letter like that. I think it was because the editor said how much she liked my references to pop culture, which means she actually did read it. Yea! And getting read is half the battle. So being an optimist, I only have another half to go. Next week, I am going to submit it to a second round of magazines now that I have a better feel for the process.
Hard to believe I got all that from some silly, little Treasure Sale. Oh, all that and this:
I skimmed off the top and treated myself to a pedi. As my friend Tracy wisely said, “Take some of that money and do something nice for yourself.” Thanks, Tracy! Now for the rest of the money, we are saving it to spend on our family vacation.
Money AND wisdom AND clarity on my future career plans, yeah, I’d say the Treasure Sale was successful.
Well, if you made through this gynormous post, congrats! Enough about me, what’s going on with you, Friends? How’s your summer starting out?
8 comments:
Hey you! I very much enjoyed reading this! I admire you and am very proud of you!
Good for you to get so much out of a treasure sale. But I can relate. My blog description: "woman in a mid life crisis" is right on and I have been all over the place lately. My husband was laid off a year ago and is STILL searching for work, which means so am I, and I am constantly trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up. This week it is do I want to go back into a 9 to 5 office job and your post helped me in my thinking as I too was a teacher and maybe a "coasting" job IS what is right for me right now with three small kids. Anyway, I love how your treasure sale helped you in other ways; thanks for the inspiration.
You continue to amaze me!
Brent and I made over $400 at our yard sale in April. We were STOKED! And I think that's great about your writing--keep doing it, eventually, you'll get published (and paid!).
Summer is beginning slowly over here. We've had a thunderstorm every week for the last two months or so, so just when it begins to warm up, it cools down!
I love it when you write stuff like this. It is very relatable for me. I love being a mom, but I crave more than just getting laundry done in record time.
I used to be successful - get bonuses and be awesome!
This is why I blog. To use my mind and the tiny bit of money I have made feels like millions!!!!
I am happy about your garage sale. We had one a couple years ago and it was fun. Emily did most of the work and she got to keep most of the money because I was just going to donate it all.
THis year we are dragging our stuff to a flea market and setting up a little booth just for fun! We like to go to them and we always say that we have way better junk, so now we are going to sell it!
Good for you for having the sale. My hubby and I call anything that leaves the house "negative output", the goal to be that more things leave than come in. We are doing pretty well so far.
And good for you for getting a pretty pedicure...
I admire your writing goals and sure hope you stick to them.
Congratulations! Money and wisdom are a pretty amazing couple of things to come out of that sale. I could use some of both myself!
I am so happy that your sale was so successful. Keep writing I love reading your posts. I'm also going to give it a shot. I have a wonderful freelance editor friend that is such a help to me.
You girls crack me up don't you know that rasing wonderful children is more important than being President. Actual one of your children could be President one day.
Post a Comment