Paying Attention

I am not a person who makes new year's resolutions.  At least not the traditional ones.

This year, 2018, is The Year Of Paying Attention.  So far--almost halfway through January, I am still on course.

Paying Attention to the Antiques Trade:  People buy what they like--they do not buy what I THINK they should like.  Our sales at Odana Antique Mall in Madison have increased markedly--as we are stocking what the shoppers are looking for--not what we want them to like.  The midwest Madison crowd wants room ready.  No project pieces.  Fairly priced artwork.  Our experience--no furniture before 1900.  And not too off beat.  They actually buy conservative furniture--it's the creative accessories that they like.  A compromise for me.

Paying Attention To Food:    Readers of this blog will know I am an Aldi nut.  It is rare that I venture  to other stores these days.  The expansion of creative organic produce and gallons of milk with three week expiration dates for 95 cents are enough reasons to keep on shopping there.  Oh yes--and the gruyere cheese and pine nut hummus and raspberries and butter lettuce salad kits and.....

Paying Attention to Friends/Family:    But there are just so many hours in the day--evaluating and nurturing healthy friendships and giving those my attention.  Good friends are like gold.  One hundred and thirty five facebook friends including the pharmacist clerk?  Not so much.

Paying Attention to Who/What is Driving My Narrative:  I have found it too easy to let my thoughts be driven by the local and national media and the latest tweet, you tube video, television screen crawler or facebook posting.  Politicians, Hollywood Types and Otherwise Just Loud People have every right to express and act on their opinions although very different from mine. The actual definition of tolerance is the ability or willingness to permit something, particularly the existence of opinions or behavior that do not agree with mine.  I am not sure when secular society changed the definition of tolerance to mean that all ideas and opinions are equally true and must be universally accepted..  I choose, this year, for my sanity, not to be the squirrel chasing the nut.