THE YEAR STARTED WITH A SPLASH OF EXCITEMENT AND COLOR! JANUARY ALWAYS BRINGS AN EARLY SCENT OF SPRING IN THE FASHION BUSINESS. OUR SANDALS START SHOWING UP AND I DART AROUND THE STORE, CLEARING OUT WINTER MERCHANDISE AND PLACING BRIGHT AND LIGHT FASHIONS ON THE SHELVES! DONALD J. PLINER, AND HIS WIFE LISA CAME IN EARLY MARCH, AND AS ALWAYS, BEING THE ROCK STARTS OF THE SHOE BIZ AS THEY ARE, THEY DRAG IN SOME GLAMOUR AND COOLNESS TO SANTA FE AND SPECIFICALLY TO MY STORE! DONALD IS ALWAYS AN INSPIRATION TO ME. I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE WHO IS SO DEDICATED TO HIS BUSINESS. HE IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEEDS TO EAT AND SLEEP VERY LITTLE AND WHO’S MIND IS CONSTANTLY ACTIVE, DESIGNING ARTFUL CREATIONS FOR THE FOOT! WHEN HE AND LISA ARE HERE I GET TO PICK THEIR BRAINS ABOUT THE SHOE MARKETS ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD, HOW THEY FUNCTION WITH SO MUCH TRAVEL, AND WE GET TO TALK ABOUT TEXTURES AND SHOE TRENDS…. ALL FASCINATING TO ME!
BUT THEN APRIL CAME, AND IT HAS BECOME A CUSTOM, IT SEEMS, THAT IT IS A CHALLENGING MONTH FOR ME. IT LITERALLY ALMOST ALWAYS ARRIVES WITH A GUARANTEE THAT I’LL BE CRYING THE ENTIRE MONTH. PICTURE ME CRYING LIKE AN ACTRESS FROM A MEXICAN SOAP OPERA. YOU KNOW THOSE CHEESY NOVELAS WHERE THE WOMAN IS LEFT WITH A BROKEN HEART BECAUSE THE MAN THAT SHE LOVES IS SLEEPING WITH HER SISTER, AND SHE IS LEFT, TO MANAGE THE RANCH ON HER OWN… YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?! ANYWAY, THERE I WAS AGAIN THIS PAST APRIL, HEART WRECKED FOR NO REASON, MASCARA RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS REGARDLESS, APRIL WAS DRAMATIC.
WE HAVE A SAYING IN SPANISH THAT GOES “NO HAY MAL QUE DURE CIEN ANOS, NI TONTO QUE LO RESISTA,” WHICH MEANS “NOTHING BAD CAN EVER LAST A 100 YEARS, NOR A FOOL WHO WILL TOLERATE IT.” SO I DID END UP SNAPPING OUT OF MY APRIL FUNK AND I BOUNCED BACK TO MY NORMAL, POSITIVE SELF. AND AS THE SAYING SAYS, APRIL SHOWERS BRINGS MAY FLOWERS AND ALL OF THAT CRYING CREATES A TRUE REBIRTH IN ME AND I BLOSSOM. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS!
STILL…. I HAVE THE IMPENDING REALITY OF MY 60TH BIRTHDAY…
SINCE MY LAST POST I’VE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT TURNING SIXTY. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I WELCOME AS MUCH AS YOU ALL ARE WILLING TO GIVE ME!
HERE ARE SOME OF THE TIPS AND INSIGHTS PEOPLE HAVE OFFERED UP TO ME:
* AVOID LOOKING AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR UP-SIDE-DOWN!
* PAY SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU MANICURES AND/OR PEDICURES BECAUSE WE CAN’T SEE WELL ANYMORE.
* WE ARE WAY MORE CONFIDENT IN WHO WE ARE, WHICH ACTUALLY MEANS WE DON’T REALLY CARE WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US.
* WE DON’T HAVE TO SPEND THANKSGIVING WITH ANYONE WE DON’T LIKE.
* SAYING “NO” BECOMES A LOT EASIER AND WE ARE LESS WORRIED ABOUT OFFENDING SOMEONE BY SAYING “NO.”
* BUYING OURSELVES A JAGUAR IS FINE. WE’VE WORKED HARD FOR IT AND WE PROBABLY WON’T LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER IT GETS PAID OFF OR NOT.
* GOOD FRIENDS MATTER MORE.
* IT’S OKAY TO BUY HIGH HEELS THAT ARE ONLY MEANT FOR SITTING OR LYING DOWN IN.
* RED FLAGS CAN BE A BIT TRICKY WITHOUT “READERS”.
AS ALWAYS, PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! YOU CAN E-MAIL ME AT MY PERSONAL E-MAIL GUADALUPEGOLER@HOTMAIL.COM