Life after Word for Word

Word for Word Books & Espresso is no more - farewell to my second home and my pivotal post trauma re-socialization device and farewell to my loyal customers. We're all moving on.

It's a shame there are no longer any bookstores in St. Helens, but guilt over that kept me lingering too long. Now when the calls & emails come in from people looking for tomes of entertainment or education, I refer everyone to Powells. Powell's Books in Portland, after all, is a mecca for the mind, an amazing maze requiring a map to navigate the whole. It's a magic place with exactly the book you need, regardless of when published or what the subject matter. Live on Powell's - you are the standard bearer for all of the bookstores who have passed on in the wake of e-books. We who are about to (or just did) die salute you!

The lessons I've learned during this 5 year relationship with the business world have been different than those learned in previous incarnations . One of the things I realize after this swing through biz life is that I'm more a doer than someone who waits patiently for something to happen, someone to enter my front door. I've reached a stage in my life when patience is at a premium and I can't wait forever for results, or even for long.

My period of mourning the loss of W4W is over. Closing was hard, but life looks easier these days with a more flexible schedule and more time to follow my passions. My stress levels are lower although my calendar seems nearly as full as it was before. So much for retiring gently into retirement :-).

The last five years were necessary preparation, but now I'm ready for the next chapter of my life. The story continues . . .

COMFORT IS WHERE YOU FIND IT

There's been a lot written about comfort food recently, even cookbooks dedicated to the taste of home, the flavors that remind us of childhood and calmer periods in our lives. Not so much is written about the sounds and smells and vistas that relax and nourish our spirits. Driving to work today I realized that one of the most comforting sounds to me is the sound of windshield wipers slapping. I'm the perfect Northwesterner, even though it took me many years to make that discovery. 21 years ago I caught a lucky break and discovered a place that wasn't dry & arid - someplace I could breathe clean air (well mostly) and not risk heat stroke by spending time outside in the garden. And the smells! In the greater NW we have less traffic, less exhaust, less factory olfactory output and thus we can really smell the flowers and scents of Spring. As a bonus we view pine, fir and all the deciduous trees and growth that make up our forests, and we enjoy a bountiful abundance of rivers, streams, mountains & coastline. I know, not everyone shares my pleasure when we have days on end of drenching rain and near-freezing nighttime temperatures, cold enough to keep us indoors but not quite cold enough to bring snow days. For those of you who prefer the dry arid beauty of the deserts, there are other places. For me, this place is splendiferous and I'm so grateful to be here. I'll continue to enjoy the weird weather which changes precipitously and confounds the computer models. And I'll continue to enjoy the sights and sounds and smells of the Greater Northwest, as I spend my days handling the books I love and talking to customers and friends about authors, while sipping on a latte. Not a bad place to be in life!

HOW TO HANDLE HOLIDAY STRESS (MAYBE)

I was just catching up on my email while I had a minute and decided to take a look at my medical provider's newletter, which I usually ignore. I found an article that looked interesting - tips for reducing holiday stress. Sounds appropriate - we all experience increased anxiety around the holidays, right?

I clicked on "more" (and then "more" again - apparently they weren't sure I really meant it the first time). Interesting.  They offer tools and I ALWAYS enjoy finding new tools. Should be good. "Follow these 4 strategies for improving your emotional wellness." Well, strategy is my life.  Let's read on.

The first of 4 strategies is "Make Mental Health a Priority in Your Life" Hmmm. Yes, I think that would definitely be advisable. "Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep."  Well I do eat, if not always well. Exercise? Does walking across the street at some point to confer with another business owner count? And sleep, ahhh, that elusive state - I never seem to get enough of that." Set aside time for yourself every day and do something you love - whether it's massage, yoga, hiking, or taking a warm bath." They go on to suggest  I sign up for individual classes they offer to deal with specific issues which cause stress. All good advice, but tell me, when would I fit all of this into a single day? Where does it go between operating and promoting a small business, attending all the requisite meetings and consultations that go with being on City Council and being an active part of my community? Oh, did I forget to mention I have a family I'd like to spend time with once in awhile?

 The second tool in the toolbox is "Communicate Clearly."
Indeed, that would save a lot of frustration in the long run. The writer goes on to suggest that you can avoid conflict and disappointment by being simple and specific, assertive and doing a better job of listening. I totally agree. And would like to add that if you wear a hearing aid, PLEASE TURN IT ON (I can definitely communicate better with you if we can hear each other). 

Number 3 on this list suggests I "Strive for Work-Life Balance: Make time for people and activities you love. Be sure to use your vacation time and let go of those things that don't matter in the long run." 
Well okey dokey. Guess we can move on here, as I clearly have no idea how to do ANY of this.What is a vacation? How do you know what will actually matter in the future? Rats! I need that crystal ball - again? 

And lastly, I'm directed to "Think Positively." OK, this I can do. I can definitely suspend reality and look at the rainbows and silver linings in life. That one is not just a mental health exercise but a life skill. I know all the appropriate adages: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade (but you'd better hope life gives you sugar as well, because just lemons and water are pretty darned sour). After the storm comes a calm (while you clean up the damage and wait for the power to be restore). A friend in need is a friend indeed (especially if you have a pick-up truck and he has furniture to move. Loose Lips Sink Ships (OK. I just threw that one in because I've always liked it. 
 And the moral of this story, kids, is that I need to go back to just deleting all of this wisdom that just points out all my inadequacies. Trying to apply all of these wonderful tools for reducing stress and doing all of this self-examination IS JUST TOO STRESSFUL! 

BACK AGAIN, FOR A RETURN ENGAGEMENT!

Well hello! Remember me, the infrequent blogger? Apparently it's been 6 months since my last post - 6 months during which my life has taken another unpredictable turn.

In January I was sworn in and took my seat on the St. Helens City Council, appointed after the demise of the previous holder of that seat. Since then I've been spending huge amounts of time learning the municipal ropes, so to speak. Although I still have the bookstore, my hours are more limited.

It will be no surprise to those of you who have served in a similar capacity that I'm finding the public's perception of how much time a City Counselor spends on the job and the reality are two different things. Not that I didn't know how much time the job would take before I applied - I did. I spent 7 years on the St. Helens School District Board, after all, and being a school board member is a truly time intensive volunteer position, if done well. It was very good preparation for my new position, in fact.

I've found that my time and calendar belong to the City first, and this is pretty close to a full-time job, at least for now. Maybe after the current budget session is completed I'll be able to be more consistent about the business of selling books. Until then please visit me during my abbreviated hours: noon - 6pm, Thursday through Saturday.

I'm always happy to provide you with books and excellent coffee, or to discuss current local affairs. Y'all come! Perhaps you'll want to join me on Thursdays when I host a recurring POP-UP BAKERY, with goodies from Brown Butter Bakery in Scappoose. Conversation is always better with espresso, books & pastry.

See you soon!

A NEW ATTITUDE

Until recently I've been taking this business far too seriously - looking at operating a bookstore/espresso shop as if I was hoping to trade shares on Wall Street, stressing about the continuing downhill slide of the economy. I've made some adjustments in my thinking now - accepted reality. I am a small, independent bookstore/espresso shop and have built-in limitations. I am not part of a chain, not a brand name, not providing a necessary commodity and not going to get rich at this anytime soon. I am what I am. This is a time for small business owners like myself to analyze who they are and decide who they want to be, and I have. This is a time to hunker down & make the best of having a small-town business in a diving economy, and I will.

Kindle & its clones get blamed for stealing the business of small indie bookstores, and although we've seen some loss of revenue I think in some ways we are overreacting. Our customers don't come to us just for the products we sell. Our customers come to us because we offer something they can't get through Amazon. We are the bartenders, psychologists & "Dear Abby's" of our biz - and that kind of personal interaction can't be replaced. We know our customers personally, we hear the stories about their children & hopefully help them through some of the challenges. We hear the happy stories and we hear the sad ones. Marriages, divorces, lawsuits, graduations, family celebrations, births, deaths - we listen to all the shared experiences and become part of a support group for our customers. When they come to us for books or coffee they are visiting us as friends, not just retail merchants or purveyors of our product.

And so I've adjusted my attitude. Ultimately I am here not to make a fortune, but because I love being part of this community. I love being that person who cares about the people I meet and I look forward to talking with the people who walk in this door. It doesn't matter whether they are looking for books, coffee, sparkling conversation (more available some times than others) or just someone to listen. I love being here and being a resource. And if I'm very, very, lucky I'll be able to make a living, doing what I love.

The Write Stuff

I just finished reading an article by an author promoting her new book. If she is typical it makes me think it's a very good thing I've never persevered with getting my own scribblings published. This woman is BORING. Maybe her books are fascinating - don't know because I'll never read them. When she writes about herself she has nothing to say and spends 500 words not saying it. Is her real life lived through the books she pens?

Perhaps it wasn't my fear of rejection that kept me from being a published author. Maybe, instead, it was the subconscious knowledge that if I actually wrote for a living my day-to-day life would be of secondary importance and I wouldn't really be living it with my full attention.

I always thought I wanted to know more about the people who wrote the books that filled my obsessive need to read, but now I know. I don't. Sometimes they have put the best of themselves into their work and have nothing interesting left. Guess it was a near miss. One animator/publisher I submitted to actually encouraged me! I didn't follow up. Whew! Dodged that bullet.

I too have nothing to say and can spend 500 words saying it, but when my readers are bored they can just close this window (smile). I'll never know.

Celebrate Living History in Olde Towne St. Helens June 3rd, 4th & 5th

Celebrate Henry Knighton Days June 3rd, 4th & 5th in Olde Towne St. Helens

PUTTING ST. HELENS ON THE MAP -
By Susan Conn -

Henry Knighton was the acknowledged founder of St. Helens, and we honor him for his foresight. Without his vision our history could have been very different. The reality of St. Helens as a town came into focus, however, when surveyor Joseph William Trutch, an Englishman who emigrated to San Francisco in 1850, was contracted to put Knighton’s dream of a city onto paper.

Trutch quite literally put St. Helens on the Map – the plat map, that is. His work was completed in July of 1851 and submitted to a San Francisco lithographer, Grafton Tyler Brown. A reproduction of the detailed lithograph Brown produced will be on display during Henry Knighton Days, Living History, June 3rd through 5th in Olde Towne St. Helens. Admission to the festivities is FREE.

This document, titled “Plan of the Town of St. Helens on the Columbia with a Chart of the River and a Map of the Locality”, includes three maps presented as one. The larger portion shows the original physical plan, laying out city streets in a grid. A second is titled “Map of the Locality”, and shows the relative position of St. Helens to the Columbia River and local mountains. The third, the “Chart of the River”, demonstrates the accessibility of the harbor in St. Helens, with depths listed in fathoms. Together the three maps comprise a complete picture of St. Helens, as it was originally planned, together with its surrounding features.

Visitors to Henry Knighton Days will have many opportunities to step into the past, among them this visionary view of the river town we have come to know as home, St. Helens. Stop by and see historic St. Helens, as planned in 1851. And stop by to see me, as well, at Word for Word Books & Espresso on 1st Street. Enjoy all of the charming shops and restaurants in St. Helens as we celebrate the founding of our town.

Special permission has been given by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, for R.J. Brown and the Historical Society of Columbia County to display this map at our Henry Knighton Days celebration. Thanks are due to a local resident for arranging this use.