Maintaining Focus and a couple other things

I have been spending some time thinking about maintaining focus while sourcing products for the new brick and mortal shop. It can be so easy to get carried away in the excitement of starting a new venture and I want to be sure that I am able to stick to my mission of selling items that I consider to be high quality( high quality does not always mean high price) and fun to use for both every day users and collectors. I want people to enjoy writing and to help get them the products that will help them do that. In my shop I plan to have a testing station so people can try different items, thereby saving them some money they would have spent on items that they did not like and then can spend that on high quality writing supplies that make them happy and they find pleasure in using. I know I spent a lot of money figuring out what I like and it would have been so nice to have somewhere to get some experience with pens and paper before buying. Focus is important for myself in offering the opportunity to help people find what makes them happy and focus for writers who want to enjoy the analog process. 

We arrived in Colorado this week, having driven from Oregon with our old dog to visit our granddaughter ( and her parents of course). I was completely shocked when my Pilot 823 just spewed forth ink when I got here and wrote with it...I have traveled in planes with this pen a few times and never had an issue. My Retro51 Rollerball also leaked so I am guessing there is something about driving that makes the elevation pressure too much??  On the other hand my Pilot Decimo had no issue at all. Go figure. 

I had the most wonderful offer today via Instagram. A couple of families who vacation in Seaside have offered to help me set up the shop( while they are on vacation!) between Christmas and New Years. What a wonderful offer and gift of time from complete strangers! I am hoping to be set up for a soft open by the time they get there!