Going against (albeit not for the first time)....that rule tonight.

The Marcster and I are celebrating a little tonight. We signed the lease for our first store today at 4:00. Look out Atlanta.... shopping is about to get fun again.

Right now we are a little weak in the knees, a little numb and exhausted after 18 months of anticipation and planning while holding down two demanding jobs, and just generally in a little bit of shock.

***Air "All I Need"

Ok...I know I know...it's way more hip to call them "selectors" nowadays.

He's the selector that spins my tunes. He rules in contrasts.

I've "selected" this pic of him as the cover for his first CD.

****Daft Punk "Alive 1997"

I've had my share of angels in my life. I've been blessed.

But right now...at 6:04 pm on Saturday 23, 2006...I realize that there is one angel I owe so much gratitude to for showing me how a real man conducts himself and his business.

He was my first boss, Fred Stutz.

Fred was keenly aware of human nature and keenly tuned into "lifestyle retail" even before it was called that. Gruff, brutaly honest, and cigar chomping on the outside...funny as all get out, a saint, teacher, father, mentor, and saavy merchant on the inside. Fred should have fired me countless times when I acted out as a kid under his wing. But he didn't. He saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself.

As I am about to open my own store, a part of my joy is that somehow, in some way, I am making Fred Stutz proud.

I would never be walking into this door if it were not for the knowledge, inspiration, passion, and spirit that he shared with, and instilled in, me.



Laurie Anderson "Strange Angels"...

"They say that heaven is like TV
A perfect little world that doesn't really need you
And everything there is made of light
And the days keep going by

Here they come
Here they come
Here they come.

Well it was one of those days larger than life
When your friends came to dinner and they stayed the night
And then they cleaned out the refrigerator
They ate everything in sight
And then they stayed up in the living room
And they cried all night

Strange angels - singing just for me
Old stories - they're haunting me
This is nothing like I thought it would be.

Well I was out in my four door with the top down.
And I looked up and there they were:

Millions of tiny teardrops just sort of hanging there

And I didn't know whether to laugh or cry
And I said to myself:

What next big sky?

Strange angels - singing just for me
Their spare change falls on top of me
Rain falling
Falling all over me
All over me

Strange angels - singing just for me

Old Stories - they're haunting me
Big changes are coming

Here they come
Here they come."




That's Marc having a little fun with photoshop, on a pic of the storefront we are negotiating the lease for right now. Our logo looks pretty sweet on the sign above the awning.

Who were the angels and mentors in your life? Who believed in you when you failed to believe in yourself?

But first I gotta show some love and give a BIG BIRTHDAY HUG to PolarB of Inner Sanctum, who started this whole Friday Five business. She's good folk and one of the first angels to welcome me to blogtream. Love ya sweet bear.

1) I don't have a big sweet tooth, but a hot Krispy Kreme donut is close to Nirvana for me.

2) I think the best thing I have done in the past 5 years is adopting two rescue dogs. Gracie and Rex were from abusive and neglected environments. They know they are in a loving home now (read: they are now spoiled rotten) and they give back that love in spades. They are my angels.

3) My all around throw down tune right now is Fergie's "London Bridge".

4) When we moved into our neighborhood, other people were afraid to move here. It's now one of the last intown neighborhoods with homes under 300K. Now it is a magnet for yuppies who want to move intown. It's sad to see people I have come to love get displaced. Houses are empty and being renovated all around us. It's kinda creepy.

5) I am about to do something that has been a goal of mine for 25 years. Now that it is about to happen, I have been numb for a couple of days. The calm before the storm. I have a sense of what it is; perhaps, like to skydive for the first time.

****The Replacements "I Will Dare"