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Fire
Sept 5, 2010 10:34:30 GMT -5
Post by KG on Sept 5, 2010 10:34:30 GMT -5
My part time business burned to the ground Friday morning. I am more or less devistated. I've been working there for the last 25 years, but Friday the entire market went up in flames. I lost everything... as far as a job. My husband is also out of work so things are very hard here in NC... and overall when I think of my work place it feels like someone died.
I was told that it would be re-built. I am glad of that, but I do not know how the arrangements will be made for my preticular business. I had a lot of equipment... IDK>>> I am so sad, but trying to pep up a bit. I am looking into content writing on line... I found a woman who does make a living doing that.
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Fire
Sept 5, 2010 17:40:36 GMT -5
Post by Kata Samoes on Sept 5, 2010 17:40:36 GMT -5
How did it get set on fire, did they say??
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Fire
Sept 6, 2010 10:13:21 GMT -5
Post by ~Sephity~ on Sept 6, 2010 10:13:21 GMT -5
I'm sorry hun. T.T I wish you the best with recovering from this. If there's anything i can do lemme know.
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Fire
Sept 6, 2010 14:06:35 GMT -5
Post by KG on Sept 6, 2010 14:06:35 GMT -5
Thanks for your support Kata and Sephity. The community here is devastated We had hundreds of vendors, who depend on that place for a living, and it's one of only a few hold out places where small business can make it now days. It was a really good place to work, with everyone just automatically loyal to each other. Everyone there had dozens of close friends there. though I guess very few people knew everyone.
They say it will be re built this time out of metal.. the wood went up so fast. We plan to re-open with only tables, and I will be cooking off site, I suppose. Overall I hope it doesn't hurt business, but I would feel better about the fire hazzard if we did it outside, at my place.
As for the cause, we still don't know. They say they are investigating, but it's going to be hard to tell. I do know that it started on the other end of the building from my stuff so at least I know it wasn't my equipment. No one had been in the market since Monday, at least not officially. We've had break-ins before, but if so no one noticed it. Apparently a small fire was smoldering on the far end at 7AM on Friday. The fire was near a small propane tank someone had used for heating this winter. The fire caused the propane tank to explode, and from there, the whole building went up within half an hour. It was a huge structure, sprawling, wooden building... over 25 years old and there were propane tanks around, and kerosene heaters, and of course spray cans, and bottles of various flammable chemicals. The wood was old and dried by an extra hot summer.
It is strange that the fire started so long after anyone had been in there. The caretaker/manager lives on site, but he had just started his day of course. He'd been asleep, so there could have been a break-in during the night. We have guard dogs, and a chain link fence, but it's possible to get through both. People have done it before. The dogs they have now are fairly sweet. We used to have some monster dogs, that were like pit bulls on crack, but that was twenty years ago.
Overall a spark could have set it off, but we don't know where the spark came from. It could have been electrical... old wiring, overloaded plugs and etc. We do not know... and are awaiting the official report which should be coming on Tues... don't know if they will be able to find out, or if they do if they will announce it publicly . Anyway it could have been a lot of things, but it's strange that it started when no one was around... but we are all glad it did. If this had happened during business hours on the weekend, it could have killed hundreds of people. Even if it had happened later on Friday, vendors could have been in there. It's open Monday and Friday to vendors only, so that we can clean, setup our stock, pick up things we left over the weekend and etc. I am very thankful that no one was hurt. Only a few birds in the pet shop died of smoke inhalation. Thankfully the only pet shop that keeps animals through the week was in a separate building. So overall no loss of life other than a few parakeets. It could have been much worse, even though the building was leveled. The insurance will pay the owner about a million for his loss, but most vendors, even those who kept thousands of dollars in equipment and merchandise had no insurance. Some people have looked into it, and the premiums were outrageous.
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Fire
Sept 6, 2010 22:46:15 GMT -5
Post by Del on Sept 6, 2010 22:46:15 GMT -5
My part time business burned to the ground Friday morning. I am more or less devistated. I've been working there for the last 25 years, but Friday the entire market went up in flames. I lost everything... as far as a job. My husband is also out of work so things are very hard here in NC... and overall when I think of my work place it feels like someone died. I was told that it would be re-built. I am glad of that, but I do not know how the arrangements will be made for my preticular business. I had a lot of equipment... IDK>>> I am so sad, but trying to pep up a bit. I am looking into content writing on line... I found a woman who does make a living doing that. HI Kim, In the very least you're not physically injured. You have my sympathy. If you'd like, you can look at this from a different perspective. Getting rid of the old to make room for the new....
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Fire
Sept 7, 2010 0:35:45 GMT -5
Post by KG on Sept 7, 2010 0:35:45 GMT -5
I had kind of looked at it in several different ways, which kind of go along with what you said. ONE... the place was 25 years old. The structure was getting... tired... and falling into disrepair despite our wonderful care taker's efforts to nail down the tin roof, and replace rotten siding. I mean he works hard and really tries, but there is only so much you can do with a rotting wooden structure built too low to the ground, and once the nails start pulling out decaying of wood, they just keep falling out. I was wondering, and I hate to say it now, but I was wondering a few weeks ago, how long the building would stand. Better for the owner to collect the insurance money, and rebuild than to just let it rot down. Still I will miss my shop. Unless our manager has a different idea, like building a place for me to cook without charging me for it, I will probably set up a cooking apparatus at home, and just sell them at the market. It might hurt business, but it would decrease my overhead and liability a LOT. I do not think I could afford all the new safety features which would be required to rebuild the place as it should be, and I fear the responsibility of making it fire resistant enough to be safe. TWO - People don't come as much as they used to... It's a heck of a high price for a publicity stunt, but we certainly have the interest and concern of the community. People love us, they just fall out of the habit of coming. I'm always having people come to the window saying how glad they are to be back, but they have not come in years. Now we are in everyone's hearts and minds as the community expresses their concern. When it's rebuilt I am sure they will have interest in the place like they used to. They will all want to come and see us... plus as we open outside, they will come and show support. THREE - I always say I need a fire lit under my butt to get me to change or do anything different... well this was a huge fire under my butt. I am planning to start writing for pay this week. If any of you want to try it, the site I am learning from is; www.nojobformom.com/ If you want to start the project when I do, that would be fine, or if you want to wait and see how I do, I'll be giving you updates. Overall if it's like Felicia says it might be an answer to a lot of problems for all of us. I know a lot of us need extra cash, and all of us write well. It's really hard to find a job right now, but this is something we can all do to make a spot of extra money... plus it builds over time. Felicia says it's like a part time job as far as pay to start, but she says her income has doubled every year since she started. I'm all for doubling my income. LOL I'll be posting updates about my income here, and I will probably be developing other sites eventually too. Of course I'll always post on Spirit Sense. Other kinds of sites may be cooler for business, but I love proboards for what we use it for. Anyway check out the link and see what you think. Del, it might actually be a great way for you to earn some cash as well, without getting an actual job. I mean I type on line all the time. I also type stuff to go in my notes, and I research different things and write papers which until now, no one read most of this stuff but me. I do it compulsively late at night... I read and type. I just learned I can get paid for that. The content doesn't go as in depth as I like to, because the articles are 500-1000 words in most cases... no novels or 20 page essays, but you can do some articles in parts, if there is a clean way to divide them. I could do this easily enough. Anyway it's also a great way to get your name out there as a psychologist. I plan to write for Suite 101 and there are ways you could use your articles to get clients or at least establish credibility. I plan to write articles on Soul Collage and plug you as a teacher of that. I may get some quote from you. You can't talk about yourself or speak of I or me, but you can mention other people, as a reporter would do, so I plan to plug your work. I hope it helps. Anyway I am feeling very much more encouraged since I read No Job For Mom, and I see that I can make money without having to search endlessly for a job. I am so tired of putting in applications, and going for interviews, and not getting results. I can start this job right away, and though it may not pay much at first both Text Broker, and Suite 101 offer opportunities for advancement, raises and promotions. That's something hard to find in a physical job. Plus Suite offers recognition, and being able to build a reputation... something that's kind of gone out of fashion in this Chain Store physical world. I am excited about both formats and anything else I might find to try in the future. Kim
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Fire
Sept 7, 2010 21:20:47 GMT -5
Post by Del on Sept 7, 2010 21:20:47 GMT -5
I had kind of looked at it in several different ways, which kind of go along with what you said. ONE... the place was 25 years old. The structure was getting... tired... and falling into disrepair despite our wonderful care taker's efforts to nail down the tin roof, and replace rotten siding. I mean he works hard and really tries, but there is only so much you can do with a rotting wooden structure built too low to the ground, and once the nails start pulling out decaying of wood, they just keep falling out. I was wondering, and I hate to say it now, but I was wondering a few weeks ago, how long the building would stand. Better for the owner to collect the insurance money, and rebuild than to just let it rot down. Still I will miss my shop. Unless our manager has a different idea, like building a place for me to cook without charging me for it, I will probably set up a cooking apparatus at home, and just sell them at the market. It might hurt business, but it would decrease my overhead and liability a LOT. I do not think I could afford all the new safety features which would be required to rebuild the place as it should be, and I fear the responsibility of making it fire resistant enough to be safe. TWO - People don't come as much as they used to... It's a heck of a high price for a publicity stunt, but we certainly have the interest and concern of the community. People love us, they just fall out of the habit of coming. I'm always having people come to the window saying how glad they are to be back, but they have not come in years. Now we are in everyone's hearts and minds as the community expresses their concern. When it's rebuilt I am sure they will have interest in the place like they used to. They will all want to come and see us... plus as we open outside, they will come and show support. THREE - I always say I need a fire lit under my butt to get me to change or do anything different... well this was a huge fire under my butt. I am planning to start writing for pay this week. If any of you want to try it, the site I am learning from is; www.nojobformom.com/ If you want to start the project when I do, that would be fine, or if you want to wait and see how I do, I'll be giving you updates. Overall if it's like Felicia says it might be an answer to a lot of problems for all of us. I know a lot of us need extra cash, and all of us write well. It's really hard to find a job right now, but this is something we can all do to make a spot of extra money... plus it builds over time. Felicia says it's like a part time job as far as pay to start, but she says her income has doubled every year since she started. I'm all for doubling my income. LOL I'll be posting updates about my income here, and I will probably be developing other sites eventually too. Of course I'll always post on Spirit Sense. Other kinds of sites may be cooler for business, but I love proboards for what we use it for. Anyway check out the link and see what you think. Del, it might actually be a great way for you to earn some cash as well, without getting an actual job. I mean I type on line all the time. I also type stuff to go in my notes, and I research different things and write papers which until now, no one read most of this stuff but me. I do it compulsively late at night... I read and type. I just learned I can get paid for that. The content doesn't go as in depth as I like to, because the articles are 500-1000 words in most cases... no novels or 20 page essays, but you can do some articles in parts, if there is a clean way to divide them. I could do this easily enough. Anyway it's also a great way to get your name out there as a psychologist. I plan to write for Suite 101 and there are ways you could use your articles to get clients or at least establish credibility. I plan to write articles on Soul Collage and plug you as a teacher of that. I may get some quote from you. You can't talk about yourself or speak of I or me, but you can mention other people, as a reporter would do, so I plan to plug your work. I hope it helps. Anyway I am feeling very much more encouraged since I read No Job For Mom, and I see that I can make money without having to search endlessly for a job. I am so tired of putting in applications, and going for interviews, and not getting results. I can start this job right away, and though it may not pay much at first both Text Broker, and Suite 101 offer opportunities for advancement, raises and promotions. That's something hard to find in a physical job. Plus Suite offers recognition, and being able to build a reputation... something that's kind of gone out of fashion in this Chain Store physical world. I am excited about both formats and anything else I might find to try in the future. Kim Hi Kim, I want to thank you wholeheartedly from the very core of my essence. I looked at the link you posted, typed in suite 101 and applied to be a writer. Yesterday I was at another low in emotions and wanted to know why I was in California instead of in the place that's optimal [costa rica]. My roommate suggested I meditate on it. Here's what was revealed to me: eating [with a large group of people]; a snake draped on a dancers neck, to learn patience and medicine/the way; to learn healing from Constance [she's an aromatherapist and color healer]; and to build a foundation. Today, I received a reply from a pilates studio in regards to teaching part-time, and a response from a resort community in Costa Rica. And now your post. So I see all of this as synchronistic. I have written a couple of articles already; published only a couple and the other two are on my computer. As with all things, I have to have a purpose or some sense of meaning behind what I do. And yes, it's good for me to keep writing and posting and HOPE it will get out there through my posting on wordpress...bu if it's on a site like Suite101, well then I'll take the initiative to write more often. For me, just learning is enough. I'm okay with assimilating it into myself. Sure it doesn't hurt to get the word out there, but I'd like to fully understand the depth of what I'm doing before I say anything, because it can change in an instant...that has been happening a lot lately. But I can at least write about the process. Now THAT will be super cool and fun. Anyway, yes I'm in. Thanks again. Love, Del.
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Fire
Sept 8, 2010 17:32:37 GMT -5
Post by KG on Sept 8, 2010 17:32:37 GMT -5
Hi Del, and everyone else of course,
I saw your post last night, but was way too exhausted to reply. I've been busy, but I could do twice as much if I wasn't so stressed. The aftermath of the fire has been so confusing. I went to look at the place and talk about low points... Everything was burned up. Even the metal was either melted and reformed in weird shapes, or so brittle from the heat it broke in my hand like a cookie. I salvaged almost nothing. I got the stand that the Cauldron sat on, but my big iron Cauldron was shattered to crumbling bits. I am looking at new cookers right now. I can't afford a new Cauldron. I found something that would work for under a hundred dollars, so I'm fairly happy... I just have to pick between models and order it. I miss my pot though, it was cool. I will be cooking at home instead of at work for a while, but plan to re-open as soon as next weekend with household items and an outdoor table. I'll have skins in a week or two.
For those of you who have never seen a fire like that, I'll tell you a bit. First off it was reported that people saw the smoke from the fire up to 60 miles away. My propane tank did not explode... other people's pony tanks blew up but mine was big enough that it had a safety valve. Those who saw it, say it shot a blue flame high in the air, when the valve blew but it did not explode exactly. The most amazing thing to me was the brittleness of the metal. I went to move a sheet of tin from the roof, and I grasped it carefully to keep from cutting myself. I'm accustomed to sheet metal being sharp. when I tried to lift it a piece broke off in my hand and it felt like decayed cardboard. The texture of it had changed. It crumbled, and the edges of it were not sharp. I don't understand... I mean mentally I can understand melting metal, and loosing tensil strength, but on a deeper level... it is beyond my comprehension. I was as amazed as a small child, and as frightened... frightened to the core at what fire can do. Mostly today I am just overwhelmed. And it's dredged up a confusing hodge podge of emotions that just won't leave me alone. I feel like hiding in a closet with a blanket and sucking my thumb, but unfortunately I am a grown up. Damn it! LOL
Anyway I am OK on the outside... not crying, and while it is a bit more effort than usual to force myself I am staying busy... just feeling freaked out mostly. I feel a lot like a kid who got on a carnival roller coaster, without knowing what a roller coaster was, and is begging to get off, but of course the ride won't stop till it's over. It isn't any one thing, its just the cumulative effect of the years... and all of a sudden something happens to somehow crunch all those memories into one moment in time, and the shock was just overwhelming. The last few years have been a roller coaster ride, and the last year has been a year long downhill plunge. I hope that the fire was the bottom of the hill, but I don't feel this ride climbing again yet... and when will it stop?
I am glad I helped and am thrilled with your quick action. I am still setting up paypal. I got it all messed up with that other bank account, and now IDK how to fix the mess I made, and I will have to figure it out. Anyway I am glad you are so proactive. In fairness, I spent most of yesterday waiting to get into my burned out booth, so I could sign a waver saying that I got my property.
Wow! Your roommate is a genius. I wish my family would realize when I need to meditate. Instead they just ask questions I don't know the answer to, nag me with details that frustrate me, and maybe that's why you are in California. Only in California, do the people who are actually around you physically suggest that you meditate.
Well that sounds good...
Today, I received a reply from a pilates studio in regards to teaching part-time, and a response from a resort community in Costa Rica. And now your post.
IDK what to teach either... and with any form of spirituality or psychology, if you wait till you understand perfectly to write about it, you will never write a word. Even the greatest of all spiritual psychologists, Carl Jung obviously evolved over time, and you can see the process in his writing. He went from a Freudian psychologist to a student of Alchemy and Theology. While he called it archetypes for academic purposes, it's clear to me he was a believer and practitioner. Among his last works are transcripts of his channeling lost books of the Gnostic bible.
We are all, as practitioners going through a constant process of evolving... for better or worse, and we all look back at writings we did years ago, and scratch our heads at our previous ignorance, but that's just part of the fun. LOL Life is forever unfolding, and teaching us things constantly. We will never overcome our ignorance, and we will never completely finish our theories, and discover our perfect practice. There is always more, as we go further and further down the never ending rabbit hole, of our awareness.
Kim
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Fire
Sept 9, 2010 4:33:39 GMT -5
Post by Del on Sept 9, 2010 4:33:39 GMT -5
Well, I submitted my first article...waiting for approval. You're right: if I waited to understand everything, I'd never introduce anything! So I wrote my first article. I also realized that although dance is m primary tool to create, be authentic, and used as a developmental tool, it's not enough. I mean I've experienced profound awareness and revelation through SoulCollage, pastels, painting, and creating music. It's using what's available to become more well-rounded. And you use what suits you best. It's okay to have a favorite, but in order to see more of yourself, to be more versatile, explore more. It allows you to fully integrate the many parts of yourself.... Ohhh, another article is coming along. But like I was saying...I was getting hung up over not performing or producing DVDs like other dancers, performing more in public....now realizing that there's so much more I want to offer, than just dance. My journey is inspirational too. It's a part of my dance. Anyway, thanks Kim! Wonderful having you a part of my life. I'm so glad we agreed to meet up again in this life. You and everyone else here as well. Soul contracts can be soo cool.... Del.
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Fire
Sept 9, 2010 20:20:38 GMT -5
Post by KG on Sept 9, 2010 20:20:38 GMT -5
I enjoy our friendship too Del, and benefit a lot from it. I love all you guys, even the ones who haven't logged in lately. I miss them, but I have not been very good company. Stress is eating me alive from the inside out. I am trying to get a grip on it. I am so controlled on the outside, but inside I am shaking like a leaf. I can't keep up with all I should be doing... I feel like I am in slow motion.
I am glad that you are doing so well with Suite. I just signed up with Textbroker, and plan to sign on with Suite 101 in a moment. I finally got the PayPal process at least started again. They will have to confirm my bank account again. I hope they can do that quickly... I am so... confused right now.
I am a little disappointed that I only got three stars to start. I was hoping for four, but I think that's rare. They will evaluate me again after I have submitted five articles. My account will be frozen for a few days... up to a week while they decide on my first evaluation. So far they've been right on time though. I mean they seem to allow themselves much more time than they take so I am probably worrying for nothing.
I have a lot on my plate, with the flea market, and I have to go up there again tomorrow, and then work outside in the sun Sat. and Sun. We have to sit and look at that burned out building I guess... it's all still laying there. Space will be limited so I hope I can get a space. I need to gather up some household items to sell... it's all very depressing. Sigh...
You cannot imagine the irrational fear I am feeling. I wish this would just all slow down for a moment. I can't eat much at the time... and nothing hot or solid. I can't sleep well. I dread Saturday, and that isn't like me. On top of everything else I got a flat tire on the van, and we had it plugged but it doesn't seem to be holding. I don't know why every time something major goes wrong one of the cars we depend on has a flat tire or blow out.
I feel so miserable... plus this was my dad's birthday... and I feel so alone. My faith which has always been so unshakable is shaking a bit. IDK why everything is falling apart so badly. I'm trying to hold it together, and I feel so weak and puny compared to whatever this challenging period is. I mean it isn't the first time I've felt this way or anything like that. I've been through hard times before, but I just don't know how much more I can take.
I've got a bad case of the hand wringing why me's at least on the inside. I hope that we can put things back together over the next couple of weeks, but in the mean time I am struggling. I hope these on line writing gigs work out. I'm really tired of feeling so pathetic economically.
Kim
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