I’m hoping for another beautiful day. Yesterday was gorgeous.
Prayers and best wishes for friends that are hurting.
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Didn’t get a lot of stuff done yesterday. My back is right on the edge of being hurt again. Just picking up 5 pounds causes twinges. Today I’ll go see the chiropractor.
I have noticed that the garage is staying cooler, with the attic exhaust fan running in the afternoon. The garage isn’t much (if any) hotter than the outdoor shaded areas, and that is a huge improvement.
Spent almost an hour yesterday chatting with my gun store buddy. They are really struggling, with very little inventory, a few consignment guns, and only transfers to keep the lights on. This is despite being in the middle of one of the hottest gun markets of all time. If you can’t get inventory, you can’t sell it.
That problem is starting to show up elsewhere too. If a store or a more narrowly focused vendor can’t get product, they can’t earn a living. Big stores or stores with a lot of SKUs can pivot to fill holes, or just rearrange shelves to cover for the missing items, but smaller vendors and suppliers that provide a more niche product are having real trouble. All those car and truck dealers that count on new inventory to entice people to buy are going to have real issues when none is forthcoming because of the chip shortage. Something similar is bound to happen in other markets too.
I think we are at the beginning of a time when if you see something you need or might need, or know of someone who needs it, you better grab it while you can. Yes, this can reduce supply for others. Judge your need, then decide, realizing you might be deciding to do without later if you decide to leave it for the next guy.
You should consider increasing your stocking levels of stuff like that too. If you normally only have a month’s worth, maybe 3 would be better. Or if you have 6 months supply, consider a year’s worth. Don’t count on being able to get what you want in a year’s time. And for some things, that really isn’t much of a burden, like kitchen trash bags. A roll of 70 lasts us a year. Two boxes on the shelf doesn’t take much space or money, and I know we’ll have bags for the next couple of years. Another consideration is that you might be able to get the category of item but not the specific one you like, forex- toilet paper a year ago… so if brand, size, or scent is important, get it now.
Welcome to the new normal. Start adjusting your mindset from abundance to scarcity.
Stack it high.
nick