The Gift of Grace: An Unexpected Lesson

July 8, 2013 by Robyn

Lettuce In January my cousins gave me a birthday gift: a $50 gift certificate for the Seattle Farmers Market. It was a carefully selected gift. They knew that I’ve shopped at the West Seattle Farmers Market for years, take friends there, and encourage others to go.

For me it’s also a bit retro: I grew up in a small town, and buying produce and meats from your neighbors was simply what you did. Good business for them. Good food for you.

So I was taken aback yesterday when I cashed in my gift certificate at the market booth and then tried to spend my $5 tokens around the market.

Turns out, the farmers don’t really understand the tokens. Plus (or perhaps I should honestly say, worse) the tokens are also given in exchange for food stamps, and that is apparently all they are really known for by the farmers. I have to admit, when the booth attendant told me that, I hesitated.

We are all proud: this is a fact of life. We aren’t proud about being proud, but we are, anyway. I am not the only one who looks the other way when the person in front of me at the grocery store hands over food coupons instead of money. First of all, it’s none of my business. Second, it’s sad that someone needs to rely on food stamps: I’m glad food stamps are there and I hope to never be in the position to need them. Third, I always just figured people were embarrassed by needing the coupons, and, of course, it might be contagious.

Sound human? (You know it is.)

So when I was handed the tokens and told that, I thought, ‘Wow, this might be a lesson I’m not in the mood for today.’ Sadly, it was.

One farmer tried to refuse the tokens, and then argued with me about giving me change for one. Granted, the market’s organizers have done a poor job of informing the farmers that the tokens are real money: at the end of the day, they turn in each $5 token for $5 cash. But this particular farmer took one look at the token and glanced at me with a look that combined both contempt for me and superiority for her. I started to explain it was a gift, not a food stamp, and then I thought, really, this is my lesson, too, and shut up.

Well, almost. I looked this farmer in the eye and said, “Give me back the token and I’ll give you real money.” Startled, she hesitated, kept it, and gave me change. While blushing.

I owed the second farmer $17, and gave him three tokens and change (I catch on eventually). He did a double-take when he saw the tokens, wouldn’t meet my eyes after that, and hustled me off.

The third farmer was someone I personally like, even though we don’t know each other’s name. She remembers what I like and even brings a few items just for me (okay, probably a few other people, too) when she doesn’t have enough of it ready to sell in quantity. While she took the tokens in stride, I felt compelled to mention that they were a gift, so boo on me.

That was my lesson yesterday. I had to laugh about it later. I’d just spent a fortune on veterinary care for my aging, ill dog, and like most of us these days, I was feeling the pinch. But what pinched me here was attitude, and not just the farmers’.

We don’t survive as a species, let alone a culture, unless we reach out to take care of each other. Food stamps are one way we do that in our system while keeping our hands clean and our hearts inactivated: we can do good without going to any real effort, including feeling it.

Yesterday I had to feel it. Joy because I feel rich every Sunday when my fridge is stocked with life-giving food. Surprise (and embarrassment) at how I felt when I realized someone might think I was using food stamps (which, I discovered, makes you feel inadequate on many levels that count far more than the financial). Shame for even thinking that. Humor at being human. Satisfaction in rising above my own, well, pettiness.

And, really, gratitude for a perfect gift from people who truly love me: the food, yes, but the unexpected gift of compassion for all of us who are just trying to get by, and somehow manage to do it together. Even when it hurts.

Yes, I’ll call it like it was: an unexpected gift of grace, obviously needed, and, ultimately, well received.

So how would you feel in that situation? And why?

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: business ethics, business mentors, food stamps, good businesses, inspiration, West Seattle Farmers Market

Saying Goodbye to a Neighborhood Institution

June 26, 2013 by Robyn

Dick and Andy Barnecut Barnecut’s Shell has been in West Seattle a whole lot longer than I have, but even that’s a long time. Dick Barnecut and his son, Andy, have been taking care of my cars since I moved to West Seattle in 1988. But on July 1, 2013, they will be closing their doors forever.

The economy has hit hard. Sometimes it’s all statistics, grim reports on the news, or stories from a different place. We’ve seen a lot of places close in West Seattle over the years, many as hard times hit in 2008. But sometimes it’s somebody we know.

What happens? The big box store down the street undercuts prices, and still we shop there. The owners get tired or simply get to retire and kick back. Or some combination thereof. Sometimes it’s hard times, sometimes it’s just time, but the end result is the same: we’re losing a family business.

Here’s what I know. I’m going to miss Barnecut’s. I’m going to miss getting gas and checkups where they know my name and I know theirs.

Here’s something else I know. I was fortunate enough to spot Andy at the station on my way home yesterday, and even though I only needed a quarter tank, I pulled in to fill up and get the chance to say goodbye.

As luck would have it, the best thing happened, because Dick was there, too. Now Dick’s been retired a long time, so you hardly get to see him. But I got a chance to hug them both, to thank them for taking care of me and West Seattle all these years, for being good people and neighbors.

I’m going to miss that. I was born and raised in a small town, and I ran to the big city to get away from that. But truth is, the small town girl is still in there, still wanting to do business and be friends with my neighbors. Still kind of missing that tie.

My dad was a pharmacist and gift shop owner in Stayton, Oregon, and I had the privilege of working with him in his store from the time I was 12 until I graduated from college. I learned a lot about business from my dad. How to count change. How to smile and be polite. How to work even when I was tired. How to wrap a gift.

How to be a good neighbor. My dad took care of people in ways I saw only because I was there. He never talked about it. He just did it. Helped a young man whose wife was dying. Gave money to a man in need. Took care of his family.

I was telling Dick and Andy Barnecut a bit about my dad yesterday. How proud I was of him, and them, for being good neighbors first and foremost.

“Yeah, my dad’s like that,” Andy said, smiling at Dick.

Yes, I remember the time I was on my way to the dentist and had a flat tire. Andy drove down to my condo and filled the tire so I could drive up to the station. Dick was waiting. He took the tire off, patched it, put it back on, and I jumped in the car, saying, “Thanks, Dick, I’ll be back to pay for it later.”

He just laughed as I drove off. And laughed again when I stopped by later that day to pay (interest free, unlike every bank you know).

I’ll miss the service. I’ll miss them. But I’m grateful that they were there all those years when I needed them. When West Seattle needed them.

Happy adventures, Dick and Andy!

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: Barnecut's Shell in West Seattle, business ethics, business mentors, good businesses

Sad for My Dog, and for Seattle

February 24, 2013 by Robyn

Beach closed 2013 We walk by this spot almost every day. It’s our neighborhood in Seattle, a place to enjoy nature in the midst of city life in 21st-century America.

Or is it?

Filed Under: Human-Animal Bond Tagged With: Alki Beach in Seattle, business ethics, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, culture

Take Care of It or Lose It

February 24, 2013 by Robyn

Protect it or lose it Tragic—the only word for it. This is my neighborhood, where I walk my dog, Alki, every day. Beach closed because of contamination from a condominium built out over the water. Sometimes things happen that we can’t prevent. This one we could have, with city administrators who think ahead, and think of everyone. Everything. All life.

Be careful where you build, and how you build it.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: Alki Beach in Seattle, business ethics

Our Fun Interview at Intuit GoPayment

February 22, 2013 by Robyn

Space Cooperating seminar at Alki Arts 1-16-13 Sometimes I get lucky and can help out another business, and I get luckier when it helps me out. Such is the case with Intuit GoPayment. Check our out interview at the Intuit GoPayment blog. OR check it out below: I’ve pasted it below this entry.

You might know Intuit as the company behind Quicken, which provides a host of financial service products for harried people, especially those of us who run small businesses. Did you also know you can process credit cards through them, even as an entrepreneur without a retail storefront?

I am probably the only person in the world who bought a smartphone so I could take credit cards (or, if not, the only one who will admit it). I am out and about helping people clear their homes and businesses and conducting seminars and public events at retail establishments. It’s increasingly awkward in our technological age to get paid for these services easily and reliably. Many people no longer carry checkbooks, and with checks you have to go to the bank (unless you have a smartphone connection to your bank, which is still rare) and you always have to worry about whether the check will bounce. In fact, many business owners will no longer take checks!

Plus, I admit, my business is esoteric, and credibility is important. I am not a flake with a crystal ball. I am a respected businesswoman whose partner is a crystal ball. I love to get paid for my work, and people love to pay me with a credit card. What’s not to like?

Well, confusion for one. Which is why I love Intuit GoPayment. It was easy to set up, they have friendly support people who will help if you get confused (which is routine for me and technology), and it works. I get paid wherever I am, my clients get receipts, and I get regular statements from Intuit.

Yep, there’s a service charge. Cost of business. Worth it. Check out Intuit’s services. Reliable company, excellent products.

Thank you to writer Kristine Hansen and Intuit for the interview!

Intuitive Creative Coach Sees GoPayment in Your Future

by Kristine Hansen on November 2, 2012

As a life, business, and creative consultant, Robyn Fritz of Seattle guides clients into alignment with their goals through her company Alchemy West. She frequently shares her pearls of wisdom during workshops, conferences, and one-on-one consultations.

As a creative coach for writers and entrepreneurs, Fritz walks the talk as an author of two books, Bridging Species: Thoughts and Tales about Our Lives with Dogs and My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, with a third in progress. All three discuss the human-animal bond.

The GoPayment Blog recently caught up with Fritz, a University of Michigan MBA and crystal energy healer, to chat about how GoPayment is the best tool in her pocket when it comes to ensuring her business’s profitable future.

GoPayment: What inspired you to launch your consulting business?

Fritz: My business is unique. When you can laugh and say, “I’m an MBA with a crystal ball,” you have to be prepared to be an entrepreneur because you just don’t fit anywhere else. I love being an entrepreneur. It can be hard and time-consuming, but there’s nothing like knowing you have the freedom, and the responsibility, to be the best you can be in the community at whatever you do.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the diversity of clients and work. Some are writing a book, others are learning to use their intuition for personal or business development, and still others need their home or business space to be vibrationally (or energetically) healthy. Every day is an opportunity to grow and participate in the community by meeting and working with people who are digging deep to find their best selves and to live it in the world. Bonus: Because I literally talk with all walks of life, I get to meet fascinating [home and business owners who] have their own stories to tell, so my work is never dull.

How has GoPayment helped you to keep everything in line?

Today’s entrepreneurs need every edge they can get, from streamlined services to credibility. We need the best price on the tools that make our lives easier. GoPayment is a dream come true. As my business grew, it became clear that I needed to streamline the payment cycle and take credit cards at events and onsite at consultations. So, I bought a smartphone. I chose GoPayment because it came from a reputable company; I could understand and easily use it without a hassle; and it was convenient, flexible, and had live support people who cheerfully helped me set it up and followed through.

I need my business services to be reliable, professional, credible, and classy. My clients are thrilled to use a credit card, and I am thrilled with GoPayment. I’ve never had a problem or complaint, and my business has soared because people trust it and it works.

You talk a lot about intuition. Do most people have that but need help finding it? When did you discover that you have a gift for intuition?

My work is about demystifying intuition: I help people understand that we are all intuitive and can learn how to use intuition as a practical, creative, and inspiring skill to improve our lives.

Listening to my ‘gut sense,’ or intuition, saved my life several times years ago; even then, I knew that I wasn’t just lucky, I was responding to an innate skill. I started to work with intuition professionally in 2001 [after] I realized that we limit ourselves by thinking of intuition as a spiritual tool when it’s something we’re all born with and can learn to tap to enrich our personal and professional lives.

You offer a “how to find your story” workshop. What could be an important first step for someone who might want to write about his or her life but does not know how to get started?

Putting a structure on a writing idea is the only sure way of actually getting anything written. Otherwise it is too daunting, because a book, or even an article, can cover a lot of ground.

I teach people how to break every story idea into five parts. Decide what you’re going to write first: an article, a memoir, or a novel. Figure out how long it will be, say, 50,000 words (that’s a short book, really). Pick five major events in that story and space them evenly throughout that 50,000-word length: a beginning, a rising action, a midpoint, a falling action, and the end. Five story points becomes the story structure. Then you get to write it!

About Kristine Hansen

A Wisconsin-based freelance writer, Kristine Hansen contributes business stories to many food and drink trade journals, as well as CNN.com, and blogs about mindful travel at Psychology Today. She also dishes out advice for writers at The Writer Magazine about running a successful writing business.

(article re-posted from the Intuit GoPayment blog)

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: business ethics, creative project consultation, crystals, culture, intuitive, Intuitive GoPayment

Profiling Andrea Bruckner of Blue Star Astrology

February 20, 2013 by Robyn

Part of our series profiling people and businesses who walk their talk.

I know very little about astrology. That said, I have met a few astrologers who impress me because they have spent a long time learning about the science and art of astrology and take it and their clients seriously. Dedication and smarts rule!

Andrea Bruckner is an astrologer who owns Blue Star Astrology in Seattle. We met because we both do consultations at East West Bookshop in Seattle. She also hosts a free monthly birthday party at East West so attendees can learn more about their astrological sign. I attended the Capricorn night, a relaxed, informative evening where Andrea talked about what it means to be a Capricorn. I had always thought that systems like astrology were too deterministic: if you were this sign, you were doomed to be emotional, and so on. That there was no possibility of being you, only the sign you born under.

Andrea made it clear that it isn’t as cut-and-dried as I assumed. With so many planets and houses and whatevers, each person really is unique, and it’s a complex business digging deep into a chart to see what it could mean to you. But you’re still in charge of your life.

Andrea made an interesting point. Someone at the Capricorn night who was born on the edge between signs was still Capricorn, even though she wanted to be under Aquarius, because some of the aspects of Capricorn made her uncomfortable. Andrea gently pointed out that you “become your sign as you live,” indicating that knowledge and sensitivity are all part of the package. Astrology is a guide, an indicator, but how and why you live your life are strictly up to you.

Later Andrea and I exchanged consultations. I did a Space Cooperating session for her in her new home north of Seattle, working via Skype. She did a personal and business astrological consultation for me and Alchemy West. I found it fascinating: she was not into telling me about my personality, which I am all too familiar with! Instead, she explored the ramifications of different aspects of my personal and business charts, which gave me insight into certain things I’d been exploring. Awesome!

Here is our interview.

How did you choose to work in astrology?

Andrea: “My journey of learning astrology started when I was just a little child. I loved to observe the stars through a telescope—I absolutely loved astronomy. My grandma had a book of dreams and an old almanac: I discovered the astrological symbols and was instantly fascinated by the language of astrology. That stuck with me through my years at the university where I studied chemistry, which is similar to astrology in that you are always learning something new and working with so much detail. I studied astrology every single free moment I had. I learned a lot on my own and from my wonderful teachers both in Europe and America.

“I started Blue Star Astrology, my astrology company, while still working in the corporate world.”

What is your philosophical approach to astrology?

Andrea: “My approach to astrology is pretty self-explanatory: your chart gives you your best life possible, and I will find it with the client. There is always room to grow, there is no good or bad chart. Astrology can only show you how to deal with your stuff. I tend to focus on life journeys but I also do synastry readings, yearly updates, and relocation astrology for people. I do birth charts for people of all ages (children to adults) and pet astrology. For people I tend to focus on soul journey, or finding your passion, what moves you, your talents and potentials, basically who are you meant to be. This also ties to business astrology. I also do , timing of events and astro cartography.

“One of the things that I share with my clients is that if things seem rough, you just need to remember that in this lifetime you are becoming your sign, you don’t need to be perfect and you don’t need to fight against the natural flow of your chart. If you are a Capricorn, you are for sure becoming more Capricornian. In other words, don’t sweat it, don’t seek perfection. It will all find you. It is your challenge, however, to look at all the positive qualities of your sign and to make sure that you are implementing them.”

How do you see this philosophy work out for your clients?

Andrea: “My clients are all different. Some love to learn about astrology, some need reassurance and want to see how astrology can help them to learn about themselves. I have helped numerous clients from all around the world. After the session, my clients feel like they can see more clearly and they are open to new ways and ideas. Astrological reading is a tool to self-discovery.”

What do you like to do to relax?

Andrea: “I love spending my free time with my husband and son. I am also an avid runner. And last, but not least, I love to travel.”

I know Andrea personally and professional and heartily recommend her services. She knows astrology and can offer real insights that can help. Plus she’s warm and personable, making the experience fun and relaxing as well as informative.

You can find Andrea Bruckner at bluestarastrology.com, or 425-210-3510 (PST). Check out her blog on astronomy and the world around you at the-eleventh-house.blogspot.com.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: astrology, business ethics

Yes, It’s Lettuce

August 17, 2012 by Robyn

Add it up! Take one amateur photographer. Discover fascination with brilliant red lettuce. Take up close and possibly way too personal photographs. Don’t make people guess what it is. Happy summer from Seattle.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: business ethics, creating community, humor, inspiration

Lavender: When Summer Makes You Smile

August 17, 2012 by Robyn

We joke about summer in Seattle all year—and can’t stop smiling when it shows up!

Bonus is, it also smells great, especially when the lavender harvest is in.

I am so grateful when I work to establish good relationships with people who love their work, and then I enjoy the fruits of our mutual labor! Like my auto mechanic I bumped into this morning while we were waiting for iced coffees. Like the farmer at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market, who brought me some tiny lemon basil plants to humor my city girl’s green thumb, knowing all the while that I’d still buy oodles of it when she harvests, which I did (what you don’t gobble yourself makes lovely gifts).

And especially like Marcella Stachurski at Cedarbrook Lavender and Herb Farm in Sequim, Washington, who picked up the phone a few years ago, when the Seattle lavender crop had failed, and promptly filled my entire large large large order. It was literally on my doorstep the next morning (having delighted our postal carrier all day on his route). The lavender doesn’t get picked until it’s ready, and it’s shipped the same day.

Summer. Lavender. People who love their jobs.

Awesome.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: business ethics, good businesses, new economy, noteworthy people

Chiropractic Care Isn’t just for People … or Dogs

May 17, 2012 by Robyn

Some days you’re just goofing off and you find news about somebody who makes a difference. This one is ironic to me, since it deals with chiropractic care, this time for race horses, in particular, for 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another.

Here’s a link to the article, “Equine Chiropractic Asset to O’Neill Team,” just published in thebloodhorse.com. It profiles Larry Jones, a chiropractor who works exclusively with race horses. Jones’ philosophy is that a lot of physical problems in race horses, especially back issues, can be treated more successfully chiropractically than with medications. It’s his life’s work—a calling and a business.

A lot of people dismiss chiropractic, like they dismiss other holistic modalities, including diet and exercise. So they patchwork a problem. Give a drug for pain. Take some time off to recover. Prey on suffering people with the latest miracle cure.

Sometimes that works. Well, not the miracle cure bit, but you get the idea.

I personally have had better luck in my own life with chiropractic than with most other modalities I’ve tried. My dog, Murphy, also benefited from chiropractic care off and on during her life. And acupuncture, Chinese herbs, diet, drugs, and laughs. I had to work hard to find out what worked for her, and my other animals, Alki and Grace the Cat.

I’ve had to work hard to find solutions for myself, too. Why? Because our current medical system doesn’t like anything that doesn’t benefit a big drug or hospital or insurance company. They’d rather you take a drug, which can mess with your body, than have a chiropractic treatment that both resolves the issue and makes your body, and your mind, feel better.

Case in point: I’ve worked very hard to get well and stay well. Years of work. Now my insurance company doesn’t want to cover a $59 chiropractic bill for anything, including a migraine. They’d rather I pay $100 a dose for a pill. This infuriates me and makes my chiropractor boil. And it should. If we have to pay for health insurance, we should get coverage for what works for us, and not for what some unknown person thinks should work.

So I credit Doug O’Neill for an enlightened approach to his stable’s care. Winning the Kentucky Derby didn’t prove that equine chiropractic care works. But since a winning horse benefited by it, maybe other trainers will look at it for their horses’ care.

After all, we all get out of whack on occasion, and chiropractic works.

Health insurance, not so much.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: animal care, business ethics, dog care, equine chiropractic, human chiropractic, human-animal bond, medical insurance

Eagles, Fish, Dogs, and Turkeys: Persistence Pays Off

April 19, 2012 by Robyn

Last year we had a few months that were both fun and hard at our house. Fun because I met wonderful people at writing events and at intuitive events with my crystal partner, Fallon. People who make me believe that community is possible and present and glad that I keep trying. No matter what.

Hard because both my dogs landed in the ER in the middle of the night, three days apart. Murphy almost died from the dog flu, which is epidemic out here these days. And Alki ripped a toenail off in his sleep, proving that bizarre clumsiness is routine at our house. A month later Grace the Cat got sick. And I was in PT for two painful injuries. We were all sleep deprived, wondering how to keep going, and, okay, hungry.

The solution? We cooked our Thanksgiving turkey early. Grace supervised from the counter while the dogs watched in awe as I lifted the turkey to present it to them—only to see it slide off the platter and hit the floor. Grace was appalled, which is her usual reaction to my cooking, but the dogs were, well, dogs, and immediately rushed forward to clean up the mess.

I had to laugh. I had living proof that even well-mannered, laid-back Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can and will seize any opportunity that presents itself. A meal is a meal, sometimes an adventure, and always a gift.

Which reminds me of the fascinating bald eagles of Alki Beach in Seattle. They are frequently challenged here, but they never give up. They ignore obstacles, or somehow get around them. Do they always win? Of course not. But they don’t stop going around.

: (c) Danny L. McMillin

Like the bald eagle I spotted recently, being swarmed by gulls above the Alki Point Light House. The eagle calmly flew through the gulls, despite being so pressured it could barely spread its wings. It swooped down towards the beach and disappeared from sight. Shortly afterwards the eagle flew up again and right through the angry gulls. Clutching a large fish.

Awesome!

Once again I’d been inspired by a bald eagle to challenge myself (and my animal family) to keep going, ignore the obstacles, or figure out a way to get through them. The eagle kept its focus on lunch and scored, despite being harassed by the neighborhood bullies.

My family could focus and persist, too. And did. Yes. We ignored the messed-up turkey and ate it. And laughed as we put a hard month behind us.

Despite our obstacles, my family and I persevered. We celebrated life and love together. Our favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, even when the turkey gets away.

It didn’t get far, and neither does love at our house.

May we always celebrate together. Enjoy our challenges. They’re part of the story. And the gift of life.

Persevere. Love. Laugh.

Keep trying.

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: bald eagles, bridging species, business ethics, cats, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, creating community, good businesses