Firearms Friday: Local Shops

I have been meaning to get out and explore a bit to see what the local shops have to offer but haven’t really been able to find much time for these little excursions. However, there were a few small windows that allowed me to get out of the house and drive finally allowing me to make it to a few local shops over the past several weeks. So far, there really isn’t much that I have been missing.

Maybe it is because of the simple fact that I have found the really good gun shops in a few other counties that, when I am able, I try to visit on occasion. Sometimes I may pick up a little something, sometimes I am there to sell, and other times it ends up simply being a great conversation that allows me to keep my wallet in my pocket. Of course, then there are the instance when I am able to bring others to those stores… a time when I can let them spend their money.

So far, while pretty on the outside, there isn’t much to be found in the way of deals or customer service at many of the local shops around me. Bear in mind that there is still quite the long list of places that I have yet to see. Many of these stores look really nice on the outside and have the prices on the inside to match their high end appearance. Needless to say, I didn’t make much in the way of purchased beyond finding a few used magazines in the discount bin (buy one, get one).

Hopefully, the places that I have come across aren’t part of a new trend in the industry although, based on the grand opening announcements that I have seen lately, this is probably the case. The small family stores are becoming harder and harder to find but they are still out there. It just takes a little more time and effort to find them. Commodities that I am in short supply of at the moment.

At this point, with none of the places around me worth a second trip, I am going to take a little break from trying to find the right store. I have great places where I enjoy spending time and the limited times that I am able to get out I would rather go there. Instead, I am going to focus on finding a good range where I can relax and enjoy time with friends and family. That seems like it will be a better use of my time for a multitude of reasons.

Two Years Makes A Huge Difference

My wife and I have been to Jim Thorpe several times in the past. Usually driving up for the day just to walk around the sleepy town near the entrance to the Pocono Mountains. We have always enjoyed our trips up there and we have been planning to return with our son at some point. This weekend we finally took the time and made the plans to travel into the mountains as a family.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many things in life, reality didn’t live up to the memories. That being said, the town itself has changed rather significantly since our last excursion two years ago and, for us, it has definitely not changed for the better. It all began as soon as we approached the valley and we could see the mass of cars and people filling the streets, sidewalks, and parks. It was rather odd seeing the main line atmosphere so far from Philadelphia but that is exactly how the trip unfolded over our two day stay.

While there were a few brief glimpses of what it used to be like in the muted stir of the evening, it seems as though this town is no longer the forgotten destination that it once was and the makeover that it has received recently demonstrates that the town is definitely well aware of its new windfall. But, they are certainly honing in on a certain type of visitor to the town as many of the new shops are more akin to what you would find in the small towns around San Francisco. There are certain demographics that certainly find this appealing but don’t count me as one of them.

Of courses, there were a few aspects to the short trip that didn’t really sit well with me either. In addition to the sheer number of people that had flooded the valley, the attitudes and mentalities of those people was something that I would prefer not to encounter especially when trying to get away and relax. And it seems to have had an impact on the great people that live and work in those small shops along Broadway and Race Street.

In previous trips, the people have always been one of the best parts about the town. Great scenery and great people… that is really what we look for when trying to find a place where we can relax. Now, in this little town, the drastic shift has seemly changed some people, broken others, and driven the rest out of town. The small family shops are nearly gone. The library is half the size that it used to be. Those remaining have a different way about them and a completely different attitude… no more friendly and casual conversations. And there are clearly people who have already gone or are moving because the sale signs are plentiful.

Maybe this is a brief phase for the town and things will change back in the near future. Maybe our perspectives were off those days. Maybe, but it doesn’t look like we will be have any time in the near future as there are so few opportunities to get away and we are not going to risk completely wasting one on a return trip... that is the feeling that we got this time around. I guess some things are best left as memories.

Mortgage Monday: Finding Our New Stores

All of the other places that my wife and I have lived had immediate access to a variety of both small shops and national chain stores. Now, where we have decided to make our home, there are a number of stores nearby but not as many as we have grown accustom. For many of the places that we once frequented, we have to drive a little further than before which, we are finding, is actually a welcomed change from the places where we once rested.

Just down the road we have many of the essentials just by different names than those that we are used to seeing. There are local eateries, small gas stations, and other stores that line the main thoroughfare just down the street. And, while it seems further than it really is, there are a few of the national retailers just a little further down the road including the local Wal-Mart. On a side note, this is the first Wal-Mart, or any large store for that matter, that I have ever seen which has separate buggy parking.

All of the other stores are either the same distance that we are used to driving or are a little closer than they once were. Ollie’s is a perfect example of this as it is now about 20 minutes away when there were a couple of others that we used to go to that were a 25-30 minute drive from our previous rentals. But there are replacements that are much closer to us including BB’s and some other local stores that offer the same if not better prices.

The only stores that could be seen as inconvenient are the ones that we don’t use regularly. If we need to go to Staples, Bed, Bath, & Beyond, or Babies R Us they are no longer 10 minutes down the road. However, at least a couple of them, Staples for certain, are near my office and usually those trips can be done quickly in the middle of the day. But, again, many of the things that we once purchased there can be found elsewhere and, at the moment, we are still in the process of exploring the local area including the towns immediately around us as well as the Reading area.

We have everything that we need at a convenient distance from our home. There are plenty of options out there some of which we have already fond while others are, as of yet, undiscovered. However, when compared to our previous houses and apartments, we are the most comfortable and relaxed being ever so slightly removed from the retail commotion. We have space, we have room to breathe, and we still have access to everything we need.

Firearms Friday: Safe Hunting

Finding a safe can be a difficult and expensive proposition. While I currently own two safes that provide adequate security for my current needs they are by no means the best option for me. That and I don’t really have any room for the future. The need for a new safe is there but that presents a whole new set of questions…

• How big do I make it?
• What will fit through the door?
• What am I going to store in it besides firearms?
• What level of quality do I want?
• Where am I going to put it?
• How much do I spend?

And that is just a list of the initial questions before delving into the details. Once you start answering the questions above a whole new list of questions begin flooding the decision making process:

• What fire rating do I want?
• How thick do I want the steel?
• What kind of lock?
• If I get a bigger one, am I okay in having delivered in sections?
• Do I want sensors?
• Should I get a prefabricated interior?
• How many doors?
• How much should I spend on extras?

Again, this is just the initial list of questions following some relatively simple answers to the first set of specifications. The further you get into the process the more questions begin popping up and with every new answer there are a few more dollars added to the bottom line. The more you go through this process and really think about your current and future needs the more frustrated you get when looking at the safes ready for sale in stores. While the quality overall is pretty darn good pretty much across the board, you aren’t really going to get everything you want when you go with a mass produced model. Well, that is at least true for me.

The problem is that to really get what you want, there is a very steep price to be paid. At least that is what I thought when I was initially going through this process and I had nearly given up and conceded to an off the shelf model when I came across a company called the Sportsman Steel Safe Company. I can’t remember how I found the website but I am glad that I found it. So, with criteria in hand, I gave them a call and walked through the production, warranty, process, and pricing. In the end, for the same price as something off the floor from the local Cabela’s with half the features I wanted, I was able to custom build exactly what I wanted with a few other upgrades thrown in for far less than a retail ready model (it ends up being only a little less once delivery and install are factored in).

So, the safe is on order and now we have to wait a while for the production. In the meantime, I will make do with what I have and figure out how the current safes will continue their service once the new one arrives. I will definitely be writing about the whole process and the finished product in the future but so far so good.

From Anorexia To Gluttony

Following a weekend of sugar shock and house cleaning it would have been nice to enjoy a simple fall day before the last vestiges of color seeped from the fall foliage. A day without holiday anticipation, decorations, expectations, or advertisements. That is the way that things used to be. The week following Halloween was a time when we were given a seasonal reprieve, a few days to rest before turning up the obnoxious advertising to eleven.

Well, that was then and this is now. There were a few hours in the middle of the night when the commercials stopped and the decorations in the stores were taken down. However, by the time we got out of bed and turned on Sunday Morning, the Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas promotions began trickling across the airwaves (keep in mind that Hanukkah commercials will begin the night before). And, in the stores, the Christmas decorations were immediately put in place where the ghouls, goblins, witches, and vampires once dominated the shelves. Santa was back and he really wasn’t waiting any time this year.

It seems like I find myself saying this every year but the holidays keep getting earlier and earlier. Heck, even when logging on to Amazon, they are already starting to promote their Black Friday sales… let’s hope they are better than their summer debacle. On top of all this, stores are starting to come out with their holiday, i.e. Thanksgiving, hours. Better not eat any turkey this year or you won’t have the energy to beat everyone to get the good stuff. And, if you do enjoy a nice feast, you might want to consider moving everything to lunch time as many stores will be open by dinner this year.  

It really is a shame that the marketing for all these holidays has gotten so out of hand. It is a beautiful time of year, my favorite season, when the weather is usually warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough that you appreciate the moments you spend walking among the fire falling from the trees. It is the last moments that we have to enjoy being comfortable outside before the bitterness of winter descends. It seems as though the spectacular season beyond the windowpane is no longer enough for most people… they need to focus on what they can buy, what they can look forward to, and what they want to get rather than enjoying the present which doesn’t cost them a thing.   

Too Soon!

As stores moved their Halloween candy and decorations to the clearance section out came the Thanksgiving items to be put on display. But the turkey day decorations are limited in their shelf space as the Christmas stock was already dominating the aisles. With nearly two months to go, the winter holiday was already on full display smacking you in the face the moment you walked through the door.

Over the past couple of weeks the oversaturation has only gotten worse as the music is filling the stores and the slowly trickling into the radio rotation. And this week is seems as though the weather has joined in on the premature celebration with the cold and flurries filling the air. Even as I write this line there is the Hershey kiss red and green holiday bells ringing in the background. All of this is too much and way too early.

Growing up this was a time of year that I looked forward to… it was a something that I waited for with great anticipation and I could count on the decorations and music to change the world around me the week following Thanksgiving. Now it is an entire season, the same length as winter or fall, that overshadows all the other days that make up autumn. For some this is a welcomed change but, for me, it is robbing the appreciation that we once had for the sow decent into the cold weather and the holidays, events, and transitions that I enjoyed years ago.

But I guess this is to be expected during a time when people want everything right now and want it for as long as possible. With instant gratification found in every corner of the internet and easy access through all means of communication, there is no more patience left in everyday life. That is what I think I miss the most, the enjoyment of the day to day. Each day offered a little change during the fall and built up the anticipation to what we knew was to fall upon us at the very beginning of winter.

While my focus has changed as I have gotten older and the holidays which I embrace are completely different, the spirit that fills this time of year seems to be watered down by extending it over such a long period of time. Now, we find Halloween trees on display in early October and a mix of music filling stores in the midst of the fire that fills the autumn landscape. If only we could go back to the slower pace and patience that came with the day to day enjoyment of the season. Maybe we could enjoy the individual holidays rather than suffering from a merry overload by the time December comes around.

Exploring Other People’s Homes

With costumes filling the racks, bags of candy piled on the shelves, and dark shows and movies dominating the television stations it is impossible to look around and not realize that Halloween is quickly approaching. I remember when the treats and decorations would just now be getting put out for sale but these days we have been walking by them for weeks. The preparations and time from may have changed but some things have not.

I think back to those nights after school walking up and down the streets of developments thinking about what treats may be hiding behind the door. However, what I remember more are those moments when the doors opened and I could see the recently cleaned entry to the home. It was an interesting evening to peek into the homes of others and see where they lived. What was even better was when we were invited in to the foyer so that we were able to see just a little bit more of the house. It’s interesting to think about those times years later.

As I scroll through the pages on the real estate websites I get that same feeling of peering into the homes of others. Sometimes you see a beautiful home from the outside but one you open the doors, or click on the additional pictures, you can see that someone took great pains to polish a turd. Other times, the outside looks a little run down but the interior is spotless and looks nearly brand new. It is the same experience that I remember having when I was going house to house with my friends on Halloween night.

Things are a little different now both in the digital wall that now exists but also in my perspective. Things are no longer good and bad. Okay, maybe there are a few exceptions to that rule. Most of the time it is either discovering the aspects that we would want in a home or trying to see the potential in the property. It really is a balancing act between what you want to have in a home and what the realistic expectations that we have for our first home.

Of course, sometimes it is fun going through neighborhoods and peering into the homes we will most likely never be able to afford. That is the commonality that has transcended the decades… opening the door and stealing a glance at the homes of others. Some things don’t change.