PEOPLE TRAFFIC for SMALL BUSINESSES... for GOLDEN PSALMS, my awesome 16 acre dream of bespoke small businesses plaza.. -sandra mickanen imagining
in the in between, my mind is filled with all my visions and dreams for Golden Psalms
currently projected onto the 16 acres of Serra Center in Milpitas, which is a large and neglected area, with many former businesses/stores boarded up, and a few hanger-on-ers..
this morning i woke remembering this truth,
when i worked at ricks picks on main street in downtown pleasanton, -LOVED.
i became fascinated with the impact of people traffic and how much it influenced our sales.
if it was raining, for example -like, next to no one would be walking on main street, and we'd use those days to do other things in the store, remain productive in different ways -re-merchandise, accept/process deliveries, etc.
but rain = very few people, very few sales
on a nice day = higher number of people walking along main street, which automatically resulted in more shoppers, more sales..
with an event nearby! like, good guys car show at the alameda county fair, or during the weeks the alameda county fair was open, or a big event at a local school..
large scale events within a few miles of ricks picks -we could count on more shoppers, more sales..
then of course, any/all of the gift-giving, house decorating, party-throwing holidays
Christmas for example.. we would be at the register non stop, all day.. open to please close, we're exhausted.
but it just opened my eyes to.. it wasnt necessarily about the products in the store, or how they were merchandised.. although, ricks picks was, like, the absolute coolest store around, with great products, and creative merchandising,
but.. simple but true rule of retail: the more people traffic, the more sales; period. true for all the small businesses, restaurants up and down main street
what's promising about the acres in milpitas, where Golden Psalms will be located..
[see that.. will be located... affirming my own imaginations..]
is that.. on any given day, IT IS ALREADY SEEN/PASSED BY, by very high car traffic ..
1000's of cars already pass it by.. very near, the street touches the parking lot, you don't have to look way far in the distance to see that....
that's the problem write now.. people just drive by, because there is nothing there to drive to!
but imagine, imagine with me..
gorgeous landscaping, like blackhawk plaza.. pond, fountains, greenery, flowers, a pretty bridge..
imagine, 3 of the buildings have rooftop patios, staggered in height..
imagine, darling, charming store fronts.. some beautiful, creative color theme.. a magnet for human eyes..
every store can customize, personalize in a unique way on a variety of different products..
all bespoke...
many opportunties for INTERACTIVE creations..
fortune cookies, mag time frames, t-shirts, hats (small scale); those gorgeous german dream light, for tea lights, a flower shop,
then, because i recently so thoroughly enjoyed my experience at san jose batting cages..
batting cages! massage envy! and so recently enjoyed my experience at campbell float station..
a float station!
my stationery store, w/writing letters as a fun activity, choose your pen, paper, stickers, envelope, etc. beautiful place to write.. the iconic mailbox, -big deal to mail from THIS particular mailbox, take your pix dropping your letter in...
grateful that with everything going on.. my mind likes to visit this imagining, re-visit it,
write about it, draw it.. envision.. evolve it, develop it..
it keeps growing more detailed in my rich imagination...
selah! hallelujah & amen!
CHAD BIANCO FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA -retain, recruit, support our law enforcement officers -sandra mickanen reporting
draft -in progress,
-addressing BOOKING TIME & AFFORDABLE HOUSING for SJPD
1) to address issue of booking time for San Jose Police Department Officers
The issue: the time it takes for an officer to book a person they have arrested: 2 1/2 or more hours.
This should be under 30 minutes. As we are already profoundly short staffed when it comes to police officers, -we only further exacerbate the problem by pulling our officers off the street and consuming their very valuable patrol time with booking procedures.
solutions:
find ways to expedite booking
delegate the actual booking responsibilities to a different segment of SJPD employees -freeing the officer to return to patrol [additional issue/problem, the ability to recruit/retain for this position]
Affordable housing for SJPD -
we should absolutely provide affordable housing for our police officers, first responders.
In some cases, we have officers commuting 2 hours to work, then working a 10 or 12 hour high stress, high stakes shift, driving another 2 hours home, in many cases, you can add mandatory overtime to their already demanding and taxing schedules.
I ask anyone, -commuting, working, commuting, mandatory overtime all of it, high stress, high stakes, and allowing this stress to accumulate
the always obvious part of the solution: retain, recruit, restore San Jose to proper staff levels
but even still: reduce stress by reducing (unnecessary) commute times
Those 2 hours -4 hours, round trip, are much better spent with family than on the road.
Our street patrol, 24/7, 365, -there is no option to 'work from home'
They are doing some of THE MOST IMPORTANT, VALUABLE WORK for our society
-families, businesses, schools, parks, community events
PUBLIC SAFETY is the highest priority, allows everything else to take place..
VELLUM DAYS in progress 2026 #vellumdays
Chinese New Year 2026 Celebration Party @ The Georges
Year of the Horse #fancynancy
#sjpac
#bliss -yard art dismantle.. new empty canvas for st patrick yard art..
all "Thank You!" prayers... xoxo
p.s. "THANK YOU!" President Donald J Trump for putting a quick end to the utter nonsense of start-stop feature in our cars!! -the micks, celebrating
it IS! the most hated feature.. it is so annoying! we know
it's not good for the car, for drivers/passengers...
could never even believe they mandated it to begin with
and was certain they did not do a quality assurance check.
we are celebrating the end of this stupid feature!!
"cheers!"
hallelujah & amen
****
ok, so technically what they're doing is not putting a quick end to, but rather
ending fuel-economy credits for the installation of the start-stop technology
therefore
DISincentivizing the automakers from installing it.
****
financial incentive vs disincentive is the only language some people speak...
(i.e., tariffs)
and my limited layperson research shows the absence of this irritating start stop technology will also reduce the cost of cars.. that's the very definition of a win/win!
****
selah! & amen.
navigating breast cancer, -mom, wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, aunt, sister.. photographer, podcaster and entrepreneur
The Triple Blessing of Kassandra's PODCAST: Where I am Right Now [on spotify and other platforms]
1) helping her heal 2) helping us understand on a deeper level 3) helping others
My experience floating outdoors, in the ocean, with my husband, in puerto rico.. so life changing, i investigated opportunities locally.. this indoor experience; not quite the same, but equally glorious..
and no sun screen required! let there be no doubt it has healing powers..
-more later, but.. yes! to campbell float station
grateful you exist!
President Donald J Trump, State of the Union, Feb 2026 Q&A -by sandra mickanen of beautiful berryessa in san jose, ca.
OUR QUESTION EXACTLY... !
typical pro-criminal-and-too-bad-real-victims california..
releasing a serial child predator
PLEASE SEND HELP: serial child predator, rapist is being RELEASED in Northern California.
PREDATOR: david allen funston, 64 years old
-WAS SUPPOSED TO SERVE LIFE SENTENCE
-paroled on some super stupid, 'elderly parole program, federal court order for people age 50, who served 20 years
-which we all know should not negate LIFE SENTENCES for CHILD RAPISTS
****
honest to our good God, -the level of either ignorance, or incompetence, or evil, or some combination of the three, -how these people make the decisions they do...
its criminal.
Public "Thank You!" to Saint Anthony & blogosphere & friends -for memories otherwise lost.. -sandra mickanen
enormously grateful to maritza for taking the time to share her very recent Saint Anthony prayer experience
in the comments section of my several-years-old experience praying to...
and that gap between testimonies,
CH= to the bank robbery experience of course! one of the many gifts of the blogosphere is being able to connect closely, testimonies, despite large time gaps. i still regard it a genuine treasure, its value unquantifiable..
but, decades after i experienced being in a bank that was arm-robbed, i blogged about it, from memory.
WILD TO ME! that sue-sue, a best friend at the time; and the driver.. that she would show up and in comments share her side of the scary story.. we hadn't spoken or connected in a good long time.
AND EVEN WILDER STILL!! -that years later, the ex-boyfriend i reference in the memory, steve shaw, due to a friendship reunion, and chance to talk.. HE grants my wish, and shares his incredible, and previously unknown to me, side of the story in comments of that post also.
being able to read it with my own two eyes.. and process...
it is -one of the highest, most generous and most healing gifts to me..
another belated "THANK YOU!"
hallelujah & amen
writing; the great disincentive -sandra mickanen reporting
let me start with another, "THANK YOU!" to my family for the very generous gift card to massage envy. said thanks, wrote thanks, text thanks.. blog post thanks /shesayswithasmile..
now,
highest praise for the professional who provided my services, which included, my 1st ever, microderm infusion facial.. wow! felt great, felt clean.. felt my skin saying thank you...
her name is chikako (chicago, with k sounds..) high, high recommend. milpitas massage envy.
this next info i write because.. think its funny, and my kids will appreciate, because..
i still just loathe a few things: questionnaires, surveys, ratings, -homework after a restaurant meal or service or shopping of any and every kind
and i loathe, that despite not clicking, or clicking, DO NOT SEND FURTHER emails, texts, no marketing.. etc.
my email still gets bombarded, and 'unsubscribe' either doesnt work, or isnt even offered.
so, while, i thoroughly enjoyed my facial, and was delighted with chikako's professional, kind, thorough service..
here it came: hi sandra, thank you for visiting.. blah, blah
text 1-5 to rate your experience 5=Great, 1=bad..
and i do have a kind of default.. internal surge of .... some combination of exhaustion, frustration, pissed-off-ness.. because this is ridiculous, every place you go, every time, from every one..
enough!
but, prayed to adjust my attitude, and.. reluctantly, but, overriding all my emotions and mood..
i click on 5. 5=Great.
done.
should have been DONE! more than enough...
nope.
that opened a new guilt trip and responsibility: ... blah, blah, to share your experience and shout out Chikako online to earn them an additional bonus! w/link..
good God. now she might not get a bonus she deserves based on whether i..
I... who am enormously burnt out on surveys, ratings, texts.. providing feedback for every. single. frickin' thing i buy, eat, look at, visit...
so i did it. reluctantly. pissed off... but she did provide great service. guilt trip worked.
I had my services, facial, and then a massage, back to back.. or, face to back,
what i mean is, facial tuesday; massage wednesday.
on my way to the massage on wednesday, i was all... in prayer.. super grouchy..
reiterating to the heavens, everything i just said above...
why is it my responsibility? why am i being guilted... why every. frickin' thing... why isn't the 5 ENOUGH?!? why must i have a homework assignment.... God I REALLY, REALLY MISS
the good old days... you just said Thank You... gave a healthy tip... maybe, mentioned to a manager..
anyway,
funny part, i arrive for my massage, all stressed out.. loving Chikako's service, but already dreading the follow up text surveyS that will be coming my way in the after of this massage..
and i laid down on that warm massage table-bed, and the soft music.. and the darkened room...
and Chikako started massaging my shoulders...
and i was suddenly, rather instantantly... calm, cool, collected and at peace with the world.
i laughed to myself, silently... and to the heavens.. i needed an attitude adjustment too.
surrendered to the benefits and experience of this magical, wonderful, over-due massage..
****
a powerful, but brief experience,
because,
I ALREADY GAVE HER A 5... AND! ALREADY GAVE A SHOUT OUT ONLINE SO SHE WONT MISS OUT ON HER BONUS SHE DESERVES, -whether a burnt-out-on-surveys customer says so or not.. !!
so, i know in advance,
well,
DELETE.
******
and reminds me of 2 things:
this, of course,
and,
my husband sharing about EMPLOYEE 'reviews' during his career.
upshot is this: if the manager gave a high rating.. which the employee did deserve..
this high rating mandated the manager would have to also WRITE more about the high rating..
-what manager has time, energy for... writing... explaining... justifying..
so, they would default to 'average' because this did not require any additional writing.
-writing; the great disincentive.
*****
close with one more giant "THANK YOU!" to Amazon....
click on icons.. [delivery was great! on time, care, followed instruction, etc.]
done.
love you for it!
****
hallelujah & amen.
#wordle -sandra mickanen sharing
#wordle
feel a poem coming on -by sandra mickanen, penned this morning: feb 17, 2026.
A: a very happy & romantic valentines too! for the micks..
i love that my birthday and valentines are calendar neighbors;
live write next door to each other.
as has been our tradition for several years now:
valentines dinner is in the comfort of our own home.
we decorate the table with flowers, chocolates,
valentines decor of one kind or another..
place cards we've exchanged.. pictures from past dates..
enjoy some bubbly..
and my husband makes us a crazy delicious lobster dinner,
and we spend the rest of the evening
expressing our love for one another
and our gratitude to God, for bringing us together.
hallelujah & amen!
#vellumdays
A: my 'actual' 60th birthday: friday, feb 13th, 2026.. Exceptional!
an exceptional evening
loved everything on our plates at koi palace in milipitas;
and loved listening to fancy nancy order in Chinese..
successfully (although awkwardly) used chop sticks
excellent service, and art & beauty in every direction at the restaurant itself..
followed by..
how fun! champagne toast at the Georges home.. where they had a big
60 fabulous on the tv screen; with a playlist of happy birthday songs in every genre..
flowers, cake, tropical photo backdrop, and very generous birthday gifts..
spoiled me. spoiled us.
"THANK YOU!"
/you know i also sent a handwritten thank you, yes...
their company is so delightful and friendship a giant blessing
LOVE YOU! -your beautiful family...
lots of gratitude prayers...
amen & amen.
#vellumdays
Happy Valentines Day -the micks
In Jesus most loving name... hallelujah & amen
MY PARTY DRESS backstory -sandra mickanen sharing... #fashion #reallifestyles #magicofmacys
what happened really, is that, after i ordered our NFL Super Bowl Logo T-shirts,
when i placed mine on my side of our closet... it was kind of near the dress I wore for New Years Eve welcoming in 2025..
picture: New Years Eve, Meritage resort in Napa Dec 31st, 2024
Entourage Live!
the dress I purchased at Magic of Macy's.. and then went back, and
purchased a 2nd one, just so I could have the matching fabric to have matching sleeves and a matching tie made for my husband..
public "Thank You!" here to Lesa who does all the sewing magic..
now, unfortunately, i could not get the sleeves to stay put while dancing, so ended up, i just placed the sleeves on our table, and grooved on..
kept those sleeves though.. and that dress...
and inspired by the coordinating colors, i put the dress on, put my NFL Super Bowl LX tshirt over the dress... -love! then, kind of held the sleeves up... awesome!
public "Thank You!" again to Lesa.. had the sleeves sewn onto the t-shirt..
i did have to remove the black mesh from the front of the dress myself.. it created too much bulk under the t-shirt, but left the mesh on the back of the dress..
and then.. seemed like such a great opportunity to also use my husband's tie, that had been made to match.. use it as a belt!
-couldn't have been more pleased with the whole result..
then! my sister had mailed me, in advance of our party.. the cutest! most darling bday cake theme earrings, and the colors of the earrings.. -
i asked her if she had sent a spy in advance.. went so well with..
"thank you!" "love you!"
*****
more fun with fashions in 2026... really looking forward to it!!
all tithing and "thank you!" prayers..
#vellumdays
the greatest gift: this memory! -on the morning of my 60th birthday, fri feb 13th, 2026 -sandra mickanen sharing
rereading this post i wrote in 2015... so grateful i took the time to write it; grateful for the inspiration to revisit it; and grateful for this blog which allows me to search via a keyword, access & share it..
click on link below to read: -covers a lot of ground!
A FAVORITE! PERSONAL POST FROM MY ARCHIVES... and "thank you!" here to Maritza, for sharing her very inspiring recent experience; having lost a very special scarf...
Great memories, actually...
"Thank You!"
****
i am not going to rename my blog of 20+ years; i'm not.
but, if i did rename it... i would call it, "Look what God can do!" dot blogspot dot com.
-because, no where, is it my intention to be like, "look at me!"
but rather, for anyone and everyone who knows the entirety of my life story, thus far...
the accumulations of trials, multiple life-threatening traumas, adversities, set-backs, defeats, rejections, struggles big and small..
i made it to due season! from the pit to the palace.. i am a witness! this blog is my testimony!
to God be every glory! hallelujah! selah! & amen!
-leaving all that lies behind, behind.. we will continue to press forward..
loving Jesus with our whole hearts, our whole soul, our whole mind..
loving our neighbors as ourselves..
Today is a very happy, healthy, victorious 60th birthday for me...
"THANK YOU!" friends & family for your love, support, well wishes, cards, gifts, and humorous "congratulations!"
xoxo LOVE YOU WRITE BACK!
Super Bowl LX PLUS Sandra's LX Milestone Birthday Party 2026 @ the micks #bliss #vellumdays
BLESSED CASE SCENARIO
" it was the best super bowl party we've ever had!! -but not the best super bowl party we'll ever have....."
#bliss #vellumdays
#vellumdays
RESERVED FOR VELLUM DAYS POST
FAST FORWARD 10 YEARS: the juxtaposition of women in leadership, born in 1970 vs. 1980 -sandra mickanen sharing observations
#jacinda #melania
my favorite documentary of 2025.... will have to research my archives; but
my favorite documentary (thus far) of 2026: PRIME MINISTERwhich shares several years in the life of Jacinda Ardern [ born July 1980 ] New Zealand's 40th (and youngest) Prime Minister, Oct 2017 - January 2023
2 things for now until i have more time:
mysterious, spiritual... answered prayer. -prior to sitting down to get lost in some type of story.. tv, movie, podcast.. lots to choose from these days,
but, i always pay attention to what i'm feeling as a result of watching... [variable here]
/and how i feel, about how i'm feeling.. there's always a 2nd layer, but saving that topic for a later date:
i kind of put out a simple prayer: something that inspires and empowers me.. that's how i want to feel as.. and in the after of watching: i want the result of watching -whatever it is- to be that it makes me feel inspired and empowered.
****
that simple prayer was directly answered by coming across, and clicking on PRIME MINISTER
*****
in one word: GLUED. as it was unfolding, my mind was already..
this is my favorite documentary ever... i love this... wow to this.. thank you...
***
and i'll return to write more, but..
especially as i've recently read, and am slowly re-reading Melania, the book.. which covers the time period of when Melania was First Lady, the first time.. 2016-2020 ish,
and then, we very recently went and saw the documentary, Melania, which covers only the 20 days leading up to her 2nd time being First Lady..
and while i am inspired and intrigued, and appreciate..
when i reflected on the documentary, i found myself saying/thinking that's like going back in time..
backwards for women...
it's very dated, in this way: much more 'image' focused; brand focused.. looks and fashion at the forefront.. and she is a fashion model, and she is beautiful, and she does use her stilettos as a flex..
nothing wrong about accentuating your gifts; the positive
and she does also have exquisite taste, an education/eye for design, architecture; a heart for helping, a mind and spirit for leadership..
but you can clearly see, from my perspective, born in 1966, that Melania was born in (into)
1970; that puts her receiving and applying the 'cultural messages' prominent in the late 80's, early 90's..following (sometimes setting) the trends of that time; under the influence of popular culture of those decades; what was considered 'valued' 'valuable' -successful, of high status, etc.
what was viewed as strength vs weakness.
but, what is 'missing' if you will, in the documentary, Melania, is any..
well,
best shared this way: everything i found 'missing' in the documentary, Melania,
was present in the documentary, Prime Minister.
-i.e., there was a time when women would not be caught dead without their make-up.. on camera! -forget it.. in public; no way..
women on camera, on public display.. ONLY & EXCLUSIVELY when your hair is styled, your make-up is on, your clothes are dry-cleaned and tailored, your nails and toes are painted, your accessories..
etc.
you saw women at their best or not at all.
but over time, the culture shifted, incrementally, and you'd see less make-up, imperfect hair, casual clothes,
over time, and incrementally, we got to see women -behind the 'what i want you to see' scenes
and started to see them at both their best; and worst; and everything in between.
the whole woman; closer to the truth..
in PRIME MINISTER, we see Jacinda in her professional, leadership role.. dressed for the success, so to speak; as she should be,
but also, in her pajamas, when she should be..
we see her strong; we see her emotional, with make-up, without make-up, confident.. unsure..
navigating several crises;
we see the spectrum of demands..
we see her pregnant; we see her breastfeed; we see her in love; we see her.
that's the point, i guess: we get to see her. not a manufactured, or carefully crafted image.
what feels like, 'the real her' -but to be certain, even this documentary is edited selectively, with personal choices about what to, and not to reveal. what to, and not to include.
and also, to be certain,
each woman -each woman leader- Melania & Jacinda
they are both under the influence of their time; with a decade between them.
what is considered, regarded as 'strong' of their individual time..
at one time, (Melania's time); strength and success were found in creating and mastering a public 'image' -seen at your best or not at all.
my point, is that if Jacinda was born in 1970, and Melania in 1980..
because, current culture, associates 'weakness' with 'image-culture'
now we seem to worship and admire, 'real' -whole, unmasked.. seen at best, worst, and everything in between,
and i do regard this as progress; evolving in the correct direction, as 'real' and 'whole' women
i don't think any of us really want to return to 'be seen at best or not at all'
and there is still an even greater point being made here: how my focus is on 'appearance' -what is seen vs. not seen
i suppose because they're women; and suppose because i'm comparing -visual- documentaries and not books of only text..
but, that layer discussed, shared and pushed back,
we can look at, look more closely at: leading. navigating crisis. lifting, elevating large populations, addressing issues; debating issues; correcting course, maintaining what's great; weeding out what's not working; fighting for worthy causes.. handling multiple adversities, and victories and responsibilities simultaneously
personal and cultural values..
being a woman; wife; mom; sister, aunt, daughter, friend, neighbor, politician, consumer, student, leader, citizen of the world..
****
but, highly, highly recommend watching both and experiencing/witnessing the juxtaposition of a woman leader born in 1980 vs. 1970
and, processing, our next leaders from 1990, 2000.. 2010...
more later,
all thank you prayers & tithing.. amen.
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