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!
Affordable Housing for SJPD! Fix Booking Time Problem -sandra mickanen reporting
YES! HIGH PRIORITY! A WIN/WIN/WIN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS -no one can be at their best when they are
commuting for 2 hours in high stress situations, working for 10 or 12 hours,
commuting back home, another 2 hours, add mandatory overtime, and let it all
accumulate week after week, month after month.
NO ONE WANTS THAT LIFE.
By providing affordable housing in the areas WHICH OUR
POLICE & PEACE OFFICERS ARE SERVING! You eliminate the utter waste of extremely
valuable time and energy currently spent just getting to and from work. Providing affordable housing can
simultaneously reduce stress, show support, make the position and career more
attractive. You send the message: We value you, your time, your energy and the
high stakes, vital, work you do to PROTECT all of us. Affordable housing is the equivalent of a
raise and benefit; and a no-brainer when it comes to RETAINING &
ATTRACTING THE BEST; building The Best Police Department in California; in
the USA: Vital to achieving and
maintaining the goal: Safest Big City.
BOOKING TIME:
PROBLEM: currently takes 2 ½
hours on average per arrest.
That’s 2 ½ hours our trained patrol officers ARE OFF THE
STREET & NOT PATROLING.
We are already significantly short-staffed, when you pull
from the limited number of police officers we do have, and swallow up their
time with indoor paperwork, policy & procedure -You only make matters worse for
everyone: The police officer and the
public who need them.
You can’t have The Safest Big City without our police
officers; period. And they cannot
patrol or respond to calls if they are mandated to spend ridiculous amounts of
time booking their arrestees.
SOLUTION:
Obviously affordable housing, pay, benefits help retain and recruit..
To this specific
issue: We have the brightest minds here
in Silicon Valley: surely to our good
God, we can figure out ways to streamline the arrest/booking process! In other cities it is less than ½ hour!
Also, and of
course! An entirely different
person/position, where the police officer arrests, and then brings arrest-ee to
a different person who does the booking, and follow-through; which lets
the police officer return to the position he or she was actually trained and hired
for.
Recent headlines, which include, rapes, murders, gun
violence, robberies.. assaults..
Combined with our severely low staff levels AND patrol time
wasted with booking procedures:
All of it correctable by SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT, SHOWING
YOU VALUE..
Not just in word, but
inDEED, you should provide affordable housing.. value their time and energy..
prioritize their pay and benefits…
ROI: The return on investment: PUBLIC SAFETY! Quality of Life! The Safest Big City! Crime levels drop! We
successfully retain and recruit the best!: Men and women of great character
with hearts to serve; All the places we
want to visit, we can visit.. they are
clean, safe, beautiful… LONG
LIST. Our taxes go to this great cause,
this great goal… which benefits EVERYONE! Entire population!
With gratitude,
Robert & Sandra Mickanen,
-Beautiful Berryessa Neighborhood, San Jose.
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
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