Yup, as to clear the fog and answer a few of the e-mails, Soar Studios, Milwaukee completed its decade-long collaborative journey through the ‘change’ of leaders, the thwarting of ‘hope’ and even the ebb and flow of hot-ticket-by-the-minute ‘stars’.

Which reminds me, that ‘Wheaties’ box sold last week, even though there still seems to be an on-going debate on what a true ‘collectable’ is (which I find strange, because that is usually decided by the collector, NOT the seller).

If someone wants to amass a collection of something that is interesting to them, cool! As a seller, I don’t have any place to decide what my customers want from my shop. I let THEM tell me as Phantomotoi is for my CUSTOMERS who support me and my efforts, not me. I find vintage product boxes and packaging to be amongst some of the most pertinent historical records that still shape who we are as a collective society today AND they are one of the top-selling categories moving out of Phantomotoi fast as I type this. In other words, I think it’s ‘art’, and I find this remarkable.

So there you go. A real stat from the ‘frontlines’. If you are a seller as well, I hope this lil’ bit helps.

It is remarkable how what we choose to consume really does shape our lives.

Eat crap, be crap. In fact, I felt like crap for YEARS and had no idea why.

Choosing to closely monitor what is put into your ‘temple’ (body) is one of the most successful practices when diagnosing what may become a potential illness or ailment.

Staying far away from too much processed foods, fizzy soft drinks and sucrose-packed snacks can allow your body to start detoxing itself which is what a human body was designed to do.

And guess what … I’m not going to try and sell you a THING for what I deem is ‘well-being’ for you (well, maybe some collector toys), simply because you don’t need it.

Feeling lethargic?

Add some freshly grown garden greens and plenty of hydration (room temperature H2O) to that dietary purge and presto, feelings of youth start to seep into the bones again.

Relax.

It’s a psychological battlefield out there, pals. It’s the name of the modern game, and it’s been running rampant for centuries.

I have had my personal bouts with that ‘19% chance to pull through’ diagnosis. It took over 13 years and A LOT of work and change of habit, but I was successful (not ‘100%’ but I’m HERE), where many people whom I have known were not.

I’m only stating the absolute obvious that a simplification in things may be a healthier and happier life-style than ‘trying to keep up with the Jones’ 24-7 just to chase that carrot like crazed rabbit. Rest is just as important as work, so maybe a balance is what we all could use a bit of, hey? I know I need to balance. Oops, I said ‘could’… lol.

Feel like you need a cig? Try a brisk, 15-minute walk instead. Allow your body to repair itself through new red blood cell production. NEED another cup o’ joe? Try lying down in a dimly-lit area for 20 minutes to allow your immune system to properly catch pace with your body and allow yourself to momentarily forget all that crap that everyone in your manic day expects of you.

Look, I know that the daily duties and tasks that ‘bring home the bacon’ do not allow for these types of practices as much as I am saying ‘it’s simple’, but conditioning your mind away from the killer is always a healthier option. Little by little and day by day. The ‘killer’ I am calling out here being STRESS! It messes up EVERYTHING. Never underestimate it’s dark power of demise. Stress … won’t let you eat, won’t let you sleep so what makes us think it will let us LIVE?

Finally, and most important, believe in YOURSELF and be GOOD to yourself.

Within the annals of ‘modern society’ it now seems a given for us all to live ‘the facade’, that is, buying into this ‘commercialism run rampant’. And I mean commercialism from every angle. If you’re reading this on ‘the world-wide web’, I’m quite sure you have already had a thick taste of what advertisers can get away with and the games they play.

Loneliness. Fear. Regret. Weakness. Sickness. And yes, even our demise. Advertisers play off ALL of this and more. 

But that doesn’t mean that you have to pick up their ball or even their pom-poms. Just leave the playground and do something YOU want to do!

I wish you all the very best in health, happiness and creativity.

Thanks for reading,
– John

Phantomoshop