I’m a bit sensitive, I can over-think & sometimes worry about what I’ve said or done later on. I’m a lot better than I used to be and more certain of the “rightness” & “ownership” of my thoughts, words & actions. However, I can get “attacks” of self-obsession when I’m more depressed, but nowadays my victories are far more often than my defeats.
As I reminded a blog-friend [?fiend?], I can be very assertive about discounts when checkout operators ring up the original, non-discounted price- I just say “No!, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Please check.” Always works.
As readers of my blog might have noted a few weeks ago, I have had a rough patch on the artistic side of my life, involving a cafe owner who went back on their word to hang my photographs AFTER I had spent Spotrick’s money on the frames. It upset me a lot for a day or two, I felt so exploited and guilty as well. Then I decided to take a positive step and approach the local Council Arts Officer, who came up with great solutions for me and I’m fine about all that now. 
Two of my sushi dishes
This week I even fought off a gallery owner who had mistakenly deposited $800 in my bank account when they asked for it all back. Previously I had celebrated selling some glass work at their gallery after having zero income from it for many years. I’ve been pleased & happy about the sales for weeks now- told all my friends etc. But THEN I got a phone call from the gallery proprietor saying the mistaken deposits had occurred. Although I explained that I had no job or independent income she asked if I could make an arrangement with Centrelink to pay the money “back to her” gradually! Great idea- except I don’t get any benefits through Centrelink- I’m totally dependent on Spotrick. There was no way I could pay back all the money, although there was half of it remaining in my bank account. I told the woman I was willing to pay back half voluntarily but there was little hope I could obtain any more money for the rest. She called me mean, unethical, a thief & other things, which I felt very hurt about.
However, armed with the mental strength from all my recent therapy, thyroid level correction, fish oil & Vitamin D oil supplements, endorphins from exercising & renewed strength & less nagging pain in my hands due to arthritis treatment, I was determined to stand up for myself. So I calmly & assertively said to her (after nearly crumbling & bursting into tears),“YOUR MISTAKE LADY! I’m keeping half because I’ve already spent it quite innocently.” Buggered if I was going to make Spotrick pay for their mistake in not being able to distinguish a glass artist from a printmaker who had the same name! And “Perhaps you can let me speak to the other artist and we can come to an agreement that both of us have sold things through the gallery & we can share the losses as well as the sales?” But no, she wanted the whole lot back, without a legal leg to stand on. She told me I would get a call from her accountant but I didn’t. The accountant probably told her she’d done her cash by depositing it in my account! I have voluntarily deposited half the total in the gallery’s bank account & I’m totally happy with the outcome & my own behaviour now.
Two bee rose
I reckon they are lucky I am a fair person by actually giving half back. I said NO & I’m happy- no guilty thoughts at all. Yayy!!!
PS. You wouldn’t believe it, but the gallery has now rung me a few days later saying they deposited ANOTHER $800 by mistake in my account. I was just about laughing my guts out, but I demurely got online right then, during the phone call & transferred it all back to them. Talk about incompetence- they’ll have to pull up their socks in their accounting department! They didn’t even notice when I thanked them via email for the original unexpected deposit by saying “Wow- thanks for selling another piece of my GLASS” when the stuff they had sold were prints! Any more deposits will immediately be spent on more frames for my photo exhibition!
