Why do people still smoke? Isn't there more than enough info out there at this point about the health damage? It was lung cancer that killed my mother.
Whatever happened to all those irregularly published independent and alternative comics I used to love?
Should I just rip all my CD's and ditch 'em in a booth? Would the Emmylou boxsets be exempt from this?
What would it take for me to jump on the e-reader bandwagon? I like the sensation of actually holding a book and turning pages.
Is anyone making good magical girl anime or manga these days?
Speaking of anime, whatever happened to fansubbing?
Have you ever noticed how much of a typical chain bookstore is given over to gift items, games, and novelty books?
What do my cats think about when we're gone all day?
Why do I always find the good big stuff at the thrifts when I don't have the time to deal with it?
Will I ever understand the ins and outs of buying and selling furniture?
Why is it I always lament the lack of time to read, but when I have free time, I never seem to read?
I'm worried that I'm forgetting more grammatical rules than I am remembering these days.
Ditto for some basic mat stuff.
And Spanish.
Do I just encourage consumerism and overspending with my booths and reselling?
Is it a bad thing if I do?
How can I do my reselling in the most environmentally-friendly way possible?
Do I really know what I'm doing?
Will there ever be enough time in the day to get everything done?
If I had more space, would I really be neater and more organized, or would I just have more places to stack shit?
Should I take out the fourth booth in my little square at the Peddlers Mall? What would I do with the walls?
For that matter, how can I go about getting rid of the walls that are already in my space? I'm tired of them and I want to open everything up,but I paid too much for them to just dismantle them and pitch them. And no one ever buys walls from other vendors.
Why did I stop drinking lots of water every day?
Why can't I seem to start that habit again?
Should I get that checked out?
Are the cats really happy living with us?
I ride my bike just about everywhere. I'm a vegetarian. Why the hell am I still do damn fat?
I'm in bed by 10 every night. When did I get to be old?
Why is it that blogging seems to be the only aspect of social media that has really clicked with me?
You may or may not see a couple of those in the future as posts in their own right.
Showing posts with label ponderings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ponderings. Show all posts
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Yard Saling in a Down Economy
As this recession/slowdown/downturn/whatever it is drags on, the road to recovery seems slow and full of struggles. Lots of folks are making decisions and choices they weren't a few years ago. And it's creating all kinds of odd paradoxes.
For one thing, they're holding onto things longer. Over all, it seems like yard sales have been smaller in recent years. People are using things longer, so they're not replacing them and then selling the older items.
At the same time, more people are out shopping looking for bargains on used items that they might have bought new not so long ago. For many families, this has become a necessity for household items and kids things, especially clothes. Folks who deal in necessities at flea markets have been seeing strong business, even when other vendors in the same mall have problems.
This, in turn, has created a down market for non-necessary items. Folks are trying to unload their collectibles for cash into a market where everyone else is doing the same thing. At the same time, buyers are focusing their cash on things they need, rather than want. That set they thought was going to be worth hundreds may struggle to bring in 20 or 30 bucks.
Which in turn makes it harder for vendors who sell collectibles. There are more choices out there and prices are better than they've been, but there are also fewer people for them to sell these bargains too. I know folks who are passing up things they would have jumped on at twice the price just a couple of years ago.
Yet, despite this, there are all kinds of people jumping on the re-selling bandwagon, thinking that it will be an easy way to get some quick money. These folks aren't prepared for the amount of work it takes or for the reality of this economy, so they're making poor choices and aren't lasting very long.
Perhaps the saddest indicator of the way things are now is the "rent yard sale." If you pay attention, you'll notice that there are a lot more sales popping up around the end of the month, often unorganized and unadvertised. Some families are grabbing whatever they can find and trying to sell it on the front yard to keep the roof over their head another month. It's not uncommon to see someone drag a box of stuff into a secondhand store to try and get enough for a tank of gas or two. Folks will do what they have to do.
I know that things are a little better than they were at the start of the recession, I also know we have a long way to go. I'm able, with my reselling, to make a contribution to my household income, and I'm extremely happy to be able to do so. But, sometimes, especially in this election year, I can't help but think about all of the other sides and stories there are right now. That person trying to work out a deal on those pots and pans may really need them and really need the better price they're asking for. It's something to ponder.
I've yard saled and thrifted forever and been a reseller since 2009. Sometimes, I have to sit and ponder the bigger picture and where and how I fit into it. And how what I do impacts that bigger picture and the lives of others. It's odd to think that something that I do for fun and profit is something other people depend on right now. You know?
For one thing, they're holding onto things longer. Over all, it seems like yard sales have been smaller in recent years. People are using things longer, so they're not replacing them and then selling the older items.
At the same time, more people are out shopping looking for bargains on used items that they might have bought new not so long ago. For many families, this has become a necessity for household items and kids things, especially clothes. Folks who deal in necessities at flea markets have been seeing strong business, even when other vendors in the same mall have problems.
This, in turn, has created a down market for non-necessary items. Folks are trying to unload their collectibles for cash into a market where everyone else is doing the same thing. At the same time, buyers are focusing their cash on things they need, rather than want. That set they thought was going to be worth hundreds may struggle to bring in 20 or 30 bucks.
Which in turn makes it harder for vendors who sell collectibles. There are more choices out there and prices are better than they've been, but there are also fewer people for them to sell these bargains too. I know folks who are passing up things they would have jumped on at twice the price just a couple of years ago.
Yet, despite this, there are all kinds of people jumping on the re-selling bandwagon, thinking that it will be an easy way to get some quick money. These folks aren't prepared for the amount of work it takes or for the reality of this economy, so they're making poor choices and aren't lasting very long.
Perhaps the saddest indicator of the way things are now is the "rent yard sale." If you pay attention, you'll notice that there are a lot more sales popping up around the end of the month, often unorganized and unadvertised. Some families are grabbing whatever they can find and trying to sell it on the front yard to keep the roof over their head another month. It's not uncommon to see someone drag a box of stuff into a secondhand store to try and get enough for a tank of gas or two. Folks will do what they have to do.
I know that things are a little better than they were at the start of the recession, I also know we have a long way to go. I'm able, with my reselling, to make a contribution to my household income, and I'm extremely happy to be able to do so. But, sometimes, especially in this election year, I can't help but think about all of the other sides and stories there are right now. That person trying to work out a deal on those pots and pans may really need them and really need the better price they're asking for. It's something to ponder.
I've yard saled and thrifted forever and been a reseller since 2009. Sometimes, I have to sit and ponder the bigger picture and where and how I fit into it. And how what I do impacts that bigger picture and the lives of others. It's odd to think that something that I do for fun and profit is something other people depend on right now. You know?
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
June Sales Report
Oh, junking! Oh junking!
Why must you confound me so
with good months that turn bad
upon a whim?
And trends most unforeseeable?
With downturns disagreeable?
And futures that seem bright
but turn so dim?
Tune in next week for more "Overwrought Junking Poetry Corner" right here on Eddie-torial Comments!
Okay, getting serious, now. I haven't done a sales break down in a while, largely because I've been forgetting to do them, but also because there doesn't seem to be a point to do one in a month where I have to pay rent. That statement alone seems to sum things up.
I spent some time talking with the manager at the Peddlers Mall a while back. May and June are always slower months, due to a lot of reasons, ranging from the Kentucky Derby to warmer weather. And that held true this year for the mall, except that I had a good May. A real good May. It had not occurred to me that a vendor could have a strong month, even if the rest of the mall was having a slow one, but it happens. And it happened to me.
I thought June was turning out that way for me, too. Typically, the first half of June is slow, but when the real heat of summer starts kicking in, folks start turning back to the indoor settings. And, right around that time, as sales started picking up in the whole store, mine started slowing down!!!
Seriously, I had a bad run from about the 20th, where my daily sales stayed stuck under 10 bucks. Ack! Sometimes being opposite of the trend is a good thing, sometime it's not such a good thing. I'm doing what I can to counteract that. I spent some time on a couple of different visits rearranging and shaking things up. I've got a couple more things to do, so we'll see if that has an effect or not for July. Hope so.
On the other front, June was the first month at YesterNook where I had sales every day, except for one. That means I am very close to meeting my goal for the space as far as daily sales go. Now, I need to start working on getting those daily sales to the level I want them.
Having a better booth space on the second floor has helped me. People can get into it and see what I've got for sale. I'm also starting to emphasize the things I know best: books, comics, pop culture stuff, and toys. I intend to build on this. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to focus on getting rid of a few pieces that have been there too long. I'm doing a Fourth of July sale to encourage that. I'm also going to concentrate on getting more small furniture in the spot. I haven't worked that as hard as I should have recently.
It's a continual learning process. Continual. Every time I think I've got it down, then I find out there's something else I don't know. Tune in next month and we'll see what else I've had to learn!
Why must you confound me so
with good months that turn bad
upon a whim?
And trends most unforeseeable?
With downturns disagreeable?
And futures that seem bright
but turn so dim?
Tune in next week for more "Overwrought Junking Poetry Corner" right here on Eddie-torial Comments!
Okay, getting serious, now. I haven't done a sales break down in a while, largely because I've been forgetting to do them, but also because there doesn't seem to be a point to do one in a month where I have to pay rent. That statement alone seems to sum things up.
I spent some time talking with the manager at the Peddlers Mall a while back. May and June are always slower months, due to a lot of reasons, ranging from the Kentucky Derby to warmer weather. And that held true this year for the mall, except that I had a good May. A real good May. It had not occurred to me that a vendor could have a strong month, even if the rest of the mall was having a slow one, but it happens. And it happened to me.
I thought June was turning out that way for me, too. Typically, the first half of June is slow, but when the real heat of summer starts kicking in, folks start turning back to the indoor settings. And, right around that time, as sales started picking up in the whole store, mine started slowing down!!!
Seriously, I had a bad run from about the 20th, where my daily sales stayed stuck under 10 bucks. Ack! Sometimes being opposite of the trend is a good thing, sometime it's not such a good thing. I'm doing what I can to counteract that. I spent some time on a couple of different visits rearranging and shaking things up. I've got a couple more things to do, so we'll see if that has an effect or not for July. Hope so.
On the other front, June was the first month at YesterNook where I had sales every day, except for one. That means I am very close to meeting my goal for the space as far as daily sales go. Now, I need to start working on getting those daily sales to the level I want them.
Having a better booth space on the second floor has helped me. People can get into it and see what I've got for sale. I'm also starting to emphasize the things I know best: books, comics, pop culture stuff, and toys. I intend to build on this. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to focus on getting rid of a few pieces that have been there too long. I'm doing a Fourth of July sale to encourage that. I'm also going to concentrate on getting more small furniture in the spot. I haven't worked that as hard as I should have recently.
It's a continual learning process. Continual. Every time I think I've got it down, then I find out there's something else I don't know. Tune in next month and we'll see what else I've had to learn!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Retail Truths: We're All in This Together Except That We're Not
I get along really well with several other vendors at both locations where I have booths. That's kind of an important thing for a lot of reasons. It's boring work sometimes, so it's really good to have folks that you can chat with while you're stocking and cleaning your space. We offer each other advice, share leads, and even swap junk with each other. A dud for you may turn into a seller for someone else, and once it's out of your space, you don't have to look at it any more! It's also really good to have someone to share your success stories and your gripes with. No one understands both like someone who is out there day and day out slogging for junk too. I love to see and hear about other vendors' awesome finds and show them mine. Getting complimented by another vendor on a good find is one of the encouragements that can keep you going.
As a vendor, you want yourself surrounded by good vendors. If you are in an area of the mall that has a bunch of other folks who work their space as often and hard as you work yours, then you'll get much better traffic than if you have neighbors who act like they don't give a damn about selling stuff. (You'd be surprised how many of those there are out there. Seriously!)
But, you also need to keep in mind the flip side to your relationship with other vendors: They are your competition. They want the same thing that you want, the money that's currently in the customer's pocket. Sometimes you're going to get it. Sometimes they're going to get it. Sometimes both of you will get a little of it. And sometimes neither of you will get it.
You don't have to be rude, mean, unethical or two-faced about it. I genuinely like everyone that I interact with and I am happy for them when they do well. But, I also fully admit that I want to do better than them. I want my space to stand out more. I want the customers to see me first. And, as long as I am not doing anything to directly harm my neighbors, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just business.
During Christmas last year, I put out a brass sleigh in one of my booths. It was a cute little thing and I priced it what I felt was a good price. A couple of days later, I thought I saw it at the register as someone was buying it. Turns out that it wasn't my brass sleigh, but an identical one from another vendor who had priced it at half what I had mine. You win some and you lose some!
Later that same day, this vendor and I were talking in my booth, when she saw my sleigh and my price and became very embarrassed. She apologized for selling the same item for less and told me that she hadn't known I had one. She even went so far as to tell me that the next time it happens to mark her item up to the same price as mine!
She was really surprised when I told her it was no big deal. "Sometimes you get the sale," I told her, "And sometimes I do. Today, you did. That's all." She actually tried to tell me that she hadn't been fair to me, but I tried to explain that, sometimes, it's about competition. "We want each other to do well, because that means the store will do well. And, when the store does well, we all do well. But we're also competing with each other for the business that customers bring in." Eventually, I think I got her to see that she didn't have anything to apologize for or be embarrassed over. She had made a sale that was good for her. That's all.
A few days later, my sleigh sold. In the end, that's what matters.
As a vendor, you want yourself surrounded by good vendors. If you are in an area of the mall that has a bunch of other folks who work their space as often and hard as you work yours, then you'll get much better traffic than if you have neighbors who act like they don't give a damn about selling stuff. (You'd be surprised how many of those there are out there. Seriously!)
But, you also need to keep in mind the flip side to your relationship with other vendors: They are your competition. They want the same thing that you want, the money that's currently in the customer's pocket. Sometimes you're going to get it. Sometimes they're going to get it. Sometimes both of you will get a little of it. And sometimes neither of you will get it.
You don't have to be rude, mean, unethical or two-faced about it. I genuinely like everyone that I interact with and I am happy for them when they do well. But, I also fully admit that I want to do better than them. I want my space to stand out more. I want the customers to see me first. And, as long as I am not doing anything to directly harm my neighbors, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just business.
During Christmas last year, I put out a brass sleigh in one of my booths. It was a cute little thing and I priced it what I felt was a good price. A couple of days later, I thought I saw it at the register as someone was buying it. Turns out that it wasn't my brass sleigh, but an identical one from another vendor who had priced it at half what I had mine. You win some and you lose some!
Later that same day, this vendor and I were talking in my booth, when she saw my sleigh and my price and became very embarrassed. She apologized for selling the same item for less and told me that she hadn't known I had one. She even went so far as to tell me that the next time it happens to mark her item up to the same price as mine!
She was really surprised when I told her it was no big deal. "Sometimes you get the sale," I told her, "And sometimes I do. Today, you did. That's all." She actually tried to tell me that she hadn't been fair to me, but I tried to explain that, sometimes, it's about competition. "We want each other to do well, because that means the store will do well. And, when the store does well, we all do well. But we're also competing with each other for the business that customers bring in." Eventually, I think I got her to see that she didn't have anything to apologize for or be embarrassed over. She had made a sale that was good for her. That's all.
A few days later, my sleigh sold. In the end, that's what matters.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Thought for a New Year
Taking the day off to go to the New Year's Flea Market. Will be posting a bunch in the next few days. I've got some big plans for this year and am dying to share them.
In the meantime, have some excellent food for thought for the year just begun:
Thanks for sticking with me for another year folks. I hope 2012 holds good things for all of you.
In the meantime, have some excellent food for thought for the year just begun:
Thanks for sticking with me for another year folks. I hope 2012 holds good things for all of you.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday Rambles
Busy, busy, busy!
How busy?
Well. this is the week that was:
Monday: Stock YesterNook. Take flyer draft for Grand Opening. Pick up Mayoral Proclamation for Grand Opening. Hit two favorite thrifts. Teach evening computer class. Edit flyer draft.
Tuesday: Take proclamation and final flyer to YesterNook. Prep large holiday booth load for Peddler's Mall.
Wednesday: Spend day at Peddler's Mall. Finish booth decorations and holiday stocking. I already had done a lot of work, but I didn't like it, so I redid it. I had to move some tables around, and a whole bunch of stuff. It looks much better now.
Thursday: Be thankful. Cook. Eat. Clean. Work on booth stuff.
Friday: Black Friday! Get up too early to go to Half Price Books and wait in line. Did not get 100 dollar gift card (bummer). Take care of holiday shopping at HPB. It's nice to have a family of readers. Go to Big Lots. Hit a yard sale. (Bust) Hit a couple of thrifts. Miss out on set of Masonic glasses. (Bummer) Go home. Eat leftovers. Work on booth stuff.
Saturday: Work on booth stuff all day.
Sunday: Take another load to Peddler's Mall. Spend afternoon there. Hit thrift. Come home. Work on booth stuff. Get ready to spend Monday at YesterNook.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I'm laying in my winter stock of smalls, so it requires a lot of work to get it all organized. I'm trying hard to get everything priced as it comes in the door, so there is less handling time.
Sales were pretty good last week. I sold a dresser and a vanity chair at YesterNook, and easily matched that amount in smalls at Peddler's. I move a ton of smalls through Peddler's. I had a strong smalls day at YesterNook too, which surprised me. It was the first time that had happened. I'm moving a lot of vintage Christmas there.
I realized while riding my bike last week that a person riding a bike is soooooo much closer to the fresh-smushed possum guts in the streets! Yuck!
I also saw the first Salvation Army bell-ringer of the season at the grocery the other day. I got to wondering if the prevalence of people using debit/credit cards to shop was causing lower takes in the kettles. There are lots of times I come out of a store anymore and I don't have any change because I never went in with cash!
Some more cyber-cleaning: The Popdose Guide to Patti Griffin. It's a little too fawning, perhaps, which is a bit unusual for a Popdose guide, but it does provide some good background into her career.
And finally, wow! Just, wow!
How busy?
Well. this is the week that was:
Monday: Stock YesterNook. Take flyer draft for Grand Opening. Pick up Mayoral Proclamation for Grand Opening. Hit two favorite thrifts. Teach evening computer class. Edit flyer draft.
Tuesday: Take proclamation and final flyer to YesterNook. Prep large holiday booth load for Peddler's Mall.
Wednesday: Spend day at Peddler's Mall. Finish booth decorations and holiday stocking. I already had done a lot of work, but I didn't like it, so I redid it. I had to move some tables around, and a whole bunch of stuff. It looks much better now.
Thursday: Be thankful. Cook. Eat. Clean. Work on booth stuff.
Friday: Black Friday! Get up too early to go to Half Price Books and wait in line. Did not get 100 dollar gift card (bummer). Take care of holiday shopping at HPB. It's nice to have a family of readers. Go to Big Lots. Hit a yard sale. (Bust) Hit a couple of thrifts. Miss out on set of Masonic glasses. (Bummer) Go home. Eat leftovers. Work on booth stuff.
Saturday: Work on booth stuff all day.
Sunday: Take another load to Peddler's Mall. Spend afternoon there. Hit thrift. Come home. Work on booth stuff. Get ready to spend Monday at YesterNook.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I'm laying in my winter stock of smalls, so it requires a lot of work to get it all organized. I'm trying hard to get everything priced as it comes in the door, so there is less handling time.
Sales were pretty good last week. I sold a dresser and a vanity chair at YesterNook, and easily matched that amount in smalls at Peddler's. I move a ton of smalls through Peddler's. I had a strong smalls day at YesterNook too, which surprised me. It was the first time that had happened. I'm moving a lot of vintage Christmas there.
I realized while riding my bike last week that a person riding a bike is soooooo much closer to the fresh-smushed possum guts in the streets! Yuck!
I also saw the first Salvation Army bell-ringer of the season at the grocery the other day. I got to wondering if the prevalence of people using debit/credit cards to shop was causing lower takes in the kettles. There are lots of times I come out of a store anymore and I don't have any change because I never went in with cash!
Some more cyber-cleaning: The Popdose Guide to Patti Griffin. It's a little too fawning, perhaps, which is a bit unusual for a Popdose guide, but it does provide some good background into her career.
And finally, wow! Just, wow!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Brothers of the Pick
I taught three classes on Monday, two during the day and one at night. My day classes are close enough to home that I can walk or ride my bike, which I usually do. I walked on Monday, so that I could catch the bus to the evening class without having to hassle with getting the bike on and off the bus. Plus, Keith does a class at the same school on Mondays, so we ride home together.
Anyway, I was walking through the neighborhood, zig zagging between piles of junk set-outs looking for treasure on my way to work. The entire area between my house and that center where I teach is a part of this week's pick up, so there was a lot to see. Or not a lot to see, depending on your perspective.
Didn't find much, except for an amazing Mid-Century Modern headboard that was too large to take with me and that I knew would not be there that evening. Oh well. I didn't have space for it at either booth at the moment anyway.
I've kind of learned that I have to be a little philosophical about missed opportunities and then let them go. After a couple of years in this business, I can say that I know a few things for sure:
1. There's always going to be junk out there somewhere.
2. Some of it you'll get.
3. Some you won't, for a variety of reasons.
4. You can't be everywhere.
5. Similarly, you can't get everything.
6. There's no use fretting over things you don't get because (back to number 1).
I can't spend all my time stressing about what I didn't get. There's too much else out there to find.
Anyway, as I was walking along, I noticed a man in front of me with a plastic bags who was also looking through the piles. I was kind of intrigued, since you don't see too many pickers on foot (other than me, of course). Sometimes folks will poke in a pile they're passing out of idle curiosity, but there was a deliberateness to this guy. He was definitely picking.
I watched him for a few minutes, then I realized what he was doing. He was looking for cans!
For the past few months, I've been pondering various aspects of this re-sell enterprise. You've got those who craft things to put on Etsy using older materials that they've bought/found. You've got those who set up at flea markets. You've got the eBayers. You've got your people with booths. You've got people who sell gold. You've got your scrappers. But I hadn't ever thought about the can collectors in that context before.
But it fits! They go out. They hunt, usually in all kinds of weather. If they're lucky, they find something. And then, maybe, they'll make a little (very little) money for their efforts. Sounds like what I do. And what all of the above do.
Our hunting grounds may be different. What we're looking for may be different. But, in the end what we're all trying to do is make a little cash off of things that others were getting rid of.
I know some very snooty people with booths who will take great offense at being lumped in with the homeless guys and their carts of cans. I love it!
Anyway, I was walking through the neighborhood, zig zagging between piles of junk set-outs looking for treasure on my way to work. The entire area between my house and that center where I teach is a part of this week's pick up, so there was a lot to see. Or not a lot to see, depending on your perspective.
Didn't find much, except for an amazing Mid-Century Modern headboard that was too large to take with me and that I knew would not be there that evening. Oh well. I didn't have space for it at either booth at the moment anyway.
I've kind of learned that I have to be a little philosophical about missed opportunities and then let them go. After a couple of years in this business, I can say that I know a few things for sure:
1. There's always going to be junk out there somewhere.
2. Some of it you'll get.
3. Some you won't, for a variety of reasons.
4. You can't be everywhere.
5. Similarly, you can't get everything.
6. There's no use fretting over things you don't get because (back to number 1).
I can't spend all my time stressing about what I didn't get. There's too much else out there to find.
Anyway, as I was walking along, I noticed a man in front of me with a plastic bags who was also looking through the piles. I was kind of intrigued, since you don't see too many pickers on foot (other than me, of course). Sometimes folks will poke in a pile they're passing out of idle curiosity, but there was a deliberateness to this guy. He was definitely picking.
I watched him for a few minutes, then I realized what he was doing. He was looking for cans!
For the past few months, I've been pondering various aspects of this re-sell enterprise. You've got those who craft things to put on Etsy using older materials that they've bought/found. You've got those who set up at flea markets. You've got the eBayers. You've got your people with booths. You've got people who sell gold. You've got your scrappers. But I hadn't ever thought about the can collectors in that context before.
But it fits! They go out. They hunt, usually in all kinds of weather. If they're lucky, they find something. And then, maybe, they'll make a little (very little) money for their efforts. Sounds like what I do. And what all of the above do.
Our hunting grounds may be different. What we're looking for may be different. But, in the end what we're all trying to do is make a little cash off of things that others were getting rid of.
I know some very snooty people with booths who will take great offense at being lumped in with the homeless guys and their carts of cans. I love it!
Friday, November 11, 2011
A political thought...
This past Tuesday, for the first time in my adult life, I abstained from voting in a major race. I just could not in good conscience bring myself to vote for the Democratic candidate, and the Republican was simply not an acceptable choice. (But, then again, they usually aren't.)
Now, I've had cases where the Dem was not at all who I wanted as the party candidate, but I've been able to hold my nose and vote anyway. Not this time. Just. Could. Not. Do. It. No way. No shape. No form. No how.
Even the old "You have to vote to keep the other guy out" argument couldn't work with me this time. And given the nature of the other guy, that's saying something! The polls were lopsided enough against him that I felt I had some cover this time, but I'm still not sure I could have voted, even if it had been neck and neck. Yes, it was just that bad.
So I took my ballot and wrote "Abstain" as a write-in for that particular race. I hope to never have to do it again.
Speaking of politics, someone on a non-political forum the other day made the comment that next year's election was going to be the "most important in our lives." Now, I tend to agree with that, though not for the same reasons.
Still, it got me to thinking....
Shouldn't every election be considered the "most important in our lives"?
Or coming at it from another angle, given the number of recent elections that have been declared to be the "most important in our lives," why does it seem that when elections were about actually governing--you know working together, achieving compromise, finding solutions--we had fewer of these "most important" elections.
It's only with the advent of the deeply-entrenched partisan mindset on one side of the aisle when everything became about taking the whole battlefield that all of a sudden every election is the "most important" one.
It's something to think about.
And, on a different note, the church where I vote hosts wrestling matches for one of the small-time conferences. There was a match scheduled for Wednesday night, so the ring was already set up in the gym where the voting booths are on Tuesday. I never voted with a wrestling ring before. Interesting.
Now, I've had cases where the Dem was not at all who I wanted as the party candidate, but I've been able to hold my nose and vote anyway. Not this time. Just. Could. Not. Do. It. No way. No shape. No form. No how.
Even the old "You have to vote to keep the other guy out" argument couldn't work with me this time. And given the nature of the other guy, that's saying something! The polls were lopsided enough against him that I felt I had some cover this time, but I'm still not sure I could have voted, even if it had been neck and neck. Yes, it was just that bad.
So I took my ballot and wrote "Abstain" as a write-in for that particular race. I hope to never have to do it again.
Speaking of politics, someone on a non-political forum the other day made the comment that next year's election was going to be the "most important in our lives." Now, I tend to agree with that, though not for the same reasons.
Still, it got me to thinking....
Shouldn't every election be considered the "most important in our lives"?
Or coming at it from another angle, given the number of recent elections that have been declared to be the "most important in our lives," why does it seem that when elections were about actually governing--you know working together, achieving compromise, finding solutions--we had fewer of these "most important" elections.
It's only with the advent of the deeply-entrenched partisan mindset on one side of the aisle when everything became about taking the whole battlefield that all of a sudden every election is the "most important" one.
It's something to think about.
And, on a different note, the church where I vote hosts wrestling matches for one of the small-time conferences. There was a match scheduled for Wednesday night, so the ring was already set up in the gym where the voting booths are on Tuesday. I never voted with a wrestling ring before. Interesting.
Monday, February 21, 2011
A Whole Lotta Thinking Going On!
There's a lot of contemplating and philosophizing going on in the junking world these days. It seems to have hit everyone at once.
Sue at VRS is pondering gateway drugs, those items that got us hooked into this weird second-hand world and kept pulling and propelling until we turned into...junkers! Mine were old comic books, followed by holy cards and other religious items, leading on up to my latest obsession, which is vintage Christmas stuff.
Over at My Vintage Soul, there's a little bit about that phenomenon most of us despise, but can't avoid, the dread estate sale line! (Plus, the eerie coincidences that crop up from time to time.) I haven't had to deal with one so far this year, but that's partly because most things calling themselves "estate sales" around here so far have really been indoor yard sales with badly worded ads, which were easy to spot and avoid. I haven't been out much so far this year at all, in fact. Uninspiring listings + too much stock = One Picky Picky Eddie! We did go out for the first time on Saturday--four sales, one small purchase.
Shara at Monkeybox is taking the more active approach, kind of a thrifting random acts of kindness thing. Sort of putting thought into action, as it were. She's nice like that. I think that's why the junking/thrifting gods keep rewarding her with Shiny Brites.
Finally, Manic Thrift Store Shopper is thinking about (and lamenting) what happens when a whole, obviously treasured, collection ends up in a thrift. It's got me to thinking about what's going to happen to my little stashes one day. Hopefully, Keith, or my brother or whoever has to deal with it, will be smart enough to take the library to half-price books, the comics to a local shop to sell, and donates the saints to a Catholic thrift store. If I still have a booth, they can work put a bulk deal with the management, and that takes care of it all!
Geez...that was morbid. Maybe that's why I don't do my own "pondering" posts to often. Everyone else is constructive. I'm a downer!
Sue at VRS is pondering gateway drugs, those items that got us hooked into this weird second-hand world and kept pulling and propelling until we turned into...junkers! Mine were old comic books, followed by holy cards and other religious items, leading on up to my latest obsession, which is vintage Christmas stuff.
Over at My Vintage Soul, there's a little bit about that phenomenon most of us despise, but can't avoid, the dread estate sale line! (Plus, the eerie coincidences that crop up from time to time.) I haven't had to deal with one so far this year, but that's partly because most things calling themselves "estate sales" around here so far have really been indoor yard sales with badly worded ads, which were easy to spot and avoid. I haven't been out much so far this year at all, in fact. Uninspiring listings + too much stock = One Picky Picky Eddie! We did go out for the first time on Saturday--four sales, one small purchase.
Shara at Monkeybox is taking the more active approach, kind of a thrifting random acts of kindness thing. Sort of putting thought into action, as it were. She's nice like that. I think that's why the junking/thrifting gods keep rewarding her with Shiny Brites.
Finally, Manic Thrift Store Shopper is thinking about (and lamenting) what happens when a whole, obviously treasured, collection ends up in a thrift. It's got me to thinking about what's going to happen to my little stashes one day. Hopefully, Keith, or my brother or whoever has to deal with it, will be smart enough to take the library to half-price books, the comics to a local shop to sell, and donates the saints to a Catholic thrift store. If I still have a booth, they can work put a bulk deal with the management, and that takes care of it all!
Geez...that was morbid. Maybe that's why I don't do my own "pondering" posts to often. Everyone else is constructive. I'm a downer!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Vintage Vantage
I was going through some comics that I recently bought last night, bagging and pricing them when it dawned on me how many of them I bought when I was in high school. Then I realized that they were thirty years old! Ack!
Seriously, if you follow the rule that says that something has to be at least 25 years old to be considered "vintage." Then comics from 1982 (the year I graduated high school*) are now vintage! When did that happen? It's hard for me to think of items that came with UPC bar codes on them as "vintage." That word conjures up images of the 70's at least, and then on back from that. The 80's? No frigging way!
Nevertheless, 1980 was thirty years ago! Hell, 1990 was twenty! In five more years will we call stuff from the 90's "vintage"? Yeesh! We need a new term for more modern items that are aging. In fact, we need a whole new scale for classifying these things. I suggest:
1980's-90's: classic
1940's-70's: vintage
pre-1940: antique
"Classic" conjures up the same kinds of sweet nostalgic memories that "vintage" does, but without the same connotations of "really old and worthwhile." I like it. Now to get everyone to start using it.
*That means my high school diploma is vintage! Does that make me vintage too? I don't wanna be vintage! Make it stop!
Marvel Two in One cover courtesy of GCD.
Seriously, if you follow the rule that says that something has to be at least 25 years old to be considered "vintage." Then comics from 1982 (the year I graduated high school*) are now vintage! When did that happen? It's hard for me to think of items that came with UPC bar codes on them as "vintage." That word conjures up images of the 70's at least, and then on back from that. The 80's? No frigging way!
Honestly, this is a vintage comic? Really?
Nevertheless, 1980 was thirty years ago! Hell, 1990 was twenty! In five more years will we call stuff from the 90's "vintage"? Yeesh! We need a new term for more modern items that are aging. In fact, we need a whole new scale for classifying these things. I suggest:
1980's-90's: classic
1940's-70's: vintage
pre-1940: antique
"Classic" conjures up the same kinds of sweet nostalgic memories that "vintage" does, but without the same connotations of "really old and worthwhile." I like it. Now to get everyone to start using it.
*That means my high school diploma is vintage! Does that make me vintage too? I don't wanna be vintage! Make it stop!
Marvel Two in One cover courtesy of GCD.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
When You Can't Find a Friend, You've Still Got the Radio
I wonder sometimes whether young people today have the same kind of relationship to music, particularly to the radio, that I did in my teens. I was a smart, non-athletic, bookworm, comic nerd, who didn't have a lot of friends. My parents divorced, which scandalized some people in our small town, and resulted in us moving away for a while to a bigger town where I really didn't fit in. On top of all that, I was gay and couldn't even begin to admit it, although there certainly were more than enough signs that only I could see.
For a lot of that period of time, my main companions were reading and music. I know for sure that's why I can't begin to imagine getting an e-reader of some kind. It would be like rejecting one of my best friends. Part of the comfort of having a book with me has to do with the spine and the pages and the paper. It may be why the mp3 player has never totally caught on with me as well. There's something about buying and having music in a physical form (at least as "physical" as a CD can be) that is really crucial to the whole process for me.
Back to the initial conjecture, with so many avenues to obtain music these days and with so many huge media conglomerates setting the agendas, is the radio as important to lonely teens these days? On the one had, I think the increased means of access to an ever wider variety of music is a great thing, but does that make it harder to find the stuff that really touches you in the way that only music can sometimes. Is it possible any more for music to be more than background nose to our lives? With a hundred different avenues clamoring for your attention, can you find the one that can be your friend?
I'm not sure what the answers are. I'm not even sure if it matters, but every time I listen to this song, I think about this. I was really wanting to use the version of "Wall of Death" that included Nanci Griffith yesterday, but couldn't find it on YouTube. However, I did set off down a wonderful lost hour of watching Nanci sing. There may be a million ways to acquire music these days, but it is good to know that some of them can still have meaning for me, if no one else. Enjoy.
For a lot of that period of time, my main companions were reading and music. I know for sure that's why I can't begin to imagine getting an e-reader of some kind. It would be like rejecting one of my best friends. Part of the comfort of having a book with me has to do with the spine and the pages and the paper. It may be why the mp3 player has never totally caught on with me as well. There's something about buying and having music in a physical form (at least as "physical" as a CD can be) that is really crucial to the whole process for me.
Back to the initial conjecture, with so many avenues to obtain music these days and with so many huge media conglomerates setting the agendas, is the radio as important to lonely teens these days? On the one had, I think the increased means of access to an ever wider variety of music is a great thing, but does that make it harder to find the stuff that really touches you in the way that only music can sometimes. Is it possible any more for music to be more than background nose to our lives? With a hundred different avenues clamoring for your attention, can you find the one that can be your friend?
I'm not sure what the answers are. I'm not even sure if it matters, but every time I listen to this song, I think about this. I was really wanting to use the version of "Wall of Death" that included Nanci Griffith yesterday, but couldn't find it on YouTube. However, I did set off down a wonderful lost hour of watching Nanci sing. There may be a million ways to acquire music these days, but it is good to know that some of them can still have meaning for me, if no one else. Enjoy.
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