...Since I posted a Go-Gos video! I should make up for that right now, I guess. I don't know what this one is from, but it looks interesting, especially with that clip of Jane talking about the origin of the song.
The other day in Half-Price Books, I found a copy of Belinda's memoirs, then promptly spent the better part of an hour skimming through it. I've put it on my list of books to track down. Can't even afford a half-price copy right now. Maye for my birthday.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Addenda and Updates and stuff
Thanks for your patience and forbearance with last week's "Yard Sale Week" extravaganza. I was looking on an old flash drive and found those pics. I had originally taken them to make a blog post about yard sale finds from several weekends. That was at least two years ago.
What is most interesting about them is that they all date from a time well before I ever thought about renting a booth. Okay, well, I was kind of thinking about it, but had not yet gotten to the point of taking any definite steps. In other words, I was out yard saling for fun and not profit.
The little globe things all came from the same house. There were a ton of them there and I bought them all. I think they were a buck a piece. They all used to hold water, like snow globes. You can see some left in one of the Mary globes. I remember this weekend really well because Keith and I were out on our bikes as a part of Worldwide Car Free Day. It's difficult to yard sale by bike, but not impossible! I've done it more than a few times since.
At one point, I was thinking about doing regular blog posts about my finds, hence the photos. I ultimately decided against it as being a little self-indulgent. Even the few such posts I've done recently really don't strike me as anything anyone would want to read, even from the point of view of the booth. I think instead, I'll stick with focusing on the most interesting/unique/fun items I find. So expect more of that in the future.
------------
Speaking of the booth, I'm well over 500 in gross sales this month, so every day is like a new record for me. I'd love to top 600, but we'll still have to wait and see on that. I'm cautiously optimistic. Another month or two like these past two and I'll start feeling like this is something I can consistently do and not just some sort of fluke. My new wild-eyed dream is to gross enough over 600 that I can take home 400 after the rent for the next month is deducted. We'll see. If nothing else, it's a new goal.
-------------
Since I haven't been blogging for so long, it's been ages since I've done any kind of linking to anything in literally forever, so it's time to make up for that a little.
One of the women behind the always excellent Yard Sale Bloodbath went to Europe this summer and presented this report on what it's like to shop second-hand overseas. It's fun reading.
Meanwhile, at Yard Sale Queen, Her Majesty recently encountered some questionable decorating choices.
--------------
I'm realizing that I need to overhaul my links and such, and maybe even my template. I'm adding that to my list of things to do over the next few weeks.
----------------
Among other things I want to do:
A photo tour of the booth(s) these days
Something about what I look for when I go out merch-hunting
Something about camping
And (finally) some stuff about Mom's passing
It's actually been about three weeks, and I'm still keeping up with this thing. It's only taken five years, but I may have finally become a blogger.
And now that I've said that, this will turn out to be the last thing I post for six months. Just you watch. I have now tempted fate. And fate hates me.
What is most interesting about them is that they all date from a time well before I ever thought about renting a booth. Okay, well, I was kind of thinking about it, but had not yet gotten to the point of taking any definite steps. In other words, I was out yard saling for fun and not profit.
The little globe things all came from the same house. There were a ton of them there and I bought them all. I think they were a buck a piece. They all used to hold water, like snow globes. You can see some left in one of the Mary globes. I remember this weekend really well because Keith and I were out on our bikes as a part of Worldwide Car Free Day. It's difficult to yard sale by bike, but not impossible! I've done it more than a few times since.
At one point, I was thinking about doing regular blog posts about my finds, hence the photos. I ultimately decided against it as being a little self-indulgent. Even the few such posts I've done recently really don't strike me as anything anyone would want to read, even from the point of view of the booth. I think instead, I'll stick with focusing on the most interesting/unique/fun items I find. So expect more of that in the future.
------------
Speaking of the booth, I'm well over 500 in gross sales this month, so every day is like a new record for me. I'd love to top 600, but we'll still have to wait and see on that. I'm cautiously optimistic. Another month or two like these past two and I'll start feeling like this is something I can consistently do and not just some sort of fluke. My new wild-eyed dream is to gross enough over 600 that I can take home 400 after the rent for the next month is deducted. We'll see. If nothing else, it's a new goal.
-------------
Since I haven't been blogging for so long, it's been ages since I've done any kind of linking to anything in literally forever, so it's time to make up for that a little.
One of the women behind the always excellent Yard Sale Bloodbath went to Europe this summer and presented this report on what it's like to shop second-hand overseas. It's fun reading.
Meanwhile, at Yard Sale Queen, Her Majesty recently encountered some questionable decorating choices.
--------------
I'm realizing that I need to overhaul my links and such, and maybe even my template. I'm adding that to my list of things to do over the next few weeks.
----------------
Among other things I want to do:
A photo tour of the booth(s) these days
Something about what I look for when I go out merch-hunting
Something about camping
And (finally) some stuff about Mom's passing
It's actually been about three weeks, and I'm still keeping up with this thing. It's only taken five years, but I may have finally become a blogger.
And now that I've said that, this will turn out to be the last thing I post for six months. Just you watch. I have now tempted fate. And fate hates me.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Possibly the Most....um....Unique Item I've Ever Picked Up at a Yard Sale
Just to clarify:
1. It was morbid curiosity that prompted the purchase
2. This is a new, sealed box.
3. It has not been used since purchase
4. It was part of a "fill a box for 5 dollars" deal at the end of a sale.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
St Joe Under Glass
Another old pic of yard sale findsOkay, so it's really plastic. But "St. Joe Under Plastic" doesn't sound as cool.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
And then there was the time the gnomes rose up against their oppressors
Flee the power of the Gnome Movement!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Some Candye for a Saturday
Candye Kane that is! She's the toughest girl alive, you know.
She's one performer I would love to see live, but she doesn't make it through these parts very often. I have a hard enough time tracking down her CD's.
She's one performer I would love to see live, but she doesn't make it through these parts very often. I have a hard enough time tracking down her CD's.
Friday, September 17, 2010
This ones for all us nerds
Been a hectic week and I'm kind of brain-fried. Looking forward to the weekend to catch up son some things, yard sale a bit, and rest and recharge. Here's something to tide you over until I can return with real content:
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Some call it Booty!
I call it Treasure! Either way, it sells (and re-sells) the same. Here's a look at some of the finds from my Labor Day weekend excursions. You can kind of get an idea of some of the things I look for when I'm out hunting for booth stuff.
These three shots are part of the Unique haul:
The booth was in part an outgrowth of not only my comic book and book habit, but also my collection of religious articles. I simply needed to clear some of that stuff out and felt it would take more than a yard sale to do it. It's established itself as one of the niches for my booth and I have regular visitors who search out these items. Not just Catholic-oriented items either. You can see the menorah and dreidel in the last picture. Judaica moves well for me. I also do pretty good with Buddhist and Hindu items, when I can find them. Carrying this stuff has not only enabled me to work on thinning my collection down to a few choice pieces, it's greatly reduced my urge to hang on to them. It's like I'm satisfying my interest in them by providing them for others to buy.
That big blue thing in the second photo is a University of Kentucky Santa hat, of course. And you didn't think such a thing existed. While it's not quite Santa-hat season yet, it is almost autumn, making all the Halloween gear in the last photo seasonally appropriate.
This next batch is part of the flea market stuff:
No real pattern to point out here, just a bunch of random stuff I think I can resell. The middle pic is the nerd haul. I'll keep most of the comics, I think. I'll get rid of the Silver Surfer book after I read it. I've been wanting to get ahold of that one for a while. I think that John Buscema's art with its heavy blacks and dark backgrounds of space will look really good in black and white, something you really can't say about a lot of other mainstream comics art that was intended for color publication. I always pick up CD's and DVD's when I can get them cheap enough, regardless of the artist or movie. It's good to have a small stock of those on hand at all times. Some of the items in these pics are actually new items I picked up to try and market as gift ideas for the holidays.
And a couple of final shots:
This is the infamous Easy Bake Oven from the flea market. I forgot to take a pic before I had it priced for the booth. The pans and instructions are in front. I bagged them and taped the bag to the top of the oven so everything would stay together. When I bought it, the pans had been jammed inside and I didn't even know they were there until I was putting it in the car. It was a cool deal.
Another religious pic. I got this one because it's different from the more Catholicky, flowy Jesus stuff I usually see. This looks like a pic from an old Sunday School class. I thought it was kind of charming. The fact that it is framed is a plus. Framed religious pics move pretty well for me.
Well, that's about it for now. That's not everything I got, but a few highlights. Not so sure a photo-tour of my shopping spree would be that interesting. I'm going to try and do some new photos and maybe some video at the booth soon. Until then, take care and remember everyone:
And so does He-Man's tiger's butt!
These three shots are part of the Unique haul:
The booth was in part an outgrowth of not only my comic book and book habit, but also my collection of religious articles. I simply needed to clear some of that stuff out and felt it would take more than a yard sale to do it. It's established itself as one of the niches for my booth and I have regular visitors who search out these items. Not just Catholic-oriented items either. You can see the menorah and dreidel in the last picture. Judaica moves well for me. I also do pretty good with Buddhist and Hindu items, when I can find them. Carrying this stuff has not only enabled me to work on thinning my collection down to a few choice pieces, it's greatly reduced my urge to hang on to them. It's like I'm satisfying my interest in them by providing them for others to buy.
That big blue thing in the second photo is a University of Kentucky Santa hat, of course. And you didn't think such a thing existed. While it's not quite Santa-hat season yet, it is almost autumn, making all the Halloween gear in the last photo seasonally appropriate.
This next batch is part of the flea market stuff:
No real pattern to point out here, just a bunch of random stuff I think I can resell. The middle pic is the nerd haul. I'll keep most of the comics, I think. I'll get rid of the Silver Surfer book after I read it. I've been wanting to get ahold of that one for a while. I think that John Buscema's art with its heavy blacks and dark backgrounds of space will look really good in black and white, something you really can't say about a lot of other mainstream comics art that was intended for color publication. I always pick up CD's and DVD's when I can get them cheap enough, regardless of the artist or movie. It's good to have a small stock of those on hand at all times. Some of the items in these pics are actually new items I picked up to try and market as gift ideas for the holidays.
And a couple of final shots:
This is the infamous Easy Bake Oven from the flea market. I forgot to take a pic before I had it priced for the booth. The pans and instructions are in front. I bagged them and taped the bag to the top of the oven so everything would stay together. When I bought it, the pans had been jammed inside and I didn't even know they were there until I was putting it in the car. It was a cool deal.
Another religious pic. I got this one because it's different from the more Catholicky, flowy Jesus stuff I usually see. This looks like a pic from an old Sunday School class. I thought it was kind of charming. The fact that it is framed is a plus. Framed religious pics move pretty well for me.
Well, that's about it for now. That's not everything I got, but a few highlights. Not so sure a photo-tour of my shopping spree would be that interesting. I'm going to try and do some new photos and maybe some video at the booth soon. Until then, take care and remember everyone:
And so does He-Man's tiger's butt!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Thrift Store Madness
Labor Day was a Monday holiday, and like a lot of recent Monday holidays, I celebrated the holiday at the Unique Thrift Store half off sale, which they do every Monday holiday.
Now, I didn't get up before the crack of dawn and go stand in line for an hour (or more) before they opened, although I did do that once. I've since realized that they keep restocking all day long, so if I miss out on something, there will be something else to take its place. Besides, if you don't know you missed out on it, did you really miss anything?
I have shopped at the Uniques ever since I came to Louisville, over 20 (!) years ago. One of my earliest purchases there was a black London Fog vintage trench style overcoat/raincoat that I bought for five bucks. I just loved it and wore it everywhere, until Christmas, when my brother talked me out of it.
If it hs ever existed, you can eventually find it at Unique. This I truly believe. Especially at the older store, which is in this old warehouse in one of the poorer parts of town. Shopping there is an amazing experience, which is not to be missed in my book. One time when my brother spent a weekend her and he wanted to do "Louisville things" one of the places I took him was Unique, where I ran into a co-worker and her husband who were shopping for outfits for work.
I've seen a lot of complaining in some online forums that the prices at Unique are high for a thrift, and to an extent that's true. They certainly are much higher than they used to be, but they're by no means outrageous. It's still more than possible to find several good bargains there in a short visit.
For resale purposes, I do have to rely on the half price day to be able to put stuff in my booth and make a profit, but for ordinary thrifting, Unique is more than worth a visit. In the pre-booth days, I'd make a list of thrift stores in town and Keith and I would visit them as a part of the celebration. The Uniques were always on the list.
Part of the fun of a Unique visit is wandering through the furniture and large items (and the nick nacks) and seeing what turns up. I've seen antique wheelchairs and prams in there, and once saw a really old prosthetic leg.
One of the reasons people try to get there before the doors open on the sale days is to get a cart. There just are not enough carts in the store to accommodate everyone. Carrying a lot of stuff in your arms just isn't practical. People will wait by the registers to get a cart from someone checking out. On Labor Day, I spent about half an hour doing that myself. Only at Unique. Other things I have tried include getting large bags from the luggage and purse sections to carry stuff around the store. I've not gone so far as to bring my own cart, but it's not uncommon to see that on the half proce day.
The second Unique is in a former store, so it doesn't have the atmosphere of the older one, which takes away from the experience a bit. The prices there seem to be a little lower on some things as well. It's still awfully hard to get a cart there on sale days, though.
On Labor Day at the older store, a customer called the Fire Marshall to complain about the crowds. That led to a line at the door and one person being let in for each one coming out. That's the way it was when I got there. I didn't have to wait in line too long, and we could stay in there as long as we wanted. Surprisingly for the crowd control measures, it was still pretty crazy inside. I still had to avoid several aisles for the people in them, and still had to wait in line quite a while to check out.
My favorite places to check out at Unique are the racks of smaller items that they've placed in bags. You can find some real bargains there almost all the time, and on Half Price Days, it's even better. I'm a fan of bagging up set of items for my booth, so I like this approach to selling. I also like to buy someone else's set and break it down into smaller sets for resale. You can do a lot with a baggie full of toys or magnets or whatever.
Labor Day yielded some good finds for me. I got some Halloween costume items and decor to sell, some odd nick nacks, a new hoodie for me, and of course lots of bagged sets. I'll put some pics up sometime soon.
Now, I didn't get up before the crack of dawn and go stand in line for an hour (or more) before they opened, although I did do that once. I've since realized that they keep restocking all day long, so if I miss out on something, there will be something else to take its place. Besides, if you don't know you missed out on it, did you really miss anything?
I have shopped at the Uniques ever since I came to Louisville, over 20 (!) years ago. One of my earliest purchases there was a black London Fog vintage trench style overcoat/raincoat that I bought for five bucks. I just loved it and wore it everywhere, until Christmas, when my brother talked me out of it.
If it hs ever existed, you can eventually find it at Unique. This I truly believe. Especially at the older store, which is in this old warehouse in one of the poorer parts of town. Shopping there is an amazing experience, which is not to be missed in my book. One time when my brother spent a weekend her and he wanted to do "Louisville things" one of the places I took him was Unique, where I ran into a co-worker and her husband who were shopping for outfits for work.
I've seen a lot of complaining in some online forums that the prices at Unique are high for a thrift, and to an extent that's true. They certainly are much higher than they used to be, but they're by no means outrageous. It's still more than possible to find several good bargains there in a short visit.
For resale purposes, I do have to rely on the half price day to be able to put stuff in my booth and make a profit, but for ordinary thrifting, Unique is more than worth a visit. In the pre-booth days, I'd make a list of thrift stores in town and Keith and I would visit them as a part of the celebration. The Uniques were always on the list.
Part of the fun of a Unique visit is wandering through the furniture and large items (and the nick nacks) and seeing what turns up. I've seen antique wheelchairs and prams in there, and once saw a really old prosthetic leg.
One of the reasons people try to get there before the doors open on the sale days is to get a cart. There just are not enough carts in the store to accommodate everyone. Carrying a lot of stuff in your arms just isn't practical. People will wait by the registers to get a cart from someone checking out. On Labor Day, I spent about half an hour doing that myself. Only at Unique. Other things I have tried include getting large bags from the luggage and purse sections to carry stuff around the store. I've not gone so far as to bring my own cart, but it's not uncommon to see that on the half proce day.
The second Unique is in a former store, so it doesn't have the atmosphere of the older one, which takes away from the experience a bit. The prices there seem to be a little lower on some things as well. It's still awfully hard to get a cart there on sale days, though.
On Labor Day at the older store, a customer called the Fire Marshall to complain about the crowds. That led to a line at the door and one person being let in for each one coming out. That's the way it was when I got there. I didn't have to wait in line too long, and we could stay in there as long as we wanted. Surprisingly for the crowd control measures, it was still pretty crazy inside. I still had to avoid several aisles for the people in them, and still had to wait in line quite a while to check out.
My favorite places to check out at Unique are the racks of smaller items that they've placed in bags. You can find some real bargains there almost all the time, and on Half Price Days, it's even better. I'm a fan of bagging up set of items for my booth, so I like this approach to selling. I also like to buy someone else's set and break it down into smaller sets for resale. You can do a lot with a baggie full of toys or magnets or whatever.
Labor Day yielded some good finds for me. I got some Halloween costume items and decor to sell, some odd nick nacks, a new hoodie for me, and of course lots of bagged sets. I'll put some pics up sometime soon.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Behold! The World's Sweetest Kitty!
Yes, it's a cat blog post. Get over it. She's our little old scraggly-voiced sweet loving Bennie cat and I'll post about her if I want to!
I was messing around with my camera the other day and took these shots of her on the couch. She looked so cute, I just had to use them. She looks pretty good for an old woman of 18, huh?
She's at that age where she pretty much sleeps most of the time, but she has her active moments. Her lap detector goes off frequently, compelling her to the nearest sitting down person for a visit. she still good for a love nibble or two and an affectionate head butt. Jumping from my chair to the couch is not a problem for her, neither is getting in my chair. She started having problems getting in the bed a few years ago, so we got some steps for her, which she loves. She's not the little kitty who could jump up on top of doors (really!) any more, but she's not ready for a wheel chair yet either.
There she is, folks! You can see the marks of age on her, but she's as much a cutie pie now as she was the day we brought her and her sister into the house as babies. They were all ears and tail then. out of all the cats we've had, I can honestly say that she's the only one who has never had a single habit or behavorial issue that we had to deal with. She's just always been the best.
She's always been the low kitty on the totem pole in our house. Basil was the leader and she was always the follower. Then, when the boys came along, they both pushed her aside for higher positions. But she doesn't mind. She knows two things:
1. She's a better hunter than any of them. She's caught more mice than the much bigger, faster, younger boys.
2. She's more clever than they are. She knows all she has to do is hiss at one of the boys and they'll get in trouble for bothering her.
She was supposed to have been a boy, but turned out to be a girl. We thought Bennie was a good name for a girl too, so we kept it. It was to be short for Benedict (as in Saint Benedict), but now it's short for Benedicta.
Her full name is Gratia-Plena Benedicta Scholastica Maria-Theresa Guadalupe Evans-Mitchell. Quite a mouthful for such a little lady, huh? You can just call here "Bennie." She'll probably strike up a conversation with you if you do, she's always liked to talk.
World's Sweetest Kitty. Can there be any doubt who it is?
Monday, September 13, 2010
All Apologies!
Terribly sorry about the unplanned service interruption over the weekend. I was doing another cat-sitting gig, this time at a house with no internet access, so I was off the grid.
I had planned to drop in somewhere with wifi and update from there, but I ended up hanging around the house watching cartoons.
Oh well.
Regular blogging resumes tomorrow.
I had planned to drop in somewhere with wifi and update from there, but I ended up hanging around the house watching cartoons.
Oh well.
Regular blogging resumes tomorrow.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Quite Possibly The Greatest Cross-Cultural Mash-Up Ever!
Old-time all-female string band in a traditional clogging match with cheesy Kung Fu movie fighters? I'm so there!
Uncle Earl: "Streak o'Lean, Streak o'Fat"
The banjo player is shouting Mandarin phrases throughout the song, which is what I think inspired the video. I remember an interview on NPR a couple of years ago where she talked about her music studies in China and her work with a traditional Chinese instrument similar to a banjo. She eventually recorded a few songs in Mandarin on her solo album.
Here's some more Uncle Earl, this time from the River of Music Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky. I've not been to this festival, but very much hope to at some point.
Uncle Earl: "One True"
I love the line about candy bars!
Uncle Earl: "Streak o'Lean, Streak o'Fat"
The banjo player is shouting Mandarin phrases throughout the song, which is what I think inspired the video. I remember an interview on NPR a couple of years ago where she talked about her music studies in China and her work with a traditional Chinese instrument similar to a banjo. She eventually recorded a few songs in Mandarin on her solo album.
Here's some more Uncle Earl, this time from the River of Music Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky. I've not been to this festival, but very much hope to at some point.
Uncle Earl: "One True"
I love the line about candy bars!
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Stuck in my head
So, ever since I got that Easy Bake Oven at the flea market, this song has been stuck in my head. I was humming it this morning and realized that I've never posted anything by Girlyman to the blog before.
This is a situation that simply has to be rectified immediately. So here they are singing the song that's currently stuck in my head:
Apologies that the vid is so crappy. It was honestly the best of the choices that YouTube had to offer. To make up for that, here's a better video of another of their best songs:
Funny where going to the flea market can lead, huh?
This is a situation that simply has to be rectified immediately. So here they are singing the song that's currently stuck in my head:
Apologies that the vid is so crappy. It was honestly the best of the choices that YouTube had to offer. To make up for that, here's a better video of another of their best songs:
Funny where going to the flea market can lead, huh?
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Just a thought for a Tuesday that's really a Monday
Short weeks end up seeming to be worse than the full work weeks, so here's a little humor to get you through the day.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Flea Market Follow Up
Well, it was an interesting day yesterday. Too many people there for me to take many pictures, but I did make a couple of my cart. I've always been a little shy when it comes to taking pics of things people have for sale, but there were some interesting items on display throughout.
Some thoughts:
As much as I love the flea market, I hate the crowds! I hate crowds in general, but here they make it so hard to take your time and browse. I passed some stands up just because I didn't want to fight to get over to them. That meant no food or coffee samples. Bummer!
The fairgrounds has raised parking to eight bucks, which is simply outrageous. While it didn't seem to hurt the crowds on this holiday weekend, I wonder how it will affect things during one of the non-holiday flea markets. That's an awful lot to pay for the privilege of parking your vehicle. Keith dropped me off at the front gate and picked me up there afterward, so we didn't have to pay.
Saw a lot more comic books than usual. In fact last time I was there, I only saw one or two dealers with them. This time they were everywhere! I even bought a few.
A lot of the same dealers are there from show to show, usually set up in the same spots. I like this, since it makes them easy to find. The people I get my bags and supplies from are one of the regulars. Just turn left when you go in and they're at the end of the first row. I can get that bit of business out of the way in the beginning.
There's another regular guy who usually has good stuff and his prices are pretty good, but he can be such an ass. A woman was asking about one of his items and he said to her: "You must be from Louisville. Only Louisville girls let their tits hang out like that." Sorry, dude. No money from me after that!
A whole lot of folks were going the "everything's a dollar" route in their booths, including the antique dealers. I got a lot of stuff that I never would have been able to in better economic times, including an old Easy Bake Oven, complete with pans and instructions.
Of course, there were still quite a few dealers with fancy things at fancy prices. I heard a couple of them talking at one point. Apparently, it was a good show for them too.
There seemed to be fewer of the people selling overstock groceries, cleaning supplies, and HBA stuff out of banana boxes. That's actually a good thing. A couple of years ago, they were about to overrun the place.
A couple of my favorite book dealers seem to have disappeared. I hope they just dropped Louisville from their circuit and didn't go out of business altogether.
Every time I go to a flea market and listen to the traveling dealers talk, it strikes me just how hard it must be to make a living that way
It's always a good place to do a little research about stuff. Six or eight months ago, I bought a small green glass cradle at a thrift and sold it in the booth. Never could figure out what it was for. Found out yesterday that it's a planter.
Also checked out a Holly Hobby toy oven like one I'm watching in a thrift right now. It's priced about half of the one I saw yesterday. So, now I just gotta wait a few days until the new half price tags go out and I can pick it up at a real bargain price!
And, finally, here's a couple of shots of my cart at the end of the day:
The yellow thing is the Easy Bake Oven. And, now, a side view:
The popcorn provided needed sustenance for the journey. I just love my little granny cart! It makes doing the big flea market so much easier.
All in all, very good day. Got a couple of things for me and a lot of things for the booth. I'll get some pics of the haul once I get it unloaded.
Some thoughts:
As much as I love the flea market, I hate the crowds! I hate crowds in general, but here they make it so hard to take your time and browse. I passed some stands up just because I didn't want to fight to get over to them. That meant no food or coffee samples. Bummer!
The fairgrounds has raised parking to eight bucks, which is simply outrageous. While it didn't seem to hurt the crowds on this holiday weekend, I wonder how it will affect things during one of the non-holiday flea markets. That's an awful lot to pay for the privilege of parking your vehicle. Keith dropped me off at the front gate and picked me up there afterward, so we didn't have to pay.
Saw a lot more comic books than usual. In fact last time I was there, I only saw one or two dealers with them. This time they were everywhere! I even bought a few.
A lot of the same dealers are there from show to show, usually set up in the same spots. I like this, since it makes them easy to find. The people I get my bags and supplies from are one of the regulars. Just turn left when you go in and they're at the end of the first row. I can get that bit of business out of the way in the beginning.
There's another regular guy who usually has good stuff and his prices are pretty good, but he can be such an ass. A woman was asking about one of his items and he said to her: "You must be from Louisville. Only Louisville girls let their tits hang out like that." Sorry, dude. No money from me after that!
A whole lot of folks were going the "everything's a dollar" route in their booths, including the antique dealers. I got a lot of stuff that I never would have been able to in better economic times, including an old Easy Bake Oven, complete with pans and instructions.
Of course, there were still quite a few dealers with fancy things at fancy prices. I heard a couple of them talking at one point. Apparently, it was a good show for them too.
There seemed to be fewer of the people selling overstock groceries, cleaning supplies, and HBA stuff out of banana boxes. That's actually a good thing. A couple of years ago, they were about to overrun the place.
A couple of my favorite book dealers seem to have disappeared. I hope they just dropped Louisville from their circuit and didn't go out of business altogether.
Every time I go to a flea market and listen to the traveling dealers talk, it strikes me just how hard it must be to make a living that way
It's always a good place to do a little research about stuff. Six or eight months ago, I bought a small green glass cradle at a thrift and sold it in the booth. Never could figure out what it was for. Found out yesterday that it's a planter.
Also checked out a Holly Hobby toy oven like one I'm watching in a thrift right now. It's priced about half of the one I saw yesterday. So, now I just gotta wait a few days until the new half price tags go out and I can pick it up at a real bargain price!
And, finally, here's a couple of shots of my cart at the end of the day:
The yellow thing is the Easy Bake Oven. And, now, a side view:
The popcorn provided needed sustenance for the journey. I just love my little granny cart! It makes doing the big flea market so much easier.
All in all, very good day. Got a couple of things for me and a lot of things for the booth. I'll get some pics of the haul once I get it unloaded.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
These fleas don't bite!
Heading out to the flea market today at the Kentucky Fairgrounds. I totally love the Stewart Promotions shows. I've been going since I was a kid. I remember going one time with my dad and being too sick to handle more than a couple rows of vendors. After that, I threw in the towel and went home to bed. The joke in the family was that I must have been really sick to have left the flea market before seeing the whole thing!
My flea marketing started early. In my hometown, there was a weekly flea market on Wednesdays at the stockyards. It grew out of the days when Wednesday was the day farmers took their livestock into sell. The flea market evolved as a way for them to buy tools and such on the spot. By the time I came along, you could find anything there. In the summer, my best friend Thomas and I used to head there and look for old comics. Once there was an article in a local paper about the flea market and it mentioned a boy searching through a pile of comics. I've always been convinced it was referring to one of us.
A lot of the small town roadside flea markets have gone away, but the one I went to as a kid is still there and still going. I think that's pretty cool.
Before she got sick, my mom and I would get together once or twice a year to go to this flea market. I went to the one on July 4 weekend, which was one of the ones we would go to. It was part of our celebration for her birthday, which was July 6. I really felt like I needed to go as a way to remember her. It felt strange being without her, but it also made me remember some of the fun we had going together.
My targets have gotten broader than comics these days, although I'll still look for those as well. I'll also be searching for merch, of course. The flea market has become the place where I pick up bags, stands and other supplies I need for the booth. I can find them there at a reasonable price.
There's also a special antique section this weekend. I always love to spend time in those. I usually can't afford anything (and there's definitely not much for resale), but the stuff is cool to look at. It's also a good place to learn about things I might want to know for my own reselling ventures.
I'm supposedly all grown up now, but I still love the flea market as much as I did when I was younger. Above all else, it's a fun way to spend the day. If I find anything cool or fun, I'll post about it later.
My flea marketing started early. In my hometown, there was a weekly flea market on Wednesdays at the stockyards. It grew out of the days when Wednesday was the day farmers took their livestock into sell. The flea market evolved as a way for them to buy tools and such on the spot. By the time I came along, you could find anything there. In the summer, my best friend Thomas and I used to head there and look for old comics. Once there was an article in a local paper about the flea market and it mentioned a boy searching through a pile of comics. I've always been convinced it was referring to one of us.
A lot of the small town roadside flea markets have gone away, but the one I went to as a kid is still there and still going. I think that's pretty cool.
Before she got sick, my mom and I would get together once or twice a year to go to this flea market. I went to the one on July 4 weekend, which was one of the ones we would go to. It was part of our celebration for her birthday, which was July 6. I really felt like I needed to go as a way to remember her. It felt strange being without her, but it also made me remember some of the fun we had going together.
My targets have gotten broader than comics these days, although I'll still look for those as well. I'll also be searching for merch, of course. The flea market has become the place where I pick up bags, stands and other supplies I need for the booth. I can find them there at a reasonable price.
There's also a special antique section this weekend. I always love to spend time in those. I usually can't afford anything (and there's definitely not much for resale), but the stuff is cool to look at. It's also a good place to learn about things I might want to know for my own reselling ventures.
I'm supposedly all grown up now, but I still love the flea market as much as I did when I was younger. Above all else, it's a fun way to spend the day. If I find anything cool or fun, I'll post about it later.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Yard Sale Round Up
Saling ended up on the light side today, for several reasons.
First, sales in general have been of a lesser quality this year. There is speculation on a forum I belong to that due to the economy people are either hanging on to their stuff longer or trying to sell it for higher prices than most of us are willing to pay. I know that I have seen even at huge annual sales less participation than in the past. The listings just weren't there for this weekend.
Second, I'm pretty well-stocked right now. I could not acquire anything for the next two months and still be able to adequately restock the booth, without even touching the backstock I have set aside for the winter months. I'm not sure how much more ahead of the curve I need to get, due to limited storage space. I do intend to keep picking stuff up, but now I can afford to be a little more selective.
Third, interestingly enough, I'm finding that I'm actually saling less now that I'm out looking for merch than I did when I was out just going for the heck of it. I tend to be a little less adventurous in my explorations now. Before, if I came up empty, it was no big deal. Now it can effect what the booth takes in. I tend to concentrate on certain neighborhoods, which are proven sources of the stuff I'm looking for and on places where I can get a lot of stuff at once: church sales, benefit sales, neighborhood sales. Not much of that action this weekend.
And, finally, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. I overslept considerably this morning. Consequence of being in an unfamiliar bed, I guess. I slept lousy last night, but got up early enough, then decided to lay back down for 30 minutes and ended up sleeping another couple of hours. So many folks end their sales between 11 and 12, that a late start can screw up your day.
However, there were some finds. I hit one of my favorite church sales, which thankfully was as good as past years. I got some nice vintage items, including a complete bridal shower bingo game and a stationery set.
Finds from the church sale
I also found a cool little stash of old religious items.
Religious items from sale. Item in center is small ashtray.
Everything else was kind of blah, until later in the evening, when I stumbled on someone's leftover freebie pile. Ended up pulling out a vintage wading pool, still in box, never used, plus a couple of other things. Most of it is "filler" stuff that I will use to fill out the spaces in the booth, but nothing. I would not have paid for it, but free is another matter.
Stuff from freebie pile.
Vintage pool n box. Never used!
Close up of cool pattern on pool.
So, in quantity, it ,ay all be down a little, but the quality was definitely there.
First, sales in general have been of a lesser quality this year. There is speculation on a forum I belong to that due to the economy people are either hanging on to their stuff longer or trying to sell it for higher prices than most of us are willing to pay. I know that I have seen even at huge annual sales less participation than in the past. The listings just weren't there for this weekend.
Second, I'm pretty well-stocked right now. I could not acquire anything for the next two months and still be able to adequately restock the booth, without even touching the backstock I have set aside for the winter months. I'm not sure how much more ahead of the curve I need to get, due to limited storage space. I do intend to keep picking stuff up, but now I can afford to be a little more selective.
Third, interestingly enough, I'm finding that I'm actually saling less now that I'm out looking for merch than I did when I was out just going for the heck of it. I tend to be a little less adventurous in my explorations now. Before, if I came up empty, it was no big deal. Now it can effect what the booth takes in. I tend to concentrate on certain neighborhoods, which are proven sources of the stuff I'm looking for and on places where I can get a lot of stuff at once: church sales, benefit sales, neighborhood sales. Not much of that action this weekend.
And, finally, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. I overslept considerably this morning. Consequence of being in an unfamiliar bed, I guess. I slept lousy last night, but got up early enough, then decided to lay back down for 30 minutes and ended up sleeping another couple of hours. So many folks end their sales between 11 and 12, that a late start can screw up your day.
However, there were some finds. I hit one of my favorite church sales, which thankfully was as good as past years. I got some nice vintage items, including a complete bridal shower bingo game and a stationery set.
Finds from the church saleI also found a cool little stash of old religious items.
Religious items from sale. Item in center is small ashtray.Everything else was kind of blah, until later in the evening, when I stumbled on someone's leftover freebie pile. Ended up pulling out a vintage wading pool, still in box, never used, plus a couple of other things. Most of it is "filler" stuff that I will use to fill out the spaces in the booth, but nothing. I would not have paid for it, but free is another matter.
Stuff from freebie pile.
Vintage pool n box. Never used!
Close up of cool pattern on pool.So, in quantity, it ,ay all be down a little, but the quality was definitely there.
Holiday Weekend Eve
Well, I made it through the first week of the new part-time gig (henceforth NPTG) oay. It's pretty much right up my alley and I enjoy it tremendously. I only wish it was a few more hours a week, but it will work temporarily.
So I'm sitting for the weekend. Pet-sitting, that is. I'm staying in a top floor loft and keeping a 20 year old kitty (really!) company while her Daddies are away on a trip. I've been staying with her from time to time for a few years now. There are a couple of folks that I house/pet sit fir. It's a nice gig to have from time to time. It's like getting away without leaving town, so I try to treat it like a mini-vacation, with the added bonus of a little cash for doing it. It's also I good chance to veg out with some DVD's and a good book or two.
But not this weekend. It's Labor Day weekend which is a good time for yard sales in town, so I'll be out on the junk hunt. I did break 500 last month with the booth, so this time around, I'm looking too see if I can try it again. That means I got to keep the merch coming in. Luckily, there's severa; chances to do that this weekend.
Today, of course, is the above-mentioned yard saling. I've still gotta work out my route and such, but I know I'll be out there. Tomorrow, I'll be at the big flea market at the Fairgrounds. And, on Monday, I'll be hitting the half-price sale at one of the biggest thrifts in town.
All in all, a pretty full weekend for the hunt. I'll post more about my adventures as they happen. Have a good weekendl
So I'm sitting for the weekend. Pet-sitting, that is. I'm staying in a top floor loft and keeping a 20 year old kitty (really!) company while her Daddies are away on a trip. I've been staying with her from time to time for a few years now. There are a couple of folks that I house/pet sit fir. It's a nice gig to have from time to time. It's like getting away without leaving town, so I try to treat it like a mini-vacation, with the added bonus of a little cash for doing it. It's also I good chance to veg out with some DVD's and a good book or two.
But not this weekend. It's Labor Day weekend which is a good time for yard sales in town, so I'll be out on the junk hunt. I did break 500 last month with the booth, so this time around, I'm looking too see if I can try it again. That means I got to keep the merch coming in. Luckily, there's severa; chances to do that this weekend.
Today, of course, is the above-mentioned yard saling. I've still gotta work out my route and such, but I know I'll be out there. Tomorrow, I'll be at the big flea market at the Fairgrounds. And, on Monday, I'll be hitting the half-price sale at one of the biggest thrifts in town.
All in all, a pretty full weekend for the hunt. I'll post more about my adventures as they happen. Have a good weekendl
Friday, September 03, 2010
Fair Use
Found this while cleaning out my stash of started but never finished posts. Whenever it was that I first found it, I thought that it was both clever and informative enough to want to share, so here it is.
Really well done.
Really well done.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Rebel Rock Armegeddon
Don't know about you all, but sometimes I feel like this for sure:
I got Rockabilly in my blood and radiation, too!
I got Rockabilly in my blood and radiation, too!
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
The Real Reason the Ice Caps Are Melting
It's the penguins and their damn cigarette factories!
Not to mention the smoking they do themselves!
Say it ain't so, fellas! Say it ain't so!
Not to mention the smoking they do themselves!
Say it ain't so, fellas! Say it ain't so!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
This showed up in my YouTube recommendations this week
Got no idea why, but it's a cute song that kind of grows on you. Thought I'd share it here.
What are you waiting for? Go put your jeans on!
What are you waiting for? Go put your jeans on!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Ended up with a little time to post after all
Well, waddayaknow? I did get a chance to finish something up and post it. That's good. I feel a little better about being low content for the rest of the week, since I got something real out today.
Enjoy!
I'll be housesitting over the bulk of the holiday weekend, so I should have a chance to crank out a real post or two. I've pretty much got the backlog of drafts cleared out for now.
Enjoy!
I'll be housesitting over the bulk of the holiday weekend, so I should have a chance to crank out a real post or two. I've pretty much got the backlog of drafts cleared out for now.
Coasting by this week...
It's probably bad form to re-start your blog and then immediately go into a few days of low-content, lazy-ass posts, but I figure my blogging standards can't get any lower than they already are.
I'm starting my part-time gig today and my schedule is going to be pretty erratic for the next six weeks. I'm going to pre-set some simple posts for this week to give me a chance to get used to things and hopefully stockpile some more content-rich posts. I don't quite have it together enough yet to frontload a bunch of real content, so you'll have to make due with this.
If I get a chance along the way, I'll drop in some other stuff, but I'm making no promises. Things are topsy-turvy enough that I've not yet worked out a day to go restock and clean the booth.
So, I do hope you'll drop back in this week, even at low content mode, it'll still be the first week I've posted every day since, well, I don't know when.
And in the meantime, enjoy Peter, Bjorn, and John:
Have a good week!
I'm starting my part-time gig today and my schedule is going to be pretty erratic for the next six weeks. I'm going to pre-set some simple posts for this week to give me a chance to get used to things and hopefully stockpile some more content-rich posts. I don't quite have it together enough yet to frontload a bunch of real content, so you'll have to make due with this.
If I get a chance along the way, I'll drop in some other stuff, but I'm making no promises. Things are topsy-turvy enough that I've not yet worked out a day to go restock and clean the booth.
So, I do hope you'll drop back in this week, even at low content mode, it'll still be the first week I've posted every day since, well, I don't know when.
And in the meantime, enjoy Peter, Bjorn, and John:
Have a good week!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Countdown to 500!
The longest hour of the day for me is the one between 8:30 and 9:30 every evening. That's the point where whatever OCD I have kicks in, along with my huge primeval drive for instant gratification. That's the hour before the daily sales report comes in.
One of the things I really like about my booth arrangement with Peddler's Mall is the daily reports. I get an email every evening that recaps the day's sales for me, for every day that I have sales. It's kind of neat for me that, after a year of doing this, I've only had a handful of days with no sales at all. I could actually be doing something right here.
Anyway, the sales email usually comes between 9:15 and 9:30 each night, but I seem to be unable to stop myself from getting on the computer at 8:30 to wait for it. I typically end up mindlessly surfing until it comes. I'm thinking this may be a good time to set aside for blogging.
It's kind of fun to see what sells each day and exciting to see my monthly total increase. I get a real kick out of seeing something that I just put out sell right away. Then there's the sense of relief at seeing something that's been sitting there for ages finally move. I've learned to never say that something will sell right away and to never say that something won't sell. It seems, based on my sell-through rate, that I've got halfway decent instincts about what to put in the booth.
My goal right now is to have a month with $500 gross sales. I'm getting close. Last month was around $450 and right now I'm sitting at $487, with two days to go. I just wish the last days of the month weren't Monday and Tuesday, which are the worst two sales days of the week. I very well could get the thirteen bucks I need out of 'em, or I could have three dollars in sales each day. The unpredictability drives me nuts and excites me at the same time. It's like having Christmas every day at 9:30 p.m.
If I do hit the $500, about half of that will go to my space rent. (I've actually got three spaces now.) Two percent is commission, and the rest will be my money to put back into the booth as stock in September. It's kind of self-perpetuating and self-sustaining right now.
My other goal is to sustain the 400+ gross level through the winter. Last year, I had strong sales through July and August, then they slowly began to slide through the fall. Now that I know what the pattern is, I hope to plan to avoid it. I know one thing I pan to do is work more Christmassy stuff in earlier. Another will be to have more new items that will be suitable for gifts. I'm even toying with the idea of creating some "Give Secondhand" flyers for the holidays. I'm creating a small stockpile of vintage holiday items as well. The ones I had last year sold very well for me.
For right now, though,I'm still pulling for thirteen more bucks in the next two days.
One of the things I really like about my booth arrangement with Peddler's Mall is the daily reports. I get an email every evening that recaps the day's sales for me, for every day that I have sales. It's kind of neat for me that, after a year of doing this, I've only had a handful of days with no sales at all. I could actually be doing something right here.
Anyway, the sales email usually comes between 9:15 and 9:30 each night, but I seem to be unable to stop myself from getting on the computer at 8:30 to wait for it. I typically end up mindlessly surfing until it comes. I'm thinking this may be a good time to set aside for blogging.
It's kind of fun to see what sells each day and exciting to see my monthly total increase. I get a real kick out of seeing something that I just put out sell right away. Then there's the sense of relief at seeing something that's been sitting there for ages finally move. I've learned to never say that something will sell right away and to never say that something won't sell. It seems, based on my sell-through rate, that I've got halfway decent instincts about what to put in the booth.
My goal right now is to have a month with $500 gross sales. I'm getting close. Last month was around $450 and right now I'm sitting at $487, with two days to go. I just wish the last days of the month weren't Monday and Tuesday, which are the worst two sales days of the week. I very well could get the thirteen bucks I need out of 'em, or I could have three dollars in sales each day. The unpredictability drives me nuts and excites me at the same time. It's like having Christmas every day at 9:30 p.m.
If I do hit the $500, about half of that will go to my space rent. (I've actually got three spaces now.) Two percent is commission, and the rest will be my money to put back into the booth as stock in September. It's kind of self-perpetuating and self-sustaining right now.
My other goal is to sustain the 400+ gross level through the winter. Last year, I had strong sales through July and August, then they slowly began to slide through the fall. Now that I know what the pattern is, I hope to plan to avoid it. I know one thing I pan to do is work more Christmassy stuff in earlier. Another will be to have more new items that will be suitable for gifts. I'm even toying with the idea of creating some "Give Secondhand" flyers for the holidays. I'm creating a small stockpile of vintage holiday items as well. The ones I had last year sold very well for me.
For right now, though,I'm still pulling for thirteen more bucks in the next two days.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Booth Doings
One of the best things that has happened to me in the past year has been my booth. Now, I'm not exactly setting the world on fire (or my bank account for that matter). But it has made enough every month to cover the rental fee and commission, with a little left over. I've not sat down and done any calculations with the costs of the items sold each month, but I suspect I'm usually pretty close to breaking even, as long as I don't try to calculate anything in for my time.
And it is a way lot more time-consuming than anyone not involved might think. I spend some time every day on it, which is a challenge for a lazy-ass like me. On the other hand, it does give me a somewhat credible excuse for not cleaning the bathroom (or blogging).
Here's kind of what the break down looks like:
2-3 times a week: Hit the local thrifts, hunting for stuff. There are four that I visit regularly, and several more that I get to when I happen to be in that part of town. This has gotten a little easier since I've not been working.
Saturday mornings for at least four or five hours (and sometimes more): Yard Sales! Saling is better than the thrifts, because the prices tend to be better. The best is to hit a good church rummage sale or fund-raising sale, because their goal is to get rid of everything by sale's end. This always makes for great prices.
Evenings after buying trips: Spend at least an hour sorting, logging, and wrapping purchases. I list each item in a notebook along with the receipt. Everything gets put into Rubbermaid tubs when done.
Monday and Tuesday evenings: Spend a couple of hours going through at least one tub, cleaning and pricing all the items. I do try to do this when I'm sorting everything after buying, but if it's been a big day, I can't get to everything, so I prioritize getting stuff logged while I can remember whet I paid for it.
Wednesday evening: Spend 3-4 hours at the booth cleaning it up and re-stocking. Even though the staff of the Peddler's Mall handle the money end of the transaction, it's up to me to keep the booth tidy and full of stuff people will want to buy. You'd be amazed at how a group of browsers can really jostle your space without buying anything!
In the in-between times: Spend a couple hours a week bagging up smaller items into sets and pricing them. I also like to buy large bagged sets of items, like fridge magnets, and break them down into smaller sets. I keep a box of stuff like this by my TV chair and do it when I watch my soaps.
Every six weeks or so: Spend a whole day (usually on a weekend) at the booth and give it a thorough cleaning and rearranging, to keep it fresh-looking.
And this doesn't count: Time spent on supply runs, any research time, time spent at clearance tables in whatever store I might be in (grocery, drug store, Target, Borders, etc) looking for markdowns I might be able to sell, attending the odd auction, and the occasional curb dive on junk set out days.
All that adds up to a big chunk of time! But it's fun. It takes my mind off things. Keith says it's been really good for me, and I would agree. During the time when I couldn't seem to do anything right at work (according to my superiors), I had the booth to remind me that I am indeed a pretty smart and competent guy. For me, that was a bigger payoff than any money that this endeavor might generate.
And it is a way lot more time-consuming than anyone not involved might think. I spend some time every day on it, which is a challenge for a lazy-ass like me. On the other hand, it does give me a somewhat credible excuse for not cleaning the bathroom (or blogging).
Here's kind of what the break down looks like:
2-3 times a week: Hit the local thrifts, hunting for stuff. There are four that I visit regularly, and several more that I get to when I happen to be in that part of town. This has gotten a little easier since I've not been working.
Saturday mornings for at least four or five hours (and sometimes more): Yard Sales! Saling is better than the thrifts, because the prices tend to be better. The best is to hit a good church rummage sale or fund-raising sale, because their goal is to get rid of everything by sale's end. This always makes for great prices.
Evenings after buying trips: Spend at least an hour sorting, logging, and wrapping purchases. I list each item in a notebook along with the receipt. Everything gets put into Rubbermaid tubs when done.
Monday and Tuesday evenings: Spend a couple of hours going through at least one tub, cleaning and pricing all the items. I do try to do this when I'm sorting everything after buying, but if it's been a big day, I can't get to everything, so I prioritize getting stuff logged while I can remember whet I paid for it.
Wednesday evening: Spend 3-4 hours at the booth cleaning it up and re-stocking. Even though the staff of the Peddler's Mall handle the money end of the transaction, it's up to me to keep the booth tidy and full of stuff people will want to buy. You'd be amazed at how a group of browsers can really jostle your space without buying anything!
In the in-between times: Spend a couple hours a week bagging up smaller items into sets and pricing them. I also like to buy large bagged sets of items, like fridge magnets, and break them down into smaller sets. I keep a box of stuff like this by my TV chair and do it when I watch my soaps.
Every six weeks or so: Spend a whole day (usually on a weekend) at the booth and give it a thorough cleaning and rearranging, to keep it fresh-looking.
And this doesn't count: Time spent on supply runs, any research time, time spent at clearance tables in whatever store I might be in (grocery, drug store, Target, Borders, etc) looking for markdowns I might be able to sell, attending the odd auction, and the occasional curb dive on junk set out days.
All that adds up to a big chunk of time! But it's fun. It takes my mind off things. Keith says it's been really good for me, and I would agree. During the time when I couldn't seem to do anything right at work (according to my superiors), I had the booth to remind me that I am indeed a pretty smart and competent guy. For me, that was a bigger payoff than any money that this endeavor might generate.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Well, what do you know? Blogger remembered me!
It seems like I spend my life intending to do so many things that never quite happen. I intend to be 20 pounds lighter. I intend to clean the bathroom. I intend to blog on a regular basis. And so on and so forth. We won't get into the weight and the bathroom here, but you can obviously see how well the blogging is going.
It's been a strange couple of years. I finally ended up in the absolute dream position last year, only to have it yanked away from me a few months later. Then I got shuffled into a less than ideal position, ended up doing a pretty good job at it, and got booted from it a month ago. Booted in the big way, that is. Been unemployed ever since.
Can't go into details right now. I need to leave it at this: none of it was right. I'm looking at my options as far as responses go. More than that I probably shouldn't say.
I've got some part time work coming up and my vacation pay combined with Mom's life insurance, plus a little monthly income from the booth, hopefully will carry me until I can get a regular gig again. That's the theory anyway.
Speaking of the insurance brings up the other shadow across my life, Mom's death. We went from cancer diagnosis last September to her death right before Memorial Day in what seems like no time at all. Still seems unreal. Ours wasn't the smoothest of mother-son relationships, but I miss her terribly. Interestingly, I'm finding myself remembering the positives of her life more than dwelling on the negatives. There's a lot more that I want to say about her passing, but not tonight.
So, anyway, I'm muddling through, just about like always. Trying to make the best of things and focus on the positives: I've got a wonderful man I love who loves me, three of the most adorable loving cats in the world, an awesome brother, the coolest niece and nephew in the world, and things really can't be that bad in the face of all that, can it?
It's a little tight right now, but I think we're going to make it. So, what's new with you?
It's been a strange couple of years. I finally ended up in the absolute dream position last year, only to have it yanked away from me a few months later. Then I got shuffled into a less than ideal position, ended up doing a pretty good job at it, and got booted from it a month ago. Booted in the big way, that is. Been unemployed ever since.
Can't go into details right now. I need to leave it at this: none of it was right. I'm looking at my options as far as responses go. More than that I probably shouldn't say.
I've got some part time work coming up and my vacation pay combined with Mom's life insurance, plus a little monthly income from the booth, hopefully will carry me until I can get a regular gig again. That's the theory anyway.
Speaking of the insurance brings up the other shadow across my life, Mom's death. We went from cancer diagnosis last September to her death right before Memorial Day in what seems like no time at all. Still seems unreal. Ours wasn't the smoothest of mother-son relationships, but I miss her terribly. Interestingly, I'm finding myself remembering the positives of her life more than dwelling on the negatives. There's a lot more that I want to say about her passing, but not tonight.
So, anyway, I'm muddling through, just about like always. Trying to make the best of things and focus on the positives: I've got a wonderful man I love who loves me, three of the most adorable loving cats in the world, an awesome brother, the coolest niece and nephew in the world, and things really can't be that bad in the face of all that, can it?
It's a little tight right now, but I think we're going to make it. So, what's new with you?
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
And now I am an orphan
Carolyn Campbell Mitchell 1941-2010
You'll have to read the obituary at the link. I can't write anything else about it right now.
You'll have to read the obituary at the link. I can't write anything else about it right now.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Eddie's Attic: The Early Days
Welcome to my new world!
I look at that pic now, and my first thought is "God, I'm fat!" But after that, I think of how much the booth has already changed. That photo was just a week ago, and since then, I've moved in a table and chair, a media rack and some more shelves, not too mention a lot more merchandise!
One of the things I've learned is that it takes a lot of stuff to keep the place running, especially at the pace things keep flying off the shelves. Not to brag or anything, but, in the week since I put stock out, I've already made most of the booth rent for next month. If things keep up at this pace, I will have the rent for next month by the end of the month.
Given that the thought in the beginning was that we wouldn't make the August rent in July because we didn't start until the middle of the month, that's pretty exciting. I had anticipated eventually being able to cover the rent with sales, but I thought it would take a couple of months.
Not to say, I'm turning a profit or on the verge of supporting myself, mind you. If you factored in my time, even at minimum wage, I'm bleeding money. But I didn't go into this to get rich, just as a hobby of sorts. If the booth can support itself by covering the rent, plus give me a little extra for new merch, then I'm happy.
Plus, it's kind of cool to see what sells, analyze sales, and plan based on that.
Anyway, here's a few pics of the early days for your viewing pleasure, if you like looking at fat guys stocking booths, that is.
It takes a lot of sorting to get it all just right.
Proper posture for applying price tags requires keeping both arms absolutely rigid!
I know it doesn't look like much here, but remember this was just the beginning. When I get the chance I'm going to do a video tour of the booth as it is now.
This guy sold right off the bat! Note to self: more Mickeys!
This was my favorite items from my first set of stock! I was actually working in the booth when the guy who bought it picked it up. He got the biggest kick out of it!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Some Emmylou...Just for you! (and me!)
Someone on the Emmylou mailing list shared this, and I simply can't resist sharing:
It's the poster from the Emmylou and the Nash Ramblers show at the Ryman, way back when. This is a legendary show and the live recording is one of my favorite Emmylou albums. Their version of "Get Up John" alone is more than worth the price of admission. Simply blows my mind every time.
Also, as is the case with shows at the Ryman, the print was done by the legendary Hatch Show Prints. We have two of their prints, from shows we got to see at the Ryman, hanging in our living room. Here's a gallery of their amazing work.
It's the poster from the Emmylou and the Nash Ramblers show at the Ryman, way back when. This is a legendary show and the live recording is one of my favorite Emmylou albums. Their version of "Get Up John" alone is more than worth the price of admission. Simply blows my mind every time.
Also, as is the case with shows at the Ryman, the print was done by the legendary Hatch Show Prints. We have two of their prints, from shows we got to see at the Ryman, hanging in our living room. Here's a gallery of their amazing work.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Stayed Up a Bit Too Late
Working on stuff for the booth and a few other projects and lost track of time. Got to get to bed like right now!
This should help:
Such an interesting group of performers there, but it's obvious who the star of the show is. :-)
See you tomorrow. Trying to post all week.
This should help:
Such an interesting group of performers there, but it's obvious who the star of the show is. :-)
See you tomorrow. Trying to post all week.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Let's just call it "Eddie's Folly"
In which your Eddie-tor decides to become a junk peddler.
It's no secret that I like to shop. You don't become a collector of anything without at least a tiny bit of longing for the thrill of the hunt. Of course, I've taken it several steps farther than that. Basically, as long as it's not groceries, I love a good shopping trip.
It's not that I'm necessarily super-materialistic, per se. I don't make a ton of money, and I'm not into having tons of stuff, or the latest and greatest of everything, but I've always liked to see what's out there. And if I find something cool that I can afford, so much the better.
Still, I do try not to be wasteful. I'll hang on to stuff until it literally falls apart. For that reason, I've always been big into second hand retail--thrifts, yard sales, etc. In fact, my birthday celebration each year is a mad orgy of thrifting, as we hit every store in town that sells second-hand.
A few years ago, a friend of ours expanded her eBay business into one of the local second-hand shops. She's been coasting through, making a pretty good go at it. She tried to talk me into taking the plunge a while back, noting that I'm running out of space in the house for stuff. We explored the idea, but let it fall by the wayside.
Until a couple of weeks ago, that is. One of the Peddler's Malls in Louisville moved to a new location this month. I went out there over the 4th of July weekend and saw that they had a ton of booth space available. After talking it over with Keith for a while, I took out a contract for a booth yesterday.
I know it's not going to be easy. Our friend works at hers every weekend and evening--going to auctions, attending yard sales, etc. I'm not looking to make a living at it, though. I'm just hoping for a past time that kind of pays for itself.
And, if I clear out some of my excess, so much the better. I'm hoping to bring the kind of focus to a couple of my collections that I brought to my comics when I sold off 3/4 of the lot a couple of years ago. (Best yard sale we ever had!)
Yesterday, we did the first round of yard sale hunting as junk dealers. It was kind of fun being able to buy interesting stuff I would have always thought was kind of cool, but nover bought because I didn't have a use or space for it.
My goal is to kind of deal in quantity. I want to keep the prices low as I can and sell a variety of interesting stuff. You can still find some great bargains at yard sales, and occasionally from other dealers as well. I'm hoping it's a pricing strategy that will work in a down economy for someone dealing in definite non-essentials.
I've been pulling my first batch of inventory together tonight. Tomorrow night, I'm going over to set up. It's going to be a lot of work, but I hope it will keep my mind off a lot of the unsavory things happening around me lately.
So, if you're in the area, drop by Eddie's Attic (Keith came up with the name): Booth 62 in the Shively Center Peddler's Mall on Dixie Highway.
It's no secret that I like to shop. You don't become a collector of anything without at least a tiny bit of longing for the thrill of the hunt. Of course, I've taken it several steps farther than that. Basically, as long as it's not groceries, I love a good shopping trip.
It's not that I'm necessarily super-materialistic, per se. I don't make a ton of money, and I'm not into having tons of stuff, or the latest and greatest of everything, but I've always liked to see what's out there. And if I find something cool that I can afford, so much the better.
Still, I do try not to be wasteful. I'll hang on to stuff until it literally falls apart. For that reason, I've always been big into second hand retail--thrifts, yard sales, etc. In fact, my birthday celebration each year is a mad orgy of thrifting, as we hit every store in town that sells second-hand.
A few years ago, a friend of ours expanded her eBay business into one of the local second-hand shops. She's been coasting through, making a pretty good go at it. She tried to talk me into taking the plunge a while back, noting that I'm running out of space in the house for stuff. We explored the idea, but let it fall by the wayside.
Until a couple of weeks ago, that is. One of the Peddler's Malls in Louisville moved to a new location this month. I went out there over the 4th of July weekend and saw that they had a ton of booth space available. After talking it over with Keith for a while, I took out a contract for a booth yesterday.
I know it's not going to be easy. Our friend works at hers every weekend and evening--going to auctions, attending yard sales, etc. I'm not looking to make a living at it, though. I'm just hoping for a past time that kind of pays for itself.
And, if I clear out some of my excess, so much the better. I'm hoping to bring the kind of focus to a couple of my collections that I brought to my comics when I sold off 3/4 of the lot a couple of years ago. (Best yard sale we ever had!)
Yesterday, we did the first round of yard sale hunting as junk dealers. It was kind of fun being able to buy interesting stuff I would have always thought was kind of cool, but nover bought because I didn't have a use or space for it.
My goal is to kind of deal in quantity. I want to keep the prices low as I can and sell a variety of interesting stuff. You can still find some great bargains at yard sales, and occasionally from other dealers as well. I'm hoping it's a pricing strategy that will work in a down economy for someone dealing in definite non-essentials.
I've been pulling my first batch of inventory together tonight. Tomorrow night, I'm going over to set up. It's going to be a lot of work, but I hope it will keep my mind off a lot of the unsavory things happening around me lately.
So, if you're in the area, drop by Eddie's Attic (Keith came up with the name): Booth 62 in the Shively Center Peddler's Mall on Dixie Highway.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Why I'll Never Drink Evian....
I'm sorry, but these hairless, toothless wheeled mutant beings creep me the hell out!
Gack!
Gack!
Monday, July 06, 2009
Monday Morning Folk Music: One Woman with a Shovel!
I've written before about folk powerhouse Carrie Newcomer and the comfort I get from her music. This song is one that I find to be particularly empowering. It seems these days, I need reminders about the virtues of standing up for yourself and what's right, especially against impossible odds. I find myself playing this little clip a lot and humming the chorus to myself throughout the day. Sometimes it's the only way to cope in a place where the nationally recognized get fired, those with knowledge and experience get shafted, and the unqualified get repeatedly promoted.
Check out her guitar when you watch this. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use three capos before!
The video comes from the Wilderness Plots documentary about the album of the same name that Newcomer and a bunch of other Indiana folkies did, using stories from a book about the settlement of the midwest (with yet again the same titles) as their inspiration and starting point.
The documentary was airing on PBS through the spring. It's worth catching if it comes back around.
Check out her guitar when you watch this. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use three capos before!
The video comes from the Wilderness Plots documentary about the album of the same name that Newcomer and a bunch of other Indiana folkies did, using stories from a book about the settlement of the midwest (with yet again the same titles) as their inspiration and starting point.
The documentary was airing on PBS through the spring. It's worth catching if it comes back around.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Thoughts on the new Days promo
I really love the new promo for Days of Our Lives, but it's also a little frustrating to watch. The things that make it a successful clip are the very things that the show could use a lot more of. If the marketing folks can get it, why can't the writing and production teams?
The show on display in this promo is one I would love to watch every day. The one I watch every day is nothing like it. If I were not watching Days, but decided to check it out based on this clip, I'd end up confused and a little disappointed.
First off, it's fun! The show has been so dark and dismal lately, what with babies dying and being stolen and people being kidnapped or poisoned and whatnot. It's just plain nice to see everyone smiling and laughing. It would be nice if that would actually happen on the show, just a little. After all, the clip does promise a "summer of fun!"
Next, the focus is on family and romance, the two key ingredients of any good soap, something Days has a hard time remembering at times. Not that the show is devoid of them, but we just don't get enough of the kind of light-hearted romantic sweetness that's on display here. People taking pleasure in simply being with each other comes from the characters themselves, not the plots. Too much on the actual show is plot-driven right now.
The clip is just full of all kinds of awesome little character bits that would enhance the show so much right now, simply by providing some counterweight to the plot-driven nature of the show. These little moments tell us so much about the characters and who they are that we don't get when we're watching them muddle through plot-decree number thirty-seven.
Simple stuff like this is what I'm talking about:
Instead, on the show, we get stuff like:
My favorite thing about the whole clip is that every character is featured, except possibly for the babies (and Alice), which I totally love. Due to the economics of the business of daytime, the whole cast never appears in one episode any more. Of course, when you look at the whole group in one place, it's a little shocking how small the cast is these days. I mean, they're all gathered around two or three picnic tables! It's also a little troubling to be reminded how infrequently Roman and the Carvers appear these days.
Still, despite my mixed feelings, there are some aspects of this promo that are completely positive, with no downside. For one, the damn thing exists! NBC has spent the last ten years or so tearing their soap stable apart show by show, until the shadow that calls itself Days of Our Lives is all that's left. It's completely uncharacteristic of their attitude toward daytime that they went to the expense of shooting a special Days promo like this. You simply have to see it as a positive sign and hope for a few more.
Not only did they go to the expense of shooting the promo, but they went the extra mile with it and did it as a location shoot, adding a lush, realistic feel to the clip. That's the kind of luxury soaps never get these days. I can't remember the last time the show did an outdoor shoot. Maybe the promo is a sign we'll get some location shoots on the show soon as well. That would be nice.
You can't fault the network for making a super clip, that's for sure. I just want to see some of the things that make the promo so special happen to the show as well. Time will tell if that happens.
*Not that I blame her. I'm taking drugs to try and forget the whole stupid story myself.
Elementary, old chum!
Or maybe not?
I think the Boy Wonder's been neglecting his homework while on those late night anti-crime patrols.
I think the Boy Wonder's been neglecting his homework while on those late night anti-crime patrols.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
In Honor of Comic Convention Season!
I haven't been to a comic convention in ages. The last one I made was APE in San Francisco the year my father died. In fact, I was there when he went into the hospital. Maybe it's about time to start thinking about that again. If I just knew for sure what was going to happen with my employment situation, the planning would be a little easier. Maybe next year? APE, MoCCA or SPX? Maybe WonderCon or Heroes World? Or NYCC? Hmmmm....
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Stop It!
Went to a training for work the other week and the trainer used this video in his presentation. Don't know that I got much else out of the training, but this kind of made it worth it. I still laugh every time I see it. Bob Newhart has never not been totally awesome, you know?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Lord, the things that amuse me...
Maybe it's because mine doesn't do anything but continue to expand at an alarming rate!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Believe it or not, kids!
Believe it or not, there was a time when you couldn't just sit down with a hankering to see something on video like, say, Steve Earle's son doing an acoustic cover of an old Replacements song and just call it up with a few keystrokes.
Thankfully, those days are over....
Thankfully, those days are over....
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Gaggle of Go-Gos!
Still trying to artificially pump up my mood using old cheesy pop songs. Still not working, but I think it at least keeps me from making drastic decisions that have consequences I'm not prepared for.
And any excuse to dig up more Go-Gos vids can't be all bad. Right?
And any excuse to dig up more Go-Gos vids can't be all bad. Right?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Betty's Diner
Carrie Newcomer's music is like comfort music for me. It makes me feel better all the way down to the bottom of my soul. (God, that sounded hokey.) I watched the PBS documentary on the Wilderness Plots project last night and now she's been on my mind all day. Just wanted to share that. Sometimes we all need to find our own Betty's Diner.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I know I'm not perfect, but God knows I try.
I'm pretty sure I'm an alright guy too, Todd. So I can't understand why everything sucks right now. Oh well.
BONUS: Here's the original music vid for the song from way back when, before Todd started twiddling with the lyrics. How young he looks!
Monday, March 23, 2009
This one's got some nerd appeal!
Some chick from some sci fi show is in it.
Old 97's "Dance with Me" from last year's excellent CD Blame it on Gravity
Old 97's "Dance with Me" from last year's excellent CD Blame it on Gravity
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Just in the mood for Rhett Miller
This was one of my fave CD's a few years ago.
"Our Love"
Let this be a warning. The likelihood of a bunch of really depressing music vids being posted over the next few days is pretty high. If you haven't figured it out from my recent tweets, I'm in a pretty rough patch and it's not likely to get better any time soon. (Keith and I are fine, though. It's other stuff.)
"Our Love"
Let this be a warning. The likelihood of a bunch of really depressing music vids being posted over the next few days is pretty high. If you haven't figured it out from my recent tweets, I'm in a pretty rough patch and it's not likely to get better any time soon. (Keith and I are fine, though. It's other stuff.)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Crappy Day Antidote
It's been a crappy, crappy day. Crappy. Crappy. Just outright, totally, fundamentally, completely CRAPPY!
Did I mention it was crappy? Well, it was.
So, I need something to counteract all the crappiness. Yes I do. And right now, I can think of nothing better than...
Ahhhh....Belinda singing ABBA! Life is good again!
Did I mention it was crappy? Well, it was.
So, I need something to counteract all the crappiness. Yes I do. And right now, I can think of nothing better than...
BELINDA CARLISLE VIDEOS!
Ahhhh....Belinda singing ABBA! Life is good again!
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