Batman has the Joker. Superman has Lex Luthor. Rachel Maddow has the Republican Party. Phyllis Schlafly has feminists. And, now, I, too, have a Nemesis.
The community of secondhand stuff geeks and resellers in any area is typically small enough that, after a while, you start to see some of the same people around at sales. And after a few encounters, you start to learn who to avoid and who's fun to strike up a conversation with. I ran into a woman last weekend who was so much fun to look through a box of junk with that I hope we meet again. She even started handing me things she thought I would like!
Sadly, though, there are enough obnoxious dealers out there, that someone is bound to cross the line from being merely annoying to becoming someone whose very presence at a sale actually causes it to be less enjoyable. From there, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump until they are a full-fledged nemesis. Yard Sale Bloodbath has Annoying Jewelry Guy. I have (Smelly) Book Woman.*
I used to see her from time to time before I started selling, usually at major book sales. She would corral every decent book in the place and sit in the middle of the floor with stacks all around her sorting through them at a snail's pace, snapping at anyone who got too close to her or one of her piles. Honestly, her whole set up is pretty hard to avoid. When I say "middle of the floor," I mean the literal middle of the floor, blocking traffic, yet getting annoyed at anyone daring to invade her space.
After keeping all her selections tied up for usually over an hour, she'd pick maybe a third of them (or less) and walk away, leaving everything else stacked in everyone's way.
It was bad enough when I was just out buying for fun. I'm not sure what tipped me off, but eventually I realized that she was a dealer. So when I started selling, she became not only annoying, she became competition. Now, I honestly try very hard not to be one of those resellers everyone hates to see coming because they are so rude and grabby. Seriously, if someone else gets something I would have wanted, I can live with that. I stood behind a woman one time who cleaned all the good titles out of a box of 25-cent DVD's. I just didn't see the need to get in a grabbing war with her.There will be something else down the line. There always is. In the end, it's just other people's junk. But this woman rubs me the wrong way entirely. Just to be classified with her makes my skin crawl. I would die if anyone ever associated me with behavior like hers.
This year, it seems like I can't turn around without running into her(or smelling her). And to make matters worse, she's gotten one of those bar code scanners that lets her look up what things are selling for online. So now, she tries to corral every book in the place and not let anyone near them until she scans them.
For the record, I hate the scanners with a passion. I work by my gut and my own knowledge base. I treat books like I do everything else: I look for things that strike me as unique or unusual or that I know will sell well from past experience. I can maybe see myself having a scanner to confirm a hunch, but to have one as the sum total of my knowledge base? No way in hell. That's lazy and demeaning to those of us who try to take what we do seriously.
Back to the Nemesis, I ran into her leaving a sale at a church library last weekend. She had maybe five or six books with her. The folks working the place opened the back door to air it out after she left. I'd been in there a few minutes, when one of the workers said to someone who just came in: "Did you see that woman at the books a while ago?" I knew exactly who they were talking about. The rest of the conversation was not positive.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to the booth to do my weekly updating, and who do I see sitting in the middle of my book space? YES! It was HER! Now, I'm wheeling a cart full of merch to put out and she's sitting in the spot where I usually set up to start working. Figures.
I'm feeling a tad violated, like she's made her way into my Sanctum Sanctorum, when I realize that, hey, she wants to spend money on my stuff. That's not a bad thing, per se. And I don't have to interact with her while she's there, which is definitely not a bad thing. So, I discreetly park my cart in the aisle and go to get my second load.
By the time I get back, she's gone. She ended up not buying anything. And she left piles of books all over the floor of my booth. I felt like Snoopy as the WWI Flying Ace standing on his Sopwith Camel, shaking his fist at the Red Baron.
Curse you, (Smelly) Book Woman!
*I added "Smelly" in parentheses because that's a relatively new development. I used to think she just sweat a lot, but here lately, it's been pretty hardcore funk. I mean the kind that lingers in the room for a while after she leaves. It's like being at an anime con.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Likewise!
A couple of weeks ago, the half-price tag colors changed at my favorite thrift store, which meant I had to make the rounds to all three of the branches. They use three different colors of price tags at this store: white, green, and yellow. Each month, one of the colors is the half-price color, and items with that tag are half off. I've never been able to figure out what day the change happens, though. It seems to be different every month. But, when it happens, it sets off a second-hand retail pilgrimage.
One of the stores is downtown and the other is right near the house. I usually hit them in the same afternoon. The other is across town, not too far from our favorite Mexican place. Of course, this means a stop for yummy food after the bargain hunt is over.
We're regulars there, so we get pretty conversational with the staff. This particular visit our server was Maria, who is one of the best servers there. She hadn't waited on us in a while, so we spent a few minutes catching up. She told us it was good to see us again, and Keith said "Likewise," which is one of his standard replies to things like that.
She stopped for a minute, but quickly went to wait on another table. On her way back past us, she asked Keith to say the word again. When he did, she got a big smile on her face and said "I've never heard that before. I like that. Likewise." A few minutes later I went to the bathroom. When I got back, Keith told me that she had asked how to say it again and had asked what it means. Keith had told her it kind of means "I agree." or "It's good to see you too." She told him that she liked it because it sounded so polite. She was really happy to have learned a new word.
Keith and I talked a little bit about the incident on the way home. I think it had been a while since we'd been a part of a demonstration of cultural differences like that. It was kind of cool to be a part of someone's learning process with just a simple word. Ages ago (I can't remember where) I read that you should try to learn something new every day. For that one day, I guess we helped Maria meet that go
One of the stores is downtown and the other is right near the house. I usually hit them in the same afternoon. The other is across town, not too far from our favorite Mexican place. Of course, this means a stop for yummy food after the bargain hunt is over.
We're regulars there, so we get pretty conversational with the staff. This particular visit our server was Maria, who is one of the best servers there. She hadn't waited on us in a while, so we spent a few minutes catching up. She told us it was good to see us again, and Keith said "Likewise," which is one of his standard replies to things like that.
She stopped for a minute, but quickly went to wait on another table. On her way back past us, she asked Keith to say the word again. When he did, she got a big smile on her face and said "I've never heard that before. I like that. Likewise." A few minutes later I went to the bathroom. When I got back, Keith told me that she had asked how to say it again and had asked what it means. Keith had told her it kind of means "I agree." or "It's good to see you too." She told him that she liked it because it sounded so polite. She was really happy to have learned a new word.
Keith and I talked a little bit about the incident on the way home. I think it had been a while since we'd been a part of a demonstration of cultural differences like that. It was kind of cool to be a part of someone's learning process with just a simple word. Ages ago (I can't remember where) I read that you should try to learn something new every day. For that one day, I guess we helped Maria meet that go
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Evolution of Man(a)
This is another of my favorite Muppet sketches. I'm known to break out into a chrus of "manha manha!" from time to time. (It's kind of amazing the things that end up having that kind of impact on you, isn't it?)
Come along with me and trace the progression!
It started like this:
The early Muppet designs were so primitive and obviously puppet-like compared to what they would become. I always liked the way they would show frustration by clenching their whole face up. It's a cute little touch they lost along the way, although Kermit would still do it from time to time.
And, now, on to this:
I think this one may be the funniest. The phone call at the end still cracks me up. I always loved the idea of Kermit as the host/producer of this wacky crew of performers, trying to hold things together long enough to put a show together each week.
Add a touch more sophistication, and you get this:
The best bit here, is when he stares into their mouths.
And finally, take away the Muppets, and this is what you get.
And thus ends Muppet Week at Eddie-torial Comments!
Come along with me and trace the progression!
It started like this:
The early Muppet designs were so primitive and obviously puppet-like compared to what they would become. I always liked the way they would show frustration by clenching their whole face up. It's a cute little touch they lost along the way, although Kermit would still do it from time to time.
And, now, on to this:
I think this one may be the funniest. The phone call at the end still cracks me up. I always loved the idea of Kermit as the host/producer of this wacky crew of performers, trying to hold things together long enough to put a show together each week.
Add a touch more sophistication, and you get this:
The best bit here, is when he stares into their mouths.
And finally, take away the Muppets, and this is what you get.
And thus ends Muppet Week at Eddie-torial Comments!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
When Irish Eyes are...Swedish?
Thought about saving this one for St Patrick's Day, but realized I might forget I was saving it, so here it is. Besides, I'm Irish on my maternal grandmother's side all year round! So why not acknowledge it in true Muppet style?
This song always makes me think of my brother, whose name isHerman Reginald Fernando Danny. The vid is nutty enough that he would really like it, so I'm dedicating this to him.
This song always makes me think of my brother, whose name is
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
This was my favorite Muppet sketch from Sesame Street.
I loved the two little Martian dudes and their "Yep yep yep yep" noises. They don't look like any other Muppet in use at the time, which is a part of their charm. They're almost kind of ethereal in their shapelessness. I love the way that their big chins snap upright when they're surprised or scared. Still too funny after all these years.
When I was looking for this sketch on YouTube, I was surprised at how many times these guys have been used. I remembered a few of them, but there were a lot that I was unaware of. It was a fun video search to do. The telephone bit is far away my favorite one, but I like this next one a lot too. It reminds me a little bit of the old fable about the blind men and the elephant, but with a fun twist. They can see the clock, but are trying to identify it using a book that is giving them ambiguous ideas. What fun.
When I was looking for this sketch on YouTube, I was surprised at how many times these guys have been used. I remembered a few of them, but there were a lot that I was unaware of. It was a fun video search to do. The telephone bit is far away my favorite one, but I like this next one a lot too. It reminds me a little bit of the old fable about the blind men and the elephant, but with a fun twist. They can see the clock, but are trying to identify it using a book that is giving them ambiguous ideas. What fun.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Still striving for a modicum of class, this time from chickens!
This has got to be the most fun you can have with a bunch of chickens and not get arrested. Be sure to watch the bottom row of chickens after Gonzo steps out front!
"Not enough to kill it." Ha!
"Not enough to kill it." Ha!
Monday, October 11, 2010
It's time to raise the bar here and bring some class to this here joint
Welcome to Muppet Week. How can you not love poor, unfortunate Beaker, especially doing Beethoven? Especially love Statler and Waldorf at the end. Play it again, indeed. Over and over and over and over....
Friday, October 08, 2010
Couple more links and couple more musings
I'm linking to her blog post rather than embedding the video in hopes that you'll also check the whole blog out. I just found her and it's pretty neat. In addition to the usual talk about her shopping adventures, she takes pics of the dogs at the houses where she stops. It's awfully sweet and worth scrolling down to see.
I'm really psyched that the Old 97's have a new release coming out. There's a sample mp3 here and a promo video here. Rhett Miller just gets sexier all the time! The song sounds great, so I'm plotting how I can scrape together enough for the CD. They're one of my favorite bands, so I'd really like to get this one.
Image from the Old 97s website.
Speaking of music, Emmylou Harris is putting the final touches on a new album, due out next year. Of course, I am beyond psyched about this one. I'll donate plasma to get the money for it if I have to. She talks about it a little here. I'm surprised after all this time that she's still having to defend Wrecking Ball. Besides being one of the most amazing albums of her career, it's hardly the left turn that so many folks seem to think it is. I find it impossible to listen to just about any of the albums that came before it and not hear germs of the seeds that led to WB. Her entire career led to that album at the moment. I think her last release, All I Intended To Be, was kind of the culmination of the phase of the journey that began with Wrecking Ball, so it will be interesting to see where the new one leads. I know I'll be along for the ride for s
Louisville stinks these days, literally. Especially in our 'hood and the downtown area. We've had so little rain lately that the drains haven't been cleaned out in a while and the urban area is taking on that open sewer smell as a result. It's really disgusting, but there's nothing one can do but hope for a good downpour.
I think this is going to be a good month for the booth, but it will be a long crawl to get to the end. Last month, nearly every day was at least a 20-dollar sale day, sometimes a lot more. It was the best month I've ever had. This month, I'm back to the up and down path I'm more used to--20 bucks one day and 3 the next. It's going to be a long road to the end of the month at this rate. I'm bracing for the long haul.
The double space across the aisle from me has opened up. I'm thinking of consolidating my two single spots into it. I'll need to talk to the manager next time I'm in there.
Tomorrow is going to be a busy days for yard sales. Two church sales, plus a block sale in the "cool" part of town. I'll be hopping for sure, on the hunt for merchandise and hopefully a treasure or two.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Linkages and musing
October is always a fun month in the blogosphere (Does anyone use that term any more?) as various bloggers start their spooky celebrations. I've got something planned for a little later, when I've got time to fire up the scanner, but here are a couple for your reading pleasure right now.
Bully is revealing the awful truth about Archie's hometown. And it's shocking. And apparently all the evidence has been staring everyone in the face for years, but no one ever put it together before. Leave it to the little stuffed bull to put it all together.
Meanwhile, at Postmodern Barney, Dorian has started his annual celebration of horror movies with a long-forgotten "gem" from the 80's and the early days of the video revolution.
On the yard sale front, Yard Sale Bloodbath shows us how Berkeley a yard sale can be. In case you're wondering, it's pretty Berkeley. That may not qualify as an October horror--unless you're a rabid tea-partier, that is--but it's certainly something to see. I'm kinda jealous I wasn't there.
October or any time of year, Thrift Shop Horrors is always the best stop for things that should not have been sold the first time, much less resold.
Continuing my Nanci Griffith kick of the past few days, here's a very nice overview of her career and its ups and downs, album by album. No vids this time, but I do have a couple set aside for a special occasion.
October has started off extremely slow for the booth. Last month I set a sales record; this month I've only broken five dollars in sales on two days, so far. It's going ot be a long, slow, up and down month, I fear. I'm taking another load of Halloween and fall-themed merch over today, including a couple of cute vintage straw cowboy hats. Hopefully, that will help. I may add some fall-colored decorations to the booth to make it stand out a bit.
Bully is revealing the awful truth about Archie's hometown. And it's shocking. And apparently all the evidence has been staring everyone in the face for years, but no one ever put it together before. Leave it to the little stuffed bull to put it all together.
Meanwhile, at Postmodern Barney, Dorian has started his annual celebration of horror movies with a long-forgotten "gem" from the 80's and the early days of the video revolution.
On the yard sale front, Yard Sale Bloodbath shows us how Berkeley a yard sale can be. In case you're wondering, it's pretty Berkeley. That may not qualify as an October horror--unless you're a rabid tea-partier, that is--but it's certainly something to see. I'm kinda jealous I wasn't there.
October or any time of year, Thrift Shop Horrors is always the best stop for things that should not have been sold the first time, much less resold.
Continuing my Nanci Griffith kick of the past few days, here's a very nice overview of her career and its ups and downs, album by album. No vids this time, but I do have a couple set aside for a special occasion.
October has started off extremely slow for the booth. Last month I set a sales record; this month I've only broken five dollars in sales on two days, so far. It's going ot be a long, slow, up and down month, I fear. I'm taking another load of Halloween and fall-themed merch over today, including a couple of cute vintage straw cowboy hats. Hopefully, that will help. I may add some fall-colored decorations to the booth to make it stand out a bit.
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.
Monday, October 04, 2010
Back from the Wilderness!
I didn't have time last week to get any drafts finished up and ready to post, so I ran out of content yesterday. I'm about to hit a lull in the part-time gig, so I'll be able to get more stuff ready and scheduled and such.
We had a ball this weekend. one of the best times we've ever had camping, in fact. Keith loves (make that LOVES) to camp and goes nearly every weekend in the spring and summer. I like it, but am not that enamored with it. Besides, once yard sale season gets rolling, I've gotta stay in town and go on the merchandise hunt.
So, anyway, we just kind of sat around and did nothing together all weekend. And it was glorious. I didn't read a thing, which is odd for me. We talked. We ate. We talked some more. We ate some more. Keith made a pot of the best chili Saturday. We laid un the tent and listened to the rain on Saturday and napped. We had a bottle of wine and sat in the camp hot tub. It was just a lot of agenda-less fun.
It's been a rough summer between my mom dying and me getting fired. I'm still fighting that on several fronts. Keith has his own work stresses. Another friend of ours passed a few weeks ago. We've got the financial stuff to worry about being down one income. I had a ton of vacation time I got paid for, plus Mom's insurance, so we've been okay, but that's running down and my savings are dwindling. The part-time gig pays well, but not until completion and I've got two more weeks to go on that. We'll be okay through the end of the year, but something has to open up for me before then. I feel really guilty that all this chaos is because of me, but he keeps reminding me that it really isn't.
So anyway, it was a lovely, lovely break. We did hit a couple of yard sales, too, but nothing fancy came out of it. It was nice to get home to our own bed and the kitties too, although now I'm confronted with a house full of stuff that needs doing. Being unemployed was supposed to grant me some time to take care of some things, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Oh well.
I guess I'll get started on the dishes now and the laundry. Got some booth stuff to do too. When I started thinking about everything I had to do at the house over the weekend, for some reason, "Wall of Death" kept coming into my head. I guess catching up on the housework around this place is kind of like riding the Wall of Death, so it does fit.
So, while, I'm climbing one Wall of Death, you can enjoy the musical one, courtesy of guitar great Richard Thompson:
Oh yeah, last thought: I broke 600 last month with the booth. I am so psyched!
We had a ball this weekend. one of the best times we've ever had camping, in fact. Keith loves (make that LOVES) to camp and goes nearly every weekend in the spring and summer. I like it, but am not that enamored with it. Besides, once yard sale season gets rolling, I've gotta stay in town and go on the merchandise hunt.
So, anyway, we just kind of sat around and did nothing together all weekend. And it was glorious. I didn't read a thing, which is odd for me. We talked. We ate. We talked some more. We ate some more. Keith made a pot of the best chili Saturday. We laid un the tent and listened to the rain on Saturday and napped. We had a bottle of wine and sat in the camp hot tub. It was just a lot of agenda-less fun.
It's been a rough summer between my mom dying and me getting fired. I'm still fighting that on several fronts. Keith has his own work stresses. Another friend of ours passed a few weeks ago. We've got the financial stuff to worry about being down one income. I had a ton of vacation time I got paid for, plus Mom's insurance, so we've been okay, but that's running down and my savings are dwindling. The part-time gig pays well, but not until completion and I've got two more weeks to go on that. We'll be okay through the end of the year, but something has to open up for me before then. I feel really guilty that all this chaos is because of me, but he keeps reminding me that it really isn't.
So anyway, it was a lovely, lovely break. We did hit a couple of yard sales, too, but nothing fancy came out of it. It was nice to get home to our own bed and the kitties too, although now I'm confronted with a house full of stuff that needs doing. Being unemployed was supposed to grant me some time to take care of some things, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Oh well.
I guess I'll get started on the dishes now and the laundry. Got some booth stuff to do too. When I started thinking about everything I had to do at the house over the weekend, for some reason, "Wall of Death" kept coming into my head. I guess catching up on the housework around this place is kind of like riding the Wall of Death, so it does fit.
So, while, I'm climbing one Wall of Death, you can enjoy the musical one, courtesy of guitar great Richard Thompson:
Oh yeah, last thought: I broke 600 last month with the booth. I am so psyched!
Saturday, October 02, 2010
I'm not in at the moment...
Keith and I have headed to the wild, wild north to go camping for the weekend. I'm looking forward to hanging out and relaxing. I've got a small stack of books to read. I'm such a bore when I camp. While I might get out and take a brief hike, I'm pretty much content to sit around by the tent and read. Uninterrupted reading time is such a luxury these days. Even when I'm the only one at home, I have a hard time just sitting and reading when I can see everything around me that needs doing instead.
So, I've got a couple of whodunnits packed up and a couple of graphic novels, so I'll see you when I get back.
In the meantime, enjoy The Chills enjoying their leather jackets:
So, I've got a couple of whodunnits packed up and a couple of graphic novels, so I'll see you when I get back.
In the meantime, enjoy The Chills enjoying their leather jackets:
Friday, October 01, 2010
Here, let me ruin the rest of the day for you...
Now, try getting that out of your head.
Don't hate me. Please?
I promise not to ever do it again.
And it could have been worse, you know.
It could have been this:
Ooops!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A different take on folk songs
Butch Ross is another favorite from the Kentucky Music Festival. I stumbled on this video while I was researching the "Shady Grove" post. His version of that song was too long to use, but I grabbed this one--a favorite of mine--to share instead.
Yes, that is a dulcimer he's playing. Yes, he's standing up, but it's still a dulcimer.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Bound for the Shady Grove
If there's anything sweeter than Emmylou Harris singing with Jean Ritchie, I cannot imagine what it is. This has to be the perfect combination: Emmylou and Jean singing a Carter Family song on Mountain Stage. If heaven exists, this is what it must sound like.
I've never been to Mountain Stage, but I've seen both performers a few times. Emmylou Harris is, of course, the Goddess of Music, as anyone who has hung out at this blog should well know. Jean Ritchie is one of those musical legends I am so glad I got to see before it was too late. She has been a regular at the Kentucky Music Festival here in Louisville for years and years. Seeing her is always a rare and special treat.
A couple of years ago, Keith went backstage to have her sign a picture he had taken of her performing. Her husband, who is a photographer, started chatting with Keith about cameras. Before long, she told both of them to either be quiet or leave the area so she could hear the other performers. Keith still regards being shushed by Jean Ritchie to be one of the highlights of his life!
Here's a bonus video of Jean Ritchie singing "Shady Grove" back in the day. This is probably my favorite traditional tune.
I first heard this song at the "Down from the Mountain" tour that started in Louisville a few years ago. I think it was the second DTM tour. Emmylou sang "Blue Kentucky Girl" and I was just in heaven.
Patty Loveless was filling in for Allison Krauss and one of the songs she did was a version of "Shady Grove." Loveless had just released her Mountain Soul album, which was a kind of a tribute to the mountain music she grew up with. She sang "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" that night and made the hair on my arm stand up.
What I remember most about her version of "Shady" was that she accompanied her band by beating a rhythm on her hips as she sang. It was actually kind of comical. For a long time after that, every time we heard the song, I'd start slapping my hips in time.
Not sure why I like this song so much. The driving melody, particularly when played on a banjo is kind of compelling. It's also kind of refreshing to hear a traditional tune about love that doesn't end with someone getting killed.
Like a lot of traditional songs, this one has been recorded and performed innumerable times. A search on YouTube turns up dozens of performances, by both the well-known, the less known, and the unknown. Wikipedia has an incomplete list of artists who have performed the song.
Another characteristic of traditional music is the variety of versions that exist. Some verses are more common in some regions than others. According to Wikipedia, over 300 verses have been claimed for Shady Grove.
Probably the most common variation comes in the chorus. The last line ranges from "I'm going to go away" to "I'm bound for the Shady Grove" (as in Jean Ritchie's version above) to a popular version here in Kentucky that says "I'm going back to Harlan."
Harlan is a city in Southeast Kentucky. I'm convinced that someone around these parts realized that "darlin'" and "Harlan" kind of rhymed and a new chorus was born:
"Shady Grove, my little dove (or love)
Shady Grove, my darlin"
Shady Grove, my little love (or dove)
I'm goin' back to Harlan"
Obviously, that's the version I'm most familiar with.
When my mom bought my great-grandparents' farm fifteen or so years ago, she referred to it for a while as "Shady Grove Farm" which kind of had a nice rhythm to it, since it was located in Falls of Rough, Kentucky on Pleasant Run Road.
Shady Grove Farm
Pleasant Run Road
Falls of Rough, Kentucky
Sounds like a quaint, peaceful place, doesn't it? Almost makes you want to visit. Living there was kind of my mom's dream for a long time. I'm glad that she got to do it for so many years before she got sick. The place was auctioned off several weeks ago. Somebody else will develop it according to their own vision. But a part of it will always be my great-grandparents old farm, my mom's home, Shady Grove Farm.
I just can't be bound for that particular Shady Grove any more.
Back to the musicology, there's some speculation that this British folk song is the basis for "Shady Grove" given their similar melodies. It's a good old tune in the "someone's got to die" tradition. There's an annoying midi file of the song that starts up when you get to the site, so turn your speakers down.
And in amongst the recordings and performances by the usual suspects, there are a few surprises. One of them is this gem, by the Stray Cats, which is surprisingly faithful to the song's roots:
And, with that, I'm bound for the Shady Grove myself. Or am I going back to Harlan? I never can remember....
I've never been to Mountain Stage, but I've seen both performers a few times. Emmylou Harris is, of course, the Goddess of Music, as anyone who has hung out at this blog should well know. Jean Ritchie is one of those musical legends I am so glad I got to see before it was too late. She has been a regular at the Kentucky Music Festival here in Louisville for years and years. Seeing her is always a rare and special treat.
A couple of years ago, Keith went backstage to have her sign a picture he had taken of her performing. Her husband, who is a photographer, started chatting with Keith about cameras. Before long, she told both of them to either be quiet or leave the area so she could hear the other performers. Keith still regards being shushed by Jean Ritchie to be one of the highlights of his life!
Here's a bonus video of Jean Ritchie singing "Shady Grove" back in the day. This is probably my favorite traditional tune.
I first heard this song at the "Down from the Mountain" tour that started in Louisville a few years ago. I think it was the second DTM tour. Emmylou sang "Blue Kentucky Girl" and I was just in heaven.
Patty Loveless was filling in for Allison Krauss and one of the songs she did was a version of "Shady Grove." Loveless had just released her Mountain Soul album, which was a kind of a tribute to the mountain music she grew up with. She sang "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" that night and made the hair on my arm stand up.
What I remember most about her version of "Shady" was that she accompanied her band by beating a rhythm on her hips as she sang. It was actually kind of comical. For a long time after that, every time we heard the song, I'd start slapping my hips in time.
Not sure why I like this song so much. The driving melody, particularly when played on a banjo is kind of compelling. It's also kind of refreshing to hear a traditional tune about love that doesn't end with someone getting killed.
Like a lot of traditional songs, this one has been recorded and performed innumerable times. A search on YouTube turns up dozens of performances, by both the well-known, the less known, and the unknown. Wikipedia has an incomplete list of artists who have performed the song.
Another characteristic of traditional music is the variety of versions that exist. Some verses are more common in some regions than others. According to Wikipedia, over 300 verses have been claimed for Shady Grove.
Probably the most common variation comes in the chorus. The last line ranges from "I'm going to go away" to "I'm bound for the Shady Grove" (as in Jean Ritchie's version above) to a popular version here in Kentucky that says "I'm going back to Harlan."
Harlan is a city in Southeast Kentucky. I'm convinced that someone around these parts realized that "darlin'" and "Harlan" kind of rhymed and a new chorus was born:
"Shady Grove, my little dove (or love)
Shady Grove, my darlin"
Shady Grove, my little love (or dove)
I'm goin' back to Harlan"
Obviously, that's the version I'm most familiar with.
When my mom bought my great-grandparents' farm fifteen or so years ago, she referred to it for a while as "Shady Grove Farm" which kind of had a nice rhythm to it, since it was located in Falls of Rough, Kentucky on Pleasant Run Road.
Shady Grove Farm
Pleasant Run Road
Falls of Rough, Kentucky
Sounds like a quaint, peaceful place, doesn't it? Almost makes you want to visit. Living there was kind of my mom's dream for a long time. I'm glad that she got to do it for so many years before she got sick. The place was auctioned off several weeks ago. Somebody else will develop it according to their own vision. But a part of it will always be my great-grandparents old farm, my mom's home, Shady Grove Farm.
I just can't be bound for that particular Shady Grove any more.
Back to the musicology, there's some speculation that this British folk song is the basis for "Shady Grove" given their similar melodies. It's a good old tune in the "someone's got to die" tradition. There's an annoying midi file of the song that starts up when you get to the site, so turn your speakers down.
And in amongst the recordings and performances by the usual suspects, there are a few surprises. One of them is this gem, by the Stray Cats, which is surprisingly faithful to the song's roots:
And, with that, I'm bound for the Shady Grove myself. Or am I going back to Harlan? I never can remember....
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
It's been way too long...
...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.
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.
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.
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