Post thanksgiving shopping

Today I did something that I've never done before. I dragged myself out of bed at 5:15 AM and joined all those other crazy people at Target for some holiday shopping.

Anyone who knows me, knows I dislike (and that's a mild way of phrasing it) getting up in the morning. But yesterday, I looked over all the sales flyers and saw a digital camera for $89, and an iPod for $199 at Target. There was also a laptop for $200 at another store. That store opened at 5:00 AM, and that's just ridiculous to even imagine I'd get up at 4:15. But I discussed the whole "get up at the crack of dawn" scenario with the kids and they were supportive. The youngest even promised to have coffee ready for me. So we made a pact and everyone went to bed semi-early.

At 5:00 AM daughter number 2 comes in my room with a bewildered and protesting cat, which she shoves in my face, this being her favorite method of waking people up. Oh my God. I had no idea it was that dark that early. And cold. But I got up, dressed and off we went on the adventure of a lifetime.

And when we got to the store, 5 after 6:00, it wasn't that bad. A few people had already made their purchases and were already leaving, but there were plenty of iPods and cameras left. So we got them and a new stainless steel coffepot for me, and some other gifts for various other people. And ya know, it wasn't that bad. I'm happy that I got a good deal on some nice stuff. Didn't get the computer though. We went to the other store and of course by 7:30 they were already sold out. In fact, there were a bunch of grumpy looking people standing in a looooonnnngggg line, complaining that they had been in that same line since 5:00 AM and the store only had 15 of those laptops anyway. Glad I missed out on that line, I must say. Even if it would have been too cool to have a laptop.

So my new plan for next year is get out of bed and hit the stores, getting presents at spectacular savings. Oh, what a deal.

Just another day in the life of an Ebay entrepreneur

Yippee! My beanie babies sold. Now here is the funny part: I sold them for $8.00 plus $4.00 shipping. Guess how much shipping and packaging cost? $9.00. So less that plus whatever ebay charges for the listing, I'm figuring I made roughly $1.50. Hmmm.

Ahh, that's okay. This was an experiment anyway to see if it was worth the effort to sell the beanie babies on Ebay, and I think I've figured out the answer. If I want to try again, I'm going to have to charge more for shipping, and I can't imagine who would pay that much for the privilege of owning beanie babies. Who knows, though?

On the plus side, I've had two bids on the crystal and there are still 2 days left on the auction. And I've got 10 more glasses that I can still put up for sell. So my chance of upward advancement to the rank of Ebay wizard have increased tremendously.

The wonderful world of Ebay

I've decided that I have so much stuff in my house that I don't want, don't need and can't even remember where it came from, that I need to get rid of some of it. I've got so much STUFF that I'm starting to worry that maybe my inability to clean up might mean I'm OCD. Gak.

Really, I'm not OCD, just lazy, I think. Too bad there's not medication that will get you out from in front of the computer.

After digging around in the closet and looking around, I had an epiphany. Why not try selling it on Ebay? So I put up some work pants that I can't wear because they're too big and a piece of my wedding crystal. Here's to entrepreneurship.

So far once person had bid on the crystal. If it sells well, I'll sell the rest of the pieces. Wish me luck.

Now of course, the question is "Why would I want to sell wedding crystal?" Is it some ominous bodings of distubances in my marital life? Nah. I've simply upgraded my crystal, and I don't really like the old stuff. Too girly. So out with the old, in with the new, is my new motto.

Something very nice my daughter created

Well, she didn't acutally create it, so much as copied a drawing from a book. Still, I love it and will frame it as soon as I can.

This is copied from the "Tao Te Ching" supposedly by Lao Tzu, which is "a small collection of epigrammatic reflections on the nature, origin and purpose of human life". Tao Te Ching literally means "the way of life".