coexistapart's Diaryland Diary

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

disreputably renegade

Good morning. I've been to Starbucks twice in the past week, and I burned one of Big's favourite pots quite badly this morning, but otherwise lots accomplished, generally.

I have 58 items listed on eBay at the moment, not including several relatively solid items I'm doing today and into tomorrow. This is the most I've ever had listed in one go, and let me tell you it's an exhausting push to get them up there but then everything is good to go. I don't know if my descriptions have gotten better, or it is that I know my P&Ps for an item inside and out, but I spend probably 30% less time on auction maintenance issues than I did in the past. I still get the usual "will you ship here, will you ship there"--I got one request for the Cayman Islands this week, that was interesting--but even when that happens, I already almost know what the costs is before I go to the USPS.com website.

And if I don't, I've pretty much already decided what I will charge in terms of whether the S&H will completely cover my actual costs or whether I'll take/lose a buck or two out of the final profit...at least for the sake of making the numbers look good.

I don't know if I mentioned this already, but Spoon and his girlfriend came over after dinner Friday. They stayed until about midnight; we had a great time. We played Scene It, which I'd never played before, and somehow Big didn't manage to win. We also played Taboo, which I LOVE, although I was sad to discover that Big is not as on the ball with our inside, coupley references as I used to be with all of the pool peeps.

Saturday was busy...I almost don't even remember what we did.... Oh. I had some wrapping to finish, and then shipments to send off at the post office & FedEx. I need to remember that it is NOT worth my time to go on Saturday, ever, unless I get up for when they open at 8am. It's just an inefficient waste of time. Picked up some groceries at Fiesta Foods, the budget Mexican grocery store which had me all inspired to try utilizing posole and sofrito and other delightful things. I made some food and then Bart & his wife came over to also play games, though we just ended up eating tamales in front of the television and chatting while watching the NFL playoffs.

I spoke to his wife quite a bit about eBay. The fact that she brought it up I know that she's really quite interested, because I spoke about it a bit last time she was here. I brought her over to the computer and walked her through setting up an auction step-by-step, as well as some general shipping and P&P suggestions. The number of things I had to say was overwhelming; I know she couldn't take it all in. I'm going to add a few notes and send her a follow up email, volunteering to help her out. They've got two teenage kids, and lots of old army gear...just average family stuff that I'm sure they could make quite a bit on.

Sunday was quite relaxing. I went to church and read my book, tuned into the Golden Globes a little bit, while Big wrapped a big civil war print that I sold last week.
I was a little bit sad that we accepted a Best Offer for $800 when it's tentatively valued at $1200 in resale, but as I've learned (or heard) repeatedly in investing is that is only IF you get someone who will actually pay that price. A sort of don't count your chickens until they've hatched, if you will.

So if Big paid $600 and got five years of use out of it, and then we sell for $800, which turns into $700 after commissions, then really that is kind of money straight into pocket...even if it doesn't actually feel that way.
The woman at troopcarepackages.com got back to email from last week. She sent us one male and one female soldier. Big is not as excited or supportive as I would have thought, but I'm not altogether sure that he was listening to me in the car when I mentioned it. The plan is to do one care package for each individual every two weeks, probably alternating food with personal care items. If I keep the max (so as not to make other soldiers feel bad) to $20/package plus the $10 flat rate APO shipping, that's roughly $100 a month or $1200 a year, which I can easily do with the eBay business.

I've been wanting to refocus in 2009, simplify and take care of those who work hard for all of us, and this feels like a good thing to do. Regardless of political or social or religious affiliation, you feel kind of bad for them. The request form for the woman, who is stationed in Iraq until Dec. 2009 (even I, of the long-term planning, cannot think THAT far ahead...) basically said, "Food good, trailors broken down, everything far, lots rocks, life very depressing."

I mean how does that not pull at your heart strings?

It's just bizarre. I mean when I was having this crisis of conscience last summer thinking I don't tithe, I don't give to charity regularly, I don't do ANYTHING... and I totally forgot (i.e. had not noticed the monthly charge on my CC statement) of $35. No good reason not to double that, but I do also need to take better care of my current child. I never think to write letters because I always get stuck on how long it would take me to do it in Spanish, though in reality they use a translating service for every country. Just because I happen to know a little Spanish does not mean I have to write in it.

Speaking of creative outlets, I was also thinking yesterday that if my crocheting doesn't improve over time maybe I will do a baby quilt next time someone has a baby. They have all of those great single square patterns you can buy at the fabric store now, and when I was younger I wanted to learn how to quilt desperately, so this would be a great in between on a much smaller scale.

We moved our Hawaii trip to April, after the wedding. Not much else to say about that other than I hate to keep talking about things that we don't do, but on the other hand when Big suggested that we go away this weekend for the 3-day weekend, the idea was exhausting. I kind have learned to like routine where possible lately. At least it prevents me from confronting the meaninglessness that is my life at present.

Song of the Day: It's America by Rodney Atkins.

1:39 p.m. - 2009-01-12

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

previous - next