Cool and damp.\u00a0\u00a0 It was 54F when I got up yesterday, it was 54F when I ate lunch, and 54F when I went to bed.\u00a0 I’ve got a feeling it might be 54F today…\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 National forecast says ‘clear’.\u00a0\u00a0 Yesterday had Houston on the edge of a system and we did get clouds and some rain.\u00a0 Not much, but enough to get the cars dirty and the streets wet.<\/p>\n
Lots of accidents on the roads too, far more than I’m used to seeing.\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, and a full on ladder in the number 2 lane of the toll road.\u00a0\u00a0 People, secure your freaking ladders in your truck beds.\u00a0\u00a0 They’re not free, and the life you save might be worth a whole lot more to society than your ignorant self.\u00a0 No one ever died because someone put an extra strap on a load.<\/p>\n
Did my pickups.\u00a0\u00a0 More antennas.\u00a0\u00a0 Hamfest is coming up in March, so I’m starting to look at what I have and what I want to sell this year.\u00a0\u00a0 “Most of it” is the answer I’m getting.\u00a0 Also got some first aid supplies, and some cleaning stuff, and\u00a0 a finger brake or pan brake.\u00a0 That’s a tool for folding metal.\u00a0 I have always wanted a small one, and now I have one.<\/p>\n
Bought a couple of things in the auction too.\u00a0\u00a0 Nice looking hunting tool in 30-06. ‘nuther kayak.\u00a0 Must be off season for kayaks, several have come up and sold for reasonable prices.\u00a0\u00a0 Hard to say no to $90 for what was originally a $1k boat.\u00a0 I managed to though.\u00a0 Couldn’t say no to $80 for a $650 boat.\u00a0\u00a0 We still can’t all kayak at the same time, but we’ll get there.\u00a0\u00a0 I should use my vinyl cutter to make labels for the kayaks with our name on them.\u00a0\u00a0 Hmm, another project.\u00a0 Maybe later.<\/p>\n
Chatted with another buyer while waiting for my stuff.\u00a0\u00a0 Real nice guy, we had a lot in common.\u00a0 We are bidding on the same type of stuff though, which isn’t awesome.\u00a0 He was headed to his next pickup at an auctioneer that was my third pickup of the day.\u00a0\u00a0 Small world, but perhaps not too unlikely given that we both bid on auction stuff.\u00a0\u00a0 There is definitely a culture for those of us who have been doing it for a long time.<\/p>\n
I can’t emphasis enough that I think everyone should be out there looking for alternative markets, be it thrifts, estate sales, in person or online auctions, flea markets, swapmeets, or whatever is going on in your area.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe it’s a farmer’s market, or a monthly craft show, but there is bound to be something going on.\u00a0\u00a0 The money you save is well worth the time invested, as is access to stuff that might not be in stores, or might be of better quality that what is currently available.\u00a0\u00a0 A whole lot of commerce is moving into the secondary economy (as I’ve taken to calling it) or ‘p2p sales’ or the ‘informal’ economy.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s a sign of a failing state, but it’s a fact of life too, and the only way for people to get what they need when the official marketplaces are dried up, or inaccessible.\u00a0 It takes practice and awareness to be successful in it, just like all things, so get started.<\/p>\n
It’s the weekend.\u00a0\u00a0 I’m sleeping in as it’s the first one in a while with no extra things on my plate.\u00a0 Then I’ll start working the list again.\u00a0\u00a0 And going to the grocery store- because I didn’t get there yesterday.\u00a0 It’s not like we’re out of anything, but we don’t have the next carton of eggs in the fridge or the next jug of milk and that makes me nervous.\u00a0\u00a0 Plus, I’m out of beef jerky and soda.<\/p>\n
Stack some stuff.\u00a0\u00a0 Stack it high, then find something you missed and stack that.\u00a0\u00a0 And go to a garage sale this weekend.\u00a0\u00a0 Never know what you will find.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
nick<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cool and damp.\u00a0\u00a0 It was 54F when I got up yesterday, it was 54F when I ate lunch, and 54F when I went to bed.\u00a0 I’ve got a feeling it might be 54F today…\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 National forecast says ‘clear’.\u00a0\u00a0 Yesterday had Houston on the edge of a system and we did get clouds and some rain.\u00a0 Not much, but enough to get the cars dirty and the streets wet.<\/p>\n
Lots of accidents on the roads too,<\/p>\n