The Decline of EBAY

I can't even begin to tell you how bad ebay has gotten. I think I saw the decline around the beginning of summer.

I had a couple fiascos at the beginning of summer and things have gone downhill since then. It seems to be a change in clientel. Everyone wants something for nothing.

For example . . . Last weekend I listed some of those oldfashioned bulb type Christmas lights. They run about $10 in Walmart. I listed them for $1.99 because we never use them and four bulbs are burnt out.

Someone had the nerve to email me and ask if the price was negotiable because 4 of the bulbs were burnt out. YES, IT IS NEGOTIABLE AND IT STARTS AT $1.99 BECAUSE 4 BULBS ARE BURNT OUT.

Are you kidding me???

I sell my stuff cheap because I want it out of here. But that was ridiculous.

All in all, I'm just getting tired of ebay. Something for nothing is not what it is about. It's supposed to be something for a steal or a great deal. Not free.

I'm jdsdive on ebay, incase you want a 25 strand of bulbs (with 4 not lit) for two bucks.

LICE!!!! No, Not Really

I was so upset this afternoon when I came home. I had on my brand new brown tights, which I just love. I had worn a camel colored microsuede skirt (the kind that is wash and wear, oh so soft, and comfortable). Well, the two didn't mix well.

When I got home to change into my lounge around clothes, my tights had lice. Well, it wasn't really lice. It was miniature microsuede balls embedded into my dark brown tights. The moving and wear had rub the skirt and gotten little balls attached to my tights.

Is this insane???

So I tried the lint remover (the brush kind AND the sticky roller kind). Neither worked. These things were embedded and not coming out. I asked my husband to help.

He took a few little pulls at the balls and said, "These things are cheap. I would just trash them."

But that wasn't the point. I had just gotten these tights and I love the way they feel and love the color.

So I said, "Give me a glass of wine. I'm in for a long night."


45 minutes later . . .

Well, they look a little better. I guess a lot better. Or maybe it is just the wine talking/wine goggles. Hopefully the rest will come out in the wash (yeah, right). But at least I got most of them off.

This is just another day in my wacky life.

Bras

photo courtesy of nasirkhan @ morguefile.com

It took me 27 years to find the perfect bra.

That's a long darn time. And I have to say that when I found it, I bought 8 of them. They are beginning to wear out. I think I might cry.

They are nothing fancy or expensive. They are made by Bill Blass. You will never believe where I found them. Dollar General. Yep. Forget Victoria's Secret, Macy's, JC Penny, etc. The most perfect bra ever lives at Dollar General and they cost $5 a piece.

They only come in white, but that's okay because they are perfect. (and I wear tons of white shirts - which is a whole nother blog in itself - the quest for the perfect white top)

With these bras I never have seam lines show (or anything else for that matter). The straps are adjustable and don't come off in the wash. They are preformed, so they look like they are full even when laying on the bed. They are low cut in front so I can wear any shirt I want and not worry about it showing. They have three dual hook sections in back (which is great around Thanksgiving time as I grow!) And they always look nice.

It's hard to find the perfect bra. I am hoping Dollar General still has them as it is time to get more. Otherwise I might just wear them until they become rags. And then I would probably still wear them!

Of course, my husband is now laughing hysterically as he just read my blog. He thinks I am nuts. He doesn't get how important the perfect bra is. But us girls know. ;)

photo courtesy of nasirkhan at morguefile.com

Do Our Computers "know" Us?

Have you ever tried to help someone with their computer?

Do you help them do something on their computer you have done a million times? And it doesn't work the way you do it every time??!!

My new thought is that our computers, unbeknownst to the general population of dummies like me, are reading our minds. Well, really, I think they have little readers in them that track our activities. And when we do something over and over, the computer "gets used to us" and knows what we want to do when we plug something in or stick in a gadget. They learn us.

Take my school mp3 players I use for my kids. I upload to these quite regularly straight from my computer where the podcast was made. (We use them as study guides) So one of my teammates had made a podcast and I wanted it on my student mp3s. I went and plugged it in (they have a straight usb port to the player) and the thing went wacko. Wouldn't work until I did many different things to get it where it was supposed to go. But in mine, I put it in and it works just like it is supposed to.

So maybe at this point you are saying, well the teammate has her computer set up different. But she doesn't. All her settings are the same. Well, except for not having a purple Windows Media Player screen.

This hasn't been the only incident. Different things like this have happened many times. And I am always so happy when I "come home" to my own computer and it works like it is supposed to.

I think I have trained it well.

Jeans

photo courtesy of cardenio @ morguefile.com
I don't care what everyone else says. Jeans are not warm.

Today was REALLY cold - like 10. It might have gotten up to 18. When I walked outside at noon for about 5 minutes, I thought my jean legs had frozen solid. It's almost like they trap the cold air in after allowing it to float up from the ground.

Also, most jeans are not flattering. Give me a cute little skirt any day. For jeans to really look good, they should not be purchased (or even made) above a size 2.
The low jeans have a bulge over the waistband. The high jeans cut off your circulation from the waist down, make you miserable if you eat, and make you look like your waist is just below your boobs. Now that's attractive.

Jeans are not comfortable. (unless you get the grandma elastic waist ones, and then of course, they are not fashionable) You can't bend your legs. If you wear low riders you spend the day pulling them up or else you look like a plumber. Not to mention, some feel just like your wearing a thong bikini. Yikes!

Over the years I have had my share of jeans. But I don't think I have ever found a pair to like, much less love. Favorite jeans? That would be the ones that hurt the least, look the best (which isn't saying much) and don't make me look like my grandma. I haven't found that pair yet.
Give me a bikini any day. Way more comfortable.

photo courtesty of cardenio at morguefile.com

What Do They Really Mean?

How many ways can you say "You look like crap?"
My husband has become excellent at this.

Various comments he has said -

"I thought you were going to do your hair?" Well, I had!
"Does that go?" Yes, the two different patterns are the same colors.
"Are you wearing that?" It's a little late now as I am already walking out the door!

And the new one this morning -
"That doesn't really look like you."

I have to hand it to him. He is becoming more and more creative and kind the longer we are married.

So this morning I responded, "So basically what you are saying is that I look like crap."
He didn't say a word.

The Season

This is my favorite time of year. Well, one of them. I also like New Year's Eve. And St. Patrick's Day. And Valentine's Day. And Fourth of July. And when it comes to my birthday, well that's just a week long celebration. I have a birth week.

Things I don't like - leaves, fall, cold weather, rain. So I am glad most of those things are over.

Christmas holds many special memories for me. No proposals or cars or stuff like that. It's more about the little things. Making cookies with mom and sis. Putting up the tree listening to carols. Getting surprised with a REAL Christmas tree by hubby. And I would have to say one thing that ranks way up there as well is making the perfect gift. MAKING, not buying.

Time is precious. For years I have tried to get my family to exchange only MADE gifts. I keep giving them but they can't really comply. My mom (sometimes - she is pretty crafty with knitting and sewing, etc) and my dad (sometimes - he builds things). My sis did once, and I have to say it is one of my most cherished gifts ever (only because she is not crafty and went to a lot of trouble and spent a lot of time creating a "piece" for every letter in the song "Christmas Alphabet.")

To me, that is what it's all about. Giving a piece of yourself to the other person to let them know they are special to you. It isn't about money. Don't forget that this year.