Ebay on My Mind & Over 100 Views...Thank You Readers

Day 12

Houghton Lake Adventures has reached over 100 views. It can't be my mom, she doesn't have the internet. They can't all be by accident. So somebody is reading my blog. To you I say, "Thanks". 

I have many more entries to make on my way to 365 straight days of blogging. I am doing this to work myself into the habit of writing everyday. I hope that soon I will be able to list my published novels as that is the overall goal.

Today I'm trying to work on my Ebay business. I need to get into the habit of spending a certain number of hours each day on listing merchandise (though I would rather be writing). I sell used clothes on Ebay and I have bags upon bags of clothes yet to be listed. They are cluttering up my home. Now is the best time of the year for selling suits and sport coats, dress shirts and neckties. So it must be done.

Shopping is the fun part. I drive to several thrift stores and cherry pick the best high end clothes and resell them on the internet. First comes the photographing and close inspection for flaws. Taking measurements. Then load photos to my computer and sort photos for easier loading to the internet. Finally setting up on Ebay, loading pictures and writing a description including measurements. Then do it again and again and again until I can't stand anymore. The next day start over. Just like a real job.

It's not hard work, it's just BORING! At least the listing is boring. Shopping is fun hence all of the bags of clothes. My plan is to get these listed and out of here either by selling or returning the ones that don't sell to the thrift store. I just want my house back. 

Thanks again for the 100 + views. Come back again soon.

Ken

Ultimate Holiday Fight Shopping on Pay Per View

Day 8

  

One of the worlds largest retailers announced today that they will be selling "pay-per-view" viewing of the holiday shopping frenzy that occurs during their Black Friday sales events.

In store specials will no longer be scheduled for different times during the day. All specials will begin at the same time. Executives believe this will increase the "action" between shoppers scrambling and ultimately fighting over deals located throughout the store from one end to the other. Store security cameras be used to capture the "live feed" of the spectacle.

An anonymous source disclosed that the decision came to monetize the shopping carnage after reviewing the growing popularity of cable "reality shows" and Ultimate Fighting events, the no holds barred style of fighting also popular on cable. Citing the "need to cut losses" incurred by the super low prices of items on sale.

"We needed a way to make up for the loss of profit on the items we sell much to cheaply. Our investors expect the highest possible profits, after all."

The pay-per-view idea has been in the pipeline for several years. Some personal rights groups believe the recording of people without their consent is wrong and an invasion of their privacy rights. Store attorneys have argued that by entering stores the shoppers are giving their permission to be recorded on the security cameras and that the stores retain the rights to use the recordings to make money any way they deem acceptable.

"Where's mommy?" 

(This shopping orphan was left to hold a place in line while his parents went off to other parts of the store for super sale items. The parents never returned)

When shoppers were asked if they had concerns most replied, "I'm OK with it as long as I can TiVo it to watch later. What the hell I could be on TV."

Plans are also in the works for blu ray and dvd to be released before the next holiday season.

Note: Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Until tomorrow remember "Laughter is the best medicine."

Ken

Two Burritos and the Joy of Painting

Recently I came across an old PBS show called The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, I find it utterly amazing this man could take 8-12 dabs of paint, a 2" standard paint brush, a fantail brush and a 1" paint scraper (palette knife) and magically jab, dab, swish and scrape a beautiful landscape painting that many people would pay large amounts of money to own. And do it in just 30-45 minutes.

After the Rain by Bob Ross

So your wondering where the two burritos comes in. I ate one when having lunch with my mom and my aunt and my cousins. The first one was so good that I ate another for dinner. A few hours later while watching the Joy of Painting on Youtube, I get an irresistible urge. Suddenly i have an overwhelming desire to run to the bathroom before I paint a masterpiece of my own.

Now I know why Picasso painted The Scream...he couldn't make it of the pier in time,

The Scream by Picasso

The moral of the story is don't eat (the american idea of) Mexican food twice in the same day but if you do keep a roll of toilet paper handy and don't stray too far from a commode or you'll be making a Scream of your own.

Books I am currently reading: Dantes Divine Comedy, Stuart Woods Stone Barrington series, Robert E. Keller Knights series and LeRoy Neimen autobiography.

Gotta put this one to bed. Until tomorrow,

Ken 

Wednesday With Mom

Day 3


Why is it I wake up in the morning and jump out of bed feeling refreshed until I remember I'm spending the day with my mother, then suddenly, I have an overwhelming urge to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head until tomorrow?

My mother is a master purveyor of negativity. It rolls off her tongue like lies from a politician. No one believes me when I tell them. Anyone who meets her thinks she's just a sweet old lady. She just smiles and nods her white mantled head while deciding whether she'll devour their hopes and dreams right then or wait until later. She's patient, my mother is, she'll wait until she has you completely fooled and then, oh so slowly, she'll start to whisper in your ear until your hopes and dreams have vanished. The Grinch loved Christmas before he meet my mother.

Today we went on a road trip to see my aunt and a couple of cousins. A mini family reunion if you will. My mom and my aunt are the only two of five siblings surviving. Curiously of the five my mom is the oldest and my aunt is the youngest. I suspect there may be a plot to "out live" all of us. My mother has already suggested she might out live my brothers and me (I only drink unopened bottled water when I visit her).

I pulled up in front of the door to her assisted living complex and she worked her way into the car. Right away she started in on the cook in the dining room. Breakfast was 4 sausage patties and a dry biscuit with no butter or jelly. She had her usual Cheerios. Dinner last night was suppose to be turkey but it couldn't be because the gravy was brown and everybody knows turkey gravy is white. I could have told her that I have seen brown turkey gravy that comes in a can but I was too smart to take the bait and just nodded my agreement.

The manager was having a Veterans Day celebration according to mom "just score points". Wednesday is evening bingo but as my mom noted "the prize box is full of junk". Once again I pointed out to her that the bingo is a courtesy for the residents and prizes are a bonus. This was answered with a withering scowl. After another round of which residents are "sick in the head" I just grunted. She doesn't really pay attention to me when she's complaining, so I can grunt, hiccup or fart, it doesn't matter so long as I make some noise of agreement.

We arrived at my cousins house after an hour of gloom. As we pulled into the driveway the sweet old woman persona surfaced instantaneously. We had a nice visit and before we left my aunt pulled me aside to ask how things were at the residence. She knows what my mom is really like. As I unloaded on my aunt  all of the injustices, I had to stop and take a deep breath, I had promised myself I wouldn't cry as that would not be befitting of a 56 year old man. My aunt just shook her head in sympathy and gave me a hug and a "go with God".

It was a relatively quiet ride home as my mother contemplated the parting remark of a cousin.

"We should get together again soon because you just never know."

Seems she has been attending a lot of funerals lately. Finally my mom looked over at me with an eager gleam in her eye.

"How are you feeling, kiddo?"

It was a very fast ride home.

Until tomorrow remember, don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Ken

Tomorrow a list of books I am currently reading. Goodnight.

Mid Michigan Writers Group Is Awesome

Hello,
This is the first post to my new blog. I plan to post everyday about my life here in Houghton Lake, Michigan. I'll write about some of the events and other things happening around town. Most of it real with a little "blarney" mixed in. From the general store with the two old guys playing checkers, to the barber shop philosophy and, of course, the fish stories. The coffee is always hot, the cider cold and the stories are plentiful. So if you enjoy what you read share it with your friends.

Today is the second Monday of the month which means the Mid Michigan Writers are meeting in West Branch. Tonight is special as it is the first meeting that I will be the moderator, I was voted in at the last meeting by near unanimous yea vote, with one nay vote (mine). I'm sure this will be an honor and a lot of fun. I enjoy the group and look forward to the meetings twice each month ( the second and fourth Monday).

Mid Michigan Writers are a great bunch who are serious about writing and offer constructive criticism of each others work. Two members read something they recently wrote for critique by the group. No more than ten pages double spaced if you run over you'll have to save it for the next opening. We schedule will who read for us once a quarter at the business meeting. Even though we schedule ahead all members are encouraged to bring something to read in case we have an opening or the scheduled readings are short as is often the case with poems.

So if you are a writer or an aspiring writer who doesn't know where to start. and interested in interacting with like minded people. Come to one of our meetings held in the downstairs meeting room of the West Branch Public Library on the second and fourth Monday each month at 6:30 pm. For more information about the group, the groups activities and the benefits of membership click here Mid Michigan Writers. Let us you know you saw this article (it will make me feel good) and I hope to see you at one of our meetings.

Note: No meeting on December 14th do to our Christmas Dinner. I'll be sure to post about that after.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you'll come back soon and often.