downsizing

is something that we all do, from time to time, at critical points in our lives. Breaking points, maybe? Growth spurts?

When I escaped North Carolina the FIRST time, I moved ALL of my possessions out of the house I co-owned with my first husband. I'd already sold my motorcycle, so I left behind the house, the boats, and "his" stuff. I only downsized my life at that point by cutting my possessions in half, essentially. But with Mommy's and Cheryl's help, I packed that half into a U-Haul and toted it to Florida, and then re-packed and toted it across the country to California when the time came. That growth spurt spanned several months. It wasn't really a downsize, though.

Mommy and I ended up sharing a studio apartment for the next 6 months, with a household's worth of stuff filling it. Moving out of the studio into a two-bedroom shared with a roommate was just a transfer of the stuff. Moving out of the two-bedroom into my one-bedroom duplex was still just a transfer of stuff. Combining households with Stephen into a two-bedroom wasn't exactly a downsize, either. We managed to find a space that would accommodate all the stuff we had, and ADD living room furniture!

Then his dad got The Cancers, and what with all of my industry being so wonky and his gig as a waiter being completely unfulfilling, we moved across the country. Since we thought we were moving for good, the only stuff that didn't make it across was whatever just wouldn't fit into that overpacked PackRat moving container and my Honda Civic. A smallish downsize - things like a bicycle or an end table; little awkward shapes.

Once in North Carolina again, we of course accumulated replacement stuff. But we realized fairly quickly that we'd misread the industry signs and miscommunicated with family, etc. We had to get home. So we downsized for reals this time. Multiple trips to the flea market, local ads, Amazon and Ebay got rid of stuff we didn't need and filled our moving fund. We did it!

Once we got back into a one-bedroom apartment, we quickly acquired new replacement stuff. So we're not hurting for stuff. We could use a downsize, if only to declutter. But we're not at any critical breaking point or growth spurt, so we'll probably just keep accumulating.

So would you like a review of the movie downsizing? We got our list of screeners to stream, and that was one we've both been looking forward to. We figured out how to stream on the television last night (connect the computer via HDMI, duh), and watched it first!

We loved this movie. However, the trailers you've seen don't really set up your expectations properly. I'm not going to spoil it, though. The story is funny and poignant and hits quite a few political buttons (not party, just issues). The actors are great. Hong Chau is a delight. The effects are seamless, and the film is full of little "easter eggs" that remind you of where you are ("big" world or "small"). I'm talking dollar bill artwork. Don't worry, that's just my own little tease; not a spoiler.

I stated at the beginning of our viewing that I'd like to downsize (in the scale of the film) if that technology ever becomes a thing. Stephen countered with caution; let's see what happens. Yeah, I'd still like to do it, if it ever becomes a thing. The movie can be our "life instruction manual"! So should you see it? Are you just stupid, or did you take lessons? DUH. See This Film.

I went away again, didn't I?

Sorry about that.

I was busy with work, and volunteering, and going to movie screenings, and I managed to blog pretty regularly then.

Then I "celebrated" my First Annual Skippage of Gluttony Day Parade (?)...

Then I only worked at the pet supply store, and had more Adventuretime and screenings and volunteerism but no WORK ON SET, and somehow I was ... away?


I think my brain weasels (someone else's TM) have been lying to me. My winter funk has been a descending cloud, visible to me, but not yet engulfing me. I'm booked for work tomorrow, which is why I somehow have the energy to blog again tonight.

... but I have to keep hoping that I'll book more than just tomorrow, this week. I listened to the info line, and what I heard was not "if you worked on Monday, 11/27, then wear your Day Two outfit again tomorrow" (which is honestly what they said). Rather, my brain heard "everyone else worked last week, and YOU DIDN'T, and also, they all wore more than one outfit, so it was probably a long and lucrative day that YOU DIDN'T work".

My brain weasels suck, y'all. Why can't I just be happy that I'm recalled at all? Since any day on set is a good day, and I totally know what I'm doing tomorrow, because it is a recall, essentially, I should just be doing my fucking

#HappyDance

instead of mentally kicking myself over last Monday (which was, and always will be, completely out of my control).

I don't really know what I wanted to say when I started this post. I guess I wanted to talk about Depression again. Sorry.

Last year, for the first time since Mommy died, I put up and decorated the Christmas tree. This year, I've done nothing. Stephen's done a good bit of decorating, and he's not finished yet, and I'm okay with it, in all of its stages. I've been sporadically wearing my Santa hat and jingle ball and holiday earrings, but my "holiday spirit" is 100% outward. I got nothin'.

Been attempting to convert the cats to a raw diet. So far, Cocoa has only really cared for the one flavor in the one brand that our pet supply store doesn't keep in stock. Meaning, it's a special order. Meaning, we won't get it at a discount. Meaning, our next step is to see if she likes that flavor in a different brand, so we can get it straight from the freezers at work. We'll see.

Been wanting to pick up my crochet projects again but Just. Haven't. Done. It. Yet. Why not? No idea. Possibly the lack of work has equaled lack of self-worth, which has equaled lack of motivation.

Been wanting to send holiday cards (or Any Mail At All) out to my people that I only know online. Last year, I sent/received something like 20 cards? And then started mailing normal mail to/from another group of 10-15? I think it's very possible that the last (or one of the last) pieces of mail I received here was a simple postcard from Cheo, who died of a brain hemorrhage last week. He was too young, and it was totally unexpected, and it's not like I'm thinking I'm next or anything, but I've definitely been bummed out since learning of his passing. Yesterday was his birthday, so our group did "random" acts of kindness, and involved donuts where appropriate, tweeting our acts so his widow would see them. Hashtags #FuckPants and #Donuts4Cheo abounded. There's a 2018 calendar of our group's craziness for sale in one member's Zazzle store, with the proceeds going to benefit Cheo's widow. It's mostly pretty tame, but there are pages that are NSFW, in case you're the sorta person to use a wall calendar.

So, yeah. Now you're caught up, and I'm depressed, I guess, but not because you're caught up now, because while brain weasels would follow that line of logic, that wasn't what I was trying to say, exactly. Dammit, Karen! (Not YOU, Karen. No, that other "fictitious" Karen that everyone on the interwebs is always yelling at).

Um, ennyhoo. I'm depressed. You're caught up. Two separate points. Maybe after I work tomorrow, I'll come back to finally start reviewing some of the great stuff I've seen lately! (Been wanting to review the great stuff I've been screening lately, but just... haven't. Again, dunno why not.)

It is now Tuesday. I get to go to work today! I started this post early (enough) on Monday to have posted it yesterday, but I was busy (drinking wine and figuring out what I wanted to say and link, and finding the dancing baby gif), so now it's Tuesday. Are ya happy now?

I am. Yes, I'm still depressed. I can be both happy and depressed, at the same time, even. If you didn't know that, then please, consider yourself #Blessed. For all my complaining, I do at least still know that I am #Blessed. I'm goin' to bed now. If you're reading this immediately upon my posting and you live in the Western Hemisphere, you should do the same.

What shall we talk about tomorrow?

Eight things I will never do before I die

I'd been away from my own blogging for a long time, but I was away from reading other blogs for even longer. Holly writes one of my favorites, but I've only just now revisited her page. I really like this post, and so what follows is my own non-bucket list.

1. I will never bear a child. There was a time (a pretty long time, actually) when I wanted to be "just like Mommy" and have my three babies and raise them with adventurous experiences rather than things (not that we three didn't have things, but the stuff was never as important as the doings) and know that they'd do what they could to be a part of my life and miss me when I'm gone. It didn't happen when I was young enough for it to happen, and even though I've been on Depo-Provera for what feels like a biological eternity and I could possibly still have all of those eggs that never flushed themselves out of my body, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get off Depo long enough to find out whether there's anything viable there. I love the industry that I work in, and a pregnancy at my age would demolish any chance I have of succeeding in it. So, no kids for me.
2. I will (probably) never be financially wealthy. Again, with the industry I work in, my jobs are too diverse to become "rich and famous" at any one task. I play the Lotto from time to time, though, so that could "hit" and then I'd be set for life. It's not like it's a goal, though.
3. I will (probably) never be famous. See #2 regarding my career choices. The "probably" comes from the fact that I enjoy blogging, and who knows if somehow my readership grows to the point that I get regular comments from people I don't actually know, like from Russia or Ukraine or Malaysia or something? It could happen, of course, but again, not a goal. I mean, in the time that this post has been stewing, I've gained 21 new readers from Switzerland! Who knew?
4. I will never classify myself as a "filmmaker". I love being on set, and I love doing a film-related job for an appropriate wage. But the folks I know who use that term do. it. all. And I mean every job necessary to get a germ of an idea turned into something for an audience to watch. I don't have the germs of ideas, or the slightest inkling of how to take someone else's germs and make them watchable stuff. But you want me to Script Supervise or walk around in the background or wear a walkie and yell "rolling!" and "cut!" all day? You got it. I'm your girl. But a filmmaker I am not.
5. I will never enjoy bargain hunting. I know some folks, mostly women, yes, who love yard sales and thrift stores and even just outlet stores or department stores that are going out of business. They love knowing that the item they're holding out for was originally an eight hundred dollar piece and they're getting it for a cool fifty-seven. I don't wanna spend the fifty-seven. I don't wanna spend a nickel, if it isn't an item I'd been pining over for awhile already.
6. I will never pine awhile over material possessions. If there's something I want (like I really really want), then I'm going to find a way to justify its cost and get it within a reasonable timeframe. If it doesn't become a part of my life within that timeframe, I'm going to get over not having it. There isn't much stuff I need. See #1.
7. I will never bungee-jump. I would go skydiving or learn trapeze flying, if the opportunity presented itself. But I think the sensation of falling and then bouncing at the bottom is a little too similar, but multiplied to the nth degree, to that first big drop of a roller coaster. That first big drop is the extent of what my stomach will allow me.
8. I will never space travel. There was some "news" about the one-way flights to Mars being sold, and Stephen jokingly mentioned that he'd gotten me a ticket. Well, jokingly, except that jokes are funny. I was not amused. He was, so at least one of us enjoyed that exchange. The sad thing about my #8 is that I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a child. Somewhere along the lines, it became more about getting good science and math grades and less about the adventure. Oh, well. I'll just keep looking out for eclipses and whatnot and get my space fix from down here on the planet.

This post has taken me a few days to write, since I first read Holly's. If it inspires you to make your own list, won't you please link your list/post in the comments below? I'd love to hear from you.

Welcome BACK, Belgium!

You first visited in March. A lot has happened since then. Hopefully, you stopped back in to catch up, and you found my situation to your liking.

... sorry I no longer have any items to sell you up on ebay.

Closed the SHOP

officially, today.  There are two more items still listed with auctions ending tomorrow, but they've not had any activity.  Had two "lots" of dolls (one lot of seven porcelain and the other lot of seven baby dolls) that we just didn't have time to research, that had auctions starting at a buck apiece for the babies and two bucks each for the porcelain - but the buyers had to take the whole lot.  We'd already taken all of those to the flea market and they hadn't moved an inch.  Well, on ebay, they MOVED!  We couldn't believe how much they moved!

But I have nothing left to sell there, so I've told ebay to go away now.  Just go away. :)

TONIGHT we have OUR "go away" dinner party, and tomorrow, the mailman will make the dolls go away.

YAY!

sometimes you just need a nap

I did, today.  So I took one!  It was great.

But there were things that needed doing, you know?  How do you get the things done when you can't keep your eyes open?

You REST.  You take that nap, and when you get up, you get back to whatever it was you had hoped to accomplish earlier, when you just couldn't keep your eyes open.

My accomplishments today include:

• making the bed
• feeding the cats
• making coffee
• consuming with Stephen his first-ever homemade smoothie (it was delish, altho he now understands why I don't like to use blackberries in smoothies - too seedy!)
• taking two phone calls from potential landlords/managers to make arrangements for my "legwork" friend
• applying for another gig; this time for "Associate Producer" which is really just an in-the-office Production Assistant.  BUT THAT'S OKAY.  Ten weeks and four grand okay. :)
• pulling from the remaining collection those dolls that have either watchers or bids, and packing up all the rest for a covert return to stepmom's attic
• calling to reserve a big table or a separate room for our "going away" dinner party
• updating the time on the party invite
• reading some Entertainment Weekly
• unloading and reloading the dishwasher
• washing my water pitcher by hand because there's some crud in our water that doesn't wash away in the dishwasher!  what up widdat?
• preparing for myself a delicious grilled pastrami-n-muenster sammich and then eating it
• taking the aforementioned nap - glorious!
• getting back on the phone to speak with more potential landlords and/or leave messages for return calls
• blogging
• UPDATE: ordering a new pair of glasses for Stephen, since the ones he has keep falling apart. :(

Have you noticed that I have blogged every day in May?  I'm not participating in any "challenge," although I discovered that there is one out there.  I had just decided for myself, near the beginning of the month, that while I still have time to devote to you, my loyal subjects readers, that I should find something to say every day.  Once we're back home and I'm working in the industry that I love, I imagine my blogflow will ebb.  I hope that's okay.  For now, I plan to keep on keepin' on.

COUNTDOWN (the first - I expect there may be more in the not-too-distant future)

1. FIVE WEEKS from today, we will be HOME.
2. FOUR WEEKS from tomorrow, we will be heading west from Charleston, SC.
3. FOUR WEEKS from today, we'll be celebrating Stephen's mom's 70th birthday.
4. THREE WEEKS from today (or tomorrow), we will do an "overnight" visit in Jupiter, FL and then return to Daddy's.
5. in EIGHTEEN DAYS, we'll be leaving North Carolina to stay with Daddy in Sorrento, FL.
6. in SEVENTEEN DAYS, we'll be doing mass-hysteria-style cleaning frenzy in this (by then) empty apartment.
7. TWO WEEKS from today, Stephen will work his last day at Sam's Club.
8. in THIRTEEN DAYS, we'll get our U-Haul shipping/storage "pod" and begin filling it.
9. in ELEVEN DAYS, we'll be helping the stepmom out with her yard sale (and hopefully, selling the last of our furniture).
10. ONE WEEK from today, I'll be 48 years old.  Whoop Whoop!
11. in FOUR DAYS, I close the doors of my ebay store forever (I have to "unsubscribe" from some $#!+ to make it "official")
12. in THREE DAYS, my last ebay auction closes, whether there are any bids or not.
13. in TWO DAYS, we're "hosting" our own "going away" party at the BEST RESTAURANT ANYWHERE, which just happens to be a mile down the street from our current residence.
14. TODAY we saw our last movie in North Carolina (X-Men, Days of Future Past).

Are you excited yet?  At some point in that countdown, we have to return any unsold dolls to stepmom's attic, carry our unsold furniture to her house for the yardsale or storage, AND procure our new address (as well as putting the forwarding order in at the post office).  There's plenty of downsizing still to be done, as well as packing, selling, shipping, and Stephen going to his job.  There's probably one more trip to my favorite grocery store.  Ay, caramba.  It sneaks up on ya!

It's Memorial Day. Thank you, Veterans, and others who have given your lives in service.

I am not a Vet.  I don't have anywhere to host a barbecue today, and I haven't received any invitations to attend such things.  So I have spent a good chunk of today "shredding" - earlier in my ebay career, I would shred old bills and whatnot (pretty much anything that had account numbers or social security info) and use it as packing material when shipping out dolls.  Got out of the habit as I acquired more bubble wrap, especially when I'd learn that a doll I'd shipped had arrived broken.  Erp!

But there were still all those papers, receipts and bills and such, accumulating in a big box.  And I have yet to go through the file cabinet and see if I can eliminate anything else, like I managed to get help doing before this move.  So I sat down in the living room today with the personal shredder I had been "given" when my former roommate moved out all those years ago (basically, she just needed to not take things home with her, and that was a useful item, so I accepted it as a gift.  THANK YOU, former roommate who has not given me permission to identify you here).

I made pretty good progress through the box, but there are dividers between the "teeth" that have degraded over time, and sometimes the papers go through looking more "chewed" than "shredded," and I have to sit with tweezers, pulling paper strips out of spaces where the dividers are completely gone.  It's sort of like the metal shredding teeth are vertebrae, and those teeth are separated by plastic cartilage, and the two spinal columns work in tandem to eat your paper.  My cartilage is wearing OUT!

So I have a much smaller stack of paper that needs shredding; I have files that could probably use a cleanse but will likely have to wait until after the move; I have a dead shredder that won't go (was never gonna go) back to LA, and will get replaced by a slightly-more industrial design.  Ah, me.

Time to celebrate progress, and give thanks for useful lives ended (as well as those other useful lives that have still managed to survive), with wine and coconut cheesecake!

The Smell of Victory

... is surprisingly similar to that of freshly-baked coconut cheesecake!  Yummmmmmmmmmmm.

I've stated, possibly here, but definitely in the comments on other blogs and Facebook, that I no longer write out "To Do" lists.  I have various reasons, but I think the primary one has to do with not setting myself up for disappointment.  I had a friend who posted yesterday that she felt "defeated" because she "sucks at time management because she can't accurately predict how long it takes to accomplish particular tasks."  I probably paraphrased that, but the two things that struck me were the feelings of defeat, and SAYING that she "sucks at time management."  No, no, no.  I will never let TASKS to ACCOMPLISH defeat me because I or another person put too much on my plate.

It's basically the same reason I won't commit to attending a play or a party or a ______ unless I KNOW that I can keep that commitment.  I would much rather say "maybe" (and probably make it) than to say "yes" and then flake out.  In the same way, my "To Do" list is pretty much entirely mental.  I've reached the point that I won't even tell Stephen what my plans are for the day, so as not to overcommit myself and then be defeated at day's end.

So today, so far, I have made the bed (yay!), run the dishwasher, including the coffee maker and the cats' water fountain (double yay!), and started laundry.  I have listed the last two items we ever intend to sell online in our store before we officially close "the doors." I have also spoken to two landlords in LA, who were returning calls from yesterday.  I imagine I'll speak to another coupla them before the day is out.  Sunday's a big day to return calls from potential tenants.  While the laundry and dishes run, I'll be (FINALLY) making that coconut cheesecake I had STATED in numerous places that I was going to make (yay!)...

Maybe I'll update this at the end of the day, when I can "tick off" even more fun things on my MENTAL "To Do" list, and we can all celebrate a Sunday full of accomplishment!  Didja catch that "maybe" there? ;)

UPDATE (possibly not the last one of the day):

Did NOT hear from any more landlords; got the laundry done; baked the friggin' awesomeness that follows.  The original recipe, I originally recorded HERE, but what follows is the pictorial step-by-step, including the welcome "interruption" I took time for.  This is why I left all of the time stamps in the photos.

 

Dunno if Stephen's going to want anything real for dinner when he gets home.  If so, I'll reheat last night's lasagna.  If not, we'll be CELEBRATING all of my little victories with cheesecake.  And possibly raising a glass of wine to all the Vets, including my Daddy, who made days like today possible (and continue doing so).  Thank you, Veterans, for giving us what you gave, including in many cases, your lives.

I don't oft write of Daddy

so today I will. (I have gotten his permission).

I have been on the phone all day calling landlords in Los Angeles, in the hopes of finding our next "forever home" (or at least a reasonable address to which we can forward mail for the next year or so).

I have also been in contact with my friend who has volunteered to be "eyes and ears on the ground" when the landlords say, "c'mon over!"

I have ALSO agreed to a "best offer" on a doll I was reluctant to sell for so little, because she's just too sweet, and I think, valuable.  So now I have to pack her very carefully to ship her out on Monday.

But one of the last things I've done is take a phone call from Daddy.  He wanted to know which of my numerous names to make my birthday check out to, and would it be better to issue a check, or get cash for me when we get to Florida, or what.  We got that sorted out, and then he reminded me that there's a piece of electronic equipment we need to be sure to not pack in our shipping container, but bring to Florida so he can be "India" for us ("inside joke" amongst the family - when others need tech support, they invariably "call India" even if they've dialed a company based in Omaha; when we need tech support, we call Daddy, a.k.a. "India").  Then we talked about my job opportunities and the timing of such - THIS WEEK ALONE, I have applied for SIX different Script Supervisor gigs, all based in Los Angeles, two of which start on or near my birthday.  Then we talked about his health.  The man has been sober for two months.  He remembers the last drink he had, the one that put him in the hospital for an acute pancreatitis attack.  He knows that sobriety is good for his health because he'll never have to endure that kind of pain again, and it should keep him from strokin' or having other organ attacks.  I told him that sobriety was also good for the health of his family.  None of us have to worry about him.  He's clearer and more capable of doing the things he needs to do.  He should manage several more good years.  Hell, he might even make it to the 120 that Mommy was supposed to reach!

I teared up talking to him, but not out of worry.  I cried because I needed to tell him that I am proud of him.  I cried a little more when he graciously accepted my pride.  I love my Daddy.  I don't ever want to nag him, about anything.  He's lived long enough that he has the right to make his own decisions.  Maybe that's why I'm proud of his sobriety.  Because he's choosing it.  He's not being coerced or bullied by family or folks in the medical field.  He's made it two months, and for that, I am grateful.

Today's misadventures

Got two more "lots" of dolls listed today, auctions for 7 days because eBay's starting to charge listing fees for various and sundry whatevers... immediately had 3 "watchers" on one of the lots and a message that was vaguely incoherent, asking if I would "sale" the lot to her individually for Buy It Now.  She's going to have to make me a true offer of a sufficient amount for me to pay the extra listing fee.  We'll see.  I'm willing to leave it up for a week in an auction - whatever.

Also got added to a new "yard sale" group on Facebook, so I added our silly "Drop-In Non-Yard Sale" items there, and I now know how to update the posts on the other pages.  Please oh Please let me Please move some FURNITURE before the stepmom's actual yard sale!

Turkey burgers and veggie masala burgers and wine and chocolate later, we're watching "Iron Giant."  It's cute.  It'll do.

Tomorrow I get to tell the local employment office why I deserve to continue collecting unemployment benefits, and ask them how I'm supposed to find work as a Script Supervisor in a state that has no film categories of occupations in its online jobs database.  Hmm.  And/or, Yay.

Gone. (Well, maybe not quite)

At 4:15 today, I grabbed my phone, some keys, a one-pound box of German Gretel porcelain doll that was made in Taiwan, slipped on my flip flops, and walked to the Thomasville, NC (USA) post office to ship said Taiwan/German doll to Russia.  I also had some questions about voiding a pre-paid label, so when I got back in the door at 5:15, I felt pretty good about my 3mph.

Still have some things to sell but have no idea how much will actually move in the next ten days.  See, kids, I'll be closing the doors in ten days.  Nothing to ship past my birthday, provided anything that sells gets paid by then.  Move any dolls that don't sell back into the attic; help the stepmom set up for her yard sale on Saturday the 7th (along with any of our home furnishings we hope to move there); be DONE with all manner of sales before we have to start loading the shipping container.

Wow.  It really feels like all the time that we did have "in the world" is now gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone.

Gone.

And I still need to make that coconut cheesecake!  ACK!

Casual fact-finding day, just what we needed!

Got up early again, for no reason.  Saw Geoff off on the next leg of his Odyssey.  Told him like three times that we'd be expecting a "safe arrival" call or text, and it's now 12 hours since he left here, and DARK out, with no word.  Bad Geoff. ;)

Decided we needed to make an easy grocery run, and while we were out, we also checked some of the other stores in the area for things like disposable cat litter boxes (for the trip, of course), and other potential "supplies" (for the trip, of course).  Made a stop in at the local Costco, which is what we had access to back home, and had a lovely time reminding ourselves of what we were missing, in both available products and all the yummy samples!  Left there having had a substantial lunch, and drove back to Podunk ready for a nap.

Got in and relisted a bunch of dolls and bears in the store.  Sent a message to a potential buyer who'd expressed an interest in a particular bear.  Laid down for a nap around 5:30 (two early rises + late shuteyes = NAPTIME!); Stephen joined me around 6:15; both times Cocoa also needed some belly-rubbin'.  Awoke from a very restful slumber at 7:15 or so, and checked emails, Facebooks, and the store.  The bear sold!

Packed it up and labeled it for a tomorrow ship, and then settled in for some DVR'd tv, wine, and chocolate.  Now we're just waiting for Geoff to let us know he made it to WV!

Really good day.  Thanks for asking.

Interesting Flea Market, Baby! Day

well, maybe.  Got up at Dawn's Tramp Stamp.  AGAIN.  Then that bitch showed us her crack, and then we were on the road.  We'd managed to downscale the sales vehicular load to ONE (the van, which I mostly loaded throughout the week), as well as the table need to ONE.

Got the van parked sideways and all the gear out, had a sale just before the official 8 a.m. "open," and then our immediate neighbor who had a "permanent" shed spot showed up and we had to re-park the van.  Oh, well.

 

Then the dude who came to collect our table rent made a second trip around to let us know that if we could spread out to the next table, that would be great... because the market itself would "look" busier.  Greeeeeaaaaaat.  So we did!  Yay!

It's easier for two people to "man" two tables, even when one of us needed to take a walk around the lot for any reason.  And we did get a "better class" of traffic when we were spread out, but Stephen named what our situation was all about - the Law of Diminishing Returns.  Saturday One (two weeks ago) - not too much stuff but very new at the game - big sales, moved a lot of stuff!  Saturday Two (last week, day before Mother's Day, overcast weather and threat of rain) - um, less than half of the "movement" of any of S. One.



Today - Sunday One but Weekend Three - significantly less stuff (only one vehicular load, after all), similar weather but supposedly the day the "buyers" come out - um, not so much.  Well, not terrible - we did make enough for June's rent - but certainly not anything we'd want to do on a regular basis.  Our biggest expenses are gas money in the big ol' van to travel 25 miles (roundtrip), table rent, and our own physical labor of loading and unloading.  Today, we each earned minimum wage, as long as you don't count any of that load/unload time in hours worked.  So.

On June 7th (after my birthday), I (or we) will be participating in the stepmom's yard sale.  Hopefully, in the meantime, I'll sell a buncha stuff online and well, online (in Facebook "yard sales") and won't have to load any furniture for the yard sale!  Wouldn't it be great if all I need to do is assist at the physical yard sale rather than worry about our own personal sales?  Yeah, that'd be AWESOME.

But anyway... the rest of the day.  We have a one-night couchsurfer!  His name is Geoff, and he's Stephen's friend from back home, and he's doing his own personal Odyssey across the country (and is hoping to start a new trend of creating Facebook Groups that track progress of things like personal Odysseys).  I'm not promising to pick up Geoff's trend; chances are really good that I'll just blog our trek across the country.  We'll see.  I like Geoff a lot; he's very personable and charming and gentlemanly (and appreciates my appreciation for the "f" word), and as far as I'm concerned, he can couchsurf on our couch anytime.

We had to search for a restaurant in which to consume dinner on a Sunday in Podunk... we showed Geoff the stepmom's Victorian house... I had a long convo with the stepmom re: grief, and we all returned here for homemade ice cream.  Stepmom went home; the three of us who remained had wine; Geoff fetched his laser pointer from the car and entertained the cats.  Now Stephen's showing him "Pain" on the PS3 with George Takei as "the victim" and I'm telling y'all about it.

Really great day!

UPDATE: This post originally posted on 5/18/2014, and TODAY, I inadvertently "reverted to draft" while reading it. Yes, I am a moron.

FOUR weeks from today, we hit the road!

Progress is a beautiful thing.  Moving is a stressor.  We've carried heavy things (furniture and bins and boxes full of stuff) to the flea market on two consecutive Saturdays, and we expect to do that one more time tomorrow.  Cool, overcast weather is forecast, but we've also been told that Sundays are better selling days (folks browse on Saturday but BUY on Sunday).  We haven't had the physical fortitude to test the theory in one weekend, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

• If the theory holds true, then that will mean we've made our June rent tomorrow, and we won't have to return to the flea market, and anything "left" can be listed online or go with us to California or be sold at the stepmom's yard sale or put into storage in her attic.  (Having options is nice, huh?)
• If the weather keeps folks away again, then I may have to return by myself next weekend, and do both days.  Stephen's working the whole weekend, and it's Memorial Day, so we'll probably cross that bridge when it appears.  I'm hoping for the first ^.

Whatever happens with the flea marketing, there's still Amazon and ebay for the remainder of May.  I've got a doll packaged to ship to Russia, and I'm waiting for the post office to clear my voided ship label so I can print a new one and get that out.  Send some "clear that label" vibes towards the post office, if you would.  That'd be great.  Then anything else that sells online should ship right away, and I'll close all my auctions by the 31st so I'm not shipping anything after my birthday.  I'm mentally ready to close those doors.

We've joined the online apartment-search community, and we've got at least one pair of eyes-and-ears "on the ground," as it were, to liaise with potential landpeople on our behalf.  I've ordered a new cover for my mattress, and it's going to be shipped to another friend to hold for us.  Thank you, unnamed-until-you-give-me-permission friends!

Then there's rearranging the apartment some more so that the spare room is a mock storage container.  At some point, there should be at least one "say goodbye" dinner with "local" friends.  At another point, there's adapting the car in whatever way we can to keep the cats comfy (or figuring out how to sneak them into hotel rooms for the second leg of travel).  Then, come June 10th, there's the loading of the storage container and the cleaning of the apartment.  Then there's the packing up of my car with all of our travel gear, saying one last goodbye to the neighbors, and hitting the road on the 14th!

... any "spare" positive thoughts, feelings, or vibes you can put "out there" in our direction WILL be felt and are greatly appreciated!

Welcome, GREECE!

I got FIVE, count 'em, 5 (five, five, five, five, let's sing a song of FIIIIIIIIIVE; how many is five? ... "five strawberry shortcaaaaaaaaaakes!") visitors from Greece today.  Somehow, Sonia sent me some folks... but Sonia calls herself the Aussie Ambassador for online shopping and vodka, which should  mean she found me via my ebay store?  But I think it's more likely she found me via Kelly.  But how does Greece figure into all of that?

I dunno, but I'm supercalifragilistic-expialadociously excited.  I've sung the Sesame Street counting song atcha, forgoodnesssake!  So, welcome, Grecians!  Dig around, let me know if you like what you see.

... maybe I should eat something.  My blood sugar seems to be surging or something. ;)

Home in seven weeks

I keep rearranging furniture so I can keep selling furniture.  My desk is now out in the living room, but not near an electrical outlet.  This is actually a good thing, because when the laptop runs out of juice, I shut it down, plug it in, and go do something else.

Today's "something elses" included packing a suitcase of clothing that I intend to wear while on the road.  I also made room in the dresser that we've sold but the buyer (our next-door neighbor) hasn't yet taken out, so that the clothes I intend to wear up until the road trip are in ~half of it, and Stephen's clothes are in the other half.  I also took a bunch of clothes that will go into the storage container for shipping and put 'em in suck bags, about half of which are much smaller and heavier clothing BRICKS now.

Before Stephen left for work today, we fussed at each other.  There's so much to do still, and so much that we each are doing, and it's hard not to feel taken for granted.  We are each aware of the other's contributions, but we forget to say "thank you" or even verbally notice those contributions.  We're both going to work on that.

The physical stress of moving is hard - there's so much we'll have to pack and load and haul and repack and reload, and then the cleaning of the empty space really needs to happen on a day that doesn't also involve any of the aforementioned packing and loading and hauling.  I think the mental stress of moving is worse, though.  At least this time.  I've always procrastinated a bit, knowing that everything would get where it needed to get in the timing that it needed to get there.  But I've also always moved everything.  I have never before downsized my life.  We have so much stuff still, and we know that most of it isn't going.  We know that once we no longer have to see any of the stuff that isn't going, we'll feel better.  But right now, it's all still in our faces, waiting to be packed and loaded and hauled and repacked and reloaded.

I am immensely grateful for my team of cheerleaders around the country and around the globe.  I hear you, wishing only the best for me.  I feel your "great job!" vibes.  I appreciate that you wish you could help me in some way - you are helping me, just by wanting me home.  I am also grateful that we're pretty sure that this coming Sunday's flea market trip will be the last one.  Whatever we don't unload there gets put back into the stepmom's attic, or given to a local charity, or gets packed into the container for delivery to Los Angeles.

I'll be closing my ebay store before the end of the month.  I don't want to have to stress over finding the right price for things or get things shipped out in the month of June.  It's been a damn fine run, but I'll be done.

Accomplishment Monday

We got up fairly early today (7-ish) because we've both realized that the trip across the country needs to be made up of LONG days that start early-ish and end late-ish, since we'll have two cats in the car and be driving in warm temperatures and the chances of cat-friendly hotels being available are slim-to-none.

I was really out of bed at that hour because my sunburn still hurts when I adjust or put any pressure on it or stretch the skin in any way.  I figured I'd get a nap later if need be.  Stephen was up because of the reason mentioned in the first paragraph.  The cats were up because they're cats.

So I had a package to ship out, and my mailman to catch, and I was really hoping that the balance-transfer card would have come in to process, so I started on all of those things.  Stephen decided that since we'd be out in the world together anyway to grocery-shop on his day off, that we should also maybe catch Spiderman 2.  I'm not one to want to spend money "frivolously," particularly when we're trying to save every dime for the trip, but he only had to convince about 5% of my psyche that we had earned that particular kind of "break."

Caught the mailman; shipped out the bear; activated the new card; twisted my own arm a little (ow, ow, ow) and off we went.  I wanted to catch the noon show so we could be "done" with our day in time to meet the potential buyer of his dresser, whom we'd met in person at the flea market but who wasn't ready to buy until today.

Came out of the flick (pretty good, if you're a Spidey or Marvel or comic or superhero or Andrew Garfield fan; too many "endings" though) to a voice message from the buyer - can she come tomorrow?  Sure - that gives us time to get the shopping done without having to "rush" home.  Got home to a FB message from a different buyer regarding the same dresser, as well as a message from an ebay buyer regarding a Barbie already received.  Sorted out what we could possibly sort out (I just don't understand how folks can buy something on ebay without looking at every. single. picture. and asking any questions they might have before they buy something that I, as a seller, have already said I know NOTHING about, i.e. I don't know if she's a mismatch or what, but I also cannot accept returns).

Watched a little tv.  Have plenty of food in the fridge and freezer and pantry, including ingredients for treats, like coconut cheesecake and chocolate chip ice cream.  We've got five weeks? or so to enjoy the stuff we're not selling before we pack it up to ship it.  I'm gonna enjoy the hell outta it!  It was a good day.

Closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the West Coast...

... well, not quite but those are rather similar steps to the path we're on.  This weekend, I closed my ebay shop so we could sell everything that was listed at the flea market.  Eh, we didn't quite sell "everything" but I've got stuff re-listed for just a few days at a time, and I've got a lady coming mid-week to check out the dolls and possibly some furniture, and we may have sold the last dresser (at the flea market but the deal will happen here tomorrow?) AND one of the items that was previously listed is now definitely going to sell, because there's a bid on it!  Woo Hoo!

Don't quite have a house to sell, per se.  Have approximately a house's worth of stuff to sell, and have been doing so for quite some time now.  Slowly but surely, this place is starting to feel more spacious.

Have utilized two free credit-reporting websites to build my own personal credit rating and have freed up a big chunk for the move, as well as ordering a replacement cover for my Sleep Number bed, to be delivered to a friend in California before we arrive.  The "ticket" has been bought, so to speak!  (Or, for those in the know, "that pasta's been purchased.")

In FIVE weeks, we will be in Florida, visiting with Daddy.  We'll take a couple days out of that visit to catch up with some relocated- and retired- Cali friends.  Then, in a little over SIX weeks (from today), we'll celebrate Stephen's Mum's BIG SEVEN-OH for a couple of days and then

HEAD

HOME

to

LOS ANGELES

where we'll be "forever," as of July 1st.

No stand-up routines in our foreseeable future, though. ;)

Remind me to weigh myself in the morning

I know, I know... I can hear Mommy, too.  "Don't forget to weigh yourself in the morning!"

The past couple of weeks have brought significant changes to my life.  Namely, warmer weather and increased activity.  Not to mention a new habit of consuming more water.  I still can't stand plain, flat, still, unflavored or unbubbly water, but I have an electrolyte powder that I add at a ratio of ~1/4 serving size, so I get SOME flavor (ruby red, yummmm), not a lot of sugar, and added vitamins and minerals, and I'm able to consume about 2 quarts of that each day.  That's an increase of about two quarts of water per day from before I started the habit.

I want to weigh myself (IN THE MORNING) because I really feel like I am probably down from my "ugly number" weight, which has also been called "winter" weight and "unemployed-and-bored" weight.  I don't tend to sweat (I think I've told you this before) unless I am really exerting myself and/or the climate is ungodly hot/humid.  I've spent the better part of the last couple of weeks lugging heavy things down the stairs and up into a step-van for flea marketing, rearranging furniture in the house and then vacuuming the empty spaces, and walking my ebay packages to the post office 1.5 miles away, all in hot and humid weather.  So I've been sweatin' like a mo-fo.

Today, after I helped my buyer get her "new-for-her" chest freezer down my stairs and into her vehicle, I did a little rearranging and vacuuming, of course.  Then I walked to the post office with two more packages.  I had a nice, big water bottle with me, as well, and walking TO the post, I had a good headwind.  Coming back, while waiting for a light to change, I had a conversation with the ladies in the vehicle sitting there.

"You working out?  You look good!"  "Oh, thank you, no, just walking."  (Thumbs up in both directions.)

As I crossed through the light, I realized that anyone who is walking 3 mph or better AND carrying a water bottle is "working out."  So, I guess, yeah.  I'm working out.  And thinking, "Gonna get home and blog and hope that y'all will remind me to weigh myself IN THE MORNING."