Flaming Fish

I got a really cool new fish the other day. I have just discovered the exciting new world of guppies. I even joined the IFGA (International Fancy Guppy Association--yeah, I never just get an animal. I have to get all into it.) Here's a picture of 'snake eyes' my male red/yellow cobra guppy:

The area that looks white is just the flash, that area is actually yellow on his tail and dorsal fin. It looks like a flame.

Weight Obsessed

Exactly why are we so obsessed with people's weight? Tyra Banks is defending her weight gain in nationwide media--the woman still weighs less than a toothpick, but of course as a 'super model' a toothpick is a fatty. We have built expectations of human physical shape to extremes that are easily as unhealthy as the opposite of over-weight. It's beautiful to be thin, nothing else will do. Yet, more than half of America is overweight (and I'd bet a good portion of the rest of the world too). It's actually more natural. The body wants to store fat for protection. The problem there is for most of us, there's nothing to protect it from. Our homes are heated in the winter, air conditioned in the summer and starvation is fairly unlikely in most of the modern world. The big drawback--in my opinion--is that we've lost the abiilty to love and accept each other for who we are. No matter what. Tyra Banks hardly needs to defend her body, it's gorgeous just the way it is, but so is everyone else.

An Ageold Tradition

I remember it from my childhood. Back when television was four regular channels, and one local channel. 'Here she comes, Miss America.' Back then it was even more of a national event I think. There weren't as many shows to get excited about, and a national beauty contest was quite a thrill, not to mention for most people's thoughts, quite an honor. Beauty pagents have taken their hits over the years since then mostly in regards to exploitation, but in reality they do a lot to advance the lives of the young women who take part in them from scolarships to travel opprotunity to careers in the entertainment world. There's also been a lot said for the backstabbing and even dirty tricks between the contestants of such high-profile contests, but that could be said about just about every form of competition sadly, so it's not really fair to judge a beauty pagent by such things.

All in all the fact that the 2007 contestants are gearing up in Vegas for the 86th (yes 86th!) running of the Miss America pagent is still a thrilling and prideful event. I hope Illinois wins!

Energize me

Fans of the late Jimi Hendrix are all in a snit over the 'selling out' of his name for a new energy drink. What's the big deal? All this nonsense over the idea of 'selling out' is crazy. Everyone needs to make a living somehow. As long as the method is honest, and doesn't hurt anyone else, leave them alone. They're not hurting Jimi in anyway whatsoever by using his name to sell a product, and they're danged sure not hurting those fans. In fact, it just might give Hendrix's old records a boost in sales. There's an entire generation of kids and young adults now who did not grow up in the 'Woodstock' era who probably only barely heard of Hendrix if at all. Now, with a little creative advertising, his name will be in the forefront again, and a whole new group of people may listen to the music just to find out what made him popular enough for an energy drink to use his name. (Of coruse, an energy drink is not where Mr. Hendrix got HIS energy.)

I Knew It

An article on Yahoo this morning says that coffee makes you smarter! The caffene in coffee boosts your brain cells, now I have an excuse. Hey it's a painkiller too. It's the new wonder drug!

You have to love it though, science says one thing, then a few years later says another. I remember when eggs and butter were bad, then it was eggs are actually good for you, and margerine is the real baddie in the cholesterol wars and butter is a good thing. They really can't make up their minds. Sometimes I wonder how much of it depends on the individual mind of the scientist doing the studies. I mean where their allegences lie. Sort of like (yeah, I'm gonna say it) the Bible. Just about anyone can 'make it say' anything they want. I remember my father being particularly good at picking out a certain passage out of content and making it fit whatever situation he wanted it to help him out in.

That's sort of like science. If they want it to be good, they can find a way to make it good. If they want it to be bad, they can make it look that way too.

I hope they like caffene for awhile though. It will make the last half of my life very plesant indeed.

Time To Not Spare

There are only twenty-four hours in a day. I think most of us have known that for our entire lives. I still somehow can't seem to get things done in one day that need to be done. I think it's time to prioitize what I'm doing. I've kind of started that by actually paying attention to the things that bring me the greatest joys, or the best finaincial return, or both. It's hard to say 'goodbye' to other things though. Do you ever feel like you're hanging on to something just because it feels strange to let it go. Like since you were doing it you should keep doing it? I think I'm getting there with the editing job. It's something that feels strange to let go, but it sure doesn't bring the joys I thought it would except on rare occassion and it's much, much, much more work than it is reward in either of the above catagories. Still, it's hard to just let it go. Time is forcing the issue on me though, and being ill lately has made that time even more valuable. I think it's time to just bow out--gracefully or not.

Up and Down

My days and my nights are all messed up. That's what happens I guess when you've been ill and spending a lot of time either in bed, or convalesing on the couch in front of the tv half asleep and drugged out on cold medicine. Last night I was up at 11 pm after tossing and turning. I even came on line and posted a bit for as long as I could manage to stay up before my head felt like it would explode from the effort. I need to get up and come on line to feel even a little human each day. The weird part is after being sick for several days it feels really strange to not be here all day long. The first day is a relief. You just want to be sick and relax. The next day you just can't help staying in bed. After that though it drives you nuts. At least it does me.

No Dream For Dreamgirls

I can not believe the Oscar committee snubbed Dreamgirls for an award in any catagory. You guys know I love musicals, and any movies dealing with the music industry and Dreamgirls was really good in its depictation of an era and group coming of age in the jungle of the music business. Up until the very end everyone though Dreamgirls was going to be a shoe in for best picture, but it got swept out completely. Heavy sigh. I guess the entertainment industries don't like looking at themselves as much as we like looking at them.

A Fish Eye View

On my blog Writer's Corner I vented a bit about unsuitable fish tanks, and 'fashion' tanks being unfit for live animals. I've only just begun to restock a tank again after many, many years away from the hobby. It's a lot of work and there's a lot to go into a proper tank set up.

Here's a picture of my new 10-gallon tank, and a couple of the fishy inhabitants.

I'm still cycling this tank through it's set up so there are only a few fish in it, but they're doing well on the 50% water changes every other day to control the nitrites in the water as it's biological adjustment continues.

Who Wears The Pants?

Well not men anymore... at least if the fashion gurus have their say. Leggins are back in style. It's not just for Robin Hood and his Merry Men anymore. Not if Marni's new line is any indication as male models strutted down the strip in Milan on Wednesday wearning the new fashion craze for men. I wonder just how well that will go over with the 'common' man. I mean look at what female fashion models wear--how often do you see a female lawyer strutt into court wearing something Iman has twirled around in on the runway? Or the waitress at the corner greasy spoon weaving through tables wearing something from Donatella?

Let's face it, I don't think we'll be walking into any boardrooms soon seeing this image--

Hacking Isn't a Cough

They're looking for you. If they find you, you can lose your identity. Sounds like a sci-fi channel special rather than a real life circumstance, but yesterday's science fiction movie is today's reality.

Check out this article on myths about windows passwords. I'm going to have to rethink some of my passwords. I've kind of fallen for a couple of the myths such as using random strings of letters and numbers vs words, and my passwords are rarely over 15 characters long, my memory is too short. I do however keep a very detailed log of my passwords because there are so darned many of them, but it's a pain to have to look up each one every time I need to use them. One thing the article didn't say is if it's safe to use the computer memory to remember passwords. Anyone know if that's secure or not?

Ted Nugent Is Still Making Waves

He may not have Cat Scratch Fever anymore, and he may be older than dirt... or at least older than me so that qulaifies as older than dirt, but he can still rile the hackles of the conservatives--even those that are his friends.

Apprarently Gov. Rick Perry chose Ted Nugent to play at his 2nd tern inagural ball in good ole boy Texas and Teddy ripped on non-English speaking people, had machine guns as props, and wore a confederate flag.

Now in Texas I can't see the machine guns making anyone grimmace, but half of that state is non-English speaking even if the good ole' boys do rule, but Teddy what were you thinking with the Confederate flag?

Not For Me

I tried the Blockbuster online rental service and it's a really cool concept. I have to admit that I liked getting the dvd's in my mailbox, and like the convienience of returning them postage paid the same way, and the fact that there's no time limit on keeping them. Sounds like a good deal, right? Yeah, but the problem is I was really overall disappointed in their selection. This is Blockbuster--I really thought they'd have everything you could possibly imagine. New releases aren't something I'm all that interested in. I buy those as they come out and have an extensive library. I'm more interested in older movies that I either have on VHS but don't watch that way very often anymore, or can't easily find. Either that or movies that I wouldn't necessarily purchase but want to see. They really didn't have a great selection at all in either of those areas.

Of those that they did have I was even less impressed with the fact that most were rented out and I had to wait in line to get them. Now it's convienent enough, I can just add them to my que and when they come in Blockbuster will ship them out. I don't have to keep going back and checking or anything, but this is Blockbuster--(I know I keep saying that, but I think that's the biggest source of my disappointment) I really expected them to have a vast store of the selections. Perhaps I am asking too much of them... but they're Blockbuster.

Sympathy For Me

Well not really, but I just rented a movie from Blockbuster.com where you can get your movies delivered to your door and send them back at no cost for shipping. That part's really cool. I ordered 3 movies. So far I've only watched one.

If you really like music documentaries like I do you'll see why I chose the one I just watched. It's an obscure documentary about the Rolling Stones 'Sympathy For The Devil'. On that level it's REALLY cool. Lots and lots of behind the scenes footage of the Stones in the recording studio developing one of my all time favorite songs. That's why I ordered the movie.

The downside is it's really a political documentary in disguise. The director chose the music format of the Rolling Stones to dig into his views of the 60's political and sociological atmosphere. Now that too is interesting and I might have liked a movie like that just fine. The problem for me is this movie, named after the song: 'Sympathy For The Devil' is like watching two seperate movies cut and spliced together in random order flashing back and forth between the two in a sort of disjointed conglomeration.

I still enjoyed watching it, but I was rather put off by the method chosen to present the two ideas.

If you ever get the chance to pick it up and watch, let me know if you agree.

Sammy Hitting Another Homer?

This is going to drive my son insane with joy. His favorite baseball player of all time is attempting to make a comeback. Sammy Sosa has impressed the Rangers coach, but they say he'll still have to earn his spot on the Texas Rangers team. Bobby will be thrilled, even if it's not with his beloved Cubs, Sammy may even make him switch allegiances if he gets on the Texas team.

A Sport I Can Do!

I found a sport I could really be a pro at! Right now it looks like I'd have to move to Canada to take part in 'real' games though. It has to catch on sooner-or-later here in the States though.

Canada has a real honest-to-goodness Pillow Fight League. Really, I'm not kidding. Stacey Case decided there would be people willing to pay to see grown women kicking each other's a@@ with fluffy pillows. I can do that! It is sure more appealing than mud wrestling.

Crack Down On Identity Theft--Get The Info You Need

Have you ever wondered how identity theft on the computer works? Read this article by Animal called 'Phishing For Your Identity' and learn how to spot online crooks, and those phoney emails that make you think a valid account is in jeopardy. This is important information that could save you a ton of trouble and headaches, not to mention your self-esteem.

Driving Etiquette

I'm on a pet peeve kick today. Maybe it's the cold weather but things are getting on my nerves easier than usual. Driving down the highway requires a certain type of etiquette. If you are going to bother to speed up to jump around someone and pass them, proper etiquette would lead one to assume you are going to continue on at that rate of speed... or at least faster than the person you just passed.

Just this morning I was moving along at a fairly good clip. I won't incriminate myself and tell you exactly how fast I was going, but lets just say it was a sight above the posted limit, but in keeping with the traffic around me when this guy in a big old SUV decided I wasn't going fast enough to suit him. So, on a rather busy two-lane highway he sped up and darted around me, narrowly missing confrontation (literally) with an on-coming car in the other lane, and then promptly slowed down once he was in front of me until we were both very much under the speed limit.

Was this just for kicks? I'd like to know. There has to be a reason beyond stupidity for it.

Weather Woes Hit The East

Okay, I'm not going to complain about the 1" of snow on the ground, or the freezing cold weather outside today. I had up until I read about the east coast and their troubles from this latest winter storm that left 46 people dead in 7 states.

I despise winter, but I have to readjust my thinking to being happy to be alive and healthy when I'm merely inconvienienced by bad weather knowing many others are enduring life-threatening storms, or dying in them. From now on, the glass is half-full even if it is frozen.

70 is just a number

I'm not a big NASCAR fan. I'm not much of a sports fan of any kind although I do enjoy watching horse races now and then. But I may just have to cheer on 72 year old James Hylton when he takes his spot in the Daytona 500 this year.

Yeah he's coming out of retirement to prove a point. He says he doesn't expect to win, just show other 70'ish year-olds that you're never too young to try. God Bless him and more power to him.

Get What You Write---Read

I really like this article. I found an article on Associated Content called 'The Seven Deadly Sins Of Writing For The Web'. Actually the title is longer, but that was enough to catch my eye. In it the first point of contention was something I brought up just a few days ago on my writer's blog about deadly titles being 'fuzzy' or not conveying the topic well. My point was search engine optimization so people could find the articles, but this writer brings up the point of even grabbing the interest of anyone who might see it without search engines if the title isn't clear enough.

He goes on to make several other really good points about grabbing 1st paragraphs and other things. It's a good article to read if you're interested in writing articles that get read online.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

An article on Yahoo says that when you break up with an ex you should make a 'contract' not to call. That calling only makes breaking up harder, last longer, the hurt go deeper, and may even force a reconcilliation when it wouldn't be a good thing to do.

I agree with the reconcilliation part, but should you really not be able to call someone you've had a close relationship with? I'm not talking about a couple of dates that went sour. I'm talking about you've broken up with someone you've had a serious, long-term relationship with. Does breaking up mean you should never speak to them again? Never ask for advice, or help even if you know they're the perfect person to provide it?

I know sometimes there are people that can't take that just at face value and assume that means the other person needs/wants them in their life again, but it's hard to accept it should be that way. Maybe it is a good idea to never talk to that estranged person again. It's sad that it should be so permanent though. That it's not possible to be friends after a break. I know some people who are, but perhaps it requires a certain level of maturity--or maybe they're just fooling themselves and they're not as broken up as they think.

Getting Old? Try Double Speak.

Boy I wish I'd kept up with my Russian. Studies are now saying that if you are Bi-Lingual and speak both languages fluently and use them daily in your every day life you have a better chance of delaying dementia as you grow old.

I think it's too late for me--the process has already started I'm pretty sure. But I'm digging out my old Russian books just in case there's still hope.

Johnny Depp is A Spy

Or he will be in the new movie he's set to appear in. What got me most after reading the headline on Yahoo and thinking, 'Oh cool, I love Johnny' was...

Why can't I fall into deals like this? Director Michael Mann spent 1.5 MILLION dollars to buy the rights to the book about a former Russian agent BEING... that's right BEING co-written by his wife.

The book isn't even finished yet and Michael Man shelled out 1 and a half MILLION dollars for it.

Hey Mikey, I have a couple in progress. Wanna see?

Johnny Depp is A Spy

Or he will be in the new movie he's set to appear in. What got me most after reading the headline on Yahoo and thinking, 'Oh cool, I love Johnny' was...

Why can't I fall into deals like this? Director Michael Mann spent 1.5 MILLION dollars to buy the rights to the book about a former Russian agent BEING... that's right BEING co-written by his wife.

The book isn't even finished yet and Michael Man shelled out 1 and a half MILLION dollars for it.

Hey Mikey, I have a couple in progress. Wanna see?

Yvonne De Carlo Passes away

I just happened to cruise through msn today. I don't often go to their home page but I saw that Yvonne De Carlo passed away. That's such sad news. She was so much fun to watch as Lily Munster. I grew up with her on my tv screen, and even a few times played it out on Holloween with her as my childhood inspiration for horror.

It's hard to explain exactly why we're so saddened by the deaths of people we've never personally met, but actors, actresses, and musicians become such a vivid part of our lives that it does touch us when things happen to them, and when the pass away.

Some things, however, you don't find out until after they're gone. Well in the past anyway. The actors and actresses of the past didn't have the Internet to deal with and spread their gossip. I didn't know that De Carlo was known to have had affairs with such people as Howard Hughes, Burt Lancaster and Billy Wilder. Nowadays everyone would know it. LOL But back then only those active in that society would probably have known. It may have leaked to papers and such, but even tabloids weren't as active back in the 60' and 70's as they are today.

Just on a side note: boy that Howie. For a recluse he really got around.

A Bomb In Every Home

Man, the world is such a scary place. I know it's a centuries old problem, and it's been like that since ages past, but I think it's the news and how easily accessed it is that makes it seem even scarier now.

Bombs at our front door. Not literally perhaps, but via our television, websites, and radio we know all there is to know about every countries dirty little secrets, and explosive devices, and how they use them.

I wonder how terrifying life will be in twenty more years? How much closer can it come.

Wait. Don't answer that.

Stop On By Sometime

Hey guys don't forget to check out my other blogs. Tami Parrington, and Author Eater. You know I love to keep busy, and they all keep me busy. I also have The Write Low Down that I'm working on developing. I'm also trying to figure out a blog on my own domain. That's proving a bit trickier though. I do so love blogspot, and even live journal better than the more difficult and harder to update self-hosted one.

Lose Weight With Cookies?

I'm not sure I'm sold on this one. Is there really such a thing as a cookie diet? I don't think so... luckily they don't either, but they will give you plenty of tips on how to manage that new year's resolution to lose weight the right way. Would be nice if they did discover a cookie diet. I'd be on that like white on rice, and lose weight easily. Too bad it's not really that simple.

Walking Into A Headache

I got up this morning (a little late, shame on me) and walked straight into a headache. A big turmoil in one of the companies I work for as a writer/author/editor. I think one of the most common problem folks can develope is the disillusionment that they are irreplaceable. None of us is. It's okay to decide you want to walk away from something, but wrong if you think you're leaving will destroy a company. I see it all the time and not just online. Having worked in the 'real' (lol) work force for what seems like centuries, although it was only about 20 years, I often saw people quit in a huff over some silly row that was taking place. More often than not they felt that their leaving would cause the company some great distress. Occassionally it would cause upheaval and a bit of a crunch on fellow employees--note: the owners were rarely affected much--only those left to hold up the stray ends until someone else was hired to fill the void.

If you leave a job in a great big fit of rage try to calm down first and decide if it's what you really want to do. You're not hurting anyone else, make sure you're not hurting yourself either.

French fries kill more people than guns and sharks

That was the line that got me the most in the article on Yahoo today called: Fear Can Cost You Money.

The article made several great points about why it's safer, and smarter to invest your hard earned dollars that stashing them in a savings account. Still... risky is scary no matter how you fry it.

Cover Art

One of the most important aspects of selling novels is the cover art. But what's an author to do when the cover art that is presented to her doesn't match the theme or style of the novel she's created. First off she should state her point clearly and consisely after she's had a moment to calm down from the screaming fit she's probably had for hours after first seeing the work.

Then it's time for damage control. Hopefully the art department of the publisher she's at will produce something more fitting, but if they don't it's time to get out the heavy artillary and re-work the promotion scheme. She's probably going to have to go well out of her way to sell the premise of the book to readers who won't be able to tell it from the cover. If she has an audience already she's probably going to have to convince them the cover artist was on drugs when they did her book and it really IS what she's saying it is. Believe it or not, the existing audience can be harder to convince than the passerby.

Luckily for writers the Internet has made communication with our fanbase even easier than ever before, and a whole lot faster. So if you hit a brick wall on a cover that is not going to sell your book... get talking.

Taking My Time

You know what I did today?

Don't laugh. Are you sitting down? Of course you are, you're at your computer readig this so you're sitting down. I exercised!

Yep, me. Now I don't run. If you ever saw me attempt it you'd know why. You'd probably gouge your eyes out from the experience. I haven't had a chance to get that bike yet. Hopefully soon because I like that better, but for the time being I have set aside a half hour a day for a nice, refreshing walk. For the most part at this time it's rather leisurely, but I did do the last two blocks in a 'power walk' style to get my heart pumping harder (that really didn't take more than a few steps, but I forged on.)

Afterwards I felt--

Good.

I think this might actually catch on. I wonder if anyone else knows about it.

Twenty Years

Computers and gadgets enhance our lives but sometimes drive us insane while doing so. Can you remember when you didn't have a personal computer? It's such a long time ago I can barely remember myself. I do know that a little over 20 years ago most of us wouldn't have even stopped to conceive of the possibility of having a computer in our house, much less one that would sit on our desk, and occupy so much of our time.

Computers were huge room hogging machines that companies had, and you had to have a specialist to run them. Usually a team of specialists that spoke a foreign language known to no 'country' on earth, but privy only to a select few of the intellectually elite. Twenty years is not that long of a time period. Can you imagine what unthinkable advances will be commonplace twenty years from now?

The Smack Down

I have spent the better part of all day sitting here working... hovering about waiting for opprotunities and they've been sparse. Actually they've been non-existant. I think everybody took Sunday off but me. However, exactly ten minutes ago suddenly ops started popping up everywhere. I mean it went wild.

What happened?

My server went down.

Yup. Right smack in the middle of the fray. I nearly lost everything. However I was able to come back and get a few ops and feel okay about it. Let me tell you--for a few minutes there I was willing to smack this computer with a hammer.

Mom's Spots

I know there are lots of you stay at home mom types out there. I'm 'techincally' a stay at home mom, since I do stay at home, and I am a mom... even though my children are long grown and living on their own now. I wanted to share a couple of cool new message boards I've found in my cruisings lately. (They themselves are not new, they've been around a while and are very well populated... they're just new to me.)

The first one is Amity Mom, and the other is MotheringDotCommune, both are really great places, and even have spots for those of us with grown children. They're active too, unlike some Internet 'graveyard' forums that are lucky to get one or two posts a day (if that), they will keep you hoping with their constantly moving threads.

BlogStory Tami

Let’s write a blog story. Here’s how it works. I start with the first word below. Then you take that word and add another one and post it to a blog entry on your blog with these instructions. Then add the link to your part of the story to another person’s blog comment area like I did with the link to your blog added to the list. Anyone can end a sentence, but whoever does must start the next sentence with the next word. Please keep it family friendly. My start is so original! LOL Keep the story called BlogStory YOUR NAME - so we can track it through Technorati and/or Google.

Start of story:

Dark as

End of Story

Story participants:
http://www.snarkthenews.com
http://misswritenow.blogspot.com

Sometimes You Hit A Snag

Well there must have been a snag. The new edition of Erotic Dreams was supposed to be available earlier this week (by the 2nd at the latest I heard) but it's not up yet--at least that I can find. Part I of my new story Love Sucks was one of the submissions to be in the January edition of ED. I am anxious to see it come out. I haven't heard anything about what's going on to delay it. I hope it's nothing serious. I just finished emailing the owner over there. I sure hope everything is all right with her. I hope to be able to tell you all to check out the latest edition real soon.

Quality That Lasts A Lifetime

Getting really nice furniture at affordable prices is a thorn in my side all the time. I'm constantly on the lookout for great deals since I have quite a bit of space to fill in my home, and furniture that is wearing out rapidly.

Great Priced Furniture has bedroom furniture for wonderful prices and the quality and beauty of the pieces is unspeakable.

They also have financing available at no interest! Good quality furniture will last for years and is a great investment to your quality of life. My bedroom furniture now is older than I am having been inherited from my Grandmother. It's beautiful and will always be 'in style'. GreatPricedFurniture.com has other fantastic furniture as well and offers many styles and colors to please every taste.

Check them out today for your home furnishings.

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

I can't for the life of me remember what movie or television show that little ditty is from. I'll probably remember as soon as I log off and go to bed. It's stuck in my mind though.

Happiness is a state of mind. I've always felt that way. Some people will always be a glass is half full type personality, while others see it as half empty. It seems to me though, that even being the half full type of person, it's easy to forget how good life is as you go through everyday frustrations. Even the smallest of things can put a damper on what is really a fantastic experience. I have to stop myself a lot and tell myself to take a closer look. Things are really pretty good. I get so caught up in what I'm doing at the moment and making it work, or ironing out problems that occassionally those overwhelm the fact that the actual job, or situation is really excellent and I'm having fun.

Do you ever get like that? When you suddenly realize that you're all frustrated, and anxious while doing something you actually really love? Is it a matter of caring so much, and wanting it to be perfect rather than sitting back and letting it be what it is?

Maybe that's it. At least for me. I need to sit back and love the experience for what it is instead of making it 'better' because it's already good.

Child's Play?

It's kind of scary. You can't even really be sure you're safe in your own home. I've heard of stories of man-made items crashing into houses. Cars, planes, etc... and that's scary enough, but how about a rock from outter space? I found this on my opening screen this morning and while in all fairness nobody knows for certain it is a rock from outter space, it sure is from somewhere and it doesn't look particularly man-made.

I had to like the one neighbor's comment at the end about it being the most exciting thing to happen around the neighborhood in the time he'd lived there, but he was glad it wasn't HIS house. How typical. Cool, so long as it didn't happen to me. At least the man who lived in the house wasn't home when the rock hit--now to find out what intergalactic child is throwing rocks at our houses.

E-baby-baby-baby

Nope... sorry to report that the companies I spoke about earlier today in regards to the Ebay sales distributors just aren't going to pan out for me. Some do. I've heard of, and known people who have had great success being 'power sellers' using these companies as warehousers and drop-shippers... I don't see it being for me. I spent the better part of today researching, trying out, and learning these new sites... alas, some things are best left to those with more patience and skill than I have. Ebay is a complicated world.

E-baby

Just recently I decided to check out the possibility of doing some selling on Ebay for profit. I know lots of folks who do it part-time and make quite a bit of cash in their spare time. (What? Spare time? Who has that?) What I didn't know until just yesterday just how many companies are set up to be a 'middle-man' for Ebay entrepenuers. There's Doba and BidFuel just to name a couple that I came across yesterday in my research. They're pretty amazing really. They have the product--you sell it--they ship it out and do all the manual grubby work like that for you. All you do is sit at your computer and write up the listings.

So far I'm leaning a little towards the Doba site but I haven't made any real commitments yet. I signed up for both Doba and BidFuel's free trials and am checking out the possibilities. I like that with the Doba one you don't pay upfront for their items, although their monthly membership is a tad pricey they have a deal going on now that significantly reduces that which is cool. I just spoke on the phone with one of their reps to get more information and they were very accomodating and helpful.

I'll let you know more as I get more info on this exciting and complicated business of Ebay'ing.