My eBay Garage Sale

This was my plan. I've got a bunch of stuff. Why don't I sell it on eBay? I'll take pictures, buy a scale so I can estimate shipping. . . put all my stuff on an eBay page, title it Edem's Garage Sale. . .people can come and browse and buy my stuff. It was a brilliant plan.

Except eBay doesn’t work that way.

You can only list 10 items at a time. And the listing time is limited.

And if you sell some but not all of your items during the listing period, it reduces the number of items you can list or re-list. That is, not only is there a 10 item list limit, you can only sell 10 items per month.

The first week I listed 10 items on eBay, I sold 3. This meant I could list 7 items the next week. I sold one from that batch. Which left me 6 slots for the next week. And so on. It's a bit confusing, I know.

Still, I was excited to sell 10 items my first month on eBay. I had listed a total of 25 – a 40% sale rate! That's pretty good, eh? (This second month, I've only sold 6 out of 18…I'm slippin'.)

The hardest part about selling on eBay is the shipping. Even with the scale, I was still over- and under- charging. I've since learned to weigh an item in its packaging before I list it.

See, anything under 13 ounces is First Class. And the packaging – even a seemingly weightless envelope – makes a difference. Not much ($3.14 vs $3.30), but I'd rather not overcharge if I can help it.

Then there's Priority Mail. The cheapest is the $5.15 flat rate envelope or small box. . .but nothing I sell is small and heavy. Then there are the rest of the flat rate boxes - $11.35 for medium, $15.45 for the large. Perfect for heavy things. But most of my stuff would go in a plain Priority box or envelope. Those start at around $5.30, with the actual price depending on weight and destination.

Of course, one doesn't know an item's destination until said item is sold.

It's a bit of an investment, selling on eBay. There's the time for taking decent photos (and the discipline not to run out and buy a fancy camera). There's describing the item – the brand, material, color, dimensions…whatever will help a buyer know what they're getting. There's buying the shipping materials.

You've gotta be motivated to keep doing this thing.

Olympic Musings

It's not too late for these, right?

About the Opening Ceremony

Hey! I know that song (Bread of Heaven). But we sing it very differently where I'm from.

Hey! It's Kenneth Brannaugh! I don't know what he's saying, but it must be Shakespeare. Because it's Kennth Brannaugh!

ONE  RING  TO  RULE  THEM  ALL

Shh! It's 80's music! Stop commentating!

We love you J. K. Rowling.

Pobre Paul. I ain't mad atcha. Bring back the Arctic Monkeys.

About the Broadcast, Etc.

DVR + NBC Prime Time = Good watching. Because I don't need to see every beach volleyball match.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the medal count?

What do you mean this is the first time the US Olympic Team's outfits were made in China?

Lots of complaints about Ralph Lauren but no complaints about the Nike, whose gear our folks wear in the pool and on the track. None of it was made in the US, and Nike is as American as Ralph Lauren.

Oh, NBC. Why the 30 minute documentary about the Dream Team when you could've been showing us synchronized swimming? That's what I get for watching prime time coverage "live".

I am enjoying this hour of WWII history. Because I'm a nerd. But how are you going to transition from this sad to the happy of the Olympics? (Yes, NBC, I still think you should've shown synchronized swimming instead.)

About Diving

Thank you, NBC, for starting most of your prime time coverage with diving.

Is it me, or do some of the younger male divers need to pull up their trunks a bit? I'm looking at you, Tom Daly, Kristian Ibsen.

¡Viva Mexico! Who knew they were so good at this sport?

Seriously, though. I love you, Tom Daly. Please pull up your shorts.

About Women's Gymnastics

Ugh! The cameras are all up in their faces! Go away, go away (ironically, the only reason we see that the cameras are all up in the ladies faces is because   of a camera   all up   in the ladies faces.)

NBC. I know you love your super tight close up. But we do not need to see the contents a gymnast's nostril right before she does a complex run on the balance beam.

Of the people who have criticized Gabby Douglas' hair, how many of them actually know anything about black hair? Exactly. That's the sound of ignorance spouting foolishness.

Oops, my bad. Apparently quite a few know something about black hair. Great. Add trifling crabs in a barrel to my people's list of stereotypes.

I almost zipped past it. Did you see the gymnast from Bulgaria, who only does rings? Gray hair, Age 39(?), shaking hands with everyone when he got off the floor? Amazing.

About Swimming

Kromowidjojo. You know saying it makes you happy.

Michael Phelps is "The Greatest Olympian of All Time". Until Missy Franklin takes the crown.

I don't think one is great because of medal count. It is an achievement; props to Michael. But I hear the moniker and think of Dara Torres at the Beijing Olympics. Before one race, she asked an official to wait because one of her competitors wasn't ready. I think that type of sportsmanship is a better measure for determining "The Greatest Olympian".

You know a race is long when they come back from commercial and they're still swimming.

About Track & Field

What's with the fluorescent yellow shoes?

Seems like ½ the female sprinters have belly button studs.

Need ideas for baby names? Watch Olympic Track & Field. Particularly the field events.

You know it was a good year – I didn't even fast forward through the semi-finals. Only a little bit for some of the long distance races.

Closing Ceremony

Yay! George Michael! And one of my favorite songs at that!

Huh. None of the Annie Lennox/Eurythmics songs I know would've been happy enough for this occasion. Not even Sweet Dreams.

I Am The Walrus is the Beatles song everyone knows but me.

Wait. I recognize Naomi, and Kate Moss, and that lady from the WSJ magazine article who's in her 40s. But who are the other models? What are their names?

How are they gonna clear that giant octopus?

Nice Rolls, Jessie J.

Flesh colored body suit #1, with flowers – No.

Wait – there's a Vegas showgirl in the 1900s? Oh, never mind, it's Monty Python.

Play that guitar, homeboy from Queen!

Flesh colored body suit #2, with sequins – Better.

No, no, no Jessie J, don't air guitar. Don't. <sigh> Please stop.

I think someone dropped a line on Wannabe.

Wow. Rugby clubs have choirs.

Stop talking, commentators! I'm trying to watch the Brazilians dance!

Is that dude in…white face?

Is mack daddy wearing a white vinyl suit?

Ooo, has this part been Bossa Nova?

Bob Costas spent half the night talking about how The Who would be performing….and NBC never televised their set. Boo!