When it gets HOT in Arizona...

We decide to have a yard sale. Are we crazy? Maybe we are.

We spent the last two weekends sitting in the shade with icy non-alcoholic drinks, our little fanny packs strapped on with small bills inside, for change. While we didn't make much money, because America as a whole has no money to spend, we did get a chance to meet and greet with neighbors and passersby... and with the exception of one woman who spent her time screaming full blast at her unruly children, we had a great time schmoozing with the customers.

I would say our little yard sale / social experiment was a success. We cleaned out the shed and the garage, and will have a nice donation for the local thrift store. We decided upfront that we'd sell or give away the stuff we will absolutely never use again. Tools that we bought to use once; tools that we bought with hopes they would work properly and never did; things too heavy to lift, peculiar oddities I've rescued from dumpsters and swap meets, the kind of things we love but have no place for.

I've had a love affair with red glass for years. And copper. And things that make me laugh. I put these precious things out for sale, knowing people would snap them up.

But this particular yard sale was different. People wanted things for next-to-nothing....

If we'd had furniture- chairs, tables, dressers - we could have sold them all day long. Computer monitors? Not so much. Turns out, you can't even give those away.

Over the next week or so, we'll be packing up the leftovers for donation. At least we'll get a little tax deduction. I guess that's all we can hope for.

where's my Bailout?

Today GM said it may cut a bunch of its' workforce. It "lost" billions last year."Lost" - as in paid out more than they took in. "Lost" meaning paid out to employees, who then supported the economy with their paychecks. And also paid out in bonuses to CEOs, and who knows what happens with that- probably "lost" in the Caymans, or on Wallstreet, or at the Mercedes dealer...

Why are bonuses paid out for failure? Why are companies still in business when they don't show a profit? How does that work? I mean, after 3-4 years of negative numbers, how is it they still pretend to be viable?

Something here is just not right..

Random Thoughts

As soon as I say it, they'll probably be back, but: The Ants are Gone! for now. Which is a good thing.

Speaking of good things, I read where Martha Stewarts' company is predicted to be on the downhill side of the bell curve. Apparently making fancy stuff to sweeten up your home is becoming passe. When the economy falters, does that impact the crafting venue?
Folks have been crafting for hundreds of years, so I don't expect that to stop. But as finances tighten, disposable income fades. "Good things" cost money- more so than "Just OK" things... Walmart (the home of "Just OK") has a new logo and is said to be thriving in these tight times.They do have the advantage of offering everything in one place. It may not be what you'd really like, but at least you aren't spending wads of cash on gas to drive from store to store. And for some, that is a big deal.

I saw a really good paperback the other day, kind of like the "Whole Earth Catalog" from the 70's - all kinds of info to help you live off the land, or closer to the land at any rate. There are so many simple ways to cut costs and be "green" - things we used to do back then that saved us money. I thought- "Wow, maybe I'll check that out-" so I picked it up to thumb through.

The typeface was so small I would have had to use a magnifying glass to read it. Sadly, I set it back on the shelf.