in the great purge of august 2003 we have found creative ways to rid ourselves of excess belongings:
monday’s theme party: come with some booze, leave with some stuff.
guests provided the beer and wine, since we’re too broke to be throwing parties just now, and in exchange, they got to leave with a party favor: bubble soap, a stuffed armadillo, nail polish, jingly belly chain and matching anklet, Flying M frisbee, travel yoga mat, Quiet Stylin’ hairdryer, tie-dye stationary, a handspring visor & accessories, a jewelry box that plays the Theme from Love Story…even a five disc CD changer and gold velvet vintage sofa were included in the deal. only, everyone wanted to take the cat home, instead. net gain: 5 weinhard’s and 1 hangover (andy’s).
Buffalo Exchange (buy-sell-trade boutique)
net gain: $27.70 and a nearly new pair of Franco Sarto heels
Rainbow Books
net gain: $17.56, but even they won’t buy the awful Lo’s Diary, this horrible horrible first novel in which the author attempts to create what Lolita’s diary might have looked like. i’m concerned that even goodwill will refuse it.
Computer Renaissance
1 pair of computer speakers, with subwoofer: $9 (sale pending)
YWCA
if i sneak up on the donation station early in the morning and leave my stuff on the doorstep, they probably can’t refuse to take that terrible novel.
my grandparent’s garage sale
total sales of my beanbag chair, glass head sculpture, empty jewel cases, and other useless bric-a-brac totaled $8.75. when you subtract the japanese dishes, tablecloth & matching napkins, and gameboy games that i/andy purchased from my grandparents, the net gain was $3.75.
my mother
unused flicks movie pass: $20
dan brown novel: $20
my haircut: $50 (my mother provides financial support for my gypsy lifestyle by way of nice things that i otherwise couldn’t buy for myself. moms are great that way.)
my co-worker, tim
fender acoustic guitar & pasteboard case: $125. finally, someone will play the guitar and i will be free of the guilt. i loved the guitar, it’s just that i have no musical talent whatsoever and find that to be discouraging.
net gain: $273.04 + 1 pair of shoes + 5 weinhard’s (now 3) + 1 hangover (now recovered) plus good karma for having given warm coats to cold kids at the women’s crisis center.