You know how if you go out searching for a particular item you never find it? Really, if you are looking for something it seems you can't find anything! Well, I happened to stop in to one of my local Goodwill stores and I wasn't looking for a thing, so what does that mean? It means that is exactly when you find stuff!
I got a brand new, never worn before, pair of bunny slippers for 1.99. Now I do need a new pair of slippers and I tried these on and they fit and they are cute as can be, so I got them. I never wear outside street shoes inside my house, so I have slippers on my feet 90% of the time. I would love to get to the point where I have a set of slippers by the front door for everyone to wear when they come in, just like the Japanese. It is comfortable, it instantly makes people feel like they are at home, and it keeps outside dirt and crud being tracked all over your floors. Win, win, and win.
I love finding things when I am not purposefully looking for them. The thrill of the unexpected, I guess. Ebay has taken a LOT of the fun out of collecting. Instead of finding one really fun unique item on a trip you have saved up for all year, now the whole world is available on your computer screen anytime you want. It is convenient; just not as much fun.
So, when I was at Goodwill I kept noticing all the things there that I currently have in my own home. You know what I mean? Same thing at antique stores and estate sales, I always notice the things they have that I already have. What does this mean? Do other people think that stuff is now crap and needs to go away? Is my stuff now vintage? Is it collectable? Should I start watching how much it goes for?
I also went in to my favorite used bookstore and asked about their policy on taking items. They sell books, albums, movies, books on tape, that sort of thing. And get this, due to the economy being in the toilet they no longer BUY your books; now they only give in-store credit. wtf? She told me, "Yeah, people were coming in here trying to sell books so that they could buy FOOD. So we changed our policy and just give credit now. But it's WAY better because we give like, twice the credit we used to. So this is really good for you". Okay . . . . . Now I really wanted to say WTF? If her customers are so hard up that they need to sell books to get food, why is this something she thinks they should ban and make it even harder on them? Double the credit is only good if you can eat the book! I completely failed to get the logic on this one. And you know what? When the economy does turn around, you think those customers who were turned away will come back and start spending money in this store? I don't. And I wouldn't blame them. I was actually thinking of lightening my shelves of some of the old VHS tapes, DVD's that we don't watch any more and getting rid of some more books. But my motivation is to increase my savings account, so doing business with this store won't accomplish this goal. So I will check out another store and see how that goes. Sadly, I think my favorite used book store might not be my favorite any more.
Anyhoo, I got way off topic there. What I did find at the bookstore that I wasn't looking for but was really happy to find is 2 issues of Bon Apetit that are the November Thanksgiving issues. I have been collecting the Thanksgiving issues for a number of years now and make a HUGE production every year of reading them all and planning a whole new menu for Thanksgiving dinner. The trouble is the November issues come out in the end of September and by the middle of October they are gone. And I have missed some of them. But there were a whole slew of Bon Apetit and 2 of the Thanksgiving issues I don't own. So, for less than 4.00 I have a ton of new Thanksgiving recipes to work with for next year.
Tonight is Mah Jongg game night so I am off to scope out the new Bon Apetit magazines to see if there is a fun snacky thing to make and take. I think I will put on my new bunny slippers and sit on the couch and look at the Bon Apetit and enjoy an hour! It's a good day!
if you need any issues of Gourmet or Bon Apetit from the last 4 years or so, we can probably help you out :)
ReplyDeletefunny to read about your finding new things... what went out of the house to accommodate them?
LOL at eating the book. That really is sad that they changed their policy, and especially for her to state that it was because people were hard-up for food. Hello, heartless!
Good point on what is leaving now that new things have come in! I guess I should have shared that as well.
ReplyDeleteOf course since I got new slippers, some old slippers have to go. I can't come up with a single thing to do to re-purpose them so I guess they have to go to the trash. :(
As far as the 2 new Bon Apetit issues go, I have a stack of old magazines about 18 inches high I need to get rid of. I think I will take them to a women's shelter I do some work with. I bet they would like to read them and then pass them on.
And I couldn't believe the lady at the bookstore was being like that. Since it was after I had checked out I couldn't do the indignant huff and walk out without giving her my business. But I am going to think long and hard about going back. In their defense, I should say that they are a HUGE cat rescue group and are spending tons of their own money to feed and house cats till they can get them adopted out. So they do good in the community. Apparently not with humans, though!