No money to burn.

Hmong Embroidered Wall Hanging - I've seen them framed :)

One of my frequented stores has reorganized lately. I was disoriented for a brief moment when the shoes weren't in their usual spot, but I got over it. I found a lovely vintage blue lace dress. It had a matching jacket sold separately, but the jacket had some food on it, so I didn't buy it.

It's a beautiful dress - I might just wear it if I have a nice event to attend :)

This particular store calls their employees/volunteers "disciples", and when they call them for lunch they say, "All disciples, it's time for lunch. Disciples, it's time for lunch." over the loudspeaker, and I smile whenever I hear it. Whenever I'm at the Salvation Army, if I ask any employee how they're doing, they say "blessed". I've heard it so often, I've stopped believing it and started saying, "really?"

I found three beautiful dresses yesterday at another store, and only ended up buying one, a lime green linen dress from Talbots. I'll wear it to work. I've accumulated a whole set of colored linen dresses for work. It's quite lovely to see them hung on my wall (I don't have a closet). I didn't buy the other two, because I didn't have anywhere to wear them, and it seemed inappropriate and decadent to buy dresses I didn't need. Also, I don't have money to burn, so it's really about that more than anything else.

Please take a moment to read the most recent news about Syria, and consider making a donation to MCC, currently providing direct aid to Syrian refugees.

Summer sandals :)

Vintage Hot Pink Dress with Tied Cap Sleeves and a Geometric Pattern

Now that I have a professional job, dressing is of utmost importance. So in thrift stores, I'm always looking for stuff to sell, but I've also got my eye out for clothing for myself. You wouldn't think it (ha!), but my thrifted finds often wear out sooner over later. Also, I'm terribly picky.

So I often spend time on eBay looking for deals on the finds of others. My current interest is sandals. I used to be terrified of my height, my figure, my female-ishness. But now I'm okay with it. Give me heels! Flowers on the toes! Even pink! I can handle it.

But I'm still working on my debt, which felt so possible to pay off next month, but a bunch of things came up this month, so that feels not-so-possible now. I'll have a few slow months in the summer work-wise, so now I feel less in-control, and that always messes me up a bit.

But the sandals...oh, the sandals!

Cover your damn mouth.

Awesome old Starbucks mosaic coffee travel tumbler :)

My friend, who works at a thrift store (to be distinguished from my thrift store friends, an entirely different category), has had an unfortunate number of encounters with fecal matter in her work. From people pooping in dressing rooms, to finding poop in donated clothing, working at a thrift store is a neverending battle with possible disease and the ever-present possibility of upchucking.

I've experienced vomiting children several times. There's nothing like walking into a thrift store, and smelling vomit. Lately, I've been on high alert for coughing children, the ultimate disease carriers. I'm trying to avoid the flu, and every time I see a child coughing, I immediately feel afraid and try to avoid them. And unfortunately, there are a lot of sick people around these parts. When I went out into the country last week, there were signs everywhere warning of a scabies outbreak.

I don't think of myself as a germaphobe, but I think I might be becoming more aware of how susceptible I am to illness, and how important it is for me to protect myself from infection, viruses, etc.

Anyhoo, hope you weren't eating just now :)

I'm so cold!

This is part of a vintage yarn painting kit - um, Last Christmas anyone?

It started raining this week. I guess it's rainy season now, since it went from lovely spring temperatures for President's Day, which I spent at a bicycle race out of town, to today, where I only wore a sweater to work, and I looked awful because I was so cold. Someone even commented on it at the market where I was getting a burrito for lunch (my new favorite place - it's awesome and close to work), because I was chattering and moving back and forth trying to stay warm. Ridiculous. Totally ridiculous.

I have a small heater in my office, which gets used to abate the chill that occasionally takes over the room, and I kept it right next to me today, along with a cup of hot tea. If my appearance weren't so important at my job, I would wear a ski sweater, and a knit hat, and jeans, and boots every day. I can't even think about it - it sounds sooooooo nice.

I don't know why I'm so susceptible to hot and cold. I got over it a few years ago. Going on insulin made it livable in the summer, but the cold is definitely still difficult.

Maybe I'll start wearing a hat. I think that's a good compromise. I can rock a hat. I'm gonna need to start looking for some more hats then :)

Old sweatshirts

CVC Tuscon - Roadrunner mug (great color, huh?)

I always have good thinking time when I'm out walking around my neighborhood. It helps me get rid of nasty bad feelings, and start to dream a little bit. And then when I walk in my front door, it's all in the past, and I move on with my day, leaving all those dreams undone, ready to be picked up at a later time.

Tonight, I was thinking about old sweatshirts, you know, the sweatshirts you wear all the time when you're at home? The ones that are faded and holey? Well, I was always trying to get my hands on these when I was a kid. I dreamed of the day that I would have old sweatshirts that felt familiar and homey. I would take sweatshirts from my parents, but they hated that, so I was always left wanting more, my own hooded sweatshirt. Twas only a dream...

Anyhow, I was thinking that the reason for this wish was the familiarity of something old, something that had been around for a long time, something tangible that crossed over from place to place, that traveled with me through time. I wanted something to hold on to.

Anyhow, I now have sweatshirts like this, that are faded and torn. I remember the moment that I tore one particular sweatshirt. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and what I was feeling. It has history. As I get older, my things age with me, become more a part of me.

Thoughts of the day. Whatever. Peace out :)

People are animals!

There are few words to describe the past several days of my life. So I don't know if I'll try. All of it makes me feel very alone, and that cannot be helped.

But then some good things are happening, like I thrifted a lot yesterday. I bought Throwing Copper because I dunno, I had a seizure several years ago and got rid of all of my "dark" music, and listened to this song over and over again in the car. Also, I found a brown tweed shift that goes all the way to my knees (!) from Ann freakin' Taylor. Then, I finally figured out how to go to one of those quick car washes with free vacuums, so now my car looks so much better. Also, my thirteen-year-old friend made chocolate cake, and the dog ate a frog, so I laughed a lot, and got a lot of crazy kisses from dog #2 whose mouth was not foaming. So now I'm gonna go to work, and I'm gonna think about all of these good things when I'm feeling down.

Thanks for being here. I'm quite fond of you.

Getting S done.

Having a new job has made me really tired and discombobulated, making me less focused and able to purchase inventory. This is problematic, not because my shop hasn't been making any money, but because the summer bump in inventory can only last so long before it all sells and I'm back to eating oatmeal three meals a day.

So this week, I've been better, intentionally. I've made myself purchase things, even though it takes up-front money, which I don't have much of. It also means waiting in line for 30min. on Sunday afternoon because the whole store is 50% off, and every mother in the neighborhood is buying her children's fall wardrobe, little ones in tow.

But today, I am working hard, photographing and listing, because it needs to be done, and I'm the only one doing it.

Peace out :)

BIKRAM #2 (and #3)

 

So Tuesday, I went back to the hot yoga studio. There was a different instructor, and she suggested that I sit out one set of each posture (they do two sets of everything), so I did. After an hour, I thought I was going to die from the heat and I couldn't slow my heart rate down, so I just laid on the ground for the last twenty minutes and willed my breath to keep me alive. I succeeded.

Wednesday (i.e. yesterday), I went again, this time not because I had something to prove to myself or anyone else, but because I really wanted to go back. My job can be stressful if I allow it to be, and it's really nice to look forward to a time where I can let out all the bad stuff that's hanging out in my body. I'm not a big believer in toxins and all that jazz. I'm not going to buy a cleansing kit that does horrible things, nor am I going to go crazy and do the cayenne/lemonade thing. But a regular thing that makes me feel good every day? I think I can get behind that.

I know. I know. Now I'm a crazy Bikram convert. But seriously, I need something to look forward to that is different from everything else. I need something that doesn't mess with my spine or my blood sugar. So, for the time being, this is going to be it. Deal with it haters.

On another note, I moved back home last night. At one point, I had dirty laundry, clean laundry, food, all my eBay stuff, my briefcase, toiletries, and my post-yoga mat and towels all in piles in my super small living room. If the lighting were better in my apartment, I would have taken a picture. It was scary stuff.

Then I cried about turning 30 and laughed while watching Bachelor Pad. All in a day's work.

Thrift Share :)

Valentino of Italy

This summer, I have been the happy recipient of some thrifty gifts, given specifically for my store. Perhaps people are beginning to worry about my poverty, or maybe God is good and providing for me, and all that jazz. Whatever. I'm not a big fan of the Almighty right now. I think I had some expectations about what my life would be like after I graduated from seminary, and those don't seem to have panned out, so I'm pouting, in perpetuity.

Sybil Connolly of Dublin

So these patterns came in a box that my friend found while she was moving out of her house, which had previously been owned and lived in by her grandmother. She called me up and asked me if I wanted a box of old patterns. Ever the shrewd thrifter, the first thing out of my mouth was, "How old are they?" She said some things that I don't remember. All I heard was "Vogue" and I said "Yes!"

Bill Blass of New York, I suppose?

There was a period of time in my thrifting where I found a bunch of Vogue patterns, but these are probably the nicest I've ever had.

Non sequitor alert! I just did yoga on my own for an extended period of time. I feel super good about it. Usually I get bored and antsy and don't do much, but I felt like I really got into it, and was able to get some work done. It may have something to do with my new car, or maybe the fact that I went to my chiropractor today, and she massaged my back with what appeared to be an electric sander. Sometimes I wish I could give her a lot of money, because she is so good to me. But alas, the poverty.

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl :)

Thrift Share Monday :)

Shimano clip-in Mountain Bike Shoes

On Saturday morning, I went out and had a breakfast burrito with friends, then stopped for some thrifting on the (long way) home. I had a gift certificate for $30 to one of my favorite stores, and spent all of it on shoes to sell and clothes for myself. I was going to wait until the end of the summer for clothes shopping, but I had to spend the money all at once, so I split it on my business and myself. I feel like it was a good combination.

Good 'ol Swedish Wooden Clogs :)

I sell a fair number of shoes, so I'm always on the lookout for good quality pairs. It's been difficult to sell high-quality unknown European labels, however, so I've been more cognizant of that lately. I have a wonderful pair of sandals, that look just like Birkenstocks, but they're not, so in my shop they've sat for months. Some things I buy without even thinking, like these clogs. I've sold at least two or three pairs over the past year, and they tend to sell pretty quickly, especially if they're a reasonable size (these are a 38).

Aerosole Patent Leather Pumps

I also look for high quality sports shoes, like the Shimano shoes at the top. I always think about how expensive a sport can be, especially as an adult, and how nice it is to be able to still do the thing you enjoy without having to worry as much about money. My friends love rock climbing, and I found a pair of rock climbing shoes last week. We worked out a deal. They really wanted them, and it was a no-brainer to sell them to friends (and quick!).

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl.

My weekend :)

1. The restaurant Lyfe, with a veggie burger and vegan chocolate chip cookie
2. So many pregnant women in form-fitting stretchy dresses
3. My brother taught me how to breathe for a didgeridoo
4. I ate a lot of green vegetables
5. I walked all over the Stanford campus and felt inferior
6. A lot of antibacterial handwashing, and then some more
7. Hours of good thinking time in my car
8. Twelve hours of sleep last night on a friend's lovely hide-a-bed
9. Canada Day :)
10. A crazy evening of Magic Mike (at least I didn't cry this time) and a new-found personal commitment to support Matthew McConaughey for the supporting actor Academy Award (the Academy is typically very welcoming of my many educated and varied opinions)

Thrift Share Monday :)

 

I've bought several pairs of vintage Florsheim men's shoes in the past month. I was initially looking for a new revenue source, and looked for what brands were selling well, and I noticed that I wasn't purchasing vintage men's shoes. I'd been focusing on women's shoes. Here's a look at what I'd been missing.

I've found that good photos are key to selling vintage shoes. The more photos, the better. Remember how much you appreciate the experience of touching the items you buy in a store. I think that research is key here. The same shoe can be listed, but only one sells. Why? Sometimes, it's just dumb luck. But most of the time, in my humble unlearn-ed opinion, it's because of the research that goes on before the item is listed.

For example, I found a website with all of the Florsheim styles and their names. Of course, now that I want to give it to you, I can't find it for the life of me. It's okay though, because I looked through 500 styles and didn't find the one I was looking for.

I have really started to pay attention to how I personally react (thought-wise) to how people are dressed. It ain't pretty. I have less respect for people who aren't dressed well, regardless of who they are. It got me to thinking that school uniforms are pretty important. When you feel good about how you look, you act differently. The social concept of dress is important. In Brazil, you did not go out, "into town", without your best clothes on, ever. How often do I walk out of my house looking less than my best? I haven't washed my hair in five days.

In sum, you'll feel better with a nice pair of long-lasting shoes.

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl.

Who wants to model for me?

This is how I feel about my apartment right now. There's no room for me.

There's a thrift tore in town that is explicitly Christian. All of the workers have to say that they are "blessed" when greeted. It's frightening in a way. The only way that I feel cared for in the environment is when the workers stare at me because they haven't seen a woman in a while, and then say "hello" a few too many times. Anyhow, I saw like at least a dozen one-piece pantsuits there today. For some reason, I see them all the time, and I'm really scared to buy them. I don't think that I'd be able to sell them, and then I'd feel dumb. How weird is that? I buy dumb things all the time!

I have tried to stay away from clothing as much as possible because I am not a model, and I have no desire to become one. I also only have half of a body form, so it isn't much help with large pieces. For example, I have a vintage wedding dress sitting in a basket somewhere that I haven't listed because I haven't figured out how to make it look good (Note: It doesn't exactly fit me. I am too large in one particular region). I've considered getting a model, but what would I pay them, and how would I ask, and could I take good enough photos to make it worth the process?

I'm gonna go sleep on it.

Cigarette smoke = yuck

You've put me in a quandary, Jack Donaghy. A quandary.

Tracy Jordan

The past couple weeks, I have been the unwitting purchaser of cigarette smokey clothing and shoes. I am far more likely to smell things that are old, rather than items that are new or newer. I ended up buying five (!) pairs of cigarette smokey pants and one pair of very expensive french boots. I was able to wash the smell out of the pants, but I felt weird about the whole business. I am all for full disclosure, but I really don't like having to include the phrase: "When this item was purchased, it smelled like cigarette smoke."

I guess I'm adding sticking-my-face-in-pants to my regular thrifting ritual. It was not worth the time for those pants, but I didn't want to lose money, so I went through the effort of cleaning them, and in the end, it was no big deal. I don't know what I'm going to do with the boots yet. They're leather, and I've cleaned them with saddle soap, but that did nothing for the smell. I'm considering getting them professionally cleaned, but I don't know if it's worth it on my end to do that. But who would buy them if I didn't?

My un-straight spine

I kinda wish I had a job where I could be a little more flashy. In some ways, I feel like the way I might normally dress, even nicely, might draw too much attention to me, and my work is not about me.

When I get dressed, I don't think about how I want to look, or what I feel like wearing that day. I just pull out my slacks, and pick a shell and sweater that I haven't worn together lately. Then I try to make my face look like I haven't slept in hay, cover up my white lips, add some earrings, and it's an outfit. My medical ID bracelet is the only other "jewelry" I have. I believe I've previously disclosed my inability to wear necklaces. Maybe in another year or so, I'll try a necklace one day, when my neck is all the way straight.

I have a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders. This is something that I have dealt with for a long time, but is only becoming worse over time. Yoga helps, but it doesn't fix it. The best thing that I have found is getting adjusted by a chiropractor, and not little tweaking-major wrenching.

Maybe I am unique in this way, maybe not, but my spine is not as it should be. Working with a chiropractor has begun a reversal process (reversing what, I don't exactly know). The process isn't complete, but it is a whole lot better than it ever has been in my adult life. Thank you awesome chiropractor-you've helped me stand truly straight, for maybe the first time in my life :)

It's so hard to be frugal.

 

Oh-mg. I was at the mall tonight, and there was a big (30-70% off everything) sale at a women's clothing store that has clothes that look nice on me (i.e. long pants), and I was so longing for new clothes. I had that moment, that I have sometimes, where I wished that buying new clothes didn't bother me so much.

I have been going through a bit of a shoe craze lately, though. I've bought Dansko clogs and galoshes in the past month on eBay. I've also completely lost my black slacks. Has anyone seen them? I have also been buying clothing for work even though I could wear the same thing every day and it wouldn't matter. It's a bit compulsive, in my opinion. I've been so hyped up about buying a new car, but when it comes right down to it, I can't do it. I want it so bad, but it just won't work. I can't afford to add that much money to my monthly budget. So I think I have to keep the Rabbit, the car with no working doors, no speedometer, no heater or air conditioner.

It's so sad to admit, but I can't afford more than what I have, and I have to live with what I have.

The forgetting

So last night, I watched The Forgotten (2004). It's been on my "want to watch" list since it came out, but I was never feeling in the right mood. It's not worth trying to find a synopsis, or read the reviews. This is an experience film, a thinking film.

This is what I got out of it: We, as humans, live our lives to survive, and sometimes survival means forgetting the suffering and pain that we have experienced. We do this because it's easier. We do this because pain is painful.

But to truly be human, to accept our humanness, is to accept the pain, and not wish it away. It is to feel the full depth of our emotions and feel the horror of waking up each day with the same loss we went to sleep with.

Being human is a painful thing. There is constant loss, and the easiest way to survive is to forget and move on. We forget with alcohol, with drugs, with sex, disassociation, and a myriad of other things. Forgetting is ideal. We pray to forget. There was a time in the past few months when I considered forgetting, when I was encouraged by loved ones to forget. But each time I thought about that prayer, I said [to God], "I'd rather feel the pain, than ever forget the beauty."

I have been told that my "recycling ethic" is about more than surfacey stuff, that in addition to bottles and cans and old clothes, I also refuse to throw away my past. I refuse to stop acknowledging that my past happened, that my life has happened exactly as it has. It isn't pretty, but it's real; and I would rather feel it than ever give it up, because in the giving-up, I throw away parts of myself. And some of these parts are inextricably linked to beauty.

So I choose to not forget, even when it hurts. Because I don't ever want to be without the things that made me, me, no matter how ugly some of them are.

How often do you purge?

One of my aunts once told me that every time she buys something new, she gets rid of something old. I think that she was specifically talking about her wardrobe at the time; get rid of a pair of shoes when you buy a new pair; new pants, old pants, and so on. This seemed genius to me.

Of course I have quite a book collection, and it isn't entirely for me, so that isn't something I purge from very often. My clothes are definitely possessions I go through regularly to get rid of what I don't wear anymore, doesn't fit right, or isn't looking as good as it once did. Since I've been buying all of my clothes at thrift stores, it seems apropos to just thrift them back. "From whence they came..."

Moving is the best time to purge of course. Spring cleaning, or something similar, will also do quite well. I myself have begun purging mid-November because I watched Hoarders for the first time, and it made me anxious.

Final note: If someone could please give me an appropriate range of "number of pairs of shoes allowed one individual female person", that would be very helpful to me (I tend to return to my feral child roots when I'm unsure about something). It may be helpful to know that I am a professional person. I try really hard to live simply, but I just bought another pair of (used) Dansko clogs, and now I'm up to three pairs, and I'm feeling like that may be too many, but I don't know which ones to get rid of.

Mantra #1: Donate what you don't use!

Mantra #2: When in need, always ask for help!

11. Thrift Blogs

So I haven't been around the thrift blog block for too long. I think I started really paying attention to what people were doing this past summer (i.e. I had more "me" time). I was pretty quickly hooked. ATG's weekly round-up of weekend thrifting fun can keep me busy for hours. I wanted in, but I waited until I had something to say and the time to say it. I committed (to myself, at least) that I would post every day, no matter what, and lately that has been challenged, and I've learned to be kind to myself, and not expect my readers (all five of them) to tire of my day-to-day philosophizing.

On my list of favorite things a couple months ago is the wonder of thrift blogs. I do them all a disservice by not digging deep into every one of them as I write this at 9pm, so I'll have to figure out a way to honor them and still get a good night's sleep. Here goes...nothing.

1. Apron Thrift Girl-I occasionally send Selena strange emails, some of which she responds to. I recognize that in the blogging world, we are all strangers with a common love, and I can come across extra-crazy if I don't watch myself. Working on it. Selena is awesome, vulnerable without being creepy. Open without being too open. Sharing endlessly without hoarding her expertise. A gift, that woman.

2. Thrift Core-Vanessa is amazing. She's the first person who started to really make me think about thrift-as-career and expanding beyond the online market. She's also a freelancer, which warms my heart, because if I asked her, I'd bet we'd have a lot to talk about (crazy writing gigs-oh my!).

3. The Recycle-ista-Seriously changed the way I'd been selling. I looked at what she's sold on eBay and it was all green, meaning she sold things before they expired! I wanted that. I wanted movement. So because of that, I've been way more willing to part with items for less than my asking price. That is what I have "Best Offer" for after all!

4. Parsimonia (Secondhand With Style)-I could look at her photographs all day long. I don't know what it is. I just love them. She does this thing sometimes where she takes a theme and expands on it in different ways, like How to Celebrate National Elephant Day complete with photos of all of the different elephant things she's found and loved. Always lovely.

5. Thrift Shopper for Peace-My kindred spirit in Canada loves MCC and thrift and on top of that, blogs about it! She recently went to Scotland, where there happen to be a ton of great thrift stores. I need to tell her that I met someone last week who lives in Germany and hates their thrift stores, but happens to know that the ones in Scotland are fab. How funny is that?

Please, please, don't throw those away

There is a lot of information on the interwebs about recycling shoes. Over the past ten years, I've been sending old running shoes to some place in the Midwest. It feels kinda funny, now that I think about it. I don't know how I got on that kick. I was really into running (ridiculously), so I would wear out a pair of running shoes and send them on to someone who would then send them on to Africa, I believe. This was pre-TOMS, and specifically for running as a sport.

Shoes are very bulky, and if they are synthetic or rubber (Is that synthetic? It grows on trees.), they don't break down in landfills. I've seen a lot more labels lately that boast the shoe's biodegradability. In my dreams, I get to go through landfills in a spacesuit and find stuff that could be recycled (yes, yes, I know that people do this to survive).

You can go here to make your own decision about how to recycle your unwanted shoes. Nike has a large-scale recycling program that breaks down shoes into raw materials to build with.

I know that this is a lot of information for your already overloaded brain, but whatever you do, just don't throw them in the trash. If you need me to come to your house and deal with them, I will (but most likely I will just talk you through the process over the phone, because I'm really busy and you need to be empowered to do it yourself).