I have a long history with flea markets. I've been going to them since I was nine, maybe younger. Many a holiday gift was purchased from the vendors at these often muddy, crowded markets. The selection was generally good, to my recollection. When I was in college, a few friends and I checked out the local flea market, only to find row after row of disappointment. Overpriced toys, a poor selection of movies, and a lack of acceptable board games were a problem. Additionally, the few things we did purchase were of poor quality (I bought a 24-pack of Sharpie (c) markers, only half of which were not dried out and useless).
This past weekend, my husband and I decided to check out the local flea market, as we had not yet been since we've lived here. We found an odd menagerie of items, but found a nice, wooden mortar & pestle, a shoe horn, and a set of wooden spoons. I imagine we'll go back, as many booths were not open yet (snowbirds aren't quite in town yet).
We have a friend whose mother frequents flea markets and festivals as a vendor. She sells beach bags, water bottle holders, and other similar items that her husband sews. I have a green and blue bag they made, and it's lovely. They use canvas umbrella material, so it's waterproof as well. I'd never thought about the fees to sell at a flea market, but they are rather absurd. I checked out the website for our local flea market, and not only is the cost dependent upon where in the market your space is and its size, but there are so many odd charges. First, there's a difference in rental cost depending on whether you are selling new or second-hand items. There's a charge for an electrical outlet, security (a whopping fifty cents), having an ad and being listed on the map, leaving items overnight (covered, locked, or in a trailer/shed) on weekends, and even an application fee to be considered! Glad I'm not an entrepreneur, LoL.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Specialty Language
Certain professions require a set of words that only those who are "in" understand. Think ER doctors using terms to describe the symptoms, tests, and results of patients. Or lawyers in the courtroom using jargon that deals with laws, previous cases, and random clauses. Even in theatre, we use terms that few others understand when we talk about lighting design or costuming, for instance. And God only knows what those strange engineering terms mean.
But it's not all profession-specific. It's clear that there is a need in various occupations for such specific wording. But think about nicknames, inside jokes, code words, even music... they all have the ability to stop certain people from being able to understand the conversation. What's point? Just to be exclusive? Because that sounds terribly mean. Not that I can talk, my friends and I definitely had tons of code words so that eavesdroppers would be clueless. And it's not a phase, it clearly lasts a lifetime. C'est la vie.
But it's not all profession-specific. It's clear that there is a need in various occupations for such specific wording. But think about nicknames, inside jokes, code words, even music... they all have the ability to stop certain people from being able to understand the conversation. What's point? Just to be exclusive? Because that sounds terribly mean. Not that I can talk, my friends and I definitely had tons of code words so that eavesdroppers would be clueless. And it's not a phase, it clearly lasts a lifetime. C'est la vie.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Simple Pleasures
Sometimes, a snack puts me into such a fantastic mood. On Sunday nights, Ben & Jerry's does a $2 ice cream cone and $3 shakes (provided that you come in your pajamas). I've been several times, most recently this past Saturday, for such a treat. I try different flavors all the time, and found that my recent pick, Chocolate Therapy, to be rather scrumptious. It may join the rotation of favorites. :)
Today, as I dined upon my Chick-Fil-A #1 (pretty much the only thing I've ordered there in the past ten years), I savored their tangy lemonade. It's another personal favorite that can basically make my day. Frozen custard, soft pretzels, macaroni and cheese pizza, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla wafers are also on this list. I believe that simple foods are soothing, and that many people take joy in pleasing their palates.
Which leads me to ask, what foods just make YOU happy?
Today, as I dined upon my Chick-Fil-A #1 (pretty much the only thing I've ordered there in the past ten years), I savored their tangy lemonade. It's another personal favorite that can basically make my day. Frozen custard, soft pretzels, macaroni and cheese pizza, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla wafers are also on this list. I believe that simple foods are soothing, and that many people take joy in pleasing their palates.
Which leads me to ask, what foods just make YOU happy?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Price of Entertainment
I love competition. I was practically bred to play board games, have loved video games since I first saw Mario when I was five years old, and follow multiple sports. I love strategy and logic. Game shows amuse me, and I can’t wait for Opportunity Knocks to premiere next week. When it’s time for the Olympics, I meticulously schedule what events I’ll be watching, and which I’ll just read up on later. While I am not a fan of soccer or basketball, live baseball, hockey, and football are among the most popular sports I love.
I have only missed watching two televised FSU Seminole football games since the 2001 season. I have been to about 30 games at Doak Campbell Stadium, and this past weekend I traveled up there to watch my Seminoles take on Chattanooga. Although we are still playing with several players out on academic dishonesty charges, we came out winning 46-7. But what was more amazing than the game itself was the Tallahassee mindset.
I lived in Tallahassee for six years, and have encountered more than my share of morons. However, this past weekend, more stupidity than usual was present. Somehow, the city decided that Hurricane Ike hitting Texas was going to mean no gasoline for a long time. So, the citizens of my beloved city went out and filled up. And filled up, and filled up, and filled up. By the time I rolled into town for the game around 2:30pm, there was no gas anywhere. Every single station we passed was closed.
After asking around a bit, we were told that this was completely locals-induced. There was no real concern or catastrophe coming; the mass that is Tallahassee just took it upon themselves to bankrupt the city of its gasoline. Only one truck of gasoline had come in the day before, and 18 were scheduled to arrive sometime Saturday. Calling AAA yielded no help, the second representative I spoke with actually told me that they had been informed to refer people to the Highway Patrol in this case. Because my husband is very tech-savvy, it was as simple as a flick of the wrist to bring up the nearby gas stations on his smartphone, and we both called gas stations on our cells until we found someone with gas. And this was no small feat – the only gas we located was in Quincy, and that was mostly due to the fact they have two truck stops. More intriguing, price-gouging was in full swing. We paid $4.59/gallon, and the gas stations refused to quote a price over the phone. No worries, we kept the receipt and will be reporting them. We spoke with another family who traveled in for the game as well, and they saw it as high as $5.89/gallon on their way in.
It’s strange to think about how bad the gas situation can get. I lived in Florida in 2004, and there were gas shortages throughout the disastrous hurricane season that struck that fall. However, I had never before feared that I would be unable to leave the city because there was no gas. It really makes you think. Season tickets to seven home games… 330 miles one way… 37 miles/gallon… I use a great deal of gas for entertainment in the Fall. Yet, I love Seminole football enough that it’s just water under the bridge.
I have only missed watching two televised FSU Seminole football games since the 2001 season. I have been to about 30 games at Doak Campbell Stadium, and this past weekend I traveled up there to watch my Seminoles take on Chattanooga. Although we are still playing with several players out on academic dishonesty charges, we came out winning 46-7. But what was more amazing than the game itself was the Tallahassee mindset.
I lived in Tallahassee for six years, and have encountered more than my share of morons. However, this past weekend, more stupidity than usual was present. Somehow, the city decided that Hurricane Ike hitting Texas was going to mean no gasoline for a long time. So, the citizens of my beloved city went out and filled up. And filled up, and filled up, and filled up. By the time I rolled into town for the game around 2:30pm, there was no gas anywhere. Every single station we passed was closed.
After asking around a bit, we were told that this was completely locals-induced. There was no real concern or catastrophe coming; the mass that is Tallahassee just took it upon themselves to bankrupt the city of its gasoline. Only one truck of gasoline had come in the day before, and 18 were scheduled to arrive sometime Saturday. Calling AAA yielded no help, the second representative I spoke with actually told me that they had been informed to refer people to the Highway Patrol in this case. Because my husband is very tech-savvy, it was as simple as a flick of the wrist to bring up the nearby gas stations on his smartphone, and we both called gas stations on our cells until we found someone with gas. And this was no small feat – the only gas we located was in Quincy, and that was mostly due to the fact they have two truck stops. More intriguing, price-gouging was in full swing. We paid $4.59/gallon, and the gas stations refused to quote a price over the phone. No worries, we kept the receipt and will be reporting them. We spoke with another family who traveled in for the game as well, and they saw it as high as $5.89/gallon on their way in.
It’s strange to think about how bad the gas situation can get. I lived in Florida in 2004, and there were gas shortages throughout the disastrous hurricane season that struck that fall. However, I had never before feared that I would be unable to leave the city because there was no gas. It really makes you think. Season tickets to seven home games… 330 miles one way… 37 miles/gallon… I use a great deal of gas for entertainment in the Fall. Yet, I love Seminole football enough that it’s just water under the bridge.
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