Sell Your Own Stuff

I've started selling a few things over ebay.  I'm not that great at it.  One reason may be that I'm actually selling stuff for my brother.  He's trying to save up enough to get a car.  I know that the younger children in my family have gotten more leniency and such that I never got, but I got the car.  My first car wasn't fast or "hot", but it was cute and got me from place to place.  A White '89 Buick Century.  When my little car got crashed into on December 18th of 2004, I was sad.  From the wreckage of my totaled car, I got money enough to buy another one.  A Maroon '99 Chevy Lumina.  Since then, I've had to pay to get him taken care of (now and then), but he's stuck by me.  My sister and brother haven't had that luxury.

I thought I'd be nice (since it was his idea to put them on ebay).  See, if you've never sold anything online, I would like to be the first to say that its not all its cracked up to be.  The first time I submitted these eight items, it charged me little costs at a time so that it totaled around $7.  They only last for a week and then you can relist them if they don't sell.  I've relisted mine three times (which equals me paying them $21 --for nothing).  I actually sold one item.  I had guessed about costs for shipping and paid around $10 (when I had asked for $7 for shipping).  When something sells, ebay also takes a couple of dollars because they "helped you sell it".  So with something that had costed the buyer $42, I got $40... and when taking into consideration the other costs, end up giving my brother $11.  He told me that he'd paid $50 for that item (even though he told me to sell it for $35).

On top of everything, the buyer received it and said it wasn't like I had described.  I didn't know much about it (since its my brother's and his descriptions of each item weren't very descriptive), so I used this thing on ebay where you can look items up.  It showed a picture that looked just like it, so I thought that description had to be like this one.  Nope.  The buyer was very nice about it and wanted $15 refunded to him.  I told them what had happened and that my brother had paid $50 for it and that I could refund him the total he paid if he'd just send it back.  He said he'd just keep it and not worry about the $15.  I think he felt sorry for me.

After the time runs out (tomorrow) for bidding, I'm taking the items off and giving them back to my brother.  He can sell them for more with his friends.  Actually, I might go ahead and cancel my stuff to ebay now.  Its just best to sell your own stuff.

Clean Out

I've been going through everything.  Each time, I end up getting rid of about half or more of whatever I look through.  See, I'm getting excited about the next adventure in my life where I move out of this job and area all the way to Dallas.  Its a wonderful feeling to get rid of things that I don't need!  There are things that are sentimental, but only the super important things get to stay this time.

I have realized that I'm very much at home here.  I love having my own place and having places for my things.  This upcoming opportunity, though, is giving me another chance to not be complacent and also letting me organize (which I'm finding is a huge passion of mine).

In 2 Samuel, I've been reading about David.  I'm almost to the place where it talks about him and Bathsheba, but up until that, I can't help finding how much David strived to please God.  He had a pretty hard life while running from Saul.  Still, God took care of him and he gave God the honor and glory and praise.  From a shepherd boy to a soldier to a king.  David, though stressed at times and seemingly always on the move, took time to praise God and clean out what he didn't need (like Saul's armor when God was already fighting Goliath for David).

I doubt that God wants us to hang on to things we don't need.  There is the physical "stuff" that we need to take the time and go through it in order to feel accomplished and cleaner.  In the same respect, there's the spiritual "stuff".  My life gets pretty busy and, therefore, its easy for me to put off what I really need to deal with (whether spiritual, relational, etc.).  After starting, I feel freer and am able to take on a new adventure for my life that God will help me to grow through.

Unplugged and Cleaned Out

On Thursday, I had hoped to do many things with different people.  None of those plans came through so I found myself (most of that day) in front of the television watching things like "Say Yes to the Dress", "Finding Nemo", "The Life of Christina Aguilera", and the end of "Titanic" (among a few other shows).  That night, while getting ready for bed, I felt terrible!  A day of doing nothing much except watching tv!  Day waisted.  I felt like I was inside for far too long.  It had been a dreary day also, therefore I was a bit down from that.  In the end, it all brought determination.

Friday, I didn't turn on the tv, I didn't get on the internet (except for 10 minutes to do something for my job), and I began cleaning.  I went through my big cabinet and all of my six smaller containers.  I got rid of lots of things and transferred all of my cds to my computer.  Once I start, its hard to stop.  I went over to Mom and Dad's to see if they wanted any of the books I'm giving away.  When we went through them, we went to eat.  My brothers, sister, and mom were there (since dad was working).  I love spending time with my family!

Later, we dropped the boys at home and we ladies went to WalMart.  I got a strawberry limeade at Sonic on the way back home.  It was late when I headed home.  After a day of organizing, being unplugged, and hanging with family, I was satisfied!

Cyrano de Bergerac

I never would've thought that tonight I would be captured by a movie that was in French and had English subtitles.  But it happened.  I had gone over to eat dinner with my mom and brother.  I watched the end of "Eragon" with her (which the book is way better) and then we began browsing.  She stopped on one entitled "Cyrano de Bergerac" since this was a story she knew.  She reminded me of the basic plot as we wondered if we would really sit and watch the whole movie in French.

The story begins with Cyrano (who has a really big nose) that falls for this drop dead gorgeous girl (Roxane).  He's very shy so he writes poetry to her.  He even goes as far as to get this really handsome guy to deliver the letters and so she thinks they're from Christian (the handsome dude).   You can immediately see where the trouble will start.

My mom went on to lie down and my brother went to play video games.  I looked around for other possible shows to watch, but my mind kept wondering what would happen in the movie.  I became enraptured by it:  the beautiful language, the poetry, the devotion, the symbolism, and found tears in my eyes as it drew to a close.  It touched my heart!

I'm glad they didn't do voice-overs.  You may understand what they're saying with your ears, but then the French would be lost and (being more of a visual learner) it was even more powerful for me to see the words.

So what was the big deal?  Cyrano gave himself to everyone and was extremely unselfish.  He was shy and thought he was ugly, but his heart and soul overcame his appearance and, thus, made me fall in love with who he was.  Roxane was drawn to the real Cyrano though she didn't know it was him.  She was very blind throughout the movie, but she still saw what was most important.  Christian even developed a bit and began to have a problem with himself (for pretending to be someone he wasn't).

There are many stories like "Beauty and the Beast" that have one person seeing the worth and beauty within someone else who might not be that attractive.  I know that those people are rare and few.  Still, people are drawn to these stories simply for the fact that people want to be known for who they are and not simply by what they look like.

Drama, Drama, Drama

It never fails.  I got a fortune cookie saying I'll have an exciting surprise.  I got this cookie after much of the following happened... so I think I've had plenty of surprises to last me for a while.

After already kicking a guest out for drinking alcohol in the room, smoking in the room, and not paying for two nights, I had to kick the same guest out again.  At first, I thought he had forgotten to pay me (as some guests do) and so I left him a reminder with a time to pay by (or he was not going to be able to stay here anymore).  I didn't get the payment so I went up to his room.  He was at an appointment and thus wasn't there.  I went in and saw (and smelled) the effects of smoking in a room.  I began cleaning and airing out the room.  While cleaning, I found the alcohol (along with food that should be kept in a refrigerator instead of at room temperature... yuck).

I got a call from someone over at the hospital who told me that the guest was worried about the deadline of the payment and that he was admitted for medical reasons (meaning he wouldn't be able to get here in at least 24 hours).  I told them that he could come to collect his belongings and leave his key, but he could not stay here anymore because of breaking the conditions.

About a week later, the rooms aren't going to be needed (on one of the nights).  On nights like this, I try to be as loud as possible whether having a dance party by my self, turning up the tv, or even talking out loud in a higher volume.  I lock the front door and turn out the main lights (since no one will be using them).  I had gotten ready for bed after doing the above, but had smelled this smoke smell all day.  As I got into bed and was reading, I heard a few light thumps from above my room.  This was the room the guy had stayed in before and had not brought back the key.  (*Praise the Lord that I didn't have anyone else staying in that room!!)

I called the police/security in order to have someone go check with me... since I'm a girl and am not going to try to take on another guy by myself if there's backup that I can call.  He came over and I told the cop the situation.  I gave him the key so he could open the door before me.  We found the same guy that had been there a week ago... smoking, drinking, and with an altered mental status.  The police guy made him get his things and leave.  I went to get his other things that he had left last time.  He "couldn't take them right then" and would be coming back to get them later.  ...so I took his key and started cleaning... again.

He finally picked up the rest of his things today.  He's a nice guy, but needs to get his mind straightened out a bit so he can make better decisions than that.

On top of this, I've had recent guy drama and constant sister drama.  The fortune cookie now says that there will be a secret romance in my future.  Maybe I should stop reading fortune cookies...

My grandfather (on my mom's side) was anything but boring.  He was a pilot, missionary, preacher, was stubborn, and had a zeal that drew people to see how to really enjoy life.  I just wish I could've known him more personally.  Maybe in Heaven I'll get a nice, long talk with him.  Surely I have some of him in my blood.  I want to be like him and live everyday like its never gonna be here again.

Who is someone you know that lives life to the fullest?  ...who inspires you to be a better person?  ...who you want to hear their adventures and learn from their experience?

The Experienced and the Naive

I found myself having lunch with a friend and (though many people were around) the conversation went towards a touchy subject for some:  Virginity or lack there of.  We talked about the amazing fact that someone of my age can still be a virgin and I wondered why it is that way.  Why are we so willing to give ourselves away?  Emotions?  Acceptance?  Experience?  What?

Many aren't afraid to tell of their "experiences" and from their words, there is no shame in being had by someone who's not going to stick it out through life with you.  I know people don't want to make waves, and personally, I don't want my friends that have had these experiences to think I believe myself to be better than them.  I'm not.  God has met me where I've fallen and helped me back up.  He's good like that.  I just want to know how we (as a culture) could do things differently; to make things less tempting or more serious.  Ideas?