Saturday, February 28, 2015

Never ceases to amaze me what you can get on Craigslist: a stuffed peacock?

Usually I get annoyed when search results are cluttered with stuff not remotely close to the term I was searching. But, craigslist seems to come up with the most interesting items I can't get too annoyed with. For instance, I was searching "antlers" and got this stuffed peacock. Who would even think there was such a thing?

Wonder how many doctors buy their surgical instruments at estate sales.

This looks like some sort of sadist's dream out of a movie. I'm hoping plastic surgeons have finer instruments these days...but maybe not? I've seen very expensive medical equipment selling second hand on ebay and such. Just seems slightly unsettling when you realize some docs may be cost cutting (pun unintended) with second hand equipment...hope they check it out thoroughly.

Friday, February 27, 2015

"Not new" artwork can be a bargain.

I love art. So much so, that I consider it a whole different category and have not vowed to only buy "not new." However, I probably won't get anything "new" this year, but I leave that option open. Last week I picked up this oil painting at an estate sale for $25. Can you believe that bargain? It was at a lower end home, so I assume they didn't think they could get more for it. Today I was at an estate sale at a wealthy doctor's estate and there were some beautiful oil paintings, all over $100, but definitely worth more...I wish I could buy them!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

How's it hanging? At Savers, pretty good.

I'm not much of a brand-sensitive gal. However, I do have one brand/model of jeans that fits me perfectly and am too lazy most of the time to bother looking for other jeans at the second-hand stores. Which is why I appreciate the way Savers hangs their jeans (one of the few things I really like about Savers). It is very easy for me to go through an entire rack in just seconds to see if they have what I'm looking for.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

I wrote the (funny as heck) book on menopause.

I didn't write it alone I had the help of two friends. It took a good 8 years, but the book is finally available. I think Amazon.com sells it the cheapest ($11.68, but the price seems to change anywhere from pennies to dimes on a daily basis). Here is the link to purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Menopause-Its-Time-Guys-sensitivity-challenged/dp/0991004507/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424934414&sr=1-1&keywords=menopause+humor+book

Of course, you can support your local bookstore (always a good idea, if you value having a local bookstore) and order it through them for $12.99...no shipping! Usually takes a day or two to come in, so it is easiest to order over the phone so you don't have to make two trips.

The book is very funny, but not for prudes since menopause affects bodily functions not discussed in proper company. It is designed for men (big pictures, few words) because men need to know what we're going through! It touches on every symptom and makes the perfect gift for the menopausal and those that live with them. Hope you enjoy it.

Never be hungry for bread again...for under $20.

The shelf at Savers is always loaded with bread machines. I'm sure other thrifts may be similarly well stocked. I've seen what look like brand-spanking-new ones (in the box, with instructions) for up to $19.99. Usually they are much less, like the one pictured on the right for $5.99. I believe that is the same one I used to have. Loved that machine (lost the paddle, replacement didn't fit properly), bought a new machine as it was before I discovered the joys of going "not new."

It pays to do a little research to find out if the models available receive positive reviews (and if a manual is available online if you are not familiar with bread machine operation). I understand some don't bake that well, but I have been very happy with the two I've had (of course, I checked the reviews before purchasing).

It's really lovely to know you are just 3.5 hrs. away from a great loaF of fresh bread at any time. I usually buy my yeast in a jar and keep it in the freezer so I always have fresh. Many recipes/machines can be programmed to start at a given time, so you can set it up in the morning and have fresh bread when you get home from work...or whenever. The only downside is, it is very difficult not to eat the whole damn loaf when you have it sitting there hot and fresh in front of your face.

I'll leave you with a final bread baking tip: I've found I can add a 1/4 cup of flax seed (ground or whole) to a recipe without making any other adjustments. The resulting bread is somehow of a better (moister?) texture and you get the health benefits of the flax. Really doesn't seem to affect the taste much, if anything, the taste is better with the flax seed.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Having difficulty finding a "not new" greenhouse.

Since I am turning the side yard into a mini-farm, I need to construct some sort of greenhous-y thing over part of the garden (it's Buffalo, NY, I need extra heat and a longer season to grow some of the plants on my list). Thought I might be able to find some sort of used shell at least, but not having any luck so far. If I were handier, I might be able to construct something out of used windows...I'm guessing my neighbors will be lucky I'm not that handy because it probably wouldn't be pretty.

If I can't find anything, I will hopefully be able to get a least some of the materials "not new" at Buffalo ReStore...thinking pvc pipe frame covered in poly or vinyl will do the trick, but I'll wait a bit longer and see if anything turns up. The greenhouse kit on sale (new) at Big Lots this week said it blocked UV light, ending my temptation to buy it (I'm guessing the plants make use of UV).

Monday, February 23, 2015

My dream of hardwood flooring is starting to seem unattainable

I have 25 year old carpeting in horrible shape due to a seemingly untrainable offspring. Seriously, as this kid has aged, it has only gotten worse. There are underlying "issues"...it's not likely to change. Thought I would be replacing those carpets now that said offspring is college age, but the "issues" mean college may or may not happen and the carpet-destroying offspring may be with us a long time yet. Which is okay. The kid is otherwise a pleasure and a help. Plus, the husband is only slightly behind the offspring in his ability to destroy a home interior.

In any event, when I first started my "not new" year, I was surprised to find some nice options on craigslist. I got cocky and figured I could wait for the perfect flooring. Well, the options haven't been repeating and I'm worried I missed my chance. Today I saw genuine used hardwood flooring at an unbelievably low price, but there was only 400 sq ft. and I need about 475. Plus, truth be told, the husband is being a donkey's butt about spending, so I think I may have to install the floor myself and I think solid hardwood will be too difficult. I guess, when I see the "not new" engineered stuff again, I'll have to grab it up whether it's perfect or not. Pretty sure the offspring and I can install it ourselves. Thinking if I go with a "dirt cheap" choice, I can always not worry about it getting destroyed...keeping it as nice as I can for us, then replacing with another "dirt cheap" choice when/if we downsize. (Downsizing planned if/when the offspring launches.)

How, you may ask, does one get "not new" engineered hardwood flooring? Well, on craigslist, there were folks selling it second-hand. It hadn't actually been used, just purchased and not needed. Sure hope some more comes up.

How to get a yes or no answer from a baby.

Since I was on the subject of babies, figured I throw in one final post, even though it has nothing to do with "not new." Frustrated moms can make their lives a little easier by teaching baby to communicate simple agreement. I used to say "kick your feet" to the offspring while moving his feet in a kicking motion (we also did swimming, running, etc., but kicking was easiest for him). He quickly learned to kick his feet when asked. It eventually occurred to me use that to help him communicate his needs. "If you want your bottle, kick your feet." "If your tummy hurts kick your feet." It was surprising how much of what I said that he seemed to understand.

Of course, many times I either couldn't guess what was going on, or, more likely, he didn't really know what was making him cranky. Still, it was obvious that he loved having the power to communicate. Made my life easier, too.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Resist the urge to buy new for baby...and other mother tips.

It is very difficult not to run out and buy all the cutest things for the new most important person in your life. But, you CAN buy all the cutest things second hand...because everyone before you did just that and those things only fit for like, 2 weeks, and they are still just like new at the nearest garage sale or thrift store. Really. Pick a young neighborhood on a garage sale day and it's like shopping at the most deluxe mall.

Your kids don't care a lick about their clothes at this age...invest the money you save wisely because when they get older, they will care. A lot. And they will want very expensive clothes. And if you bought all their baby clothes full price to satisfy YOUR needs when they are babies, you are going to be one big hypocrite when you try to talk them into cheaper or used clothes when they are teens.

Meet that parental urge to splurge on your child be doing other things like starting a college (or bail) fund. And when portrait time comes around, think, about always using the same background selection or putting all your kids in the same outfit every time. Makes for a nice collage when they move out and all you have is memories. I had the offsping in denim overalls and a white turtleneck (items I thought would always be available and low cost) from 6 months through age 14...then he rebelled. Can't blame him...plus, now I have the pics of him in outfits of his own questionable tastes to use as comic fodder in the future.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Getting married? Go "not new."

There is a bridal consignment store opening near me. What a fabulous idea. Might even be possible for all the brideesmaids to get second hand dresses (they will kiss you). Of course, bridal gowns are always available second hand online or at Goodwill. I understand some cities even have rental places now. Starting a marriage out on a thrifty foot is a very good idea. Much better than the over-the-top extravagance of so many modern bridezillas.
To be upfront, I hadn't yet discovered the joys of "not new" when I married 23 years ago. I did sew my own gown and my bridesmaids wore off-the-rack numbers ordered from a catalog (I think it was Talbot's...still not cheap, but not as expensive as official bridesmaids gowns and two of my bridesmaids wore theirs several times...still, I heard the other complaining about the purchase). I wished I could have gotten one of the store sample bridal gowns that I'd seen on clearance for under $100...but I don't have a store-sample size body.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Ironing with my butt...saves time and energy.

I don't iron with my butt to save electricity. I butt-iron because I'm lazy.Plus, if life gives you lemons in the form of a big butt, you might as well make lemonade, right?


I have nothing against wrinkles. If God made the fabric to have wrinkles, who am I to diagree? Don't worry, I usually wear knit tops that don't get wrinkly. But, when something does get wrinkly, I fold it carefully and sit on it (sometimes first dampening it with a wet hand, which is what I did with this). I sit on it while eating dinner. The first pic shows the scarf after washing, the second, after butt ironing. Works great for pants. I don't do men's shirts.

PS: if you click on the photos, you can see more detail

Thursday, February 19, 2015

For $1.50 I can look uber professional in a second (and save my top from getting ruined)

Got these two scarves at Goodwill: $1.50 for the silk and $2.50 for the larger scarf. As you can see, they washed up beautifully (I will "iron" the silk scarf by sitting on it while I eat my dinner...I never iron-iron). I love prints and have discovered scarves are a cheap way for me to indulge (learned this early on after discovering all my print skirts didn't match my print blouses). While doing so, I also discovered that everyone thinks you are fabulously well dressed when you throw on a nice scarf. It's amazing. I was always a very casual dresser and the addition of a scarf made me look instantly professional.
Another nice thing about inexpensive, second-hand scarves is that they are de-facto bibs. As a, ahem, (unhappily) well-endowed woman, I've ruined a good number of tops. Putting a napkin in your lap is useless when any droppings never make it past your chest. However, a scarf protects the shirt. Sometimes the scarf washes up just fine. Other times, with the busy pattern, you can just fold the scarf a different way and no one will know there is a stain. If lunch results in a mishap, the scarf can be rearranged or removed and you can go through your business day without looking like a slob.
But, mostly, scarves are just beautiful and fun to wear. And warm. And hide cleavage until it can be displayed more acceptably at a later hour. So there.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

I didn't NEED a leather jacket...but what would have happened to it if I didn't buy it?

I'm not saying I couldn't USE it, but I really didn't need it. However, at 50% off at Goodwill, $17.50 for a buttery-soft lambskin leather jacket was difficult to resist. Plus, late on a Wed. of that tag color's "sale" day, the chances of the jacket being purchased were dwindling. I'm assuming merchandise not sold after its 1/2-off week gets cycled out. Does anyone know where it goes? I hope it is sent someplace where it can be used. In case it's not, this one jacket got "rescued" and will be appreciated. Difficult to find anything that doesn't make me look like a total dump (I may look dumpy to you in this, but believe me, it's one of the more flattering fits I have found.)

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

This thermostat hack worked really well.

It was into the negative double digits the other night, which I know places like WI experience all the time (one of the reasons I no longer live there), but are rather unheard of in these parts. So, I was worried the unusual cold might burst a pipe or two. Of course, on that very day my heating system decides to get wonky. It would stop heating at 64 degrees no matter what the thermostat was set to (and the thermostat was only a month old...I replaced the old one because it was giving me this exact same problem, but it also had error messages on it...the new thermostat showed no such indication of a problem). While 64 was fine by me, it made really worry about my pipes. So, I stacked a bunch of stuff by the thermostat and made a little mini-Arctic environment with some ice packs and Tupperware.
It worked like a charm. (I put a towel over the entire thing to further insulate it after taking the photo.) And, miraculously, by morning the heating system was working fine. The only problem with the situation was that 70 degrees is a little warm for me at night...but I'd rather be hot than have burst pipes. Gonna put the heat up to 70 for the night right now as negative double digits are expected again. I've been around along time, and even without seeing scientific evidence, this old body says there is climate change.

Monday, February 16, 2015

The one that got away (a good thing) at the 50% off AmVets sale today

I picked up the most amazing buffet for $20 at AmVets during one of their half price sales last fall. But, I still haven't had a chance to refinish it (winter came to soon...I need to do the work outside). So, when I saw a nice Dixie dresser today for $25, I was sooo tempted. However, I made a deal with myself to finish one upcycling project before starting the next, so I walked by. Whilest shopping (and not finding much...only spent $5.25), my resolve was fading. I really don't see pieces nice enough to refinish at prices that low very often. As luck would have it, someone purchased it before I got back to the front of the store. Probably lucky for me. I really don't have a spot to put the durn thing while it's waiting to be refinished.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

"Rent" a punch bowl at Goodwill

While punch isn't as popular as it once was, sometimes a nice, big bowl of punch takes a burden off the hostess. But, punchbowls take up so much storage space and are used so seldom. I "rent" them from Goodwill (or whatevever thrift is handy), by plucking down the $9 they want for a complete set. Then, I donate the set right back when I'm done. It would cost that much to rent from a party company. I save storage. And the money goes to a nonprofit. The only thing is, you have to think ahead a week or two, as every now and then, there are no punch bowls at Goodwill.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Fifty shades of free

Since everyone is all "50 Shades" this Valentine's weekend, I thought I'd share this parody by my sometimes-coauthor. It is available as a free Kindle download if you subscribe to their lending library (not sure how that works, but I know this is so). The book is ridiculously vile in a way that makes it totally hysterical (but, you'll never admit that to anyone else because it is so vile...I wouldn't admit it if I weren't trying to promote it for my buddy). So, you've been warned.
In addition to free kindle lending books (also available at most libraries...though some only offer one format, e.g. kindle or nook), there are thousands of free ebooks for download and the offering changes every month.

Friday, February 13, 2015

$3 brooch, pricey, but it makes me happy.

Got this at a half price sale at a thrift for $3. Probably paid too much, but my sister envied it today, so that alone is worth $3. She mostly just mocks me.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Stop motion sickness

A commenter reminded me of something: ginger can combat motion sickness very effectively for some people. If you are going on a cruise, bring some just in case (maybe in crystalized form so customs doesn't get wonky about it). I, myself, can take the movement on a cruise, but it gets irritating when the ground is still moving 2 weeks afterward. I've found a nice cup of ginger steeped in hot water ends that problem.

Save time and money when brewing iced tea

Might not be the season for this post, but whatever. I brew my iced tea myself and store it in gallon container. I found I can cut down on time, energy and ice cubes (that water it down), by only boiling enough water to cover the tea bags in my pitcher. After letting it steep for 4 minutes, I fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water. I can't discern any difference in flavor from when I used to boil all the water. Plus, I find it lasts (unrefrigerated) just as long as tea that used 100% boiled water. (Conversely, if I make sun tea in the summer, I find it starts getting funky the next day unless it is refrigerated.) I like to refrigerate the tea, but sometimes I just don't have the room for a gallon container. If I want hot tea, I just microwave a cup of the tea from my pitcher...no waiting for it to steep.
Bonus tip: I read someplace that drinking a lot of tea can give you some type of stones (kidney, gall...I can't remember), but putting lemon in the tea solves that problem.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Add used sports equipment stores to your savings arsenal

Since I am, um, not playing any sports these days, I forgot to include used sports equipment stores in my suggestions. These are great places, especially if you have children on sports teams. You can still get equipment at Goodwill cheaper (got a great pair of ski boots there once), but finding what you need is difficult. Used sports equipment stores usually have a full array of equipment in every size. I picked up some cheap weights at one last year (for an outdoor umbrella, not lifting).

The world's lightest suitcases are worth their weight in baggage fees

If I weren't retired, I'd be going someplace warm next week. Sigh. If I were going, I'd allow myself to buy a new suitcase. I saw suitcases at TJ Maxx a couple months ago with tags that claimed "the lightest suitcase available" and "guaranteed for 15 yrs." The "guaranteed" tag was definitely needed as, being so lightweight, the bags felt flimsy. The bags were pricey, but definitely worth investing in if you fly much. These days, the airlines are careful about baggage weight and charge a fortune for extra bags. A light suitcase could pay for itself in one trip. The bags are gone from my store now. They have luggage that claims "featherlight" or some such thing, but it is pounds heavier than the other stuff. If I see one of the other ones again, I just might need to buy it. Even if it isn't "not new" and I don't have any immediate plans to travel. Being able to take an extra 5 lbs. of clothes can make all the difference if you are staying someplace where there is no handy laundry facility.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

I finally got some used jeans that fit

Forgot to mention, yesterday when Savers denied my coupon (that I had earned through making purchases), I did buy some jeans that were 30% off because it was a "sale" day. One pair of Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans was $6.66 and the other was $4, both were in really good shape. I also bought a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans that weren't "Amanda" and they did not fit at all. Took them back today (Savers allows you return an item within 7 days if it still has the tag on it and you have the receipt, though you must take your "refund" in merchandise that same day...a lousy return policy for a for-profit store like Savers, but better than most thrifts). I returned those today and bought some of the stuff I was going to buy with my coupon yesterday (today was "seniors" day, so I got a 25% discount). I think Savers is very expensive for most stuff, but I really needed some jeans.

Monday, February 9, 2015

My love/hate relationship with Savers is really more a hate/hate relationship

I had a 30% off coupon from buying a certain amount of merchandise during the Christmas shopping season. I went to use it today, after a long shopping session, only to be told it expired. While the dates during which you had to do the shopping to earn the stamps were somewhat prominent (for fine print) on the coupon, the expiration date of the coupon was hidden in even more fine print on the back. Sigh. It's bad enough that they seem to go out of their way to make you think they are a nonprofit (they are not), but then they have this kind of thing going on. Wasted all that time shopping for nothing. I must have had at least 20 pieces of glassware in my cart. Maybe I'll go back tomorrow and see if any of it is left (tomorrow I get my senior discount).

The ethics of being on the dole?

I've have never really been on the receiving end of the public dole. Sure, I have attended many heavily subsidized cultural events/performances (welfare for the rich that the wealthy so often forget they are receiving). I did have my Regents scholarship upped an additional $250 my freshman year due to my parents' low income, but my mother graduated from college and started working during my freshman year, giving me zero additional scholarship dollars thereafter.
However, I retired in 2014, at an age when it would be considered "early" retirement. My husband is on the autism spectrum and hasn't held a real job in over a decade. But, we did well financially...well enough to be able to afford early retirement as long as we keep our spending down...which I am very good at. I was born frugal.
The thing is, how much of "the dole" can I accept without feeling guilty? I've embraced whatever over-55 discounts that come my way...of course, those are from private enterprises. But, we did not apply for financial aid for our health insurance, even though we would surely qualify for it. Maybe that was a mistake? I retired early because I honestly believe I have less than 20 years left on this planet and I wanted to sort of relax for some of them (also because my work performance was starting to drop below my standards and I was having health problems that made it very difficult to perform my work on deadline...and was making my health problems worse...back problems exasperated by sitting for long periods). I certainly will embrace Medicare when I'm old enough. Maybe it is foolish of me not to apply for the health coverage financial aid. Maybe I will be forced to some year soon, but then, if I really need it to survive, I don't think I'll feel guilty about accepting it. (I'm figuring by that point, I wouldn't be able to work anyway, so I needn't feel guilty about retiring early.) What are your thoughts? If there is a disaster and you lose property, do you apply for aid even though the loss is one you can afford (I remember big controversy locally when such events transpired).

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Trying to save without doing your homework can backfire

The other day I was in a government-owned facility that had installed those motion-detector lights that come on when it senses movement. We had to keep waving our arms around to turn the lights back on when they timed off. This wouldn't be so bad in itself, but the lights were fluorescent. Fluorescent lights blow off a bit of ballast every time they turn on, shortening their life substantially. I discovered that the CFLs in my main-floor bathroom (where they are turned on and off a lot) only lasted a year, rather than the 3+ years promised on the package) because of this ballast-loss. Imagine how fast those fluorescent tubes are going to wear out going on and off all day. And CFLs are not only fairly expensive, they contain mercury...something you don't want to stuff in the landfills. I'm not sure if LEDs have a similar problem (I hope not). But, I'm going to research them before I start buying a bunch.

Parties as ways of reducing the food bill

Yep. I ate a bit more than I might otherwise at the birthday party this afternoon. Mostly because it will mean I don't have to make myself something to eat later, but it will reduce the food bill. I remember when I was young and poor, I used to think about going to bars during happy hour to eat the free hors d'ouvres for dinner. Figured I might be able to get someone to buy me a drink, or would only buy myself a soda pop. Hated bars, so I never did bring myself to stop in by myself for dinner...but I surely did feed my face when I went with friends. Free food was not to be declined back then...probably take that attitude up again now that I am retired.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Almost done in by Michael Kohrs jeans on clearance.

The offspring needed a lot of clothes and does not share my commitment to "not new," so he asked me to take him to TJ Maxx. This, in itself, is an accomplishment as he used to only want to buy clothes from the mall. While he was shopping for his bargains, I whiled away my time browsing the clearance sections. There was a pair of Michael Kohrs jeans in my size, originally ticketed at $110 and marked down to $27. Now, the only glitch in my "not new" wardrobe is that I have a difficult time finding pants that fit right. Currently, I put on 6 winter lbs. that have my tightest fitting jeans, well, not fitting me anymore. And I haven't been able to find used ones that work. Fortunately, neither did the Kohrs jeans, so I was able to stick to my guns...but, deep down, I know I would have purchased them if they fit properly. It's tough to have a big, weird butt. Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans are about the only ones that work.

Friday, February 6, 2015

My upcycled garage shelving.

This might be what inspired me to find the courage to go "not new" for a year. I needed some extremely sturdy shelving to hold my mosaic supplies in the garage. I had been trolling the thrifts and garage sales to no avail. On big-trash-day I garbage picked an old ladder, couple of particle boards and old table top. I had a couple wood slats lying around from a broken bed and I put this shelving unit together (in-progess shot to show you the workings, fully loaded shot to show how much it can hold). I did have to buy an extra board or two for the shelves themselves. I bought a $6 used circular saw to cut the ladder down (was turning out to be too much work for this old lady to do by hand). In any event, I'm very pleased with how it turned out and cost me next to nothing.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Back to the pawn shop for a compounding miter saw.

Not 100% sure exactly what this does or how it works, but if I am going to put in my own flooring, I know I will need one. Still looking for "not new" flooring. Found some, but I'm holding out for the perfect flooring. Might take awhile if it's going to be "not new." Planning on selling the saw when I'm done. I bought it for $55 and found it selling elsewhere for $70-$125 used elsewhere, so should be easy enough to sell. Feeling good about my purchase...used and a bargain to boot. The guy even put it in my trunk for me. (Now, if I could just get someone to take it out of the trunk...)

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

"Not new" take out containers.

This is not an original idea. Mother Earth News suggested bringing your own take out containers to the restaurant. What a brilliant idea! "Reduce/reuse" is always better than "recycle." Those styrofoam containers are leaky and take up too much room in the fridge. I'm going to put some Tupperware-type containers in the car now so I'll have them the next time we eat out. As I also learned from the article, plastics are not that cost effective to recycle, so best to try to avoid using disposable plastics. Wonder if the deli people would pack stuff in a bring-your-own container? All they'd have to do is zero out their scale before weighing. (Could be health concerns, I suppose.) Good news is, most other stuff (glass, paper, metal) is recycled at a considerable cost/energy/waste savings over making new.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Looking for "not new" income

Yep, this is a blatant plug for books I've written. The 1099s are starting to roll in and I fear my sales may have dropped precipitously this year. It's my own fault. I've always said I can't live on my book sales, but I can vacation on them -- and this year I failed to take a vacation. One of the nice thing about writing a book is it continues to deliver income over time. That "not new" income helps. Of course, if you really want the book sales to produce, you need to do some marketing and I have not...that's "work!" But, I suppose I should bite the bullet and do some promotion. The books are actually well received. My parodies are dang funny and readers tell me they get some laughs out of my novel as well. (It's a pre-dystopian, adventure romance.) Ideal for young and new adults with less-than literary tastes (fun reads, not deep). They would make great Valentine gifts. Available wherever books are sold (except bookstores...you'll have to special order them if you go to the store, but that won't cost any extra). Available in all e-formats, too. Here are the links for the kindle versions (in the US): TwiLITE (was on the kindle Too 100 parodies list for over 2 years) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005AJN7AQ ; Catching On Fire http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VTEC4S

Monday, February 2, 2015

Is it just me, or are doggy kerchiefs sinful?

Can't help it, I just can't stand waste. I don't get my dog professionally groomed very often, though that may change as I'm getting older and the dog seems to stay forever full of puppy energy. Anyway, the groomers around here always put a jaunty kerchief on the dog. I usually leave it on for a day. I don't see many dogs sporting the look, so I'm guessing it doesn't last long for most others either. I wonder how many end up in the garbage? I use mine for dusting and cleaning, but I easily have enough old t-shirts for that purpose. Just seems environmentally unfriendly. Wish I could remember to tell the groomer to skip the scarf more often.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

When new books are cheaper than used

I get most of my fiction books for my kindle, though I absolutely refuse to pay more for the kindle edition than the print edition (as so many publishers charge). Non-fiction books I usually get in print as it is far easier to flip around to the sections I need, when I need them. (Likely, if I were more adept at using my kindle, I'd be able to easily flip around between my bookmarks, but I'm not there yet and may never be.) While I prefer to support local bookstores, the only bookstore that is convenient for me announced recently that they are closing, so I am back to using Amazon.com which is unbeatably affordable and convenient. I love the way Amazon lists all the various sales modes on the book's page. I can usually buy a great used book at a great price. Today, wanting some very current material, that was not the case. In fact, I found myself faced with buying the used book for a couple dollars more than a new book (identified as publisher's overstock). While I did go and spend more on the used gloves last week, I am buying the new book as I don't think it will impact the book's production in any way. Hope I'm not wrong.