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Both my daughter and I had the same habit in HS. We carried a book we were reading for pleasure because when we finished a test or classwork and had extra time in class, we would take out our book and read. Neither of us ever had a teacher say anything about it.
College did kill some of my reading pleasure, but I did read novels during class breaks.
This reminds me of one of my favourite smug superiority memories. My grade 9 English teacher was great, and really interested in what his students were doing. His first day with the class, he had everyone stand up, tell a little about themselves, and let us know what they were reading "and don't try and tell me that you're reading War & Peace, ha ha ha ". So my turn comes, I tell a little about myself, and then I reach into my bag and pull out War & Peace, with its bookmark sitting at about the halfway mark. From that day forward I was his favourite student. I still feel a little smug about that some thirty-odd years later.Originally Posted by myrosiedog;3165311;
What brings me back down to earth is that I got to about twenty pages from the end, and I just couldn't finish it, and I know I will never try again. And the only thing I got from the enormous thing is that...Helena?...I can't remember, her name was pretty because she had a short upper lip. I still have no idea what a short upper lip looks like. Anyone care to enlighten me?
I know I was the exception, but even in college I would try to read for pleasure. When I got lonely at school, I used to send myself packages from Amazon.com, and I would try to read in bed a few nights a week before I turned out the lights. I can't say that I always, or even mostly, did the assigned reading for class, but I find my motivation is much higher for anything I choose to read. I almost always have a book on me, as it gives me something to do on my commute to and from work.
I'm a binger when it comes to reading. I won't read for a few months, then we'll go to the bookstore and I'll pick up three or four books and read them in as many days. Then it's back to no reading for a few months. I just can't stop if I have a book. I have to get to the end. If I had a constant supply of books I'd never get any sleep.
Rattus, that is CLASSIC!!!!!! Best story I've heard in ages!
No clue what a short upper lip looks like either.
I have a very thin upper lip and hate it, so I don't know if its the same thing or not.
burntbrat - I'm like you - once I start, everything else has to wait.
I need advice here. I'm planning to have my first ever yard sale this weekend. I need to start unloading STUFF. I moved a huge load of stuff from the attic to the porch yesterday and kept telling myself that I can always have another one in a few weeks because there is so much stuff. Questions - is it worth it to advertise? How much do I need in ones and quarters? Do I need bags? Do I actually have to price each individual thing or can I have a table of $1 items, 50 cent items, etc. Do more expensive items sell? My main objective is to get rid of stuff, but I wouldn't mind making a little money, too. Anything else I've forgotten to ask? Can I sell coffee and brownies?
I've got this weird thing that I do when I'm coming to the end of a book that I have loved....and don't want it to end......I almost stop reading it so that it won't end..........how stupid is that?? I hate to see it end, so I do everything I can to avoid the inevitable....even though I want to know exactly how it ended. And I usually have another book that I can't wait to start! But I won't start it until I've finished the one I'm on. Since college, I read to escape.......not improve my mind, if I can help it! But, really, I think all reading improves your mind, so who am I fooling?? ME!!
I'm, obviously, into playing headgames with myself, huh?
I carry a book with me from floor to floor in the house so that I won't be without, even if it's just to have it close to me....just in case.....
Gut, it does pay to advertise. I've had many sales and there are people that go through the newspaper adds and actually plan a yard sale route. I would definetly advertise in the paper. It's not expensive and they'll help you with wording. Toys, tools, fishing gear always seem to attract a lot of people when you advertise.
I do tables with items grouped for the same price, but beware, people move stuff around and then claim they found it on a cheaper table. I try to price almost everything. And people like to bargain (which is actually fun for me too, so I don't mind unless they are ridiculously cheap)
My rule for yardsales is this: if it was expensive and you want to get more out of it, the put it on craigs list or in the paper. You will NOT get a lot of money out of expensive items at a yard sale. People are there to look for bargains. I've always felt that I was getting rid of my junk and if I made money in the process, then fine. But the people I know that go into it looking to make a lot of money are always disappointed. And I've known people that will say: "But I paid $100 for this, I'm not taking less than $50" and then they don't sell that item. You dont' have to give the stuff away, but you will get rid of more stuff if you price it to move and I don't even really take into consideration what I originally paid for it. It's used, I no longer need it, I want it gone, so I price it to sell. That's not to say you can't have $50 items. I have sold furniture for over that. But you do have to take into account that if you want top dollar, then advertise it in the want ads and don't try to sell it at a yard sale.
Do signs too. They help a LOT. Good luck. And remember if you advertise that it starts at 8 a.m., there will be people there at 6. I have been putting stuff out and had people with flashlights looking at the stuff (it was still dark out) as I put it out because they came early.
H ave lots of ones and coins. People love to pay in coins and I always had 25 cent and 50 cent stuff. You will always get someone paying for a $1.50 item with a 20 bill too, so beware.
Have fun. They are a lot of work, but the satisfaction of getting rid of stuff and making money is worth it to me.
ETA: tools sell well, so do toys, baby stuff, kitchen stuff not so much, but not bad. Clothes hardly ever unless they are plus size or small kids.
Baskets do really well and I buy a lot of my baskets at yard sales, but typically you can't get a lot for them. 25 cents to 50 cents, etc.
And here's my murphy's law of yard sales: stuff you think will sell doesn't and stuff you think is the most worthless junk that will never sell does. My grandmother had saved countless tonic water bottles and grapefruit juice bottles and margarine tubs (the bottles were glass from the 80's). That stuff sold like hotcakes. I got like a nickel or dime each for them, but there were so many, that I probably made about $10on all of it.
Just remember those nickels and dimes add up.
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