Pay Attention!

I love Mama Angel. Just when I think I've caught the brass ring (or the 18K star pin), just when I'm convinced I won't have another great find for weeks (even months), just when I thought I'd forgotten how to Listen, she hits me with a 14K gold (vintage) watch.

Sigh.

It's funny. Last Monday all I did was sit on eBay, scrolling and watch-listing and (yes) even lusting a bit. This entire week I've seen item after item selling for much more than my bargain-hunting soul can stand. (I did win a lot of costume stuff, so keep your fingers crossed.) What I learned, however, is legion.

1) There's money again. While things are hardly going through the roof, they are definitely on the move - mostly with sellers who are smart enough to start the feeding frenzy with a (sometimes frighteningly low) opening price.

2) People pay more for things from established sellers. I won't reach "preferred" in a month, but I'm confident that after a few weeks of establishing myself with my silver jewelry and my milk glass I will be able to sell my better finds credibly.

3) My butt is not made for ten hours straight in one of my dining room chairs.

The past three weeks have also shown me something else - with this renewed confidence in our economy, donations are on the rise. I've not only seen the pin I bought, and the watch I bought today ($10, by the way) but this same store also had a pair of ruby and diamond earrings ($40, but only 10K so I didn't buy them) and some really nice silver pieces ($4 - $8 each). In fact, this place today had an unplanned 75% off sale of all clothes, handbags, and shoes because they're overwhelmed with stuff. And though they pulled most of the designer things out of the pool into a special area (with special pricing) I was still seeing the most amazing tanks, blouses, and f-me heels cross the counter. Shoot, one woman had filled two shopping carts! And I saw at least three kids' outfits with labels even I recognized!

Hey! People! The holidays are right around the corner. Your local charity is dying for both your excess and your cash! So why not start a new tradition, one not of recycling but just of cycling. Go to your closet. Pull out your skinny jeans (you'll never wear them again, stop lying to yourself), last year's stilettos (you know they hurt), and any item with an still-attached price tag older than the cheddar in your meat drawer, and tote them down to your favorite charity shop. Then, with the guilt trip pre-empted, ravage the racks at will. You, too, can find a Gucci leather bag ($1, practically new), an Iceland-made sweater (doesn't anybody read any more?), and a Rado solid gold watch (thankyouthankyouthankyou!). Yes, it takes digging, and even a leap of faith (there was this pair of earrings that might test out) but it's so worth it!

Oh, and I'm thinking of going back tomorrow. I forgot that I have at least a half-dozen people to buy for. And they all wear silver.