Something From Nothing Log

Fixing and making things, what tools to get and what skills to learn, ...
Dragline
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Dragline »

If it means anything to you, I am enjoying your efforts with this thread immensely. There is a certain connection with Vaclav Havel's "The Power of the Powerless." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power ... _Powerless

It is about creating something good and meaningful by yourself regardless of the society you inhabit. So called "small works" are very important.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

@Dragline, Thank you!

While I would love to claim some higher moral or ethical ideal, the truth is much more base. I get a shot of dopamine whenever... to borrow Jacob's permaculture idea.... I close a loop while simultaneously feeding off of it.

I try act ethically and morally in the loop closing. For instance, I do not resort to stealing fat....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNov04_O9Vo

But.... I reluctantly admit the unflattering fact that there is also a slight bonus squirt of dopamine when....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T1MckpC_Gc

Marie Kondo with Soylent Green are somehow mixed in there as well. :D

jacob
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by jacob »

7Wannabe5 wrote:@Ego: You actually already know a lot about permaculture because ERE (the general theory/practice/philosophy as presented in the book) is the same thing. Both could generally be defined as "A Design Methodology Based on Complex System Theory for Creation of Sustainable Human Ecosystems."
Off topic, but let me just point out the canon here :ugeek:

They're not the same thing but they do derive from the same thing. General systems theory (applied operations research) is a foundation for both. Permaculture is concerned with semi-static space (where to put this plant in relation this other plant or insect or human, ... ). ERE is concerned with time and probability outcomes (when to do this action(=make a choice) relative to that other action given that this or that happens...). If permaculture is a design methodology, implying the organization of parts, it would be more apt to say that ERE is a strategy methodology, implying the focus on time and probability outcomes.

Both are concerned about increasing efficiency. An efficient natural system is sustainable. For ERE I would say that sustainability is a sufficient but not a required condition for efficiency.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

@jacob: Gotcha. I shouldn't have said that they are the same thing. What I should have said, because relevant to this thread, is that there is one example of "success" in permaculture which involves no planting, and this is also one example of "success" in ERE that involves saving no money, and it would be something like a lifestyle totally based on thoughtful, loop-closing, scavenging and foraging or decomposing. Of course, kind of depends on whether a vagrant can be considered to be a free man.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

I had another fruitful morning. The only interesting thing is the Singer sewing box I got for $5. I usually buy a dead-grandma box like this each time we come back and use the supplies to repair my inventory. This time I had trouble finding one. Not sure if it is because grandmas no longer keep boxes like these, full of stray buttons, thread, needles, zippers, and a wide variety of problem solvers.

Image

This box even had a Singer Handi-stitch in the bottom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G05dWewvEK4
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Papers of Indenture
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Papers of Indenture »

dead grandma box made laugh out loud at desk.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Sometimes I miss the recycle bin at Soylent Towers for the variety of good newspapers. Here I have 40 Millennials (well, a few GenXers too) and not one (NOT ONE!) newspaper reader. Newspapers are DEAD! Tons of glossy magazines, though.

The Millennials are good sharers so I'm thinking of putting a basket in the lobby with a sign encouraging them to leave their old magazines rather than simply tossing them in the recycle bin. Because, you know, I have to dig them out of the bin. ;)
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

jacob
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by jacob »


anomie
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by anomie »

the in-laws hoarded books and put boxes of books in their $60/mo storage unit prior to departure.
then went on the road and lived out of camper/rv.
they then learned about leave one, take one paperback exchanges that apparently exist in many campgrounds.
the in-laws never went back to get their personal book hoarde.
== free books rule!
&& personal hoarding == waste of time in the long run ??..

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing

Post by Ego »

Ego wrote:A few days after selling the bed I found a used bike on craigslist that was too good to pass up, an REI Novara Safari off road touring bike with a few extra add ons. $100.

Sold the Safari for $325. We could have gotten more but Mrs. Ego and the pixie-like buyer became fast friends. She is preparing for a big bicycle tour. We would have given it to her for free had she asked.

$579.46 + 325 = $904.46
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Sold the Snow Peak cookset for $20. The guy was buying them to use in his VW campervan. Lots to talk about. 50/50 I sold a book too. ;)

$904.46 + $20 = $924.46

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

This morning I found a rock climbing rig (Black Diamond harness, Evolv shoes and a Metolius chalk bag) for $30. I'm probably not going to be able to mark it up much. Chances are, I will only double or triple my money on the gear, but this is the kind of stuff I like to sell, so I went for it.

Image

In other news, one of my regular sellers won an auction full of tens of thousands of pieces of outdoor gear that was supposed to go across the border. Factory seconds with tags. I bought a lot this morning. We talked about this company in the Ultimate Pants thread. Their underwear is particularly well known among travelers. Most of it is going into my ebay stores but I now have a lifetime supply of underwear. ;)


$924.46 - $30 = $894.46
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

When listing something on ebay I will often search "sold" items then sort by the highest selling price to determine what title and keywords attract the most cash. Today I found this gem.

A used Patagonia trucker hat that sold for $300. The patch on the front says "Live Simply". :lol:

Image
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.

tonyedgecombe
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by tonyedgecombe »

Ego wrote:When listing something on ebay I will often search "sold" items then sort by the highest selling price to determine what title and keywords attract the most cash.
That's an interesting idea, I often do the opposite to find how much I pay for something, I hadn't thought of using it to help sell an item.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Ebay limits the historic data to the most recent sales. Terapeak is a service that provides similar but more granular info for Amazon and Ebay for a fee. For those who sell a lot of unique items that return few comparables it could be a good investment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf6cFPu ... I0YROAdFIq

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Decided to send this as a PM rather than public....

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Ego wrote: Last week one of my tenants got fired from her job at a motorcycle shop so she sold her bike and threw out her Icon motorcycle jacket. Gotta love 'em. Listed on craigslist....
Sold the jacket for $25 to a gregarious British guy who owns a famous bar here in town. He is a Triumph fanatic and his daughter will use the jacket to ride with him. He is also a recent cancer survivor who is now questioning the idea of working till you drop. We had a lot to talk about.

Balance $894.46 + $25 = $919.43
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Ego wrote:This morning I found a rock climbing rig (Black Diamond harness, Evolv shoes and a Metolius chalk bag) for $30.
Sold the harness and chalk bag for $45 to a Navy Chaplain who is looking to begin climbing as a hobby he can do with his son. He tried on the shoes and may come back for them.

$919.43 +$45 = $964.43

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

I had some time to talk with Cory today so I let our conversation take form before I hit him with the question. "Okay so you started from..." He quickly interrupted and said, "Homeless with nothing and I got one car and then another and now I have a motorhome and a truck." As he said it I made an upward trajectory with my hand, flying like superman, and asked, "Okay, so where do you go from here...," as I continued up with my hand.

"Uh uh," he interrupted. "No, no, no. I don't do it like that. I do it like, like, every little thing I do makes it get better. That's the way it works." He closed one eye and held up his thumb and index fingers close together then looked at the space between them and said, "Every little thing I do makes it better. Nothing makes it worse. I don't do anything to make it worse. Not even the tiniest thing."

"What's 'it'," I asked. "The 'it' you are making better? What is it?"

He looked at me as if it was obvious but then waved his hands around his chest first, then more wildly around himself to take in the buildings, the street, the people walking by, then he looked up to the sky and said, "It!"

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Ego wrote:This morning I found a rock climbing rig (Black Diamond harness, Evolv shoes and a Metolius chalk bag) for $30. I'm probably not going to be able to mark it up much. Chances are, I will only double or triple my money on the gear, but this is the kind of stuff I like to sell, so I went for it.
Sold the shoes for $40 to a kid who will use them for a weekend bouldering trip to Joshua Tree.

This morning I bought a whole pile of used climbing gear, two harnesses, two pairs of shoes, two carabiners and a chalk bag, all for $45.

Image

$964.43 + $40 - $45= $959.43
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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