Ego's Journal

Where are you and where are you going?
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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

black_son_of_gray wrote:
Tue Dec 20, 2022 2:36 pm
"stay hungry, participate in the complexly-interacting moving parts, always be cultivating" mindset is exactly the direction where I want to point my ship. A conscious decision to participate in life as an "infinite game" (JP Carse).
Infinite game... I love that. So much of who we are as human beings is the result of characteristics that are use-it-or-lose-it in this infinite game. Without practice they wither and die.

One of the best connectors I know is about eighty years old. He retired a long time ago and has since volunteered at an information desk a few days a week, interacting with hundreds of people per hour for four-hour shifts. He has used the volunteer position as olympic-athlete level training for the skill of conjuring meaningful encounters from mundane interactions. Oh, the interesting people he knows and the incredible relationships he built from that volunteer position.
Western Red Cedar wrote:
Tue Dec 20, 2022 3:12 pm
Sounds a lot like a traditional approach to being a good businessman. Integrity and relationships go a long way in different facets of life.
Yeah, I think there is something of the traditional approach there. Though we also have the luxury of being able to follow our whims. My family will not go hungry if I fail. I often wonder how different I would be if I were in such a position.

Then again.... from the trash today. Organic kiwis and asparagus. We had the asparagus with lunch.

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guitarplayer
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by guitarplayer »

Hey @Ego, nice finds. About two weeks ago I was heading with our compost to a compost bin that is 4min walk away. On the way there I found a black banana on the street, very ripe and otherwise intact. I got it home for DW and told her how I got it. She was very happy.

I am outside-the-boxing the Foraging Log

viewtopic.php?p=266994#p266994

If you want to help me crack it open, you can.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

A couple of years ago I started running on the beach. Before running I would stretch against a cement bench that faced the sea. One day, sitting at the far end of the bench was a sixty-something, mutton-chopped, MAGA hat wearing guy. We said nothing while I stretched but he greeted several people by name as they passed by.

Another day he was in his spot and I said hello. He said hello and wished me a good run. Eventually we exchanged small talk and discussed the quality of the surf with two surfers who were waxing boards and putting on wetsuits. Then we exchanged names. Once after a particularly tiring run I sat and talked with him for half and hour about work, family, cars, politics and surfing styles.

After a few months, I got a good outline of his life and he got to know about mine. He knew many of the cast of characters who inhabited the beach and eventually, through him, I got to know some as well. One day Mrs. Ego ran with me and from then on he asked how she was doing. When the conversation turned to diet, he laughed that I was a vegan. When he told me he was going to get cleaned up for a formal event, I asked how he was going to pull it off with the mutton chops and maga hat.

His wife is from Brazil and one day he told me he was leaving for an extended visit with his wife's family. He has been gone for nearly six-months.

While he was gone I began parking at a more convenient lot and now stretch at a different area. Recently the tide was very high so I ran past the bench and there he was in his regular spot. He stood up and hugged me. We talked for an hour and I was surprised by how happy I was to see him and how happy he seemed to see me.

We had a lot to talk about, as friend do when they haven't seen one another for a while.

rube
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by rube »

Nice story Ego. Also, due to this story I know now what mutton chops are and what MAGA means 😃.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

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Last week one of my friends bought the entire contents of an estate, loaded half of it in his trailer and dumped it on the damp ground of the swap meet. It was sad to see the complete collection of 1938-49 Life Magazines and the wardrobes of two people who hadn't discarded a thing since before WW2 getting drizzled on in a bleak, dark, early morning drive-in theater. I used my headlamp to illuminate two brittle 1950s dresses that disintegrated when I tried to pick them up. I bought Mrs. Ego a vintage hat for $1.

Yesterday he showed up with the other half of the load. The art. He stacked piles of paintings against the side of the trailer. Most were done by the wife and were actually quite good, but she is not a known artist and my friend must have thought she was Picasso judging by the prices he was asking. I didn't want to be the one to burst his bubble and was ready to give up after seeing almost everything but turned to one last pile that had been sealed professionally in plastic.

As I cut open the largest I felt someone looking over my shoulder. It was Roger. He quietly gasped with joy at what he saw, then whispered to me, "Buy it! If you don't, I will.". I asked my friend what he wanted for it and he gave a price that was high but not unreasonable, despite the fact that I could not find any indication of the artist. Trusting Roger's gut reaction, I bought it.

It is an old museum quality portrait. The frame is terrible but the stretcher and canvas are extremely old. There are dark sections around the edges and the canvas is covered in old varnish that has become opaque with age. This morning I set myself the goal of gently cleaning it and learning more about it.

I looked over the canvas with a magnifying glass and thought there could possibly be a signature in the lower right corner. Using a clean cloth dipped in a few drops of turpentine I wiped away the varnish and suddenly the signature jumped out at me.

Roger's instinct was correct. It was done by a famous 19th century portrait artist with pieces in many museums and a handful of sales in a range that would pay for a year of travel, though most sales were only for only a few thousand.

Portraits are tricky. If I can figure out who the subjects are I might be able to entice a living relative to buy it for a large sum. Worst case, I 20x my investment. Not bad for a days pickings.

I really enjoy this kind of research and would gladly pay to participate in this kind of treasure hunt. This afternoon I found a few hints in journals kept by the artist. I have messaged two historical societies and hope to learn more in the days ahead.

Wish me luck!

Western Red Cedar
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Post by Western Red Cedar »

Good luck! I just shared Roger's story with DW. She is a talented thrifter with a degree in art. Vintage fashion is where she finds the best deals. You may have inspired a new side hustle for the WRC household :D

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Ego
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@WRC, I saw Roger again this morning and told him what I had learned about the painting. He surprised me with his excitement and asked several good questions that made me think of another approach to finding a buyer. Such a nice guy

I am glad his story inspired your DW. I am always happy to help if she finds something interesting.

Western Red Cedar
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Post by Western Red Cedar »

Thanks! I don't think she's going to be jumping into the art game anytime soon. Lately she's been finding designer clothes at thrift stores that sell for at least 5x on sites like eBay, thredup or poshmark. She enjoys the treasure hunt, so it might be a nice side hustle for her in the future. We are currently on the minimalist train, and hoping to transition to long-term vagabonds for awhile, so I don't want to encourage her to start quite yet.

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Ego
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Post by Ego »

A friend and swap meet seller has a hoarder neighbor in the most expensive area of town who came to the conclusion that she was no longer able to live independently. The friend was given the neighbor's entire art collection which had been accumulated over a lifetime. The friend showed up with the first load of paintings on a drizzly day when all of the other art buyers were not there. I managed to fit fifty paintings in the Honda Fit. Fifty paintings!

It is fun to do the research on one or two paintings at a time. Fifty is work. Some of the signatures are hard to decipher. I am hesitant to list those I cannot decipher because they could be just okay $200 paintings or they could be big money. I am going to have to take a chance and share the wealth with my art buyer friends. The basement is full to overflowing. Ugh!

rube
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by rube »

Ego wrote:
Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:42 am
Fifty is work.
:D luxury ERE problems. I am confident you'll find a suitable way to manage it all. Nice fit in the car.

Oh, and good luck. I hope there's isn't a multi million dollar painting included as it would imbalance your current lifestyle.

UrbanHomesteader
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Post by UrbanHomesteader »

I love hearing about the art finds, especially the research on the artists. Thanks for sharing!

theanimal
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by theanimal »

What a haul! I'm really wishing I had a swap meet nearby.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

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Thanks folks! This morning I took three paintings to the swap meet with me. I carried one around while I shopped. One of my friends noticed it and said, "Hey, nice painting! Let me see." I showed it to him and asked if he was interested. He was. I asked him what he wanted to pay. He gave me a somewhat lowball offer and I agreed. Returned to the car and repeated the process two more times with different friends. In between I purchased a helmet mount for night vision goggles and some used food. Came home a little bit lighter.
theanimal wrote:
Fri Feb 03, 2023 1:15 pm
What a haul! I'm really wishing I had a swap meet nearby.
I once was blind to old woodworking tools. Now thanks to you I am beginning to see. :D Today I spent twenty minutes digging through a bin full of old clamps and planes. A friend who is a retired sculptor-turned-machinist saw me and said, "Hey, get away from there. That's an addiction you don't want."

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

Back in 2019 when we were staying in Paris I created a saved search for apartments for sale in the 5th around the area where we were living. We have no intention of purchasing a place there. I just found it interesting to see the prices and amenities available.

A few days ago I received a link to a strange listing for a 6m² (65 sqFt) room for sale for €73,000 just a few blocks from Jardin du Luxembourg. Any ideas what is going on with this one?

https://www.green-acres.fr/en/propertie ... bsprw3.htm

Humanofearth
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Post by Humanofearth »

Ego, that is 12k for a square meter. The 2 pictures actually show the entire space. A bed, shower, and cooking space somehow exist in 6m^2.

The price is low in total for a studio but very high for the space.

OutOfTheBlue
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by OutOfTheBlue »

Ego wrote:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:05 am
A few days ago I received a link to a strange listing for a 6m² (65 sqFt) room for sale for €73,000 just a few blocks from Jardin du Luxembourg. Any ideas what is going on with this one?

https://www.green-acres.fr/en/propertie ... bsprw3.htm
It says it cannot be rent, probably due to regulations.

Shared toilets with the rest of the floor tenants, from what I can guess. There is a lift, which can be unusual for a "chambre de bonne" (literally "handmaid's room"), top floor small rooms originally to house handmaids and staff.

But this is tiny.

theanimal
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by theanimal »

I'm sure the wheels are turning in your head. Paired with a storage unit, a European base for your art empire?

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Ego
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Humanofearth wrote:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:49 am
The price is low in total for a studio but very high for the space.
Yeah, I guess I was thinking about two friends who recently spent more than this for their campervans. Not a good way to look at it. I am having trouble with the idea that any change in living arrangements cannot beat free...what we have now.
OutOfTheBlue wrote:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:03 am
Shared toilets with the rest of the floor tenants....
It's funny how I didn't notice the lack of a toilet in the photos. Completely missed that important fact.
theanimal wrote:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 12:28 pm
I'm sure the wheels are turning in your head. Paired with a storage unit, a European base for your art empire?
Wheels are certainly turning. At the moment it feels like they are moving in four different directions.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

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Over the summer and fall I have done a reverse triathlon every Saturday morning where I run around the island (7.5m), cycle with my group (about 20m) and then swim (1m) with a friend in the bay. Recently the rains have spoiled the swim as the bay is usually polluted after hard rains, but we have been able to continue intermittently. Today's heavy rains caused me to skip the entire workout for the first time since last spring.

It was a mixed blessing. I decided to do a weight workout in the basement. When I went down I found that a flood had filled the basement, just below the burners on the steam boiler for the radiators, which was running at full blast. The sump pump was not working.

I dug down into the well and worked the float valve. It was stuck in the down (off) position. Once freed it kicked the pump on but it wasn't pumping the water. I thought maybe the drain was clogged but decided to start with the intake of the pump. I used the back of a hammer to dig around under the pump and free up whatever was causing the clog. After a few minutes of digging it began to pump out the water. Once the water was low enough to manually work the float valve into the off position I used a shop vac to suck the accumulated gunk from beneath the pump and then cleaned out the well entirely. Disaster averted.

The sump is 14 years old so next week I will have it replaced. I am going to buy a backup sump that can connect to a garden hose in case the primary fails. The boiler is a $25-30K device that is worth protecting. Live and learn.

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SavingWithBabies
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by SavingWithBabies »

The building owners are fortunate to have a caretaker that actually cares (as is the furnace)! That was a nice save.

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