Ego's Journal

Where are you and where are you going?
7Wannabe5
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I used to work at a terribly snobby bookstore, and one of our bitter because underpaid/over-educated jokes was that Jewel's very popular volume shelved in the poetry section was "better in translation."

https://vol1brooklyn.com/2011/05/23/rev ... py-poetry/

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

So, we are looking ahead and considering a change. Our routine for the past 20 years has involved a year of travel followed by three years staying in one place and doing things that interest us like learning new skills, taking fun part-time jobs and trying to become better at just plain living. We are now thinking of changing things a bit.

Our relationship with the property management gig couldn't be better. We are happy with the job and they are happy with us. We know the building well and have the systems set so that we could - in theory - leave for a month in the spring and another month in the fall while managing things from afar. Over the past few years we recommended two of our friends as managers of two nearby properties with the same company. They could back us up if a situation arose that required someone to be physically present at the building. These types of situations are very few and far between.

We are thinking that the first test of this idea would be a month in Rome. Lately my art sales business has boomed so we are thinking that we may be able spend much of the time searching for art, ship it back to the US and write off the trip as a business expense.

Any thoughts on this idea would be appreciated. I am especially interested in the business side of the proposition. Tax consequences. Shipping. Italian monkeywrenches. Whatever. Any thoughts are appreciated.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

Rolled Oats were on sale again. Stocked up with two 50lb bags. The last time I purchased them the bulk manager gave me his cell phone number. I texted him on Monday. He had them ready for me for pickup today.

Image

I taught my last cycle class on Tuesday. Probably for the best. It is time for me to adapt to the new normal.

I could continue to do my own workout in the basement but I am a competitive asshole so I am now sampling all of the crossfit gyms in the area. There are nine within biking distance. How can they all stay open?

The closest is by far the best but is also the most expensive. It is the place where many pro crossfitters come to train in the winter. Which makes for an interesting dynamic though I am not delusional at my size and age. Well, maybe a little delusional, but in a good way. They don't do any free or discounted trial periods so I will save that one for last in case I don't find a less expensive, high quality alternatives first. I really like the fact that the coaches there spend a lot of time tailoring workouts to individual needs/goals and really focus on avoiding injury, which can be a very big problem with crossfit.

I did a free-trial class this morning at another box that was kinda sad. Me and one other guy were the only two in the converted warehouse. I can't imagine the place will last long. I will finish out the free week and move on to the next one.

---

A few weeks ago I found a Rimowa suitcase with a broken wheel at the swap meet. I did a little research and discovered that replacement wheels only come in a complete set of four for $180. When I showed it to Mrs. Ego she said, "Don't worry. We'll get it fixed on Sunday."

When I got home on Sunday afternoon she pointed to a pile of clothes on the table and said, "Put those on. We're going to the mall." She decided to wear a colorful kimono with a gaucho hat and insisted I wear sockless loafers and a shirt that is too bright and too tight. She called it Chilango chic.

I haven't been to the mall in a while and enjoyed wandering around pretending to be someone who actually buys things new. We finally found the Rimowa store in the Louis Vuitton section. As we entered Mrs. Ego said, "Let me do the talking." She addressed the clerk with a peculiar accent that might have been Latin American or French or Middle Eastern, "The wheel of my case has broken."

I turned my attention to the wall display to avoid laughing. He looked it over, inspected the serial number on the case then said, "Ah yes. It appears to be out of warranty."

Mrs. Ego remained silent. I grabbed a $2100 trunk case from the wall display and began rolling it around the store, admiring myself in the mirror. When the silence became uncomfortable he said, "Let me check the back."

He returned a minute later with a wheel. "Sometimes we have extras in the workshop that have been used but are still good. He quickly removed the screw, replaced the wheel then extended the handle and rolled it to Mrs. Ego with a smile, "Good as new. No charge."

"Gud as new," she repeated sounding vaguely Scandinavian but then morphed to East Indian, "Thank you veri-veri much".

I think we may have found a new hobby.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

That was a great outcome but an even better story. Thank you for sharing this sliver of your life :)

SavingWithBabies
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by SavingWithBabies »

I liked the story too -- it made me smile. I'm curious about the oats though. How do you store such a large amount? I'm assuming these are for your household consumption? I'm impressed by the quantity and left wondering if you eat oats every day too!

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

Thanks!

@SWB, yes we both eat oats every day. Whenever I see gamma seal containers at the swap meet I buy them. I now have a collection in the basement with flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, oats, brown rice and several grains. A 50lb bag of rolled oats fits perfectly in a 35lb Gamma Vittles Vault pet food container.

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GandK
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by GandK »

My only thought on your Italy idea is that we got a great rate on an AirBnB in Greece by booking for a full month... much better than the rates we got for shorter stays.

Sounds like a lot of fun to me.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

Thanks G/K! I think we will shoot for one month. I was looking at AirBnbs in Rome. It looks like we can get some really nice places for under $1500/month.

I have a friend who is a tax attorney. For years he has been an enthusiastic follower of our adventures and his wife who works at the Museum of Art has been following my foray into the art world with interest. Today I mentioned that we were considering making the purchase of art for resale the focus of our next trip. He thought it is the perfect tax write off as long as we spend at least 50% of the time working and keep an excellent calendar of how we spent our time and what we purchased. I think it may work.

It seems there are some challenges with getting antique paintings out of Italy. There are age restrictions on what can be exported. I will have to be careful not to buy anything that cannot be exported. I got a few quotes from art exporters that were exorbitant. I believe I will have to remove the canvases from the stretcher bars, roll them in tubes, take them on the plane as luggage and remount them on new stretchers once we arrive in the US. Lately I have been buying antique frames whenever I see them in preparation. I will have to practice my woodworking skills to fabricate stretchers. I think I will begin buying crappy old paintings for a few bucks whenever I see them with the intention of reusing stretchers. Fun!

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mountainFrugal
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by mountainFrugal »

Gesso those crappy old paintings and Bob Ross us some Ego style landscapes.

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Ego
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Post by Ego »

Hah! I've got a friend who sells at the swap meet. Whenever someone leaves Ikea framed prints or old paintings in the free pile he will take them home and repaint over the original painting with something abstract and colorful, then sell it the following week. He just started submitting some of his more interesting pieces to auctions and sold this one for $185. Maybe it should go in the something from nothing thread.

Image

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mountainFrugal
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Post by mountainFrugal »

You do not have to be shy Ego. This is a beautiful painting. Or rather... tell your friend I thought it was a beautiful painting. ;). I like the small, medium and large shapes balanced with the lower left and upper right framing. It passes the "squint" test and still reads as interesting shapes when squinting at it. Any idea the scale of the piece?

I had not thought about it in this context before, but "Something from nothing" could be a good definition of art that bridges the divide between capital-A art and artisan art as the intention for what is done with the art after is not defined. All something from nothing is great creative expression, regardless of medium (including all the items in that entire thread).

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

mountainFrugal wrote:
Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:08 pm
You do not have to be shy Ego.
Laughed out loud and woke Mrs. Ego this morning.
mountainFrugal wrote:
Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:08 pm
Any idea the scale of the piece?
Large
61"L x 48.5"H

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Western Red Cedar »

Ego wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 4:05 pm

We are thinking that the first test of this idea would be a month in Rome. Lately my art sales business has boomed so we are thinking that we may be able spend much of the time searching for art, ship it back to the US and write off the trip as a business expense.

Any thoughts on this idea would be appreciated. I am especially interested in the business side of the proposition. Tax consequences. Shipping. Italian monkeywrenches. Whatever. Any thoughts are appreciated.
I think this is a really interesting idea and business opportunity. When I was in Hanoi I spent a lot of time in small galleries and observed what appeared to be American dealers shopping for art. I had fleeting notions of becoming an international art dealer :D. Never had the courage to follow through though as it seems like it can be a fickle business.

Have you considered other goods beyond fine art? I often come across really nice, handcrafted goods (leather bags, pashmina shawls, Turkish rugs,etc.) that are sold at a premium in the US. Of course, things like shipping, taxes, and other hurdles may explain the markup.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

@WRC, another area we were thinking about is vintage couture dresses. I have a friend who makes a killing at it selling almost exclusively on instagram. The markups she gets are unbelievable. We have had two recent successes in this area but they were flukes. I wasn't specifically looking for old dresses but stumbled upon them and paid almost nothing for them. Now I watch for them. While it is not an area I was initially interested in, I have to admit I really enjoyed doing a little research and learning enough to "sell" them. So, yes, we are open to other areas.

One of the things I find most enjoyable is discovering situations that allow for extreme arbitrage.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Western Red Cedar »

Well if vintage couture dresses are a specialty, perhaps a month in Paris is on the agenda at some point.

DW has a good eye for quality vintage products and really enjoys the fashion from the 20's through the 60's. She started designing and making her own outfits based on old magazines and patterns. She also finds that the vintage shoes and clothes she is able to pick up thrifting fit her better.

Her highest priority on our trip to Paris five years ago was to go thrifting in Montmarte to find a vintage Parisian dress. This was where I picked up one of my favorite travel hobbies while waiting for her as she looked through shop after shop - photographing street art. Possibly lots of opportunities for vintage couture there. Didn't you mention that @Mrs. Ego speaks french?

ETA - One minor travel hack that I've found cuts down on costs and carbon emissions is to extend trips as long as possible, travel regionally, and move slowly. Much of the cost, both environmentally and monetarily, is through the flight to the destination. (Though I'm sure this is old news for a seasoned traveler like yourself) I'm not sure if you are still tied to the property management position in the future, but if not you might consider some additional opportunities to extend your time in Europe and hit some other destinations.

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

@WRC, yes we are still in the property management gig. Normally about this time (2 years in) we are beginning to prepare for the next trip but this time around we are really enjoying our current place and are considering hanging onto it.

I agree. Paris would certainly be on the itinerary for vintage couture, though I've found that the competition in the major cities is far greater than the second-tier cities. I have friends who buy stuff here and drives to LA for resale. Japanese buyers fly in each month for the Rose Bowl flea. I think we would have to venture further afield from Paris, Rome, Madrid.... to find good deals as there are others searching the big cities. Personally, seeking out new markets is 75% of the fun for us.

It's great that your wife enjoys finding vintage dresses. Making them from scratch is particularly impressive.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

Hat tip for the Jewel JRE episode recommendation. Listened to it over the past few days and thought it was great!

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Ego
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by Ego »

I spotted two thick artist portfolios in the trunk of a car this weekend. I asked the owner if I could have a look and he enthusiastically handed them to me, explaining that he was given them along with other things in exchange for some handyman work he had done. He couldn't tell me anything about the artist. As I paged through the hundreds of pencil drawings I was blown away by the skill. Some were dated as early as 1950. Some where dated 2005. The signature on all was the same three initials. I couldn't find any listed artists with the initials but I was sure it had to be someone....

Walking through the parking lot with the heavy portfolios on my head someone shouted to me, "So you bought them, eh?" It was a friend who also buys art. He had purchased several paintings from the same vendor. All but one were signed with the same three initials. They last had the artist's full name written across the back.

When I got home I searched all of the art databases. Nothing. I resorted to google and could find only one reference to the man in the biographical section of the website of another artist. A famous sculptor. The sculptor mentioned that the man was his high school art teach and was responsible for encouraging him to pursue his passion as an artist. The sculptor has a contact page on his website. I photographed a few of the sketches and sent an email to the sculptor asking if he remembered his teacher. Five minutes later my phone rang.

After the sculptor left high school he went on to study at a prestigious art academy and gradually became famous, specializing in large public statues. He remained in contact with his high school teacher and spoke at the funeral when the teacher passed away a few years ago. He told me how the teacher loved to create art but was mild mannered and disliked the business of selling it. The sculptor was sure that the teacher would have been wealthy and famous had he made an effort to sell his work. After a long conversation I promised to photograph the sketches and upload them so he could share them with fellow students.

Today I was paging through the sketches. The first is a good example of the quality of the hundreds of sketches. The second are some random thoughts the teacher had jotted on the back of a sketch.

Image

Image

chenda
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Re: Ego's Journal

Post by chenda »

Great story ego, I love this kind of stuff, finding people from the past and remembering them. Be cool if you could publish a short article or obituary about him.

I remember a guy who found some old diaries in a skip which turned out to be historically important and were subsequently published.

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Ego
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Post by Ego »

Thanks @chenda. I also enjoy this kind of stuff. It reminded me that pre-internet people are nonexistent if someone does not take the time to translate knowledge to bytes. Other than the one reference it is as if he never was. Such as life.

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