Without further ado, pictures!!
The Beast (Full View)
The Beast (Side View)
The Beast (Side View - Close Up)
The Beast (Front View - Close Up)
Monday, October 31, 2005
Pictures of The Beast
Ok, kids...As promised, here are pictures of "The Beast." Very special thanks to dad for wiring the beast up, and helping to put it into place. (It wasn't your fault that the Beast took off my toenail, either...I think he was just hungry for blood!!)
Without further ado, pictures!!
The Beast (Full View)
The Beast (Side View)
The Beast (Side View - Close Up)
The Beast (Front View - Close Up)
Without further ado, pictures!!
The Beast (Full View)
The Beast (Side View)
The Beast (Side View - Close Up)
The Beast (Front View - Close Up)
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Word Verification
Friends of my blog...I recently have been getting a lot of spam comments in my comments section. Thusly, I had to enable the Word Verification.
Yes, this takes an extra second or two for you to post, and that sucks, but please, pretty please with cherries on top, don't let this stop you from posting to my blog.
Oh, and if you love me, you'll still post comments. (Gotta throw the guilt in there!!)
That is all.
T
Yes, this takes an extra second or two for you to post, and that sucks, but please, pretty please with cherries on top, don't let this stop you from posting to my blog.
Oh, and if you love me, you'll still post comments. (Gotta throw the guilt in there!!)
That is all.
T
Slaying the Beast
Sunday was a cold, rainy day...perfect for laying inside under the covers, nestled by the fireplace. Ah, remote in one hand, soda in the other...the Colts game tugging at my senses.
But it was all a dream.
Instead of the warm blanket, the Colts, and the neverending bliss of a Sunday morning at home, Becky and I found ourselves in the trenches...the auction trenches. Although the rain and the cold were abundant, we still felt the urge for a 5 hours romp in the memories of other's pasts. But today, I was in hot pursuit of "The Beast"...a monstrous 4 foot wide, 7 foot tall lighted glass display case.
It would be mine.
We stood around and watched as the glassware and household goods were snatched up, and then some small furniture was sacrificed, before the Beast was offered. Two of these mammoths were inside the house, ready for sale, but I only needed one. The auction opened for choice Display Case, and the bidding war began.
To the far right, an older gentleman in a three piece suit. To his left, a farmer and his wife, in front, one of the auction workers (which, for the record, I think is crap that they can bid to a certain extent...feels like they're running up the price to me.)
The farmer opened up the bidding at $30, followed by the Old Man's $40. I jumped in at $50, and the circle continued. At $100, I bowed out, and the auction man jumped in. When the dust cleared, the Auction Man was victorious with his $150 bid. I stopped because that case was HUGE, and I was nervous about the weight, getting it in the basement, etc.
The Auctioneer asked the Auction Man if he wanted both, and he said no. There was one Beast still needing to be slayed. The Auctioneer fired up again. This time, the farmer didn't even bid, neither did the Auction Man. It was me and the Suit, mano-a-mano.
In the end, I had the stamina that the old man just didn't possess. The Beast was mine at $90. Then, as always, the troubles began.
Problem #1
I had to wait until the auction was over to get any help. I had a game in the Burg at 6, and it was closing in on 4:45 when the auction concluded...I would have to work fast.
Problem #2
The display case must have been constructed in the room where it layed, because no amount of twisting and turning would get that damn case out of the house. It just wouldn't go. One of the auction guys tried taking the top off of the case, but it wouldn't come off. I looked around the room and only saw one option...
The window.
After some convincing, the beast slid out the window into the waiting hands of two other auction guys. Time, at this point, was of the essence. I waved at Becky to pull the van in close, and as soon as she did, the auction guys stopped her, and informed me they had to take the tent down first. An agonizing five minutes past as they de-constructed the tent. Finally, the tent was down, and me and 2 auction guys loaded the beast into the van.
It barely fit.
I scooped up the glass shelves, while Becky combed the room for the brackets and a plastic tub full of hard plastic display stands. They probably weren't included in the deal, but I'm sure they were in the case at one point, so I felt entitled. I carefully sat the six shelves and the glass doors in the belly of the beast, and we were off.
Problem #3
I took a quick measurement of the beast to confirm its 4 foot by 7 foot advertised gerth, and sure enough, it was exactly as described. I then measured the spot I had planned to put it in the basement.
The spot was a mere 3 foot wide! Damn...
The basement ceiling only measured 6 foot 11 inches! Double Damn...
We left for the game amidst my cursing and screaming. Becky assured me that it would work out fine, and, as always, she was right, but at the time, I just couldn't see the light at the end of this long and heavy tunnel.
I enlisted the help of my best friend, Shannon, to help me carry the beast to it's resting place. I was paranoid that the thing would be a royal pain to get downstairs, but Shannon's confidence was all it took.
"Don't think about it, just grab it and let's do it!" he said, sliding the beast from the back of the van. Two minutes later, we sat and marveled at the size of the beast as he lay sideways on the basement floor.
A little cutting from the bottom, a quick wiring of the lights, and the beast will be ready to display. Stay tuned for pictures of the finished project. Hopefully, I won't leave you waiting for long.
But it was all a dream.
Instead of the warm blanket, the Colts, and the neverending bliss of a Sunday morning at home, Becky and I found ourselves in the trenches...the auction trenches. Although the rain and the cold were abundant, we still felt the urge for a 5 hours romp in the memories of other's pasts. But today, I was in hot pursuit of "The Beast"...a monstrous 4 foot wide, 7 foot tall lighted glass display case.
It would be mine.
We stood around and watched as the glassware and household goods were snatched up, and then some small furniture was sacrificed, before the Beast was offered. Two of these mammoths were inside the house, ready for sale, but I only needed one. The auction opened for choice Display Case, and the bidding war began.
To the far right, an older gentleman in a three piece suit. To his left, a farmer and his wife, in front, one of the auction workers (which, for the record, I think is crap that they can bid to a certain extent...feels like they're running up the price to me.)
The farmer opened up the bidding at $30, followed by the Old Man's $40. I jumped in at $50, and the circle continued. At $100, I bowed out, and the auction man jumped in. When the dust cleared, the Auction Man was victorious with his $150 bid. I stopped because that case was HUGE, and I was nervous about the weight, getting it in the basement, etc.
The Auctioneer asked the Auction Man if he wanted both, and he said no. There was one Beast still needing to be slayed. The Auctioneer fired up again. This time, the farmer didn't even bid, neither did the Auction Man. It was me and the Suit, mano-a-mano.
In the end, I had the stamina that the old man just didn't possess. The Beast was mine at $90. Then, as always, the troubles began.
Problem #1
I had to wait until the auction was over to get any help. I had a game in the Burg at 6, and it was closing in on 4:45 when the auction concluded...I would have to work fast.
Problem #2
The display case must have been constructed in the room where it layed, because no amount of twisting and turning would get that damn case out of the house. It just wouldn't go. One of the auction guys tried taking the top off of the case, but it wouldn't come off. I looked around the room and only saw one option...
The window.
After some convincing, the beast slid out the window into the waiting hands of two other auction guys. Time, at this point, was of the essence. I waved at Becky to pull the van in close, and as soon as she did, the auction guys stopped her, and informed me they had to take the tent down first. An agonizing five minutes past as they de-constructed the tent. Finally, the tent was down, and me and 2 auction guys loaded the beast into the van.
It barely fit.
I scooped up the glass shelves, while Becky combed the room for the brackets and a plastic tub full of hard plastic display stands. They probably weren't included in the deal, but I'm sure they were in the case at one point, so I felt entitled. I carefully sat the six shelves and the glass doors in the belly of the beast, and we were off.
Problem #3
I took a quick measurement of the beast to confirm its 4 foot by 7 foot advertised gerth, and sure enough, it was exactly as described. I then measured the spot I had planned to put it in the basement.
The spot was a mere 3 foot wide! Damn...
The basement ceiling only measured 6 foot 11 inches! Double Damn...
We left for the game amidst my cursing and screaming. Becky assured me that it would work out fine, and, as always, she was right, but at the time, I just couldn't see the light at the end of this long and heavy tunnel.
I enlisted the help of my best friend, Shannon, to help me carry the beast to it's resting place. I was paranoid that the thing would be a royal pain to get downstairs, but Shannon's confidence was all it took.
"Don't think about it, just grab it and let's do it!" he said, sliding the beast from the back of the van. Two minutes later, we sat and marveled at the size of the beast as he lay sideways on the basement floor.
A little cutting from the bottom, a quick wiring of the lights, and the beast will be ready to display. Stay tuned for pictures of the finished project. Hopefully, I won't leave you waiting for long.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
For the Birds
TV: Tonight at 11:00, we analyze the bird flu pandemic on the Night Cast.
Becky: "The flu is coming from birds?"
Me: "Yeah."
Becky: "Does that include chickens? Like, if I eat a chicken could I get it?"
Me: "No, it's from bird poop."
Becky: "Oh, then I definately won't be eating any of that!"
Me: "I would hope not."
Becky: "The flu is coming from birds?"
Me: "Yeah."
Becky: "Does that include chickens? Like, if I eat a chicken could I get it?"
Me: "No, it's from bird poop."
Becky: "Oh, then I definately won't be eating any of that!"
Me: "I would hope not."
Monday, October 10, 2005
5, 5...Who'll Give Me 5?
All of you who know me know I'm a big Ebay fan. A lot of times, however, you buy something on Ebay only to find it wasn't as described. Man, that sucks!! If only there was a way to have items up for bid and you could personally hold the things and inspect them BEFORE you bid...
Ah, yes...AUCTIONS!! I have heard a lot of people gush about going to auctions and estate sales, but I was always too afraid of the fast paced nature of the "game." I tried it once years back, and had a bad experience.
I went to the local auction barn in the 'Burg because I was tipped off they were putting some records on the block. I went and searched the 5 boxes of records and put together a box of records that were good ones I would like to have. Since I only found one good box, I was going to concentrate on that box. Well, the bidding started, and me not knowing anything about auctions, tried to keep up.
"Alright we got some records here, choice of box...who'll give me 5, 5, 5, who'll give me 5."
I got a stern look from the auctioneer, the man who tipped me off in the first place. I raised my number and started the bidding. Another guy was with me and we bid it up to $20. When the dust finally settled, I had won!
That's when the trouble started.
"You want all of 'em?" the auctioneer asked?
Well, yeah I want them all!! Sweet, I got them all for $20!! Damn, that was a good deal. So, I get up and go to pay, and the lady says..."$100, Sonny."
"No, I just bought the records...$20."
"You took 'em all, $20 times 5 is $100."
I was stunned. I didn't have $100!! I thought they meant...OH!! I begged for forgiveness, and they finally granted it to me. I took my one box, paid $20 and slunk off into the night never to return. As I left I heard the Auctioneer and all the auctionees laughing at me as the Auctioneer explained how stupid I was.
Fast forward 7 years.
Becky and I went to an auction close to home. This time, I knew the lingo. Becky got us started with a win on a glass plate.
I set my sights on some old video cameras that my cousin collects, and some larger items in the front yard. I was running back and forth, to make sure I won the cameras, before bidding began for the larger items. Finally the cameras came up...but first, it was hair curlers. No one wanted them, so they drug in a camera. It wasn't the one I wanted, and no one bid, so in came the second camera, the Super 8 hand held I wanted. I bid the dollar.
To my surprise, no one challenged. My first win!! Two old cameras and some hair curlers for a dollar! I made my way back out front and prepared to wage war for a beautiful console stereo. This thing had no scratches on it. I opened the bidding at $20 and bids came in fast and furious.
$25, $30, $40, $50, $60...I pulled myself out of the running. But Becky nudged me and put me back in...she always knows when I should keep fighting. I threw myself back in at $80, and won!
We tried to get some recliners that went for an unbelievable $500 each, and a table that went out of our range. Then it was Becky's turn. Her sights were set on a small padded rocking chair. There were 2, and the auctioneer called for choice. Becky and another lady duked it out, and Becky finally succumbed and gave it up at $50. The lady took her choice (which was also the one Becky wanted) and left. The other one was up for grabs. The bidding stated again, and Becky won for $25.
A few more things went out of our price range, and I bought a plant stand to sit my Steve Timmons 1984 USA World Championship Volleyball Jersey on. (Yes, he actually wore this jersey!! I guess it's more exciting to me than you...)
After that, Becky took our number to the back, where they already knew what we bought (isn't technology great?) and she paid the lady. I carted the stereo down to the street and waited for Becky to pick us up. We loaded the stereo, but didn't have room for Becky's chair, so I picked it up and started walking home.
I thought the house was closer than it was. A half a mile later, I arrived home. We now officially have the auction bug. We went to our second on Sunday, but won nothing. We will be back...oh yes, we will be back!!
Ah, yes...AUCTIONS!! I have heard a lot of people gush about going to auctions and estate sales, but I was always too afraid of the fast paced nature of the "game." I tried it once years back, and had a bad experience.
I went to the local auction barn in the 'Burg because I was tipped off they were putting some records on the block. I went and searched the 5 boxes of records and put together a box of records that were good ones I would like to have. Since I only found one good box, I was going to concentrate on that box. Well, the bidding started, and me not knowing anything about auctions, tried to keep up.
"Alright we got some records here, choice of box...who'll give me 5, 5, 5, who'll give me 5."
I got a stern look from the auctioneer, the man who tipped me off in the first place. I raised my number and started the bidding. Another guy was with me and we bid it up to $20. When the dust finally settled, I had won!
That's when the trouble started.
"You want all of 'em?" the auctioneer asked?
Well, yeah I want them all!! Sweet, I got them all for $20!! Damn, that was a good deal. So, I get up and go to pay, and the lady says..."$100, Sonny."
"No, I just bought the records...$20."
"You took 'em all, $20 times 5 is $100."
I was stunned. I didn't have $100!! I thought they meant...OH!! I begged for forgiveness, and they finally granted it to me. I took my one box, paid $20 and slunk off into the night never to return. As I left I heard the Auctioneer and all the auctionees laughing at me as the Auctioneer explained how stupid I was.
Fast forward 7 years.
Becky and I went to an auction close to home. This time, I knew the lingo. Becky got us started with a win on a glass plate.
I set my sights on some old video cameras that my cousin collects, and some larger items in the front yard. I was running back and forth, to make sure I won the cameras, before bidding began for the larger items. Finally the cameras came up...but first, it was hair curlers. No one wanted them, so they drug in a camera. It wasn't the one I wanted, and no one bid, so in came the second camera, the Super 8 hand held I wanted. I bid the dollar.
To my surprise, no one challenged. My first win!! Two old cameras and some hair curlers for a dollar! I made my way back out front and prepared to wage war for a beautiful console stereo. This thing had no scratches on it. I opened the bidding at $20 and bids came in fast and furious.
$25, $30, $40, $50, $60...I pulled myself out of the running. But Becky nudged me and put me back in...she always knows when I should keep fighting. I threw myself back in at $80, and won!
We tried to get some recliners that went for an unbelievable $500 each, and a table that went out of our range. Then it was Becky's turn. Her sights were set on a small padded rocking chair. There were 2, and the auctioneer called for choice. Becky and another lady duked it out, and Becky finally succumbed and gave it up at $50. The lady took her choice (which was also the one Becky wanted) and left. The other one was up for grabs. The bidding stated again, and Becky won for $25.
A few more things went out of our price range, and I bought a plant stand to sit my Steve Timmons 1984 USA World Championship Volleyball Jersey on. (Yes, he actually wore this jersey!! I guess it's more exciting to me than you...)
After that, Becky took our number to the back, where they already knew what we bought (isn't technology great?) and she paid the lady. I carted the stereo down to the street and waited for Becky to pick us up. We loaded the stereo, but didn't have room for Becky's chair, so I picked it up and started walking home.
I thought the house was closer than it was. A half a mile later, I arrived home. We now officially have the auction bug. We went to our second on Sunday, but won nothing. We will be back...oh yes, we will be back!!
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