Going, Going, Gone!

Going, Going, Gone!

Over a year ago, we started cleaning out the attics and any other place stuff was just sitting.  We had a garage sale in May that didn't do very well, so I said never again.  Too much effort, planning and such goes into putting a garage sale on to accept less than decent results.  So this winter, we started cleaning out the other attic and putting stuff on craigslist and ebay.  I still had 4 pinball, 2 slot and 5 stand-up arcade machines + one pachinko machine.  I wasn't playing any of those machines and knew that if we moved, we didn't want to take any of them with us.  (The dream is still alive to some day move to Maui.)

One morning I got up and started taking pictures of them all.  They were going to get posted on craigslist.com as soon as I got done.  (I'm not sure how this site makes any money.  I've sold and bought small and large things and never been charged.)  The first week, I sold 3 arcade machines to a guy that belonged to a local group called S.M.A.C. or Seattle Metro Area Collectors.  He also took pictures of the rest of what I had and posted them on S.M.A.C.'s website.  No charge.  Long story short, it took 10 days or so to finally unload all the machines accept for the 2 slot machines.  I had to keep re-listing them on craigslist, but they finally went.  One thing that was a constant amongst all of those that came here to buy my machines was their ability to remove the machines and not tear up my walls OR wood trim on their way out.  It wasn't that way when we brought them in.  A giant thanks goes out to all of them!

Now that the machines are gone, and I generated over $3,000.00 in doing so, I'm back to digging in the attic.  I'm finding some neat stuff that I put away.  So far, the oldest thing I've found are really old magazines.  The 1940's and 1950's are very well represented.  There was even a publication from the local Plasterer's union.  I forget "the" date, but do remember it being from the 1920's.  Hard to believe what shape they're in!  Other old things include old letters from high school aged gal pals.  I didn't figure my wife needed to see them, so they went bye-bye.  I also found a 1968 copy of a UW Homecoming program.  We played UCLA that year.  Also in this attic are old programs from Seattle International Raceway events that we went to, West Coast Hockey League games we attended and a program from the Mariners very first ever opening night game that I was at!  I'm keeping that one.  Now it comes down to what do I want to drag around with us the rest of our lives vs. it doesn't mean that much to me and I'm selling it.  What's hot are drag racing items from back in the late 1960's through the 1970's.  No sooner do I list them and someone bids on them. 

Now all I need to do is convince my wife that she needs to get rid of some of the patterns she's had hiding in our rec room closet.  In the 33 years we've been together she's not once gone up there to retrieve a pattern that she thinks would be fun to make.  Not once!  Me, I sold my car and now I've gotten rid of some other things I wasn't using.  Might as well generate a little $$$$$ vs. packing stuff up to just follow us wherever we go once we exit Ballard.  It was tough seeing the car I'd waited so long in life to get, drive up the alley, knowing it wasn't coming back, but it was the right thing to do.  It's time I hear her say that getting rid of some of those old patterns is the right thing to do.  Either that or we're heading for a fabric shop real soon!

Big Dogg out!