Boo ! Scary !

Happy Halloween!

 

I sent an email to my ebay hacker, and read him the riot act…something about cease and desist, or be careful in dark alleys.  He has since stopped, and hopefully, that will put an end to it.

 

On corkscrew fronts, I snapped up an odd cork grabber direct pull thingy that looks interesting.  Any thoughts as to origins would be welcomed…pics are below.

 

 

beyond annoying

I awoke yesterday morning to an angry email from an ebayer questioning my integrity after I supposedly offered him a second chance offer on a toshiba laptop computer as he was the underbidder.  Knowing that I don’t own a toshiba laptop, and the fact that I didn’t send the offer, I hopped online with ebay.

 

After several emails, and online conversations with the powers that be, they explained that somehow my account was hacked, and someone was using my ID to run a scam.  "Great," I thought outloud, "now what…"

 

I changed my passoword immediately, and then revisited my "myebay" page.  In looking at the text that was sent to four various underbidders, the offending ebay hacker gave his very own email address… So, I set about seeking the person out, and sent him an email…. he explained that ebay changed his password, and the address would be different because he moved and some other stuff. 

 

The next email that I send, will tell him that I was the one that was hacked, and that he is a big weenie!

 

I haven’t figured out what other recourse I will take in this matter, but I may be calling on "the family…"

 

 

a couple of lots

I was deeply involved in making sense of Ernest Morrel’s work with critical research, and envisioning how that would work at the community college level, when I took a break, had my 22nd cup of coffee, and clicked on ebay.  There listed was a lot of corkscrews–granted there are a lot of corkscrews on ebay, I mean a single lot of several.

 

I glanced at the picture, and saw the older version of the zig zag, a vaughns prong puller, a champagne tap, and a few other odds and ends.  With a buy it now attached.  I clicked, won, and went back to critical research.

 

I should also mention that there is a corkscrew lot going up on a live auction today…I managed to get an absentee bid in, but so did Andre Burgos…we shall see where the corkscrews land!

 

Sniped out of a Snappy by Bull

A couple of days ago, there was this fabulous snappy alligator carved corkscrew that was listed on ebay.  I had contacted the seller, as there was a reserve, and with the bids increasing…the reserve still wasn’t hit.  Well, I placed a snipe bid…knowing it was below the reserve, but hoping that after the dust settled, I would have been the high bidder, and the seller and I could negotiate a deal.

 

And, then it happend.  Completely blindsided by Don Bull.  Who pounced on the aforementioned gator with gusto.  He too, came up short of the reserve, but through a couple of emails negotiated to get the snappy fellow into his hands.

 

Well, as the old adage goes, there’s plenty of gators in the swamp.  I am sure another will come along eventually.

 

Shriner’s Corkscrew

Last week sometime, I saw this little williamson roundlet corkscrew on ebay.  It looked to have some applied markings, and I emailed the seller to make sure they were not stickers.  She told me they were applied medallion/badges, and I placed a bid.

 

As luck would have it, I won the auction…and was later congratulated by the Grand PooBah himself (Don Bull) on my find.  I should mention it was cheap! (6.50 to be exact)

 

Well, it arrived today and is marked with the Williamson patent information on one end.  And, the two badges are for MAINE, and for KORA, 1906.  A quick google of Maine and Kora bring’s up the Shriner’s organization in Lewiston.

 

A neat variation on the Williamson Roundlet!

 

Snipe Snipe Snipe

After a couple of days of reading countless articles about school climate and its affect on teacher behavior, I settled in with a glass of Owen Roe’s Abbot’s Table and set a few snipes on ebay.

This morning I awoke to several emails announcing my wins. Of course, I always look to see who was the underbidder, so I will know who will be mad at me later.

So…apologies to Chris and Don. As the old addage says, "All is fair in love and corkscrews…"

Sweetest Day

5 years ago, the lovely bride and I were shopping for a home in Chicago.  We would fly in from Connecticut, and spend a couple of days, and then fly back home.  So, around this time in October we were talking with our real estate agent who asked us if we were doing anything for ‘sweetest day?’

 

I looked at her with a puzzled expression–as I am not Swedish–  Shortly there after, I saw a few cards for sale for "sweetest’ day, and it started to make sense.

 

I don’t know where this whole sweetest day thing started.  But, I swear someone just made it up.  And, I had never heard of it before moving to Chicago. 

 

I am thinking its a conspiracy!!!!!!

the corkscrew gods show a little love

So… I have this intense literature review that I am working on which is designed to look at school climate and its affect on teachers’ perceptions of students. And, while I should probably be reading articles for this project, I can’t help but every once in a while check out ebay to see what has recently been listed.

I punched up a search, and an interesting corkscrew had been added. It is marked FOREIGN and features a four finger direct pull type handle, but is attached to a set of lazy tongs. I snapped it up for the 20 bucks that was asked, knowing that I had seen a similar one before—then, I went back to reading.

Over coffee this morning, I perused Don Bull’s book, and he pictures the same one except its GERMANY instead of FOREIGN. Still, it is a nice piece, for a great price.

It is nice to know that the corkscrew gods are willing to throw a little love my way.

marathon results and still no corkscrews

The lovely completed her 4th marathon on Sunday in splendid style.  She finished in 5:30:37, finishing with a flourish as she flew past countless other runners as she crossed the finish line.  A great run for her, and I got to hop into the race for the last 11 miles to try and lend some moral support.

 

While the marathon was quite the exciting event, the corkscrew gods have seemingly left chicago, and are now shining down on someone else.  Perhaps soon they will return.

 

WAY TO GO TINK!!!!!!!!

no corkscrews!

there was a estate sale about 4 miles from our place in chicago today that was advertised as "large collection of bar items."  Bar items I thought, interesting.   I hoped in the mini and headed over.  Well, there were lots of bar items, but nothing resembling a corkscrew.

 

Tomorrow the lovely bride is running the Chicago marathon!  Go Tink!!!!!!!!!!!!!