The horrors I went through

First off, never go and get your own domain unless you know what you are doing! If you do get your own domain, then dont it let fucking expire and then you be in a panic thinking that your posts has been lost forever.

Yes, thats is what almost happened. Do you know if you buy a domain and if you let it expired after 40 days anyone can purchase your domain and hold it ransom? And if you have a hosting plan and if you dont back up your files, then you are also screwed.

Nk renewed my domain name and hosted it on someplace else other than godaddy. My hosting plan though was going to expire a week later. I foolishly thought the wordpress.com site will also hold all my files.. Uhmm nope! I didnt do a back up since Nov 09.

After hours of researching and googling and coding in wp-config and mysql database crap,I figured it out, I finally did it. And as usual it was a fucking simple thing.If anyone wants to know, I will tell you!

I have all my files. But I realize the tags and catergories didnt come through! FUCK!Its 1 a/m and I should go to bed. But I wanted to shout out hello and I missed blogging and you guys!!

A must watch for all thrifters

I love thrifting. The hunt for something old that will bring a smile to my face. Or go ka-ching! So imagine my delight when I heard about this Auction Hunters.The show is premiering this Tuesday, November 9th on Spike.

Met Ton and Allen. They go in and bid on storage units.Typically one doesn’t get to rummage through what is inside the unit. You just bid and hope its stuff worth reselling. I wanted to attend on held last month but the blurb about removing all contents of the unit within 24 hours after the sale stopped me. I do not have the space nor the cash to buy an entire unit.

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:ifilm:video:spike.com:3491793

Auction Hunters Trailer | SpikeTV | SPIKE.com

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:ifilm:video:spike.com:3492882

Our Hunters Reveal Their Most Awesome Finds | SpikeTV | SPIKE.com

I will ready tomorrow night,armed with a notebook and a pen taking notes.

Monday Moneysavers

Oh the love.. Thank you all. I still havent renewed both services. I know for sure I am not doing the mapping(so if you type asaaan.wordpress.com, you are not automatically fwded you to asaaan.com) and I need to find another hosting service since Godaddy kinda sucks. Which would mean I need to find the time to transfer the stuff over.

I didnt hit any sales this weekend. Last Friday(before Halloween) I went to a fantastic sale. This lady was a hoarder. She saved everything from used candle bit to matchboxes. She had 7 gallon sized bags of match boxes.

This is what I bought

Vintage Flower Looms

Bought for 50cents, sold for $20 to a buyer in Greece.

And found my 6th bar cart

Brass faux bamboo design bar cart

Paid $35, Bought on Friday. Listed it on Saturday night for $190. Sunday night I had a best offer of $99,which I countered with $150. Monday morning I woke up it to being sold at my full asking price. I  check my phone first thing in the morning and I did a loud whoop! I got Fedex to package it for me. And its on its way to someone on the East Coast.

Check out Selena’s finds

Maybe it's time

Do you guys remember last year this time? Nk was away for 5 weeks in India, I was doing a daily posting and I bought myself a domain name as birthday present. Well, its one whole year later now and both services I purchased, the domain name, hosting service from Godaddy and the forward mapping service for WP blog is expiring. I keep getting reminders to renew my subscription.

I am debating stopping the blog. Its been a good 5 years since  I started blogging. We have been through many moves, one childbirth, a road accident amongst other things. My readership has grown. From one comment left to as many 50-60 comments on a post. Other bloggers who became friends. The blog has led to many things. But all good things must come to an end.

I want to write about many many things, which I cannot because way too many people who I know irl read me now. I cannot write about the sex stuff(because how embarrassing is it to write about you withhold sex because your spouse errm forgot to pick the kids up! not saying it happened or anything but if it did I couldnt write about it. Because I see those people the next day) or how much I want to curse someone but because  our mutual friend reads this blog and might ask me or  inform her about it.I also dont want to hurt someone accidentally. So if I cannot write about that stuff, then I do not want to write at all.

Plus lately, I havent had time to breathe let alone blog. So it seems like it had died a natural death.I still have until the 12th to renew.We’ll see. Maybe I will start one only about the ebay crap and will inform you guys. or maybe I will just dissappear. POOF

Monday MoneySavers

This week, was another weekend where I didn’t go out and hit the garage sales. I hosted the boy’s birthday part(ies). Yes Multiple parties in one day.
Neil was from 11-1p/m and Samar’s was 2-4.
I rented a bouncy house and cotton candy machine

Everything went off well. Except I was exhausted. I think I was asleep at 9. I NEVER fall asleep before midnight so that was an indication of how tired I was.

Nevertheless I did thrift on Friday, where I walked around the thrift store looking for something that will go ka-ching on Ebay. Nothing! Then I saw the familiar looking orange-flame color so prevalent in Le Creuset. With my heart beating, I turned over the pot and saw the le Creuset Made in France

Le Creuset Petite Au Gratin Dish Stack of 3 dishes

Bought for $3, sold for $30 within 2 hours of listing.

My biggest ebay seller this week.

Boo doll from Monsters Inc

Brand new in her box. Bought for $3.99 and sold for hold your hearts $79. I know. People are insane. Now these dolls apparently are highly collectible. Especially one in brand new condition. The other were listed for $125 and $185 with no buyers.  I listed her for $89 and got an offer within 2 hours. Should I have held onto her, hoping for more $$? I was texting a friend J(who  needs to  update her blog, who I also got hooked on selling on Ebay) back and forth about this. Her line about bird in hand and bush convinced me to accept the $79 offer after 4 hours?  What if the buyer of the above doll turned around and sold it  for $200,would I be kicking myself? Or should I be happy with my huge profit margin.I generally accept most offers because I like to pad my paypal account.What’s your take on this

PS;I made Top rated seller and Bronze seller after 3 months of selling.. Woohoo Me!

By the Water Cooler-Work Conversations

I was sitting at a table with 2 ladies and a gentleman.

Lady 1: I heard you were in the navy. How did you start your navy career?
Commander: In 1936, when I was a senior in high school,
Lady 2( whispering to me): I was born in 1911. How old was I in 1936?
Me: 25
Lady 2:Commander you are younger than me.
Com: How old are you?
Lady 2: I will be 99 this dec.
Com: Well,, I never meet people older than me who can have actual conversations.
Lady 1. Well I am younger than you both. I am only 89.
Lady 2: Well you just wait till you turn 90. Things change. Sunita how old are you?
Me: 33 in Nov.
Lady 2: Honey you are just a sprout then!.
——————————–
Me: Good morning, how are you today
Lady 3: Well I am still alive so I guess I am good.

—————————————

These are 2 bits of convo I remember. I was cracking up at the “you are a sprout ” comment. Age is all relative!

————-

Linking up to Parul’s contest

Another work update

I spoke with my manager yesterday and told her about my current situation. About how NK cannot be working from home. She gave me another option. Work Tues/Wed/Thurs/Friday 9-1. Now Samar’s co-op goes from 9-12. I have yard duty on certain Fridays(which is way too long and complicated to explain here but once every 6 weeks, I have to work in his classroom from 1145 to 115.) and I still would need to figure out the extra 1 hour for Samar’s care.

Then another friend gave me a contact for a senior in high school who would be willing to come to my house from 230-530. This would be for the current Tues/Thurs full day schedule.

So this is what I will be spending on childcare–$174(current preschool tuition)+ $300(Tues/Thurs morning care for Samar for which a very kind friend cut me a great deal)+$240($10 per hour for 3 hours afternoon care for all 4 kids) per month!

My other option is to find an alternative preschool/daycare option that will take Samar  for 4 half days. Under $700 dollars or so(which according to another friend might not be a possibility in the Bay Area) That way I wouldn’t have to deal with the co-op stuff as well. But I love the co-op, love working with moms, the responsibility part meh! He loves his school as well. Not to mention I do not have any info about schools or whether they even have openings.

The meeting yesterday with the manager went really well. She wants me to implement a monthly newsletter for the residents. I would do more specialized room visits. Room visits are when I visit residents in their rooms(duh!). People who are too sick or depressed to come out. I have 3 very sweet ladies and 2 grumpy old men who scream Get out when they see me. One lady when I asked why didnt she come out to the activity hall, Her answer:” I am 90 yr old black woman. Do you know how long it takes to do my hair” I cracked up!

I told my manager I have to think about what schedule I want on Thursday. I will be meeting that  teenager later this afternoon. NK was of no help,his answer was, Whatever you say darling!

I have to go drop Samar off to school now and then will need to study for my class. Will check in comments later.

PS: So far this week, I have sold things to Norway, Greece, China and Australia.

Monday Moneysavers

I haven’t gone out to garage sales in 3 weeks. I didnt have time on Fridays(did errands) and Sat morning was just too tired to get up early and go out. I kept thinking of the treasures I was missing. Sigh.

I wanted to list some of my Ebay top earners.:

Emile Henry Casserole

 Emile Henry is an expensive brand. This is my 3rd or 4th Emile Henry product. I bought it for $12.99 and it sold for $32.99.This one took me a while to sell. There was previous one I sold for $62.99.

Mickey Mouse Costume

 Bought for $2.99, sold for $24.99

Elho Kids Snow suit

One of the thrift stores I frequent has started doing a monthly $1 colored tag sale. I bought a bunch of stuff and this was one of them. Bought for $1, sold for $23.99.

On the ebay page, when one logs into their seller account, there is  bar chart that shows 24hour sales, 7, 30, 90 and 120 days of sales. My goal is to have $100 a day sales target. The more, listing I do, the better my sales. If I run a storewide sale, I get hits. I did that this past week and had stuff flying off my store.

I scored something amazing at the thrift store today.

Brand new Ethan Allen Sofa

Still shrink wrapped. $95. I bought it and will have NK pick it up tomorrow. I still debating whether I will keep it or sell it. We will see.

Like a headless chicken

My 3rd week of working.I wonder about those women who work full time. How do they do it? I am just working 2 days and I feel overwhelmed.

Is it because of the number of kids I have. 4 versus 2? Or is it because I am involved in so many things. Like Ebay, I did a 40% sale on my store items and I have 5-6 things to pack every night.(One lady bought 2 things and had them shipped to France. Shipping to France $70 and she paid up happily). I cannot give Ebay up. The money from that is way too good for me to give it up.

I cannot give up the involvement at the co-op preschool.I enjoy my time there. Plus this is Samar’s last year.

Nk has been picking up the older kids from school. He picks them up 2.30, waits till Ashwina gets out at 3.10 and then works from home. He then said he cannot wait for Ashwina so I got her tokens for the bus that pulls into the school. Well, the first trip, she took the wrong bus and used her friend’s cell to call me at work. I drove down to get her and deposited her back home. Then NK forgot to check with the mom who drops Neil home after Science club on Thursday. She dropped him home and he went to pick Neil up..

NK is cranky when I get home. The kids have to be fed, bathed, homework done, and then various other things. I got another call for an interview. A recruiter position paying 40-45k per annum 20 miles from my house. The manager that called me wanted to schedule the interview last week. I didnt even have time to do the interview.I regretfully told him no and that I found another job.

NK keeps threatening me with “Mei Tues/Thurs bacho ko nahi pick kar sakte”(I cannot pick the kids up). because he is an ass and when we have an argument over whose turn is it load the dishwasher, he throws that at me. I always encounter with F!ck You!

Do I hire someone else to look after the kids from 230-530p/m, which effectively negates me bringing in any money?  Do I stop working? Do I tell NK to fucking step up and not be an ass.(He did say he was truly appreciative of how much I do. And that its not easy being  a mom. But the thing is his work might need him to be at work and not be at home.)

I do not have the answers. You guys?

Who knew working would be so hard?

I started last week. I worked full days Thursday and Friday. NK worked from home. My working hours were going to be Tues/Thurs 9-530. I found someone to look after Samar from 9-3.00. Nk then picks up older kids and worked from home till I get back.

I do not know what to feel about this job. The old people there made me feel so sad.I keep thinking is it going to be Nk and me in 20-30 years time. One questions one’s mortality after seeing stuff.

These people had lives, they worked, had  spouses, kids. And now to be stuck in a wheelchair, some with no orientation of time or place. Some who say, their wives are waiting and they want to leave. Now they cannot even turn the newspaper page.

I cried on Tues when I got back home. NK asked me why I am crying and I couldn’t even tell him why. Today was my 2nd day and while I didnt cry, I was still sad.

Does one learn to ignore and one’s heart becomes stronger? Does one quit working at such a job.I don’t know. Its midnight now and I should go to bed.