I woke up a bit before noon due to people walking around on the roof. The wind and rain had apparently damaged something and they were up there to fix it. I went back to bed and thought I was maybe lying in until around 2, but when I got up for real, it was half after 12.
I checked Ebay and a seller who doesn't show up on the system is demanding a refund for a sale I can't find a record of my having sold. The item's one I've listed, but I'm sure it's some kind of fraud. It's times like this when I'm reminded of just how much I hate Ebay. I can do better per hour panhandling anyway, which I consider a far nobler way to make a living.
And panhandling is something I rate below hustling handicrafts, busking, odd jobs, etc.
In other words even if I leave for Hawaii before I'm old enough to get Social Security, there's no way I'll fall into the trap of selling on Ebay. I'd get better prices for anything I'd sell on Ebay by hustling the same thing to tourists anyway. But the main idea is to live on very little. We're talking, other than shelter, spending $200 a month maybe. $10 a day panhandling or busking or hustling makes $300 a month which is a lot of money.
I'm reminded of a guy I heard of, who lived in a sort rambling house or set of houses, I was never quite clear on that, that was next to where I had an apartment in Waikiki in 2003. He'd worked "in computers" and that's enough to rob anyone of their mind. He detailed cars, 1-2 a day as that was "enough".
I'm also reminded of one of my older sister's boyfriends, a guy who went by the name of "Don". This was during the puka shell boom of the mid-70s and a primo necklace could go for $100 in 1970s dollars. Don would hustle puka shell necklaces to tourists on the beach. Most people would lay a towel on the trunk of their car and park it by the beach and wait for buyers to come to them, but not Don. Some corn-fed tourists would be out lying on the beach at Pipeline or Waimea Bay and suddenly there's this middle-aged, muscular, tan, guy, shirtless and wearing one of those little white sailor hats, hustling them the puka shell necklaces they were probably going to get around to buying anyway. This way they bought them from Don.
I remember my father saying in equal parts exasperation and admiration that Don would always survive as he's a hustler. He's probably got an 8th grade education, Dad said, but he's always getting out there and making an effort. This was the time when we started our downfall from middle class to very poor.
I finally got out of here around 4 and rode up to H Mart and locked up the bike. I walked over to Ross and found a pair of sweat pants (I recently bought two "Michael Jordan" ones, one of which I love and the others I do not - too short!) and a long-sleeved T-shirt from the movie "Elf" that has the elf dude smiling and saying "Son of a nutcracker" - the main thing it was 49c and it'll make a nice layer to wear under a jacket as the weather gradually warms.
After walking back and stashing those in the bike bags I went into H Mart and got sake, raw sunflower seeds, and no "8 Mate" senbei (comes in 8 little packs) because they were out. I went back out into the cold wind and once I got going I remembered - I'd intended to get some Yakult because I kind of had the shits from eating (I think) raw green beans. So once I got back here I had some natto and kim chee because kim chee has probiotics in it also.
It was really cold out there and I'm hoping my ploy of packing a ton of stuff today/tonight and taking it to the post office/FedEx before the rain comes in, is a workable one.
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