Getting past writer's block

The scenario became quite familiar over the past couple of months.  Fingers poised on the keyboard home keys, ideas bouncing around in my head, but no coherent thoughts being translated into bits and bytes for your reading pleasure.

 

Yep, I’ve had a major league case of writer’s block.

 

To be fair, I’ve had a few distractions, including a new task at work that sent me to Mississippi for ethics investigation training.  It’s sort of like C.S.I., except without the cool forensics tools or the messy dead bodies.  OK, so it’s nothing like C.S.I., but I do get to interrogate trembling suspects under a hot spotlight.  Well, maybe not trembling, and I was told that I couldn’t use a spotlight. 

 

However, I do get to ask such stress-inducing questions like “did you yell at your coworker?” or “why do you feel that your boss disrespected you” or even “did you charge time to a contract and not actually do the work?”  Unfortunately, we are not allowed to dangle suspects out the window despite YouTube videos shown during our training that illustrated that this is particularly effective.

 

As part of this new job, I also had to apply for a security clearance, and get fingerprinted.  I managed to remain anonymous for 23 years in my defense-contractor position, but now the Government will know who I am.  Scary.

 

Of course, even with everything else going on, my online sales (Amazon and Ebay) continue, and Ella is helping to keep our three antique booths stocked and semi-profitable.  In addition, Spring has now sprung, and the brief winter respite from weekend thrifting is over, with all manner of sales popping up, including a community yard sale just up the road on Saturday that promises 50+ sellers.

 

Sales have been steady, but mediocre, with a few bright spots, including this vintage Polaroid camera, new in packaging, with two unopened double packs of film.  I think it was a $4 investment that sold for $160 rather quickly.  Ella found the camera, but missed the film, at an estate sale, and I grabbed the film during a second sweep of the house before we left.

 

We've found Polaroid cameras before, but never an actual new one

I also sold three boxes of Ralston 100% Wheat Hot Cereal, which expired in 2004, for $10 each because they had a picture of cowboy star Tom Mix on the back.   The boxes were acquired in the large cowboy memorabilia lot that we bought two years ago, and had been sitting around every since.  I doubted they would sell, but listed them anyway, and was proud to be proven wrong.

 

I hope the buyer doesn't eat this for breakfast

I also have to credit Ella for finding this singing fish.  I had passed it up, but Ella noticed the McDonald’s logo, and bought it.  Turns out, it’s a collectible, and should be on your BOLO list.

 

Filet-O-Fish anyone?

Looking ahead, as always, once we get past Easter Sunday, it’s going to be non-stop weekend sales for a while.  Time to get busy (or busier) again.